was laid in the sepulchre: for, without doubt, when the Jews sealed the
stone, they took care to see that the body was there; otherwise their
precaution was useless. He has proved too, that the prediction of
Christ concerning his own resurrection, was a thing publickly known in
all Jerusalem; for he owns, that this gave occasion for all the care
that was taken to prevent fraud. If this open prediction implies a
fraudulent design, the evidence is strong with the Gentleman: but if it
shall appear to be, what it really was, the greatest mark that could be
given of sincerity and plain dealing in the whole affair, the evidence
will still be as strong, but the weight of it will fall on the wrong
side for the Gentleman's purpose.

In the next place, the Gentleman seems to be at a great loss to
account for the credit which the chief priests gave to the prediction
of the resurrection, by the care they took to prevent it. He thinks
the thing in itself was too extravagant and absurd to deserve any
regard; and that no one would have regarded such a prediction in any
other time or place. I agree with the Gentleman entirely: but then I
demand of him a reason why the chief priests were under any concern
about this prediction. Was it because they had plainly discovered him
to be a cheat and an imposter? It is impossible. This reason would
have convinced them of the folly and presumption of the prediction. It
must therefore necessarily be, that they had discovered something in
the life and actions of Christ which raised this jealousy, and made
them listen to a prophecy in his case, which in any other case they
would have despised. And what could this be, but the secret conviction
they were under, by his many miracles, of his extraordinary powers?
This care therefore of the chief priests over his dead, helpless body,
is a lasting testimony of the mighty works which Jesus did in his
lifetime; for had the Jews been persuaded that he performed no wonders