cause they were still in deep dejection on account of the afflictions of his life and the ignominy of his death, he on this memorable occasion introduced that subject; putting them in mind, that during his abode with them in Galilee, he had often told them that all

40. Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly, not to all the people (of the Jews), but unto witnesses, chosen before of God, even to us (apostles) who did eat and drink with him after he arose from the dead,' It was this circumstance which gave Spinoza a pretext for raising what his disciples ever since have considered as their strongest argument against our Lord's resurrection. If, say they, he really arose from the dead, to have shewed himself to his enemies as well as to his friends, would have put the truth of his resurrection beyond all doubt, than which nothing could be more necessary to the cause of Christianity; and therefore the supposition of his having confined his appearances after his resurrection to a few select friends, renders the whole affair extremely suspicious and improbable.

But this argument, however plausible, has not the least force in it; because it may be demonstrated, that if Jesus had shewed himself to his enemies and to all the people, these appearances, instead of putting the truth of his resurrection beyond doubt, would rather have weakened the evidence of it, at least in after-ages, and so would have been of infinite detriment to mankind. For upon the supposition that our Lord had shewed himself openly, one of these two things must necessarily have happened: Either his enemies, yielding to the evidence of their senses, would have believed his resurrection; or, resisting that evidence, they would reject it altogether. I shall begin with considering the latter supposition.

1. Such of our Lord's enemies as resisted the evidence of their senses, or who, though they were really convinced, would not acknowledge their conviction, must have justified their disbelief by affirming, that the man who appeared to them as risen from the dead, was not Jesus whom the Romans had crucified, but an impostor who personated him. On any other foundation their infidelity would have been ridiculous and absurd. But if the unbelieving Jews, by our Lord's appearing personally to them, would have been laid under a necessity of denying the reality of his resurrection, even though persuaded of it in their own minds, the evidence of the fact could have gained nothing by such public appearances, because the generality of the Jews were not capable of passing a judgment upon the falsehood which Christ's enemies must have made use of to support their denial of his resurrection. A considerable number of them indeed had seen Jesus, and heard him preach; but they were not so intimately acquainted with him as to be able to tell with certainty whether he was really the person whom the Romans had crucified; and as for the rest, they were no judges of this affair at all. His apostles, disciples, and acquaintance, who, by their long attendance upon him, knew his stature, and shape, and air, and voice, and manner, were the only proper persons by whose determination the point in dispute could be decided. Wherefore, notwithstanding our Lord had appeared to all the people, if any considerable number of his enemies had continued in their infidelity, the whole stress of the evidence of his resurrection must have rested on the testimony of the very persons, who, according to the plan pitched upon by Providence, have borne witness to it now, and upon whose testimony the world has believed it. So that, instead of gaining any additional evidence by the proposed method of shewing Jesus publicly to all the people, we would have had nothing to trust to but the testimony of his disciples, VOL. II.

ΑΙ

and

all the things written in the law, prophets, and Psalms, concerning him, were to be fulfilled. Luke xxiv. 44. And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written

in

and that clogged with this incumbrance, that his resurrection was denied by many to whom he appeared, and who were not convinced thereby.

2. But in the second place it may be fancied, that on supposition our Lord arose from the dead, the whole people of the Jews must have believed, provided he had shewed himself publicly; and that future generations would thus have had the fullest evidence of the truth of his resurrection.

To this form of the argument I reply, that the greatest part of our Lord's enemies having not given themselves the trouble of attending him often, cannot be supposed so well acquainted with his person, as to have been able to know him with certainty. For which reason, though he had shewed himself to them, even their belief of his resurrection must in a great measure have depended on the testimony of his disciples and friends. If so, it is not very probable that his appearing publicly would have had any great influence upon the Jews, to persuade them to embrace a crucified Messiah. It is more reasonable to believe, that they would have rejected the whole, and continued in their infidelity.

