CONCLUSION.

THE enquiry, we at firft fet out on, is now brought to an end; and the defired conclufion established, it is hoped, by every argument at firft propofed. But the peculiar nature of the tranfaction confidered, and the various circumstances neceffary. to be attended to, in order to place every material particular in its true light, and effectually clear up the point in debate; have unavoidably drawn it out to an unexpected length. It may not therefore, in the laft place, be improper to take a fhort sketch of the whole evidence produced, in fupport of the important point to be proved; that, when confidered at once in a collective view, every diftinct part may be allowed its due influence and weight; and the certainty of the conclufion be judged of, by the joint evidence of the whole.

To fhew the utter incredibility of any fuch imposture, as that in debate, nothing more can be abfolutely requifite, than to prove one or other of the following points.

EITHER that the plot fuppofed is of fo abfurd a nature in itself; that it is impoffible to believe it could ever be undertaken :-Or, however, if we have not materials to prove this; that all the particular persons concerned, were fuch, and fo circumftanced; that it cannot be believed poffible for Them to have contrived, or engaged in fuch a defign:Or laftly, that the manner of conducting the plot fuppofed, certainly was, in feveral important particulars during its progrefs, fuch as it could not have been; had the only perfons concerned really conspired in the prosecution of such an imposture.

To trace out a fatisfactory proof of Either of these points, may in many cafes, for want of information, be extremely difficult; in many abfo lutely impoffible. But in whatever inftance either of them fingly can be clearly, and diftinctly made out; by comparing the feveral circumftances of the cafe, with the most obvious and allowed principles of human nature; there our doubts must be at an end; and the fufpicion of any imposture must unavoidably be given up.

WHEN therefore the cafe confidered proves fuch, that not one of these points only, but all of them can be established together; when it can not only be made to appear morally imposible, for the plot in question to have ever been contrived; but likewife, for those particular perfons, who alone

are

are concerned, to have contrived it; and moreover, equally incredible for Them, if they had, to have conducted it in the manner in which it appears, from the facts themselves, to have been conducted: when All these points can be made good together; then we have the completeft proof the impoffibility of the plot in question, that the nature of fuch points can be ever capable of admitting. And, in this cafe the mind cannot but acquiefce without hefitation, and reft perfectly fatisfied with the conclufion.

Now by Each of thefe feveral kinds of proofs have we been enabled to eftab'ifh the truth and certainty of all thofe miraculous events, which the evangelifts have recorded of the nativities of John the Baptift and Jesus Christ.

IN the first place, it was obvious, that the va rious aftonishing circumftances, faid to have accompanied the conception and birth of John, are in their own nature fo evidently miraculous; that if they really came to pafs, His appearance in the world, and the divine character he at length af fumed, must have been the immediate appointment of God. With regard to thefe facts therefore, the only point to be proved was, that they really came to pass.

In order to prove this, it was plainly fhewn, from a multiplicity of abfurdities, which muft

un

unavoidably attend the contrary fuppofition; that they could neither be invented by Jefus, nor his difciples, nor any one elfe, after the death of JOHN; nor by John ciples, during his life. their very nature alone,

himself, or any of his difThat fome of them, from

muft affuredly have come

to pafs, in the manner, and at the time related; and, upon the whole, that if any of them did not, or if there was the leaft deceit in the accounts of .any of them; Zacharias and Elizabeth must have been the original and real managers of the plot.

THE Contrivance of the plot in queftion being thus traced up, as high as Them; in order to determine, whether They could really be the contrivers of it or not; it was in the next place, fully shewn, that, if fo, the defign they must have been engaged in, could not be confined to John only; nor could they themselves be the only perfons concerned in carrying it on. But, that they muft at the fame time have been engaged in promoting another, fimilar impofture, which related in like manner to Jefus; and was the counterpart of that concerning John. And likewife that Jofeph and Mary must have been intimately connected with Zacharias and Elizabeth, in the joint profecution of Both.

THE foundation of the whole farther enquiry being thus laid; the next point was to prove the