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
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
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
the Opinions of the Philosophers among the Pagans and wou'd manifestly have had its Foundation laid in the Wisdom of Men rather than the irresistible Power of God Now what Person who looks on these Fisher-men and Publicans who were not so much as taught the very first Principles of Humane Literature as the Gospels acquaint us and as Celsus is ready enough to believe and yet had such a Presence of Mind that they were able not only to discourse to their Country-men the Jews concerning Faith in Christ but also to preach the same Doctrine to other Nations and were favour'd with most wonderful Success I say what Person who looks on these Fishermen and Publicans will not presently enquire whence they deriv'd this uncommon Power of Perswasion and acknowledge that our Saviour's Promise in the following Words Come after me and I will make you Fishers of Men was evidently Mat. iv V. 19. and remarkably accomplish'd in that Divine Power which accompany'd the Preaching of the Apostles 'T was this to which St. Paul has so plain a Reference when he says My Speech aad my Preaching was not 1 Cor. ii V. 4. with enticing Words of Man's Wisdom but in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power that your Faith shou'dn't stand in the Wisdom of Men but in the Power of God For as the Prophetical Psalmist speaks who fore-told the Preaching of the Gospel The Lord gave the Word great was the Company of those that publish'd it Ps lxviii V. 11. and as it is fore-told in another Place His Word runs very swiftly Ps cxlvii V. 15. We see that The Voice of the Apostles was heard thro' all the Earth and their Doctrine and Fame too was spread to the most distant Regions They also who hear this Doctrine are fill'd with the Spirit of God who accompanies the Preaching of it as abundantly appears by the Disposition of their Minds the Tenor of their Conversations and their vigorous Defence of the naked Truth ev'n to the apparent Hazard of their Fortunes their Reputations and their Lives tho' it can't be deny'd but ought to be deeply lamented that too many who have tak'n upon 'em the Ministerial Function after all the Profession which they make of believing in God thro' Christ and after having seem'd to be wonderfully attracted by the bright and almost irresistible Charms of Gospel-Grace 't is to be fear'd did never feel the saving Impression of it on their Hearts attended with a suitable Influence on their Lives and Conversations And tho' I have already mention'd that Expression in the Gospel according to St. Mathew The Harvest is great but the Labourers are few Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest that he wou'd send forth more Labourers into Mat. ix V. 37. the Harvest I think it mayn't be improper to repeat it to shew that our Saviour's Foreknowledge of the Entertainment which his Doctrine wou'd meet with in the World was a Divine Proof of its future happy and more than ordinary Effect upon the Minds of Men a Doctrine the good Success of which was far from depending on the Assistance of the most Learned Doctors but was owing to that Divine and Miraculous Power that accompany'd the Apostles in their SACRED MINISTRATIONS CHAP. LII AND because Celsus represents 'em not only as a Parcel of ignorant Fellows but also as a Club of most scandalous Creatures vile Publicans and Mariners I answer it seems he assents to some Passages in the Gospels whereby he thinks he can support his Cause but rejects when he thinks fit the Authority of the Evangelists themselves that he may not be oblig'd to acknowledge and reverance thâ—se Characters of Divinity which are so legible in their Writings But when he sees with what Faithfulness they relate ev'n those Things that seem to lessen their Esteem and manifestly expos'd 'em to the greatest Dangers he ought certainly to believe the rest as being divinely inspir'd and by consequence infallibly true and of the highest Importance to us Barnabas I confess in his Catholick Epistle from whence 't is probable that Celsus has borrow'd his disadvantageous Remarks upon the Apostles of our Blessed Saviour says That Jesus chose such Persons to the Apostolical Function as were wicked to the last Degree And in the Gospel according to St. Luke St. Peter says to Jesus Lord depart from me for Luke v. V 8. I am a sinful Man And St. Paul in one of his Epistles to Timothy says This is a faithful Saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Christ Jesus came 1 Tim. 1. V. 15. into the World to save Sinners of whom I am chief tho' at last he became a most Eminent Apostle And I know not whether Celsus's Memory or his Judgment is most defective when he makes no Mention of St. Paul who next to our Blessed Saviour was the most remarkable Founder of the Christian Churches But 't is probable he thought it wou'd not serve his Cause and that if he had tak'n Notice of him he had oblig'd himself to have giv'n a rational and distinct Account how a Person who once