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'to lead them into strict inquiries, unless it was because 'they believed the report that the watch had brought them ' of Christ's rising again. When they had this certain reason to believe it, and yet resolved to oppose it; the only thing they could do, was to seem to neglect the matter, and only to decry it in general as an imposture, without going into particulars. Which certainly they would not have done, if they themselves had not been too sure of 'the truth of it.'

"His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept."

I propose to show the falsehood and improbability of this report.

And then I shall add some observations upon this history of the evangelist.

Concerning the first, it may be thought, that I am about to take needless pains, the saying being so very absurd. And indeed, it is well that it deserves little regard, and that it appears so to us, after having carefully attended to the evidence of our Saviour's resurrection. But as " this saying was commonly reported among the Jews," it may be worth the while to show in some particulars, how unlikely it is, and that it could not be then much regarded by any, but such as were very weak, or very much prejudiced.

1. It is very unlikely that a guard of Roman soldiers should sleep upon duty.

For the Roman discipline was extremely strict. Such a thing would be improbable among any people, especially among the Romans. And for certain, they who set them here gave them a strict charge to be vigilant. Nor was there any long or tedious service required of them. The whole season of their attendance could not, at the utmost, much exceed four and twenty hours. The sabbath was begun when they were placed at the sepulchre. And soon after the sabbath was over, the body which they were to take care of, was gone, and they came down into the city to let the high priests and Jewish rulers know what had happened. 2. The absurdity of this report is manifest from itself. For men cannot say what is done when they are asleep. If the disciples had attempted to take the body away, and they knew it, they must have been awake, and could and would have prevented it. If they were asleep, they deserved to be punished. But they could not make any

Et quis credet, tot milites, vigiliis perpetuis assuetos, circumfusos sepulchro, in re tanti momenti, summæque expectationis- -jacuisse omnes quasi lethargo sepultos? Pol. Syn.

credible report of what was done whilst they were in that condition. If the body was carried off whilst they were asleep, they could not say by whom it was done. Whatever happened at that time must have been altogether unknown to them.

3. If the guard of soldiers had fallen asleep as they were watching at the sepulchre, they must have awaked if any attempt had been made to steal away the body.

For the body had been laid in a new tomb hewn out in a rock. And a large stone was laid at the door of it. And after that the Jewish high priests had seen it securely fastened. It was impossible, in an ordinary way, that the sepulchre should be opened, and the body in it taken thence, without a good deal of noise, which must have awakened such as were near.

4. The remaining of the burial clothes affords proof that the body was not removed by friends or other men.

The women, who had been at the sepulchre, came to the disciples, and told them what they had seen. Luke xxiv. 12," Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself. He beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves." The meaning of the original word, I think, is this: He saw nothing but the linen clothes lying.' Or, he saw the linen clothes only lying on the ground.'

This is more particularly related by St. John, xx. 1—8, who gives an account of his own and Peter's going together to the sepulchre. "Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together. And the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying. Yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre. And he saw, and believed."

This circumstance is a proof that the body was not stolen away by the disciples, or other friends, nor by common robbers, nor by any other persons. Whoever came upon such a design, would have been in a hurry, and would have executed their design with all possible expedition; whereas here are marks of leisure and composure.

5. It is not conceivable, that the stealing away, or the clan

destine removal of the body of Jesus, could answer any purpose whatever; therefore it was not thought of nor attempted by any.

I presume it was not intended or attempted by enemies; for it must have best answered their purpose that the body should remain where it had been laid; and, if produced on the fourth day after the death of Jesus, it would have overthrown all reports of his resurrection.

Nor is it conceivable that it should answer any design of the disciples; for what could they have done thereupon? By stealing away the body they would have been guilty of a great offence, and would have been liable to a heavy punishment. What expectation could they have had of support and defence either from God or men, in asserting and teaching the resurrection of Jesus, which they knew to be a lie and falsehood?

6. There does not appear any where in this history, any intimation of the disciples' expecting the resurrection of Jesus; therefore they did not contrive any account of his being risen; nor had they beforehand any thought of it, till they had more than sufficient evidence of that event.

