A vindication of the truth of Christian religion against the objections of all modern opposers written in French by James Abbadie ... ; render'd into English by H.L.

CHAP. III.

The second Center of Truth. A particular Consideration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

HAving spoke of the Miracles of Jesus Christ, we come now to his Resurrection; an Event which ought chiefly to be considered in the Connexion it has with those Miracles: For if this Resurrection be true, without dispute those Miracles are so too; And if

those Miracles are true, one cannot easily doubt of the Truth of our Saviour's Resurrection.

Now to take away all Scruples that may arise in our Minds concerning the Truth of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, 'tis but reflecting a while upon Christ himself, upon the Jewish Doctors, who used all pos∣sible Care and Precaution to prevent so much as a Re∣port after his Death, that he was risen from the Dead upon the Testimony of the Watch appointed to guard his Sepulchre, upon the Procedure of the Apostles, and the discourse of all the Disciples in general; and lastly, upon that ready Disposition of Mind found in a great number of Jews to em∣brace Christianity a•• Jerusalem a few Weeks after the Death of Jesus Christ, and at a time when no∣thing could be easier than to enquire into the Truth of his Resurrection.

As for Jesus Christ, the Evangelists unanimously tell us that he had several times foretold his Death and Resurrection to his Disciples: Nay 'tis observable, that those very Predictions are oftentimes intermixed either with such Circumstances as do not easily of themselves enter into any Man's Mind, or with those which seem to have no manner of Relation one with another; which proves that they cannot be the imaginary Conceits of a pleasant Fancy, that de∣lights in the Invention of Fables. It is very impro∣bable that the Evangelists should have invented the Discourse of Jesus Christ with St. Peter concern∣ing the Sufferings that should certainly besall him at his going up to Jerusalem: And it is worth taking notice of, that St. Peter had but just made a very ex∣cellent Confession of what Jesus Christ was, in Pre∣sence of all the other Disciples, telling him, Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God; and that Jesus Christ had crowned this admirable Confession with that extraordinary Promise of his, Blessed art thou,

Simon Barjona. For flesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but my father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not pre∣vail against it, &c. Matth. 16. 17, 18. Immediate∣ly after Christ foretold what Death he was to suffer from the Chief Priests and Scribes; but added withal, he should rise again the third Day. Whereupon St. Peter rebuked him, and said, Be it far from thee, O Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But Jesus Christ instead of approving of that seeming Concern and Affection his Disciple had for him, severely reproved his Indiscretion in these words, Get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not, &c. This History seems to be very natural and sincere, and that mixture of Circumstances which in all probability have no manner of relation with one another, could not of it self easily enter in any Man's Mind. St. Peters Confession was excellent, and the Promise Jesus Christ made him was extraor∣dinary: Nay the very Expression of it implied some∣what strange and difficult. But above all, it seems at first view that Jesus Christ too rigorously censures the great Zeal which Peter shewed for his Person, and it does not seem very natural that he who told him, Blessed art thou Simon Barjona, and promised to make him a Pillar of his Church, should tell him presently after, Get thee behind me Satan. 'Tis plain, a Man must, in spite of himself, perceive that 'tis ••he force of Truth, and not the natural Agree∣ment of those Circumstances that obliged the Evan∣gelist to joyn them both together in one and the same Recital. And that which necessarily oc∣casions this Reflexion of ours is, that Jesus Christ had really foretold his Death and his Resurrection, before ever he had suffered the one, or the other was brought to pass.

But what proves this better than any thing else, is, that Jesus Christ, upon cooler Thoughts, and the very Day before his Passion, did such a thing as had never been done before, and which doubtless never will be done again; and that is, he instituted a Memorial of that Death he was just upon the point of suffering: He foretold that he should suffer Death from the Chief Priests, the Scribes, and the Doctors of the Law: Nevertheless he might have easily a∣voided it if he would by retiring into another place. But he chid, or rather storm'd at the Indiscretion of Peter, who would have diverted him from that Death; therefore he considered it as an Event that was to be attended with very happy and saving Con∣sequences with respect to Mankind. And what hap∣py Consequences could his Death have been attend∣ed withal, unless it was to have been immediately followed by his Resurrection?

