II. THEN Celsus goes on and asserts That Judaism with which the Christian Religion has a very close Connection has all along been a barbarous Sect tho' he prudently forbears to reproach the Christian Religion as if it were of a mean and unpolish'd Original since he had commended the Barbarians as being the Inventers of several excellent and very important Maxims and he adds That those Things which were indeed invented by the Barbarians have been improv'd and more accomodated to Moral Virtue by the Greeks Now I think I may justly take this Advantage in Defence of the Christian Religion from the very Concession which Celsus makes to observe that one who leaves the Opinions and the Learning of the Greeks and embraces the Doctrine of our Blessed Saviour don't only assent to those Truths and useful Rules which it recommends to his Consideration and Choice but the more he 's vers'd in the fore-mention'd Sort of Learning the more he 's confirm'd in his Judgment and borrows from the Christians where-ever he perceives that the Greeks themselves are defective To this I might add that the Christian Religion may justly boast of a peculiar Demonstration such a One as is truly Divine and vastly exceeds all the Logick of the Greeks The Apostle calls it A Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power A Demonstration of the Spirit in as much as the Spirit of God do's in a secret but powerful Way convince the Reader of the Truth of the Scripture-Prophecies efpeally of those which have an evident and near Relation to the expected Saviour of the World And of Power in as much as Miracles have been wrought to attest the Truth of the Christian Religion some remarkable Footsteps of which do remain at this very Day among those who do what lies in their Power under the Guidance and Influence of the Spirit of God to live up to its holy Precepts CHAP. III. THEN Celsus having spoke of the Private Meetings of the Christians in which they exercis'd themselves and instructed one another in their particular Way and having confess'd that one very politick Reason might be assign'd for what they did viz. The Preventing of that severe Penalty to which their Practice render'd 'em extreamly liable compares the Danger that threatn'd them with the Difficulties and Calamities to which Socrates and Pythagoras and other Heathen Philosophers expos'd themselves by maintaining the Reputation and promoting the Interest of that comparatively-vain Philosophy of which they were the admir'd and truly-learned Professors But to this I answer That the Athenians soon repented of what they had done to Socrates nor did they long retain their Spite against Pythagoras For the Pythagoreans had Schools for a considerable Time in that Part of Italy which went by the Name of Greece the Great But the whole Roman Senate the Emperors during the several Persecutions the Soldiers the common People and ev'n they who were nearly related to the Christians wag'd open War as it were against the Religion which our Blessed Saviour introduc'd and wou'd easily and quite have stop'd its happy Progress if a Divine and Miraculous Power had not seasonably interpos'd and made it overcome the whole habitable World who exerted all their Malice and us'd their utmost Endeavours towards its sudden and entire Extirpation CHAP. IV. NOW let us see how Celsus reproaches the practick Part of our Religion as containing nothing but what we have in common with the Heathens nothing that is New or Truly-great To this I answer That they who bring down the just Judgments of God upon their Heads by their notorious Crimes wou'd never suffer by the Hand of Divine and Inflexible Justice if all Mankind had not some tolerable Notions of Moral Good and Evil. Therefore we needn't wonder that God who is the common Father of his Creatures shou'd plant in the Minds of Men those natural Principles which the Prophets and especially our Blessed Saviour do's so frequently impress upon the Minds of Men that So every one might be left without Excuse at the Day of Judgment having had the Sence and Substance of the Law engrav'd upon his Heart in very legible Characters This was obscurely represented to us by the Scripture which speaks of God's Writing the Two Tables of the Law as it were with his Finger and his giving 'em to Moses and acquaints us that they were afterwards broke by the Wickedness of them who made the Golden Calf as if it had been said that they were broke by the Sins of Men and that when the Law was writ the second Time on Tables of Stone he deliver'd 'em to Moses to signifie that the Law which was defac'd by the Original Apostacy shou'd be re impress'd on the Minds of Men by the Preaching of the Gospel CHAP. V. THEN Celsus speaking of Idolatry do's himself advance an Argument that tends to justifie and commend our Practice when he says That the Christians can't think those to be Gods which are made by the Hands of Men and very often of such as are wicked and unjust and wallow in all manner of Debauchery Therefore endeavouring to shew in the Sequel of his Discourse that our Notion of Image-Worship was not a Discovery that was owing to the Scriptures but that we have it in common with the Heathens he quotes a Passage in Heraclitus to this Effect That they who pay Divine Worship to inanimate Creatures do just as if they shou'd address and invocate the Walls To this I answer That since I have already granted that some common Notions of Moral Good and Evil are originally implanted in the Minds of Men we needn't wonder that Heraclitus and Others whether Greeks or Barbarians have publickly acknowledg'd to the World that they held the very same Notion which we maintain And Celsus quotes a Passage in Herodotus to shew that the same Notion which Heraclitus held did obtain among the Persians And I cou'd quote a Passage in Zeno Citiensis who in his Book call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says That the Building of stately Temples is altogether needless and indeed ridiculous since no Piece of humane Architecture how pompous soever it may be is truly sacred and valuaable in the Nature of the Thing it self 'T is plain therefore that this practical Notion is engrav'd in Divine and Legible Characters on the Minds of Men. CHAP. VI. THEN Celsus says That all the Power which the Christians had was owing to the Names of certain Daemons and their Invocation of 'em tho' I can't well conceive what shou'd induce or ev'n tempt him to talk at so extravagant a Rate I suppose he obscurely hints at the Account we have of some who cast out Devils But this is a most notorious Calumny for the Power which the Christians had was not in the least owing to Enchantments but to their Pronouncing the Name of JESVS and making Mention of some remarkable Occurrences of his Life For by these and no unlawful Means have Daemons been
purge him from the viler and more dangerous Leprosy of Sin And after the same manner John the Baptist bears Witness in the following Words I saw the Spirit descending from John i. V. 32. Heav'n like a Dove and it abode upon him and I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with Water the same said to me upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining the same is he who baptizes with the Holy Ghost and I saw and bare Record that this is the Son of God And the Heav'ns were open'd to our blessed Saviour when there was no Person present as far as I can gather from the Account which we have in Scripture to be an Eye and Ear. Witness of what happen'd to him except John the Baptist But our Saviour foretold his Disciples that they also shou'd see the Heav'ns open'd saying Verily Verily John i. V. 51. I say unto you that hereafter you shall see Heav'n open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man And in the foregoing Sence we must understand that Place of Scripture where 't is said that St. Paul was carry'd up to the third or highest Heaven which before was open'd to him since we are well-assur'd he was one of the sincere Followers and most eminent Apostles of our Blessed Lord. But as for those Words Whether in the Body 2 Cor. xii V. 3 or out of the Body I can't tell God knows 't is not my Business at present to insist upon em CHAP. XLI GIVE me leave to add one Thing here and that is this that Celsus without any Warrant from Scripture or Reason as far as I can see imagines that our Saviour did acquaint his Disciples with the strange Things that had happen'd to him that the Heavens had been open'd and that the Spirit of God had descended upon him at the River Jordan But this mighty Man with all his Wisdom seems not at all to have consider'd the Incongruity of such a Supposition with the General Practice of our Saviour who forbad his Disciples to make mention of the Vision which he saw upon the Mountain 'till he shou'd rise from the Dead And Nothing was more common as appears from the Gospels than for our Blessed Saviour to do what lay in his Power to avoid all Talk that was in favour of himself Therefore he says If I bear John v. V. 31. Witness of my self my Witness is not true And because he industriously avoided every Thing that savour'd of Self-Applause and had rather that his Works shou'd praise him and demonstrate to the World that he was the true Messiah the Jews said to him If thou be the Christ do thou tell us plainly And because the Jew whom Celsus personates speaking of the Appearance of the Holy Spirit to our Saviour in the Resemblance of a Dove says There 's no Body to attest the Truth of what happen'd to you besides your self and another Person of the same pityful Class I think it will be seasonable and highly necessary to shew that he talks in such a manner as is very unsuitable to the Character he bears And this is evident from the different Regard which the Jews pay to Christ and to John the Baptist both with Respect to their Persons and their Sufferings which to me is a sufficient Argument that after all the Pretensions which he makes to Knowledge he cou'dn't personate a Jew discoursing consistently with our Blessed Saviour CHAP. XLII THEN Celsus I don 't well know how but I suppose purposely overlooks one of the most cogent Arguments that can be brought in Favour of our Blessed Lord viz. His being foretold by the Jewish Prophets by Moses and those who succeded him and ev'n by some who liv'd long before him I presume 't was for this politick Reason because he knew very well that he cou'dn't return any tolerable Answer to a Proposition to which both the Jews and the greatest Hereticks did assent who all agree that many of the Prophecies of the Jewish Prophets were accomplish'd in the Person of him whom we believe to be the True Messiah And perhaps he had never read the Prophecies but had heard a general and loose Report concerning em For if he had known that there have been several Prophets who have foretold our Saviour's Appearance in the World certainly he wou'd never have put these Words into the Mouth of a Jew which I think wou'd much better have become a Samaritan or a Sadducee viz. My Prophet said formerly in Jerusalem that the Son of God wou'd come to reward the Righteous and to punish the Wicked For surely there have been more than one Prophet that have prophecy'd of our Blessed Saviour since ev'n the Sadduces and the Samaritans who own no more than the Pentateuch can't but see if they are not wilfully blind that Moses himself has prophesy'd concerning him and 't is impossible the Prophecy shou'd be publish'd at Jerusalem since the Name of no such Place was known for many Ages after Moses By the Way I wish with all my Heart that all our implacable Adversaries unless it shou'd please God to convert 'em were as ignorant as Celsus not only of the true and full Sence of the Things of which the Scripture treats but also of the very Letter of it that so their Discourses not having that Colour of Reason which sometimes they have the comon People might not so much as for a short Space of Time yield ev'n the weakest Assent to any Thing they are able to produce against us Besides no Jew but one who is brought over to the Religion which we embrace will acknowledge that the Prophets foretold that the Son of God was to come into the World What the Jews say is this that the Messiah is to come and in their Disputations with us the first Question almost which they ask is Who is this Son of God of whom you talk so much intimating to us that they don't believe that any such Person was ever intended by the Prophets For my Part I firmly believe that the Person of whom there are so many Predictions in the Writings of the Jewish Prophets is the Son of God but I can't for my Life conceive how a Jew who denies this plain Assertion can consistently with his Character make use of the following Words My Prophet said formerly in Jerusalem that the Son of God was to come into the World Then Celsus adds the following Words To reward the righteous and to punish the wicked And as if this was all that was fore-told and there were no Predictions concerning the Place of our Saviour's Nativity or the unjust and barbarous Treatment which he met with at the Hands of his own Country-men the Jews or his Resurrection from the dead or the Miracles he perform'd he says Why shou'd this Prophecy be appropriated to you when the same Thing may be said of many Persons that liv'd before and after you with more
inwardly perswaded of the Truth and Excellency of the Christian Religion And I confess I can't but wonder that since Celsus was so fond of speaking in the Person of a Jew he didn't make him direct his Discourse to the Gentiles rather than to his own Country-men For 't wou'd have carry'd with it a far more plausible Appearance if it had been directed by him to those who embrac'd the Religion which we profess and were Gentiles like our But it seems this mighty Man with all his Knowledge to which he makes such great Pretences did not know or at least do's seem to me not duely to consider the Nature of that Figure of Speech which we make use of when we speak in the Person of another Let us see therefore what he says to those Jews who embrac'd the Christian Religion He says That suff'ring themselves to be most shamefully deluded by our Saviour they left the Religion of their Ancestors and alter'd both their Name and their Course of Life But he don't consider that the Jews who believ'd in our Blessed Saviour did not totally renounce the Law of their justly-admir'd Progenitors and Fore-Fathers but liv'd in the Observance of it deriving their Appellation from a Word that denotes the Poverty of the meer Letter of the Law For Ebion in the Hebrew Language signifies Poor and the converted Jews were call'd by the Name of Ebionites And St. Peter himself for a considerabe Time observ'd the Jewish Rites that are prescrib'd by the Law of Moses as not having yet learn'd ev'n from our Blessed Saviour to ascend as it were from their literal to their spiritual Meaning as we have the Matter related to us in the Acts of the Apostles On the Morrow as they went on their Journey and drew Acts 1. V. 9 c. nigh unto the City Peter went up upon the House-Top to pray about the sixth Hour And he became very hungry and wou'd have eaten but while they made ready he fell into a Trance and saw Heaven open'd and a certain Vessel descending unto him as it had been a great Sheet knit at the four Corners and let down to the Earth wherein were all Manner of Four-footed Beasts of the Earth and Wild Beasts and Creeping Things and Fowl of the Air. And there came a Voice to him rise Peter kill and eat But Peter said not so Lord for I have never eaten any Thing that is common or unclean And the Voice spake to him again the second Time what God has cleans'd that call thou not common You see here that St. Peter himself that Eminent Apostle is represented to us as retaining the Jewish Distinction between Clean and Vnclean Meats and 't is plain from what follows in the History that nothing less than a Vision cou'd engage him to preach the Doctrine of Faith in Christ to Cornelius who was not descended from the Israelites and to his Friends that attended him For he being a Jew and observing the Traditions of the Jewish Church had a contemptible Notion of the Gentiles And the Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Galatians acquaints us that St. Peter for Fear of displeasing the Jews refus'd to eat with the Gentiles For before that certain came from James he did eat with the Gentiles but when they were come he withdrew and separated himself Gal. ii V. 12. fearing them which were of the Circumcision And the other Jews dissembl'd likewise with him insomuch that Barnabas also was carry'd away with their Dissimulation And it was not I think wholly incongruous that they shou'd comply in some measure with the Jewish Rites who were entrusted with the Apostleship of the Circumcision For they who seem'd to be Pillars gave Paul and Barnabas the right Hand of Fellowship the former Persons directing their Course to the Circumcision But need I say that they who preach'd to the Jews withdrew and separated themselves from the Gentiles when the Apostle Paul himself became a Jew to the Jews that he might win upon em We read therefore in the Acts of the Apostles that he offer'd an Oblation upon the Altar to shew that he hadn't altogether renounc'd the Jewish Law in which he had been educated and of which he was once so passionate an Admirer Had Celsus known all this he wou'd never have introduc'd a Jew addressing himself to those who were converted from Judaism to the Christian Faith in the following Manner What is the Matter says he my dearly beloved Country-men that you have on a sudden renounc'd the Religion of your Fathers and Ancestors and suffer'd your to be so shamefully deluded by your pretended Saviour as to be prevail'd with to alter your Name and Course of Life CHAP. II. BUT because I have already mention'd St. Peter and the rest of those who preach'd the Doctrine of Faith in Christ to the Circumcision I think it may not be improper to quote a Passage of our Saviour's in St. John's Gospel and a little to explain it I have says he many Things yet John xvi V. 12 13. to say unto you but ye can't bear 'em now But when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak Now I ask Celsus's Jew what were these Things that our Saviour had to say to his Disciples which under their present Circumstances they were not in a Capacity to relish Was not this his Desire viz. to instruct 'em since they were Jews and by Consequence acquainted with the Letter of the Mosaick Law I say to instruct 'em in the true Sence of the Law which the Types and Ceremonies under the Legal Dispensation did but imperfectly represent and to give 'em a new Light into those good Things to come of which the various Rites concerning pure and impure Meats and Drinks concerning Festivals New-Moons and Sabbaths were all but obscure and in themselves very mean and contemptible Shadows These without Doubt were the Things which their Blessed Lord wou'd have communicated to em But knowing very well how difficult a Thing it is to disengage the Mind from those Notions which I had almost said were of as early a Date as its own Original and are daily more deeply rooted in our very Nature by the strong Prejudices of our Birth and Education and especially when one looks upon 'em as having the Awful Stamp of a Divine Authority and by Consequence as being too important and too true to be call'd in Question or but slightly regarded knowing I say and considering how difficult a Thing it is to convince Persons under such unhappy Circumstances and to perswade 'em that the Ceremonial Law was Loss and Dung in Comparison of the True Religion he prudently waited for a more convenient Time and differ'd his Discourse 'till after his Bloody Death and triumphant Resurrection And indeed if he had talk'd to them of Things that exceeded the Bounds of their
