36. And as they thus fpake, Jefus himself stood in the midst of them, and faith unto them, Peace be unto you.

37. But they were terrify'd and affrighted, and fuppos'd that they had seen a Spirit.

38. And he said unto them, Why are ye and why do thoughts arife in your hearts? 39. Behold my hands and my feet, &c.

St. John faies, Chap. 20.

troubled ;

19. Then the fame day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were fhut, where the difciples were affembled for fear of the Jews, came Jefus and food in the midst, and Jaith unto them, Peace be unto you.

20. And when he had so faid, he fhew'd unto them his bands and his fide. Then were the difciples glad, when they faw the Lord.

Now if thefe paffages do (as 'tis highly probable) relate to the fame ftory, then we ought to explain them one by another. And confequently we may conclude, that tho' the doors were shut to ftrangers, for fear of the Jews, according to St. John's Relation, v. 19. yet they were open'd to the two friends, who return'd to Jerufalem, and found the eleven gather'd together, Luke 24. 33: And then, we may fuppofe, that Jefus enter'd immediately after the other two; because as they were canvaffing the matter which had lately happen'd, even as they thus fpake, Jefus himself stood in the midst of them, and faith unto them, Peace be unto you, Luke 24. 36. Which are the very fame words, that St. John reports him to have faid, as foon as he was in the Room, where the doors were fhut, John 20. 19.

G

But

1

But I fhall not farther enlarge upon this Nice difpute, about which the Commentators are divided. What I have faid, I think, is fufficient ; but however, if our Adverfaries are of a different opinion, I am willing to grant them all they de fire, that I may fee what advantage can be made of it.

Suppose we then, that Jefus did enter into the Room, when the Doors were really kept close fhut; and that they were hot opened for him: yet'twill not follow from hence, that our Senses are deceiv'd, when they are duly converfant about their proper objects. Because the Senfes were not at all imploy'd in this cafe; the ground of our Adverfaries objection being this, that the Apostles did not fee him enter: and therefore we cannot conclude from hence, that the report of the Senfes is falfe; fince the Senfes of the Apostles made no report at all concerning his entrance. Tis true, Jefus entred in, they knew not how : but certainly, we are not to give our Senfes the lie, because fome matters, which our Senfes fay nothing of, are fo difficult, that we cannot explain the manner of them.

Nay, for my part, I fhou'd rather conclude from this inftance, that we ought alwaies to believe our Senfes; than that we ought ever to diftruft them at all. For it appears, that in fpight of the feeming impoffibility of our Savior's entrance, the Apoftles did immediately and firmly conclude him to be there really prefent; because they thought it moft unreasonable and abfurd to disbelieve the report of their Senfes, in any cafe or circumftance whatfoever.

But now, fince our Adverfaries do fo earnestly contend, that feveral Perfons have been deceiv'd

by

by their Senfe's; and do from thence conclude, that our Senfes cannot alwaies be rely'd on: I defire leave to ask them one important Question. How do they know, that thofe Perfons were deceiv'd by their Senfes? If they reply, that the Scriptures fay fo; I defire to know, by what means they are. affur'd, that they read right. Perhaps their eyes have betray'd them, and made them pitch upon fuch inftances, as if they could examin them throughly, would evince the contrary. However, 'tis certain that the Senfes of our Adverfaries are not fecur'd by any particular privilege; and therefore they cannot be rely'd on, any more than those of Abraham, Manaoh, Mary Magdalen, &c. Now fince 'tis impoffible for them to prove the truth of these instances, otherwife than from Scripture, that is, by the teftimony of their own Senfes; and fince their own Senfes cannot be trufted be yond thofe of their fellow-mortals; I pray, what becomes of their pretended experience, by which they hop'd to have gain'd their point?

In a word; if our Adverfaries wou'd effectually prove by experience, that our Senfes may deceive us, even when they are duly converfant about their proper objects; they muft then do two things. First, they muft inftance in fome particular object of our Senfes, and demonftrate that when their organs were rightly difpos'd, and that they had imploy'd all imaginable care and circumfpection in examining the thing before them; that then the report of their Senfes was exactly fuch, and no other. Secondly, they must demonftrate, that tho' the report of their Senfes was moft certainly fuch; yet the object was most cer tainly misrepresented by their Senfes. But then; I pray, how will they be able to demonftrate, that

an object of Senfe is mifreprefented by their own Senfes, otherwife than by the teftimony of their own Senfes? And I appeal to any confidering Perfon, whether it be not a very odd thing, for a Man to prove by the Authority of his own Senfes, that his own Senfes are mistaken.

Thus then I have examin'd all those instances, by which our Adverfaries endeavor to prove that our Senfes may fometimes deceive us; and I think I have fhewn that they are nothing to the purpofe. Wherefore fince it is impoffible that the evidence of our Senfes fhou'd be generally certain, unless it be alwaies certain; and fince there is no inftance that do's or can evince the contrary; I fhall pofitively affirm, that the evidence of Senfe is alwaies certain.

But our Adverfaries contend, that tho' the evidence of Senfe were abfolutely certain in all other inftances, yet we muft not believe our Senfes, when Almighty God commands us to disbelieve them. For they think it more certain, that God cannot deceive us, than that the evidence of Senfe is then certain. And therefore, when the one contradicts the other, we must believe our God, and renounce our Senfes. But in anfwer to this I defire them to confider three things.

1. That if our Senfes may deceive us at all, we cannot be fecure of the Truth of any Revelation. For how, I pray, fhall this Revelation be made known to us? How fhall I be certain, that God has infpir'd fuch a Meffenger, if I may at any time disbelieve my Senfes? He tells me, that God requires fuch a thing at my hands but how do's he prove, that he was commiffton'd by God to fignify this matter to me? If he appeals to Miracles; thofe Miracles are an appeal

appeal to my Senfes and therefore if I cannot repofe an abfolute confidence in my Senfes; I cannot be abfolutely certain of the truth of his Miracles, and confequently I cannot be abfolutely affur'd that he came from God. If he appeal to an ancient Prophecy, which declares that in future times a Man fhall be fent from Heaven to pronounce God's Will; and if he pretend to be the Perfon therein defcrib'd: I may reply, that unless I may alwaies truft my Senfes, I am not fure there is fuch a Prophecy, or that he is the Perfon fignify'd by it. For perhaps I may read it wrong, and the words, if my Senfes wou'd inform me faithfully, may fignify the contrary; and command me not to receive that pretended Meffenger, who fhou'd arife in fuch an Age. Nor cou'd I be fecure of his being the Perfon, altho' I were allow'd to understand the Words. For tho' his very vifage, habit, fpeech, &c. were exactly defcrib'd; tho' his particular actions, and even the number of them, were foretold (which Teftimonials were never yet granted to any Prophet; yet I fay) tho' all this were done; I may be deceiv'd in him notwithstanding. For perhaps my eyes may mifreprefent his features, &c. and therefore I cannot be certain, that I do not miftake him.

Wherefore, fince the Revelation which obliges me to renounce my Senfes, cannot be proved, but by the teftimony of Senfe; 'tis plain, that the teftimony of Senfe must be accounted certain, at leaft in that particular inftance; for otherwife I cannot be certain, that there is fuch a Revelation. Now I have prov'd, that if the teftimony of Senfe is at any time certain, it must be alwaies certain; and therefore that Revelation which obliges me