He first instituted a Memorial of his Death, and then voluntarily suffered it: He commanded that it should be commemorated, therefore he regarded it as an Event which was to be the Means of our Salvation. He foresaw that it would be commemo∣rated; he foresaw then what would most infallibly come to pass, and that too in a time when there was but little Appearance of its ever happening. He did not say, that they should commemorate his Death only till he rose again, but till his Second Coming. He foresaw then, that he should speedily rise again, and that after his Resurrection he should depart in order to return again at the End of the World.

Besides, no reasonable Man can imagine that the Evangelists had wholly invented the Account of the Institution of the Eucharist: For there is a great deal of Difference between a Doctrine and a Practice. A Doctrine can hardly be forged, especially because

it must be concerted by the Consent of several Per∣sons: But a sensible Practice, a thing in Use, and as it were a speaking Doctrine, can much less be palm'd upon Mankind. And certainly 'twould be the great∣est piece of Folly imaginable in any one, to think that a dozen poor Fishermen, astonished and cast down at the Death of their Master, and undeceived in the Opinion they had entertained that he was to have restored the Kingdom of Israel, Persons who knew not what things might come to pass by their publishing the Doctrine of that crucified Man, that that they should go and invent the Institution of the Eucharist with all the Circumstances of it, and make Jesus Christ utter these Words, This is my body which is broken for you: this is the New Testament in my blood: Words that implied something new and very sur∣prising, which have given occasion to so many Con∣tests, and are liable to such different Interpretati∣ons; Words which S. Paul and the Evangelists una∣nimously set down, but without any mutual Com∣pact, as appears by the little Variety there occurs in their Recital of them. I say, it would be very extravagant to imagine that the Disciples had in the least thought of inventing these Words, or that History of the Institution of the Eucharist; so that we need not insist longer on any farther Proofs of it. We have already touched upon it in another Place, and upon another Subject. The only Consequence we shall draw from it here is, that Jesus Christ fore∣saw his Death, prepared himself for it, and suffer∣ed it voluntarily. Whereupon I argue thus:

If he foresaw that he should die, and if he volun∣tarily offered himself up to Death, he then either foresaw that he should rise again, or he did not fore∣see it. If he did not foresee it, with what kind of hopes then did he comfort his Disciples? What was it he promised them? Or what proposed he to

himself by his Death? Why did he not shun it, as he might yet have done when he was at Supper with his Disciples? What meant he by instituting a Me∣morial of his Dead Body, if that Dead Body were always to abide under the power of Death, and rot away as it were in the Presence of his Disciples?

And if he thought he should rise again, as we may very reasonably imagin he did, I say he himself could not have believed it, but only upon the Experience he had already made of that Power which had restored Sight to the Blind, Health to the Sick, and Life to the Dead. For he could not think his own Miracles false, and yet at the same time believe he should rise again from the Dead. If he thought he should rise again, he also thought his Miracles to be true. And if he believed his Miracles to be true, his Miracles must of necessity have been really so; because they were of a Nature incapable of Illusion and Deceit, at least with respect to those who wrought them. Jesus Christ could never imagine that he had filled five thousand Men at one time, three thousand at another; that he had raised to Life the Widows Son of Naim; the daughter of Jairus, and Lazarus of Bethany; that he had made St. Peter walk upon the Sea, &c. if all these things had not really been true.

