am unable to devise any other than the following. 1st. That such a person as Jesus Christ never existed. It would be idle to discuss this, for a man might as well deny that Tiberius Cæsar, Pilate, or any other man ever existed. So far from deists denying that Christ ever existed, some of them have spoken highly of his character and morals.

2d. His resurrection from the dead, may be disputed on the ground, that he was not positively dead when his body was delivered to Joseph for burial. The different accounts, of Joseph's begging his body and its being laid in the tomb, may be seen, Matt. 27: 57—62. Mark 15: 42-47. Luke 23: 50-56, and John 19: 38-41. The question is, what evidence have we that Jesus was certainly dead? In answer, I observe, Jesus' life was not forced from him by excessive suffering on the cross, as many people suppose, but was offered up a free-will offering to God. It was laid down, John 10: 17, 18. Hence, when all things were accomplished, he said "it is finished : and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." John 19: 28-30. Matt. 27: 50.

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But

It is repeatedly said that "he laid down his life," 1 John 4: 16. John 15: 13. The death of the cross sometimes took several days to accomplish. so satisfied were the soldiers that Jesus was dead, that when they brake the legs of the two men crucified with him to despatch them, they deemed it unnecessary to break his, for they saw that he was already dead," John 19: 33. But to make sure work of it-" one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water." Medical men say, the pericardium was pierced, which of itself was sure to produce death. When Joseph begged the body of Pilate, Pilate marvelled that he was so soon dead; but did not grant it, until he had called the centurion and asked him,

whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion he gave the body to Joseph," Matt. 15: 43-46. It would be foolish to suppose, the Jews would have suffered the body to have been delivered, had they not been perfectly satisfied that Jesus was dead. What more circumspection could have been used, to guard against all imposition on this ground? It is of no use to object, saying, that this account is given by Christ's friends, for his enemies the Jews never controverted his resurrection on the ground that he was not actually dead. Indeed, such an expedient to get rid of Christ's resurrection does not seem to have occurred to them. If it had, and if there was the least foundation for such a suggestion, beyond a doubt they would have availed themselves of it. It is then admitted on all hands, that Jesus Christ existed, and that he was dead. What then became of the body? It is allowed it was not found in the tomb on the third day. This leads me to notice

3d. That Christ's resurrection may be disputed on the ground that his body was swallowed up by the earthquake, which happened the morning his disciples say he arose. This would have been a very easy mode of accounting for its absence, had there been any grounds for circulating such a report; but both the tomb and the guards placed at it remained uninjured by the shock. Besides, had the body been swallowed up, the linen in which it was wrapped must have gone down with it, which was not the case. See John 20: 6, 7. The Jews would have gladly availed themselves of such a thing had there been any grounds for it. It would have saved them the trouble of inventing the story they did to get rid of the fact of Christ's resurrection. This leads me to observe

4th. That Christ's resurrection may be disputed on the ground that his body was stole from the tomb.. On this ground and on no other is it disputed by the Jews. If any space of time elapsed, between the burial of the body and the placing of the guards at the tomb, this was the period they ought to have alleged in which it was stole. But such an idea does not appear to have occurred to them, and shows that there was no ground for such a supposition. Had they alleged such a thing, they would have made themselves a laughing stock to the public, and to all posterity. What! place a guard of Roman soldiers to watch an empty tomb! What! give them a dead body in charge, yea, seal the stone for security, yet not see that the body was there! There was no ground here for asserting that the body was stole, hence their account is thus stated. "Now when they were going, behold some of the watch came into the city, and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, saying, say ye, his disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day." Matt. 28: 11—13. No deist can accuse Christ's disciples of telling a lie about this, for this story is still reported by the Jews until our day.

1st. The soldiers are instructed to say-" his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept." This charge against the disciples is general; no one of them is particularly accused, nor is any attempt made to prove it. But how came the disciples to know the soldiers would sleep on their

post; when they would go to sleep; how long they would continue in it, or that they would all sleep at the same time? Again, if the soldiers were asleep, how could they know who stole the body? If they were not asleep, why did they suffer any one to steal it? Let it be admitted they did sleep, and found the body gone when they awoke; they might suppose it stole by the disciples, but of this they could not be certain, for it might be true that Jesus had risen from the dead. This every candid man will allow. The story bears on its face the marks of falsehood and absurdity. If it served for the moment to circulate among the unthinking multitude, no sensible man could either urge it or defend it. Hence in all the opposition of the Jews, afterwards to Christianity, this story is never brought forward in refutation of Christ's resurrection. It is so grossly absurd, that the most unprincipled soldier required" large money" to be concerned in it. They were too simple, honest-hearted men to invent it, for it appears they related the simple facts of the case. It required wiser heads than theirs to fabricate such a story; and be. fore they would be concerned in its circulation, a large bribe and a pledge of personal security must be given them.

2d. But let us examine if it was possible for the disciples to steal the body; yea, if things were not so ordered in divine providence, as to preclude such a suspicion. It is but reasonable to suppose, that Jesus had a grave assigned him in common with the two malefactors crucified with him. But it was so ordered, that his body was laid in Joseph's tomb; and thus he made his grave "with the wicked and with the rich in his death," Isai. 53: 9. comp. Matt. 27: 57-66. Mark 15: 42-47. Luke 23: 50-56. John 19: 38, 42. It was never denied by the Jews, that Jesus' body was laid in Joseph's tomb, and it is

admitted in their own story, that it was not found there on the third day. What then became of it?

Were the circumstances favorable to facilitate the disciples' stealing the body? The very reverse of this was the case, for 1st. The tomb was not in some obscure place in the country. No, it was in a garden nigh at hand, and in the place where Jesus was crucified. It was under the eye of the Jews, and their rulers were all alive to prevent such an imposition. See the History. 2d. Jesus' body was laid in Joseph's own new tomb wherein never man before was laid. Luke 23: 53. No other person therefore could arise from this tomb but Jesus. 3d. The tomb was hewn out of a rock. If the body was stole, the disciples must have entered by the door; for allowing the soldiers to have been asleep, it is absurd to suppose they could have dug through the rock without awaking them. How they could even enter the tomb by the door without this, is hardly supposable, for the women said among themselves "Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? For it was very great. If the body was stole, it was most likely done by the female disciples. They saw it deposited in the tomb, Luke 23: 55. Mark 27: 55, 56, and they were the first found at the sepulchre on the first day of the week. The timidity of their sex however forbids this, for is it at all probable, that a few females in face of a Roman guard, during the darkness of night, should undertake to steal a dead body from a tomb? This was even too much for the Jews to affirm, hence their charge is general, without naming the sex or the individuals. Who then among the male disciples had courage enough to undertake such an enterprise? Not surely Peter, for a short time before he had with oaths affirmed "I know not the man." Peter even rebuked Jesus when he announced, that he should

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