Vindication of the Truth of the Christian Religion, Religious treatise · Section 3 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
The ſecond Center of Truth. A particular Conſideration of the Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt.
HAving ſpoke of the Miracles of Jeſus Chriſt, we come now to his Reſurrection; an Event which ought chiefly to be conſidered in the Connexion it has with thoſe Miracles: For if this Reſurrection be true, without diſpute thoſe Miracles are ſo too; And if thoſe Miracles are true, one cannot eaſily doubt of the Truth of our Saviour's Reſurrection.
Now to take away all Scruples that may ariſe in our Minds concerning the Truth of the Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt, 'tis but reflecting a while upon Chriſt himſelf, upon the Jewiſh Doctors, who uſed all poſſible Care and Precaution to prevent ſo much as a Report after his Death, that he was riſen from the Dead upon the Teſtimony of the Watch appointed to guard his Sepulchre, upon the Procedure of the Apoſtles, and the diſcourſe of all the Diſciples in general; and laſtly, upon that ready Diſpoſition of Mind found in a great number of Jews to embrace Chriſtianity a… Jeruſalem a few Weeks after the Death of Jeſus Chriſt, and at a time when nothing could be eaſier than to enquire into the Truth of his Reſurrection.
As for Jeſus Chriſt, the Evangeliſts unanimouſly tell us that he had ſeveral times foretold his Death and Reſurrection to his Diſciples: Nay 'tis obſervable, that thoſe very Predictions are oftentimes intermixed either with ſuch Circumſtances as do not eaſily of themſelves enter into any Man's Mind, or with thoſe which ſeem to have no manner of Relation one with another; which proves that they cannot be the imaginary Conceits of a pleaſant Fancy, that delights in the Invention of Fables. It is very improbable that the Evangeliſts ſhould have invented the Diſcourſe of Jeſus Chriſt with St. Peter concerning the Sufferings that ſhould certainly beſall him at his going up to Jeruſalem: And it is worth taking notice of, that St. Peter had but juſt made a very excellent Confeſſion of what Jeſus Chriſt was, in Preſence of all the other Diſciples, telling him, Thou art the Chriſt the Son of the living God; and that Jeſus Chriſt had crowned this admirable Confeſſion with that extraordinary Promiſe of his, Bleſſed art thou, Simon Barjona. For fleſh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but my father which is in heaven. And I ſay alſo unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt it, &c. Matth. 16. 17, 18. Immediately after Chriſt foretold what Death he was to ſuffer from the Chief Prieſts and Scribes; but added withal, he ſhould riſe again the third Day. Whereupon St. Peter rebuked him, and ſaid, Be it far from thee, O Lord: this ſhall not be unto thee. But Jeſus Christ inſtead of approving of that ſeeming Concern and Affection his Diſciple had for him, ſeverely reproved his Indiſcretion in theſe words, Get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offence unto me for thou ſavoureſt not, &c. This Hiſtory ſeems to be very natural and ſincere, and that mixture of Circumſtances which in all probability have no manner of relation with one another, could not of it ſelf eaſily enter in any Man's Mind. St. Peters Confeſſion was excellent, and the Promiſe Jeſus Chriſt made him was extraordinary: Nay the very Expreſſion of it implied ſomewhat ſtrange and difficult. But above all, it ſeems at firſt view that Jeſus Chriſt too rigorouſly cenſures the great Zeal which Peter ſhewed for his Perſon, and it does not ſeem very natural that he who told him, Bleſſed art thou Simon Barjona, and promiſed to make him a Pillar of his Church, ſhould tell him preſently after, Get thee behind me Satan. 'Tis plain, a Man muſt, in ſpite of himſelf, perceive that 'tis …he force of Truth, and not the natural Agreement of thoſe Circumſtances that obliged the Evangeliſt to joyn them both together in one and the ſame Recital. And that which neceſſarily occaſions this Reflexion of ours is, that Jeſus Chriſt had really foretold his Death and his Reſurrection, before ever he had ſuffered the one, or the other was brought to paſs.
But what proves this better than any thing elſe, is, that Jeſus Chriſt, upon cooler Thoughts, and the very Day before his Paſſion, did ſuch a thing as had never been done before, and which doubtleſs never will be done again; and that is, he inſtituted a Memorial of that Death he was juſt upon the point of ſuffering: He foretold that he ſhould ſuffer Death from the Chief Prieſts, the Scribes, and the Doctors of the Law: Nevertheleſs he might have eaſily avoided it if he would by retiring into another place. But he chid, or rather ſtorm'd at the Indiſcretion of Peter, who would have diverted him from that Death; therefore he conſidered it as an Event that was to be attended with very happy and ſaving Conſequences with reſpect to Mankind. And what happy Conſequences could his Death have been attended withal, unleſs it was to have been immediately followed by his Reſurrection?
