§ 45. The Creed continued—Conception and Birth of Chrift, &c.

We have now fhewn upon what foundation we believe the fecond article of our creed; det us next confider the remaining articles the history of Chrift, as delivered in fcripture, and the benefits which he procured for us toc affiftance of the Holy Spirit-the remiffion of our fins-and everlafting life. First, then, we believe that Chrift was “conceived of the Holy Ghoft, and born of the virgin Mary." The manner of this mi- | raculous conception we inquire nor into. It a point not only beyond the limits of hu

See Bishop Newton's Differtations; and Abop Hurd's fermons on prophecy.

ture, is, that his foul remained till his refurrection in that place (whatever that place is) where the fpirits of the blessed rest: and the expreffion feems to have been added, only that we may the more ftrongly exprefs our belief of the reality of his death. This we do, when we exprefs our belief of the feparation of his foul and body, "He was buried," and "defcended into hell." The firft expreffion relates to his body, which was laid in the grave; the fecond to his foul, which passed into the place of departed fpi

rits.

We farther believe, that " on the third day he rofe again from the dead." The refurrection of Chrift from the dead is a point of the utmost importance to chriftians. On the certainty of Chrift's refurrection depend all hopes of our own. On this article, therefore, we fhall be more large,

it, was agreed on, both by thofe who op pofed, and by thofe who favoured the refur rection. In the circumftances of the lat ter fact, they differ widely.

The difciples tell their ftory-a very plain and fimple one-that, fcarce expecting the event, notwithstanding their mafter had him felf foretold it, they were furprised with an account that the body was gone-tha they found afterwards, to their great afto nifhment, that their master was again alivethat they had been feveral times with him and appealed for the truth of what they fai to great numbers, who, as well as themfelves had feen him after his refurrection.

The chief priests, on the other fide, de clared the whole to be a forgery; afferting that the plain matter of fact was, the difci ples came by night, and stole the body away while the foldiers flept.

And, in the first place, what is there in it Such a tale, unfupported by evidence that need fhock our reafon? It was a won-would be liftened to in no court of justice. It derful event; but is not nature full of won- has not even the air of probability. Can i derful events? When we seriously weigh the be fuppofed, that the difciples, who had fled matter, is it lefs ftrange, that a grain of with terror when they might have refcued corn thrown into the ground fhould die, their mafter's life; would venture, in the face and rife again with new vegetation, than that of an armed guard, to carry off his dead a human body, in the fame circumftances, body-Or is it more probable, that they fhould affume new life? The commonnefs of found the whole guard afleep; when we the former makes it familiar to us, but not in know, that the vigilance of centinels is feany degree lefs unaccountable. Are we at all cured by the ftricteft difcipline?-Betides, more acquainted with the manner in which what advantage could arife from fuch an grain germinates, than with the manner in attempt? If they mifcarried, it was certain which a body is raised from the dead And ruin, both to them and their caufe. If they is it not obviously ftriking, that the fame fucceeded, it is difficult to fay what ufe they power which can effect the one, may effect could make of their fuccefs. Unless they the other alfo-But analogy, though it tend could have produced their dead body alive, to convince, is no proof. Let us proceed the fecond error would be worse than the then to matter of fact. firft. Their mafter's prophecy of his own refurrection was an unhappy circumftanes; yet ftill it was wrapped in a veil of obfcurity.

That the body was dead, and fafely lodged in the tomb, and afterwards conveyed out of

But if his difciples endeavoured to prove its |
completion, it was their bufinefs to look well
to the event. A detection would be fuch
a comment upon their master's text, as would
ever be forgotten.-When a caufe depends
on falfebood, every body knows, the lets it is

moved the better.

This was the cafe of the other fide. Obfeurity there was wanted. If the chief priefts had any proof, why did they not produce Why were not the difciples taken up and examined upon the fact? They never abfounded. Why were they not judicially tried? Why was not the trial made public? and why were not authentic memorials of the fraud handed down to pofterity; as authentic memorials were of the fact, recorded at the Fry fine, and place, where it happened? Chriftianity never wanted enemies to propaate its difparagement.But nothing of this kind was done. No proof was attempted treept indeed the teftimony of men afleep. fact; and the chief priests refted fatisfied with The difciples were never queftioned upon the fpreading an inconfiftent rumour among the people, impreffed merely by their own au

thority.

