^^' :/7 ^^'^ i^ J 0^^ " .--^^. PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY •«^i> 7550 / /^r^tf ' :>-1/^ :>■ tlv.^ ;^/m^m ^^ A \v '' ^^ ••7^ ' 1 ^ Y^,i'.'^ ;Wi '"*' ' >-''''^- ^,< k\ Digitized by tine Internet Archive in 2011 witin funding from Princeton Tiieological Seminary Library littp://www.arcliive.org/details/ecceliomoorcriticOOIiolb <ê^'" \:f ! '"""% U 1. '. . z i975 ^ i/CAl ^^ A CRITICAL ENQUIRY INTO THE HISTORY OF JESUS CHRIST; l^attonal ^naïgjsitîS of tje Sojfjjtlj?, "'■l .. , f ,,^ . 1 . ; I The Cross was the banner under which madmen assembled to glnt the earth with blood. — Vide chap, xviii. Let us not despair that Truth will one day force its way eren to tlirones.— 5ow/a«g-er. SECOND EDITION. Eonîron: PRINTED, PUBLISHED, AND SOLD BY Di I. EATOK, AVE-MARIA LANE, LUDGATE STREET; AUD TO BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS. 1813. BS9S INTRODUCTION. #^//^'f/i>/^//'^ CHOUGH the writings of the Evangelists are in the hands of every one, nothing is more common than to find the professors of Christianity unacquaint- ed with the history of the founder of their relio-ion - and even among those who haVe perused that history, it is still more rare to find any who have ventured seriously to examine it. It must, indeed, be acknow- ledged, that the ignorance of the one, and the want of reflection in the other, on a subject which they, never- theless, regard as of infinite importance, may arisa from the dislike naturally occasioned by the perusal of the New Testament. In fact, there reign in that work a confusion, an obscurity, and a barbarity of stile, well adapted to confound the ignorant, and disgust enligh- tened minds. Scarcely is there a history, ancient or modern, which does not possess more method and per- spicuity than that of Jesus Christ; neither do we per- ceive that the Holy Ghost, its putative author, has sur- passed, or even equalled many profane historians, whose writings are notso important to mankirjd. The clergy confess, that the Apostles were illiterate men. âïîd of coarse manners, and it does not appear thnt the spirit of God, which inspired them, troubled itself with rectifyng their defects. On the contrary, it seems to have adopted them ; to have accommodated itself to the weak understandings of its instruments ; and to have inspired them with works wherein we meet not with the judgment, order, or precision, that are found in manj human compositions. Hence, the gospels present us with a confused assemblage of prodigies^ anachronisms, and contradictions, in which criticism loses itself^ and which would make any other book be rejected with contempt. It is by mysteries the mind is prepared to respect religion and its teachers. We are therefore warrant- ed to suspect, that an obscurity was designedly given to these writings. In matters of religion it is prudent never to speak very distinctly. Truths, simple and easily understood, do not strike the human imagination in so lively a manner, as ambiguous oracles and impe- netrable mysteries. Jesus Christ,, although come o» purpose to enlighten the world, was to be a stumhling hlock to most people. The small number of the electy the difficulty of salvation, and the danger of exercis- ing reason, are every where announced in the gospel. Every thing seems indeed to demonstrate, that God has sent his dear Son to the nations on purpose only to ensnare them ; and that thej' should not com- prehend any part of the religion which he meant to promulgate,* In this the Eternal appears to have in» * By the scriptures and the fathers of the church, God is ai- rways represented as a seducer. He permitted Ere to be seduced by a serpent. He hardened the heart of Pharaoh. Christ him- «£lf was a slone of stumiling-. iended to throw mortals into darkness, perplexity, a -diffidence of themselves, and a continual embarrass- ment, obiging- them to have recourse every moment to these infallible luminaries, their priests, and to remain forever under the tutelage of the church. Her minis- ters, we know, claim the exclusive privilege of under- standing and explaining the holy scriptures; and no mortal can expect to obtain future felicity, if he does not pay due submission to their decisions. Thus, it belongs not to the vulgar to examine reli- gion. On mere inspection of the gospel every person must be convinced that the book is divine — that every word contained in it is inspired by the Holy Ghost*; and that the explanations, given by the church, of that celestial work, in like manner emanate from the Most High. In the first ages of Christianity, those who embraced the religion of Jesus were only some xlregs of the people; consequently, very simple, unac- odwelts Dissertations on Irenœum, p. 66, &c. To this may be ladded, the profound work of Mr. Freret, published in 1766, wnder the title of Exam^en Critique des apologistes de la Religiont Chrétienne. It is evident, that, among the first Christian doctors, there «was a great number of pious forgers, who, to make their cause prevail, framed and forged gospels, legends, romances, oracles of Sybils, and other works, of