persecuted the Church of God spit his Venom and employ'd his most vigorous Endeavours in Opposition to the Christians insomuch that he thirsted for their Blood was so strangely alter'd on a sudden that he spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to Illyricum endeavouring to avoid building on the Foundation which another had laid and making it his Choice and Business to preach to them who had never heard the glad Tydings of Salvation by a Crucify'd Redeemer CHAP. LIII WHAT Absurdity is there then in supposing that our Saviour being desirous to shew Mankind what Sovereign Remedies he had and was willing to apply to the distemper'd Souls of Men shou'd make Choice of Persons that were notoriously wicked and work such a sudden and surprizing Change upon 'em that by the Purity of their Lives they became very honourable Examples to them who were afterwards converted by their Ministry If they who have reform'd their Manners must be upbraided with the Crimes which they formerly committed then we may as well bring in a most heavy Charge against Phaedon himself ev'n after he had devoted his Time and Strength to the Study of Philosophy because History acquaints us that Socrates took him from a Place where Debauchery was practic'd without Fear or Regret and put him upon rational and learned Studies in which in Process of Time he was far from being a mean Proficient We might also condemn Philosophy it self by Reason of the extravagant Courses which Polemon the Successor of Zenocrates had formerly tak'n But in Truth this Consideration do's greatly brighten and recommend their Character that by the Help of so Divine a Thing as Philosophy they cou'd be brought to resolve on a virtuous and severe Course of Life in Spight of those bad Impressions with which they were forc'd to struggle and over which they did with no small Difficulty obtain an honourable and happy
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
cursed Hands in the bloody Death of our Blessed Lord. Celsus therefore might every Jot as well have granted that our Saviour knew what Accidents wou'd befall him and yet have talk'd with the highest Contempt of his Divine Praescience as grant that he was capable of working such Miracles as he wrought and at the same Time affirm that he was a Notorious and Vile Impostor And he might with all his Learning have shown that the Augurs and Auspices foretold Future Events by the Flying of Birds and by the Intrails of Beasts But he was loth it seems to make this Concession whereas he do's in some sort acknowledge that our Saviour wrought many Miracles and yet asserts he did 'em by the Help of Magick Phlegon was much more ingenuous who in the 13th and 14th Book of his Chronicon acknowledges that our Saviour foretold Future Events and says they exactly answer'd his Prediction tho' I observe that he seems sometimes to confound our Blessed Lord with the Apostle Peter And as it were in Spite of Prejudice he draws this natural Conclusion That since the Founder of our Holy Religion and many of his Followers were able to foretell many future and remarkable Events at so great a Distance of Time which exactly answer'd their Predictions we must suppose that they were acted by a more than Ordinary Power Then Celsus says That our Saviour's Disciples not being able to conceal those Things which were expos'd to Publick View thought that the best Game they had to play was to give out that their Master foresaw a long Time before all the Accidents that did afterwards befall him But either he didn't know or at least seems to be ignorant that our Blessed Saviour us'd the following Words to his Disciples All ye shall be offended because of me this Night which Mat. 26. V. 31. we know happen'd accordingly and was no false Prophet when he said to Peter Before the Cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice Ibid. V. 34. Now if they hadn't been Men of undoubted Integrity but had design'd to impose on our Credulity by false Narrations they wou'd certainly have discover'd so much of Worldly Policy as to have said nothing at all of Peter's Denying his Blessed Lord whose Cause he had so resolutely promis'd to maintain and never to have mention'd the Offence which ev'n some of the Disciples took at the mean Condition in which our Saviour condescended and thought fit to appear and if these Things which seem to represent the Followers of our Blessed Lord to a great Disadvantage were not related in the Gospels how cou'd Celsus or any other Person have tak'n Occasion from thence to cast a Reproach on our most Holy Religion But they were not unwilling that latest Posterity shou'd be acquainted with their Failings since they were well assur'd that this wou'dn't in the least hinder the happy Progress of the Everlasting Gospel or give the Reader any just Occasion to be guilty of the like Irregular Practices What Celsus adds is ridiculous to the last Degree The Disciples got this publish'd says he to secure the Reputation of their Master and 't is as if to prove that a Man is just I shou'd instance in several Acts of Injustice that he has done