directly and strongly opposed to each other, if the one asserts and publishes a statement as to matter of fact which is of the highest moment, and absolutely destructive of the interest of the other, and is not so palpably false as to carry with it plain indications of malignity and revenge, or of studied slander and scandal; that then, if the other party, upon whom this charge is made, does not in as solemn and public a manner refute it, or do something in their own vindication, which will, in the opinion of unbiassed and unprejudiced persons, bear some proportion to the attack made upon them-in such case, the accused party tacitly acknowledge the truth of what the accusing party have alleged against them, and thus, of consequence, relinquish the cause. Now this is exactly the state of the case between the Jews and early Christians. The evangelist, Matthew, publishes to the world in unequivocal terms, that the Jews bribed the soldiers to report that the body of Christ was stolen by his disciples when they (the guards) were asleep; (w) and the early Christians uniformly asserted the same thing. To record thus in the evangelical history that the Jews were guilty of this ridiculous and self-destructive, and yet horrid and abominable, piece of forgery and bribery; to tell the world that they acted so foul and sordid a part as to tamper with the soldiers, and get them to circulate a story which in their hearts they knew to be notoriously false, as well as absurd, since no man can accurately ascertain what is carried on near him when his senses are locked up in sleep; to do () Matt. xxviii. 13,

this, was to depict the ruling Jews to the world in the very worst colours in which men could be drawn, and to expose the cause of these enemies of Christ, as desperate and forlorn to the last degree. Is it not natural to conclude that the Jews would in some signal manner have vindicated themselves from this charge, if they had not known and felt that vindication was impossible, the thing being notorious? and is it not an equally necessary inference, that the Jews at that time were fully persuaded that Jesus Christ was indeed risen ? otherwise, why should they offer bribes, and invent an absurd story, to conceal it?

Thus much may suffice to establish the truth of the momentous fact of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. from the dead. From this outline of arguments, for it is indeed nothing more than an outline, you will perceive that the evidence in favour of this event is both forcible and satisfactory. To believe it, then, is reasonable; and it is freed from absurdity, because resurrection from the dead is manifestly as much within the power of God as creation; and every consistent theist admits the latter. But the adoption of a contrary opinion is pregnant with absurdities and natural impossibilities; with the mention of a few of which I shall close this letter..

He, who denies the resurrection of Jesus Christ, must believe,―That twelve poor fishermen and tentmakers, without power, and (all except Paul) without human learning, were able to deceive the wise, the learned, the prudent; and to lay their plot so deep,

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that neither their cotemporaries, nor any succeeding generation, should be able to detect and expose the cheat.

-That those very persons who but a few hours before were trembling with timidity and fear, whose want of courage (even according to their own account) overcame their fidelity, and caused them to forsake their master in his greatest extremity, notwithstanding their various professions, nay, protestations, of inviolable attachment and zeal; being so terrified with apprehensions that they dare not acknowledge them, selves to be his disciples, but secreted themselves by day for fear of the Jews;-yet that these timid, irresolute, creatures should all at once not only form the plan, but execute the bold, hazardous, and useless undertaking of conquering the guards, forcing the sepulchre, and carrying off the body of their crucified Lord.

-That men thus rash and desperate, engaged in an enterprise of so much danger, an enterprise which therefore required all possible expedition and despatch, should waste time in unaccountable niceties, and ceremonies (such as divesting the body of its burial-clothes, disposing them in separate parcels, &c.) which could be of no manner of use; but evidently exposed them to the danger of being surprised by the guards, and taken into custody.

-That these timid, yet desperate men, who constituted a company of the greatest impostors that ever existed in the world, and who, therefore, must neces

sarily be the worst men that ever were, did, notwithstanding, furnish mankind with the most comprehensive and exact system of morality extant, teach such rules of living as were infinitely superior to any of the productions of Greek or Roman philosophers, and though their whole business was only to promote and disseminate falsehood and deception, yet denounced the severest eternal punishments upon all who indulged in such wicked practices.

-That these impostors, having themselves no correct notions of God, should notwithstanding impart the most rational and becoming opinions respecting him to the rest of mankind; and, by no other principles than those of delusion and irreligion, kindle a flame of desire in the breasts of thousands to serve and worship God.

-That they took far more pains to expose themselves to all the world, as the most abandoned sinners that ever came into it (for that they should deceive themselves so as to believe Jesus was seen ten distinct times after his resurrection, when he was not seen at all, cannot be imagined), than they need have done to establish the best reputation among their cotemporaries, and procure an immortal fame in all succeeding

ages.

-That these impostors, after spending their lives in promulgating falsehood, died, not to testify their belief in a speculative doctrine respecting which they might be deluded by others, or self-deluded; but in attestation of a pretended fact, while they knew it was

no fact; and all this under the strongest declarations of devotedness to God, and of adoration to their risen Saviour, who, they pretended, was now sitting in heaven to receive them. (x)

Hence you will perceive that, as a general denial of revelation leads to numerous gross absurdities, of which a few were detailed in my first letter, so a denial of individual topics of revealed truth brings each its appropriate and dependent string of difficulties. He who denies the truth of Scripture prophecy must admit that things have occurred, although there was an infinitely great probability against their occurrence. He, who disbelieves the miracles recorded in Scripture must believe in other miracles. And he, who denies the particular miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, in consequence involves himself in the particular class of absurdities to which I have just adverted besides which he voluntarily excludes himself from the only strong consolation a rational creature can possess at the hour of death, that which flows from a full persuasion of the resurrection to eternal life. "I am the Resurrection and the Life," said Jesus Christ: "whosoever believeth in me shall not die

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eternally:" (y) and his own resurrection fully establishes the truth of this consolatory declaration. But the proud philosophist who rejects this doctrine, so suited to the wishes and the wants of man, not only places himself below the Christian, but below the

(x) Acts, vii. 59.

(y) John, xi. 25, 26.