deserves far less Esteem than one who happily accomplishes some accurate Composition or more compleat Translation I say this if it be a solid Argument against bad Translations wo'nt hold against such as are good and so apparently and so highly useful that shou'd any one exclaim against 'em he would but betray his Folly and provoke the Laughter or silent Scorn of those who are not as remarkable Triflers as himself For if no Translator must appear in the World who is not so industrious and so correct that he almost seems to be free from those Faults to which the Frailty of humane Nature renders Mankind unavoidably subject if the Taste of Readers is so nice as to disrellish the the most exact Translations that are extant by Reason of many great Defects which insensibly creep into the best humane Compositions then the same Argument which is us'd against Translations will equally overthrow the most learned and useful Originals that ever were and ev'n the sacred Oracles of the supream and all-wise Being For tho' I think 't is ridiculously objected against us by the Atheists and Deists that some Faults have been found in the best Versions of the Holy Scriptures and that the sacred Original Text it self thro' the long Tract of Time in which the Books of the Old and New Testament were committed to Writing thro' the Ignorance and Carelesness and perhaps Design of some Transcribers is liable to some few Exceptions yet if we must reject and despise all Translations because some are bad and the best imperfect I fear we must immediately throw up our Bibles themselves and grope after Truth by no better Help than that of the dim Light of Nature For all the Versions of the Holy Scriptures are allow'd to be the Works of Men who were not immediately inspir'd by the Spirit of GOD tho' we have Reason to believe he was pleas'd to afford 'em more than ord'nary Direction and Influence in an Affair which had so great a Tendency to the Welfare of the Christian Church and ev'n to the happy and timely Conviction and Conversion of the most hardn'd Infidels into whose Hands the Scriptures may fall from Time to Time and in which they made their serious earnest frequent and more solemn Addresses to Almighty God for all that gracious Assistance which he saw was necessary or convenient for em All the Versions and the Septuagint it Self for correcting which and comparing it with the Alexandrian Manuscript the World is beholden to the Incomparably Learned Indefatigable and Judicious Dr. Grabe all the Versions I say were the Works of uninspir'd Persons who were liable to many gross Defects Nay the Greek and Hebrew Text of Scripture those sacred and refreshing Fountains of living Water have been shamefully polluted by humane Additions and cursed Innovations tho' God in his wise and holy Providence has preserv'd 'em in all the Ages of the Church so far uncorrupted in Spite of all the Wit Malice and unweary'd Industry of Men and Devils that they carry the lively and honourable Stamp of a divine Authority and are still what they always were a perfect Rule both of Faith and Manners If then we pay a more than ord'nary Deference to the sacred Originals of the Holy Scriptures and if the small Errors in a comparative Sence which are found in all the Versions that were ever extant ought by no means to shock our religious and firm Belief of the Divine Inspiration of those sacred and most valuable Records then I think 't is sufficiently evident that Translations in general are of excellent and continual Use and the Badness of some and the Imperfections which unavoidably attend 'em all is no solid Argument against those which are good or even such as are bad if the Original was an Author who deserv'd to be translated and so far as the Translator discovers his Affection and does real Service to the Cause of Piety Sence or Learning Another Objection that may be brought against Translations is this that the injudicious and illiterate shou'd not dare to intrude into those venerable Misteries of the Empire of Reason and Learning which some are apt to imagine 't is their Prerogative to consult and to understand and the entire Reputation and Advantage of which they think is a Debt that ought only to be pay'd to Persons of their Character and Distinction But many who assume to themselves the Title of Persons who are profoundly learned especially such whose Talent lies chiefly in torturing such Words as very seldom occur in Authors whose Heads are living Dictionaries or rather Libraries the faithful but trifling Repositories of senseless Criticisms which how great Satisfaction soever they may perhaps afford to these eager and eternal Hunters of meer Words and Phrases are of little use I say many such Persons have a much smaller Share of solid Reason than they whom these Tyrants in the Empire of Learning would have to lie prostrate at their Feet Besides I can't for my Life conceive why any Persons how learned so ever they may esteem themselves to be how knowing soever they may be accounted by others who have gon in the same tedious if not unprofitable Track of Study and what Skill soever they may really have in reading uncommon and almost obliterated Characters or comparing almost an infinite Number of Worm-eaten and voluminous Manuscripts I say I can't conceive why such Persons shou'd desire and endeavour to engross all the Learning in the World to themselves make it serve