pretends to have been fully inftructed in this doctrine, he must likewise have known that Jefus Chrift had foretold his difciples all that would happen to them after his death and refurrection; that they would be perfecuted by all men for his fake; and particularly, that they fhould be brought before kings and governors for his "name's fake, for a teftimony against them and "the Gentiles. But, fays he, when they deliver you up, take no thought how, or what ye fhall fpeak; for it fhall be given you in that fame 66 hour what ye shall speak." "Whofoever there<c fore fhall confefs me before men, him will I confefs also before my Father which is in heaven : But whofoever fhall deny me before men, him will I alfo deny before my Father "which is in heaven" --- Again, Jefus faid, "that this gofpel of the kingdom fhall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto cc: all nations +."-Thefe, and many other prophecies of the like nature, were published by the Evangelifts foon after the refurrection of Jefus Christ, and were even copied by this author into his book: And although he faw them fulfilling daily, by the bloody perfecutions which the Chriftians were then fuffering, by the firmness with which they were declaring the gospel of Chrift before men, and by the rapid progress which this doctrine was making, notwithstanding this perfecution, in almost every part of the world, • Matthew x. 18. 32. + Ibid. xxiv. 14.

this Epicurean had the effrontery to say, that the difciples of Jefus had falfely advanced that their Mafter had foreseen and foretold the things which would happen to him and them. There is no pleafure in refuting the arguments of an author who afferts fuch notorious falfehoods. If he had faid that the art of prophefying, or of foretelling events, was not such a great fecret, but was known to many who were verfed in the arts of magic, aftrology, &c. he would at least have kept up fome appearance of decency: Although a philofopher of those days* tells us, that Jefus Chrift and Peter had the knowledge of things to come, and had actually foretold many great events which afterwards happened; and therefore, fays he, as the first authors of the doctrine of Chrif tianity forefaw thofe events at a great distance of time, they must have been filled with divine vir

tue.

Our author's Jew continues his accufation in the following manner: What god, what demon, or what wife man, fays he, knowing that thofe things would happen to him, would not endeavour to have avoided them, and not fuffer himself to be furprized by thofe evils which he forefaw were ready to fall upon his bead?-Socrates knew well that the cup of poison which was prefented to him would kill him, and yet he drank it: he was likewife informed by Criton, that he might fave himself out of the prifon, and avoid the danger that threa Phlegon Chronic. Lib. xiv.

tened

tened him; but he did not judge it proper fo to do; efteering it to be more honourable to die as

philofopher, than to preferve his life by fuch means as were unworthy of him. Leonidas, chief of the Lacedemonians, was likewife well informed that he should die by Thermopyles, with thofe who followed him; but, far from endeavouring to preserve his life at the expence of his honour, Let us dine, faid he to his followers, like men, who may fup in the fhades below. Hence, therefore, according to Celfus's own ideas of things, if those great and learned Greeks preferred death to dishonour, why fhould he accufe Jefus of doing the fame? Moreover, as this author had read the New Teftament, he must have seen that St. Paul, the difciple of Jefus Chrift, was informed of what would happen to him when he came to Jerufalem; but he nevertheless determined to brave the dangers which threatened him, and blamed those who attempted to make him change his defign. At the time when Celfus wrote, he likewife must have seen and heard of numbers of Chriftians who, feeing themfelves condemned to death for following their religion, and knowing that they might be pardoned, and have all their property reftored to them, if they would abandon it, and worship the gods of the Gentiles, defpifed life, and voluntarily fubmitted themselves to all the tortures that their enemies could inflict upon them, rather than renounce their Saviour and their God.

Again, our author continues his reasoning in the terms following: If Jefus did not suffer, but because he had before refolved to do it, to obey his Father, it is evident, that being God, and exempt from all constraint, nothing that they did to him, by his own free will, could give him any pain or grief: but be must have fuffered exceedingly, or why did he make fuch cruel complaints and lamentations? why should be fear, and wish to be delivered from, this death? He expresses himself in the following manner : O my Father, if it be poffible, let this cup pass from me.-The former part of Celfus's argument is abfurd upon the face of it: for if, as he confeffes, Jefus fuffered, because he had before refolved to do it, to obey his Father, it is impoffible but that thofe who made him fuffer fhould give him pain and grief; as it is not an agreeable thing to fuffer. But if, according to our author's argument, nothing that was done to him by his own free-will, ought to give him any pain or uneafinefs, how could he have fuffered? Our author was deceived, by not confidering that Jefus, when he took our nature upon him, fubjected himself likewife to the fame pains and forrows that we are liable to, fin only excepted; fo that, when he had taken the former, it was not in his power to exempt himself from the latter, except he had changed the whole system of nature. As I have already observed, he could have avoided falling into their hands ; but as he came into the world for that cause, and knowing how much the facrifice which he was

5

about

66

about to make for mankind would be useful to all the human race, he prefented himself voluntarily to those who came to take him.-The fecond part of our author's argument (which has also been copied by many modern philofophers) fhews his malice and want of candour: for, in the place of acknowledging the fincerity of the Evangelifts, who fet forth every thing which made for and against them, and gave a faithful narrative of facts, he makes use only of a part of what they faid, and would perfuade the world, that they said things which they did not fay. The Evangelifts make no mention of any lamentations that Jefus made; and when he said, O my Father, if it "be poffible, let this cup pafs from me," he added, nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou "wilt." And again, O my Father, if this cup કંદ may not pass away from me, except I drink it, ૐ thy will be done.*"- Jefus herein fhewed a great degree of firmness, but, at the fame time, a perfect refignation and obedience to the will of his Father. In the firft part of this prayer, Jefus fpeaks as a man, and fhews the weakness of human nature; but ftill he fhewed his obedience, by not defiring the cup to pass away from him, except it was poffible; but he afterwards fhews the quickness and force of the Spirit of God, by adding, not as I will, but as thou wilt."Moreover, the fufferings of Jefus Chrift were to ferve as an example to those who would follow

• Matthew xxvi. 39, 42.