which the imposture and folly •were so striking, that the church itself has been fojrced to reject them. To be convinced of thi«, we have only to ca§t our eyes on the work entitled Codex Apocryphus JVovi Testamenti, pub- lished by J. A. Fabricius, at Hamburgh, 1719, The practice of framing Evangelical Romances, was not even recently left ofiTia $,iï€ iloraish Churih. A Jesuit, called father Jeromje Xavier, % 12 dated, the church, assembled in council at Nice, chos© four of them only, and rejected the rest as apocryphal, although the latter had nothing more ridiculous in them than those which were admitted. Thus, at the end of three centuries (i, e. in the three hundred and, twenty-fifth year of the Christian era), some bishops decided, that these four gospels were the only ones which ought to be adopted, or which had been really inspired by the Holy Ghost. A miracle enabled them to discover this important truth, so difficult to be dis-? cerned, at a time even then not very remote from that of the apostles. They placed, it is said, promiscuously, books apocryphal and autîientic under an altar :~^ the Fathers of the Cruncil betook themselves to pray- ers, in order to obtain of the Lord, that he would per^ mit the false or doubtful bocks to remain imder the altar, whilst those \y]^!ch v.ere truly inspired by the Holy Ghost should place themselves above it — a cir- cumstance which did not fail to occur. It is then on this miracle that our faith depends ! It is to it that a Missionary, ia Persia, composed a ridiculous history of Jesus, his mother, and St. Peter, in the Persian and Latin languageSj ■which was published under the title Historica Christi Persica, 3Q 4to. Lugd. Batav. 1639. L'Histoire du Peuple de Dieu, by the ■Rev. Father Eerruyer, is well known. In the thirteenth century, the Cordeliers composed a book under the title L' Evangila Eternal. In all ages. Christians, whether Orthodox or Heretics, have been piously occupied in decei^-ing the simple. Son^e have gone so far as to palm works on Jesus, and we have a pretended letter of his to king Agbarus. It ought to be remarked, that authors approved by the Church, such as St. Clemens Romanus, St, Ignatius Martyr, St. Justin, and St. Clement of .Alexandria, have quoted passages which are not to be found in the four gospels *dmitte4 at present. 13 Christians owe the assurance of possessinsr the true fîfospels, or faithful memoirs of the life of Christ ! It is from these oniy they are permitted to deduce the prlxi-^ ciples of their belief, and the rules of conduct which they ought to observe^ in order to obtain eternal salva- tion ! Thus, the authority of the books which serve for the basis of the Christian religion, is founded so'elv on the authority of a council, of an assembly of priests and bishops. But these bishops and priesîs, judges and par-? ties in an affair wherein they were obviously interes- ted — could they not be themselves deceived ? LiHepeo- dently of the apocryphal miracle, which enabled them to distinguish the true gospels from the f.ilse — had fhej any sign, which could fairly enable them to distinguish the writings which they ought lo receive from those which they ought to reject ? Some will tell us, that the church assembled in age^ neral council is infallible ; that then the Holy Ghost inspires it, and that its decisions ought to be regarded as those of God himself. If we demaiid, where is the proof that the church enjojs this infallibility ? it will be answered, t!iat the gospel assures it, and that Jesus Christ has expressly promised to assist and enlighten his church until the consummation of ages. Here the incredulous wili reply, t at the church then, or its mi- nisters, create rigltts to themselves ; for it is their au- thority which alone establishes the authenticity of books whereby their own authority is established; this is obviously a circle of eriors. In short, an assembly pf ishops and f riests has decided, that t e books wî icli attribute to themselves an infallible t.uthoiitj, have heen divinely inspired. Notvutlistanding that decision, there still reniaia 14 fome difficulties on the authenticity of the gospels. In the first place, it may be asked, whether the decision of the Councilor Nice, composed of three hundred and eii^hteen bishops, ought to be regarded as that of the universal church ? Were all wlio formed that assemblj entirely of the same opinion among themselves? AVer© there no disputes among these men inspired by the Holy Ghost ? Was their decision unanimously accept- ed ? Had not the secular authority of Constantine a chief share in the adoption of the decrees of that cele- brated council ? In this case, was it not the imperial power, rather than the spiritual authority, which de- cided the authenticity of the gospels? In the second place, many theologists agree, that the tmiversal church, although infallible in dogma, may err in facts. Now it is evident, that in the case alluded to, dogma depends on fact. Indeed, before decidiug whe- ther the dogmas contained in the gospels be divine, it was necessary to know, beyond tlie