the Opinions of the Philosophers among the Pagans and wou'd manifestly have had its Foundation laid in the Wisdom of Men rather than the irresistible Power of God Now what Person who looks on these Fisher-men and Publicans who were not so much as taught the very first Principles of Humane Literature as the Gospels acquaint us and as Celsus is ready enough to believe and yet had such a Presence of Mind that they were able not only to discourse to their Country-men the Jews concerning Faith in Christ but also to preach the same Doctrine to other Nations and were favour'd with most wonderful Success I say what Person who looks on these Fishermen and Publicans will not presently enquire whence they deriv'd this uncommon Power of Perswasion and acknowledge that our Saviour's Promise in the following Words Come after me and I will make you Fishers of Men was evidently Mat. iv V. 19. and remarkably accomplish'd in that Divine Power which accompany'd the Preaching of the Apostles 'T was this to which St. Paul has so plain a Reference when he says My Speech aad my Preaching was not 1 Cor. ii V. 4. with enticing Words of Man's Wisdom but in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power that your Faith shou'dn't stand in the Wisdom of Men but in the Power of God For as the Prophetical Psalmist speaks who fore-told the Preaching of the Gospel The Lord gave the Word great was the Company of those that publish'd it Ps lxviii V. 11. and as it is fore-told in another Place His Word runs very swiftly Ps cxlvii V. 15. We see that The Voice of the Apostles was heard thro' all the Earth and their Doctrine and Fame too was spread to the most distant Regions They also who hear this Doctrine are fill'd with the Spirit of God who accompanies the Preaching of it as abundantly appears by the Disposition of their Minds the Tenor of their Conversations and their vigorous Defence of the naked Truth ev'n to the apparent Hazard of their Fortunes their Reputations and their Lives tho' it can't be deny'd but ought to be deeply lamented that too many who have tak'n upon 'em the Ministerial Function after all the Profession which they make of believing in God thro' Christ and after having seem'd to be wonderfully attracted by the bright and almost irresistible Charms of Gospel-Grace 't is to be fear'd did never feel the saving Impression of it on their Hearts attended with a suitable Influence on their Lives and Conversations And tho' I have already mention'd that Expression in the Gospel according to St. Mathew The Harvest is great but the Labourers are few Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest that he wou'd send forth more Labourers into Mat. ix V. 37. the Harvest I think it mayn't be improper to repeat it to shew that our Saviour's Foreknowledge of the Entertainment which his Doctrine wou'd meet with in the World was a Divine Proof of its future happy and more than ordinary Effect upon the Minds of Men a Doctrine the good Success of which was far from depending on the Assistance of the most Learned Doctors but was owing to that Divine and Miraculous Power that accompany'd the Apostles in their SACRED MINISTRATIONS CHAP. LII AND because Celsus represents 'em not only as a Parcel of ignorant Fellows but also as a Club of most scandalous Creatures vile Publicans and Mariners I answer it seems he assents to some Passages in the Gospels whereby he thinks he can support his Cause but rejects when he thinks fit the Authority of the Evangelists themselves that he may not be oblig'd to acknowledge and reverance thâ—se Characters of Divinity which are so legible in their Writings But when he sees with what Faithfulness they relate ev'n those Things that seem to lessen their Esteem and manifestly expos'd 'em to the greatest Dangers he ought certainly to believe the rest as being divinely inspir'd and by consequence infallibly true and of the highest Importance to us Barnabas I confess in his Catholick Epistle from whence 't is probable that Celsus has borrow'd his disadvantageous Remarks upon the Apostles of our Blessed Saviour says That Jesus chose such Persons to the Apostolical Function as were wicked to the last Degree And in the Gospel according to St. Luke St. Peter says to Jesus Lord depart from me for Luke v. V 8. I am a sinful Man And St. Paul in one of his Epistles to Timothy says This is a faithful Saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Christ Jesus came 1 Tim. 1. V. 15. into the World to save Sinners of whom I am chief tho' at last he became a most Eminent Apostle And I know not whether Celsus's Memory or his Judgment is most defective when he makes no Mention of St. Paul who next to our Blessed Saviour was the most remarkable Founder of the