One is

ceeding Chrift, who became chriftians from this very evidence, among others, in favour of chriftianity. In their apologies, ftill extant, one of which was made to the fenate of Rome, the other to a Roman governor, they both appeal to these records of Pontius Pilate, as then generally known, which we cannot conceive fuch able apologifts would have done, if no fuch records had ever exifted +.

Having feen what was of old objected to the refurrection of Chrift, it may be proper alfo to fee the objections of modern dif believers.

And, first, we have the ftale objection, that nothing is more common among the propagators of every new religion, than to delude their ignorant profelytes with idle ftories, What a variety of inconfiftent tales did the votaries of heathenifm believe! What abfurdities are adopted into the Mahometan creed! To what ftrange facts do the vulgar papifts give credit! And can we fuppofe better of the refurreétion of Chrift, than that it was

• Juft. Mart. Apol. ad Anton. P.--Tertull. Apol. cap. 15.

The acts of Pilate, as they are called, are often treated with contempt; for no reason, that I know. I never met with any thing against

Whatever records of heathen origin remain, evince the truth of the refurrection. them of more authority than a fneer. Probable very remarkable. Pontius Pilate fent they certainly were; and a bare probability, the emperor Tiberius a relation of the death when nothing oppofes it, has its weight. But and refurrection of Chrift; which were re- here the probability is ftrengthened by no fmall as ufual, among other pro- degree of pofitive evidence; which, if the

orded at Rome,

vincial matters. This intelligence made fo reader wishes to fee collected in one point of great an impreflion, it feems, upon the em- view, I refer him to the article of Chrift's peror, that he referred it to the fenate, whether fuffering under Pontius Pilate," in Bishop PearJefum Chrift of Judea fhould not be taken fon's expofition of the Creed. to the number of the Roman gods?-Our

Among other authorities, that of the learned commentator on Eufebius, is worth remarking :

belief of this fact is chiefly founded upon Fuere genuina Pilati acta; ad quæ provocathe teftimony of Juftin Martyr, and Ter- bant primi chriftiani, tanquam ad certiffima fidei tullian, two learned heathens, in the a

age

fuc

monumenta."

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one

one of thofe pious frauds, intended mercly to impofe upon the people, and advance the credit of the new sect?

This is juft as cafily faid, as that his difciples ftole him away, while the guard flept, Both are affertions without proof.

Others have objected Chrift's partial difcovery of himself, after his refurrection. If he had boldly fhewn himself to the chief priefts; or publickly to all the people; we might have had a more rational foundation for our belief. But as he had only for his witneffes, upon this occafion, a few of his chofen companions, the thing has certainly a more fecret appearance than might be withed.

themfelves acquainted with what they had heard, received a meffage from their mafter, injoining them to meet him in Galilee. It does not appear, that this meffage was conveyed with any fecrecy: it is rather probable it was not; and that the difciples told it to as many as they met. The women, it is exprefsly faid, told it "to the cleven, and all the reft." Who the reft were, does not appear: but it is plain, from the fequel, that the thing was generally known; and that as many as chofe either to fatisfy their faith, or gratify their curiofity, repaired for that purpofe to Galilee. And thus we find St. Peter making a diftinction between the voluntary and the chofen witneffes-between those

who had companied with the apoftles all the time that the Lord Jefus went in and out among them, from his baptifm till his afcenfion," and those who were ordained to be the witneffes of his refurrection *.”