possibility of a doubt, whether the four gospels in question were really •written by the inspired authors to whom they are as- cribed; this is obviously a fact. It was further neces- sary to know, whether these gospels have never been altered, mutilated, augmented, interpolated, or falsified, by the different hands through which they have passed in the course of three centuries; this is likewise a fact. Can the fathers of the church infallibly guaran- tee the probity of all the depositaries of those writings, and the exactness of all the transcribers ? Can these fa- thers decide definitively, that, during so long a period, none could insert marvellous relations or dogmas in tliese memoirSj unknown to those who are their sup- posed authors ? Does not ecclesiastical history inform uSj thatj in the origin of Christianity, there were 15 schîsms, disputes, heresies, and sects without number; and that each of the disputants founded his opinions on the gospels? Even in the time of the Council of Nice, do we not find that the whole church was di- vided on the fundamental article of the Christian religion, the divinity of Jesus ? Thus, on considering- the matter closely, it will be seen that the Council of Nice was the true founder of Christianity, which, till then, wandered at random; did not acknowledge Christ to be god ; had not any authen- tic gospels; was without a fixed law ; and had no code of doctrine whereon to rely. A number of bishops and priests, very few in comparison of those whocom-> posed the whole Christian church, and these bishops very little in union among themselves, have decided on the point most essential to the salvation of nations. They have decided on the divinity of Jesus ; on the au- thenticity of the gospels ; that, according to these, their own authority ought to be deemed infallible. In a word they have decided on faith ! Nevertheless, their deci- sions might have remained without force, if they had not been backed by the authority of Constantine. This prince gave prevalence to the opinion of these fathers of the Council, who knew how to draw him, for a time, to their own side ;* and who, amidst this mul- titude of gospels and writings with which Christianity was inundated, did not fail to declare those divine, * Ecclesiastical history proves, that Constantine afterwards persecuted Athanasius, exiled him to Treves, and died an Arian. His son Constantine lived and died in the same sect. Father Pa- tau the Jesuit, and other learned nnen, believed that the Church was Socinian or Arian before the council of Nice. It is at least certain, that the word consuhslantial, which was adopted by that coiwcil, had been condetnaed by the council of Aulioch held w \^h\vhom are enemies to all enquiry. To such men we would state, that criticism gives a lustre to truth; that to reject all examination, is to acknowledge the weakness of their cause ; and that not to wish for dis- cussion^ is to avow it to be incapable of sustaining a trial. If they tell us, that our ideas are repugnant to the decisions of councils, of the fathers, and of the uni* versai church ; to this we shall answer, that, according to the sacred books, opposition is not always a crime; we shall plead the example of an apostle, to whom the Christian religion is under the greatest obligations — !• what do we say ! — to whom alone, perhaps, it owes its? existence. Now this apostle boasts of having zoith-^ stood the great St. Peter to his face, that visible head of the church, appointed by Christ himself to feed his flock; and whose infallibility, therefore, is at least as probable as that of his successors, and even that of the church assembled in oecumenical council. If they tax us with innovation, we shall plead the example of Jesus himself, who was regarded as an m- noxator by the Jews, and who was a martyr for the re- form he wanted to introduce. We, however, candidly declare, that we have no desire to imitate him in this — we applaud only to the martyrdom exclusively. If the tenets advanced be unacceptable, the author, as he lias no pretensions to divine inspiration, leaves to every one the liberty of rejecting or reççivjng his h\- terpretations, and method of investigation. He' d'oe^ not threaten with eternal torments those who resist his arg^uments ; he has not credit enough to promise hea- ven to such as yield to them ; he pretends neither to constrain, nor to seduce those who do not think as he does. He is desirous only to cahn tho mind; alhiy animosity; and sooth the passions of those zealot?» who are ever ready to harass their fellow creatures, oit account of opinions which may not appear equally con- vincing to all the world. He promises to point out the ridiculous cruelty of those men of blood, who per- secute for dogmas which they themselves do not un- derstand. He ventures to flatter himself, that such of his readers as peruse this enquiry with coolness^ will acknowledge, that it is very possible to doubt of the inspiration of the gospels, and of the divine mis- sion of Jesus, without ceasing, notwithstanding that, to be a rational and honest man. Such