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them to be wicked, nay, they were fo far SERM. from that, that the Exemplarinefs of their Lives, and Purity of their Doctrine, brought Multitudes over to the Chriftian Religion

In the next Place let us fee, fuppofing this to be a Cheat, what Motives they could have to contrive and carry it on. People don't use to cheat, unless it be to get by it: But this they could not propose to themfelves; for all the Advantages lay on the other Side: Nay, they were fo far from getting any thing by it, that they were fure to meet with nothing but Scorn and Contempt, and to bring themselves into a great deal of Danger by it. Now 'tis highly improbable to fuppofe that People would run. themselves into Danger, and get the Hatred of the World by propagating a Cheat, knowing it to be fuch. To carry on a Cheat, when there is not only no Profit nor Advantage, but a great deal of Inconvenience, Hazard, and Disadvantage attending it, which might be fo eafily avoided only by telling the plain Truth, is too monftrous to be believ'd, especially of Men who had no Crime laid to their Charge. But, on the contrary, the greater the Advantages were which they renounced, the ftronger Argument it is of their Sincerity, and Goodness

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SERM. of their Caufe. But they not only underwent many Disadvantages and Perfecutions, but laid down their very Lives for it too, which is the laft and ftrongest Proof of a Man's Sincerity. And indeed if the Sincerity of the Apostles had not been well establish'd in the World, 'tis hard to account why so many should voluntarily undergo the fo fame Hardships, and fucceed in the fame Dangers, by taking upon them theChristian Profeffion, in the Room of those who had. been perfecuted for it before. But, to put the Matter out of all Donbt, God was pleafed to justify their Sincerity by giving them a Power of working Miracles, which the Jews themselves could not deny.

Thus you fee what Evidence we have, and how well the Matter of Fact is proved. Let us now fee what Evidence there is on the other Side; and, if any, whether they be rightly qualified to give Teftimony in this Matter. Now the only Evidence on the other Side, is the Watch that was fet to guard the Sepulchre, which is no Evidence at all; neither indeed will the Nature of the Thing admit of any. For the Evidence of a Man, who can fay nothing, but that he did not fee another after he was rifen from the Dead, can't by any means be admitted

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as a good Evidence, nor have the leaft SERM. Weight in leffening the Teftimony of one who did fee him. My not feeing a Perfon after his Refurrection from the Dead, can certainly be no Argument that no one elfe did. They might have been direct Evidences indeed, had the Fact been false; had he not risen, but remain'd ftill in the Sepulchre. But, inftead of that, they are Evidences for the other Side: For when the Angel came and roll'd away the Stone from the Door of the Sepulchre, and told the Women who went there to seek the Lord, that he was not there, but was rifen, they were astonished, and went and fhew'd the High Priefts all the Things that were done. As to their Qualifications for giving Testimony in this Matter, they are very indifferent; for we find, after they had been brib'd, they said, the Difciples came by Night and ftole him away. How inconfiftent is this, when we are affur'd they hid themselves for fear of the Jews! But how is it poffible to steal a Body when there is a Guard fet to watch it? This does not feem to be well contriv'd at all. Why to this it is answer'd, That it was done while they were afleep. Something, it seems, must be faid; but any thing would have done better than

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SERM. this. This looks as if they were in great Hafte for an Excufe; for, befides the Improbability of fuppofing them all to be afleep together, and not to be awaken'd by the Removal of the Stone and of the dead Body, how came they to know, if they were afleep, that the Difciples ftole him away? A Man that is afleep can be an Evidence of nothing but of his not being awake; and therefore can't be admitted asEvidence to a Fact fuppos'd to be done when he was capable of knowing nothing of the Matter. Befides, had they been awake, as they really were, is their Evidence, who could fay and unfay fo much, to be depended upon, as theirs who, to an unexceptionable Life and Converfation, added Miracles alfo to confirm the Truth of what they faid? This is to intereft Heaven in the Caufe, and to procure the Almighty himself to ratify the Evidence.

Thus you fee how the Matter of Fact ftands. The Witneffes on one Side were fo far from having any Motives of worldly Advantage for what they teftified, that they depriv'd themselves of all Things, liv'd a Life of great Poverty, and at laft laid down their Lives for the Truth of it; which tho' fome have done for an Error, yet this

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is not confiftent with their Character to do, SERM. even their Enemies themselves being Judges. Neither is it to be fuppofed that they would lay down their Lives for a Lye, whose Religion teaches them to abhor it, especially fince they are fure to be punished for it according to their own Scheme. And therefore the Cafe being fo, there is no replying to this but by difproving the Fact, all other Arguments being out of the Queftion, as I have already fhewn: But instead of that, the Evidence on the other Side own'd the Fact to the High-Priefts; tho' afterwards they thought proper to disown it again, by faying that the Body was stolen away, while they were afleep: Yet that will amount to no more than this, that the Fact was fuppofed to be done when they did not know whether it was done or no; which is too weak of itself to be further expofed.

I am fatisfy'd the Argument has drawn me too great a Length, but however I hope you will indulge me while I fhew,

III. In the third and laft Place, What will be the Benefit of Chrift's Refurrection to us. And this is no lefs than a Confirmation and Eftablishment of the whole Chriftian Scheme, which is a wonderful Con