a loss to account for the water, it was certainly im. possible so to pierce the body as that blood should visibly and instantly flow from the wound, without piercing either the heart itself, or some large blood vessel, the rupture of which would have been mortal.

After this, Jesus was taken down from the cross, was swathed in spices, as the bodies of persons of distinction among the Jews usually were, was left in that state, without any appearance of life, deposited in a cold sepulchre, where he could have no assistance to bring him to life if any remains of life had been in him. Can we then have any doubt of Jesus having been unquestionably dead, when both friends and enemies had no doubt at the time on the subject.

2. The circumstances of the re-appearing of Jesus a ter his crucifixion were such, as were calcu lated to give the greatest satisfaction possible. The first of them were made when, it is evident, his disciples had no expectation whatever of any such event, so that they could not have been imposed upon by their fond imaginations. For though Jesus had plainly apprized his disciples that he was to be put to death, and that he should rise again on the third day, they had so fixed a per

suasion

suasion that he was to be a great king, and consequently not to die at all, that they probably conclud ed (as he had been used to speak to them in figurative language) that by death he only meant some trial, or calamity, and that therefore by a resurrection he meant his emerging from it. But whatever their ideas were, it is most evident from the history that they had no expectation either of his death, or of his resurrection, and that his death only filled them with consternation and despair, and did not at all lead them to expect his resurrection.

After Jesus had appeared in this unexpected manner to several of his disciples, viz. to Mary Magdalene, to the two disciples walking to Em. maus, to the ten who were assembled in the evening of the same day at Jerusalem, and probably to Peter, also, he appointed a time and place when he would meet them all, at a sufficient distance from the time of his speaking, Consequently, if any doubts remained on the minds of any of them, they had time to consider what satisfaction they requir ed, and might, of course, be prepared to get that satisfaction, which it is evident he never refused them, even offering himself to be handled, and examined by them at their leisure, and cating and drinking along with them. Indeed the marks of crùci

crucifixion on his hands and feet, and the wound in his side, were abundantly sufficient to identify his person. What is recorded concerning Thomas was probably the case of many others; nor did his incredulity exceed that of the rest, though he expressed it in a stronger manner; and the satisfac. tion that Jesus gave to Thomas, he was, no doubt, as ready to give to any others of them.

3. The appearances were sufficiently frequent, viz. four times on the day of resurrection, first to Mary Magdalene, then to Peter, then to the two disciples walking to Emmaus, then to the ten in the absence of Thomas, and afterwards to all the eleven. In Galilee he first appeared unexpectedly to Peter, John, and a few others, and then to more than five hundred at once. This must have been the great meeting by appointment, though particularly mentioned by Paul only. Another time he appeared to James, called his brother, or near relation, then to all the disciples (who were more than an hundred) residing at Jerusalem, when he went with them to the mount of Olives, and at leisure ascended above the clouds in their sight. Though these are all the appearances that are particularly recorded, there were probably many more, for no one writer has mentioned all these, not even Paul,

Paul, who seems to have intended to recite all that he could recollect at that time. None of these appearances, I would also observe, were at midnight, when persons, suddenly awaking from sleep, have not the perfect use of their senses and judgment; but in the day; not at a distance, but quite near; and tiot transient, but of a sufficient length of time.

Surely, then, we are authorized to say that, as far as numbers were requisite to give evidence concerning any particular event, these were quite sufficient. For if the evidence of five hundred would not remove the doubts of any persons, neither would that of five thousand, or of any number whatever. They were also persons who had every character of unexceptionable witnesses, as they cannot be supposed to have been deceived themselves, or to have had any inotive to wish to impose upon others; because they had no interest in doing it.

4. The appearances were continued to a sufficient period, viz. the space of forty days, which was certainly time enough for any persons to recollect themselves, to get over any impression of surprize, and to be perfectly collected, so as to be put upon their guard against any cause of deception, and to examine and satisfy themselves at their full leisure.

Such is the direct evidence of the resurrection of Jesus, than which nothing can well be conceiv ed to be stronger, resting upon the testimony of a sufficient number of the most competent witnesses, not prepossessed in favour of an expected event, and who yet had time to recover from the surprize occasioned by an unexpected one. It was also a testimony to which they all adhered through life, notwithstanding the greatest temptation that men could lie under to tell a different story.

I shall now consider some objections that have

been made to this evidence.

1st. It has been said that Jesus ought to have continued longer in a state of death, as till the body had putrified, &c. so that the revival of it might have been the more extraordinary. In this view, no doubt, the evidence of a proper resurrection might have been made more striking. But then, though the evidence would have gained strength in one way, it would, by this very means, have "lost much more in another. Not to say that a resurrection from any state of unquestionable death, is as much a proof of a real miracle, as from any other state. That is, it required nothing less than a divine power, which is undoubtedly equal to the raising a man from death at any period, as well as

the making of any number of new men.

But