The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

1. The Witnesses were such of whom there cannot be the least reasonable Suspicion.¹ In Civil Causes of the greatest moment, the Testimony of the Honourable and the Rich are accounted valuable, because they are not easily corrupted: one of a low degree may from baseness of Spirit, through Cowardice and Fear be tempted to deny the Truth: one in a poor condition may be so dazzled with the lustre of Gold, when he considers the price of Perjury, as to be induced to assert a falsehood. But who is more incorruptible, the Noble that from a sense of Honour abhor a Lie,² or those who by their Divine Birth and Qualities did so detest it, that they would not tell a Lie for the Glory of God? Who is more worthy of Credit, the Rich whose Riches sometimes excites their desires after more, or those who by a generous ⟨p. 470⟩disdain despised all things. Besides, Persons of known Integrity whom the different images of hopes and fears cannot probably incline to evil, are admitted to decide the weightiest Causes: Now the Apostles were so innocent, sober, honest and unblameable in the whole tenor of their Conversations, that their most malignant Adversaries could never fasten an accusation upon them. Indeed if their carnal Interests had been concerned, there might have been some colourable Objections against their Testimony: But if we duly consider things, it will appear utterly incredible that any deceit could be in it. For as all the actions of reasonable Men proceed from Reason solid or apparent, so particularly Imposture and Fiction are never without some Motive and Design: For being contrary to Nature, there must intervene a foreign Consideration for their contrivance. Now the universal Motives to invent Fables are Honour, Riches, or Pleasure. But none of these could possibly move the Apostles to feign the Resurrection of Christ. Not to insist on the Meanness of their Extraction and Education, who had only seen Boats and Nets, and conversed with Lakes and Fishes, whereas Ambition usually springs up in Persons of high birth and breeding; 'tis evident that no respect to humane Praise excited them, since they attributed the Doctrine of the Gospel, that should give them reputation in the World, to the Holy Spirit, and ascribed the Glory of their miraculous Actions entirely to the Divine Power. When the People of Lystra would have given Divine Honour to St.