He firſt inſtituted a Memorial of his Death, and then voluntarily ſuffered it: He commanded that it ſhould be commemorated, therefore he regarded it as an Event which was to be the Means of our Salvation. He foreſaw that it would be commemorated; he foreſaw then what would moſt infallibly come to paſs, and that too in a time when there was but little Appearance of its ever happening. He did not ſay, that they ſhould commemorate his Death only till he roſe again, but till his Second Coming. He foreſaw then, that he ſhould ſpeedily riſe again, and that after his Reſurrection he ſhould depart in order to return again at the End of the World.
Beſides, no reaſonable Man can imagine that the Evangeliſts had wholly invented the Account of the Inſtitution of the Euchariſt: For there is a great deal of Difference between a Doctrine and a Practice. A Doctrine can hardly be forged, eſpecially becauſe it muſt be concerted by the Conſent of ſeveral Perſons: But a ſenſible Practice, a thing in Uſe, and as it were a ſpeaking Doctrine, can much leſs be palm'd upon Mankind. And certainly 'twould be the greateſt piece of Folly imaginable in any one, to think that a dozen poor Fiſhermen, aſtoniſhed and caſt down at the Death of their Maſter, and undeceived in the Opinion they had entertained that he was to have reſtored the Kingdom of Iſrael, Perſons who knew not what things might come to paſs by their publiſhing the Doctrine of that crucified Man, that that they ſhould go and invent the Inſtitution of the Euchariſt with all the Circumſtances of it, and make Jeſus Chriſt utter theſe Words, This is my body which is broken for you: this is the New Teſtament in my blood: Words that implied ſomething new and very ſurpriſing, which have given occaſion to ſo many Conteſts, and are liable to ſuch different Interpretations; Words which S. Paul and the Evangeliſts unanimouſly ſet down, but without any mutual Compact, as appears by the little Variety there occurs in their Recital of them. I ſay, it would be very extravagant to imagine that the Diſciples had in the leaſt thought of inventing theſe Words, or that Hiſtory of the Inſtitution of the Euchariſt; ſo that we need not inſiſt longer on any farther Proofs of it. We have already touched upon it in another Place, and upon another Subject. The only Conſequence we ſhall draw from it here is, that Jeſus Chriſt foreſaw his Death, prepared himſelf for it, and ſuffered it voluntarily. Whereupon I argue thus:
If he foreſaw that he ſhould die, and if he voluntarily offered himſelf up to Death, he then either foreſaw that he ſhould riſe again, or he did not foreſee it. If he did not foreſee it, with what kind of hopes then did he comfort his Diſciples? What was it he promiſed them? Or what propoſed he to himſelf by his Death? Why did he not ſhun it, as he might yet have done when he was at Supper with his Diſciples? What meant he by inſtituting a Memorial of his Dead Body, if that Dead Body were always to abide under the power of Death, and rot away as it were in the Preſence of his Diſciples?
And if he thought he ſhould riſe again, as we may very reaſonably imagin he did, I ſay he himſelf could not have believed it, but only upon the Experience he had already made of that Power which had reſtored Sight to the Blind, Health to the Sick, and Life to the Dead. For he could not think his own Miracles falſe, and yet at the ſame time believe he ſhould riſe again from the Dead. If he thought he ſhould riſe again, he alſo thought his Miracles to be true. And if he believed his Miracles to be true, his Miracles muſt of neceſſity have been really ſo; becauſe they were of a Nature incapable of Illuſion and Deceit, at leaſt with reſpect to thoſe who wrought them. Jeſus Chriſt could never imagine that he had filled five thouſand Men at one time, three thouſand at another; that he had raiſed to Life the Widows Son of Naim; the daughter of Jairus, and Lazarus of Bethany; that he had made St. Peter walk upon the Sea, &c. if all theſe things had not really been true.