This infinuation is founded upon a paffage in the acts of the apoftles, in which it is faid, that "God fhewed him openly, not to all the people, but unto witneffes chofen before of God." The queftion is, what is meant by witneffes chofen before of God? Certainly nothing more than perfons exprefsly, and by St. Paul goes farther, and in express words particular defignation, intended to be the wit- tells us, that Chrift was feent" after his neffes of this event. Others might fee him if refurrection of above five hundred brethren at they pleafed; but thefe were not the people to once :" and it is propable, from the expreffion, whom God fhewed him openly: this parti-" at once," that he was feen, at different cular defignation was confided to the "chofen times, by many more. witneffes."-And is there any thing more in this, than we fee daily in all legal proceedings? Does not every body wish to have the fact, about which he is concerned, authenticated by indubitable records; or by living teftimony, if it can be had? Do we not procure the hands of witneffes, appointed to this purpose, in all our deeds and writings: Let us not, however, anfwer the objection by an arbitrary explanation of the text; but let us compare this explanation with the matter of fact.

On the morning of the refurrection, the apoftles, who ran to the fepulchre to make

If then Chrift thus appeared in Galilee to as many as chose to see him; or even if he appeared only to five hundred people, of whom St. Paul tells us the greatest part were ftill alive, when he wrote this epiftle, there can furely be no reafonable caufe of offence at his appearing, befides thefe, to a few of his chofen companions, who attended by exprefs appointment, as perfons defigned to record the event.

In fact, if the fame method be purfued in this inquiry, which is ufual in all others, the +1 Cor. xv.

• Acts i. 27.

evidence

is faid that "Chrift should lie three days and three nights in the heart of the earth:" whereas, in fact, he only lay two nights, one whole day, and a part two others.

of

But no figure in fpeech is more common than that of putting a part for the whole. In the Hebrew language perhaps this licence is more admiffible than in any other. A day and a night complete one whole day; and as our Saviour lay in the ground a part of every one of these three portions of time, he might be faid, by an eafy liberty of fpeech, to have lain the whole. Gilpin.

evidence of these chofen companions is all that neceffary. Here are twelve men produced (in general three or four men are thought fuficient) on whofe evidence the fact depends. Are they competent witneffes? Have they thofe marks about them which characterize men of integrity? Can they be challenged on any one ground of rational exception?. If not, their evidence is as ftrictly legal, as full, and as fatisfactory, as any reafonable man can require. But in this great caufe, we fee the evidence iscarried ftill farther. Here are five hundred perfons waiting without, ready to add their teftimony, if any ene fhould require 4, to what has already been more than le-§ 46. Creed continued.-Ghrift's Afcenfion. gally proved. So that the argument even ad-Belief in the Holy Ghof. dreffes itfelf to that abfurd diftinction which We believe, farther, that Chrift" afcended we often find in the cavils of infidelity, be-into heaven, and fitteth on the right hand tween rem certam, and rem certiffimam. of God." Upon the whole, then, we may affirm Chrift's afcenfion into heaven rests on the boldly, that this great event of the refur-fame kind of proof as his refurrection. Both ntion of Chrift, is founded upon evidence of them are events, which the apostles were equal to the importance of it. If we expect" ordained to witnefs." But though their fill more, our answer is upon record: ye believe not Mofes and the prophets," God's ordinary means of falvation, "neither will ye be perfuaded, though one rose from the dead."-There must be bounds in all buman evidence; and he who will believe thing, unlefs he have every poffible mode of proof, must be an infidel in almost every tranfaction of life. With fuch perfons there is to reafoning. They who are not fatisfied, becaufe Chrift did not appear in open parade at Jerufalem, would farther have afked, If he had appeared in the manner they expected, why did he not appear to every nation upon arth? Or, perhaps, why he did not thew humicif to every individual?

If teftimony in this cafe, as well as in the refurrection, is certainly the moft legal and authentic proof, and fully fufficient for any reasonable man, yet this does not exclude the voluntary teftimony of others. It is evident, that the apoftles were not the fole eye-witneffes of this event: for when St. Peter called together the firft affembly of the church, to chufe a fucceffor to Judas Iscariot, he tells them, they must neceffarily chufe one out of thofe men who had been witneffes of all that Chrift did, from his baptifm " till his afeenfion:" and we find, there were in that meeting an hundred and twenty perfons *, thus qualified.

To these objections may be added a fcruple, taken from a paffage in Scripture, in which it

Be it, however, as it will, if this article
See Acts i. 15

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fhould