Christian Churches But 't is probable he thought it wou'd not serve his Cause and that if he had tak'n Notice of him he had oblig'd himself to have giv'n a rational and distinct Account how a Person who once persecuted the Church of God spit his Venom and employ'd his most vigorous Endeavours in Opposition to the Christians insomuch that he thirsted for their Blood was so strangely alter'd on a sudden that he spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to Illyricum endeavouring to avoid building on the Foundation which another had laid and making it his Choice and Business to preach to them who had never heard the glad Tydings of Salvation by a Crucify'd Redeemer CHAP. LIII WHAT Absurdity is there then in supposing that our Saviour being desirous to shew Mankind what Sovereign Remedies he had and was willing to apply to the distemper'd Souls of Men shou'd make Choice of Persons that were notoriously wicked and work such a sudden and surprizing Change upon 'em that by the Purity of their Lives they became very honourable Examples to them who were afterwards converted by their Ministry If they who have reform'd their Manners must be upbraided with the Crimes which they formerly committed then we may as well bring in a most heavy Charge against Phaedon himself ev'n after he had devoted his Time and Strength to the Study of Philosophy because History acquaints us that Socrates took him from a Place where Debauchery was practic'd without Fear or Regret and put him upon rational and learned Studies in which in Process of Time he was far from being a mean Proficient We might also condemn Philosophy it self by Reason of the extravagant Courses which Polemon the Successor of Zenocrates had formerly tak'n But in Truth this Consideration do's greatly brighten and recommend their Character that by the Help of so Divine a Thing as Philosophy they cou'd be brought to resolve on a virtuous and severe Course of Life in Spight of those bad Impressions with which they were forc'd to struggle and over which they did with no small Difficulty obtain an honourable and happy
of a Future and Aweful Judgment and do what lay in their Power to gain the Favour of the Blessed God the Creator and Supream Disposer of the Universe I say do's it stand to Reason that such a one so serviceable to promote the Glory of God and the Welfare of precious and immortal Souls shou'd be so far from being born in a miraculous Way as to be of a base and illegitimate Extraction I ask the Greeks and particularly Celsus who whether he be a Platonist or no thinks he has sufficient Authority for what he says if he do's but quote a Passage out of the learned Plato whether it be not a Reflection upon one who holds the Doctrine of the Transmigration of Souls and by Consequence that every Body has a proper Soul to act and animate it to deny that our Saviour was born in a lawful Manner who engag'd in so difficult and important a Work instructed so many ignorant and seduc'd Persons and happily and suddenly recover'd 'em from that Deluge of Immorality in which they had been so long and so deeply plung'd Is it not more rational to think according to the Opinion of Pythagoras Plato and Empedocles on the Testimony of which learned Authors Celsus himself do's very much rely that there are some secret Reasons why every Soul shou'd have a Body appropriated to it self that is a fit Receptacle for it and suited to the good or bad Qualities which it had in its State of Pre-existence Is it not just and reasonable that a more than humane Soul that do's more Service to the World than many Thousands of others to say no more lest my Discourse shou'd be thought to savour of Prejudice shou'd be united to a Portion of Organiz'd Matter that is more excellent than the Generality of Bodies are For if those Souls which by the Virtue of some secret Causes are of too noble a Nature to be united to an inanimate Creature and are not worthy to animate a Body that is compleatly form'd have one that is adapted to 'em the Head of which being disproportionable to the rest of its Members do's in a great Measure hinder the free Exercise of Reason and others that are more perfect act a Body that is more duly dispos'd and so others according to the several Degrees of their native or acquir'd Excellencies are sent into more or less perfect Bodies why may not a particular Soul assume a Body in a miraculous Way a Body that has something in common with the rest of Men that may render it fit for humane Conversation and something wherein it differs from 'em that may in some Measure secure it from the sad Contagion of a neighbouring and distemper'd Mind In short if we give any Credit to them who are skill'd in Physiognomy such as Zopyrus Loxus