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add circumstances, omitted in the other evangelists; as for instance, he relates, in common with them, in his twelfth chapter, the supper at Bethany, the unction of Jesus, and his entrance into Jerusalem, but here there are important additions, especially that of Lazarus, of whom, as I have observed in my introduction, the others had so much reason to be silent, and whose name illustrated his splendid entrance into Jerusalem, chap. xii. 1, 2, 17, 18. nor must we omit the name of Judas Iscariot, (v. 4, 5.) who may here have formed his resolution to betray Jesus from a principle of hatred and envy. In fact, the history of the temper and treason of this unfortunate man, and at the same time, the strongest evidences of Christianity may be more completely and instructively drawn from this evangelist, than from any other.

3. When the other evangelists have been either incomplete, or obscure, he either amplifies, or illustrates; so far at least I may say, and, in truth, I do not like to go further, if I wish to adhere to the doctrine of our church, with respect to the divine inspiration in historical details, and their miraculous infallibility. Assuming, however, the reverse, then I should

But

say, that, where his predecessors have failed in any instance, the superior information of John rectifies their narration. We should find hereafter, sufficient examples of this assertion, especially, where they tend to illustrate; some few, where mistakes are rectified. every reader must judge for himself, and I am not desirous of forestalling judgment. To give one instance, and yet, without wishing to prejudice the reader, compare John vi. 21. with the parallel passages in the other evangelists, and inquire, whether the eye-witness, and a most accurate observer of facts, and the subsequent reader of the gospels of the other writers does not here make some, although a very slight correction?

If that, which I have said in this treatise, with a view to obviate the objection, "that Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, having already embalmed Jesus at his burial, it was singular, that the women, according to Luke and Mark, should be also desirous of embalming him, and the more so, when a guard was purposely placed before the grave;" if this, I say, gives my reader no satisfaction, and he exclaims, my doubts, or rather the contradiction still remains, then, I repeat, let it remain, and

the contradiction of John will resolve itself into one of these mild and minor corrections. Mark and Luke, who were not eye-witnesses, will then have only committed a very slight error, and the language of John is then "Other biographers of Jesus have heard something of embalming, and have not clearly understood it. The women did not wish to embalm Jesus; they wished once more to see his grave, he was already embalmed by Nicodemus." He could decidedly give more accurate information, than any other disciple, because he alone of all the disciples remained at the cross, and the mother of Jesus was with him in the house.

The rea

But in

der, however, must decide for himself. this case, this gentle correction of a statement of his predecessors is not to me so probable as the answer, which is given in the book itself. The charge which has been brought against Christianity by its enemies is singular and untenable: "The evangelists come forward, as witnesses, or rather historians of what they had seen and heard, and who have arranged with one another, but who have forgotten to arrange a complete history." Certainly if they had made this arrangement, they would not have been charged with ten contradictions,

which, after all, are mere quibbles, and only prove, even under a perfect impossibility of explanation, that they had not made a previous arrangement. It would appear like an early history, correct as to the main point, but not investigated with critical or judicial acuteness; and this is the case with all the first narrations of any fact, which is, in substance, true, but in effect, wonderful and extraordinary. But here are writers, who wrote many years after one another, and of whom the latest (Luke alone excepted) had read the writings of his predecessor, so that it was only necessary, if they wished to write falsehoods, that Mark should dress by Matthew, and for John, who had read them all, to contradict no one, and not even in the mildest manner to rectify him. But they certainly do not appear in the light of historians, who had entered into any previous agreement.

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BURIAL AND RESURRECTION OF

JESUS.

I. JESUS IS ACTUALLY FOUND DEAD UPON

THE CROSS, AND PIERCED.

Joun, XIX. 31-37.

31. "The Jews, therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath-day, (for that sabbath-day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their bones might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

32. "Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other, which was crucified with him.

33. "But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs.

34. "But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water.

35. "And he that saw it, bare record, and his record is true, and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

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