CCXXXVI.

SER M. much as when he died, the frame of nature was put into fuch a trembling and melancholy posture. So the history of the gospel tells us, Matt. xxvii. 45. that from the fixth hour till the ninth, there was "darkness over all the land;" which, as learned men have calculated, could not be an eclipfe, according to the natural course of things. And, ver. 51, 52, &c. "The veil of the temple was rent "from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent, and the graves were 66 opened."

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Thirdly, the great miracle which was wrought after his death, in raifing him from the dead, together with those two that were consequent upon it; his visible afcending into heaven, and his sending the holy Ghoft upon the apoftles and primitive Chriftians, in fuch miraculous gifts and powers.

First, the great miracle of his refurrection, after he had lain three days in the grave. This was the miracle which was to be the chief atteftation of his divine authority, and to give confirmation to the doctrine which he declared to the world. And accordingly we find that the chief office of the apostles was, to be witneffes of his refurrection; and the great evidence they were to give to the world of his divine authority was, "that GOD raised him from "the dead." And we find the fcripture every where laying the great ftrefs of his divine authority "By that man

upon this miracle. Acts xvii. 31.

"whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given "affurance unto all men, in that he hath raised

"him do believe in GoD, that raised him up from S ER M. "the dead, and gave him glory."

Now that this miracle was really wrought, I fhall endeavour to fhew, by producing fuch evidence for it, as the nature of the thing to be proved (which is matter of fact) will bear. I fhall therefore, Firft, produce fuch teftimony as we have for it. Secondly, add fome confiderations that may ferve to give strength and advantage to the teftimony.

Firft, for the teftimony we have of this. In short, we have it attefted by an abundantly fufficient number of eye-witneffes; and greater evidence than this, matter of fact is not capable of. For the eye-witneffes and the number of them, you have them produced by St. Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 5, 6, 7, 8. The fum of what he faith is this; that CHRIST after his refurrection was feen once by Peter alone, once by James alone, and twice by all the apoftles together, and by above five hundred brethren at once. So that the number of the eye-witneffes is abundantly fufficient. And that they did atteft this, appears by the history of the gospel, which hath defcended down to us by uncontrolled 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 fact; which whofoever doth deny, takes away the faith of history, and makes it impoffible to prove the truth of any thing that is past *.

Secondly, I fhall add fome confiderations that may serve to give ftrength and advantage to this teftimony; partly relating to the perfons that give this teftimony, and partly to the matter or thing which they attest.

CCXXXVI.

SERM. 1. In reference to the perfons that give this teftiCCXXXVI. mony, we may confider them with these three advantages.

(1.) That they are credible perfons.

(2.) That they agree in their teftimony.

(3.) That the greateft fufferings could not make them to conceal it or deny it.

(1.) For the credibility of the perfons. Two things render a witnefs fufpected, want of knowledge, or of integrity, if either he do not fufficiently know the thing which he attefts; or there be a reafon to fufpect his fidelity in relating the thing. Now the witneffes in this cafe of the refurrection cannot be queftioned, for either of thefe: not for want of knowledge, because they were eye-witneffes, as I faid before; nor for want of faithfulness. There are two things which ordinarily make us fufpect the fidelity of a witness; if there be either an appearance of deceit in the manner of the relation, or of defign in the end of it: but the witneffes of CHRIST'S refurrection are free from both these grounds of jealoufy.

1. There is no appearance of deceit in the manner of their relating it. We fufpect a relation that is either too general, or too artificial: but the report of these witneffes cannot be charged with either of thefe.

For,

(1.) They report the thing with all it's circumftances of time 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 faid.

(2.) They use no art or infinuation in the manner of delivering, but report it with the greatest

plainnefs,

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plainnefs, and nakedness, and fimplicity that can be S ER M. imagined; without any ambiguity, or obfcurity, or flourish of language, as becomes an honeft relator, who useth no arts, because he is not guilty to himfelf of any defign to deceive.

2. Nor is there any appearance of defign as to the end of their teftimony. What defign could they have who did knowingly renounce all fecular advantages of honour, and riches, and reputation, and forego all worldly contentment, and expofe themfelves to continual hazards and fufferings. They got nothing by bearing this teftimony, but what every man, that hath worldly defigns, doth most folicitoufly avoid.

(2dly.) They concur and agree in their teftimony. They conftantly delivered the fame teftimony with all it's circumftances, both in word and writing; feveral perfons in feveral places, without varying or difagreeing in the leaft material circumstance.

(3dly.) The greateft fufferings could not make them either deny it, or conceal it; which is a great argument of their integrity. If the thing they attefted had been falfe, it had been an unparalled madness for any one to perfift in it to the lofs of life; and incredible that fo many fhould confpire in the fame unreasonable and unaccountable folly; efpecially when the religion which they profeffed did exclude all liars from all the happiness and rewards of the next life, which they pretended to be perfuaded of; fo that, whatfoever thofe perfons might be otherwife, and however they might falfify in other things, there is no reafon to doubt of their truth and fidelity in this report, because they died Ff 4

for

Therefore the highest at

SER M. for the teftimony of it.
CCXXXVI. teftation of a thing is called martyrdom, and the

most credible witneffes martyrs. And though bare
martyrdom be not an argument of the infallible
truth of a teftimony, or of the infallibility of the
perfon that gives it; yet it is one of the highest ar-
guments that can be of his honefty and integrity in
that thing, and that he believes himself; otherwise
he would not die for it: and it is a good evidence
of the general integrity of thefe perfons, as to all
other things, that they were fo confcientious, as
not, for fear of death, to deny that which they be-
lieved to be a truth, nor to conceal that which they
believed to be of importance.

2. As to the matter or thing which they attested, we may confider it with thefe advantages.

1. The refurrection of CHRIST was fuch a thing, as in it's own nature they were capable of giving evidence to.

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2. We will confider a little the circumftances of it, which add much to the credit of it.

3. We will confider the effects that this relation and report had in the world.

4. The circumstances of the perfons who entertained the belief of it.

1. Let us confider that the refurrection of CHRIST is fuch a thing, as in the nature of it they were capable of giving teftimony to. Indeed if it were fuch a thing, as either in the nature of it were abfolutely impoffible, as if a man fhould fay he had feen or handled a pure fpirit; or elfe fuch as these perfons could not reasonably be prefumed to be competent witneffes of it, as if a man that is altogether ignorant in geometry should say, that he had feen fuch a

man