Polemon and others who have directly handl'd that difficult Subject and pretend to find out extraordinary Mysteries by observing the Rules which that Science proposes what Absurdity is there in asserting that all Bodies are suited to the Qualities of the Soul that acts em Is there then the least Probability that a Soul so excellent in it self and form'd for such great and truly-generous Designs as the Humane Soul of our Blessed Saviour shou'd animate a Body which as Celsus represents the Matter was begotten in Adultery by a wicked Souldier on the Body of a lustful Female One wou'd rather think that a Mad-man or a Person who prov'd a constant Plague to the Age and Place he liv'd in or a Teacher of Intemperance and Injustice and an impudent Encourager of all Manner of Vice shou'd owe his Birth to so impure a Copulation and not a Teacher much less an eminent Practicer of Temperance Justice and all other Virtues CHAP. XXX THIS was plainly foretold by the Prophet and exactly agrees with the promis'd Sign that we read of in the Prophecy of Isaiah where 't is said That our Blessed Saviour wou'd by the Course of his Actions make good his Name and prove himself to be Emmanuel God with us And I think it may not be improper to mention the Prediction of the fore-mention'd Prophet that our Saviour shou'd be born of a Virgin which Celsus takes no Notice of tho' he pretends to be perfectly acquainted with what the Christians hold either not having read it or cunningly concealing his Knowledge lest he shou'd unawares overthrow his own belov'd Opinions and advance any Thing to the Prejudice of the Cause which he espouses and uses his utmost Endeavours to maintain The Words of the Prophecy are these Moreover the Lord spake again to Ahaz Isaiah vii V. 10. saying ask thee a Sign of the Lord thy God ask it either in the Depth or in the Height above But Ahaz said I will not ask neither will I tempt the Lord and he said hear ye now O House of David is it a small thing to weary Men But will ye weary my God also Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a Sign Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and call his Name Emmanuel That Celsus discover'd his Malice in not mentioning the fore-going Prophecy I gather from his passing over it in a profound Silence when he quotes some Passages in St. Mathew's Gospel and particularly makes mention of the Star that appear'd at the Nativity of our Blessed Saviour But if the Jew whom Celsus personates being us'd to make critical Remarks on Words shou'd tell us that the Word which is translated Virgin shou'd be render'd Young Woman I answer the Hebrew Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Septuagint translate Virgin tho' Others favour his Meaning of the Word is understood of a Virgin in the Book of Deuteronomy If a Damsel that Deu. xxii V. 23. is a Virgin be betroth'd to an Husband and a Man find her in the City and lye with her then ye shall bring 'em both out to the Gate of the City and ye shall stone 'em with Stones that they dye the Damsel because she cry'd not being in the City and the Man because he has humbl'd his Neighbour's Wife So thou shalt put away evil from among you But if a Man find a betroth'd Damsel in the Field and the Man force her and lye with her then the Man only that lay with her shall dye But to the Damsel thou shalt do nothing there is in the Damsel no Sin worthy of Death But not to dwell too long upon the Hebrew Word which perhaps few Persons understand I shall endeavour to prove from the Context that according to the Prophetick Oracle Emmanuel was to be born of a Virgin The Lord said to Ahaz ask thee a Sign of the Lord thy God either in the Depth or in the Height above Then 't is said that this Sign was to be giv'n Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son But what Sign cou'd a young Woman's Conceiving be if it was not meant of a Virgin And to which of the two
him say those Words with an Eye to Judas he that dippeth his Hands with me in the Dish the same shall betray me Take Notice farther of the Absurdity and Falshood of what Celsus says 'T is unusual says he for Persons to betray their Friends to whose Table they are welcome yet here even a God is suppos'd to be betray'd On the contrary 't is too well known that Persons who have been engag'd by the most Sacred and endearing Tyes have often and most shamefully betray'd their intimate Friends and liberal Benefactors The Histories both of the Greeks and Barbarians do furnish us with abundant Instances of the fore-mention'd Practice This is what the famous Poet who dwelt at Paros and is so much admir'd for his Iambick verses reproaches Lycambe with For speaking of his intrenching on the Laws of civil conversation he says