Nevertheless, (fo exceeding humane was he, as not to entertain any ill opinion of them) he only faid to them, "What, could ye not watch with me "one hour?" apologifing for them, attributing it to their infirmity, and not to their wills; faying, "their

fpirit was willing, but the flesh was weak," Matth. xxvi. 40, 41. and notwithstanding his threefold command to them to watch with him, they disobeyed and fell asleep, which, to every confiderate mind, must appear very aggravating, under fuch terrible circumstances as the bleffed Jefus was then in. However, he did not in the leaft reflect on them, but told them to fleep on, and take their rest, for his hour was at hand ; that the Son of man would be betrayed into the hands of finners, Matth. xxvi. 45.

This admirable lenity and behaviour of the blessed Jefus's to his difciples inftructs mankind always to put the very best constructions upon thofe actions of their fellow-creatures, which are capable of other interpretations ; yea, even if by outward appearance their conduct and behaviour almoft evidence the truth of it.

When that defpicable monfter, that villainous traytor Judas, (his hypocritical difciple) had the unparalelled audacioufnefs to accoft him at the head of an armed multitude of miscreant ruffians, one might have thought that that was aggravation fufficient to have provoked Deity: but with what amazing mildness did he receive that ungrateful, diabolical miffionary, who only faid to him, "Judas, betrayeft thou the Son "of man with a kifs?" Luke xxii. 48. And when

his difciple Peter was fo exafperated as to draw his fword, and cut off one of the ruffian's ears, who came to take him by force, he rebuked Peter, and commanded him to fheath his fword; and was fo humane, compaffionate and good, as to perform a miracle to restore the ruffian's ear, Luke xxii. 51.

With what inhuman villainous mockings, buffetings, fpittings, did his blood-thirsty enemies afflict and torment him, by arraying him with a mock robe, a thorny crown, a reed fcepter, and gave him to drink one of the most naufeous of all draughts, gall diffolved in vinegar, Matth. xxvii. 34. and foon after murdered him between two thieves, nailing his precious hands and feet to the crofs, lancing his dear fide with a fpear, fpilling his invaluable blood; yet in the midst of all this hellish popish cruelties, he fupplicated pardon for them, faying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what

they do," Luke xxiii. 34. Be astonished, O heavens ! and tremble, O earth! when thou doft reflect on the barbarity and cruelty that was executed on the only begotten Son of God at his crucifixion; who never was, or ever could be (with truth) charged with fin or folly, diffimulation or hypocrify, 1 Peter ii. 22.

What adorable patience and long-fuffering did he difcover even to the vileft of mankind; what incomparable goodness has he manifefted to the children of men! At his crucifixion he fealed the truth of his doctrines with his moft precious invaluable blood, and bleffed those that curfed him, doing good to them that hated him, and with his last breath prayed for those who murdered him. Therefore, to the last moment of his life, he practifed, in the most complete manner, what he

preached

preached to others, Matt. v. 44. " leaving us an exam

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ple, that we should follow his steps," 1 Peter ii. 21.

His refurrection from the dead undoubtedly proved him to be the Son of God with power; therefore we find the apostles frequently attefting the truth of it; they themselves being eye-witneffes of it. "This

Jefus (faith Peter) hath God raised up, whereof we "are all witneffes," Acts ii. 32. He plainly and publickly told the Jews they preferred a murderer to him, and killed the "Prince of Life, whom God hath raised "from the dead, whereof they were witneffes," Acts iii. 14, 15. And when Peter and John were commanded by the grand council at Jerufalem not to speak at all, or teach in the name of Jefus, they did not hesitate a moment, but as chriftian heroes courteously anfwered them, faying, "Whether it be right in the fight of God to hearken

unto you more than unto God, judge ye; for we can"not but speak the things which we have feen and heard," Acts iv. 19, 20. And when they reasoned with the high priest and others, (the grand fanhedrim) persisting in their duty, obeying God rather than man, declared unto them, "The God of their fathers raised up Jefus, whom they

flew, and hanged on a tree; whom God had ex"alted to be a prince and Saviour, for to give repentance unto Ifrael, and forgiveness of fins; and "that they were witneffes of these things, as also the Holy Ghoft, whom God hath given to them that

obey him," Acts v. 30, 31, 32. In which declaration is contained a two-fold evidence, which manifefted the truth of what they fpake to every unprejudiced mind; for they delivered nothing but what they themselves were eye and ear-witneffes to, and withal attested

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attefted it to be true by the power of the Holy Ghoft in the miracles which were wrought by Chrift and his apofiles. Their preaching was rational and convincing to every unprejudiced mind; and the method they made ufe of tended to perfuade mankind of the truth of their gofpel, referring them to their understandings and confcience. "Yea, and why even of yourselves

judge ye not what is right?" Luke xii. 57.

Part of the conference which St. Peter had with Cornelius the centurion was, "That God anointed Jefus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghoft, and with power; "who went about doing good, and healing all that

were oppreffed of the devil, for God was with "him, and we are witneffes of all things which "he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in "Jerufalem: whom they flew and hanged on a tree, "him God raised up the third day, and fhewed him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chofen before of God, even us, who did eat and "drink with him, after he rofe from the dead; and "he commanded us to preach unto the people, that it

is he which was ordained of God to be the judge "of the quick and the dead; to whom gave all the pro

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phets witness, that through his name whofoever be"lieveth fhall receive remiffion of fins,"Acts x. 38 to 44.

These are rational and demonftrable evidences of the truth of the facts relating to the crucifixion, refurrection, and afcenfion of the bleffed Jefus, attefted by thofe who were both eye and ear witneffes; and who were the best able to make known the truth of them to a wicked, cenforious, unbelieving world. For where

the

the truth of a doctrine depends upon a matter of fact, the truth of that doctrine is fufficiently manifefted, if the matter of fact be evidently proved in the most rational and cleareft manner it is capable of.

Thus it is in reference to the doctrine of Chrift; the truth of it being interwoven with the truth of the whole history of our Lord; therefore if the facts relating to him be true, his doctrine must neceffarily be divine; confequently infallible, for if it be unexceptionably true (as it really is) that there was fuch a perfon as Jefus, born at Bethlehem, who did fo many miracles, and at laft fuffered the death of the cross, and after he had lain almost three days in the grave, rofe again from the dead, and appeared to many inconteftible witneffes, fuch as had no worldly views to answer by their atteftation of it, but on the contrary fuffered reproach and disgrace, hatred, envy, and malice, fcourges and imprisonment, perfecution, and even death itself; what fhadow of rea fon can there poffibly be to call in question the testimony of this divine perfon Jefus of Nazareth? Certainly there can be no reafon; for there were the greateft evider.ces which poffibly could be to these matters of fact; for these difinterested men were both eye and ear witneffes of it. These facts were of fuch a nature, that their fenfes could not poffibly be deceived, for Christ was made of flesh and blood as well as themselves; therefore they had as convincing evidences that they faw him, and conversed with him, and felt his flesh, as any man in the world can be fenfible they conversed, saw, and felt one of their own fpecies, their fellow mortals, who is likewife made of flefh and blood. Christ appeared openly to the world, and his miracles were not perforined in fecret, they were

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real