eält: CLXXXIII. 54-3 S ERMON CLXXXIII. The Evidences of the Truth of the ChriLpan Religion. ,..1......_... nwIle zCoR: IV. 3,q.: DM if our Gofpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loft : In whom the God rh, of this World bath blinded the Minds of them which believe not, left thef7tn light of the glorious Gojpel o f Chrt , who is the image of God, ould th Tex° Thane unto them. f IHave been confidering the Evidence which thofe who lived in our Saviour's time had of his Divine Authority, from the power of working Miracles, with which he was endowed. The Miracles which concern our Saviour I reduc'd toThree Heads ; thofe of his Life ; thefe wrought at his Death ; and the great Miracle of his Refurredion from the Dead, together with thofe Two that were confequent upon it ; his vifi- ble Afcenfion into Heaven, and his fending the Holy Ghoft. As to the Refurredion of our Saviour, I have produced the Teftimonies fcr ir, and have added force Confederations that may give Strength and Advantage to that Teftimony ; and (hall now proceed to take notice of the moft confiderable Exceptions that may be made againft ir. And all the Exceptions that. can be brought againft it, that are of any moment, and that I know of, are thefe Three; that Tradition of the yews, that he was ftolen out of the Grave ; or that he was nor really Dead ; or that his Appearance was an illufion from Evil Spirits. The first of chele is ancient, and was the invention of the yews, and denies the lute- grity of the Witnefres of his Rcfurreilion, making them Deceivers: the Two :aft fuppofe the fidelity of the Witnefres, but fay they were deceived, either as ro his Death, or as to his Appearance afterward : and thefe have been lince invented by Atheiflical Spirits. I (hall briefly anfwer them, and firjf in general, I fay theft Two things. r. That they who deny this, have this Difadvantage, that they are to prove a Negative, which is never capable of that Evidence, which an Affirmation is. 2. Theft Exceptions look very like Envy; for they do not concur to make up one ftrong Objection againft the Teftimony of Chrift's Refurredion ; but eachof them contradicts the other, and is inconfiftent with them : for if the Tradition of the Yews be true, that he was ftolen out of his Grave after he was Dead and Bu- ried, and that the Rory of his appearing to them was a Forgery, then the two latter Exceptions are falfe, and fo of the reft ; fo that theft Exceptionslook very like the falle Witneffes that were fuborned againft Chrift, that they So not a;see together. But to the Objections thcmfelvcs I anfwer. Firji, The Tradition of the yews ; that his Body was ftol'n out of ti ;. ,í.epul- ehre, andall that which is related afterwards of his appearing to his Difcipice, and converting with them, and Afcending into Heaven, was a Forgery and Impo- flure. Anfw. t. We have early notice given of this in the Hiflory of the Gofpel, Matth. z8. la. that when the chief Priefts heard that his Body was gone out of the Grave, they confulted together, and hired the Soldiers to fay that the Dif. ciples came by Night, and what they were afleep, Role him away. Obferve what.
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