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 Will of God and to accomplish such great Designs But 't is hardly worth my while to return an Answer to so ridiculous a Question For 't is just as if a Person shou'd say how is it possible that I who always preach'd up the Doctrine of Temperance shou'd be guilty of Debauchery or that I who in Discourse did always vindicate the injur'd Rights of Justice shou'd ever be guilty of violating its Sacred Rules And as nothing is more common than for Persons to talk in the Praise of Virtue and yet be openly guilty of the most scandalous Vices So the Jews who make the Prophetick Oracles the Matter of their continual Boast do yet shut their Eyes against the glorious Light of those Scripture-Prophecies which are evidently accomplish'd in the Person of our Blessed Saviour And if I may ascribe their Blindness to some other Cause besides the wretched Degeneracy of Humane Nature which they plainly discover'd I may safely say that 't was directly foretold by the very Prophets they so much admire For Isaiah says expresly Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the Heart of this People fat Now let any Person acquaint me what it is that the Prophet intends by these and the like Expressions 'T is plain they saw our Saviour but wilfully shut their Eyes against the piercing Rays of the SVN of RIGHTEOVSNESS and heard him discourse to 'em but cou'dn't comprehend that his humane Nature was the living Temple of the Deity which was going to forsake their Nation and to engage all its infinite Perfections in the behalf of the believing Gentiles And 't is Matter of Fact and a Thing very Remarkable that since the Incarnation of our Blessed Saviour the Jews have been left by God and that the Beauty and Glory of their Religion is in a Manner entirely defac'd and lost insomuch that there is scarce one Sign of the Divine Presence among 'em except the severe Judgments which do so justly befall their Nation They have neither Prophets nor Miracles to attest the Truth of their Religion whereas the Christians ev'n at this Distance of Time have a Power of working Miracles conferr'd upon 'em some of which are not inferiour to those which were wrought when our Saviour was on Earth CHAP. IX THEN Celsus's Jew breaks out into the following Expression How can any one imagine that we shou'd treat a Person so ill that was foretold by our own Prophets unless we had a Mind to enhance our Crime and so to aggravate our most deserved Punishment To this I answer that at the final Judgment which is one of the Articles of the Christian Faith the Jews will be punish'd in a more dreadful Manner than the rest of the World not only for rejecting the Messiah which was a horrid Crime but also for their barbarous and almost unaccountable Carriage towards the Prince of Peace Nay ev'n at this Day so remarkably do's the Vengeance of God pursue em they are the most miserable People upon the Face of the whole habitable World For what Nation is there besides that of the Jews that is banish'd from their Metropolis and deny'd the Liberty of serving God according to the Religion of their Fathers and Ancestors in their Native Soil These are some of those grievous Calamities to which their own Crimes expos'd 'em For no History can parallel their Villanies and especially those horrid Barbarities which they exercis'd towards our Blessed Saviour who came into the World to save 'em from Sin and Hell CHAP. X. THE Jew adds How cou'd we look upon him as GOD who on the one Hand did none of those Mighty Things which he pretended to effect and on the other was convicted and condemn'd to a severe Punishment was forc'd to abscond that he might not be taken running like a Vagabond from Place to Place and yet was at last apprehended and betray'd ev'n by one of his most eminent Followers who of all Persons in the World one wou'd think might have had the Grace to espouse his Master's Cause Was it in the least suitable to the Majesty and Wisdom of a GOD to flee like a guilty Wretch and to suffer himself to be apprehended and forsak'n by his intimate Friends who esteem'd him their Lord and Saviour THE SON OF GOD AND THE TRUE MESSIAH To this I answer that we are not so ignorant as to call THE BODY of our Blessed Saviour which was material and sensible by the VENERABLE NAME of GOD. Nay we don't attribute so much as this ev'n to the holy and spotless Soul of JESVS with respect to which he uses the following Words My Soul is exceeding sorrowful ev'n unto Death When we meet Mat. xxvi V. 38. with such Words as these in the Writings of the Prophets Behold I am the Lord the God of all Flesh Or Those Jer. xxxii V. 27. Words Before me there was no God Isa xliii V. 10. form'd neither shall there be after me the Jews acknowledge that 't is the great God himself that speaks but he makes Use of the Prophets as Instruments to communicate his Will to Men and the Greeks confess that 't is a God that speaks the following Words by the Mouth of the Pythian Priestess I can the numerous Sands with Ease recount Herod Clio. Fathom the Sea and understand a Mute After the same Manner we say that it was GOD the ETERNAL WORD the SON of the EVER-BLESSED GOD that made Use of the humane Nature of the HOLY JESVS as a proper Instrument when he spoke the following Words I am the Way the John xiv V. 6. Truth and the Life I am the Door I am the Living Bread that came down John x. V. 7. from Heaven And I might instance John vi V. 15. in many other Expressions to the same Effect We blame the Jews therefore and I think not unjustly for not acknowledging our Saviour to be God of whom the Prophets do so frequently produce their concurring Testimony that he is the POWER of the ETERNAL FATHER 'T was to him the Command of God was directed which we read of in the Account that Moses gives us of the Creation of the World Let there be Light Gen. 1. V. 3. let there be a Firmament and the like 'T was to him he said Let us make bid V. 6. Man in our Image after our Likeness ibid. 26. And the ETERNAL WORD did every Thing according to the Command of God And this is not a Conjecture form'd in our own Fancies but we build our Faith in this important Affair on the concurring Testimony of those very Prophets who are readily own'd and extreamly admir'd by the Jews themselves For we are told expresly He commanded and they were created Now what created Being how noble soever cou'd execute the Command of the ETERNAL FATHER with Respect to the Creation of the World who but he who was the ETERNAL and LIVING WORD CHAP. XI BESIDES 't is plain from several
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
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
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