present and narrow Capacity he might have shock'd their Faith in him as the SON of the LIVING GOD. And I leave any one to judge whether this be not the most natural Sence of the following Words I have yet many Things to say unto you but ye John xvi V. 12. can't bear 'em now For there were several Explications to be giv'n of the Law with Respect to its Spiritual Meaning which ev'n our Saviour's Disciples at that Time were not duely dispos'd to hear because they had been born and bred among the Jews and since their Religion consisted very much of those Things which were Types and Shadows of the Gospel-Dispensation I 'm inclin'd to think that 't is upon that Account that our Saviour makes Use of the following Words When the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth as if he had V. 13. said he shall lead you into the true and full Sence of those Things viz. Types and Figures which you were conversant with and whereby you imagin'd you paid God the true Worship which was due to him and requir'd by him And the fore-mention'd Promise which our Saviour made to his Disciples was abundantly fulfill'd to the Apostle Peter when the Spirit of God shew'd him in a Vision all Sorts of Animals Birds and Four-footed Beasts and creeping Things and said to him Rise Peter kill and eat And indeed at that Juncture of Time he was so fond of his former Religion that he return'd this Answer ev'n to the Voice which he heard from Heaven Not so Lord for I have never eaten any Thing that is common or unclean But at length his Understanding was enlighten'd as appears from the following Words What God has cleans'd call not thou common And after that Instructive Vision the Spirit of Truth leading Peter into all Truth acquainted him with those Things which he cou'dn't bear while our Saviour was present with him in the Flesh But I shall have Occasion hereafter to speak of those who adhere to the litteral Sence of the Mosaick Law CHAP. III. MY Business at present is to shew that Celsus betrays his wretched Ignorance in representing a Jew addressing himself to those of his Native Country who were converted to the Christian Faith in the following Words What 's the Matter my dearly beloved Country-men that you have renounc'd the Law of your Fathers For how can they be said to renounce the Law of their Fathers who severely blame Persons for not adhering to it Tell me says the Apostle ye that desire to be under the Law do ye Gal. iv V. 21. not hear the Law For 't is written that Abraham had two Sons and so on to those Words Which Things are an Allegory And how can they be said to renounce the Law of their Fathers who are continually making mention of it as if they were proud of shewing the honourable Regard which they still pay to it and argue after the following Manner Say I these Things as a Man 1. Cor. ix V. 8. or says not the Law the same also For 't is written in the Law of Moses thou shalt not muzzle the Mouth of the Ox that treads out the Corn. Do's God take Care for Oxen Or says he it altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt this is written And how confus'd is Celsus's Discourse and how do's it want ev'n a plausible Appearance to recommend it to the World when he talks after the following Manner Some of you says he have forsak'n our Excellent Religion under a Pretence of giving Allegorical and Mystical Explications of the Law Others of you are great Admirers of a spiritual Sence as you are pleas'd to term it and yet are diligent Observers of those outward Ceremonies which make so considerable a Part of the Religion which we embrace There remain some others who adhere to the literal Sence of Scripture thinking that Abundance of spiritual Matter is wrapt up in the very Letter of the Law and profess that Jesus of Nazareth was the Person who was foretold by the Jewish Prophets and at the same Time observe the Precepts of Moses and the Traditions of their Ancestors But how cou'd it be expected that Celsus's Jew shou'd give us a true and clear Account of Matters of this Nature since in the Sequel of his Discourse he mentions several very great and notorious Heresies And there were some Jews who turn'd their Backs as he says upon the Creator of the Universe and didn't know that the believing Israelites did live in the strict Observance of the Law of their Fathers For his Design was not to act the Part of an impartial Enquirer into Truth who readily submits to the Evidence which it carries with it but to vent his Malice and right or wrong to make a Vigorous Opposition to the Christian Religion and as he vainly thought to expose it to the highest Contempt imaginable CHAP. IV. THE Jew continues his Discourse 'T was but t'other Day says he that we severely punish'd the Person who led you aside like a Company of silly Sheep and by Consequence 't was very lately and on a sudden that you renounc'd the Law of your Fathers But to this I have already return'd a sufficient Answer What he adds I confess carries with it a much greater Force With what Face says he or Colour of Reason can you despise those Sacred Rites which not long agoe you held in very great Esteem and especially when the Law of Moses is the Foundation on which the Doctrine of your Jesus is built as you your acknowledge That the Christian Religion is founded on the Jewish Law and Prophets as well as upon Christ and his Apostles is what I readily confess But we must also consider that they naturally lead us to the Mistery which was hid from Ages but is now made manifest Eph. iii. V. 9. by the Appearance of our Blessed Saviour And we don't despise the Law because we have a clearer Revelation but instead of that have the greater Veneration for it and endeavour to shew what Depths of Divine Wisdom there are ev'n in the Legal Dispensation which the Jews themselves know little or nothing of And why shou'd we think it strange that the Gospel shou'd be founded on the Law of Moses when our Saviour speaking to those that refus'd to believe in him has the following Words Had ye believ'd Moses ye John v. V. 46. wou'd have believ'd me for he wrote of John v. V. 46. me but if ye believe not his Writings how shall ye believe my Words And the Evangelist St. Mark begins his Gospel thus The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God as 't is written Mark i. V. 1. in the Prophets Behold I send thy Messenger before thy Face which shall prepare thy Way before thee intimating to us that the Gospel is founded on the Scriptures of the Old Testament it self I can't conceive therefore what Celsus's Jew proposes to himself
other innumerable Excellencies that adorn'd his Person and might sufficiently recommend him to the World He did'n't act like a Tyrant who by the Help of a prevailing Party takes Occasion to violate the known Laws of the Land in which he lives nor like a Robber who comes with Armed Men against them who innocently pass by the King's High-Way about their necessary Affairs or like a Wealthy Man who by the Help of Bribes induces Persons to come over to his Interest whether by right or wrong or like many others that might easily be mention'd whose Proceedings do manifestly deserve our Censure but like one who came to teach an ignorant and degenerate World what Thoughts they shou'd entertain of God and how they might so regulate their Morals as to maintain an humble and familiar Correspondence with his Blessed Majesty And as for Themistocles and several other Persons who gain'd a more than common Reputation and did real and extraordinary Service to their Native Country this must be said to draw a Shade over their greatest Glory that ev'ry Thing seem'd to smile on their just and honourable Attempts and as it were pave the Way for their glorious Victories and immortal Triumphs But as for our Blessed Saviour besides what I have already said which upon the first View one wou'd think was enough to have eternally conceal'd or shamefully fully'd the Name of the greatest Heroe that the World cou'd ever boast of the ignominious Death which he suffer'd on the Cross if he had had the fairest Character wou'd have giv'n his Followers just Cause to suspect him of being a vile Impostor if we may give any Credit to our Adversaries or at least have drawn a most dismal Veil over the few bright and entertaining Scenes of the most Aweful Tragedy that was ever acted CHAP. XXVIII AND 't is Matter of Wonder that our Saviour's Disciples who in the Judgment of our Enemies were not Eye-Witnesses of the Truth of his triumphant Resurrection and saw nothing but what was common and ev'n contemptible in his Person shou'dn't be afraid to imitate him in his Sufferings to encounter the most imminent and threat'ning Dangers and leave their Native Country to publish the Doctrine which their crucify'd but blessed Lord had taught em For I believe that no Person who laying aside his Prejudice examines these Matters duely will say that they wou'd ever have undergone the Fatigue of Ttinerant Preaching if they had not been fully perswaded of the vast Obligations that lay upon 'em both from Reason and Gratitude not only to conform their Manners to the holy Precepts of the Christian Religion but also to do what lay in their Power to bring many others under the same honourable and happy Bonds when as Matters went at that Critical Juncture they were sure to incur the Displeasure of the Heathen World who were zealous for their ancient Laws and Customs and cou'dn't endure the least seeming Innovation especially with respect to the pompous Ceremonies of their religious Worship But all these Difficulties were light and trivial in the Esteem of those who had Courage not only to prove to the Jewish Nation that our Blessed Saviour was frequently and expresly foretold by their own Prophetick Oracles but also to make it appear to others as Occasion offer'd that this very Person was the true Messiah who was crucify'd but t'other Day and willingly and ev'n chearfully laid down his precious Life for the whole Race of Men after the same manner tho' with unspeakable Advantage in which some others have sacrific'd all that 's near and dear to 'em for the good of their Native Country to free it from a raging Pestilence a threat'ning Famine or some violent impending Tempest that greatly endangers Ships and puts a Stop ev'n to Navigation which is so convenient and necessary for promoting an advantagious Trade into Foreign and very distant Parts For there are some secret Reasons in Nature which very few understand why the Death of one virtuous Man who readily suffers the greatest Evils that can possibly befall him for the real and perhaps lasting Welfare of the Place of his Nativity shou'd destroy or at least severely check the usurp'd Power of those infernal Daemons who are the Cause of Plagues Famines Storms and the like evident and great Disorders which frequently happen in the World And I wou'd fain know of them who don't believe that our Saviour dy'd for the general Benefit of the humane Race whether they won't give easie Credit to many Histories that are extant both of the Greeks and Barbarians which furnish us with frequent and remarkable Instances of Persons who have freely laid down their Lives for the publick Good and whose Death has been happily instrumental to purge away those threat'ning and grievous Calamities that infected Cities and perhaps whole Nations or whether on the Supposition that these are Matters of Fact it be in the least improbable that one cloath'd with humane Nature shou'd be nail'd to a Cross to destroy the Works of the Devil who before did often and too successfully exercise a Tyrannical Power over the Bodies and Souls of Men. Our Saviour's Disciples observing these Things and many Others of the like Nature with which in all Probability their prudent and indulgent Master thought fit to acquaint 'em and being fill'd with the Spirit of God for they were not inspir'd with their unusual Courage by the Virgin which the Poets speak of but by the true Wisdom of God they made haste Thro' the wide World their Fame to spread Hom. Il. Lib. 5. v. 2 CHAP. XXIX BUT 't is Time to return to the Jew whom Celsus personates who says That the Virgin Mary being big with Child was divorc'd by her Husband the Carpenter for committing Adultery with one Panthera a Soldier and being got with Child by that scandalous Wretch Let us see therefore whether the Inventors of this Story don't give a false and obscure Account of the Matter and whether by all that they have to say they are able to overthrow the Doctrine of our Saviour's miraculous Conception by the over-shadowing of the Holy Ghost For so surprizing a Passage as this is might very easily be falsify'd and 't was possible they might deny the Truth of it tho' they were inwardly convinc'd that our Saviour was not conceiv'd in the common Way of humane Generation And methinks it wou'dn't have been incongruous at all that they who didn't believe or rather wou'dn't acknowledge the Miracle shou'd invent a Fiction to serve their malicious and base Design But to invent one that was so far from having a plausible Appearance that 't was a great and notorious Untruth was to discover their Weakness to them who are able to distinguish Truth from Falsehood For do's it stand to Reason that one who was so useful to the World in general and express'd a most tender Concern both for the Greeks and Barbarians that they might reform their Manners from a Sense
is it most proper to attribute the Conception of Emmanuel that is God with us to a young Woman with Child in an unlawful and dishonourable Way or to one who had not lost her Virginity Certainly 't is most agreeable to the Dictates of Reason to suppose that so extraordinary a Person was conceiv'd by the latter in a strange and ev'n miraculous Way And if the Jew lays such a mighty Stress upon those Words Ask thee a Sign of the Lord thy God I shou'd be glad to know what Person was born in the Reign of Ahaz of whom it might be said This is Emmanuel which being interpreted is God with us And if no such Person can be found I think we may fairly understand this Text of our Blessed Saviour who as the Scriptures acquaint us was to be born of the Seed of David according to the Flesh and the following Words In the Height above or in the Depths below have a manifest Agreement with what is said of our Saviour He that descended is the same that Eph. iv V. 10. ascended up far above all Heav'ns that he might fill all Things CHAP. XXXI THIS I say to a Jew who if he observes his Character must give his ready and firm Assent to the Truth of the Jewish Prophecies And I ask Celsus and those of his Party did the Prophets foresee Things to come or did they not If they did not foresee 'em what shou'd make 'em speak with such an Air of Assurance and how comes it to pass that the whole Jewish Nation has all along look'd upon their Prophecies as divinely-inspir'd Oracles And since I am naturally led into a Discourse concerning the Jewish Prophets I hope that what I shall offer on this important Head may not only by the Blessing of Almighty God be of some Use to the Jews who believe that they were divinely-inspir'd but also to as many of the Greeks themselves as act upon ingenuous Principles For they must acknowledge that the Jews had true Prophets among 'em unless we cou'd suppose 'em to have a sufficient Warrant for violating their divinely-instituted Rites and paying Divine Worship as a just Tribute to the Mock-Deities of Foreign Nations I prove my Assertion thus We read in the Jewish Law That other Nations Deu. xviii V. 10. hearken'd to Observers of Times and to Diviners But to the Jewish Nation 't is said As for thee the Lord thy God has not suffer'd thee so to do Then it follows The Lord thy God will raise up to thee a Prophet of thy Brethren If therefore while other Nations had Men among 'em who foretold future Events whether by the flying or singing of Birds or by a narrow Inspection into the Entrails of Beasts or by the hollow Voices that were form'd in the Bellies of certain Persons or by the Childaean Horoscopes the Jews who had in common with others a Curiosity to know what shou'd come to pass were forbid to take the fore-mention'd Methods and had no Prophets of their own who were acquainted with Futurities they wou'd immediately have entertain'd mean Thoughts of their own Religion as bearing no undeniable Characters of its Divine Authority and have rejected all their Prophets down from Moses himself insomuch that we have Reason to believe they wou'd never have committed any Thing that was deliver'd by 'em to Writing but either have had Recourse to the Heathen Oracles or have practic'd something in Imitation of 'em in their Native Country And it was not in the least absurd that the Prophets for the Satisfaction of some Persons who desir'd it shou'd prophesy concerning Matters that seem'd to be of mean Importance as Samuel did concerning some Asses that 1 Sam. ix V. 20. were lost and Ahijah concerning the Death of Jeroboam's Son 1 Kin xiv V. 12. And indeed if they had no Prophets among 'em how cou'd any that were zealous for the Jewish Law reprove them who consulted the Heathen Oracles As we read that Elijah reprov'd Ahaziah saying is it because there is not a God in Israel that ye go to enquire of Baal-zebub the God of Ekron I think then that I have sufficiently prov'd not only that our Saviour was to be born of a Virgin but also that there were divinely-inspir'd Prophets to whom the Jewish Nation might have frequent and satisfactory Recourse These didn't only in the general foretel some Things that wou'd come to pass with reference to our Blessed Saviour and the remarkable Revolutions of Empires and Change of the Face of Affairs in the Jewish Nation and Conversion of the Gentiles but sometimes did more particularly foretel some Things as that the Asses which Kish had lost shou'd be found and that Jeroboam's Son shou'd dye And I might give many Parallel Instances that we meet with in the Holy Scriptures CHAP. XXXII I Have this to say farther to the Greeks who wo'n't believe that our Saviour was born of a Virgin that the Creator of the World if he pleases can make ev'ry Animal bring forth its young in the same wonderful manner that is observ'd of some inanimate Creatures and nothing hinders but he may cause if he pleases the like unusual Productions in the World of Men. For among Animals there are some Females that bring forth their young without any previous Copulation with the Males as for Instance the Vultures which propagate their Kind in this uncommon Way as the best Writers of Natural History do acquaint us What Absurdity is there then in supposing that the All-wise God designing to bless Mankind with an extraordinary and truly-divine Teacher shou'd so order Matters that our Blessed Saviour shou'd not be born in the ordinary Method of humane Generation And the Greeks themselves do readily acknowledge that some Men have come into the World without the Conjunction of Man and Woman For if the World had a Beginning as many of 'em grant it had then the first Man was not produc'd in the common Way but according to them by the Spermatick Vertue of the Earth which to me seems much more strange and unaccountable than our Saviour's Nativity if we do but follow the Dictates of impartial Reason since the Way in which he was born has some Resemblance with the usual Method of carnal Copulation And since I 'm concern'd with the Learned Greeks it may not be improper to make my Appeal ev'n to their own Histories that it may appear to the World that Others as well as the Christians must upon their own Principles acknowledge the Possibility of so extraordinary a Production against which they so loudly exclaim Now some of their Modern Authors tell us that Plato was born of Amphictione without the Conjunction of Ariston who was forbid to touch his Wife 'till she shou'd be deliver'd of a Son whom she shou'd conceive by Apollo This is a meer Fable I confess invented in Favour of a Person whose uncommon Attainments made 'em inclin'd to think that ev'n his Body was of
