They _seal'd the Stone_ of the Sepulchre, which, tho' it was no Security at all against Violence, yet was an absolute one against Fraud. How the _Stone_ which fitted the Mouth of the Sepulchre, as a Door does the Entrance into a Room, was seal'd, I need not describe. The Use and Manner of sealing the Doors of Closets, of Chests, and of Papers is common; and as it is an obvious Expedient, for the Satisfaction of the Signators, against Deceit; so it has been an antient as well as a modern Practice. _Darius_, King of _Babylon_,[311] seal'd the Door of the Den of Lions, wherein _Daniel_ was cast, with his own Signet: And wherefore did he so? For the Satisfaction of himself and of his Courtiers, when he came again to open and compare the Signature with his Signet, that no Art nor Artifice had been used for the Preservation of _Daniel_. So our _Chief Priests_ seal'd the Stone of _Jesus_'s Sepulchre, which they design'd to be present at the opening of, on the _third Day_, the Time appointed by _Jesus_ for his Resurrection, and then give ample Satisfaction to the People, that there was a real, or could be no Resurrection of his Body. Wherefore else did they _seal_ the Stone of his Sepulchre? Your _Grotius_[312] thinks, that _Pilate_'s Seal was affix'd to the Stone of the Sepulchre; but, as I believe, _Pilate_ little concern'd himself about the Prevention of Deceit here; so I much question it. It is more reasonable to think that the _Chief Priests_ and other Civil Magistrates of _Jerusalem_ with their several Seals, which could not be open'd, but by themselves, without Suspicion of Fraud, sign'd the Stone, and intended to be present, on the Day appointed, at the opening of the Sepulchre; not doubting, what no body could question, but _Jesus_ would wait their coming, and arise to Life, if he could, in the Sight of themselves, and of a vast Concourse of People, that were sure to attend on them to behold the Miracle. Such a Resurrection would have been of Satisfaction to the whole Nation; and such a Resurrection, reasonably speaking, _Jesus_ would, if he could, have vouchsafed in Accommodation to the _sealing_ of the _Stone_. But, notwithstanding this Precaution, in sealing of the Stone, the best that could be taken against Fraud, _Jesus_'s Body was privately slipt off, early in the Morning of the Day before, and a Resurrection pretended by his Disciples; and you would have us and our Ancestors to believe, there was no Deceit in the Case; tho' confessedly none of the _Sealers_ of the Sepulchre were present: Who can believe it? Was, or can there be, any Imposture more against Sense and Reason palm'd upon the Understandings of Mankind? If there had been a real Resurrection, the _Sealers_ of the _Stone_ would have been the _Openers_ of the Sepulchre; wherefore else was the _Stone seal'd_?