No one surely can doubt but that Jesus Christ fore∣told his Resurrection, if he considers that it was upon this Account only that the Jewish Doctors appointed a Watch to guard his Sepulcher, and commanded the Stone of it to be sealed. Sir, we remember, said they to Pilate, that that Deceiver said, while he was yet alive, after three days, I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his Disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say un∣to the people, he is risen from the Dead. so the last er∣rour shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, ye

have a watch, go your way, make it as sure as you can▪ So they went and made the Sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch, Mat. 27. 63, 64, 65, 66. This is such a matter of fact which the Disciples could not, durst not invent against the publick knowledge every body had of it, and which besides agrees very well with the other Circumstances of that Event. For how came that Report to be spread in Jerusalem, that the Watch slept when the Disciples took away the Body of Jesus, had they not really set a Watch to guard his Sepulchre? And what necessity was there to appoint a Watch to guard it, had it not been to hinder the Disciples from reporting abroad, that he was risen from the Dead?

And if Christ really believed that he should rise again, he could not have believed it, but upon the Truth of his Miracles, neither could he have belie∣ved his Miracles to be true, had they been false. Thus it appears that the Connexion of all those Cir∣cumstances, if narrowly considered, forms as it were a kind of a moral Demonstration, which can∣not but throughly convince any just and reasonable Man.

But let us not slightly pass over that matter of fact, but having seen what Christ thought concern∣ing his Resurrection, let us next consider the Opinion of the Scribes and Pharisees concerning it, and the Report the Soldiers made that were appointed to guard this Sepulcher. For the Consideration of those Circumstances may give us some light in the Discovery of that matter of fact, the most impor∣tant and the most essential that ever was, or ever shall be hereafter.

In the first place, the Scribes and Pharisees, and generally every Member of the Sanhedrin, being in∣stigated by the very same Spirit that had induced them to put Jesus Christ to Death, were in a great

Apprehension lest his Disciples should take away his Body, and afterwards report abroad that he was risen from the Dead. We may judge how much they thought it for their Interest to prevent it, by the Attempts they had already made to put him to Death. And it is very probable, that since the Se∣pulcher of Jesus Christ was to have been guarded but three days, they took all care imaginable before hand, for fear the Watch, thro negligence or otherwise, should have suffered that Body to be taken away, which it so mightily behoved them to keep in their Custody.

But let us consider the Event of all this. The Soldiers that watch'd the Body could not hinder it from rising out of it's Sepulcher. How so? Was it because they were afraid? or were they bribed not to discover the Business? Had they been bribed, one might very well imagine it was not in behalf of the Disciples, that they would run the hazard of losing their Lives for their Negligence or Treachery. What then were they afraid? But how could the Watch prove so fearful, and the Disciples on a sud∣den so couragious, as to attempt the taking away the dead Body of one from whom they had so lately fled while he was yet alive? Besides, How could those Soldiers have reported such things as they did without manifestly contradicting themselves? For if they were asleep, how did they know that the Dis∣ciples of Christ had taken away his Body? But why did not the Sanhedrin, for their own Honour, and the Respect they bare to the Truth, put all those Soldiers to the Rack? And if that Thought came not presently into their Heads, is it not natural to think they would have done it, when they found awhile after, all Jerusalem inclinable to believe in that crucified man, and that about six thousand Souls had already believed in him in one day, and that too

but fifty days after his Death? Certainly the Sol∣diers that watch'd his Body were still at Jerusalem; And the Sanhedrin had still the same Power and Au∣thority as before. It highly concerned them to pu∣nish the Negligence of those Soldiers, or make them confess the Secret of their Perfidy, and who it was that suborned them. I say, it highly concerned them to make that strict Examination, both to justify their own Procedure, and prevent the utter Loss of almost an infinite number of Persons that had already sided with the Disciples of that pretended Impostor. But this is not all. When on the Day of Pentecost, that is, fifty days after the Death of Jesus Christ, the Apostles shewed themselves in the City of Jerusalem, to testify there that they had seen him risen from the Dead, and that after he had several times appeared to them, and was gone up into Heaven, he had pour∣ed down upon them the miraculous and extraor∣dinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost, why did not the Sanhedrin then, who was so highly concerned in dis∣covering the Authors of the taking away the Body of Jesus Christ; I say, why did they not seize upon the Apostles, and so make them confess how all things had happened? Why did they not confront them with the Watch? Why did they not cast Jo∣seph of Arimathea and those Men in Prison, till they had made them confess what was become of that Bo∣dy, as also every other Circumstance of their Im∣posture?

