Birth was reckoned one, and the Day of the Circumcifion another. Thus our Lord was crucified on a Friday, and, according to their Way of computing Time, that which was done in one Day included the whole Day and Night preceding. So he lay in the Grave the Saturday, and early in the Morning on the first Day of the Week he arofe; which was the third Day, comprehending alfo for the fame Reason the Night following. Thus, according to the Jewish Method of computing, you fee how eafily this Cavil and Objection relating to the Time of our Lord's Refurrection is removed. Others, inclined to Infidelity, may object, and be ready to intimate, that it favours of an Impofture, because the Seal fixed on the Door of the Sepulchre was broken. They may be apt to think that this Seal was fixed and agreed between the Chief Priefts and the Difciples of our Lord, that it fhould not be broken till the Day fixed for his Refurrection was fully come. But they are very much mistaken who imagine that the Apoftles could be any Way concerned in this Matter; for they were quite difmayed with Fear, and had not the least Notion or Hope of his rifing again; even though he often told them that he should rife the third Day. The Seal was put by the Jews to guard against any Fraud or Impofture in this Cafe. But what fignified all this Caution, when

the

the POWER OF GOD was employed and exerted herein? The Angel of the Lord came, and rolled away the Stone from the Door of the Sepulchre. The Keepers were terrified, and went and related what had happened. This weak Cavil, invented in favour of Infidelity, deftroys itself; for if they were all afleep, how could they give in their Teftimony, that the Difciples came, and ftole away the Body? They covenanted with the Soldiers to affirm this, that the Difciples of Jefus fhould fteal away the Body whilft they flept. However, this is a common Report among the Jews to this Day. There is nothing fo weak, abfurd, and contrary to Senfe and Reason, which Perfons bent on Infidelity will not affert and maintain. Others have objected against Christ's Refurrection, and infinuated, that the Whole looks like an Imposture, because he did not appear or fhew himself openly to all the Inhabitants of Jerufalem, but only to his chofen Friends and Difciples. To this it may, and has been, rationally reply'd, That if there are a fufficient Number of Witneffes to any important Matter of Fact, concerning which they are qualified and fitted to judge, there can be no room for any folid Objection against believing the Apostles were chiefly appointed, and chofen of God, to bear this witnefs. This is what St. Peter, in his Difcourfe to Cornelius and others, in

fifted on; he was fhewed openly, not to all the People, &c.

But fome one or other may fay, Would not his appearing to all the People of Judea entirely have removed their Unbelief, and even forced and obliged them to acknowledge their Guilt in crucifying him? Would not this Method most probably have brought them to deep Repentance, and to full Perfuafion of his Divine Miffion and Authority? To this I reply, That our Saviour had before his Death abundantly demonstrated his Miffion, and that God was with him, being anointed with the Holy Ghoft, working God-like and moft beneficent Miracles publickly, and in open View of all; yet, after all the Proofs and Demonftrations he had given, they rejected, condemned and crucified him. And fo full were they of blind Rage and Malice, that had he shewed himself openly, 'tis very probable, as an eminent Writer obferves, they would have attempted to crucify him again, even as they endeavoured to murder LAZARUS, whom Chrift had raised from the Dead, fearing least many would, on this Account, believe on him. Moreover, by such a Method as that just mentioned, viz. his fhewing himself openly to all the People, if it had wrought a Conviction in their Minds, yet it would have been a

forcible

forcible one, wherein there is no Virtue. God therefore was pleased to give them who were not invincibly prejudiced fuch a Conviction as should be wrought in a Rational Way. In order hereto, he gave the Apoftles of our Lord the fulleft Evidence of the Truth of Chrift's Refurrection, and fealed their Teftimony by enabling them to work Miracles for the Confirmation of their Doctrine, and fortified them with an unshaken Refolution and Courage to fuffer the most violent Deaths, rather than to retract, or deny the Truth: And they who would not be convinced by this Method must be obftinately fixed in Infidelity. The Question here is not what we might be apt to think to be the most proper Method, but whe ther there was fufficient Reafon for them to believe the Teftimony and Witness which the Apostles gave; and if it appears that the Apostles of our Lord were qualified to work Miracles in Confirmation of this Truth, this must be fufficient to incline any fincere unprejudiced Person to admit and entertain their Testimony: For we cannot, confiftent ly with any right Notions of the Wisdom, Holiness, Goodnefs, or Faithfulness of God, think that he would employ his Power to enable any to work Miracles to establish a Lie and an Impofture. When Persons are determined to be Unbelievers, they will never

be

be at a lofs for Objections against the Truth. Though there fhould be a great Number of very credible Witnesses to any Matter of Fact, yet still they will be apt to fay, Why was there not a greater Number, or why should their Faith reft upon the Witness of others; which by the way destroys the Credibility of all History; and such might as well fay, Why does not Chrift appear in every Age to convince Unbelievers?

Others have been ready to form an Objection against the Reality and Certainty of our Lord's Refurrection, even from what the Evangelifts themfelves have related concerning it, particularly when they fay be appeared, `and then quickly vanished out of their Sight; and we read in St. John, the Place before quoted, that he enter'd into the Room where the Disciples were affembled, the Doors being Shut. Whence they would infer, that he could not have a real Body, and confequently that his Body was not rifen again; for how could a Body like ours penetrate the Door? How could he come amongst them whilft the Doors were fout? At another Time we read that he joined himself with two Difciples, and yet 'tis exprefly faid, that their Eyes were beld that they knew him not; how then could they be fuppofed to be fufficient Witnesses of the real Perfon who walked and talked with

them?