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established, but might have been effentially injured, if the apostles had said that the enemies of Jefus had seen him after his refurrection.

The truth is, that not the number, but the character of the witneffes is moft to be regarded. If a few men can make it fufficiently appear that what they fay is true, there is as full evidence to a reafonable inquirer, as if the number were ever fo great. And, the cafe before us is of fuch a nature, that we could not reafonably expect any evidence, but what is given us by the friends of Jefus ; nor is there the leaft neceffity for any other. For the further illuftration of this point, let it be confidered.

Fourthly. That the difciples of Jefus were competent witneffes of his refurrection; both in regard to number and character.

The number of the apoftles was eleven; the number of difciples who kept together in a body at Jerufalem, was one hundred and twenty ;* and the number by

#Aas, i, 15.

whom Jefus was feen at once, was above five hundred of whom the greater part were alive at the time when Paul wrote his first epiftle to the Corinthians.* Had there, been any doubt of the fact, by any ferious inquirer, during the firft age of the church, how eafy would it have been to find one or more living witnesses, of whom fatisfaction might have been obtained? Suppose there were now, any doubt refpecting an event, which happened in this country, forty or fifty years paft; would it not be an eafy matter to inquire, who is now living that remembers it, and was then of fufficient age. to notice it, who had feen and heard what was the foundation of the report? And could not full fatisfaction be gained by fuch an inquiry? Would an event thus eftablished by the concurrent teftimony of feveral witneffes, lofe its credit with the next generation, when all thofe who had been eye and car witneffes fhould be dead? Efpecially, if care had been taken by them, to commit the story to writ

ing and thus preferve the memory of it? And, more especially, if there had been a particular day set apart to celebrate the event and perpetuate the remembrance of it ? Let us take an example, familiar to ourselves. Do not we know, that on a certain day, in a certain year, of the prefent century, the delegates of these American ftates, in Congrefs affembled, declared them independent? Should any perfon now, or within a few years hence doubt this fact, may not an appeal be made to thofe perfons who were then living and acting in that great affair? Or, fhould any doubt bemade a century, or feveral centuries hence, when all the prefent generation will be in their graves; may not an appeal be made to public records, or to approved hiftories, or to the annual celebration of the day on which the act was paffed? And, will not this be reasonable and convincing evidence? Juft fuch evidence we have that Jefus rofe from the dead. It was a fact, feen and known, witneffed and believed, by perfons who could not have mistaken

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the fact; by numbers, by great numbers of them. There has been an authentic hiftory of it written by eye-witneffes, and preferved by their fucceffois. There has also been a familiar monument of it preferved among them; the first day of every week is regarded as a day of religious reft and worship; it has been, for almost eighteen centuries, invariably kept, and understood to be kept facred, in memory of that great event. If If any perfon in this age of the world should doubt the refurrection of Jefus Chrift, let him feek fome other reafon for the obfervation of the Lord's day; Let him: tell us when it began to be kept, and by whom, and for what purpofe; and if he can give no other, or no more fatisfactory account of it, than is given in the books of the evangelical hiftorians, let him beafhamed of doubting or hesitat ing to admit the truth of that account.

As to the character of the witneffes, let it be obferved, that they not only had full opportunity to know the truth ands fatisfy themselves of it; but it was a

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matter which they did not at once believe. They did not understand the predictions of the prophets nor of Jefus himself; and therefore did not expect and were by no means prepared to believe the refurrection of their Lord before it hap pened. It was as new and furprizing to them, as if there had not been a word fpoken concerning it. And, when the evidence of it was prefented to them, it was a long time before they were all convinced. They needed the most fenfible, demonstrative proof: They exercised their fenfes and their reafon in examining it; and after the moft full and critical inquiry, they were convinced by infallible proofs."

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The evidence feems to have been communicated to them, in proportion to the refpective strength and capacity of their minds. The first appearance of Jefus was to Mary Magdalene; the fecond, which immediately followed it, was to the other Mary and her companions. Thefe women were the most zealous and -affectionate friends of Jefus ; and the