wards left no Means untried to put a stop SERM to it and to difcredit it, were not able III, IV. either to prevent it, or to fuppress or confute it, is becaufe the Witnesses of the Refurrection testified nothing but the Truth; and Truth can never be confuted, but will always, however it may be contradicted, remain invincible, and cannot by the most violent Oppofition be convicted of Falfhood. THE Jewish Rulers had the dead Body of Jefus committed to their keeping, and they themselves fet a Band of Romans to guard it, that it might not be convey'd away. Why then did they not produce it, to the Confufion of those who pretended that he was rifen? They certainly would have done this, had the Body been ftill in their Poffeffion. They muft therefore grant, and they do grant, that the Body was miffing out of the Sepulchre on the third Day, tho' the Sepulchre was hewn out of a Rock, and fecur'd by a great Stone feal'd with their own Seal, and guarded by a strong Watch placed there by themfelyes. How fa vourable eafi vourable so important a Conceffion even BUT how very unlikely is it that the Difciples, who had fo lately deferted their Master while he was living, fhould all of a fudden grow fo refolute as to attempt to rescue him when dead out of the Hands of threefcore Roman Soldiers. Could they hope to overpower such a Force, if they found them waking; or could they reasonably expect to find them all fleeping at once? It is incredible, efpecially confidering the strictness SERM. III, IV. SERM. III, IV. བ of the Roman Discipline, that out of fuch a Number of Roman Soldiers upon Duty there should not be one awake. Or fuppofing they had been all asleep, yet in all likelyhood the execution of this Attempt, the opening the Sepulchre, and the removal of the Body muft have awaked fome, at least one out of fixty, in which cafe the Plot of the Apostles would have been defeated. Moreover, if the Soldiers were all afleep, as they pretended, how could they know that the Difciples ftole away the Body of Jefus? For ght they could tell to the contrary, he might be rais'd to Life again, as the Difciples, who faw him, when they were awake, affirm'd. How worthy Acceptation are the Depofitions of fuch Perfons, who bear Teftimony to what was done when, as they themselves confefs, they were afleep? In the beginning of this Difcourfe I obferv'd, that Knowledge and Integrity are the neceffary Qualifications requir'd in a credible Witness; Knowledge of the Facts which he teftifies, and Integrity to declare what he he knows, and nothing more. These I 2 SERM. III, IV. III, IV. ceedings. For the Apoftles were never SERM. fo much as queftion'd on this account. They were punish'd for Teaching in the Name of Jefus, but never for stealing away his Body; as they certainly would have been, could any fuch Villany have been prov'd upon them. And it is very plain that the Soldiers, if they really were asleep, could not confiftently testify more than this, That the Body of Jefus was in the Grave before they flept, and was gone when they awak'd; which, as I before obferv'd, fince it allows that the Body tho' guarded was miffing on the third Day, and could not be produc'd by those who had the Charge of it, is fo far from overthrowing, that it confirms the Teftimony of the Disciples. THIS Evidence of the Soldiers, which convicts itself of Falfhood, is yet all there is on the Side of Infidelity. The Enemies of Chriftianity have never pretended, nor do now pretend to produce any other Testimony. I SHALL only further obferve, that the Evidence of our Lord's Refurrection hath |