No one ſurely can doubt but that Jeſus Chriſt foretold his Reſurrection, if he conſiders that it was upon this Account only that the Jewiſh Doctors appointed a Watch to guard his Sepulcher, and commanded the Stone of it to be ſealed. Sir, we remember, ſaid they to Pilate, that that Deceiver ſaid, while he was yet alive, after three days, I will riſe again. Command therefore that the ſepulchre be made ſure until the third day, leſt his Diſciples come by night, and ſteal him away, and ſay unto the people, he is riſen from the Dead. ſo the laſt errour ſhall be worſe than the firſt. Pilate ſaid unto them, ye have a watch, go your way, make it as ſure as you can▪ So they went and made the Sepulchre ſure, ſealing the ſtone, and ſetting a watch, Mat. 27. 63, 64, 65, 66. This is ſuch a matter of fact which the Diſciples could not, durſt not invent againſt the publick knowledge every body had of it, and which beſides agrees very well with the other Circumſtances of that Event. For how came that Report to be ſpread in Jeruſalem, that the Watch ſlept when the Diſciples took away the Body of Jeſus, had they not really ſet a Watch to guard his Sepulchre? And what neceſſity was there to appoint a Watch to guard it, had it not been to hinder the Diſciples from reporting abroad, that he was riſen from the Dead?
And if Chriſt really believed that he ſhould riſe again, he could not have believed it, but upon the Truth of his Miracles, neither could he have believed his Miracles to be true, had they been falſe. Thus it appears that the Connexion of all thoſe Circumſtances, if narrowly conſidered, forms as it were a kind of a moral Demonſtration, which cannot but throughly convince any juſt and reaſonable Man.
But let us not ſlightly paſs over that matter of fact, but having ſeen what Chriſt thought concerning his Reſurrection, let us next conſider the Opinion of the Scribes and Phariſees concerning it, and the Report the Soldiers made that were appointed to guard this Sepulcher. For the Conſideration of thoſe Circumſtances may give us ſome light in the Diſcovery of that matter of fact, the moſt important and the moſt eſſential that ever was, or ever ſhall be hereafter.
In the firſt place, the Scribes and Phariſees, and generally every Member of the Sanhedrin, being inſtigated by the very ſame Spirit that had induced them to put Jeſus Chriſt to Death, were in a great Apprehenſion leſt his Diſciples ſhould take away his Body, and afterwards report abroad that he was riſen from the Dead. We may judge how much they thought it for their Intereſt to prevent it, by the Attempts they had already made to put him to Death. And it is very probable, that ſince the Sepulcher of Jeſus Chriſt was to have been guarded but three days, they took all care imaginable before hand, for fear the Watch, thro negligence or otherwiſe, ſhould have ſuffered that Body to be taken away, which it ſo mightily behoved them to keep in their Cuſtody.
But let us conſider the Event of all this. The Soldiers that watch'd the Body could not hinder it from riſing out of it's Sepulcher. How ſo? Was it becauſe they were afraid? or were they bribed not to diſcover the Buſineſs? Had they been bribed, one might very well imagine it was not in behalf of the Diſciples, that they would run the hazard of loſing their Lives for their Negligence or Treachery. What then were they afraid? But how could the Watch prove ſo fearful, and the Diſciples on a ſudden ſo couragious, as to attempt the taking away the dead Body of one from whom they had ſo lately fled while he was yet alive? Beſides, How could thoſe Soldiers have reported ſuch things as they did without manifeſtly contradicting themſelves? For if they were aſleep, how did they know that the Diſciples of Chriſt had taken away his Body? But why did not the Sanhedrin, for their own Honour, and the Reſpect they bare to the Truth, put all thoſe Soldiers to the Rack? And if that Thought came not preſently into their Heads, is it not natural to think they would have done it, when they found awhile after, all Jeruſalem inclinable to believe in that crucified man, and that about ſix thouſand Souls had already believed in him in one day, and that too but fifty days after his Death? Certainly the Soldiers that watch'd his Body were ſtill at Jeruſalem; And the Sanhedrin had ſtill the ſame Power and Authority as before. It highly concerned them to puniſh the Negligence of thoſe Soldiers, or make them confeſs the Secret of their Perfidy, and who it was that ſuborned them. I ſay, it highly concerned them to make that ſtrict Examination, both to juſtify their own Procedure, and prevent the utter Loſs of almoſt an infinite number of Perſons that had already ſided with the Diſciples of that pretended Impoſtor. But this is not all. When on the Day of Pentecoſt, that is, fifty days after the Death of Jeſus Christ, the Apoſtles ſhewed themſelves in the City of Jeruſalem, to teſtify there that they had ſeen him riſen from the Dead, and that after he had ſeveral times appeared to them, and was gone up into Heaven, he had poured down upon them the miraculous and extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, why did not the Sanhedrin then, who was ſo highly concerned in diſcovering the Authors of the taking away the Body of Jeſus Chriſt; I ſay, why did they not ſeize upon the Apoſtles, and ſo make them confeſs how all things had happened? Why did they not confront them with the Watch? Why did they not caſt Joſeph of Arimathea and thoſe Men in Priſon, till they had made them confeſs what was become of that Body, as alſo every other Circumſtance of their Impoſture?