as being deriv'd from no other than a Divine Original And since 't is a pretended Jew who calls in Question the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon our Saviour in the Resemblance of a Dove one might well demand who is it that says thus in Isaiah's Prophecy Now the Lord God Isa xlviii V. 16. has sent me and his Holy Spirit which Words are ambiguous and may either signify that the Father and the Holy Spirit sent our Blessed Saviour or that the Son and Spirit were both sent by the Father the latter of which two Interpretations seems to me I confess to be true and genuine and because our Saviour was sent first and then the Holy Spirit that the Prophecy might be fulfil'd the Accomplishment of which was reserv'd for Future Ages for that Reason among others I judge it is that Things are related as they are by the Evangelists CHAP. XL. AND since Celsus's Jew do's in some sort acknowledge that our Saviour was baptiz'd by John the Baptist I wou'd produce the Testimony of a Famous Author who liv'd quickly after I mean Josephus who in the 18th Book of his Jewish Antiquities says That John the Baptist was invested with Authority to baptize and promis'd Remission of Sin to them that came to his Baptism The same Author tho' he don't believe that our Saviour was the true Messiah and when he enquires into the Cause of the Taking of Jerusalem and the Destruction of the Temple don't ascribe this grievous and surprizing Calamity as he ought to have done to the Crucifixion of our Blessed Saviour yet is fore'd to make some slender Approach to Truth and to acknowledge that 't was a remarkable Judgment which God sent upon the Jewish Nation for killing James the just who was Brother to Jesus who is call'd by the Name of Christ and was without doubt a very virtuous and pious Man This James was the same Person St. Paul that sincere Follower and eminent Apostle of our Blessed Lord tells us that he went to visit because he was the Brother of Christ which Title was proper for him not so much by Reason of their being in a peculiar Sence of the same Flesh and Blood as on the Account of the admirable and manifest Agreement both of their Doctrine and their Morals If then the fore-mention'd Author says That the Destruction of Jerusalem was owing to the Barbarous Death of James the just how much more Reason is there to believe 't was really and principally owing to the Crucifixion of our Blessed Saviour whose Divinity is so frequently attested by so many large and united Bodies of Men that consist of such Persons as have left their vicious Practices devote themselves to the Service of their great Creator and liberal Benefactor and in all their Actions have a most serious Regard to his Honour and Interest in the World And tho' the pretended Jew shou'd make no Apology for the Prophet Ezekiel and Isaiah since we meet with Passages in their Writings and in the rest of the Prophets which are no less strange I am sure than those which are related in the Gospels concerning our Blessed Saviour viz. That the Heavens were open'd and that he heard a Voice from thence I shall endeavour to shew that all who believe an over-ruling Providence acknowledge there have been praeternatural Visions and such wherein future Events relating to the Affairs of humane Life have been more clearly or more obscurely represented to the warm Imagination I say I shall endeavour to shew that the Assertors of Providence acknowledge that such Visions have been seen by Persons in their Sleep and that 't is no difficult Matter to conceive upon this Hypothesis that the same Impressions may be made on the Imagination when a Person is awake Whether they be design'd by God for the private Benefit of some particular Persons or to promote the spiritual Advantage of Mankind in general and as in our Sleep tho' there be nothing to strike upon our Sense of Sight or Hearing yet we strongly imagine that we see such Objects and hear such articulate Sounds when 't is our rational Faculty that 's all this while at Work and undergoes these various and strange Sensations So there 's no Absurdity in supposing that the same Thing might happen to the Prophets when we read that the Heav'ns were open'd to 'em that they saw strange Sights and heard the Voice of the great God himself For my Part I don't suppose that the visible Heavens were open'd and in a literal Sence were cleav'd asunder to give the Prophet Ezekiel an Occasion for writing as he do's And I am fully satisfy'd that they who read the Gospels with any Measure of Judgment won't understand our Saviour's Vision in the gross Sense of the Words of Scripture tho' I am not a little sensible that the ignorant Sort of People who at every Turn and to support an idle Whimsy of their own will allow the Frame of Universal Nature to be shak'd from off its Hinges and imagine that so vast and compact a Body as that of the Heavens was rent in two will be offended with any Discourse in Divinity that do's in the least interfere with the literal and most obvious Sence of Scripture But one who dives to the Bottom of Things will find that according to the Account we have in Holy Writ there is a certain Divine Knowledge which none but a few happy Persons have as Solomon says Thou shalt find the Knowledge of the Lord Prov. ii V 5. and that the several Branches of it are such as follow viz. A Sight adapted to the Contemplation of Objects that are beyond the Sphere of unassisted Nature such as Cherubims and Seraphims a Hearing suited to the Perception of Sounds vastly different from those which are form'd in the Air a Tast that can relish the living Bread that came down from Heaven a Smell that can distinguish that Heavenly Perfume of which the Apostle speaks when he says We are unto God a sweet Savour of Christ and a Touch of which 2 Cor. ii V. 15. St. John speaks when he says Our Hands have handl'd of the Word of i. John i V. I. Life The Blessed Prophets therefore being Partakers of these Divine Sensations and seeing hearing tasting and smelling in a Way that is perfectly supernatural we must understand these Things in the same Sence in which we must take that Place in Ezekiel where he 's said to have eat the Book that was deliver'd him In this Sence it was that Isaac smelt the sweet Savour of the Divine Garments of his Son and pronounc'd this Blessing upon him See the Smell of my Son is as the Smell of a Field which the Lord has bless'd And after the same Manner our Saviour touch'd the Leper which I think must be understood of a Spiritual rather than a Corporeal Touch that he might not only cleanse him as some think from his bodily Distemper but chiefly that he might
reason than you can say it of your self and seeming to insinuate that there were abundance of Persons to whom this Prophecy might fitly be apply'd as well in all respects as to our Blessed Saviour he says Several Enthusiasts and Impostors have claim'd the venerable Title of the Son of God and have said that they came down from Heav'n tho' I know not what Ground he cou'd have for using this Expression since the Jews do strongly deny that our Saviour was the Son of God To this I answer that several Prophets have prophecy'd in a different manner concerning the Messiah some by obscure and almost unintelligible Hints others by Allegories and some in the plainest and most express Terms imaginable And because Celsus discovers his Malice and excessive Heat in the Sequel of his Discourse where the Jew speaking to those of his own Nation that were converted to the Christian Faith has the Confidence to say That the Prophecies which are apply'd to our Saviour may be otherwise and much better accommodated I think it may not be improper at present to instance in some few of 'em which are most considerable And here let any Person employ his utmost Skill I defy him to shock the Faith of any judicious and establish'd Christians As for the Place of our Saviour's Nativity 't is said That a Ruler shall come forth from Bethlehem in the following Words But thou Bethlehem Mica v. V. 2. Ephratah tho' thou be little among the Thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me who is to be Ruler in Israel whose Goings forth have been from of Old from Everlasting This Prophecy can't with any Shew of Reason be apply'd to those Enthusiasts and Impostors as Celsus calls 'em who say they came down from Heaven unless it plainly appears that they were born at Bethlehem or as the Words may be render'd came forth from Bethlehem to be Rulers of the People As for our Saviour's being born at Bethlehem if any Person be dissatisfy'd with the Prophecy of Micah and the Account which is giv'n by the Evangelists let him only consider that the Cave in which he was born and the Manger in which he lay are to be seen at the fore mention'd Place to this very Day And this is a Truth so well known and so credibly attested that ev'n they who are Strangers to the Christian Religion are frequently heard to say Here is the Cave in which that JESUS who is worship'd by the Christians was born And 't is my Opinion that before our Saviour did make his Appearance in the World the chief Priests and the Teachers of the People openly confess'd and taught that the Messiah was to be born at Bethlehem and that ev'n the common People among the Jews were acquainted with this Prophecy which was deliver'd in express and very familiar Terms Hence it came to pass that Herod enquiring of the chief Priests and Scribes where the Messiah shou'd be born receiv'd this Answer that he shou'd be born at Bethlehem in the Land of Judaea which was honour'd by being the Place from which no less a Person than King David himself did spring Besides we read in St. John's Gospel that the Jews said that Christ was to be born at Bethlehem which was in the Native Country of the fore-mention'd King But when our Saviour was come into the World those Persons who left no Stone unturn'd to oppose the Religion which he introduc'd did no longer teach that the Messiah was to be born at Bethlehem plainly shewing they belong'd to the fame wretched Fraternity with them who prevail'd with the Souldiers who were appointed to guard the Sepulchre and were Eye-Witnesses of his triumphant Resurrection to say His Disciples came by Night and stole Mathew â—xv i. V. 13. V. 14. him away while we slept and said to 'em If this come to the Governor's Ears we 'll perswade him and secure you Such is the Power of Prejudice and the Love of Opposition that it often happens that we can't discern the most apparent Truths and are loth to endure the Shame which attends a Recantation of those false and dangerous Principles which we have once embrac'd and I think 't is every jot as easy to leave any bad Habit that we have unhappily contracted tho' it be as it were rooted in our very Nature as to leave the Opinions which we formerly held and which were very dear and extreamly familiar to us 'T is well known we do with a Kind of secret Reluctancy forsake those Houses Cities and Villages which by our long and delightful Continuance in 'em have render'd themselves familiar and ev'n natural to us And if it was not for unaccountable Prejudice ev'n the common People among the Jews wou'dn't shut their Eves as they manifestly do against the glorious Light of Scripture-Prophecy nor deny the extraordinary and often miraculous Circumstances which attended the Life and Death of our Blessed Saviour But that Prejudice is one of the greatest Infirmities which our Minds can possibly labour under is plain to them who consider that 't is with no small Difficulty and Regret that we leave the Opinions which we receiv'd by Tradition from our Parents tho' perhaps they may be such as on mature Deliberation do cover us with the deepest Shame and fill us with Vexation and Confusion So talk to an Egyptian 'till your Heart do ake and your Breath fails you yet he 'll be so far from renouncing his Religion that he will persist in it if it be possible with greater Obstinacy than before and rather dye than be guilty of so horrid a Prophanation as he accounts it to eat and pollute the sacred Flesh of Animals I thought it necessary to dwell the longer on this Subject that so we may return a solid Answer to them who perhaps may not stick to say If the Prophecies have so plain a reference to your Saviour as you say they have how comes it to pass that the Jews whose Wisdom you so highly value don't embrace the Christian Religion as well and as readily as you and regulate their Practice by those Precepts which Christ in some Sence has left behind him But let none reproach us as if we were so wretchedly ignorant as not to discern the Sophistry of so weak an Argument since some and I hope many of us can make it appear upon Occasion that Christianity is built on the most rational and solid Grounds or reflect upon us as if we were accountable for the monstrous Blindness and extravagant Practice of the Jews CHAP. XLIII I Might if 't were necessary instance in another Prophecy that was writ many Ages before the Incarnation of our Blessed Saviour in which Jacob prophesies concerning all his Children and speaking concerning Judah has these remarkable Words The Scepter Gen. xlix V. 10. shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his Feet 'till Shiloh come and unto him shall the Gathering of the People be
critâ—cal and full Examination of this Prophecy I shall reserve to a more proper Place tho' I thought 't was necessary for me to dwell a little upon it on the Account of what Celsus's Jew thought fit to object against us CHAP. XLV ONE remarkable Thing that has led Celsus and other Infidels into gross Mistakes in this important Affair is their not knowing or at least their not considering that the Prophets speak of a twofold Coming of the Messiah his first Coming at which he was to appear cloath'd with all the innocent Infirmities of humane Nature and strâ—â—ling with the pressing Inconveniencies of a mean and despis'd Condition that so living among Men he might the more feelingly instruct 'em in those Moral and Divine Truths which were important and highly necessary and inculcate upon 'em that aweful Account which they must shortly give when they shall be summon'd to appear before the Bar of God and his second Coming at which he will appear free from the least Allay ev'n of natural Imperfection and shine with the united and unfully'd Rays of his Original and in some Sence naked Divinity Twou'd be tedious to relate all the Prophecies that have an immediate and manifest Reference to our Blessed Saviour I shall therefore at present confine my self to that which we meet with in the Forty fifth Psalm which is entitul'd A Song of Loves and where our Saviour is expresly call'd by the Name of GOD. The Words are these Grace is pour'd into thy Lips therefore Psal xlv V. 2 3. God has blest thee for ever Gird thy Sword upon thy Thigh O most Mighty with thy Glory and thy Majesty and in thy Majesty ride prosperously because of Truth and Meekness and Righteousness and thy right Hand shall teach thee verrible Things Thine Arrows are sharp in the Heart of the King's Enemies whereby the People fall under thee Thy throne O God is for ever and ever The Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter Thou lovest Righteousness and hatest Wickedness therefore God thy God has anointed thee with the Oil of Gladness above thy Fellows Where take Notice that the Prophetical Psalmist making his Address to God Whose Throne is for ever and ever and the Scepter of whose Kingdom is a right Scepter says that this Person was anointed by God who was his God and that he was anointed above his Fellows with the Oil of Gladness because he lov'd Righteousness and hated Wickedness I remember that once I horribly baffl'd a Jewish Doctor with this very Prophecy who being at a grievous Loss to know what Answer he shou'd give me had seasonable Recourse to a pityful Evasion which was suitable enough to the false Principles he endeavour'd to maintain viz. That those Words Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever the Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter were spoke of the Great God himself and those Words Thou lovest Righteousness and hatest Wickedness therefore God ev'n thy God has anointed thee with the Oil of Gladness above thy Fellows must be understood of the Messiah CHAP. XLVI CELSVS's Jew continues his Discourse with our Blessed Saviour and says If as you your self acknowledge every Person who comes into the World by the general Concourse of Providence is a Son of God What special Prerogative is there which you can justly claim To which I answer that they who are no longer acted by a Spirit of Bondage as St. Paul expresses it but choose Virtue for its intrinsick Worth may in a less noble Sence be call'd the Sons of God But there 's a vast Disproportion between those who are the Sons of God as they are imperfectly endu'd with Moral and Christian Virtues and our Blessed Saviour who is the inexhaustible Fountain from which their borrow'd Good do's entirely and will for ever flow The Words of St. Paul which I just now refer'd to are these Ye have not receiv'd the Spirit of Bondage again Rom. viii V. 15. to fear but ye have receiv'd the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The Jew continues his Discourse in the following Words Abundance of Persons will find Fault with your pretended Saviour for applying those Prophecies to himself which they think may at least as justly be apply'd to them To this I answer that I am apt to think that Celsus didn't know of any Persons who rival'd our Saviour in his Miracles and justly claim'd the Title of Sons of God or The Power of the Supream Majesty But because the sincere and strong Affection which I have for Truth won't suffer me to pass by any Thing that ev'n seems to oppose the Christian Cause I readily acknowledge that before our Saviour's Incarnation there was a certain Person whose Name was Theudas who appear'd among the Jews pretending to be a mighty Man after whose Decease his deluded Followers were soon dispers'd Some Time after in the Days of the Taxing during which as far as I can gather from Scripture our Blessed Saviour was born one Judas of Galilee drew after him a considerable Number of weak and credulous Jews who affecting Novelties cry'd him up as a Man endu'd with more than ordinary Wisdom and was no sooner brought to condign Punishment but his Doctrine came immediately into Disrepute or at best was only secretly maintain'd by some few Persons of mean Rank and Figure And after our Saviour appear'd upon the Stage of the World one Dositheus a Samaritan endeavour'd to perswade his Country-men that he was the very Person to whom the Prophets had so plain a Reference when they foretold the Coming of the Messiah and some few Persons I confess there were who seem'd heartily to embrace his Doctrine Here I think it will not be improper to mention that wise Expression of Gamaliel which we meet with in the Acts of the Apostles to shew beyond all Contradiction that the fore-mention'd Persons were not intended in the Promise which God gave of sending the Messiah and that neither of 'em deserv'd the honourable Title of The Son or Power of God but that of all the Men who ever appear'd and made a Figure in the World our Blessed Saviour was the only Person who cou'd justly claim it If this Counsel said he or this Work be Acts. v. V. 38. of Men 't will come to nought but if it be of God ye can't overthrow it lest haply ye be found ev'n to fight against God There was also one Simon a Magician of Samaria who endeavour'd by his Magick to draw People after him and for some Time he wasn't without his Followers but I believe there are now scarce thirty Simonians in the whole habitable World Nay perhaps I have exceeded the Number since there are only a few near Palaestine and that Doctrine which they embrac'd did never obtain in any other Parts tho' its Authour did fondly imagine that it wou'd soon and easily reach and happily engage the most distant and barbarous Nations in it's Favour For they
