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
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
Followers of Aristotle and Epicurus think it is but has certain stated Rules as they that are skill'd in it do know and can easily demonstrate I say if I can make this appear I think I may then safely affirm that the Name Sabaoth Adonai and other Names for which the Jews have so profound a Veneration were not design'd to denominate any created Beings much less those of an inferiour Order but do contain some sacred Mystery which has an immediate Reference to the great and adorable Creator of the Universe These Names therefore have an Efficacy when they are duly pronounc'd by any Person whatsoever There are other Names which being pronounc'd in the Egyptian Language are prevalent with certain Daemons whose Power is limited to such or such a Sphere and others which being pronounc'd in the Persian Language are prevalent with other Daemons And I might instance in several Nations of the World that use other Names applying 'em in very different Sences and so we shall find that the terrestrial Daemons which have particular Places assign'd 'em have Names giv'n 'em according to the Language which the People speak Any Man of Sence therefore one wou'd think that bestows but the least Thought on this important Subject will scruple to make use of Names foreign to the Things which they represent least he shou'd unawares be guilty of the same Fault with them who use such improper and harsh Expressions concerning God himself that they don 't at all stick to give him the false and vile Appellation of inanimate Matter or run into the Error of those unhappy Persons who greatly derogate from the infinite Honour which is due to the supream and original Cause and disparage true Virtue and Piety by mis-applying the Sacred Name of Summum Bonum to a little glittering but perishing Dust or a happy Constitution of Body or that which is falsely but too commonly call'd an Honourable Descent Noble Princely or Royal Blood And surely the Danger of mis-applying the Name of the Aweful Majesty of Heav'n or the Chief Good is at least equal to that of changing the stated Names which are us'd in Magick and have a Mystical Sence and giving the Names of Superiour Powers to infernal Spirits and on the contrary those of infernal Spirits to Superiour Powers I need not say that at the very mention of Jupiter is understood the Son of Saturn and Rhea the Husband of Juno the Brother of Neptune the Father of Minerva and Diana and the Person that committed Incest with his Daughter nor need I say that at the mention of Apollo is understood the Son of Jupiter and Latona the Brother of Diana and Brother to Mercury by the Fathers side or need I speak of many other Things that were related by the Ancient Heroes whom Celsus has with so much Honour enumerated or contain'd in the old and admir'd Theology of the learned Greeks Pray how comes it to pass that Jupiter is call'd as he is and that the Son of Saturn and Rhea is not the Name that 's given him The same Question may properly enough be ask'd concerning the rest of the Riff-raff of the Heathen Gods This Consideration I think has a manifest Tendency to favour and justify the Practice of those Persons who have some mystical but solid Reason for using the Name Sabaoth or Adonai and some other Names when they speak of GOD since they who understand any Thing of the true Nature of Names will easily find that some sacred Mystery is veil'd under the Names which are giv'n to the Angels one of whom is call'd Michael another Gabriel and another Raphael each having a Name affix'd to him by the Father of Spirits agreeable to the Nature and Extent of that honourable Work in which his great Creator has thought fit to employ him And the Virtue which accompanied the Pronunciation of our Saviour's Name and by which cruel and obstinate Daemons were frequently and publickly dispossess'd both of the Minds and Bodies of Men must I think be resolv'd at least in some Measure into the natural Efficacy of Names I might add one Thing here and that is this that they who are skill'd in Enchantments tell us that if they make use of such and such Words in the Original Language the End propos'd will certainly be obtain'd but if the very same Words be chang'd and others be made use of which convey the very same Idea they will immediately and strangely lose their extraordinary Virtue So that the Power which they have is not owing to the Things of which they are the external Signs but to certain unknown Properties that belong to the Names themselves CHAP. XXI THIS may serve as an Apology for the Christians who willingly and ev'n triumphantly embrace Death it self in the most horrid Shapes rather than call God by the Name of Jupiter whatever Intention or Mental Reservation they might have or give him those Names which are us'd in the Languages and adapted to the Religions of other Countries For either they call him by the general Name of God or they bestow such Epithets as these upon him The Creator of the World the Former of Heav'n and Earth or might express themselves by the following Periphrasis He who has sent some wise and virtuous Men into the World whose Names being honourably blended with his own have a strange and ev'n miraculous Power Here I might enter into a long Discourse in Opposition to them who eagerly contend for the promiscuous Use of the most sacred Names For if Plato be so much and not undeservedly commended who brings in a Person upon Philebus's calling Pleasure a Goddess making use of the following Expression For my part Protarchus I have a profound Veneration ev'n for the Names of the Gods which like themselves I esteem sacred and inviolable how much more ought Christians to be commended who make Conscience of applying those Names to God which are unhappily but too commonly borrow'd from the empty and ridiculous Fables of the Poets But so much of this Matter for the present CHAP. XXII LET us now see how Celsus loads the Jews with Reproaches which don't well suit with his horrid Presumption in professing that he was perfectly acquainted with the Opinions of the Christians They give themselves says he to the Worship of Angels and to Magick following therein the Precepts of their celebrated Moses Let him therefore since he 's so well acquainted with the Jewish and Christian Doctrine shew where there 's any Precept in all the Pentateuch that can be brought in Favour of Angel-Worship and acquaint us how 't is possible that Magick shou'd be in Vogue with a Nation that observes the Law of Moses who has left the following Words upon Record Regard not them Lev. xix V. 31 that have familiar Spirits neither seek after Wizards to be defil'd by em CHAP. XXIII THEN Celsus undertakes to shew That the Jews by reason of their monstrous Ignorance tamely suffer'd themselves
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
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
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
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