Thou hast dissolv'd the Sacred Band of Archilochus Friendship and art Notoriously guilty of the basest Treachery But for the fuller Confirmation of my Argument I shall refer the Reader to them who have apply'd their Minds to the Study of History both Sacred and Prophane Then Celsus as if he had undeniable Arguments for what he offers has the following Words Nay a GOD which highly aggravates the Matter is suppos'd to intrench upon the Rules of Civility and common Friendship and to make his Disciples turn Traitours and Cowards But this is more than he can ever prove unless we must allow the Consequence which he draws to be Natural and just which I am sure is so very weak that any Child almost wou'd see thro' it and be ready to expose it CHAP. XVII THEN says Celsus If your Saviour suffer'd freely in Obedience to his Heavenly Father 't is plain that since you say that he was GOD and that his Sufferings were entirely voluntary you must acknowledge 't was impossible that in the midst of his suppos'd Agonies he shou'd have had so quick a Sense of Pain But here tho' he don't perceive it his Words imply a plain and very gross Contradiction For he will not deny that our Saviour suffer'd freely in Obedience to his Father and then certainly he must feel some Pain which is inseparable from the Notion that we have of Suffering since 't is very ungrateful to Flesh and Blood as he can't but know and is not easily reconcil'd ev'n to the calm Dictates of impartial Reason And if he thinks that all Sence of Pain is immediately excluded where there is a partial or ev'n an entire Consent of the Humane Will why do's he acknowledge that our Saviour ever suffer'd In Truth he hadn't resembl'd us in all Things Sin only excepted had he assum'd the Humane Nature without those many Infirmities and Miseries which are its common and almost inseparable Attendants So that after his Voluntary Incarnation he was under some Sort of Necessity to suffer and in some Respects the Calamities to which he was expos'd were occasion'd by the Malice and unwearied Endeavours of his cruel Enemies And indeed as I have already shown if he hadn't giv'n his Consent it had been impossible that One who was GOD as well as Man shou'd suffer but he willingly and ev'n chearfully embrac'd the most painful and shameful Death from a deep and most affecting Sense of the vast Advantage that wou'd redound from it to a degenerate World Then Celsus granting what he wou'd seem to deny has the following Words Pray why do's he make such horrid Complaints and so earnestly desire that his Sufferings may be prevented For he says Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me But here Celsus do's plainly and not a little discover his impotent Malice against the Blessed Founder of our most Holy Religion For instead of admiring the remarkable Integrity which appears in the Writings of the Evangelists who might if they had pleas'd have omitted this Passage which he thinks do's make so much for the Interest he espouses but were induc'd by several very urgent Motives to relate it I say instead of admiring the Sence the remarkable Integrity which appears in the Writings of the Evangelists he takes their Words in a Sence in which they never understood 'em and adds some Things that are owing to his own Invention and takes no Notice of what immediately follows from whence he might have learn'd how submissive our Saviour was to the All-disposing Will of his ETERNAL FATHER Nevertheless says he not as I will but as thou wilt And Celsus seems to have never read those other Words which plainly shew how submissive a Temper our Blessed Lord discover'd under all the grievous Calamities which his Father was pleas'd to bring upon him I mean those Words of St. Mathew Nevertheless if this Cup cannot pass Mat. 26 V. 42. from me not my Will but thine be done Here Celsus acts the Part of those who horribly pervert the Scriptures and are not asham'd to do it in the most open Manner Our Adversaries frequently take Notice of those Words I kill and reproach us with 'em but they willfully Deut. 32 V. 29. overlook the following Words I make alive which Passage of Scripture plainly intimates to us that tho' God do's destroy all them who live in a Course of Rebellion against him and are horrid Plagues to their Native Country yet at length he will make 'em Partakers of a Spiritual and Glorious Life such a one as will make 'em trample upon this lower and perishing World with the greatest Disdain imaginable They take Notice of those Words I will smite him but the following Isa 57 V. 17. Words I will heal him are wholly disregarded Here God is represented to us as acting the Part of a most Skilful Physician who makes grievous and often deep Incisions into