who know any Thing of their celebrated Simon owe their Knowledge entirely to the Account which we have of him in the Acts of the Apostles So that were it not for the Christians his very Name wou'd before this Time have been bury'd in oblivion and 't was sufficiently evident from Experience that he bore none of the shining Characters of one who had a Divine Commission CHAP. XLVII THEN Celsus's Jew not keeping to the sacred Text says That our Saviour boasted that some wise Men of the Chaldaeans being mov'd by a secret Perswasion that he was born came to pay Divine Worship to him in his Infancy and that when they had acquainted Herod the Tetrarch with it he order'd his Officers to kill all the Infants that were about that Age imagining that our Saviour wou'd inour the same Fate with them and thereby be prevented from ever coming to the Crown Take Notice how grosly the Jew is mistaken here who confounds the wise Men and the Chaldaeans not discerning that for any Thing that appears to the contrary they might be of Different Countrys and Professions and notoriously Falsifying the Account which we have of this Matter in the Gospels And I know not how it comes to pass that he don't think fit to acquaint us that the Star which they â—aw in the East was the Ground of their secret Perswasion that the Messiah was then born into the World Let us see therefore what matter of Discourse this Subject will afford us I confess 't is my Opinion that the Star that appear'd at our Saviour's Nativity was entirely new and vastly different from those which are commonly seen whether in the superiour or inferiour Orbs and I am enclin'd to think it might be much of the same kind with those Comets that appear for a Time and have different Names assign'd 'em by the Greeks according to their different Figure And I build my Opinion upon the following Grounds It has been observ'd by Learned Authours that when any considerable Alteration has happen'd in the Face of Affairs such Stars have expos'd themselves to View as did presage some strange Revolutions of Empires some dreadful Wars or some such Accidents as these which put the whole World into a terrible and unusual Commotion I have also read in a Treatise concerning Comets writ by Chaeremon the Stoick that sometimes they have presag'd very happy Events and he produces several Instances from very credible Historians to make good the Assertion which he there lays down If then at the Establishment of some new Monarchy or before some remarkable Scene of publick Affairs do's begin to open these Comets or Stars of the like Nature do appear 't is no Wonder at all that a Star shou'd be seen at the Nativity of our Saviour who was design'd by the All-wise God to make so sudden so great and so happy an Alteration in the World to publish a new unadorn'd and discountenanc'd Doctrine not only to the Jews and Greeks but also to a vast Number of the most distant and barbarous Nations of the World And this I may safely say in Favour of the Christian Religion that we don't meet with any or at least with no Scripture-Prophecy concerning the Appearance of such a Star at such a Time for Instance at the Establishment of such a Rising Empire but the Star that grac'd our Saviour's Nativity was foretold by Balaam as Moses gives us an Account There shall come says Numbers xxiv v. 17 he a Star out of Jacob and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel But here I must argue with the Greeks and Jews and therefore shall be oblig'd to dispute against each Sort of Persons from very different Topicks To the Greeks I have this to offer that the Magicians who converse with Daemons and do with a most Horrid Solemnity invoke their seasonable Assistance for the most part attain the End which they propose to themselves unless a Divine Power interfere that is Superiour to the Daemons or some Name be mention'd that has a greater Force than those Names which are appropriated by 'em to the Art they practice But if that shou'd happen then all their Magical Operations are unavoidably lost and they are as it were dazzl'd and confounded with the bright Rays of the Sun of Righteousness It seems to me therefore to be highly probable that when our Saviour was born and a Multitude of the Heavenly Host as St. Luke do's credibly relate the Passage prais'd God saying Glory to God in the highest Peace on Earth and good Will towards Men Luke ii V. 14. the Daemons were shock'd and all their Hellish Measures most strangely disconcerted not only by good Angels who came down from Heaven to celebrate the Nativity of our Blessed Saviour but also by the Humane Soul of the Holy and Spotless Jesus as being a happy Instrument of the Deity which dwelt in so glorious but inconceivable a Manner ev'n in his Humane Nature The Wise Men therefore being desirous to perform their usual Operations and failing in what they endeavour'd to effect we may naturally suppose enquir'd into the Reason of their bad Success and were sensible that something extraordinary must occur to defeat their rais'd Expectations and exceed the Power of the Daemons and when they saw a Sign in the Heavens they had a natural Curiosity to know its Meaning and having perhaps consulted the Prophecies of Balaam and this Prophecy of the Star of which Moses gives us an Account and particularly those Words I shall see him but not now I shall behold Numbers xxiv V. 17 him but not nigh from hence they might frame this rational Conjecture that the very Person at whose Birth 't was prophesy'd that a Star shou'd appear was then actually born and having a just Notion that he was far Superiour to all their Daemons they came to pay him the just Tribute of Divine Adoration They steer'd their Course therefore to Judaea being perswaded that some great Prince was born but ignorant of the Nature of his Kingdom and the Place of his Nativity and when they were happily come to the Place where the young Child was they offer'd Presents to him that were lively Representations of his Divine and Humane Nature viz. Gold an Emblem of his Royal Power Frankincense to note to us his Divinity and Myrrh to signify his bitter Passion CHAP. XLVIII SINCE therefore 't was the Saviour of Mankind that was come into the World who was God and by Consequence above the Angels tho' they are frequently employ'd as ministring Spirits in the Behalf of Men the Worship which the Wise-Men paid him was abundantly recompens'd by the Warning which the Angel gave 'em that they shou'dn't return to Herod but depart into their own Country another Way And 't is no Wonder at all that Herod shou'd seek to destroy the infant-Infant-Saviour tho' Celsus's Jew seems to doubt very much of the Truth of what we think was plain Matter of Fact For Malice is so
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
afterwards Arise and take the young Child and his Mother and flee into Egypt and be thou there until I bring thee Word for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy him And I see nothing in this whole Account that ev'n seems to shock our Reason and destroy our Faith For we read elsewhere that Joseph was warn'd by God in a Dream and that such Apparitions as these have been is a Truth in the firm Belief of which Experience it self may I think sufficiently confirm us What Absurdity is there then upon the whole in supposing that our Blessed Saviour who assum'd the Humane Nature shou'd act with the Prudence of a Man in endeavouring to keep out of the Way of impending Calamities not as if he cou'dn't have avoided 'em by his Infinite Power without taking such Measures as he did but because 't was consistent with the Will of God and with the Nature of Things that his Life shou'd be preserv'd In the Vse of Means and not by a Continu'd Course of Super-natural and Miraculous Events 'T was more agreeable to the Dictates of Infinite Wisdom that our Saviour shou'd be carry'd by his Parents into Egypt and that he shou'd tarry there 'till they heard of the Death of Herod than that he shou'd stay in his Native Country and yet be preserv'd from the Evils to which he was expos'd being better arm'd than with Pluto's Helmet and secur'd from the Rage of his malicious Enemies by their being struck like the Sodomites of old with sudden Blindness For such a Series of miraculous Appearances had been very unsuitable to his great Design of acquainting the World as a Man authoriz'd by the Testimony of God himself that the TRVE SON of GOD the ETERNAL WORD the WISDOM and POWER of GOD did gloriously tho' wonderfully reside in the Humane Nature of the INCARNATE JESVS But 't is not my Business at present to speak fully of the Two Natures that were united in the Person of our Blessed Saviour since there is a Particular and if I may so say a Domestick Dispute between us concerning that Difficult and Important Point CHAP. LVII THEN Celsus's Jew as if he had been educated in the Schools of the Greeks and instructed in their Learning says That the Ancient Fables that attribute a Divine Original to Perseus Amphion Aeacus and Minos tho' they be not in Strictness true yet do display the Actions of these Persons as being great and wonderful and above the Sphere of Humane Nature But for your Part what did you ever say or do that was worthy of Admiration tho' you were openly challeng'd to give convincing Proofs that you were the Son of God In Answer to this I need only ask the Greeks whether they can shew that any of the fore-mention'd Persons did any extraordinary Service to the World or perform'd any great Exploit to induce future Ages to believe the Truth of those Fables which represent 'em to us as being deriv'd from a Divine Original But I defy 'em to instance in any of the Actions of these Fabulous Heroes that deserv'd to be nam'd much less compar'd with what our Saviour did unless they will refer us to their own Fables and Histories and have us to believe 'em without any more adoe and disbelieve our Histories of the Truth and Importance of which we have all the Evidence that we can reasonably desire We say and know that the Divine Power of our Blessed Saviour has been sufficiently seen and happily felt thro' the whole habitable World where any Churches are founded that consist of Persons reclaim'd from many exorbitant Vices And the Name of JESVS at this very Day composes the ruffl'd Minds of Men dispossesses Daemons cures Diseases and works a meek gentle and amicable Temper in all those Persons who make Profession of Christianity from an higher End than their worldly Interest and sincerely believe what it teaches us concerning God and Christ and a Future Judgment CHAP. LVIII THEN Celsus foreseeing how many remarkable Actions that were perform'd by our Saviour might be mention'd by us to his Honour a few of which I have related makes as if he granted the Truth of what is writ concerning the Diseases that were cur'd the Dead that were rais'd to Life and the few Loaves with which a great Multitude was fed and of which many Fragments did remain and those strange Accounts we meet with in the Gospel-History and immediately adds the following Words Well let us suppose that you really did these Things you talk of But in the same Breath he quite unravels what he had said before and sets them on a Level with the Operations that are perform'd by Magicians who pretend to do mighty Things and having study'd Magick in Egypt get a little Money out of People's Pockets by practising their Art in the open Forum â—ispossessing Daemons curing Distempers calling back departed Souls and representing to the deluded Sight a Table spread with imaginary Dainties and Animals that seem to move of their own Accord but have no inward Spring of Life and Motion His Words are these Pray must we esteem the Persons who perform these wonderful Operations to be the Sons of God or must we not rather esteem 'em to be vile Wretches that are well-vers'd it seems in a Diabolical Art You see here that he allows an extraordinary Power in Magick tho' by the Way I 'm much mistak'n if he isn't the very Person who writ several Books in which he directly maintains the contrary And yet because he thinks it may serve his Cause he compares the Actions of our Blessed Saviour with the Operations of Magicians Indeed there had been some Ground for making this invidious Comparison if our Saviour had made such a Vain Shew of Miracles as the Magicians do Their Design also whatever Wonders they may effect by the Assistance of the Devil is not to reform the Manners of Men nor have such Vain Amusements the least Tendency to beget in Persons a True Fear of God and so to regulate their Actions that they may be honourably acquitted when they shall be summon'd to appear before his Awful Bar. The fore-mention'd Persons don 't so much as aim at any Thing of this Kind and if they did of all Persons in the World they wou'd be most unfit for so great an Undertaking since they themselves are guilty of the moâ—t notorious Crimes Whereas our Blessed Saviour who design'd by his Miracles to reform the Manners of them who were Eye Witnesses of what he did gave not only his Followers but all Mankind a Bright Example of Vnaffected Virtue and Piety that they who were to publish his Excellent Doctrine might at once be directed and encourag'd to acquaint their Hearers with the Mind of God and that the fore-mention'd Persons being more convinc'd by the Native Beauty of the Christian Religion and the Holy Lives of their Teachers than by the Miracles that were wrought might in all their Actions have a sincere
and sacred Regard to the Honour of God and the Interest of their Dear and Ever Blessed Redeemer Now if the whole Course of our Saviour's Life was such as I have represented it without using any Artificiâ—l Colours and Bold Figures to emblazon it as we know is too frequently the Case of many of the feign'd Heroes of Antiquity how absurd a Thing is it to compare it with the cursed Operations of Magicians and is it not highly agreeable to the Dictates of impartial Reason to believe that he was GOD as he himself assures us and condescended to assume the Hamane Nature for our Common and Everlasting Benefit CHAP. LIX THEN Celsus confounding Things at a most miserable Rate and borrowing what is peculiar to one Sect of Christians that he may the more successfully reproach the whole Body of 'em says Certainly a God wou'd never have such a Body as yours that is so contemptible as being liable to so many and so considerable Imperfections In Answer to this we say he assum'd A Humane Body being conceiv'd in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin which render'd him capable of Suffering and Dying in some Respects like the rest of Men. In this Sence we may truly say he was a miserable Person Being tempted in all Heb. iv V. 15. Things as we are yet without Sin For with us 't is beyond all Doubt that He committed no Sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth and that God did 1 Pet. ii V 22. deliver him up as a Spotless Sacrifice for the Sins of an Apostate World Then Celsus says the Body of a God wou'd never have been form'd like your's But he can't deny that if our Saviour was born as we say he was then ev'n his Body had in some Sence a Stamp of Divinity upon it and might be call'd the Body of the Great God himself On the contrary he disbelieves and ridicules the Account we have of our Saviour's Conception by the Holy Ghost and thinks he was begotten in Adultery by one Panthera a Souldier on the Body of her whom we call the Blessed Virgin and that made him say the Body of a God wou'd never have been form'd like your's But I think I have said enough on that Head already to satisfy any Impartial and Candid Reader CHAP. LX. CELSVS goes on neither says he Do's the Body of God stand in Need of such Food for its Nourishment and Support as that with which yours is supply'd as if he cou'd shew out of the Four Evangelists not only that he ate but also by what Food his frail Nature was maintain'd But be it so I grant he ate the Passover with his Disciples and not only made Use of the following Words With Desire Luk. xxii V. 15. I have desir'd to eat this Passover with you but did actually partake of what was provided for him I grant also that being thirsty he drank at Jacob's Well But what is this to the Purpose 'T is said expresly he ate Fish ev'n after he was risen from the dead And this agrees very well with what we say viz. That he assum'd a Real and not a Phantastical Body and was conceiv'd in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin Then Celsus says A God had no need of such a Voice nor such Methods of Perswasion But this I think