However, to give the argument as much strength as the Deists can desire, let it be supposed, that in consequence of our Lord's, appearing to all the people of the Jews, the nation in general would have been convinced of the truth of his resurrection, and become his disciples, what advantage do you think would the cause of Christianity have reaped from such great effects of our Lord's public appearances? Would the evidence of his resurrection have become thereby the more unquestionable? Or would modern infidels have been the better disposed thereby to believe? By no means. For we do not find men of this stamp at all the more apt to believe the miracles of Moses in Egypt, at the Red sea, and in the wilderness, because the whole nation were witnesses of them. The truth is, had our Lord persuaded all the people of the Jews, by appearing personally to them, the objections against his resurrection would have been tenfold more numerous and forcible than they are at present. For, to use the words of the learned Dr Benson on this subject," Would not the whole have been called a state trick, a Jewish fable, a mere political contrivance to patch up their broken credit, after they had so long talked of a Messiah who was to come at that time?" Besides, would we not have been told that the government being engaged in the plot, a fraud of this kind might easily have been carried on, especially as the people in general would eagerly fall in with it, because it suited their prejudices, and because the few who had sagacity enough to detect the fraud, could have no opportunity to examine into it. Or if they did examine and detect the fraud, doubtless they durst not make any discovery of it, in opposition to the whole weight of the state, so that they would let it pass quietly without once calling it in question.

To say the truth, the resurrection of Jesus universally believed among the Jews, and published to the world by the concurring voice of the nation, would have been liable to an infinite number of objections, which are all effectually cut off by the scheme chosen in the wisdom of Providence. For as the people in general, but especially the rulers, continued in their infidelity, the persons concerned in this supposed fraud must have carried it on under the greatest disadvantages. The reason is, instead of having many friends to assist them, which a fraud of this kind requires, all men were their enemies, and interested to discover the cheat. In particular, the Jewish rulers, we are sure, gave all possible encouragement to

make

in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me. 45. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. By the operation of his Spirit he removed their prejudices, cleared their doubts, enlarged their memories, strengthened their judgments, and enabled them to discern the true meaning of the Scriptures. Having thus qualified them for receiving the truth, he assured them Moses and the prophets had foretold that Messiah was to suffer in the very manner he had suffered, that he was to rise from the dead on the third day as he had done, that repentance and remission of sins were to be preached in Messiah's name * among all nations, beginning with the Jews, and that the first offers of these blessings were to be made to such of them as dwelt in Jerusalem, 46. And he said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Then he told them, that in him they had beheld the exact accomplishment of all the prophecies concerning the sufferings and resurrection of Messiah, and that they were chosen by God as the witnesses of these things, in order that they might certify them to the world. Luke xxiv. 48. And ye are witnesses of these things. Withal, to fit them for this great and important work, he told them he would send upon them the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, which he called the promise of the Father, because God had promised them by the prophets. At the same time he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem till they had received those gifts. 49. And behold I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, till ye be endued with power from on high: The season of their receiving the gifts of the Spirit was so near,

and

make the strictest scrutiny into the fact, and into all its circumstances; and many no doubt zealously made the inquiry with the utmost exactness. The apostles who preached the resurrection exposed themselves to the fiercest resentment of the men in power, because Christ's resurrection cast a heavy reflection on those who had put him to death. Besides, it ought to be considered, that if the generality of the nation had not continued in their unbelief, the apostles who preached the resurrection would not have suffered those persecutions which in every country were raised against them, chiefly by the Jews, and of consequence one of the strongest arguments for the truth of their testimony would have been wanting. Whereas, having been persecuted to death for preaching the resurrection of their Master, this circumstance fully demonstrates how sincerely they believed the great fact which they preached with the constant peril of their lives. See Prelim, Observ. VII. No. 4.