as are exasperated against this work, are en- treated to remember, that faith is a gift of heaven ; that the zaant of it is not a vice ; that if the Jews, wha were eye witnesses of the wonders of Christ, did iTot believe them, it is very pardonable to doubt them at the beginning of the nineteenth century, especially on finding that the narrative of these marvels, said to have been inspired by the Holy Ghost, are not uni- form, nor placed in harmony with each other. In fine, fiery devotees are earnestly entreated to moderate their holy rage, and suffer the meekness, so often re- commended by their divine Saviour, sometimes to oc- cupy the place of that bitter zeal, and persecuting spirit, which creates so many enemies to the Christian religion and its doctors. Let them remember, that if it is to patience and forbearance Christ promises th© 19 possession of the earth, it is much to be feared that pride, intolerance, and inhumanity, will render the ministers of the church detestable, and make them lose that empire over minds, which to them is so agreeable. If they wish to reign over rational men, they must dis- play reason, knowledge, and, above ail, virtues more niseful than those wherewith the teachers of the gospel have so long infested society. Jesus has said, in the clearest manner, " Happy are the jueeJc, for they shall inherit the earth /" unless indeed interpreters should pretend, that this only signities the necessity of perse- cuting, exterminating, and cutting the throats of those M'hose aifections they wish to gain.* If it were permitted to cite the maxims of a profane person by that of the Son of God, we would quote * The modern religion of Europe, says the author of The System of Nature^ has visibly caused more ravages and troubles than any other superstition ; it is in that respect very accord- ant to its principles. They may well preach tolerance and mild- ness in the name of a despotic God, who claims a right to the homage of the whole earth; who is extremely jealous that any other doctrines should be received than what have his sanction ; who punishes cruelly for erroneous opinions; who demands un- bounded zeal from his adorers. Such a being must consequently make fanatical persecutors of all men. The theology of the j»resent day is a subtile venom, calculated, through the import- ance which is attached to il, to infect every one. By dint of me- taphysics, modern theologians have become systematically absurd and wicked. By once admitting the odious ideas which they entertain of the divinity, it is impossible to make them un- derstand that they ought to be humane, equitable, pacific, in- dulgent, and tolerant. They pretend that these humane and social virtues are not seasonable in the cause of religion, and would be treason in the ejes of the celestial Monarch, to whom every thing ought to be sacrificed. 20 here the apophthegrrt of the profound Machiavel, that " empires are preserved by the same means whereby they are established." It was by dint of meekness, patience, and precaution, that the disciples of Jesus succeeded in establishing Christianity. Their successors have employed violence; but not until they found themselves supported by devout tyrants. Since then, the gospel of peace has been the signal of war ; the pacific disciples of Jesus have become implacable "warriors fhave treated each other as ferocious beasts; and the church has been perpetually torn by dissen* sions, schisms, and factions. If the primitive spirit of patience and meekness doss not quickly return to the aid of religion, it is to be feared that it will be- come the object of the hatred of nations, who begin to feel that morality is preferable to obscure dogmas, and that peace is of greater value than the holy frenzy of the ministers of the gospel. We cannot, therefore, with too much earnestness ex- hort them, for their own sakes, to moderation. Let them imitate their divine Master, who never employed his Father's power to exterminate the Jews, of whom he had so much to complain. He did not make the armies of heaven descend, in order to establish his doctrine; he chose rather to surrender to the secular arm than give up the infidels, whom his prodigies and transcendent reasoning could not convince. Though lie was the depositary of the power of the Most High ; though he was inspired by the Holy Spirit ; though he had at his command all the annals of Paradise ; we do not find that he has performed any great miracles on the understandings of his auditory. He suffered them to remain in their blindness, though he had come on purpose to enlighten them. We cannot doubt, that a 21 conduct so wise was , intended to make the pastors of his church (who are not possessed of more persua- sive powers than their master), sensible that it is not hy violence they can reconcile the mind to incredible things ; and that it would be unjust to force others to comprehend what, without favour from above, it would be impossible for themselves to comprehend ; or what, even with such favour, thej but very imperfectly un- derstand. But it is time to conclude an