is one of the most frivolous Objections that he cou'd possibly have rais'd against us For I might tell him that Apollo one of the Gods of the Greeks who goes under the Name of Pythian and Didymaeâ—n made use of such a Voice when the Oracle was giv'n by the Pythian Priestess or the Priestess of Miletum And yet the Greeks don't take Occasion from hence to call in Question much less to deny the Divinity of Apollo or any other God who gave out Oracles at some convenient Place Now how much more did it conduce to the Spiritual Advantage of the World in General that God shou'd reveal his Will in the Person of our Blessed Saviour who spoke with such Authority and Power that he made a secret but irresistible Impression upon the Minds of Men. CHAP. LXI THEN Celsus whose wicked Opinions and Practices render him hateful to that God who is a Lover of right Reason and unaffected Virtue reproaches our Saviour in the following Words All his Miracles discover'd him to be a Person hateful to God and a notorious and vile Impostor But if we critically enquire into the Nature of Things and the Signification of the foregoing Words we shall find that in Propriety and Strictness of Speech no Person how wicked soever he may be can have this Character giv'n him that he is hated of God For the following Expression carries Abundance of Truth as well as Weight in it viz. Thou lovest all Things that Wis xi V. 24. are and hatest nothing which thou hast made for never wou'dst thou have made any Thing if thou hadst hated it If we meet with any Expressions in the Writings of the Prophets that seem to intimate that God hates his Creatures we must interpret 'em by this general and necessary Rule that the Scripture when it speaks of God do's often cloath him as it were with those very Passions which are frequently working in Humane Breasts But to what Purpose is it to return an Answer to a Person who ev'n in a Discourse Entitul'd A True Relation takes the Liberty to give Vent to his Passion in most unjust and severe Invectives and to treat our Blessed Saviour as if he were like him a Notorious and Vile Impostor For such Language as he gives him don't become a Man who pretends to Reason and Demonstration tho' he discovers at once his Want both of Sence and Breeding On the contrary he ought to have fairly stated the Controversy which there is between us to have examin'd Matters with the greatest Impartiality and Exactness and shou'd have avoided as much as might be all needless and ridiculous Digressions and Tautologies But because Celsus's Jew do's no longer continue his Discourse with our Blessed Saviour I shall draw my first Book to a Conclusion and if God will grant me the Knowledge of his Truth which is able to overthrow tho' not wholly to extirpate Error according to that Expression Destroy 'em by thy Truth I shall return an Answer to what Celsus offers as personating a Jew directing his Discourse to those of his Native Country who are suppos'd to be unhappily as he imagines brought off from Judaism to an open Profession of the Religion which we embrace Origen against Celsus Translated from the ORIGINAL INTO ENGLISH Book the Second Origen against Celsus CHAP. I. MY First Book in Answer to Celsus's Discourse Entitul'd A True Relation ending where he ceases to personate a Jew discoursing with our Blessed Saviour and being swol'n to a convenient Bulk I resolv'd to compose a second and therein I shall endeavour to confute what the same pretended Jew has to offer to those of his own Country who are
Passages in the Gospels that he who spoke those Words by the Mouth of the Blessed Jesus I am the Way the Truth and the Life was not circumscrib'd within the narrow Limits of his Humane Nature John the Baptist foretelling that in a short Time the Son of GOD shou'd make his Appearance in the World speaks of him as a Person that was Omnipresent There stands one among John 1. V. 26. 27. you says he whom ye know not he it is who coming after me is before me Now is it probable or ev'n possible he shou'd apply these Words to our Saviour's Body or his Humane Soul And our Blessed Lord himself raising the Minds of his Disciples to more sublime Thoughts of the SON of GOD makes use of the following Expression Where two or three are gather'd Ma. xviii V. 20. together in my Name there am I in the midst of em There 's another Promise that is much of the same Import which he makes to his Disciples Lo I am with Mat. 28. V. 20. you always ev'n to the End of the World I hope the Reader will not misunderstand me as if I said any Thing that might in the least interfere with that intimate and glorious Union that there is between the Humanity of the incarnate Jesus and the Misterious Person of the ETERNAL WORD For if St. Paul teaches us that He that is joyn'd to the Lord is one Spirit 1. Cor. 6. V. 17. certainly they that understand this Doctrine will readily allow that there is a closer and more Divine Union between the WORD and it s assum'd Humanity And our Blessed Saviour did abundantly discover that he was no less than the Power of God by the frequent and uncontested Miracles which he wrought ev'n in the Presence of the Jews tho' they profess'd to entertain a most unaccountable Notion I can't imagine for my Part that it shou'd ever enter into any Man's Mind that he cast out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils and Celsus we know ascribes 'em to the Power of Magick But our Saviour abundantly confuted this Absurd Conceit by shewing that the Kingdom of Satan was going to suffer a most violent Shock as evidently appears to them who read the Gospels with any tolerable Share of Judgment Let Celsus shew if he can wherein our Saviour fail'd in his great Design to destroy the Works of the Devil and bring convincing Proofs of the Truth or ev'n Probability of what he offers But this I 'm apt to think is what he will scarce be able to perform since the Objections that he raises against us are founded for the most Part on some Matters of Fact which are grosly misunderstood by him or some Passages in the Gospels which are shamefully misapply'd or some fabulous Accounts which are owing to the unhappy but fruitful Invention of the Jews CHAP. XII BUT because Celsus's Jew affirms that he was convicted and condemn'd after a Legal Process I desire to know how this can be prov'd to be true when 't is plain beyond all Contradiction that his Enemies were very zealous in suborning false Witnesses against him Perhaps they wou'd fain make us believe that our Saviour was convicted because his Accusers took great Advantage against him by that innocent and just Expression of his I am able to destroy the Temple of Mat. xxv V. 6. 1 God and to build it in three Days 'T is true indeed he spoke these Words of the Temple of his Body but they not knowing his Design imagin'd that they had a Reference to their Material and Pompous Temple for which they plainly discover'd a far greater Veneration than for that Glorious and Adorable Temple wherein the ETERNAL WORD the TRVTH and WISDOM of GOD did Personally tho' Mysteriously reside But since Celsus's Jew insults over us because our Saviour was taken I grant he was but this ought to be consider'd that it wasn't done without his own Consent For when his Time was come he surrend'red himself as an easie Prey into the Hands of his barbarous Enemies and abundantly made good the Character which is giv'n him in the Holy Scripture and particularly in the following Words Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins of the John i. V. 28. World This is no more than what the Evangelist tells us Jesus therefore knowing says he all Things that should Joh. xviii V. 4 c come upon him went forth and said unto 'em whom seek ye They answer'd him Jesus of Nazareth Jesus says unto 'em I am he And Judas also which betray'd him stood with em As soon then as he had said unto 'em I am he they went backward and fell to the Ground Then ask'd he them again Whom seek ye And they said Jesus of Nazareth Jesus answer'd I have told you that I am he If therefore ye seek me let these go their Way And when one of his Disciples stood by and smote the Ear of the High-Priest's Servant he said Put up thy Sword into its place For all they that take the Sword shall perish by the Sword Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray unto my Father and he shall presently give me more than twelve Legions of Angels But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfill'd that thus it must be Now if any Person shou'd be so weak as to imagine that these are only Fictions of the Evangelists have we not Reason on the contrary to think our Adversaries have been grosly guilty of that Practice with which they charge the Christians that so they might vent their implacable Malice against all those who profess to be the Followers of the Blessed Jesus and to believe that those Things are most certainly true which are related by Persons whose Integrity do's abundantly appear from the Consideration of the dreadful Calamities to which they knew their Religion did so manifestly expose em For we can't conceive that the Followers of our Blessed Saviour shou'd embrace the most shameful and painful Death with undaunted Courage and heroick Constancy had they been the scandalous Inventers of the History which they transmitted to Posterity but on the contrary we must esteem 'em to be Persons who were fully perswaded in their own Minds of the Truth and Importance of what they publish'd to the World since they knew by Observation and Experience that Scorn and Infamy were the shocking Attendants and Persecution and Death almost the natural and unavoidable Consequence of the glorious Profession which they made of the Name of Jesus CHAP. XIII WHAT the pretended Jew says farther viz. That our Saviour was betray'd by his own Disciples he might learn from the Evangelists with this little Difference that whereas they acquaint us that he was betray'd by Judas he chooses to speak in the Plural Number that his Objection may seem to have the greater Force but hasn't the Curiosity I will not say the Conscience to enquire narrowly into the Account which we have of Judas whose Heart was miserably
study'd the same excellent Science for many Years in the School of Cleanthes Whereas Judas hadn't continu'd three Years with our Blessed Saviour when he so shamefully betray'd him And if we read the Lives of the Philosophers we shall meet with frequent Instances that in some Respects resemble the Horrid Treachery of Judas We shall find that the Pythagoreans built Tombs for such Persons as left the Study of Philosophy and betook themselves to a different and less-useful Course of Life But I suppose no Person will be so weak as to take Occasion from hence to reflect on the Doctrine of Pythagoras or the solid Arguments which his Followers us'd in its Defence The Jew adds that Having many Things to say with respect to our Saviour which are far from being fairly represented by his Disciples he chose to pass 'em over in a profound Silence But I ask what Truths are these that are misinterpreted by the Evangelists and which he forbears to mention Must not this pass for a Rhetorical Flourish to make us believe he was furnish'd with a great Stock of Arguments against our Blessed Saviour when most if not all that he cou'd possibly say if it was true and material was borrow'd from those very Gospels which sometimes he so much despises CHAP. XIV THEN Celsus finds Fault with our Saviour's Disciples for saying That he foreknew and foretold all the remarkable Things that ever happen'd to him But we doubt not in the least but we can easily prove by an Enumeration of Particulars let Celsus say what he pleases to the contrary that our Saviour foretold several Things that shou'd befall his Disciples some considerable Time before they came to pass What a wonderful Instance of this is that which St. Mathew gives Ye Mat. x. V. 18. shall be brought before Governors and Kings for my sake for a Testimony against them and the Gentiles I might quote many other Places where our Saviour do's expresly foretell the grievous Persecutions that shou'd be the too common Lot of Christians Now what Religion is there in the whole habitable World that wants the Advantage of a TOLERATION except that which our Saviour introduc'd So that there 's no Ground for that foolish Plea which our Enemies make Use of that he saw what bad Entertainment false and corrupt Notions wou'd naturally meet with in the World and therefore to raise his Reputation and promote his Interest did only foretell those Things which any Child might have known wou'd befall him But if Persons wou'd unavoidably be brought before Governors and Kings for holding false and wicked Notions one wou'd think that the Epicureans who disbelieve an over-ruling Povidence shou'd be brought before 'em as soon as any Persons in the World or the Peripateticks who think that the Prayers which are put up and the Sacrifices which are offer'd to the Gods are wholly insignificant and little Arts unworthy to be practic'd by those who pretend to the Sence and Learning of Philosophers But perhaps our Enemies may object That the Samaritanes are persecuted on the Account of their Religion To this I answer that they are condemn'd to dye for circumcising themselves in direct Opposition to the Law which permits none but Jews to observe this celebrated and Ancient Rite And we don't find that the Judge leaves it to their Choice whether they will obstinately persist and dye or renounce their Religion and so be publickly acquitted but if they are found to be circumcis'd immediately they must suffer Death The Christians are the only Persons in the World who tho' they are persecuted according to our Saviour's Prediction Ye shall be brought before Governors and Kings for my sake are entreated to the last Breath they draw to renounce the Christian Religion and sacrifice to Idols and so to put themselves directly into a safe and happy Condition with respect to their outward Circumstances See therefore with what Authority our Blessed Saviour spoke the following Words Whosoever shall confess me Mat. x. V. 32 33. before Men him will I confess before my Father which is in Heav'n but whosoever shall deny me before Men him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heav'n Take Notice that this was spoken by him a considerable Time before the Thing that he speaks of was true in Fact Perhaps such a Thought as this may be ready to dart into your Mind that he builds Castles in the Air and what he prophesies don't look at all as if the Event wou'd be answerable But if you can exercise a little Patience you 'll say thus to your if our Blessed Saviour did readily foretell that Governours and Kings wou'd use their utmost Endeavours to extirpate the Religion he introduc'd into the World and if the Event has fully answer'd his Prediction certainly we have all imaginable Reason to believe that he receiv'd such a Power from God as was necessary to make his Doctrine obtain so Universally as it did and that he knew very well that all the Difficulties that lay in the Way to its Reception shou'd be happily and easily surmounted by the help of Miracles And who without a Transport of Holy Admiration can set our Saviour before his Eyes expresly foretelling That the Gospel of the Kingdom shou'd Mat. xxiv V. 14 be preach'd in all the World for a Witness unto all Nations and see the Prediction in due Time fulfill'd the Gospel being preach'd to the Greeks and Barbarians to the Learned and Unlearned and the whole habitable World being brought as it were under its honourable and happy Yoak Besides let the Pretended Jew who don't believe that our Saviour foretold those Things which we see did afterwards befall him I say let him consider that when the City of Jerusalem was in all its Glory and the Pompous Ceremonies of the Jewish Religion were solemnly perform'd in it he foretold that it shou'd be invaded and ruin'd by the Romans I suppose no One will take the Liberty to say that they who were his Familiar Friends and constant Hearers did satisfy themselves with teaching Viva Voce those Things which are the Subject-Matter of the Gospels without leaving behind 'em a History of the most remarkable Transactions of our Blessed Saviour St. Luke has the following Words When ye shall see Jerusalem compass'd with Luke 21. V. 20. Armies then know that the Desolation thereof is nigh Now at the Time when these Things were writ there was no Suspicion of a Siege or any grievous Calamity that threaten'd the Jewish Church and State 'T was in the Reign of the Emperor Nero that the Romans made their first Attack on this Once-glorious City and it was not tak'n 'till the Reign of the Emperor Vespasian whose Son Titus Vespasian did utterly destroy it This was a just and heavy Judgment of God upon 'em for killing James the just as Josephus wou'd fain have us to believe whereas in Truth 't was owing to the horrid Crime they committed in embruing their
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
