54.0 The Evidences bf the Truth, Vol, IL which bath defcended down to us by uncontroul'd Tradition. And in this Cafe we require no more Credit to be given to the Gofpel, than to any other Hiftory Or Narrative of matter of fad ; which. whofoever doth deny, takes away the faith of Hiftory, and makes it impollible to prove the Truth of any thing that of this is paft. fee m"e Secoadl I fhall add Tome Confiderations that may ferve to give flren th and Y g g germ. li39 advantage this Teflimony ; partly relating to the perlons that give this Tefti- mony, and partly to the matter or thing which they atteft. r. In reference to the Perfons that give thisTeftimony, we may confider them with thefe Three Advantages. ( i.) That theyare credible Perfns. (2.) That they agree in their Teftimony. (3.) That the greateft Sufferings cculd not make them to conceal it or deny it. (1.) For the Credibility of the Perfons. Two things render a Wirnefs fufpe lied, want of Knowledge, or of Integrity ; if either he do not fuúiciently know the thing which he attefts or there be realon to fufpeFt his fidelity in relating the thing. Now theWitnefles 'in this Cafeof the Refurreaian cannot be queftio- ned for either of thefe : not for want of Knowledge, becaufe they were Eye- witnefles, as I faid before ; nor for want of Faithfulnefs. There are two things which ordinarily make us fufpea the fidelity of a Wftnefs 5 if there be either aíß appearance of deceit in the manner of the Relation, or of defign in the end of it but the Witneffes of Chrilt's Refurredion are free from both thefe grounds of Jealoufre. 1. There is no appearance of deceit in the manner of their relating it. We fuf- pea a Relation that is either too general, or too artificial : but the report of thefe Witnefles cannot be charged with either of thefe. For, (I.) They report the thing with all its Circumftances oftime and place; when he rofe, what were the Circumftances of it, where he was feen, and by whom, how often he appeared, what he did and laid. (a.) They ufe no Art or Infinuation in the manner of delivering, but report it with the greateft plainnefs and nakednefs, and fìmplicity that can be imagined.,; without any ambiguity, or obfcurity, or flourifh of Language, as becernes an ho. nett Relater, who ufeth no Arts, becaufe he is not guilty to himfelf of anydefign to deceive. a. Nor is there any appearance of defign as to the end of their Teflimony. What defign could they have who did knowingly renounce all fccular Advanta- ges of Honour, and Riches, and Reputation, and fore-go'all worldly Content- ment, and made then:felvestocontinual Haz trds and Sufferings ? They got no- thing by bearing this Teftitnony, but what everyMan that hath worldly defign dothmolt folicitoufly avoid. (aly.) They concur and agree in their Teftimony. They confiantly "delivee'd the fame Teflimony with all its Cacumfhances both in Word and Writing ;. feve- ral Perfons in feveral Places, without varying or ¡ilagreeing in the leàft material Circumftance. (3f,'.) The greateft Sufferings could not make them.either deify it, or conceal it ; which is a great Argument 'of their Integrity. If the thing they smelled had `been falls, g hadbeen an unparallel'd'Madnefs for any one to perfift in it to the lofs of Life ; and incredible that fo many fhould confpire in the fame unreafo: nablé and unaccountable folly ; cfpccialiy when theReligion which they profefs'd, did excludeall Lyars from all the Happinefs and Rewards of the next Life, which they pretended robe perfwaded of ; fo that whatfoever thole Perfons might be otherwile, and however they might fallifiè in other things, there's no reafon -to doubt of their Truth and Fidelity in this report, becaufe they died for the Tefti- mony of it. Therefore'thehigheft atteflation ofa thing is can Alartyrefom, and the moll crcdihìe Witneffes, .Martyry. And tho' bare Martyrdom be not an Ar- gument-4' the infallible truth of a: Teftimony, or ofthe infallibility of the Perlon _ _ that
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