history led to it. But yet it is certain, there were many others, who
had this satisfaction, as well as the apostles. St. Luke tells us,
that when Christ appeared to the eleven apostles, there were others
with them [Luke 24:33]; who they were, or how many there were, he says
not. But it appears in the Acts, when an apostle was to be chosen in
the room of Judas; and the chief qualification required was, that he
should be one capable of being a witness of the resurrection; that
there were present an hundred and twenty so qualified [Acts 1. Compare
vv. 15,21,22 together]. And Saint Paul says, that Christ after his
rising was seen by 500 at once, many of whom were living when he
appealed to their evidence. So that the Gentleman is mistaken, when
he imagines that a few only were chosen to see Christ after he came
from the grave. The truth of the case is, that, out of those who saw
him, some were chosen to bear testimony to the world; and for that
reason had the fullest demonstration of the truth, that they might be
the better able to give satisfaction to others. And what was there in
this conduct to complain of? what to raise any jealousy or suspicion?

As to the witnesses themselves, the first the Gentleman takes
notice of, are the angels and the women. The mention of angels led
naturally to apparitions: and the women were called poor silly women;
and there is an end to their evidence. But to speak seriously: will
the Gentleman pretend to prove, that there are no intelligent beings
between God and man; or that they are not ministers of God; or that
they were improperly employed in this great and wonderful work, the
resurrection of Christ? Till some of these points are disproved we
may be at rest; for the angels were ministers, and not witnesses of
the resurrection. And it is not upon the credit of the poor silly
women that we believe angels were concerned, but upon the report of
those who wrote the gospels, who deliver it as a truth known to