the Horrour of his Crime He went out Mat. 26. V. 74. and wept bitterly as St. Mathew tells us and those of his Disciples that we read of who retain'd a profound Respect for their Lord and Master but were a little amaz'd and for the present shock'd by considering the sad Calamities which befel him regain'd that Native Courage when he appear'd to 'em after his Triumphant Resurrection Nay they not only believ'd he was the SON OF GOD but were confirm'd in the Christian Faith and became more Couragious than ever under the happy Conduct of the great Captain of their Salvation Celsus thinks as appears by the Sequel of his Discourse there was no real Excellency in our Saviour's Doctrine nor any Regularity and Strictness observable in his Morals sufficient to advance him above other Men but that contrary to the Character which he bore he ought not to have dy'd at all or at least there shou'd have been nothing in his Death that might justly induce us to lay down our Lives when Occasion offers for the Sake of our most Holy Religion But to me I confess this seems to be a Notion not a little unworthy of the Learning and good Sence ev'n of a Heathen Philosopher On the contrary our Saviour by dying for Mankind has set us a Bright Example of Patience under all the Sufferings to which the Providence of God may call us for the Sake of the True Religion in Opposition to the ungrounded Prejudices which the Generality of Men are too apt to labour under who are Naturally ready to pay Divine Adoration to the most insignificant Trifle rather then the Supreme and Truly-Adorable Majesty and viewing Persons and Things in a false or very imperfect Light are wretchedly and frequently mistaken in the Judgment which they pass upon em For the greatest Instance of the pretended Piety of these Bigots to Idolatry is to level all their Wit and Malice at those Well-meaning and Truly-religious Persons who from a deep Sense of their indispensible Duty have entirely devoted themselves a Holy and Living Sacrifice to the Great Creator and Supream Governor of the Universe CHAP. XXV THEN Celsus in the Person of the pretended Jew continues his Charge against our Blessed Saviour in the following Words Your Jesus cou'dn't keep himself free from Evil. But I think he wou'd do very well to instance in any MORAL EVIL that might justly be charg'd upon him If he means that our Saviour was guilty of some Vice or other which must be his Meaning or else 't is plain that he talks very improperly 't will lye upon this vile Caviller to name any one Vice if he can that ever stain'd the Life and obscur'd the Bright Character of the HOLY JESVS But if his Meaning be no more than this that our Blessed Lord himself was expos'd to many outward and grievous CALAMITIES such as Poverty Persecution the Treachery of wicked Men and especially the shameful and painful Death which he suffer'd on the Cross then I think we may with equal Justice bring in a severe Charge against so great a Man as Socrates who with all his Philosophy and Moral Virtue cou'dn't avoid falling into innumerable external Dangers And how many of the Greek Philosophers cou'd I easily name who were not only oppress'd with extream Poverty but made it the Matter of their de liberate Choice For Proof of this we may have Recourse to their own Celebrated Authors They tell us that Democritus was so tak'n up with Nobler Thoughts that he had no Leisure Hours to bestow upon his Farms that Crates gave away the Income of his whole Estate with the greatest Freedom imaginable that he might have the better Opportunity for Philosophical Speculations and that Diogenes out of his strange Frugality was contented to spend his Life in a Tub and yet no Man I think of common Sence will for that Reason entertain hard Thoughts of so excellent a Person Then Celsus adds That our Saviour was far from being regular and unblameable But let him give an Instance if he can of any one among the Numerous Followers of our Saviour who ever observ'd him to do an unworthy Action or if he refuses to rely on their united Testimony I think 't is fit he shou'd acquaint us with the Grounds on which he builds his unjust and heavy Charge 'T is very unlikely to say no more that our Saviour shou'd be guilty of the least Breach of any Promise that he ever made if we consider how much and how readily he consulted the true Interest of his Followers I mean the Welfare of their Precious and Immortal Souls And when we see that the remarkable and unlikely Events which he foretold at some Distance of Time from their Accomplishment have exactly answer'd his Prediction that his Doctrine is publish'd to all the Nations of the World and that they who have embrac'd it have meerly on that Account been brought before Governours and Kings we can't but be fill'd with a Holy Admiration and encourag'd to have our firm and entire Dependance upon his Infinite Wisdom Irresistible Power and Universal Goodness And sure I am that Celsus himself can't reasonably desire to have greater Evidence of the Truth of any Doctrine than that which our Saviour has giv'n us of the Truth of the Gospel unless he be so wretchedly ignorant of the Incarnation of the ETERNAL WORD as to exspect that the HUMANE NATURE which was assum'd by him shou'd not be subject to the common Calamities which attend Humane Life and by Consequence to imagine that we shou'd want the Brightest Example of Submission to the Will of God that any Mortal ever gave The only Reason if it may be call'd so that can possibly be assign'd for such an extravagant Conceit is this that Celsus esteems PAIN the GREATEST EVIL and PLEASURE the HIGHEST GOOD And here he goes a Strain beyond most of the Philosophers themselves I mean of those that believ'd an Over-ruling Providence and allow Courage and Constancy and the like Endowments a Place among the MORAL VIRTUES which are at once so Necessary and so Ornamental And our Saviour was so far from subverting the Foundation of our Faith by the various and grievous Calamities to which he was expos'd and which in the Event did befall him that I think he has tak'n the most effectual Method to confirm it if we can but divert our Thoughts from the shocking Calamities that attend Humane Life to the Bright Objects and Glorious Entertainments of the Future State in which we shall look with an Holy Disdain upon Sin Satan and this lower World CHAP. XXVI THEN Celsus has the following Words Surely you will not have the Confidence to say that your JESUS being unable to work upon the Minds of Men in the wretched World in which we live went down to Hell it self to see if he cou'dn't make Converts there But our Saviour when he was here on Earth had so many and such zealous Followers
that for that Reason he had abundance of Enemies and when he was stript as it were of his Humane Body did converse with Naked Spirits in the Infernal Region to make Converts of those that were capable of being duly wrought on by his powerful Ministry and thereby of answering the DEEP DESIGNS of his ETERNAL and VNIVERSAL LOVE What Celsus's Jew adds is I think very ridiculous If says he after you have tamely suffer'd your to be led aside like a Company of prodigious Fools you think you need no other Apology than a few Pityful Arguments in your own Defence Pray why mayn't all those Scoundrels and Villains that like your JESUS have been publickly executed according to the just Demerit of their Crimes be accounted Persons who had the Broad-Seal of Heav'n But nothing in my Mind can be more clear than the wide Difference between the Exemplary Sufferings of our Blessed Saviour and the just Execution of those who have been condemn'd as Impostors or punish'd for some scandalous Crime And sure I am that no Man can shew with any Colour of Reason that a Person can ever be reclaim'd from the most notorious Crimes or indeed from any Immorality by the Help of Magick Then the pretended Jew comparing our Saviour with a Company of High-way Men says That by a Parity of Reason a Person may have the Impudence to say that such a High-way Man instead of being a Person of so infamous a Character was no less than a GOD because forsooth he acquainted his cursed Crew before-hand that he shou'd shortly suffer all those grievous Calamities which in the Event did befall him To this I answer in the first Place that our Believing our Blessed Saviour to be the True Messiah is not meerly or chiefly founded on his Fore-telling the dreadful Sufferings to which he was expos'd and which for our sakes he readily underwent In the second Place I acknowledge that the Holy Scriptures acquaint us that tho' our Saviour was GOD as well as MAN yet He was number'd with the Transgressors that Barabbas a Robber was releas'd and our Saviour crucify'd and plac'd between two Condemn'd Malefactors And I grant that if our Saviour's Disciples bore any Resemblance to Thieves and if 't was known in the Memory of Man that Persons of that infamous Character did readily expose themselves to the greatest Contempt and Scorn and the worst Treatment that Humane Wit and Malice cou'd invent and if they can rationally be suppos'd to do all this from a just Regard to the Glory of GOD and the Holy Precepts of our BLESSED REDEEMER then I confess Celsus wou'd have had some Ground for his bold and most prophane Comparison But our Saviour who laid down his precious Life as a Sacrifice for the Sins of Men and his sincere Disciples who by their unparallel'd Sufferings bore an Honourable Testimony to the Truth of his most Excellent Doctrine and were the only Persons whose bare Religion ever brought 'em into Trouble underwent the most violent Persecutions from their Enemies without the least Colour of Reason and contrary to the Known and Fundamental Laws of Humanity CHAP. XXVII NOW observe how Celsus renders himself ridiculous by what he says of the sincere Followers of our Blessed Lord During the greatest Part of his Life Says he they convers'd with him in a Femiliar Manner and seem'd to listen to the Instructions which he gave 'em but withal were so cunning that when they saw he was condemn'd to dye they wou'd neither dye with him nor for him and were so far it seems from putting in Practice that wholsom Doctrine which their Master had taught 'em viz. Chearfully to encounter the greatest Difficulties and Dangers and to be ready ev'n to dye for the sake of their Religion that they shamefully deny'd him and didn't envy any Martyrs the imaginary Honour of laying down their Lives for the Cause of Christ Here Celsus takes the Hint from the Gospels and aggravates some Faults of the Disciples with a Design no doubt to expose the Christian Religion to Contempt not considering they were just enter'd into the School of Christ nor mentioning one Syllable of their Recovery from their grievous Falls which was so remarkable that they preach'd the Gospel boldly and suffer'd abundance of Ill-treatment at the Hands of the Jews and had the Courage to welcome and ev'n defy Death in its most horrid Shapes I perceive he didn't care at all to take Notice of what our Saviour foretold to St. Peter When thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy Hands Nor of those John 21 V. 18 V. 19. Words This spake he signifying by what Death he shou'd glorify God He says not one Word of St. James the Brother of St. John nor of the latter and seems to be ignorant that Herod kill'd John the Baptist with the Sword because he bore Testimony to the Truth of Christ Nor do's he do St. Peter and the rest of the Apostles so much Justice as to mention their flaming Zeal in spreading the Gospel of our Saviour and to give us an Account how They departed from the Acts 15 V. 41. Presence of the Council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer Reproach for his Name wherein they vastly exceeded all that is related in the Histories of the Greeks concerning the Courage and Constancy of their justly-admir'd Philosophers So that we plainly see that from the very Infancy of Christianity they who embrac'd it were effectually taught by it to despise the gaudy Vanities of the present Life which the greatest Part of Mankind imagine to be so charming and agreeable and to have the sincere Desires of their Souls most vehemently carry'd out after another Life which is far more excellent and in a word is every way worthy of a GOD. I can't conceive how Celsus can be freed from the Charge of willful Imposture in the following VVords All that your pretended SAVIOVR cou'd do says he was only to get ten wicked Mariners and Publicans to publish his Doctrine to the World and Iwas more than he cou'd do after all his big Pretences to convince ev'n those credulous Animals of its Truth For 't is plain ev'n from the open Confession of the Jews that not only ten Persons were overcome by the Divine Efficacy of his Doctrine nor a Hundred nor a Thousand but at one Time four Thousand and at another Time a much greater Number and that he wrought upon 'em to so great a Degree that they forlow'd him into Desarts which alone were capable of containing those vast Numbers of Persons that thro' him did believe in GOD and where they reap'd great Benefit from his Exemplary Life and Engaging Conversation I confess the frequent Repetitions which Celsus makes do almost force me to be guilty of wretched Tautology and make me as impertinent as himself For if I didn't in some Measure tho' sorely against my Will comply with his way of Writing perhaps some weak Persons
might suspect that out of wicked Policy I passed by his Objections being conscious to my self that I was utterly incapable of returning a satisfactory or ev'n tolerable Answer Then says he Pray isn't it the most absurd Thing in the World to suppose that he who when he was alive and us'd all the little Arts he had cou'd gain no Followers in comparison or at least none of any Sense or Rank shou'd after his Death by the Ministry of his Apostles so strangely influence a considerable Part of Mankind as they are represented by some to do But according to the Rules of strict Reasoning which he pretends to be so great a Master of he shou'd have argu'd thus if after his Death he furnish'd his Ambassadors with all necessary Abilities to work upon the Minds of Men and did actually and so wonderfully move all the secret Springs of the Humane Soul then there 's no Question to be made but that when he was on Earth in Person he made deep Impressions on the Minds ev'n of the greatest Barbarians partly by his powerful Preaching and partly by his uncontested Miracles CHAP. XXVIII BY and By he asks Pray what Reason have you to believe he was the Son of God And personating one of us returns this Answer in his usual way of Banter Because we know says he that he laid down his Life to destroy the Works of the Devil But the Faith of Christians in an Affair of this Nature and Importance is built I can assure him on no single Argument how perswasive soever it may be but the concurring and clear Evidence of several Motives a few of which I have already mention'd And I shall have Occasion perhaps to make Mention of some other Arguments on this Head not only in my Answer to Celsus's Book entituled A TRUE RELATION but also in some other Treatises if GOD shall be pleas'd to afford me that Measure of the Assistance of his Spirit that will be necessary to accomplish my Design Then as if we were so weak as to believe that our Saviour's bare Suffering on the Cross was sufficient to prove He was the Son of God He says What if he did really suffer can't we instance in many others that suffer'd as well and as much as he But Celsus in this Matter acts the Part of one of the most unfair Enemies which the Christian Religion has who when they read the History of the Crucifixion of our Saviour immediately imagine that we FONDLY CANONIZE all Persons who were ever so unfortunate as to hang upon a Cross This any one may see is the common Practice of the Adversary I have to do with who being utterly unable to resist the clear Evidence which the Miracles of our Blessed Saviour do carry in 'em of the Truth of our Holy Religion has the Face to misrepresent 'em to the World as done by meer Legerdemain or rather by the Assistance of the Devil But this Pityful and Vile Cavil has been so frequently answer'd according to my slender Ability that really it quite tires my Patience to repeat Things so often as I see I must Then Celsus makes us say That our Saviour was the SON OF GOD because he cur'd the lame and blind and rais'd a few from the dead as we Poor Creatures that we are are ready to imagine But that in Spite of all that he can say this Consideration of it self is a solid Argument to prove he was the SON OF GOD is plain from that Famous Prophecy in Isaiah Then the Eyes of the Blind shall be open'd and the Ears of the deaf shall Isa 35 V. â— be unstopp'd Then shall the lame Man leap as an Hart. And 't is highly improbable to say no more that the Evangelists shou'd forge the Account they give us of some rais'd from the dead because had they been giv'n to inventing Fictions meerly to serve a Turn they wou'd have giv'n us more frequent Instances of that Nature than we meet with and of the Resurrection of those who had been longer dead than those of whom we read in the Gospels But their giving so few Instances of Persons restor'd to Life seems to me to be as plain a Proof as can be that the Evangelists whatever Celsus may say were Men of HONEST PRINCIPLES and the farthest of all Men in the World except our Blessed Saviour from being Persons of INTRIEGVE They instance only in the Daughter of the Ruler of the Synagogue whose Case seems foreign to the Purpose for our Saviour says of her She is not dead but sleeps in the only Son of a Widow whom our Saviour recover'd out of tender Compassion to his disconsolate Mother ordering the Coffin to be stop'd And Lastly in Lazarus who had continu'd some Days in the Grave as the Evangelist acquaints us and I wou'd offer the following Consideration to the most judicious of our Adversaries and at this Time more immediately to the Jew whom Celsus personates viz. That as in Elisha's Time there were many Lepers but none of 'em were cur'd that we read of except Naaman the Syrian and many Widows in the Days of the Prophet Elijah but he was only sent to the Widow of Sarepta in the Country of Sidon for she alone was thought worthy of the Miracle he wrought so many Persons dy'd when our Saviour was on Earth but he only rais'd those from the dead who in some Sence had QVALIFY'D THEMSELVES for so SPECIAL A FAVOVR And this I am apt to think he did to typifie something future and give Mankind convincing Proofs of the Truth and Excellency of that Doctrine which he introduc'd into the World And I may safely say that according to the Promise he had made his Disciples did far stranger Things than those which he himself exhibited to the outward Senses of them who were the happy Spectators of his Miracles For the Eyes of the spiritually blind were frequently open'd by 'em the Ears of those who once were deaf to all the awakening Precepts of Virtue and Religion were unstopp'd that so they might receive the Word of God and the Promise of Eternal Life and many who were spiritually lame were cur'd by the Gospel insomuch that they don't only leap but ev'n leap as a Stag which Animal as Naturalists observe is an Enemy to Serpents and happily expels their Poison They deriv'd such a healing Virtue from their Heav'nly Physician that they cou'd immediately tread on those Serpents and Scorpions by which they were once most sadly crippl'd without incurring the least seeming Danger Nay they were effectually steel'd if I may so say against the strong and too often fatal Impressions which Vice and Immorality are apt to make upon the Minds of Men and in a great Measure fortify'd against the malicious and vigorous Attempts of United Daemons CHAP. XXIX WHEN our Saviour admonish'd his Disciples to avoid those designing Wretches who confidently affirm'd they were the TRVE MESSIAH and endeavour'd by their cursed Enchantments to draw
