taking notice of the times in which they happened; but is it a just conclufion from their filence, to infer that there really were no intervals of time between the tranfactions which they seem to have connected? many inftances might be produced from the most admired Biographers of Antiquity, in which events are related, as immediately confequent to each other, which did not happen but at very diftant periods: we have an obvious example of this manner of writing it St. Matthew; who connects the preaching of John the Baptift with the return of Joseph from Egypt, though we are certain, that the latter event preceded the former by a great many years. John John has faid nothing of the institution of the Lord's fupper; the other Evangelifts have faid nothing of the washing of the difciples' feet: What then? are you not ashamed to produce these facts, as inftances of contradiction? if omiffions are contradictions, look into the history of the age of Louis the fourteenth, or into the general history of M. de Voltaire, and you will meet with a great abundance of contradictions. John, in mentioning the difcourfe which Jefus had with his mother and his beloved disciple, at the time of his crucifixion, fays, that fhe with Mary Magdalene, ftood near the crofs; Matthew, on the other hand, fays, that Mary Mag dalene dalene and the other women were there, beholding afar off: this you' think a manifeft contradiction; and fcoffingly inquire, whether the women and the beloved difciple, which were near the crofs, could be the fame with thofe, who stood far from the cross? — It is difficult not to tranfgrefs the bounds of moderation and good manners, in anfwering fuch fophiftry; what! have you to learn, that though the Evangelists speak of the crucifixion, as of one event, it was not accomplished in one inftant, but lafted feveral hours? And why the women, who were at a diftance from the cross, might not during it's continuance, draw near the cross; or from being near the cross, might not move from the cross, is more than you can explain to either us, or yourselves. And we take from you your only refuge, by denying exprefsly, that the different Evangelifts, in their mention of the women, speak of the fame point of time. The Evangelifts, you affirm, are fallen into grofs contradictions, in their accounts of the appearances, by which Jefus manifefted himself to his difciples, after his refurrection from the dead; for Matthew fpeaks of two, Mark of three, Luke of two, and John of four. That contradictory propofitions cannot be true, is readily granted; and if you will produce the place, in which Matthew fays, that Jefus Chrift e Christ appeared twice and no oftener, it will be further granted, that he is contradicted by John, in a very material part of his narration; but till you do that, you must excuse me, if I cannot grant, that the Evangelifts have contradicted each other in this point; for to common understandings it is pretty evident, that if Christ appeared four times, according to John's account, he must have appeared twice, according to that of Matthew and Luke, and thrice, according to that of Mark. The different Evangelifts are not only accused of contradicting each other, but Luke is faid to have contradicted himself; for in his Gofpel he tells us, that Jefus af |