in etontribfit,ç .s; ait' littientptient 443 a Spiritual Caufe. Now the good Artggels cannot be 0-7 '2 z. guilty of falfhood, of which they had been in that re- prefentation : for He that appear'd declar'd himfelfto be 7efus that fuffer'd ; neither would the evil ufe fuch an Artifice. TheoldSerpent was too wife to promote the beliefof Chrft's Refurreetion, which is the Foundation of Chriftianity : an Inftitution molt holy, that would deftroy his Altars, difcredit his Oracles, bring Glory to God, and Happinefs to Man, to both which heis eter- nally oppofite. By all which it appears there was node- ceit in the fubjeEt nor obje& 4. They feal'd it with their Blood: This laft proof confirms all the other. If a perfon ofclear fame afiert a thing, which he is ready to maintainwith the lofs of his Life, there is no reafon to doubt of the truthof his Depofition. ' Tis no wonder that Phi/Owns, abold Grecian, to thewhis Art, painted Apollonius Tyanausas a , Demi- God,exemptedfrom death,and cloathed with im mortality. But if he had beendrawn from his Study, where he dreft that Idol ofIniquity, to appear beforethe Magiftrates to givean account ofthe truth of his Rela- tion, he certainly would have renounced his pretended Herorather thacl have given his Life for a Lie. Now the Apoftles endur'd the molt cruel Deaths to confirm the truth of their Teftimony.. And what could pofiì- bly induce them to it, if they had not been certain of his Refurredion ?- Could loveto their dead Matter ani- mate them tofuffer for the honour of his name r Tais is inconceivable : For He promis'd that He would rife theThird Day, and afcend to Heaven, and make them partakers of his Glory : So that ifHe had lain in the rottennefs of the Grave,.. What charm, what ftnpidity was able to make them preferve fo high a Veneration for a Deceiver e Nothing could remain in them but:. the memory and indignation of his Impofture. Now. L1 -1 e.. if
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