Men after 'em for 't was needless to admonish 'em to avoid every trisling and conceited Impostor he directed his Discourse to 'em after the following Manner If any Man says he shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or there believe it not For there shall arise FALSE CHRISTS and false Prophets and they shall shew great Signs and Wonders Insomuch that if it be possible they shall deceive the very Elect. Behold I have told you before Wherefore if they shall say unto you behold he 's in the Desart go not forth Behold he 's in the secret Chambers believe it not For as the Lightning comes out of the East and shines ev'n unto the West so shall also the Coming of the Son of Man be In another Place he has the following Words Many will say unto me in that Day Lord Lord have we not prophecy'd in thy Name And in thy Name cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful Works And then will I profess to 'em I never knew you depart from me ye that work Iniquity But Celsus confounding the Miracles of our Saviour with the-Enchantments of Men breaks out into the following Exclamation O the Force of Truth He himself don't stick to acquaint us as ev'n your own Writings inform us that many shall come and do the same Miracles that were wrought by him and on that very score O monstrous Impudence He charges 'em with being wicked Men and notorious and vile Impostors and says That Satan will be the Original Author of their cursed Arts. So that he himself acknowledges that 't is so far from bearing the Stamp of a DIVINE AVTHORITY that 't is owing to a Dishonourable and Vnhappy Source and not being able to resist the clear Evidence of Truth do's in the very same Breath condemn their Miracles and his own Now isn't it a most intolerable Thing that from the very same Actions he by all Means must be denominated a GOD and Others be branded with the Infamous Title of MAGICIANS So that his own Mouth condemns him and we ha'n't more Reason to think that they were Wicked Men than that he himself was one of the Vilest Persons upon Earth For he has plainly told us that Actions of that Nature were certain Indications of the most Notorious Deceit and Impiety and not of a Divine Power accompanying the Persons who perform'd em But here 't is obvious to observe Celsus's Malicious Mis-representation of Matters since our Saviour's Language is vastly different from what the Pretended Jew wou'd fain have it to be Perhaps he might have had some plausible Pretence sor his Prophane Discourse if our Saviour had admonish'd his Disciples to avoid all those who shou'd make their Boast of Miracles and had infinuated nothing of the unjust Claim they laid to the Title of the TRVE MESSIAH But since we are told that they gave out they were the CHRIST which I think is a Profession that Magicians don't commonly make and since we are told they shou'd be Persons of very loose Morals and shou'd work such Miracles as were vastly different from those which were wrought by our Blessed Saviour the Conduct of the Holy JESVS in this very Affair is so far from carrying the Appearance of the least Imposture that to me 't is a Convincing Argument that both he and his Disciples wrought their Miracles by the POWER of GOD and that others who were acted by Satan did only counterfeit the Glorious Actions of CHRIST and his Apostles and so prevail'd with some deluded Persons to believe that their High Pretensions were most just and reasonable The Apostle Paul acquaints us how The Man of Sin and Son of Perdition shou'd be revealed and exalt himself above 2 Thes 2. V. 3. all that is called GOD or worshipp'd so that as GOD he sits in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is GOD. And in another Place he says Now ye know what with-holds that he might ibid. V. 6 be reveal'd in his Time For the Mystery of Iniquity do's already work only he who now lets will let until he be tak'n out of the Way And then shall that wicked One be reveal'd whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his Mouth and shall destroy with the Brightness of his Coming ev'n him whose Coming is after the Working of Satan with all Power and Signs and lying Wonders and with all Deceivableness of Vnrighteousness in them that perish And he gives the Reason why God wou'd suffer him to act his Hellish Part upon the Stage of the World viz. Because they receiv'd not the Love of the Truth that they might be sav'd that they all might be damn'd who believ'd not the Truth but had Pleasure in Vnrighteousness Now let any one shew with any Colour of Reason that the Miracles of our Saviour and his Disciples which are related in the Gospels were done by such WICKED ARTIFICE as the Apostle speaks of and it may not be amiss to read the Prophecy of Daniel concerning ANTICHRIST But Celsus represents the Words of our Saviour to a Disadvantage when he makes him say That many shou'd come after him who shou'd do the very same Miracles with those which he wrought himself and yet be Wicked Persons and Notorious Impostors For as there was a VAST DIFFERENCE between the DIABOLICAL POWER by which the Wise Men of the Egyptians were acted and the DIVINE ASSISTANCE which Moses had when he wrought his Miracles the Event sufficiently proving that what the former did was merely owing to the Force of their Cursed Enehantmenss and what was perform'd by the latter was manifestly owing to the INFLVENCE of the BLESSED SPIRIT So there was the same between those of our SAVIOVR and those of ANTICHRIST and his Confederates who counterfeited the Miracles of CHRIST and his Apostles and Followers which had a most wonderful and happy Issue Mankind being thereby induc'd to embrace the BEST RELIGION that was ever introduc'd into the World Celsus I confess discovers that he isn't entirely ignorant of the Scriptures when he makes our Saviour say That Satan wou'd be the Original Author of that Cursed Art by which false Prophets wou'd impose upon the World but is a little too hasty in drawing his pretended Consequence viz. Our Saviour's Miracles ev'n according to his own free Confession did bear no Stamp of a DIVINE AVTHORITY but were such Works as were to be perform'd it seems by some of the Vilest Persons that ever breath'd on Earth For he makes no Difference at all between those Things that are Homogeneous and those that are Heterogeneous as Logicians Call 'em between Things of the same and Things of a very different Kind Now as a Wolf and a Dog do widely differ tho' there seems to be some considerable Resemblance between 'em with respect to their Shape and Tone of Voice and the same may be said of a Stock-Dove and a Pidgeon So what is done by the Help of Magick is not of
the same kind with what is perform'd by a Power that is Truly-Supernatural and Divine And if such wonderful Things ev'n in the Judgment of Celsus are done by the Assistance of Infernal Spirits may we not rationally suppose that Things that are much more unaccountable may be easily done by the immediate Assistance of the Ever-Blessed God Shall every Thing that is evil be found among Men and every Thing that is truly-good be banish'd from the World I think there 's much more Reason to lay down this as a General and most Excellent Maxim that where-ever there is any real Evil under the Disguise of some real Good the opposite Good must at least be equal to it with Respect to its Degree And thus we may strongly argue from Miracles wrought by the Help of Magick to such as are perform'd by the special Assistance of the Great GOD himself We must either deny that any Good or Evil is to be found in the World or on the Supposition of the latter must allow the former and perhaps if we grant the former we must affirm the latter or at least on the Supposition of any real Evil must allow an equal Proportion of that real Good to which the real Evil is directly opposite He that will assert the one without granting the other seems to me to talk at the same mad Rate with one who confessing that there are such Things as Sophisms or false Shews of Reason shou'd deny that there 's any such Thing as true Logick in the World which is widely different from em So that I say if we grant that there is such a Thing as Magick which has so great an Influence upon wicked Daemons as to engage 'em to lend their ready and joint Assistance to those who profess that Art it naturally follows that Almighty God is oblig'd in some Sense to exert his Power in Performing such Miracles as carry with 'em a convincing Evidence of the Truth they were design'd to attest The next Thing I take it that we have to do under this important Head is to examine into the Life and Conversation of those who pretend they have a Power to produce super-natural Effects and to enquire whether the wonderful Operations they perform do any way tend to the Temporal and Eternal Advantage of the Souls of Men and we must carefully distinguish between Magicians who hold a Correspondence with the Devil and those happy Persons who are fill'd with the Holy Spirit of God whose Divine Impressions they experience both on their Souls and Bodies who consult the true and best Interest of Mankind and endeavour to make Men Proselites to the most Excellent Religion that was ever reveal'd by a God Now if an Enquiry of this Kind be necessary to distinguish true Miracles from those which are false to prevent us from making Miracles where there are really none and engage our Assent to the Truth of 'em when the Finger of God may very plainly be discover'd then we shall find that the Miracles which were wrought by Moses and our Blessed Saviour were owing to an Extraordinary Appearance of the Power of God since they were Solemn Seals by which the Truth of the Jewish and Christian Religion was confirm'd each of which we know was embrac'd by a considerable Body of very Wife and Virtuous Men. Besides how cou'd Moses's Law which forbids the Jews to worship Images and teaches 'em to raise their Minds above all created Beings and fix 'em on the Eternal God the Great Creator and Sovereign Disposer of the Universe I say how cou'd such a Law derive its Original from the Horrid Practice of Magicians And since 't is a Jew that Celsus personates I wou'd humbly desire him to resolve the following Question How comes it to pass that you who firmly believe that the Miracles which Moses wrought were perform'd by the Extraordinary Assistance of the Spirit of God and endeavour to defend 'em against those who say that the Wife Men of Egypt did strange Things by the Help of Magick can't be prevail'd with to acknowledge that our Blessed Saviour perform'd his Miracles by an Immediate Assistance from Above but are so strangely fond of Imitating the Egyptians whom you know to be your sworn and irreconcileable Enemies For if we may be allow'd to judge of Miracles by the Event and argue in Favour of YOUR JVSTLY-CELEBRATED MOSES from his being rais'd up by Almighty God to be the HONOURABLE FOUNDER of the Jewish Polity I am sure we may say far more in Commendation of our BLESSED SAVIOVR since the imperfect Moses isn't worthy to be nam'd with the HOLY and SPOTLESS JESUS For as for Moses 't is obvious to remark that he found ready to his Hand such Persons among the Posterity of Abraham as liy'd in a Religious Observance of Circumcision that initiating Rite and many approved Customs which were handed down by Tradition from Father to Son and he knew very well that they were in a great Measure dispos'd to receive his useful Instructions and practise his wholesome Precepts when 't was he under God who brought 'em out of Egypt and the Laws he gave 'em had the Stamp of a Divine Authority as You your self acknowledge But Our Saviour making in some Sence a much greater Attempt introduc'd a Religion that was in a Manner new and caus'd it to gain Ground continually in Spite of all the rooted Prejudices of a different Education And if 't was highly necessary that Moses shou'd convince not only the Sanhedrim but also the Common People among the Jews of the Truth of his Doctrine by confirming it with those Miracles which the Scriptures gives us an Account of there was at least equal Reason why our Blessed Saviour shou'd take the same Method to prove the Divinity of his Mission since the People did naturally eagerly and very justly expect Signs and Wonders in such extraordinary Cases Nay 't was evidently necessary he shou'd work far greater Miracles than Moses to wean the bigotted Jews from their Humane Traditions and prove by Dint of Argument and plain Appeals to Sense and common Observation he was a Person who was TRULY-DIVINE and in a far more noble Sence than any of their Ancient and JUSTLY CELEBRATED Prophets And how was it possible that he shou'd be otherwise when the Manifest Design of the Glorious Prophecies under the Old-Testament-Dispensation was obscurely to reveal him under the Character of the TRUE MESSIAH And what Celsus's Jew objects against the Christians may every Whit as well be urg'd by him to the Prejudice of the Authority of Moses Viz. That Our Blessed Saviour was guilty of the most Notorious and Vile Imposture The Jew breaks out into the following Exclamation O the Force of Truth He himself acquaints us as your own Writings inform us that many shou'd come who wou'd perform the same Miracles that he wrought himself and on that very score O horrid Impudence he has the Face to charge 'em with
being wicked Men and most notorious Impostors And a Greek or Egyptian or any other Infidel may say thus to a Jew O the Force of Truth Moses has told us plainly as your own Writings inform us that many shou'd come who wou'd perform the same Miracles which he did himself and yet be very wicked and designing Wretches For 't is writ in YOUR OWN LAW If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of Dreams and Deut. 13 V. 1. he gives thee a Sign or a Wonder and the Sign or the Wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee saying let us go after other Gods which thou hast not known and let us serve 'em Thou shalt not hearken to that Prophet or Dreamer of Dreams The pretended Jew goes on and makes our Saviour say That Satan will be the Original Author of their Cursed Art thinking thereby to ridicule and insult him But the Christians or any Infidels may as well alledge against his Celebrated Moses that these Prophets and Dreamers of Dreams wou'd counterfeit his Miracles The Jew says farther That our Saviour's Miracles ev'n according to his own Confession have no Stamp of a Divine Authority but are such Works as wou'd be done by the Vilest Persons upon Earth But an Infidel may turn the Argument upon Moses and say that his Miracles ev'n according to his own Confession have no Stamp of a Divine Authority but are such Works as wou'd be done by Persons of the most infamous Character And the following Words that our Saviour not being able to resist the Evidence of Truth do's in the same Breath condemn their Miracles and his own may every whit as well be retorted upon Moses And those Words of the Jew Isn't it I beseech you a most intolerable Thing that from the same Actions He by all Means must be denominated A GOD and Others be branded with the Infamous Title of MAGICIANS I say those Words of the Jew may be turn'd upon Moses thus Isn't it I beseech you a most intolerable Thing that from the same Actions He by all Means must be denominated a Faithful and EMINENT SERVANT of the BLESSED GOD and Others be branded with the odious Title of IMPOSTORS And those Words of the Jew Ev'n According to his own free Confession we have no more Reason to think that they were wicked Men than that he was a vile Wretch himself may be turn'd upon Moses thus what an Instance of Madness is it to look upon Moses as a Servant of GOD and more than ordinary Prophet and at the same Time to deny these honourable Characters to such Persons as were to work Miracles as well as he ev'n according to his own Prediction And those Words of the Jew which he thinks do give more Force to the Objection viz. That our Saviour himself has told us that such Actions were certain Indications of the most notorious Deceit and Impiety and not of a Divine Power accompanying the Persons who perform'd 'em may easily be retorted upon Moses CHAP. XXX THEN Celsus's Jew speaking to those of his Native Country who had embrac'd Christianity asks us the following Question for 't is plain he had his Eye upon us all along tho' for a blind he directs his Discourse to them What in God's Name cou'd induce you to believe in your pretended Saviour Was it his Foretelling that he shou'd rise from the dead But this may be turn'd upon Moses thus What induc'd you to believe in your most Celebrated Prophet Was it his Foretelling the Circumstances of his Death in the following Words So Moses the Servant Deut. 35. V. 4. 5. of the Lord dy'd there in the Land of Moab according to the Word of the Lord. And he bury'd him in a Valley in the Land of Moab over against Beth-peor But no Man knows of his Sepulchre unto this Day If the Jew ridicules our Saviour because he fore-told that he shou'd rise from the Dead we may by a Parity of Reason expose Moses to Contempt and say that he was the Author of the Pentateuch and inserted that Passage No one knows his Sepulchre unto this Day with a politick Design to render his Name Immortal Then the Jew continues his Discourse to those of his own Country-Men that were Christians in the following Words Well we 'll suppose says he for once that your pretended Saviour foretold that he shou'd rise from the dead But pray have not others made Vse of the same pityful Artifice to take Advantage of the Weakness of some silly People Zamolxis Servant to Pythagoras took this Method to delude the Scythians and it seems Pythagoras was so cunning as to do the same And Rampsinitus is reported to have done the like in Egypt who if any Credit is to be giv'n to History play'd at Dice with Ceres in the Region of the dead and forc'd her to give him a Handkerchief she had that was curiously embroider'd Orpheus did the same among the People who were call'd Odrysae Protesilaus among the Thessalians and Hercules and Theseus among the Inhabitants of Toenarus But here it deserves to be consider'd whether any Person that was really dead did ever rise with the same Numerical Body Do you who look on the Accounts that are giv'n by others as trifling Stories imagine that the Catastrophe of your senceless Drama is ever the more just or probable because you endeavour to adorn it with some fine Inventions because your Crucify'd JESUS gave a dreadful Out-cry when he lay at the very Point of Death because there happen'd to be an Earth-quake and a more than ordinary Darkness You boldly affirm that he rose from the dead tho' it seems he was far from being able to secure his Person while he remain'd on Earth and shew'd upon his Body all the Marks of his Crucifixion and the very Print of the Nails But you your acknowledge that there was no Witness of the Truth of this Account but one Fanatical Woman and perhaps some Body else of the same wretched Caball that was plainly deluded by her own idle Whimsies or too easily believ'd what she wou'd have to be true as it frequently happens or in the last Place which seems to me more probable had a Mind to amuse People with this imaginary Miracle and furnish such Cheats as her Self with a Pretence for disturbing the World with Notorious and Vile Impostures But since 't is a pretended Jew that says all this I shall answer him accordingly and turn the Edge of his own Weapon upon Moses by desiring that he wou'd resolve me the following Question Pray how many gross Impostors have done Miracles to take Advantage of the Weakness of some silly People and yet you are forward to give Credit to Moses on the Account of the Miracles he wrought Besides methinks 't is somewhat unsuitable to the Character of a Jew to alledge the Instances of Zamolxis and Pythagoras since the Jews 't is well known are little conversant with the Greek Historians
