The Trial of the Witnessses of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ | Page 6

was founded on the
belief of certain miracles said to be wrought by their lawgiver Moses;
so were they ever running after wonders and miracles, and ready to take
up with any stories of this kind. Now, as something extraordinary was

necessary to support the pretensions of Jesus, he dextrously laid hold of
this weakness of the people, and set up to be a wonder-worker. His
disciples were well qualified to receive this impression: they saw, or
thought they saw many strange things, and were able to spread the fame
and report of them abroad.
This conduct had the desired success. The whole country was alarmed,
and full of the news of a great Prophet's being come among them. They
were too full of their own imagination, to attend to the notion of a
kingdom of heaven. Here was one mighty in deed and in word; and
they concluded that he was the very prince their nation expected.
Accordingly they once attempted to set him up for a King; and at
another time attended him in triumph to Jerusalem. This natural
consequence opens the natural design of the attempt. If things had gone
on successfully to the end, it is probable that the kingdom of heaven
would have been changed into a kingdom of this world. The design
indeed failed, by the impatience and over-hastiness of the multitude;
which alarmed not only the chief of the Jews, but the Roman governor
also.
The case being come to this point, and Jesus seeing that he could not
escape being put to death, he declared, that the ancient Prophets had
foretold, that the Messias should die upon a cross, and that he should
rise again on the third day. Here was the foundation for the continuing
this plot, which otherwise had died with its author. This was his legacy
to his followers; which, having been well managed by them and their
successors, has at last produced a kingdom indeed; a kingdom of priests,
who have governed the world for many ages, and have been strong
enough to set Kings and Emperors at defiance. But so it happens, the
ancient Prophets appealed to are still extant; and there being no such
prophecies of the death and resurrection of the Messias, they are a
standing evidence against this story. As he expected, so it happened,
that he died on a cross; and the prosecuting of this contrivance was left
to the management of his disciples and followers. Their part is next to
be considered-----.
Mr. B. My Lord, Since it is your opinion that the objections should be

considered singly, and the Gentleman has carried his scheme down to
the death of Christ, I think he is come to a proper rest; and that it is
agreeable to your intention that I should be admitted to answer.
Judge. You say right, Sir. Let us hear what you answer to this charge.
Mr. B. My Lord, I was unwilling to disturb the Gentleman by breaking
in upon his scheme; otherwise I would have reminded him that this
court sits to examine evidence, and not to be entertained with fine
imaginations. You have had a scheme laid before you, but not one bit
of evidence to support any part of it; no, not so much as a pretence to
any evidence. The Gentleman was, I remember, very sorry that the old
books of the Jews were lost, which would, as he supposes, have set
forth all this matter; and I agree with him, that he has much reason to
be sorry, considering his great scarcity of proof. And since I have
mentioned this, that I may not be to return to it again, I would ask the
Gentleman now, how he knows there ever were such books? And since,
if ever there were any, they are lost, how he knows what they contained?
I doubt I shall have frequent occasion to ask such questions. It would
indeed be a sufficient answer to the whole, to repeat the several
suppositions that have been made, and to call for the evidence upon
which they stand. This would plainly discover every part of the story to
be mere fiction. But since the Gentleman seems to have endeavored to
bring under one view the many insinuations which have of late been
spread abroad by different hands, and to work the whole into a
consistent scheme; I will, if your patience shall permit, examine this
plot, and see to whom the honour of the contrivance belongs.
The Gentleman begins with expressing his "amazement, that the
resurrection has been believed in all ages of the church." If you ask him,
Why? he must answer , Because the account of it is a forgery; for it is
no amazement to him, surely, that a true