like the Egyptian Hieroglyphicks to amaze but not instruct or reform Mankind and prevent the Generality of Men from making Enquiries into Truth which these fond Admirers of themselves represent as a Thing that 's vastly beyond their Reach and the Honour of Knowing which ought by no means to be prostituted to em For my Part I confess I cou'd never justifie nor easily extenuate the common Practice of the Popish Priests who forbid the Laity to read ev'n the Holy Scriptures which if they are not render'd a meer Nose of Wax by their Humane Traditions and wrong Interpretations are able under the Influence of the Holy Spirit to make the injudicious and illiterate so wise as to secure the Salvation of their Souls tho' not fit to dispute or manage an Intriegue with subtil and designing Jesuits and can warm their Hearts with a much deeper Impression of the near Relation in which they stand both to GOD and and to their Neighbour and of those prudent Methods which they ought to take to perform their Duty in the most pleasant and profitable Manner than some of the most learned Doctors of the Sorbon can modestly pretend to have And whether such Persons of Intriegue don't discover as much Ignorance as Antichristian Pride in taking these irregular Measures to gain the Esteem and command the Purses of the People to support the Interest and raise the Reputation of the Church of Rome which stands in Need of many pious Cheats to
ORIGEN against CELSUS Translated from the ORIGINAL INTO ENGLISH Origen against Celsus Translated from the ORIGINAL INTO ENGLISH By James Bellamy Gent. Nec Verbum Verbo curabis reddere fidus Interpres Horat. de Arte Poet LONDON Printed by B. Mills and Sold by I. Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-Yard The Translator's PREFACE TO THE READER THAT Translations of Learned Authors in general especially if they be carefully undertak'n and prudently manag'd are of great Use to the Publick I think after all that has been said against 'em no Person can reasonably deny or ev'n call into question For as the same Reasons which may be assign'd for the Commendation of a Fountain of Water may as well be brought in Praise of the Streams which proceed from it so far as they are properly convey'd So I think the very same Arguments which are us'd in Favour of any Learned Original will equally serve to justifie and recommend a Translation of it so far as it answers its principal End in conveying to our Minds the true Sence of the Author And tho' I think I may say without the Suspicion of Vanity that I have in some measure employ'd my Time and Strength in the Study of the Learned Languages and that I highly value 'em as the happy Vehicles of solid and useful Learning yet the bare Language in which a Book is writ let it be never so much extoll'd as being learned and copious or esteem'd for its Antiquity native Majesty and inimitable Sweetness is I confess one of the least Things which will ever recommend it to my Esteem and Perusal For I humbly conceive that in all our Studies we shou'd not so much nibble at Words which are as it were but the Bark of the Tree of Knowledge as aim at the Improvement of our Reason which is a strong Reflection from the Deity and affords abundant Matter of agreeable Entertainment to them who are so happy as to be distinguish'd from the Generality of Mankind by a wonderful Penetration of Soul And if an Author by his natural Capacity and acquir'd Abilities do's make a more than ord'nary Figure in the intellectual and learned World is an Honour to the Age in which he flourish'd and perhaps equally the Wonder and Envy of succeeding Ages I think the more Reasons may be assign'd why he shou'd be cloath'd in the English Language which is most familiar to us and is allow'd by all capable Judges to be very expressive copious and charming For certainly 't is Pity that such immense Treasures of Sence and Learning shou'd be confin'd to those few Persons in a comparative Sence who happen to understand the Language in which he writes and like the vast Mines in Peru and Mexico serve chiefly for the Convenience and Delight of those who are Foreign to us both by Blood and by Religion And I have often thought and 't is the Opinion of many Persons who are far more capable of judging than my self that 't wou'd conduce very much to the Honour of the BRITISH NATION to have the Fathers of the Three First Centuries those Heroes of Antiquity and Pillars of the Christian Church translated into the Language of our Country and cloath'd in so Modern and so Charming a Dress if it be possible that many of both Sexes whose Genius and Education do's not lead 'em to the Study of Greek and Latin may be induc'd to read 'em and to square their Lives by those excellent Rules of Vertue and Piety which they have laid down for the Conduct of Others and of which they were in their several Ages and are still in some Sence living and highly honourable Examples And since by the Policy of a Neighbouring Nation the Language of Lewis the XIVth has already obtain'd that UNIVERSAL MONARCHY to which he seems to aspire and since many excellent Translations of which the French may justly boast have invited and almost constrain'd many ingenious and polite Persons to learn and admire their Language and so perhaps they have been unhappily and insensibly won over to their Corrupt Religion and Slavish Principles of Government I think 't is not a