From this it is clear that for anyone to deny a man's statement, without disputing either his veracity, knowledge, investigation, or reasoning, is very like denying that one angle is greater than another, without disputing that it is neither equal to it, nor less than it. We have now to apply these general rules to the testimony in favour of the Resurrection of Christ. And, as we shall see, the denial of these four points corresponds to the four chief alternative theories, which, may be called the _Falsehood_, the _Legend_, the _Vision_, and the _Swoon_ Theory. (_A._) THE FALSEHOOD THEORY. We will begin with the Falsehood Theory. This would be to deny the _veracity_ of the witnesses, and say that though they asserted that Christ rose from the dead, and appeared to them, they did not really believe it. In other words they were deliberate impostors, who, knowing that their Master did not rise from the dead, yet spent their whole lives in trying to persuade people that He did. And, as we shall see, their _motives_, their _conduct_, and their _sufferings_, are all strongly opposed to such a theory. And first as to their _motives_, had they any interest in asserting that Christ rose from the dead unless they really believed it? Clearly they had _not_, for they were so few or so faint-hearted that they could not prevent their Master being crucified. What chance was there then of persuading the world that He had risen from the dead, and why should they have embarked on such a hopeless scheme? Nothing indeed but the most firm conviction of their Lord's Resurrection, and therefore of supernatural assistance, would ever have induced men to have ventured on it. If they believed the Resurrection to be true, then, and only then, would they have had any motive whatever for preaching it. Next as to their _conduct_, did this show that they really believed what they preached? And here also the evidence is overwhelming. When their Master was crucified His followers were naturally filled with gloom and despair; but in a few days this was changed to intense joy and confidence. They preached the Resurrection in the very place where He was crucified, and boldly went forth to convert the world in His name. It is clear that before such a marvellous change could take place they must at least have thought they had, what St. Luke asserts they actually did have, _many proofs_ of the Resurrection.[313] To them, at all events, the evidence must haveseemed conclusive, or Christianity would have perished on Calvary. [Footnote 313: Acts 1. 3.]