introduction, perhaps, already too long to a work which, even without pre- amble, may be tiresome to the clergy, and irritate the temper of the devout, particularly of female devotees. The author does himself the justice to believe, that he has written enough to be allowed the privilege of ex- pecting to be attacked by a cloud of writers, obliged, by situation, to repel his blows, and to defend, right or wrong, a cause wherein they are so much interested. He reckons that, on his death, his book will be cruelly calumniated; his reputation torn; and his arguments taken to pieces or mutilated. He expects to be treat- ed as impious — a blasphemer — as antichrist; and to be loaded with all the epithets which the pious are in use to lavish on those who disquiet them. He will not, however, sleep the less tranquil for that ; but as his sleep may prevent him from replying, he thinks it his duty to inform iiis antagonists before hand, that wz- juries are not reasons. He does more — he bequeaths them charitable advice, to which the defenders of re- ligion do not usually pay sufficient attention. They fire then apprised, that if, in their learned refuta- tions, tbey do not resolve completely all the objec- tions brought against them, they will have done no- %ll\ng for their cause. The infallible defenders of a re- 22 îigion, in which it is affirmed, that every thinar is di- vinely inspired, are bound not to leave a single ar- gument behind, and ought to be convinced that an- swering to an argument is not always setting it aside. They should please also to keep in remembrance, that a single falsehood, a single absurdity, a single con- tradiction, or a single blunder, fairly pointed out in the gospels, is sufficient to render suspected, and even to overturn, the authority of a book which ought to be perfect in all its parts, if it he true, that it is the work of an infinitely perfect Being-. An incredulous person, being but a man, may sometimes reason wrong; but it is never permitted to a God, or his in- struments, either to contradict themselves, or to talk nonsense.* • They shut our mouths, snys Mirahaud, by asserting, Ihat God himself halh spoken, and thus made himself kuo^vn to men. But when, where, and to whom halh he spoken ? Where arc the divine oracles? An hundred voices raise themselves at the same moment; an hundred hands exliibit them to me in absurd and discordant collections. I run them over, and, through the whole, I find that the God of wisdovi has spoken an obscure, insidious, and irrjitional language; that the God of goodness lias been cruel and sanguinary; that the Go'd of justice has been ïinjust, partKil, and ordered iniquity ; that the God of mercies destines the most unhappy victims of his anger, to the most hideous punishments. Many obstacles, besides, present them- selves when men attempt to verify the pretended precepts of u divinity, who has never literally held the same language in any two countries; who has spoken in so many places; at so many times; and always so variously, that he appears every where to have shown himself, only wilh the determined design of thro%\- ing the human mind into the most strange perplexity. — f ida è^yslem of A^alure-, vol. iii. p. 12G. ? OR, A CRITICAL ENQUIRY INTO THE HISTORY OP JESUS CHRIST. CHAP. I. ACCOUNT OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND THETR PROPHETS- ENQUIRY INTO THE PROPHECIES RELATING TO JESUS. 4rtHHtlt4Ht' However slightly we cast our eyes over tlie history of the Jews, such as it is transmitted in their sacred books, we are forced to acknowledge, that this peo- ple were at ail times the blindest, the most stupid, the most credulous, the most superstitious, and the silliest that ever appeared on the earth. Moses, by dint of miracles, or delusions, succeeded in subjugat- iuff the Israelites.* After having liberated them from •& * Justin Martyr iaforms us, that Moses was the grandson of a great magician, who communicated to him all his art. Mane- ton and Chereman, Egyptian historians, respecting whom testi- monies have been transmitted by Joseph the Jew, state that a multitude of lepers were driven out of Egypt by king Amenophis ; and that these exiles elected for their leader a priest of Heliopolis, whose name was Moses, who formed to? them a religion and a code of laws. Joseph, contra Ap- 24 the iron rod of the Egyptians, he put them under his own. This celebrated legislator had evidently nc? dther intention than to subject the Hebrews for ever to bis purposes, and, after himself, to render them the slaves of his family and tribe. It is indeed obvious^ that the Mosaical economy had no other object than to deliver up the people of Israel to the tyranny and extortions of priests and Lévites. These the law, which was promulgated in name of the Eternal, authorised to devour the rest of the nation, and crush them un- der an insupportable yoke. The chosen people of God were, in short, destined solely to be the prey of the priesthood ; to satiate their avarice and ambition; and fo become the instrument and victim of their passions^ Hence, by the law and policy of