," in a letter
to Mr. Maurice, that the resurrection of our Lord is as
well authenticated as the death of Julius Caesar. It is
far better authenticated, unless we are mistaken in
supposing the Bible inspired; or if we admit as evidence
that inward assurance of the Christian, which would
make him rather die than disbelieve a truth so dear to
him. But if the layman meant that there was as much
proof of it, in the sense in which proof is understood in
a court of justice, he could scarcely have considered
what he was saying. Julius Caesar was killed in a
public place, in the presence of friend and foe, in a
remarkable but still perfectly natural manner. The
circumstances were minutely known to all the world, and
were never denied or doubted by any one. Our Lord,
however, seems purposely to have withheld such public
proof of his resurrection as would have left no room for
unbelief. He showed himself, "not to all the people"
--not to his enemies, whom his appearance would have
overwhelmed--but "to witnesses chosen before;" to
the circle of his own friends. There is no evidence
which a jury could admit that he was ever actually dead.
So unusual was it for persons crucified to die so soon,
that Pilate, we are told, "marvelled." The subsequent
appearances were strange, and scarcely intelligible.
Those who saw him did not recognize him till he was
made known to them in the breaking of bread. He
was visible and invisible. He was mistaken by those
who were most intimate with him for another person;
nor do the accounts agree which are given by the
different Evangelists. Of investigation in the modern
sense (except in the one instance of St. Thomas, and
St. Thomas was rather rebuked than praised,) there
was none, and could be none. The evidence offered
was different in kind, and the blessing was not to those
who satisfied themselves of the truth of the fact by a
searching inquiry, but who gave their assent with the
unhesitating confidence of love.

St. Paul's account of his own conversion is an
instance of the kind of testimony which then worked
the strongest conviction. St. Paul, a fiery fanatic on a
mission of persecution, with the midday Syrian sun
streaming down upon his head, was struck to the
ground, and saw in a vision our Lord in the air. If
such a thing were to occur at the present day, and if a
modern physician were consulted about it, he would
say without hesitation, that it was an effect of an
over-heated brain