1 SERM. never be Proof against the Thing itself; it V. can never be Proof against a Matter of Fact. "Tis but to apply the Argument to fomething of a like Nature, and we shall eafily fee the Abfurdity of it. We can't, for Example, answer all the Difficulties that may be ftarted about Gravitation, the Attraction of the Loadstone, &c. What then? Is there therefore no fuch Thing at all? No, we can't say so, because we know there is. And this may be carried through all the other Myfteries of Nature, which we hardly know any thing of, and yet believe to be true. We ought therefore to answer all the Difficulties in one Cafe before we ftart any in another; or fhew why the fame kind of Evidence fhould not have a Right to our Affent in both Cafes. We are here to judge of what we do know, and not of what we do not. The Truth or Falfity of this Matter depends upon the Fact: If it be not true, then there is no Need to talk of Difficulties; if it be true, which will appear by the Evidence, then the Fact which we do know ought to have greater Weight with us than the Difficulties which we do not know. I don't say this, as if Objections of this Kind were not to be anfwer'd; for, as I have already obferv'd, 'tis eafily done; but because com mon V. mon People are not fo good Judges of thefe SERM. Things as they are of Matters of Fact: And therefore they should not leave a neceffary convincing Argument for what is not fo neceffary nor fo much to the Purpose. This will bring the Thing into a narrow Compass, and upon this Foot there will be no Need of any other Method to filence the Jew, than only to demand greater Proof than Testimony that Daniel was in the Lions Den and not devour'd; or that Elifba made Iron to swim, contrary to the Nature of it. Neither will there be Need of any other Method to confute the Gentile, than only to demand greater Proof than bare Testimony, that there were ever fuch Men as Alexander or Gafar, if they reject fuch kind of Proof themselves. But I proceed now to fhew what Evidence we have for this Fact. And here, as it is a Matter of the greatest Importance, fo we have a prodigious Number of Witnesses more than was ever required by any Law, to prove any Fact whatsoever. And, first, we have the Teftimony of the Disciples to whom he appear'd as they were going to Emmaus; of Mary Magdalen, by whom he was seen as she stood at the Sepulchre weeping, and alfo of Mary the Mother of James. We V. SERM. have likewife the Teftimony of the eleven Apostles, to whom he appear'd as they were affembled together for fear of the Jews, and others with them; then we are affur'd he was feen at another Time by above five hundred at once. We have also the Teftimony of Angels, who faid to the Women that came to the Sepulchre to seek the Lord, Why feek ye the Living among the Dead? He is not here, but is rifen. And we have one very extraordinary Evidence, which is that of God himself, who confirm'd the Truth of this Fact by giving the Apoftles, who were more immediately fet apart to give Teftimony of it, a Power of working Miracles. But, befides all this, we have the Witnefs of Enemies alfo, fo far as to prove that he was actually dead and laid in the Sepulchre, and was, after the fealing the Stone and setting a Watch, actually gone out of it again. This was acknowledg'd by the Jews themfelves. And we have the Evidence of St. Paul, who was at that Time a great Enemy and a Perfecutor, and was converted himself by our Lord, as he was in his Way to Damafcus, in order to carry on his Perfecution. fore Here then is the Evidence fairly laid be- you. Witneffes A f Witnesses have the proper Qualifications SERM. neceflary for Evidences in this Cafe. And V. in order to that, let us examine what Qualifications are neceffary in Affairs of this Nature. Now in all Matters of Fact, and more efpecially in this, 'tis neceffary that the Witneffes fhould have fo much Knowledge as to understand when they fee or hear a Thing, Sc. 'Tis neceffary also that the Witneffes fhould give Teftimony according to their own Knowledge, as Eye-Witneffes, or Ear-Witneffes, according to the Nature of the Fact; and then 'tis farther neceffary that they be Perfons of Sincerity, in order to give a faithful Relation of what they know. Now that the Apoftles, who were more immediately set apart to testify this Fact, had this firft Qualification, i. e. had Knowledge enough for a Thing of this Nature, is plain, because the Jews themfelves never objected their Want of it. They look'd upon them.indeed as ignorant Men; by which they did not mean that they were void of all Understanding (as is plain from the original Word) but that they were Men of no Learning, which was not all neceffary to testify a plain Matter of Fact. A Man may not be a Scholar, and yet he may have common Senfe; he may not be a Philofopher, M 2 and SERM. and yet he may know what he hears or V. fees. But how indifferently foever the Jews might think of them, yet those that have argued their Caufe for them, of late, have made Amends for that by fuppofing them to be crafty, defigning Men. That they had the fecond Qualification, and gave Teftimony according to Knowledge, is plain from hence, that their very Enemies, whofe Business it was, and who undoubtedly did look into their Lives, and would certainly have detected them, had they been guilty of any Crimes, did not lay the leaft Immorality to their Charge. The Hope and Refurrection of the Dead they might be accused of, but for any thing elfe, we find no Charge against them. Nay, St Paul, when he was brought before Felix, in his excellent Speech that he made in his own Defence, challenges his Accufers to object, if they had ought against him, except it were for this one Voice, that he cried ftanding among them, Concerning the Refurrection of the Dead I am accused by you this Day. The Silence of their Adverfaries then in a Cafe, where there is no Probability that they would have been filent, could they have accus'd then of any thing, is a ftrong Argument that they did not think them |