the priests^ the people of God were kept in a profound ignorance ; ia ail abject superstition ; in an unsocial and savage pion, lib. i. c. 9, 11, 12. — Diodoius Siculus also relates the history of Moses ; vide translation of Abbe Tanasson. — From the Bible itself it appears, that Moses began his career by as»- sassinating an Egyptian, who was quarrelling with a Hebrew ; after which he fled into Arabia, and married the daughter of aa idolatrous priest, by whom he was often reproached for his cruelty. Thence he returned into Egypt, aad placed himself at the head of his nation, which was dissatisfied with King Pha- ïoah. Moses reigned very tyrannically. The examples of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, show to what kind of people hei had an aversion. He at last disappeared like Romulus, no one being able to find his body, nor the place of his sepulture. The author of The Three Impostors, a translation of which we understand is preparing for the press, states that Moses concealed himself in a cave, or pit, which he had found in his solitude, where he retired from time to time, under pretence of holding conference with his God ; and which he had for a long time des- tined for his grave, in order that the people, not finding hi» body, might persuade themselves it had been carried to Jieavea. 25 aversion for the rest of mankind; iii an inveterate hatred of other forms of worship ; and iii a barbarous and sanguinary intolerance towards every foreign reli- gion,* All the neighbours of the Hebrews were, therefore, their enemies. If the holy nation was the object of the love of the Most High, it was an object of contempt and horror to all those who had occasion to know it. For this it was indebted to its religious institutions; to the labours of its priests; to its divi- viners, and its prophets, who continually profited by its credulity, in displaying wonders, and kindling its deli- rium.+ Under the guidance of Moses, and of generals or judges who governed them afterwards, the Jewish peo- * Josephiis informs us that the surrounding nations considered the Jews " the most stupid of barbarians, and that they had never invented any thing useful to man." Joseph- c. Appîon, lib. 2. See also the work entitled Opinions dès anciens sur les Juifs, by Mirabaud. Yet there are men of letters blind enough to maintain, that the Greeks borrowed a great number of phi- losophical and theological ideas from the Jews I + The art of prophecying was then an actual profession, and no doubt a useful and profitable branch of commerce in that miserable nation, which believed God to be constantly busy in their affairs. St Jerome says, that the Sadducees rejected the prophets, contenting themselves with believing the five books attributed to Moses. Dodwell, de Jure laicorum, asserts, that the prophets prepared themselves to prophecy by drinking wine. Vide p. 259. We actually find Isaiah complaining that *' the priests and Ihe prophets have erred through strong drink i^ they are swallowed up with wine ; they are out of the way through strong drink ; they err in vision» they stumble in judg- ment," chap, xxviii. 7- It seems t^ey were jugglers, poets, and musicians, who had made themselves masters of their trades, and knew how to exercise them profitably, and live comfort- ably. E m pie disfing'uisîied tîieiliselTes only hy ttiassàcresjtnijiîfl warSj cruelties, lisufpations, and infamies, which were enjoined them in the name of theEternal. * Weary of the government of their priests, which drew on them no- thing but misfortunes and bloody defeats, the descen- dants of Abraham demanded kings ;t buty under these, the state was perpetually torn with disputes between the priesthood and the governaient. Superstition aimed always at ruling over policy. Prophets and priests pretended to reign ove-r kings, of wboin such as were not suflBciently submissive to the interpreters of heaven, were renounced by the Lord ; and, from that time, unacknowledged and opposed by their own sub- ject$. Fanatics and impostors, absolute masters of the understandings of their nation, were continually ready to I'ouse it, and excite in its bosom the most t«'- ' * 'Proud of the protection of Jeîiavahj the Hebrews marched forth to victory. Heaven authorised them to commit knavery and cruelty. Religion, united to avidity, rendered them deaf to the cries oT nature ; and, under the conduct of inhumau chiefs, they destroyed the Canaanitish nations with a barîjarity 'at which every man must revolt, whose reason is not annihilated i)y superstition. Their fury destroyed every thing, evea in- fants at the breast, in those cities whither these monsters car- ried their Victorious arms. By the commands of their God, or 'his prophets, good faith was violated, justice outraged, and the iïtOït •unheard of cruelties exerci?,e&.