the Flesh of his Patients not with a Design to do it any Prejudice or put 'em to any needless Pain but to remove the Cause of their Bodily Indisposition and that which keeps them in a low and langushiing Condition They take Notice of those Words He makes sore but those Words and binds up are not mention'd by em So Celsus dwells on those Words of our Saviour Father If it be possible let this Cup pass from me But don't mention the least Syllable of the following Words which plainly discover the entire Resignation of our Blessed Lord to his Father's Commanding and all-disposing Will Here a large Field of Discourse presents it self which wou'd be of considerable Service to those whom St. Paul calls perfect We preach Wisdom says he to them that are perfect But this I shall reserve to a more convenient Season and a more proper Place and only perhaps just touch upon it as I pass along I have already and I think more than once observ'd that sometimes our Saviour's Expressions must be understood of the Person of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first born of the Creation as for Instance when he says I am the Way the Truth and the Life
Jesus ever do that was truly Great and any Way Worthy of a God Did he baffle his Enemies and disconcert their most Politick Measures To this I answer that we are told in the Gospels that the Earth shook the Rocks were rent the Graves were open'd the Vail of the Temple was rent in two the Sun suffer'd an Eclipse and the Earth was cover'd with thick Darkness ev'n such as might be felt These were some of the Aweful Circumstances that attended the most bitter Passion of our Blessed Lord. And I think Celsus wou'd have discover'd much more of an ingenuous Temper if instead of relying on the Authority of the Evangelists only when they offer any Thing that makes as he thinks for the Cause which he espouses he had either wholly rejected the Gospels or else wholly admitted 'em and had but thankfully admit'd the Amazing Condescension of the ETERNAL WORD who willingly became Incarnate with this great Design to recover a Degenerate World from the sad Ruines of their First Apostacy Another very considerable Circumstance that makes for the Honour of our Blessed Saviour is this viz. That ev'n at this Distance of Time His NAME has such an Admirable Virtue that it infallibly and easily cures the most dangerous Distempers both of Body and Mind And as for the Sympathy which the Sun if I may so say discover'd when the Sun of Righteousness it self was suffering a more dreadful Eclipse which happen'd in the Reign of the Emperor Tiberius and as for the stupid Earth which trembl'd when the God of Nature groan'd and was ready to expire We have the concurring Testimony of Phlegon if I mistake not in the Thirteenth Book of his Chronicon Then the Jew thinking to ridicule our Saviour quotes those Words of Bacchus in Euripides when e'er I please Euripid. Bacc. Heaven for my Rescue daigns to interpose But here in the first Place I can't but make this obvious Remark that the Jews of all People in the World are least fond of the Heathen Poets However for once we 'll suppose our Jew to differ from all his Country-men and to express a singular Affection for the Learning of the Greeks And I ask him whether according to the Rules of any Logick that he ever read it ev'n seems to follow that because our Saviour didn't avoid his Sufferings he cou'dn't have freed himself from 'em if he pleas'd I think he ought much rather to believe what is related to us in the Acts of the Apostles that an Angel shook off St. Peter's Chains and deliver'd him from Prison and that Paul and Silas who were put into the Stocks at Philippi a City of Macedonia escap'd out of Prison by a Miracle and much more wou'd the Power of God have been engag'd to preserve our Saviour from the grievous Sufferings which he underwent if the Decrees of Heav'n and the Reason of Things hadn't conspir'd if I may so say to render 'em most highly necessary For ought I know Celsus wou'd be ready to ridicule those Stories or perhaps might never take the Pains to read 'em since in all Probability if he had ever minded 'em at all he wou'd presently have resolv'd 'em as he do's our Saviour's Miracles into the Power of Magick Then Celsus has the following Words The Person that condemn'd your Pretended Saviour didn't endure a Punishment comparable to that of Pentheus who was depriv'd of his Senses and torn to Pieces But he 's so horribly ignorant as not to know that Pilate consider'd in his Publick Capacity was not so properly concern'd in Condemning our Blessed Saviour as the whole Body of the Jewish Nation which we see is for that Reason dispers'd over the whole habitable World and suffers a far worse