If the disciples had in their minds contrived a design of the resurrection of Jesus, some hints would have appeared in the gospels of their having an expectation of it. There is a long and particular account in the gospels, written by four several persons, in which the tempers, and designs, and actions of various sorts of persons are exhibited during our Lord's prosecution, crucifixion, and burial; but not any the least notice, or opening of such an expectation in the minds of any of the disciples. When our Lord is apprehended, the disciples flee and abscond. Peter, who goes into the hall of the high priest, is so affrighted when challenged, that he disowns all acquaintance with Jesus. When "the women," who had been first at the sepulchre, "returned," as St. Luke says, ch. xxiv. 9-11," and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest, their words seemed unto them as idle tales, and they believed them not." And afterwards, in the evening of that day, as two of the company of the disciples were going to Emmaus, when Jesus came to them, as a stranger, and asked them, "What manner of communications are these, that ye have one to another, and are sad ?” they tell him" concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in word and deed, whom the chief priests and rulers had delivered to be condemned, and had crucified. But we trusted," say they," that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel. And beside all this, to-day

is the third day since these things were done; yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre."-And thus they go on till our Lord interrupts them," and says to them; O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?"

Nor does the expectation of our Lord's resurrection appear in any others. But all were thrown into a state of dejection and despondency upon the death of Jesus. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus bury the body, as if it were to lie there till the general resurrection. And the third day after his crucifixion, the women that had shown him so much respect before, come to show it again, by more completely embalming his body.

Since therefore there is not any where betrayed an expectation beforehand of his rising from the dead, the story of his resurrection is not a contrivance of the disciples. Nor did they remove the body, that they might with the better assurance give out, that he was risen.

7. This saying of the guard must have been false, forasmuch as no punishment was inflicted upon any for taking away the body.

This was their saying. This is what the Jewish council directed. "They gave large money to the soldiers, saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away, whilst we slept. And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you."

If this saying be true, here were two great and heinous offences, deserving a severe punishment. "The guard of soldiers slept when they were upon duty." That is the first offence. "The disciples came by night, and stole him away:" another very great offence, no less than robbing a sepulchre, and also deserving severe punishment. And yet no one is punished. Nor is there any design formed, or attempt made, to bring guilty persons to justice. A certain sign, that the Jewish rulers knew the falsehood of what they bid the soldiers to say, and report to the world; and that they themselves were persuaded that Jesus was risen from the dead.

It has been very justly observed upon this history: The 'priests going along with the party of soldiers placed them in their post, and sealed the stone that was rolled to the 'door of the sepulchre, to hinder the guards from combining with the disciples in carrying on any fraud-Thus d Macknight's Harmony. Sect. 147. p. 200.

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' whilst the priests cautiously proposed to prevent our Lord's • resurrection from being palmed upon the world, resolving, no doubt, to show his body publicly after the third day, as an impostor, they put the truth of Christ's resurrection beyond all question, by furnishing a number of unexcep'tionable witnesses to it, whose testimony they themselves 'could not refuse.'

So that this saying is not only false, and exceeding improbable, but it also serves to confirm the belief of our Lord's miraculous resurrection from the dead.

8. It remains therefore, that the testimony of the disciples of Jesus concerning his resurrection is true and credible.

There is nothing incredible, nor improbable in the thing itself, that Jesus should rise from the dead. If we do but consider what miracles he wrought during his life on earth, and how excellent a doctrine he taught, that he was a prophet mighty in word and deed, so as none before him had been, and what signal testimonies were given to him from heaven in the time of his ministry, and during the time of his crucifixion, and at his death; and that he openly declared more than once, that after having been put to death, he should rise again in three days. If we consider all these things, his resurrection cannot be thought improbable.

Moreover what the disciples say, they aver upon good grounds. They saw him, and conversed with him frequently, and had full satisfaction of his being alive. Therefore he was risen again. For all men knew that he had been put to death, and had expired on the cross, and was laid in a sepulchre. They themselves were with difficulty convinced of his being alive again after his passion. seeing evidently, that it was he with whom they had conversed formerly, and seeing him often, they could no longer withhold their assent. And being convinced, they openly published the Lord's resurrection to all the world.

But

And, in the name of Jesus Christ risen from the dead, they wrought many miracles, which were testimonies given from heaven by God himself to the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.

This testimony to the resurrection of Jesus was received. Many at Jerusalem hereupon believed in Jesus as the Christ. Which could not have been, if he had not risen from the dead. For, if he had remained in the grave, no one could have any expectations from him. His word, in that case, had failed; and there could not have been any ground to rely upon him, and trust in him. But because his word had not failed, but the promise made by him had been ful