—Bouhmg'er. »' + It appears that the Lord seldom or ever made a person & 4ciiJg for his goodness, or foreknew how he would turn out. He first of a!ll chos& Saul, one would think for his taltness ; and he soon repented of that; then David seemed to be chosen for ■hi^ fresh colour and courage; and the Lord was so fond of him as to promise him on oath, that he would fix the crown on his ^eeà for ever ; yeft only a »f.vthpart of the promise remained to his grandson; and ever since the captivity, all the promise has. beea forgot. — P. Anet^ 27 rihie revolutions. It was the intrioues of the prophets that deprived Saul of his crown, and bestowed it on D'Avïây the 7nan according to God's own heart — that is to saj, devoted to the will of the priests.* It was the prophets, who, to punish the defection of Solomon in the person of his son, occasioned the separation of the kingdoms of Judea and Israel. It was the prophets nvho kept these two kingdoms continually at variance j weakened them bj means of each other ; desolated them by religious and fatal wars ; conducted them to com- plete ruin; a total dispersion of their inhabitants; and 3 long captivity among the Assyrians. So many calamities did not, however, open the eye§ ©f the Jews, who were obstinate in refusing to acknow- ledge the true source of their misfortunes. Restored to their homes by the bounty of Cyrus, they were again governed by priests and prophets, whose maxims ren- dered them turbulent, and drew on them the hatred of sovereigns who subdued them. The Greek princes treated with the greatest severity a people wboni tb^ * The prophet Samuel, displeased with Saul, -whp refused to second his cruelly, declared that he had forfeited the crown, and raised up a rival to him in the person of David. Elias the prophet appears to have been a seditious subject, who, finding himself unable to succeed in his rebellious designs, thought pro= per to escape deserved punishment by flight. Jeremiah him- self gives us to understand, that he conspired with the Assyrians against his besieged country. He seems to have employed him- self in depriving his fellow citizens of both the will and the courage to defend themselves. He purchased a field of his re- lations, at the very time when he informed his countrymen that they were about to be dispersed, and led away into capti- vity. The king of Assyria recommended this prophet to his general Nabuzaradan, whom he commanded to take great care #f hira.-~5eiah of the Christians sprung; that the discontented hu-^band left bis faithless wife, in order to retire to Babylon, and that Jesus with his mother went to Egypt, where he learned the trade of a conjurer, and afterwards re- turned to practise in Judea.* Whether these histories, or, if they will. Rabbi- nical fables, be true or false, it is certain that the nar- rative of St. Luke, if not stripped of the marvellous, will always present insurmountable difficulties to the minds of the incredulous. They will ask, How God, being a pure spirit, could overshadow a zaoman^ and excite in her all the movements necessary to the pro- duction of a child? They will ask. How the divine nature could unite with the nature of a woman ? They will maintain, that the narrative is unworthy of the power and majesty of the Supreme Being, who did not stand in need ofemploying instruments as ridiculous as indecent, to operate the salvation of rainkind. It will be thought, that the Almighty should have era- * Such as are curious to see the history and fables -which the Rabbis have made about Jesus, will had them in a Hebrew book translated into Latin under the title of fol/es Jeshua, inserted ia the collection published by Wagenscil, to which we have already referred. 46 ployed other means for conveying Jesus into the womb of his mother; he might have made him appenr on the earth without needing to be incarnate in the beily of a woman;* hut there must be wonders in ro^ mances, and especially in religious. It was in all ages supposed that great men were born in an extraordinary manner. Among the Heathens, Minerva sprung out of the brain of Jupiter; Bacchus was preserved in the ♦ Tlieologists have agitated the question, wlielher in the con- ception of Christ, the Virgin Mary emiseril semen ? According to Tillemont, torn. ii. p. 5, the Gnostics, who lived in the time of the apostles, denied even then that the Word was incarnate in the womb of the woman, and averred that it had taken a body ©nly in appearance — a circumstance which raustdestroy the mira- cle of the resurrection. Easilides, in like rnanaer, maintains that Jesus was not incarnate. Tiilemont, torn. ii. p. 221. St. Epiph., advers, hœral. llieodorel, hœrelic. fab- lib, i. p. 195. Lactantius, in order to establish that the spirit of God could impregnate a, virgin, cites the example of the Tfaracian Mares, and other fe- males, rendered prolific by the wind. Nothing is more indecent and ridiculous than the theological questions to which the birth of Jesus Christ has given rise. Some doctors, to preserve Mary's virginity, have maintained, that Jesus did not come into the world, liP;e other men, aperla vulca, but rather jjer vulvam clau- sam. The celebrated John Scotus, on the contrary, regarded that opinion as very dangerous, as it would follow, that " Jesus Christ could not be born of the Virgin, but " merely had cwa^ out of her." A monk of Citeaux, called Ptolemy de Luques, af- firmed that Jesus was engendered near the Virgin's heart, from three drops of her blood, — Bibliothèque ^agloise, tome ii. p. 354-5. The great St. Thomas Aquinas has examined, whether jfesus Christ could not have been. an hermaphrodite 7 and whether he could not have been of Ihefemiiiine ^emler ? Of hers have agitated the question, " Whether Jesus could have been incar-, nate in a cow ?" We may therefor» see, how one absurdity mav engender others, in the prolific minds of theologtsts. 