'Tis already very unlikely, that if the Disciples of Christ had come by night, and had stolen his Bo∣dy away, they durst have shewed themselves and ap∣peared in publick, nay immediately confessed that they were his Disciples. It is much more credible they would have hid themselves after such an Action; and that if they preach'd at all, it would have been to People more remote, and not in Jerusalem, the

very Place where those things had happened, nor in the Presence of that very Sanhedrin they were so much afraid of, and had so much offended.

Why then did not the Sanhedrin take the ordina∣ry Methods made use of to discover Criminals? They were very ready by Threats, Torments, and Persecutions, to oblige the Apostles not to preach up the Name of Jesus Christ, but they never accu∣sed them of having stolen away the Body of their Master whilst the Watch slept. They durst not enter upon that Examination; for they knew well enough what the Soldiers had told them, and 'twas that very thing which made them so apprehensive.

We all know well enough how Men generally act upon the like Occasions. Had the matter so hap∣pened as the Soldiers afterwards reported, those very Soldiers would not have failed pursuing some one of the Disciples of Christ throughout the whole City of Jerusalem, on purpose to make him confess the plain truth by the many Torments they would have made him suffer; and the Scribes and Pharisees together with the other Doctors of the Law, would on their side have made such an exact Enquiry into the matter, that they would have at last found either some Witnesses, or some other Evidence, to prove the stealing away of that Body upon them. And that would have been no very hard task for them to perform; because it had been done during the Cele∣bration of one of their Solemn Feast-days, when the People of Jerusalem were never so intent upon any Spectacle, as they had been upon the Sufferings of Christ; when what had so lately happened to such an extraordinary Man, had filled every body with Amazement: witness that which the Evangelist makes a Disciple utter on the way to Emmaus, as he was discoursing with Jesus Christ himself not Know∣ing it was him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem,

and hast not known the things which are eome to pass there in these days? And since those men who had ap∣pointed a Watch to guard the Sepulcher of Jesus Christ, had in all probability very expresly charged them to take care lest any of his Disciples should come by night and steal his Body out of the Sepul∣chre, it is repugnant to Reason, and contrary to all outward Appearance, to suppose that the second night after the Soldiers were placed there, they should fall into so deep a sleep, as that the Disciples should be bold enough to hazard the taking away of this Body, or be able to roll the Stone away from the Sepulchre, and break the Seal; that they should have Time enough, Leisure, Freedom, and so little Fear as to untye and take away the linnen Cloaths wherein he was wrapped up, and the Napkin that was about his Face: For the Evangelists unanimously relate that they found the Sepulchre in that state.

Yet these are not the strongest Arguments that may be brought to evince the Truth of that matter of fact. We must also pass on from the Consideration of the Soldiers that watched the Body, to that of the Apo∣stles themselves. Had they testify'd falsly that they had seen Jesus Christ risen from the Dead, it was ei∣ther with a mutual Agreement, or without one. Now it cannot be without a mutual Agreement; for an Er∣ror that is not supported by an unanimous Consent, must necessarily fall of it self to the ground, and it would have unavoidably so happen'd, while one would have affirm'd that Jesus Christ was risen from the Dead, another that he was not at all risen; one would have said that he appeared unto many, and another that he appeared to one only; another, that he appeared to no Body; one would have related the matter one way, another another way, and in fine, the most honest and sincere would have frankly confess'd that there was nothing at all in it.

But if they unanimously agreed to contrive this Imposture, there must have been then several Per∣sons who agreed together constantly and unanimous∣ly to relate a matter of fact, which they knew to be utterly false. Now that's a thing altogether im∣possible.