was the Resurrection of the two Children before-mention'd a great and diffusive Blessing to Mankind as we know the Resnrrection of our Saviour was when the Power of God did so eminently accompany the Preaching of the Gospel and caus'd it to make so deep and lasting an Impression upon the Minds of so many of his Hearers who at first were strangely prejudic'd against him CHAP. XXXI THE pretended Jew goes on and is ready to split his Sides with Laughing at the Earth-quake and ridicules the more than ordinary Darkness that were the AWFVL CONCOMITANTS of our Saviour's Sufferings But this I have already answer'd according to my weak Ability and produc'd the Testimony of Phlegon who acknowledges that these wonderful Events did really happen at the Time of our Saviour's Passion Then the Jew has the following Words You say that he rose from the dead tho' he was far from being able to secure his Person while he remain'd on Earth and shew'd upon his Body all the Marks of his Crucifixion and the very Print of the Nails with which his Hands and Feet were pierc'd But what dos this Gentleman mean by saying He wa'n't able to secure his Person If he means that our Blessed Saviour wa'nt able to secure himself from the common Contagion of Vice and Immorality what he says is absolutely and manifestly false For he never spoke a Word or did an Action that was in the least indecent or unworthy of an INCARNATE GOD. He was led as a Sheep to the Mat. 27 V. 2 Slaughter and as a Laneb before her Shearers was dumb so he open'd not his Mouth Viz. By way of Complaint or Uneasiness as St. Mathew acquaints us But if Celsus means that he didn't exert his Power to secure himself from the outward Calamities to which he was expos'd which morally consider'd were neither Good nor Evil I have prov'd already from the Gospels that he submitted to 'em with the greatest Readiness imaginable and shew'd the Reasons which justify'd his Conduct Then the pretended Jew having spoke of our Saviour's shewing all the Marks of his Crucifixion and the very Print of his Nails says There was no Witness of the Truth of this strange Account but one Fanatical Woman designing to ridicule Mary Magdalen who saw him after he was ris'n from the dead as we are told in the Gospels and because we are inform'd that he was seen by others he thought fit to add the following Words And perhaps some Body else of the same wretched Cabal Then he plainly discovers that he is one of those who admire the Epicurean Hypothesis when he endeavours to shew how a lively Idea of a deceas'd Person may be form'd in the warm Imagination in the following Words Who was deluded by her own idle Whimsies or too easily believ'd what she wou'd have to be true as we know it frequently happens There 's a great Deal of Force if we must give any heed to his idle Whimsies in this scurrilous Language But ev'n from hence we may be furnish'd with an Argument to prove the IMMORTAL SVBSISTENCE of HVMANE SOVLS when they are separated from their Bodies and the unavoidable Consequence of what he here asserts amounts to this at least that it survives the Body For if as Plato observes in his Dialogues about the HVMANE SOVL there are certain Images of dead Persons that are seen near their Tombs then they must be owing to some Cause or other And no Cause can be so rationally assign'd as the Soul of the deceas'd Person that assumes a Body which is adapted to it But Celsus who advances the fore-mention'd Notion wou'd make People dream while they are thoroughly awake and have their Sences about 'em and says They too easily believe what they wou'd have to be true Such Dreams indeed as he talks of are common when the Bodily Sences are lock'd up by Sleep but I think we can't easily account for 'em when Persons are awake unless they be troubl'd with Melancholy or fall'n into a Fit of the Frenzy Celsus it seems wa'n't ignorant of this and that made him call Mary Magdalen a Fanatick tho' the Scripture-History says nothing like it and our Saviour's Appearing after he was ris'n from the dead and showing all the Marks that were made in his Crucify'd Body must according to Celsus be solv'd by the Doctrine of the Images of deceas'd Persons but according to the Scripture-Account which he 's so cunning as to use when he thinks that it serves his purpose the Matter of Fact stood thus Our Saviour call'd one of his Disciples to him who cou'dn't for his Life believe that he was ris'n from the dead with the same Body I say with the same Body For the Appearance of Humane Souls after Death don't seem to be the least Matter of his Doubt Therefore 't is remarkable that he dos'n't say Except I see him but Except John 20. V. 25 I shall see in his Hands the Print of the Nails and put my Finger into the Print of the Nails and thrust my Hand into his Sides I will not believe He didn't question but that the Soul of a deceas'd Person might animate a Body which wou'd be visible to the corporeal Eye and bear a Resemblance to that from which 't was separated by Death not only with respect to the Eyes and Voice and Mien but also Sometimes appear in a like Habit cloath'd Hom. Il. Book 23 V. 67. Therefore our Saviour call'd Thomas to him and said Reach hither thy Finger and behold my Hands and reach John 20 V. 27. hither thy Hand and thrust it into my Side and be not faithless but believing And by the Way 't was agreable to the many Prophecies which we meet with concerning him the many evident Miracles he wrought and unusual Accidents that befell him that he shou'd rise from the Dead and that this considerable Circumstance shou'd as it were crown and compleat the rest The Prophetical Psalmist speaking in the Person of our Saviour has this Prophecy relating to him My Flesh also shall rest in Hope for thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell nor Psalm 16 V. 9. suffer thy Holy One to see Corruption And the Body with which our Saviour rose from the Dead did neither consist of such gross Matter as it consisted of before nor of such subtil Matter as that with which separate Souls are cloath'd when an Apparition appears Therefore St. John has the following Words His Disciples were within and Thomas with em Then came Jesus the Doors being shut and stood in the Midst and said Peace be unto you And he adds these Words Then says he to Thomas reach hither thy Finger St. Luke tells us that When Simon and Cleopas were talking of the Things Luke 24 V. 14. that had happen'd to him Jesus himself drew near and went with em But their Eyes were holden that they shou'd not know him And he said to 'em What Manner of Communications are these that ye
have with one another as ye walk And in the same Chapter he has these Words And their Eyes were open'd and they knew him and V. 35 he vanish'd out of their Sight And tho' Celsus compares this Account which the Gospels give us of the Appearance which our Saviour made after he was ris'n from the Dead to common Stories of wonderful Apparitions and laughs at those who were Eye-Witnesses of the Fact yet they who impartially examine into Matters and are furnish'd with a Capacity to make nice Enquiries will be forc'd to acknowledge there was something in the Case before us that was very remarkable and surprizing CHAP. XXXII THEN Celsus offers an Objection which do's a little deserve to be consider'd by us If Christ had a Mind says he to exert the Divine Power which he pretended to have certainly 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 rose up as it were in Arms against him And indeed we don't go about to deny that the Scripture plainly acquaints us that after he was ris'n from the dead he refus'd to appear so publickly and to all Persons promiscuously as he did before He was seen of the Apostles forty Days and spoke Acts 1 V. 3. of Things pertaining to the Kingdom of God as we learn from the Acts of the Apostles And we read in the Gospels that he wa'n't continually with 'em but sometimes after the Interval of eight Days appear'd in the midst of 'em when the Doors were shut and at other Opportunities appear'd to 'em in a very different Manner And St. Paul intimating to us that he did't so frequently appear then as he had done before has the following Words I deliver'd unto you first of all that which I also receiv'd how that 1 Cor. 15. V. 3 c. Christ dy'd for our Sins according to the Scriptures And that he was bury'd and that he rose again the third Day according to the Scriptures And that he was seen of Cephas then of the Twelve After that he was seen of above five hundred Brethren at once of whom the greater Part remain unto this present but some are fall'n asleep After that he was seen of James then of all the Apostles And last of all he was seen of me also as one born out of due Time Here a very difficult Question do's occur that requires the closest Application and that not of ordinary Christians but of those who have attain'd to the greatest Eminency in the School of Christ viz. Why our Saviour refus'd to expose himself to publick View after his Resurrection as he had done before There 's no need I think in a Book of this Nature the main Design of which is to defend the Christian Religion against the bold Attempts of its malicious Adversaries to give a full or large Solution of so Critical a Point But I shall offer a few Thoughts at present which I hope will give the Reader some small Satisfaction in this difficult Affair Tho' our SAVIOVR was but ONE with respect to HIS PERSON yet there were SEVERAL NOTIONS under which Mankind did consider him and different Persons saw him in very different Sences That there were several Capacities in which Mankind did consider him is plain from such Expressions as these I am the Way the Truth and John 14 V. 6. the Life I am the Bread I am the Door and many other Expressions John 6 V. 35. that I cou'd easily name if Occasion John 10 V. 9. offer'd That different Persons saw him in very different Sences will readily be granted by those who can assign the Reason why he didn't take all the Disciples with him into the Mount of Transfiguration but only Peter James and John viz Because they alone cou'd bear the Brightness of so glorious a Sight behold the dazling Lustre of Moses and Elias and hear the Voice that came from Heaven and the Charming Conversation which those two Celebrated Prophets had the Honour and Happiness to maintain with the Blessed Jesus I 'm of the Opinion I confess that before he went up to the Mountain Mat. 5 V 1. and instructed his Disciples concerning the Beatitudes he didn't appear to those who were brought to him in the Evening at the Foot of the Mountain and were cur'd of their Distempers I say he didn't appear to those who were indispos'd and stood in need of his healing Power in the same Manner as he did to them who enjoy'd a confirm'd State of Health and were able to go up with him to the Mountain And as he privately explain'd the Meaning of his Parables to his Disciples whose Sense of Hearing was much quicker than that of the Common People to whose Ears there was nothing convey'd too often but an empty Sound So I believe there was some considerable Difference in their spiritual and ev'n their corporeal Sight 'T is farther plain that our Saviour wa'n't seen by all Persons after the same manner from the Instance of Judas who being about to betray him said to his Accomplices He whom I shall kiss is he intimating Mat 26. V. 48. they didn't know him And that Expression of our Saviour I sat daily with you teaching in the Temple and ye laid no hold on me do's manifestly favour the Opinion which I have here laid down Since therefore we have such Apprehensions of our Saviour not only with respect to his Divinity which was more latent and undiscern'd by the Generality of Men but also with respect to his Humane Body the Form of which I believe he chang'd when ever he thought fit to do it We think that before his Death by which he spoil'd Principalities and Powers he was in some Sense discernable by all but afterwards ev'n many of those who had formerly seen him had not Sences that were adapted to the Sight of a ris'n Jesus 'T was therefore an Instance of his Condescension to the Weakness of Men's Capacities that he didn't expose himself to Publick View after he was ris'n from the dead to Publick View did I say when twa'n't without frequent Intervals that he appear'd ev'n to his Apostles and Disciples For after he had honourably and happily accomplish'd the Work of our Redemption we have Reason to believe that his Divinity shone with much brighter Rays thro' the Glass if I may so say of his Humane Nature Cephas who was as it were the First-Fruits of the Apostles was the first that saw him then the Twelve Matthias being chosen in the Room of Judas then five Hundred Brethren at once then James then perhaps all the Seventy Disciples and at last the Apostle Paul as one born out of due Time who knew very well why he us'd the following Expression in his Epistle to the Ephesians Vnto me who am less than the least of Eph. 3. V 8 all Saints is this Grace giv'n And perhaps those Words Less than the least
Woman is most notoriously false For St. Mathew has the following Words In the End of the Sabbath as it began to dawn towards the first Mat. 28. V. 1. Day of the Week came Mary Magdalen and the other Mary to see the Sepulchre And behold there was a great Earth-quake for the Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and came and roll'd back the Stone from the Door and sat upon it A little after he has these Words Behold Jesus met them i. e. the two Marys saying All hail And ibid. 9. they came and held him by the Feet and worshipped him And I have already answer'd what Celsus objects in the following Words When he was crucify'd says he there were Witnesses enough but when he rose from the dead at most he appear'd only to a small Company of Scoundrels I have sufficiently shown that our Saviour cou'dn't be seen by all and I shall only add at present that all Persons were capable at Times of seeing him with respect to his Humane Nature but to discern the Bright Rays or ev'n the least Glimmerings of his DEITY was what exceeded the Capacity of the Generality of Men. I speak now of his Humane and Divine Nature in Contra-Distinction to each other and not as having a mutual Reference and close Connexion But pray observe how weakly Celsus talks having said That our Saviour appear'd only to one Fanatical Woman or perhaps a few Others of the same wretched Cabal he adds the following Words When he was crucify'd says he there were Witnesses enough but when he rose from the dead he appear'd but to a few whereas had he had any Brains he must have tak'n the quite contrary Course But I wou'd fain know what he means by the latter Words According to his weak Judgment our Saviour must have tak'n such Methods as were plainly impracticable and grosly absurd viz. He must be crucify'd forsooth in the Sight but of a single Person and have appear'd to all Men PROMISCUOUSLY when he was ris'n from the dead for those Words He shou'd have tak'n the quite contrary Course will bear no other tolerable Sence if I am capable of making a Judgment upon any Thing Our Saviour has acquainted us with the Person that sent him in the following Words No Man knows the Father save the Son and in these Words No Man has seen God at any Time but the only Begotten Son who is in the Bosom of the Father he has declar'd him He it is who reveals the Things of God to his true Disciples and we endeavour to form our Scheme of Divinity upon his most excellent Model who sometimes tells us that GOD is Light and in him is no Darkness 1 Joâ—n 1. V. 5 at all and at other Times That God is a Spirit and they that worship John 4. V. 24. him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth And any one that will may learn for what End God sent his Son into the World if he will but consult the Prophecies relating to our Saviour and the Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles and especially the Epistles of St. Paul He came to instruct us in the true and most direct Way to Peace here and Compleat and Eternal Happiness hereafter and to take a most BLESSED ADVANTAGE if I may so say of the HORRID IMPIETY and continual PROVOCATIONS of Impenitent and daring Sinners Celsus being ignorant of this has the following Words He came it seems to instruct good Men and to make free and Monstrously-large Offers of his Grace ev'n to the vilest Rebels Then says he If he had so Singular a Fancy to ABSCOND what Need was there I wonder of a Voice from Heav'n saying that he was the SON of GOD. And if he hadn't a Mind to ABSCOND then why did he suffer and dye He imagines I perceive that the Accounts which we meet with in the Gospels are inconsistent with themselves not being able with all his pretended Sagacity to comprehend or frame any just Idea of the Design of our Blessed Saviour which was neither to lye hid altogether and so be entirely useless and a meer Cypher in his Own Creation nor to have his Bright Side if I may so say I mean his DIVINE NATURE KNOWN to many of those very Persons who had the Honour to see him with their Bodily Eyes The Voice that came to him from Heav'n saying This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well-pleas'd isn't said to be heard by the Multitude as Celsus's Jew imagines and the other Voice which is said to come from the Cloud was only heard by those who went up with our Saviour to the Mountain For such is the Nature of a Voice from Heav'n that it can only be heard by those for whom God is pleas'd for wise Reasons to design it I don't speak here of the meer Vibration of the Particles of the Air or any Philosophical Account that may be giv'n of a Voice but of a Spiritual Senfation whereby one who has Spiritual Senses exercis'd do's hear God speak when one who is deaf to all the awakening Precepts of Virtue and Piety is entirely ignorant of what is said I mean as to any valuable and lasting Purpose that it serves This I think is a sufficient Answer to those Words of Celsus What Need was there of a Voice from Heaven saying that he was the SON OF GOD And what I have already offer'd concerning the Sufferings of our Saviour is a satisfactory Answer I judge to the following Words If he hadn't a Mind to conceal his Power and obscure his Glory then sure he was born under a very unhappy Planet or else he had never suffer'd and dy'd Then Celsus's Jew is pleas'd to draw a Consequence which is very unnatural and unjust For it do's by no Means follow that because our Saviour by his Sufferings has taught us to bid Defiance to Death it self therefore when he rose from the Dead he shou'd have order'd the whole World to make a General Rendezvouz and have publickly acquainted 'em with the Reason why he left the Realms of Light and Glory and thought it worth his While to come down into this miserable and siâ—ful World For this he had already done when he said Come unto me all ye that labour Mat. 11. V. 28. and are heavy-laden and I will give you Rest This he had also done in the long Sermon which he preach'd upon the Mount concerning the Beatitudes and his Discourses on several other Subjects which are annex'd to it and in his useful Parables and frequent Disputes with the Scribes and Pharisees And St. John acquaints us in his Gospel with what a Majesty our Saviour spoke which is not so much to be understood of the Artificial Colours of Humane Rhetorick or a graceful Elocution and happy Gesture as of those Divine Important and Plain but Commanding Truths that were the Subject-Matter of his frequent Discourses And we learn from the other Gospels that our Saviour spoke with