Distraction than ever Pentheus did But why do's he make no Mention at all of the troublesome Dream that the Wife of the Roman Governor had insomuch that she said to her Husband Have thou nothing to do with Matxxvii V. 19. that just Man for I have suffer'd many Things this Day in a Dream because of him Then he leaves out those Things that are evident and remarkable Proofs of the Divinity of our Saviour's Person and Commission and takes Abundance of Pains to dress up the LORD of GLORY in a Fool 's Goat by the disadvantageous and ludicrous Relation which he gives of the horrid Affronts that were offer'd him viz. The Scarlet Robe that they put upon him in a Way of Mockery the Crown of Thorns that they put upon his Head and the Reed that they put into his Hand But it may not be amiss to ask you the following Question From whence cou'd you learn these Things but from those very Gospels which you take the Liberty to reject at Pleasure And if this be the true State of the Case how comes it to pass I beseech you that such Persons as you are can take Occasion to reflect upon our Saviour from those very Passages of Scripture which as many others with great Reason judge do leave an Eternal Brand of Infamy on those who had the horrid Impudence to insult him I think you shou'd rather admire the Remarkable Integrity which appears in the Writings of the Evangelists and be fill'd with a Holy Awe when you consider the Amazing Condescention of the Blessed Jesus who seal'd his Doctrine with his most precious Blood For we have no Account that after the Sentence of Condemnation was pass'd upon him he made the least Complaint or ever utter'd a Word that ev'n seem'd to be unworthy of the Greatest Hero that the World cou'd ever boast of Then Celsus says One wou'd think that now if ever he had a fair Opportunity to give full Proof of his pretended Deity and in the Face if I may so say of the whole habitable World to be reveng'd of the Jews for the base Affronts which you see were offer'd both to him and to his Dearly-belov'd and Highly-honour'd Father But here I ask those of the Greeks who believe an Over-ruling Providence and grant that Miracles have been wrought Pray why don 't the injur'd Deity take that Advantage as on your Hypothesis he might easily do which is plainly giv'n him by those innumerable and great Affronts which are daily offer'd him by the bold Assertors of a Blind Fatality And when they return an Answer to this single Question all the Arguments which they bring may easily be retorted on themselves CHAP. XXIII THEN says the pretended Jew What! Shall we say that this vile Fellow that was crucify'd t'other Day had Such Blood as from th' immortal God do's flow Hom. Il. l. 5 v. 340 This we must suppose to be spoken by him in his usual Way of Banter which seems to me to be his peculiar Talent But I shall show that the Evangelists who relate these Matters with a becoming Gravity and prudent Care have left behind 'em a true and sufficient Account of the most considerable Passages that occur'd let Celsus say what
of all Saints and those Words Born out of due Time may have a greater Affinity than some Persons on the first View may be ready to imagine And as there 's no Colour of Reason for any One to reflect upon our Blessed Saviour for not taking all the Apostles with him to the Mount of Transfiguration but only three of 'em when he was going to display the Glory of his Raiment and the Heav'nly Lustre of Moses and Elias who were to discourse with him in a familiar Manner So neither is there just Cause for any one to find Fault with the Account which we meet with in the Gospels viz. That he didn't expose himself after his Resurrection to the View of all but only of those whose Eyes were strong enough to bear the dazling Brightness of so glorious an Object And I think that the following Expression which is us'd by the Apostle Paul To this End Christ both dy'd Rom 14 V. 9. and rose and reviv'd that he might be Lord both of the Dead and of the Living may have a Reference to the Subject on which I am now discoursing The Dead over whom he has a rightful Power are they of whom the Apostle speaks in his first Epistle to the Corinthians The Trumpet 1 Cor. 1 â— V. 52. says he shall sound and the dead shall be rais'd incorruptible Under the Term Living I conceive he comprehends not only those who shall be rais'd from the dead to an Immortal Life but those also who may be consider'd by us in a very different Capacity I mean those who will be alive at the Coming of our Lord and be chang'd He says We shall be chang'd which Words are brought in by him after he had said That the Dead shall be rais'd incorruptible And in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians he describes