a Divine Original since they thought 't was fit that the Bodies of those Persons who are not on a Level with the rest of Men shou'd have some honourable Mark by which they may be distinguish'd from Vulgar Mortals And because Celsus's Jew continues his Discourse with our Blessed Saviour and ridicules the Fiction as he is pleas'd to call it of his being born of a Virgin and ranks it among the Fables of the Greeks concerning Danae Menalippe Auge and Antiope I answer that such pityful Drollery as this wou'd look with an agreeable Air in a Merry Andrew who gathers a Mob about him and plays his Monkey-Tricks on a Stage but don't at all become one who wou'd treat of Matters of great Importance with that Gravity and Seriousness which the Nature of the Things may justly challenge from us CHAP. XXXIII THEN Celsus making mention of some Things relating to our Saviour's Going into Egypt refuses to give Credit to those Parts of the History which contain any Thing that is supernatural as the Angel's warning Joseph the reputed Father of our Lord and don 't examine whether his Leaving Judaea and Going into Egypt will not admit of an Allegorical Sence but invents an Occasion for his literal Going thither and believing and acknowledging in some measure the Truth of our Saviour's Miracles which caus'd Abundance of People to flock to him esteeming him to be the true Messiah but endeavouring to shew that they were wrought by the Help of Magick and were far from being Proofs of a Divine Commission he says That having been privately educated he was forc'd to work in Egypt and having learn'd those Arts for which that Nation is so famous he return'd into his own Country and gave out that he was God But for my Part I can't conceive that a Magician wou'd so industriously promote a Religion which teaches us to have a strict Eye to the Day of Judgment especially when we take any serious Affair in Hand nor can we think that he wou'd take such Care to inculcate that aweful Solemnity upon the Minds of his Apostles whom he design'd to imploy in the Promulgation of the Gospel were he a Person of so infamous a Character For either they wrought Miracles or they did not 'T is absurd to suppose they did no Miracles at all but barely relying on the Authority of a Doctrine which did not like the Logick of the Schools recommend it self to carnal Reason had the Courage to promote a new discountenanc'd Religion And if they wrought Miracles do's it stand to Reason that a Company of Magicians shou'd agree to expose themselves to imminent Danger and the greatest Inconveniencies imaginable to promote a Doctrine that condemns the Use of the very Art they practic'd But 't wou'd be Loss of Time to confute this Discourse of Celsus which has nothing but perhaps a little witty Drollery to recommend it to the Palate of the unwary and less judicious Reader CHAP. XXXIV HE goes on in the same Comical and Bantering Strain If the Mother of Jesus says he was a Celebrated Beauty and for that Reason the Great God was pleas'd to admit her to his passionate Embraces one wou'd think that so excellent a Being is of too pure a Nature to be captivated by the Charms of a frail and humane Body however he cou'dn't have made Choice of a more improper Person viz. One who had neither a Great Fortune nor Noble Birth to recommend her but led so obscure a Life that she was scarce known by those who were her nearest Neighbours CHAP. XXXV HE continues his Raillery and says That when her Husband the Carpenter came to hate her and sue for a Divorce all that she had to plead in her own Behalf was ineffectual to redress her Grievances nor did the Great God see fit as much as you wou'd make us believe he lov'd her to engage his Power to protect her from threat'ning Danger ev'n in her Native Country Therefore none of these Things says he have the least Reference to the Kingdom of the Blessed God But this Language is just like that of a Company of Persons scolding in the open Streets who vent their Passion without the least Regard to the Rules of Justice or Civility CHAP. XXXVI THEN taking some Things out of St. Mathew's Gospel or perhaps out of some of the other Evangelists concerning the Dove that descended upon our Saviour at his Baptism he wou'd fain have the whole Account to pass for a false and trifling Story And having said enough as he imagines to prove that our Saviour wasn't born of a Virgin he continues his Discourse but don't treat of Things in the Order of Time in which they came to pass for inveterate Malice can never endure to be confin'd to a regular Method and talks like those shatter-brain'd Fellows whose Heat and undue Passion do's so transport 'em beyond the Bounds of Reason that they don't stick to say whatever comes into their Minds and so are hinder'd from managing in a becoming Way the several Heads of severe but unjust Accusation which they bring against their Adversary with an Air of Vanity and Insolence For had'n't he been greatly wanting in the pretended Method he observes he wou'd have trac'd the History from its very Original since his Intention was to expose it to Contempt But on the contrary the Mighty Celsus who boasts so much of his comprehensive Knowledge after he had finish'd his Discourse concerning our Saviour's Birth immediately passes on to the Descent of the Holy Spirit at his Baptism in the Resemblance of a Dove Then he finds Fault with the Prophecies concerning his Incarnation After that he returns to what immediately follow'd his Nativity viz. To give an Account of the Star that appear'd and the Wise Men that came from the East to worship him But any diligent Reader may save me the Labour of showing how confus'd Celsus is throughout the whole of his Book and this one Thing is sufficient to convince any Person who loves Exactness of Method that 't was a Piece of Arrogance in him to give his Book the Title of A True Relation and was a Strain of Vanity perhaps beyond most Philosophers that ever went before him Plato says That it don't become the Character of a Man famous for Wisdom to be positive in Matters which are involv'd in very great Obscurity And Chrysippus after he has giv'n the Reasons that induc'd him to be of this or that Opinion do's modestly refer us to those Persons who are able to give a more clear and exact Account But this mighty Man being much wiser I suppose than Plato Chrysippus and all the Greek Philosophers gives his Book the engaging Title of A True Relation which suits well enough I confess with his Boasting that he didn't want to be inform'd of the Opinions which the Christians held But that it mayn't be thought that I pass by what he says for Want of being in a Capacity to
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
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
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
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
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
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