or to prove that he 's free from Passion I shou'd shew that he has been guilty of Murder or to prove that he 's immortal shou'd expose his dead Body to View and after all put People off with this frivolous Pretence that he foresaw whatsoever shou'd befall him But here 't is apparent that he grosly misapplies the Instances which he 's pleas'd to produce For there 's no Absurdity at all in supposing that our Blessed Saviour shou'd propose himself to us as a Bright Example of Moral Virtue and yet teach us to sacrifice our Lives and all that 's dear to us for the Sake of the Religion we embrace Consider also that the Death which he suffer'd is of General and Universal Advantage as I think I have sufficiently prov'd already And tho' Celsus do's fondly imagine that it makes very much for the Cause which he espouses that we don't deny that our Saviour suffer'd in the most notorious and shameful Manner yet this is for Want of knowing the SACRED MYSTERIES that are contain'd in the Passion of our BLESSED LORD as St. Paul observes and the several Predictions which are left upon Record by the Inspired Prophets concerning this difficult and important Affair Besides he seems not to know that there was a Celebrated Heretick who deny'd that the Sufferings of our Saviour were real This made him say You don't pretend that his bitter Passion was only in Appearance but without mincing the Matter you hold that he suffer'd in a strict and proper Sence For our Parts we think 't is a Notorious Heresy to maintain that our Saviour's Sufferings were only in Appearance since we must then affirm as the necessary Consequence of the fore-mention'd false and dangerous Position that his Resurrection as glorious as we suppose it to be was a meer Deceptio Visus For he that really dyes if he rises again must be really ris'n and on the contrary he that dy'd but in Appearance can only seemingly rise But because Infidels endeavour to expose the Doctrine of the Resurrection of our Saviour to the last Degree of Prophane Contempt I shall take Occasion to mention here what Plato relates of Er the Son of Armenius Plato's Common Wealth l. 10. who at the End of twelve Days rose out of his Tomb and told several remarkable Transactions that to his certain Knowledge had pass'd in the World of Spirits And I might mention the Story which Heraclitus tells of a Woman who continu'd a considerable Time without any Sign of Life which I think do's evidently and not a little serve my present Purpose since 't is with Infidels I 'm now engag'd And many pregnant Instances might easily be produc'd from History of Persons who have appear'd the Day after their Decease Is it then any Wonder at all that one who in the whole Course of his Life did so many Actions which nothing short of a Divine Power cou'd possibly enable him to perform who wrought Miracles to attest the Truth of his Doctrine which were so surprizing and so open to the View of his most implacable Adversaries that Celsus himself has not the Face to deny that they were true in Fact tho' indeed he ascribes 'em to the Power of Infernal Daemons I say is it any Wonder at all that so Divine a Person as our Saviour was shou'd have something that was remarkable in his Death and that his Holy Soul having freely and ev'n chearfully left his Body for a Time shou'd return to it as soon as ever it had perform'd the entire Duty of a Disunited Spirit Our Saviour has the following Words No Man takes it from me speaking of his Life but I lay it down of John 10. V. 18. my self I have Power
to lay it down and I have Power to take it up again And perhaps the Reason why his Holy Soul made Haste to leave his Body might be this that his Legs might not be broken as those of the Thieves were who were crucify'd by his Sides Then came the Soldiers and brake John 19. V. 32. the Legs of the first and of the other which was crucify'd with him But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already they broke not his Legs So that I have answer'd that Objection of Celsus how will you perswade us that he cou'd foretell these Things As for that other How will you ever make us believe that a Dead Person is immortal We say 't wou'd seem no Wonder at all if People wou'd but take us right that he that dy'd was not strictly immortal but he that rose from the Dead Nay we say that our Saviour was not immortal with respect to his Humane Nature before his Body was separated from his Soul For no Person who is to dye can properly be said to be immortal but then he 's truly immortal when he 's for ever loos'd from the Bands of Death Christ being rais'd from the dead dies Rom. 6. V. 9. no more Death has no more Dominion over him whatever some Persons may affirm who don't understand the Meaning of these mysterious Words CHAP. XV. WHAT Celsus adds is no less ill-grounded than what goes before What God says he or Daemon nay what Man of Common Sence will not take the most proper Methods that he can to avoid the Evils he foresees will befall him and especially when he knows he can easily prevent 'em if he will But Socrates was well-acquainted with the Nature of