little strange that we who are so prone to a Phantastical Imitation of 'em shou'd so much abound in Vnnecessary and Trifling Originals and give so little Encouragement to the Translation of those Ancient Authors whom in Spite of all our Ignorance and Prejudice we must acknowledge to have been remarkable for their Learning and whose Labours since they were generally approv'd and highly admir'd in the Early and Pure Ages of the Church and since they strangely confounded the Whole Heathen World one wou'd think might very well serve for our Confirmation and delightful Entertainment And tho' we deservedly pay a most profound Respect to the Greek and Hebrew Text of Scripture as claiming in a strict Sense the Venerable Title of the Word of GOD and challenging in a special Manner the Time and Strength of those whom God and Men have thought fit to employ in the Explication and Defence of the Sacred Oracles yet 't is an extraordinary Happiness which we in these Nations enjoy that we have such excellent Translations of the Bible and ev'n the common People who have precious and immortal Souls as well as others and want more Helps for the regular and comfortable Discharge of their Duty are so far from being commanded by their Ministers to avoid 'em as being dangerous in unskillful Hands and an imperfect Rule both of Faith and Manners that they are strictly enjoyn'd and with all imaginable Tenderness entreated to read 'em with the greatest Seriousness Industry and Pleasure And if we have just Cause to return God our most humble and hearty Thanks for raising up and inclining some proper Persons to undertake so important and so difficult a Work for affording such Measures of his gracious Assistance as were necessary to support and encourage 'em in it and to bring it at last to a most honourable and happy Accomplishment I think the Translations of any pious rational and learned Authors whose Labours have a tendency to lead us into the true and deep Sence of the holy Scriptures and to furnish us with proper Weapons to encounter the inveterate and most formidable Adversaries of the Christian Religion must be very desireable and attended with no small Advantages I confess I am highly sensible that Translations do frequently abound with Faults and perhaps with sueh as are notorious which should a Person undertake to justifie he wou'd expose himself to the Scorn or Pity of the learned World and to the Censure ev'n of the injudicious and illiterate But this if it be a solid Objection against bad Translations which I hardly believe it is since they may have many great Defects and yet the Translator shou'd be esteem'd and rewarded for his good Will to the Publick and that Measure of Industry and Skill in the learned Languages which appears in his Work tho' he
punish'd by God is a ridiculous Fable I might say the same Thing of the Assyrians who if we may believe their own Historians were anciently engag'd in long and bloody Wars with those of the Jewish Nation And the Jewish Writers for perhaps I shou'd be thought to speak from Prejudice if I shou'd call 'em Prophets make frequent Mention of their Wars with the Assyrians See therefore how Celsus is led aside by Prejudice which he 's so ready to charge others with when he readily believes some Nations to be extreamly wise and highly esteems their Histories as being entirely authentick and condemns those of other Nations as being false and void ev'n of common Sence CHAP. XV. Observe his Words 'T IS an Opinion says he that is generally receiv'd by the Ancients in which not only some few wise Men but entire Nations and those not a little remarkable for Sence and Learning have readily and unanimously agreed He took special Care not to reckon the Jews among the wise Nations of the World as if they were vastly inferior in respect of Wisdom to the Egyptians Assyrians Indians Persians Odrysae Samothracians and the Eleusinii But how much do's Numenius the Pythagorean deserve to be prefer'd before him who has made his Name immortal by his uncommon Eloquence has tak'n such Care in his impartial Enquiries into Truth and heap'd up so many good Authorities to confirm his excellent and elaborate Notions This learned Author in his Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of those Nations that held God to be incorporeal has reckon'd the Jews among em He also makes mention of some Passages in the Writings of the Prophets which he takes in an Allegorical Sence 'T is reported also that Hermippus in his first Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acquaints us that Pythagoras borrow'd his Philosophy from the Jews and taught it to the Greeks and there is extant Hecataeus's History of the Jews wherein he do's so highly commend the Wisdom of that People that Herennius Philo in a Book that he has writ concerning 'em seems inclin'd to think it spurious and afterwards says that if it be really genuine t is probable he was inwardly a Convert to the Religion which they profess But I wonder in my Heart how it comes to pass that Celsus shou'd reckon up the Odrysae Samothracians Eleusinii and Hyperborei as being famous at once for their Wisdom and Antiquity and make no mention of the Jews for the Egyptians Phoenicians and Greeks do by their own History give sufficient and ample Testimony to the Antiquity of that People which I thought 't was needless for me to produce For any one that reads Josephus's two