ways afforded a satisfaction to
my mind to observe that this was practicable; that few or none of our
many controversies with one another affect or relate to the proofs of
our religion; that the rent never descends to the foundation.

The truth of Christianity depends upon its leading facts, and upon them
alone. Now of these we have evidence which ought to satisfy us, at least
until it appear that mankind have ever been deceived by the same. We
have some uncontested and incontestable points, to which the history of
the human species hath nothing similar to offer. A Jewish peasant
changed the religion of the world, and that without force, without
power, without support; without one natural source or circumstance of
attraction, influence, or success. Such a thing hath not happened in any
other instance. The companions of this Person, after he himself had been
put to death for his attempt, asserted his supernatural character,
founded upon his supernatural operations: and, in testimony of the truth
of their assertions, i.e. in consequence of their own belief of that
truth, and in order to communicate the knowledge of it to others,
voluntarily entered upon lives of toil and hardship, and, with a full
experience of their danger, committed themselves to the last extremities
of persecution. This hath not a parallel. More particularly, a very few
days after this Person had been publicly executed, and in the very city
in which he was buried, these his companions declared with one voice
that his body was restored to life: that they had seen him, handled him,
ate with him, conversed with him; and, in pursuance of their persuasion
of the truth of what they told, preached his religion, with this strange
fact as the foundation of it, in the face of those who had killed him,
who were armed with the power of the country, and necessarily and
naturally disposed to treat his followers as they had treated himself;
and having done this upon the spot where the event took place, carried
the intelligence of it abroad, in despite of difficulties and
opposition, and where the nature of their errand gave them nothing to
expect but derision, insult, and outrage.--This is without example.
These three facts, I think, are certain, and would have been nearly so,
if the Gospels had never been written. The Christian story, as to these
points, hath never varied. No other hath been set up against it. Every
letter, every discourse, every controversy, amongst