'Tis already very unlikely, that if the Diſciples of Chriſt had come by night, and had ſtolen his Body away, they durſt have ſhewed themſelves and appeared in publick, nay immediately confeſſed that they were his Diſciples. It is much more credible they would have hid themſelves after ſuch an Action; and that if they preach'd at all, it would have been to People more remote, and not in Jeruſalem, the very Place where thoſe things had happened, nor in the Preſence of that very Sanhedrin they were ſo much afraid of, and had ſo much offended.
Why then did not the Sanhedrin take the ordinary Methods made uſe of to diſcover Criminals? They were very ready by Threats, Torments, and Perſecutions, to oblige the Apoſtles not to preach up the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, but they never accuſed them of having ſtolen away the Body of their Maſter whilſt the Watch ſlept. They durſt not enter upon that Examination; for they knew well enough what the Soldiers had told them, and 'twas that very thing which made them ſo apprehenſive.
We all know well enough how Men generally act upon the like Occaſions. Had the matter ſo happened as the Soldiers afterwards reported, thoſe very Soldiers would not have failed purſuing ſome one of the Diſciples of Chriſt throughout the whole City of Jeruſalem, on purpoſe to make him confeſs the plain truth by the many Torments they would have made him ſuffer; and the Scribes and Phariſees together with the other Doctors of the Law, would on their ſide have made ſuch an exact Enquiry into the matter, that they would have at laſt found either ſome Witneſſes, or ſome other Evidence, to prove the ſtealing away of that Body upon them. And that would have been no very hard task for them to perform; becauſe it had been done during the Celebration of one of their Solemn Feaſt-days, when the People of Jeruſalem were never ſo intent upon any Spectacle, as they had been upon the Sufferings of Chriſt; when what had ſo lately happened to ſuch an extraordinary Man, had filled every body with Amazement: witneſs that which the Evangeliſt makes a Diſciple utter on the way to Emmaus, as he was diſcourſing with Jeſus Chriſt himſelf not Knowing it was him, Art thou only a ſtranger in Jeruſalem, and haſt not known the things which are eome to paſs there in theſe days? And ſince thoſe men who had appointed a Watch to guard the Sepulcher of Jeſus Chriſt, had in all probability very expreſly charged them to take care leſt any of his Diſciples ſhould come by night and ſteal his Body out of the Sepulchre, it is repugnant to Reaſon, and contrary to all outward Appearance, to ſuppoſe that the ſecond night after the Soldiers were placed there, they ſhould fall into ſo deep a ſleep, as that the Diſciples ſhould be bold enough to hazard the taking away of this Body, or be able to roll the Stone away from the Sepulchre, and break the Seal; that they ſhould have Time enough, Leiſure, Freedom, and ſo little Fear as to untye and take away the linnen Cloaths wherein he was wrapped up, and the Napkin that was about his Face: For the Evangeliſts unanimouſly relate that they found the Sepulchre in that ſtate.
Yet theſe are not the ſtrongeſt Arguments that may be brought to evince the Truth of that matter of fact. We muſt alſo paſs on from the Conſideration of the Soldiers that watched the Body, to that of the Apoſtles themſelves. Had they teſtify'd falſly that they had ſeen Jeſus Chriſt riſen from the Dead, it was either with a mutual Agreement, or without one. Now it cannot be without a mutual Agreement; for an Error that is not ſupported by an unanimous Conſent, muſt neceſſarily fall of it ſelf to the ground, and it would have unavoidably ſo happen'd, while one would have affirm'd that Jeſus Christ was riſen from the Dead, another that he was not at all riſen; one would have ſaid that he appeared unto many, and another that he appeared to one only; another, that he appeared to no Body; one would have related the matter one way, another another way, and in fine, the moſt honeſt and ſincere would have frankly confeſs'd that there was nothing at all in it.