Books of the Jewish Antiquities may see there a long Catalogue of Authors who confirm the Truth of this Matter by their concurring Testimony And Tatian who writ after him has made a learned Discourse against the Gentiles wherein he quotes abundance of Authors who have writ concerning the Antiquity of the Jews and of Moses in particular So that Celsus seems to me to talk at this extravagant Rate rather from implacable Malice than out of Zeal for Truth designing to reproach the Christian Religion which has so close a Connection with that of the Jewish Nation on the Account of its Original which he supposes to be late and mean And he says that the Galactophagi of Homer the Druids of the Gauls and the Getae who agreed with the Jews in some Opinions but have no Writings extant that I know of are remarkable for their Wisdom and Antiquity But he levels all his Malice at the Jews and will neither allow 'em to be wise nor ancient Then giving us a Catalogue of wise and ancient Persons who were useful to their Contemporaries by their bright Example and to Posterity by their admirable Writings he has purposely left Moses out of the Number of Men remarkable for their Wisdom tho' Linus who is put at the Head of 'em has left behind him no Laws nor Books for the Regulation of Societies or Reformation of Manners whereas Moses's Laws are diligently observ'd by an entire and populous Nation by whose Means they have been diffus'd almost thro' the whole habitable World Take Notice therefore of the unaccountable Malice by which Celsus is acted who says nothing of Moses but mentions Linus Musaeus Orpheus Pherecydes Zoroaster the Persian and Pythagoras with abundance of Honour as having giv'n wise and wholesom Precepts to Mankind and tak'n prudent and due Care to transmit 'em to Posterity by their Writings which are extant at this very Day And I suppose he designedly omitted to speak of the ridiculous Fables especially in the Writings of Orpheus which attribute humane and ev'n exorbitant Passions to their pretended Deities CHAP. XVI THEN he finds great Fault with the Mosaical History and can't bear by any Means that it shou'd be tak'n in an Allegorical Sence But one might ask this mighty Man who calls his Book by the Name of A True Relation how it comes to pass that he 's able to discover the most profound Mysteries in the strange Accidents which according to his own admir'd Poets and Philosophers have befall'n his Gods and Goddesses which have been polluted with Incest have contended with their Fathers and made 'em Eunuchs and done many immodest Actions of the like Nature which might be mention'd if Occasion offer'd but when Moses don't say any Thing that is comparable to this of the great God whom he ador'd or of the Angels or of Men for he don't represent ev'n them as making such a bold Attempt as that of Saturn against his Father or that of Jupiter against Saturn or that of the Incest which the Father of the Gods and Men committed with his Daughter Celsus treats ev'n the famous Lawgiver of the Jews as a notorious and shameful Impostor and takes the People who are govern'd by his Laws to be weak and extreamly credulous Here he seems to me to act like Thrasymachus in Plato who will not suffer Socrates to state his Notion of Justice but says Have a Care how you say that Expediency or Decency or any such Thing is Justice For reproaching as he thinks the Mosaick History and blaming them severely who take it in an Allegorical Sence tho' he acknowledges that of the two they are more pardonable than they who literally interpret it and having form'd his Accusation to his Mind he wou'd deny us the just Liberty of making our own Apology But we openly challenge any Person who may espouse his Cause to set Author against Author and may address our to him after the following Manner Pray Sir be pleas'd to produce the Poems which were writ by Linus Musaeus and Orpheus and the History which was publish'd by Pherecydes and compare 'em with the Laws which Moses gave to the Jewish Nation Examine which have the greatest and most general Influence on the Minds of Men and impartially consider how few of the Writings of those
Conquest And I scarce know whether the Greeks can produce any Instances of this kind in any other Persons besides Phaedon and Polemon or at best they can name but very few Persons who ever left their Intemperance and Debauchery to apply their Minds to the entertaining and useful Study of Philosophy But in the School of Christ besides the twelve Apostles who had the Honour to be contemporary with him we see daily a far greater Number of Persons that become virtuous and pious and join in a Blessed Chorus acknowledging with the deepest shame and Sorrow the many false and almost fatal Steps which formerly they took We our says the Apostle were sometimes Tit. iii. V. 3 4. foolish and disobedient deceiv'd serving diverse Lusts and Pleasures living in Malice and Envy hateful and hating one another But after that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour toward Man appear'd not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he sav'd us by the Washing of Regeneration and the Renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly For as the Prophetical Psalmist speaks He sent his Word and heal'd 'em and deliver'd 'em Psal cvii. V. 20. from their Destructions I might add that Chrysippus in a Book which he has writ Entitul'd The