the Difference between the Dead and the Living in the following Words I wou'dn't have you ignorant Brethren 1 Thes 4. V. 13. concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not ev'n as others who have no Hope for if we believe that Jesus dy'd and rose again ev'n them also who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord that we who are alive and remain to the Coming of the Lord sha'n't prevent them who are asleep The Sence of which Verses I have giv'n according to the best of my Judgment in my Comment on the foregoing Epistle Now we needn't wonder that our Saviour after his Resurrection wa'n't seen by all that believ'd in him since the Apostle writing to the Corinthians as Persons of mean Attainments has the following Words I determine 1 Cor. 4. V. 4. to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucify'd And says in another Place Hitherto ye 1 Cor. 3. V. 2. were not able to bear it neither yet now are ye able for ye are yet carnal I confess the Scriptures in which the Characters of infinite Wisdom are so legible do acquaint us that our Saviour before his Death expos'd himself to Publick View tho' ev'n here some Exceptions must be made but after he was ris'n from the Dead he was no longer promiscuously seen by all but according to the Direction of Heaven consulted the Capacities of those to whom he thought fit to appear As we read in Scripture that God appear'd to Abraham and other Holy Men tho' there were considerable Intervals and we know very well that he didn't appear to all So we may rationally suppose that the SON OF GOD when he made his Appearance to Persons after he was ris'n from the dead took a prudent Method not unlike that which God had before observ'd in making Discoveries of himself to the Ancient Fathers of the Jewish Church So that I have return'd an Answer according to my weak Ability and as far as I thought consistent with the Design of the present Treatise to the Objection which Celsus makes in the following Words If Christ says he had a Mind to exert his Divine Power he ought to have appear'd to his Enemies to the Judge who pass'd the Sentence of Death upon him and to the whole Body of the People who as it were took up Arms against him Sure I am that he acted wisely in not appearing to his Enemies or the Judge who condemn'd him For he happily prevented 'em from being struck blind like the Sodomites of old who lay in wait for the Angels who as the Scripture acquaints us were kindly entertain'd by Lot Gen. 19 9 10. The Men 't is said put forth their Hand and pull'd Lot into the House to 'em and shut the Door and they sinote the Men that were at the Door of the House with Blindness both small and great so that they weary'd themselves to find the Door The Design of our Saviour was to shew his DIVINE POWER in a Way suited to the Capacities of Men and the TRUE REASON why he refus'd to appear so publickly after he was ris'n from the Dead as before was this because he was then too bright an Object to be beheld by COMMON EYES Therefore Celsus as if he had wrack'd his Brains to the utmost cou'd hardly have thought of any Thing that had less Argument in it than the following Words What! was he afraid that he shou'd be hung upon the Cross again when if we may give any Heed to you he was no less than A GOD Besides I suppose you 'll hardly say that he came into the World on Purpose to ABSCOND But 't is evident he came into the World to be seen by few comparitively and many of those who saw him were in a great Measure Strangers to the Bright Rays of his Divinity Nay he was altogether unknown to many in as much as he came to discover his Glory to those who were Children of the Light and so were freed from that worse than Egyptian Darkness which naturally draws a Veil over the Minds of Men. And he came with this generous Design to display the Riches of his Grace to those who were Vnrighteous and lay wallowing in their Filth and Gore and to act the Part of the best Physician that the World cou'd ever boast of in curing those whose Minds were attended with innumerable and great Disorders CHAP. XXXIII LET us see what Celsus adds Had he had a Mind says he to have giv'n a Proof of his pretended Divinity one wou'd think he shou'd have VANISH'D the very Moment he was nail'd to the Cross But this is just for all the World like the idle and prophane Talk of those who deny an Over-ruling Providence and are erecting new Schemes in their warm and fruitful Imagination for the more regular Government of the World and have the horrid Impudence to say that had the Affairs of it been left entirely to their prudent Management the Benefit of the Universe had been more effectually consulted than now it is tho' many Things in their Hypothesis are