Of what Number the _Watch_ did consist is uncertain. Your _Whitby_[313] says they were _sixty_; but he has no Reason nor Authority to think, they were so many. If they had been to be a Guard against Violence, I could easily have believed they were more; but in as much as they were only a _Watch_ against Fraud, and against any casual defacing of the _Seals_ on the Stone, before the _Chief Priests_ came to open the Sepulchre, _three_ or _four_ Soldiers were sufficient, and I don't think, there were any more set to this Purpose. It is not then at all improbable, that so few Soldiers should be fast asleep at that time of Night, or so early in the Morning, when the clandestine Work was done; especially after keeping such a _Gaudy-day_ as was the Feast of the Passover, which, like the Festivals of other Nations, was celebrated with Excess. Foot Soldiers then, you may be sure, upon the Bounty of one or other, did no more want, than they would scruple to take their _Fill_, which like an Opiat, lock'd up their Senses for that Night, when the Disciples, being aware of the lucky Opportunity, carry'd the Body of _Jesus_ off safely. And where's the Absurdity to suppose, that the Disciples themselves might contrive the Intoxication of the Guards? _Herodotus_ tells us a Story of a Deadbody's being stolen away by such an Artifice. And I don't think the Disciples of _Jesus_ either so foolish or conscientious, as not to take the Hint, and enterprize the like Fraud. _Peter_, who, upon Occasion, could _swear_ and _curse_ like a _Trooper_, would hardly scruple to fuddle a few _Foot-Soldiers_. But which way soever it came to pass, the Watch were asleep, which is neither hard to conceive nor believe; and then the Disciples executed _that_ Fraud, which has been the Delusion of Nations and Ages since. Your _Evangelists_ would hint that the _Chief Priests_ gave Money to the Soldiers to say, they were asleep, when the Disciples stole the Body of _Jesus_ away, as if they were brib'd to a false Testimony; but there neither was nor could be any such thing. If there had been a real Resurrection to their Astonishment and Amazement, as it is represented in your Gospels, no Money could so soon have corrupted them to a false Witness, being under such Fears of God and of _Jesus_. I don't doubt but our _Chief Priests_ might reward the Soldiers for speaking the Truth, and exhort them to persist in it, with a Promise to _secure_ them against the Anger of _Pilate_ for their sleeping and Neglect of their Duty. Here then is no _Answer_ to the foresaid Argument or Objection against _Jesus_'s Resurrection. It was not at all impossible for the Disciples, who stole the Body away, to avoid the Guards, who were and may reasonably be supposed to be lull'd asleep, when the Disciples did it. Neither is there any more Force in the