Hitherto we have been called upon to prove the reality of Christ’s body, and that it was the same after the resurrection that was before:  but the next objection complains, that the body was too much the same with that which was buried; for the Gentleman thinks that it had the same mortal wounds open and uncured of which he died.  His observation is grounded upon the words which Christ uses to Thomas:  [John 20:27] Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side.  Is it here affirmed that Thomas did actually put his hand into his side, or so much as see his wounds fresh and bleeding?  Nothing like it:  but it is supposed from the words of Christ; for if he had no wounds, he would not have invited Thomas to probe them.  Now, the meaning of Christ will best appear by an account of the occasion he had to use this speech.  He had appeared to his disciples, in the absence of Thomas, and shewn them his hands and feet, which still had the marks of his crucifixion:  the disciples report this to Thomas:  he thought the thing impossible, and expressed his unbelief, as men are apt to do when they are positive, in a very extravagant manner:  You talk, says he, of the prints of the nails in his hands and feet; for my part, says he, I’ll never believe this thing, except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side.  Now, in the first place, here is nothing said of open wounds; Thomas talks only of putting his finger into the print, that is, the scar of the nails, and thrusting his hand into his side.  And, in common speech, to thrust an hand into any one’s side does not signify to thrust it through the side into the bowels.  Upon this interpretation of the words, which is a plain and natural one, the Gentleman’s objection is quite gone.  But suppose Thomas to mean what the Gentleman means; in that case the words of Christ are manifestly a severe reproach to him for his infidelity:  Here, says Christ, are my hands and my side; take the satisfaction you require; thrust your fingers into my hands, your hand into my side; repeating to him his own words, and calling him to his own conditions; which, to a man beginning to see his extravagance, is of all rebukes the severest.  Such forms of speech are used on many occasions, and are never understood to import that the thing proposed is proper, or always practicable.  When the Grecian women reproached their sons with cowardice, and called to them as they were flying from the enemy, to come and hide themselves, like children as they were, in their mothers’ wombs; he would be ridiculous who had asked the question, Whether the women really thought they could take their sons into their wombs again?

I have now gone through the objections which were necessarily to be removed before I could state the evidence in this case.  I am sensible I have taken up too much of your time; but I have this to say in my excuse, That objections built on popular notions and prejudices, are easily conveyed to the mind in few words; and so conveyed, make strong impressions:  but whoever answers the objections, must encounter all the notions to which they are allied, and to which they owe their strength; and it is well if with many words he can find admittance.