1. First, Because it is inconceivable, that a man should willingly expose himself to all sorts of Punish∣ments, and even to Death itself, on purpose to testify a matter of fact which he knew very well to be utterly false. 2. That tho' there should have been, by an unheard of Prodigy, one single Person of that mind, yet it is the height of Extravagance, to imagine that there were a very great number of Persons that took on a sudden that dangerous and fatal Resolution, especially such as had behaved themselves before after a manner quite opposite to that, and shewed not only a great deal of Caution, but Fearfulness in several other Occasions. 3. That tho a very great number of People should have agreed together to bear Witness to a Falsity, yet it could never be thought so of those who looked upon Lying and Perfidy as Sins that were altogether incon∣sistent with their Salvation; neither could it be thought of those, who if they allow'd the Resur∣rection of Jesus Christ to be a meer Fiction, must al∣low also that they had followed a Phantom, a Chime∣rical imaginary Messias; and if they own'd that they had follow'd a Phantom, they must likewise confess their own mutual Extravagance. 4. That this mutual Agreement could never have been so carried on, but that some of them, to avoid Punish∣ment, would have discovered the Intrigue to the Jews with all its Circumstances, it being most certain, that since Jesus Christ had been so very basely betray∣ed in his Life-time, it is more probable he would be so served after his Death: For they might indeed

have expected some Reward from him when living, but they could hope for nothing from him after his Death, but Misery and Torments, Shame and conti∣nual Remorses, for having followed a deceitful Im∣postor. 5. And lastly, 'Tis not to be question'd, but that the very same Principles which had dissolv'd their mutual Fidelity, would more probably break off their mutual Treachery. And since the Love and Affection they had had for their Master, supported by a strong Perswasion on their side that he was the true Messias, had not been capable to maintain and keep up that mutual Fidelity, which made them say not very long before, Let us go there also, that we may die with him, John 11. 16. so that they fled, and wholly left him to the Power of his Enemies, can we reasonably suppose that having been unde∣ceived of the Opinion they had entertained of their Messias, they should yet notwithstanding their Shame, Fear, and dejected Condition, presently after unani∣mously agree to maintain and affirm a most horrid Lye, on purpose to blemish their Nation, by laying an imaginary Crime to their charge, and maintain it too to that degree that not one of them should recant, or contradict himself, but all of them unani∣mously suffer the severest Torments, only to affirm that they had seen what they had really never seen?

'Tis yet further observable, that this was not a mutual Agreement carried on between twelve Apo∣stles only, but also between all the Disciples of Jesus Christ in general, who made up a very considerable number. For Jesus, after his Resurrection, appear∣ed one while to some Women, whom he command∣ed to tell his Brethren that he was a going before them into Galilee, another while to Peter alone, and then after to the Twelve. One while he went out to find them as they were a fishing upon the Sea, and bless their Toil with a considerable Draught of

Fishes; Another while he was in the midst of them, when they had met together to pray to God. Some time he sat at Table, and eat and drank with them; At another time he gave them several Instructions, and reminded them of those things he had taught them before his Death. At one time he manifested himself to above 500 Disciples, at another he con∣victed an unbelieving Disciple by making him feel his Hands and his Feet, saying, Reach hither thy fin∣ger, behold my hands, &c. and be not faithless but be∣lieving, John 20. 27. One while he appeared to two Disciples as they were a going to Emmaus, discours∣ed with them, and expounded the Scriptures to them by the way; At another time he assembled his Dis∣ciples together, and commanded them to teach all Nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

It may not be amiss to reflect a little upon that vast Multidude of Disciples who testify'd they had seen Jesus Christ after his Resurrection. St. Paul, some where in his Epistles, affirms, that Jesus Christ appeared to above five hundred Brethren at once; and adds, that the greatest part of them were yet alive, but some were fallen asleep. Now 'tis most certain, that St. Paul would not, durst not, could not speak after that manner, had there not been a great number of Disciples still living, who testify'd that they had seen Jesus Christ after his Resurrecti∣on. I would fain know, whether it be possible for so great a number of persons unanimously to con∣trive such an intolerable Imposture as that must needs have been, were there nothing of Truth in what they advanc'd. Truly it seems to me to be a thing not possible for a man to imagine, much less to put in Execution.