But if they unanimouſly agreed to contrive this Impoſture, there muſt have been then ſeveral Perſons who agreed together conſtantly and unanimouſly to relate a matter of fact, which they knew to be utterly falſe. Now that's a thing altogether impoſſible.
1. Firſt, Becauſe it is inconceivable, that a man ſhould willingly expoſe himſelf to all ſorts of Puniſhments, and even to Death itſelf, on purpoſe to teſtify a matter of fact which he knew very well to be utterly falſe. 2. That tho' there ſhould have been, by an unheard of Prodigy, one ſingle Perſon of that mind, yet it is the height of Extravagance, to imagine that there were a very great number of Perſons that took on a ſudden that dangerous and fatal Reſolution, eſpecially ſuch as had behaved themſelves before after a manner quite oppoſite to that, and ſhewed not only a great deal of Caution, but Fearfulneſs in ſeveral other Occaſions. 3. That tho a very great number of People ſhould have agreed together to bear Witneſs to a Falſity, yet it could never be thought ſo of thoſe who looked upon Lying and Perfidy as Sins that were altogether inconſiſtent with their Salvation; neither could it be thought of thoſe, who if they allow'd the Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt to be a meer Fiction, muſt allow alſo that they had followed a Phantom, a Chimerical imaginary Meſſias; and if they own'd that they had follow'd a Phantom, they muſt likewiſe confeſs their own mutual Extravagance. 4. That this mutual Agreement could never have been ſo carried on, but that ſome of them, to avoid Puniſhment, would have diſcovered the Intrigue to the Jews with all its Circumſtances, it being moſt certain, that ſince Jeſus Chriſt had been ſo very baſely betrayed in his Life-time, it is more probable he would be ſo ſerved after his Death: For they might indeed have expected ſome Reward from him when living, but they could hope for nothing from him after his Death, but Miſery and Torments, Shame and continual Remorſes, for having followed a deceitful Impoſtor. 5. And laſtly, 'Tis not to be queſtion'd, but that the very ſame Principles which had diſſolv'd their mutual Fidelity, would more probably break off their mutual Treachery. And ſince the Love and Affection they had had for their Maſter, ſupported by a ſtrong Perſwaſion on their ſide that he was the true Meſſias, had not been capable to maintain and keep up that mutual Fidelity, which made them ſay not very long before, Let us go there alſo, that we may die with him, John 11. 16. ſo that they fled, and wholly left him to the Power of his Enemies, can we reaſonably ſuppoſe that having been undeceived of the Opinion they had entertained of their Meſſias, they ſhould yet notwithſtanding their Shame, Fear, and dejected Condition, preſently after unanimouſly agree to maintain and affirm a moſt horrid Lye, on purpoſe to blemiſh their Nation, by laying an imaginary Crime to their charge, and maintain it too to that degree that not one of them ſhould recant, or contradict himſelf, but all of them unanimouſly ſuffer the ſevereſt Torments, only to affirm that they had ſeen what they had really never ſeen?
'Tis yet further obſervable, that this was not a mutual Agreement carried on between twelve Apoſtles only, but alſo between all the Diſciples of Jeſus Chriſt in general, who made up a very conſiderable number. For Jeſus, after his Reſurrection, appeared one while to ſome Women, whom he commanded to tell his Brethren that he was a going before them into Galilee, another while to Peter alone, and then after to the Twelve. One while he went out to find them as they were a fiſhing upon the Sea, and bleſs their Toil with a conſiderable Draught of Fiſhes; Another while he was in the midſt of them, when they had met together to pray to God. Some time he ſat at Table, and eat and drank with them; At another time he gave them ſeveral Inſtructions, and reminded them of thoſe things he had taught them before his Death. At one time he manifeſted himſelf to above 500 Diſciples, at another he convicted an unbelieving Diſciple by making him feel his Hands and his Feet, ſaying, Reach hither thy finger, behold my hands, &c. and be not faithleſs but believing, John 20. 27. One while he appeared to two Diſciples as they were a going to Emmaus, diſcourſed with them, and expounded the Scriptures to them by the way; At another time he aſſembled his Diſciples together, and commanded them to teach all Nations, baptiſing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt.