the Poyson that was giv'n him and if he had but follow'd the Advice of Crito he had escap'd out of Prison and secur'd his Person from the great Inconveniencies to which he was expos'd and yet he chose rather to dye than to act in the least unbecoming the Character of so Celebrated a Philosopher So Leonidas the Lacaedemonian General knew very well that he and his Company shou'd dve at Thermopylae yet preferring his Honour to his frail and mortal Life he said Come let us dine like those who are to eat their Supper with the Dead They who will take the Pains to consult Historians may find abundance of such Instances as these What Wonder is it then that our Blessed Saviour didn't use all possible Endeavours to avoid those Evils which he knew wou'd befall him when a far inferiour Person I mean the Apostle Paul foreseeing what Things he shou'd suffer at Jerusalem encounter'd the greatest Dangers and sharply reprov'd the Cruel Kindness of those who with Tears in their Eyes endeavour'd to prevent him from the happy Execution of his great Designs Nay many at this very Day who are not ignorant to what dreadful Calamities the Profession of Christianity will expose 'em and that if they wou'd openly renounce it they shou'd be immediately discharg'd and have their Goods restor'd I say many at this very Day despise Life with all its native and gawdy Charms and embrace Death it self ev'n approaching to 'em in the most frightful Shapes What Celsus adds is as ridiculous as what went before If says he Judas 's Treason and Peter 's Denial of his Master were foretold by Christ one wou'd think they shou'd for that Reason have had an Aweful Sense of His Divinity and thereby have been effectually secur'd from offering such base Affronts to their suppos'd Rightful Sovereign and most Liberal Benefactor But here Celsus with all his Wisdom do's unawares most grosly contradict himself because if our Saviour was GOD as well as Man then the Events of Things cou'dn't but exactly agree with what his Infinite Mind foresaw concerning 'em and by consequence the one must Vnavoidably betray and the other by a sad but Fatal Necessity deny him If Matters cou'd have happen'd otherwise if Judas hadn't betray'd nor Peter deny'd him being sufficiently forewarn'd of the Folly and Danger of committing such horrid Crimes his Veracity might easily have been call'd in Question For if our Saviour foresaw as we say he did that Judas shou'd betray him he also foresaw that Corruption of his Nature that that inclin'd him to his Treachery and if he foresaw that St Peter wou'd deny him he also foresaw his Infirmity that was the unhappy Cause of his committing so base a Crime and this was consistent enough with his permitting him to be surpriz'd into a gross Act of Sin And what do's Celsus's Jew propose I wonder when he says They betray'd and deny'd him throwing off all manner of Respect to him whom they own'd to be their Lord and Master For I have already shown that Judas himself as vile a Wretch as he was retain'd some respect for our Blessed Saviour ev'n in that horrid Instant in which he inhumanely betray'd him And the like may be said of St. Peter who after he had shamefully deny'd him went out and wept bitterly as St. Mathew acquaints us What the Jew adds is very ridiculous and childish If a Person says he do's once discover the Snares that are laid for him and detect his Adversaries they commonly desist from their malicious Purpose For the contrary is most evident from the Experience of all Ages of the World Then as if he were drawing to a Conclusion he says We mustn't imagine that these Things came e're the more to pass because he foretold 'em but rather infer from what I have said that he never did foretell em For 't is absurd to suppose that either Judas wou'd ever have betray'd or Peter have deny'd him had they been forewarn'd and appriz'd of his Prediction But since I have already overthrown the Principles on which his Discourse is founded the Conclusion which he draws viz. We mustn't imagine that these Things came to pass because he foretold 'em must fall to the Ground of Course We say the Events happen'd as Things in their own Nature possible and since they came to pass we see the Predictions verify'd For the Truth or Falshood of Prophecies is best known by the Event Therefore what he says viz. That they didn't come e're the more to pass because he foretold 'em but we must rather infer from what I have said that he did never foretell em For 't is absurd to suppose that either Judas wou'd ever have betray'd or Peter have deny'd him had they been forewarn'd and appriz'd of his Prediction This I say is most apparently false and his Inferences are not just Then he says that If our Saviour was GOD and really foretold these Things as You are apt to imagine they must necessarily come to pass so that a God is suppos'd to force his Disciples to be wicked with whom he seemingly express'd so endearing a Familiarity when on the contrary he of all Persons shou'd have been highly serviceable to all Mankind and especially to
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