A Man must do Violence to himself barely in sup∣posing that so many Disciples should falsly affirm

that they had seen Jesus Christ after his Resurrection: For one must thence suppose, that that great num∣ber of Persons were not really Men; and that what∣ever they had been during the rest of their Lives, they had put off their Humanity immediately after the Death of Jesus Christ.

They were indeed Men till that time; and their Behaviour pretty well evinces that their Sentiments were such as self-love and self-preservation general∣ly inspire us withal: for they expected and were in hopes of something. They followed none other but Christ, because they expected from him what gene∣rally all the Jews expected from their Messias, ac∣cording to the Ideas they had form'd themselves of him. They were afraid of Death: They dreaded the Fury of the Sanhedrin: They flattered themselves with the Hopes of seeing themselves restored to their former Glory: They begg'd of Jesus Christ to deliver them out of approaching Dangers, if at any time they were in hazard of their Lives, or ex∣posed to any Tempest.

But since the Death of Jesus Christ, they seem'd to have put off their Humanity; Their Minds and Hearts were not disposed like those of other Men. They neither hoped for, or expected any thing. For indeed what should they hope or expect from the Profession they made of being Disciples of Jesus Christ, if they knew that he was not risen at all ac∣cording to his promise? What could they hope for, if he who had promised them Eternal Life, and af∣firmed himself to be the Resurrection and the Life, was to be for ever subject to the Power of Death? Before while they trusted in Jesus Christ they were afraid: Now when they trusted no more in him, their Fear vanished. Since they could not expect any thing from another Life, they were resolved not to be any way concern'd for this, but to mind

only a Future State. What is the meaning of this preposterous Change? Formerly they thought they should do God great service, in suffering for Christs sake, whom they supposed to have been their Mes∣sias; and yet they were then faint-hearted and fear∣full: but now that they were assured they did God no manner of service by adhering to the Gospel; but rather blemish their own Reputation by maintain∣ing a Cheat, they became on a sudden constant and couragious, undaunted in the greatest Dangers, and invincible in the midst of the most violent Trials. Who can comprehend all this?

Certainly, if we have but the least Common Sense we cannot but perceive that a Cheat in so evident and sensible a matter of fact as that must have been, could not be unanimously carried on by so many thousands of People. For supposing one Man was diposed to Lye, who knows but another would be as inclinable to tell the Truth; especially since there was nothing to be got by Lying, but Prisons, Tor∣ments, and Death itself, whereas telling the Truth would have gained them Credit, Friends, and Estates, by pleasing those in whose Power it was to dispose of Riches and Offices of State. And had any one of them imagined that some of the rest would certain∣ly contradict him or themselves, he would have been for that very Reason incapable of agreeing with them to carry on that Cheat; Now it is naturally impossible but that this Thought must have offered it self to the Mind of every one of them, and conse∣quently such a mutual Compact or Agreement was absolutely impossible, unless it so happen'd that that whole Multitude had suddenly been bewitch'd and infatuated by the same kind of Folly, and that too at one and the same time, as soon as Jesus Christ had given up the Ghost.

However they must have been void of all Self-Love,

and that natural Affection Men usually bear to them∣selves, nay they must have been altogether insensible of the cruel Stripes they underwent, and the Persecu∣tions wherewith they were almost overwhelmed; and that Insensibility and Extravagance must not only have been an ordinary one, or of a short conti∣nuance, but of the longest Duration, and strongest Force that ever was known.