Among all nations.] The preaching of repentance and remission of sins to the Gentiles, was foretold by Isaiah, xlix. 6. Accordingly that prophecy was applied by Paul to this event, Acts xiii. 47. "For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee (Christ) to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth."

and the work for which they were to be bestowed was so urgent, that the apostles could not leave Jerusalem even on pretence of going home; especially as it was determined by the prophets, that in Jerusalem the preaching of repentance and remission of sins should begin; to qualify them for which, the gift of miracles was to be bestowed upon them. To conclude, he told them that the dignity of his character who was their Master, and the efficacy of his ministry, should be demonstrated to be greater than John's, by the miraculous gifts to be bestowed on them. For whereas John only baptized his disciples with water, he would baptize both them and their converts with the Holy Ghost. Acts i. 5. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. See to this purpose the sentiments of the Baptist himself, Luke iii. 16.

"Having thus spoken, he led them out of the town to the mount of Olives; and being come to that part of the mountain which was above Bethany, the apostles, whose minds were still full of the temporal monarchy, asked him if he would now restore the kingdom to Israel. Luke xxiv. 50. And he led them out as far as to Bethany. Acts i. 6. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7. And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Faher hath put in his own power: It will not be of any use to you in your work, to know the times or the seasons of the restoration of the kingdom to Israel. Besides, this is one of the things which the Father hath thought fit to conceal from mortals in the abyss of his own omniscience. This only is of importance to you to know, that you shall receive miraculous powers after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and that by these powers you shall bear witness unto me with great success, not only in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, but to the uttermost parts of the earth. 8. But shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. Moreover he told them, tha the was now raised to the government of heaven and earth; for which reason they might go courageously through the whole world, and preach the gospel to every reasonable creature, well assured, that affairs in all countries should be so ordered as to dispose the inhabitants for the reception of the gospel. Matt. xxviñ. 18. And he spake unto them, saying, All power is given me in * 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all na

heaven and in earth.

ye

tions,

Matt. 19. And teach all nations, baptizing them.] Because teachingis here enjoined as previous to baptism, it is inferred by some that infants are not to be baptized. But if this argument were good, it would follow from

tions, (Mark, Preach the gospel to every creature). Withal, those who believed in consequence of their preaching, he appoint ed to be received into his church by the rite of baptism, and be taught to obey all the precepts he had enjoined them: Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Such baptized believers, he assured them, should receive the pardon of their sins, together with eternal life; but those who did not believe and obey the gospel when preached to them, should be damned. Mark xvi. 16. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that * believeth not shall be damned. And to encourage them in the great and difficult work which he now assigned to them, he promised that while they were employed in it, he would be with them, and their successors in the ministry to the end of the world, to guide them by his counsel, to assist them by his Spirit, and to protect them by his providence. Matt. xxviii. 20. And, lo, I am with you al way, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Finally, that those who through their preaching were induced to believe, should themselves work most astonishing miracles; a circumstance which should contribute greatly towards the spreading of the gospel. Nay, he mentioned the particular miracles which they should be enabled to perform. Mark xvi. 17. And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues; 18. They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. When he had spoken these things, he lift up his hands and blessed them, and in the action of blessing them, he was parted from them in open day-light, perhaps about mid-day, a bright cloud receiving him out of their sight, that is, covering him about, and carrying him into heaven, not suddenly, but at leisure, that they might behold him departing, and see the proof of his having come down from heaven, which he promised them, John xvi. 28. Acts i. 9. And

when

from Mark xvi. 16. that infants cannot be saved. Nay, it is there declared, that he who believes not shall be damned. The truth is, both passages must be interpreted according to the subjects treated of in them, which are plainly adult persons; and therefore no argument can be drawn from them concerning either the baptism or the salvation of infants.

* He that believeth not shall be damned] This passage we must explain by John iii. 19. where our Lord explains the reason of the condemnation of such unbelievers as are damned for not believing the gospel that is preached to them. "This," says he, "is the condemnation," the reason of the condemnation, namely of those whom, in the precedent verse, he had represented as condemned for not believing in the name of the only begotten Son of God" that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their decds are evil.” Those who shall be condemned for not believing, are such as disbelieve merely because their decds are evil.