The next circumstance to be considered, is that of the seal upon the stone of the sepulchre.  The council for Woolston supposes an agreement between the Jews and disciples about setting this seal.  But for this agreement there is no evidence; nay, to suppose it, contradicts the whole series of the history, as the Gentleman on the other side observed.  I will not enter into the particulars of this debate; for it is needless.  The plain natural account given of this matter, shuts out all other suppositions.  Mr. B. observed to you, that the Jews having a guard, set the seal to prevent any combination among the guards to deceive them:  which seems a plain and satisfactory account.  The council for W. replies, Let the use of the seals be what they will, it is plain they were broken; and if they were used as a check upon the Roman soldiers, then probably they consented to the fraud:  and then it is easily understood how the body was removed.

I must observe to you here, that this suspicion agrees neither with the account given by the evangelist, nor with the story set about by the Jews; so that it is utterly unsupported by any evidence.

Nor has it any probability in it.  For what could move Pilate, and the Roman soldiers, to propagate such a cheat?  He had crucified Christ, for no other reason, but for fear the people would revolt from the Romans; perhaps too he consented to place a guard upon the sepulchre, to put an end to the people’s hope in Jesus:  and is it likely at last that he was consenting to a cheat, to make the people believe him risen from the dead; the thing, of all others, which he was obliged, as his apprehensions were, to prevent?

The next circumstance insisted on as a proof of the fraud, is, that Jesus rose from the dead before the time he had appointed.  Mr. A. supposes that the disciples hastened the plot, for fear of falling in with multitudes, who waited only for the appointed time to be at the sepulchre, and to see with their own eyes.  He was answered, That the disciples were not, could not be concerned, or be present at moving the body; that they were dispersed, and lay concealed for fear of the Jews:  that hastening the plot, was of no use; for the resurrection happened whilst the guards were at the sepulchre; who were probably enow to prevent violence; certainly enow to discover it, if any were used.

This difficulty then rests merely upon the reckoning of the time.  Christ died on Friday, rose early on Sunday.  The question is, Whether this was rising the third day, according to the prediction?  I will refer the authorities made use of in this case to your memory, and add only one observation, to shew that it was indeed the third day, according as the people of the country reckoned.  When Christ talked with the two disciples who knew him not, they gave him an account of his own crucifixion, and their disappointment; and tell him, Today is the third day since these things were done [Luke24:21].  Now,