It may not be amiſs to reflect a little upon that vaſt Multidude of Diſciples who teſtify'd they had ſeen Jeſus Chriſt after his Reſurrection. St. Paul, ſome where in his Epiſtles, affirms, that Jeſus Chriſt appeared to above five hundred Brethren at once; and adds, that the greateſt part of them were yet alive, but ſome were fallen aſleep. Now 'tis moſt certain, that St. Paul would not, durſt not, could not ſpeak after that manner, had there not been a great number of Diſciples ſtill living, who teſtify'd that they had ſeen Jeſus Chriſt after his Reſurrection. I would fain know, whether it be poſſible for ſo great a number of perſons unanimouſly to contrive ſuch an intolerable Impoſture as that muſt needs have been, were there nothing of Truth in what they advanc'd. Truly it ſeems to me to be a thing not poſſible for a man to imagine, much leſs to put in Execution.
A Man muſt do Violence to himſelf barely in ſuppoſing that ſo many Diſciples ſhould falſly affirm that they had ſeen Jeſus Chriſt after his Reſurrection: For one muſt thence ſuppoſe, that that great number of Perſons were not really Men; and that whatever they had been during the reſt of their Lives, they had put off their Humanity immediately after the Death of Jeſus Chriſt.
They were indeed Men till that time; and their Behaviour pretty well evinces that their Sentiments were ſuch as ſelf-love and ſelf-preſervation generally inſpire us withal: for they expected and were in hopes of ſomething. They followed none other but Chriſt, becauſe they expected from him what generally all the Jews expected from their Meſſias, according to the Ideas they had form'd themſelves of him. They were afraid of Death: They dreaded the Fury of the Sanhedrin: They flattered themſelves with the Hopes of ſeeing themſelves reſtored to their former Glory: They begg'd of Jeſus Chriſt to deliver them out of approaching Dangers, if at any time they were in hazard of their Lives, or expoſed to any Tempeſt.
But ſince the Death of Jeſus Christ, they ſeem'd to have put off their Humanity; Their Minds and Hearts were not diſpoſed like thoſe of other Men. They neither hoped for, or expected any thing. For indeed what ſhould they hope or expect from the Profeſſion they made of being Diſciples of Jeſus Chriſt, if they knew that he was not riſen at all according to his promiſe? What could they hope for, if he who had promiſed them Eternal Life, and affirmed himſelf to be the Reſurrection and the Life, was to be for ever ſubject to the Power of Death? Before while they truſted in Jeſus Chriſt they were afraid: Now when they truſted no more in him, their Fear vaniſhed. Since they could not expect any thing from another Life, they were reſolved not to be any way concern'd for this, but to mind only a Future State. What is the meaning of this prepoſterous Change? Formerly they thought they ſhould do God great ſervice, in ſuffering for Chriſts ſake, whom they ſuppoſed to have been their Meſſias; and yet they were then faint-hearted and fearfull: but now that they were aſſured they did God no manner of ſervice by adhering to the Goſpel; but rather blemiſh their own Reputation by maintaining a Cheat, they became on a ſudden conſtant and couragious, undaunted in the greateſt Dangers, and invincible in the midſt of the moſt violent Trials. Who can comprehend all this?
Certainly, if we have but the leaſt Common Senſe we cannot but perceive that a Cheat in ſo evident and ſenſible a matter of fact as that muſt have been, could not be unanimouſly carried on by ſo many thouſands of People. For ſuppoſing one Man was dipoſed to Lye, who knows but another would be as inclinable to tell the Truth; eſpecially ſince there was nothing to be got by Lying, but Priſons, Torments, and Death itſelf, whereas telling the Truth would have gained them Credit, Friends, and Eſtates, by pleaſing thoſe in whoſe Power it was to diſpoſe of Riches and Offices of State. And had any one of them imagined that ſome of the reſt would certainly contradict him or themſelves, he would have been for that very Reaſon incapable of agreeing with them to carry on that Cheat; Now it is naturally impoſſible but that this Thought muſt have offered it ſelf to the Mind of every one of them, and conſequently ſuch a mutual Compact or Agreement was abſolutely impoſſible, unleſs it ſo happen'd that that whole Multitude had ſuddenly been bewitch'd and infatuated by the ſame kind of Folly, and that too at one and the ſame time, as ſoon as Jeſus Chriſt had given up the Ghoſt.
However they muſt have been void of all Self-Love, and that natural Affection Men uſually bear to themſelves, nay they muſt have been altogether inſenſible of the cruel Stripes they underwent, and the Perſecutions wherewith they were almoſt overwhelmed; and that Inſenſibility and Extravagance muſt not only have been an ordinary one, or of a ſhort continuance, but of the longeſt Duration, and ſtrongeſt Force that ever was known.