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Trial of the Witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus by Thomas Sherlock
page 22 of 91 (24%)
tractari non vult. But when design, cunning, and fraud are made the
charge, and carried to such an height, as to suppose him to be a party
to the contrivance of a sham resurrection for himself, it is necessary
to say to what end this cunning tended. It was, we are told, to a
kingdom: and indeed the temptation was little enough, considering that
the chief conductor of the plot was crucified for his pains. But were
the means made use of at all probable to achieve the end? Yes, says
the Gentleman, that can't be disputed; for they had really this effect,
the people would have made him King. Very well: Why was he not King
then? Why, it happened unluckily that he would not accept the offer,
but withdrew himself from the multitude, and lay concealed until they
were dispersed. It will be said, perhaps, that Jesus was a better
judge of affairs than the people, and saw that it was not yet time to
accept the offer. Be it so; let us see then what follows.

The government was alarmed, and Jesus was looked on as a person
dangerous to the state; and he had discernment enough to see that his
death was determined and inevitable. What does he do then? Why, to
make the best of a bad case, and to save the benefit of his undertaking
to those who were to succeed him, he pretends to prophecy of his death,
which he knew could not be avoided: Men do not use to play tricks in
articulo mortis; but this plot had nothing common, nothing in the
ordinary way. But what if it should appear, that after the foretelling
of his death (through despair of his fortunes it is said) he had it in
his power to set up for King once more, and once more refused the
opportunity? Men in despair lay hold on the least help, and never
refuse the greatest. Now, the case was really so. After he had
foretold his crucifixion, he came to Jerusalem in the triumphant manner
the Gentleman mentioned; the people strewed his way with boughs and
flowers, and were all at his devotion; the Jewish governors lay still
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