false. Not long after the resurrection of Christ, the disciples
having received new power from above, appeard publickly in Jerusalem,
and in the very temple, and testified the resurrection of Christ, even
before those who had murdered him. What now do the chief priests do?
They seize upon the apostles, they threaten them, they beat
them,. they scourge them, and all to stop their mouths, insisting that
they should say no more of the matter. But why did they not, when
they had the disciples in their power, charge them directly with their
notorious cheat in stealing the body, and expose them to the people as
imposters? This had been much more to their purpose, than all their
menaces and ill usage, and would more effectually have undeceived the
people. But of this not one word is said. They try to murder them,
enter into combinations to assassinate them, prevail with Herod to put
one of them to death; but not so much as a charge against them of any
fraud in the resurrection. Their orator Tertullus, who could not have
missed so fine a topick of declamation, had there been but a suspicion
to support it, is quite silent on this head, and is content to
flourish on the common-place of sedition and heresy, profaning the
temple, and the like: very trifles to his cause, in comparison to the
other accusation, had there been any ground to make use of it. And
yet as it happens, we are sure the very question of the resurrection
came under debate; for Festus tells King Agrippa, that the Jews had
certain questions against Paul, of one Jesus which was dead, whom Paul
affirmed to be alive. After this, Agrippa hears Paul himself; and had
he suspected, much less had he been convinced that there was a cheat
in the resurrection, he would hardly have said to Paul at the end of
the conference, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

But let us see what the council and senate of the children of
Israel thought of this matter, in the most solemn and serious