watchful to guard the multitude against frauds and deceits.  The chief priests were satisfied indeed of the fraud in the case of Lazarus, yet they saw the people deceived by it; and for this reason, and not for their own satisfaction, they used the caution in the case of the resurrection of Jesus, which I before laid before you.  In so doing, they are well justified; and the inconsistency charged on the other side, between their opinion of Jesus, and their fear of being imposed on by his pretended resurrection, is fully answered.

The next observation relates to the seal of the sepulchre.  The Gentleman thinks the seal was used as a check upon the Roman soldiers.  But what reason had the Jews to suspect them?  They were not disciples of Jesus; they were servants of the Roman governor, and employed in the service of the Jews:  and I leave it to the court to judge, whether the Jews set the seal to guard against their friends, or their enemies?  But if the seals were really used against the guards, then the breaking of the seals is a proof that the guards were corrupted:  and if so, ’tis easy to conceive how the body was removed.

As to the disciples, the Gentleman observes, that the part allotted them in the management of the resurrection supposes an unaccountable change in their character.  It will not be long before the Gentleman will have occasion for as great a change in their character:  for these weak men you will find soon employed in converting the world, and sent to appear before Kings and Princes in the name of their master; soon you will see them grow wise and powerful, and every way qualified for their extensive and important business.  The only difference between me and the Gentleman on the other side will be found to be this, that I date this change a little earlier than he does:  A small matter, surely, to determine the right of this controversy.

The last observation relates to King Agrippa’s complaisance to Paul, and Gamaliel’s advice.  I cannot answer for Agrippa’s meaning:  but certainly he meant but little; and if this matter is to be tried by his opinion, we know that he never did turn Christian.  As for Gamaliel, ’tis probable that he saw great numbers of the people engaged zealously in favour of the apostles, and might think it prudent to pass the matter over in silence, and not to come to extremities.  This is a common case in all governments:  the multitude and their leaders often escape punishment, not because they do not deserve it, but because it is not, in some circumstances, prudent to exact it.

I pass over these things lightly, because the next article contains the great, to us indeed, who live at this distance, the only great question; for whatever reason the Jews had to believe the resurrection, it is nothing to us, unless the story has been conveyed to us upon such evidence as is sufficient to support the weight laid on it.