Art of Curing the Disorders of the Humane Passions endeavours to lay down proper and effectual Rules for the Management of those which disturb the Peace of the Mind and to that end he argues upon the Principles of several Sects of Philosophers not examining which of 'em are most agreeable to Truth and has the following Words If says he Pleasure be esteem'd the chief Good the Passions may and ought thus to be cur'd and if there be three Kinds of Good they are to be cur'd after this different Manner Now they who find Fault with the Christian Religion do wilfully Neglect to consider how many unruly Passions are successfully govern'd by it what a Stop it puts to that rapid Torrent of Vice and Immorality which is too visible in the World and what extravagant savage and ev'n Diabolical Tempers it has frequently happily and very suddenly conquer'd Certainly it ought to raise their Admiration and constrain 'em to make the most thankful Acknowledgements to Almighty God to consider what vast and apparent Advantage the Publick reaps from those proper and most excellent Methods which our Saviour took for the Reformation of Manners and one wou'd think that if they won't allow Christianity to be the True Religion yet they must confess that it conduces very much to the true Interest of Manking and which is more has an Immediate and Principal Regard to their better and immortal Part. CHAP. LIV. AND our Saviour has so effectually consulted ev'n the Temporal Advantage of his Followers that he wou'dn't have 'em to be rash and precipitate but gives 'em this necessary Lesson When they persecute you in one City flee unto another and teaches 'em by his own Example not to run into needless Dangers Celsus takes Occasion ev'n from hence to form an Accusation against him in the Person of a Jew in the following Words You run up and down with your Disciples But as for the Charge which is here brought against our Blessed Saviour we meet with a Parallel Case ev'n in the Histories which the Greeks have publish'd For Aristotle that Famous Philosopher when he saw he shou'd be condemn'd as a wicked Person by reason of some peculiar and in some Sence dangerous Notions he advanc'd which as the Athenians thought did give too great Encouragement to Licentiousness took an Opportunity to go from Athens and remov'd his School to Chalcis making the following Apology to some of his Acquaintance Let us leave Athens says he that we mayn't suffer it to be in the Power of the Athenians to re-act that horrid Impiety which they plainly discover'd by their ill Treatment of so great a Genius as the World knows Socrates to have been and to commit a most grievous Offence against so sacred a Thing as Philosophy CHAP. LV. CELSVS adds That our Saviour running up and down with his Disciples was forc'd to beg his Bread like a sordid Wretch But pray let him inform us where he has rak'd up all these scurrilous Expressions I confess we read in the Gospels that certain Women that were cur'd of their Infirmities among which was Susannah did readily distribute some Part of their Substance to furnish the Disciples with what was necessary for the Support of Life But pray what Philosopher who employs his Time and Strength with some Regard to the Benefit of his Relations and Friends and indeed of Mankind in general wou'd refuse to have his Wants supply'd Or did it become the Philosophers to accept the seasonable and generous Assistance of their Friends and others but argue a base and sordid Spirit in our Blessed Lord or those who became his Followers CHAP. LVI THEN the Jew whom Celsus personates continues his Discourse with our Saviour in the following Words What Necessity was there that when you were an Infant you shou'd be carry'd into Egypt to avoid being kill'd For surely it didn't become a God to be afraid of Death An Angel it seems was dispatch'd from Heav'n to bid You and some of your nearest Relations betake your to Flight lest you shou'd be found and be put to Death But cou'dn't Almighty God who as we are told did imploy his Angels for your Direction and Assistance preserve his Son as easily in Judea as in Egypt Celsus thinks that there was nothing extraordinary in the Humane Body and Soul of our Blessed Saviour and ridiculing his precious Blood that was shed upon the Cross he says 't was not Such Blood as from the Immortal Gods do's Hom Il. Lib. 5. V. 34â— flow But we who give Credit to our Saviour when he gives a Testimony of his Divinity in the following Words I am the Way the Truth and the Life John xiv V. 6. and in other Parallel Places and when he bears Witness to the Truth of his Humanity in the following Expression Now ye seek to kill me a Man who has told you the Truth I say we who believe John viii V. 40. our Saviour when he speaks thus of himself do assert and maintain that he had Two Natures the one Divine and the other Humane and that since he came into the World with an Intention to live in some respects like the rest of Men 't was highly incongruous that he shou'd run upon a Precipice and be fond of Misery and Death 'T was fit he shou'd be directed and govern'd by them to whom the Care of his Education did belong and that the Angel's Orders shou'd be strictly and religiously observ'd and the same Angel which said at first Joseph thou Son of David fear not to Mat. i. V. 20. take unto thee Mary thy Wife for that which is conceiv'd in her is of the Holy Ghost said