47 thigh of the same god. Among the Chinese, the god Fo was generated by a virgin, rendered prolific by a raj of the sun. With Christians, Jesus is born of a virgin, impregnated by the operation of the Holy Ohost, and she remains a virgin after that operation ! Incapable of elevating themselves to God, men have made hiai descend to their own nature ; such is the origin of all incarnations, the belief of which is spread throughout the world. All the wonders, however, which precede the birth of Jesus, are terminated by a very natural occurrence. At the end of nine months his mother is delivered like aU other women ; and after so many incredible and supernatural events, the Son of God comes into the world like all other people's children. This conformity in birth, will ever occasion the surmise of a conformity in the physical causes which produced the son of Mary. Indeed, the supernatural only can produce the super- natural; from material agents result physical ef- fects; and they maintain in the schools, that there must always be a parity of nature between cause and effect. Though, according to Christians, Jesus was atone and the same time man and God, persons hard of belief will say, it was necessary that the divine germ brought from heaven, to be deposited in the womb of Mary, should contain at the same time both divinity and bo- dy, to become Son of God. To use the language of theologists, the lij/postatic union of the two natures in Christ must have taken place before his birth, and im- mixed in the womb of his mother. In that case, we cannot conceive how it could happen, that the divine nature should continue torpid and inactive during the whole time of Mary's pregnancy, in so much that she 48 Jïerself had not even been warned of the time of her in* lying. Thé proof of this we find in St. Luke, chap, ii. — " In those days (sajs he) there went out a de- cree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And as all went to be taxed^ every one out of his own city, Joseph also went out of Nazareth and carae to Bethlehem, to be taxed with Mary, who \yas great with child. And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished thatshe should be delivered, and she brought forth her first born son, and wrapt him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." This narrative proves that Mary was taken unpro- vided, and that the Holy Ghost, who had done so ma^ ny things for her, had neglected to warn her of art event so likely to interest him, and so important to all mankind. The humanity of Jesus being subject to every casualty in our nature, might have perished ift this journey, undertaken at a time very critical to his mother. In fine, we do not understand how the mo- ther could remain in complete ignorance of the proximity of her time, and how the Eternal could so abandon the precious child he had deposited in her womb. Some other circumstances of the relation of St. Luke present new difficulties. He speaks of a taxing (enumeration) by order of Caesar Augustus : — a fact of which no mention is made by any historian, Jew- ish or profane."* We are also astonished to find * We may also add, that St. Luke asserts, this pretended tax- ing was made under Quirinus or Cyreneus ; but it has been de- monstrated, that Quiatilius Varus was at the time goveraor of 49 the son of God born in poverty, having no other asy* ium than a stable, and no other cradle then a manger; and at the tenderest age, in a rigorous season, exposed to miseries without number. It is true, our theologists have found a way to an- swer all these difficulties. They maintain, that a just God, wishing to appease himself, destined, from the beginning, his innocent son to afflictions, in order to have a motive for pardoning the guilty human race, which had become hateful to him through Adam's transgression, in which, however, his descendants had no share.* By an act of justice, whereof the mind of the province. Christian preachers and scribes remark with de- light, that the temple of Janus was shut, and that a profound peace reigned throughout the whole world at the time of Christ's birth ; but the falsehood of this fact has been proved in a book published in 1700. See Bernard, JVouvellcs de la Republique des Lettres, tome 1 5. * After all, it appears, from the account of the creation ascribed to Moses, that the human race are not all the descen- dants of Adam ; consequently they cannot beheld partakers of his guilt. In the first chapter of Genesis, God is said to have created man out of notJiing. In the second chapter, Adam is re- presented as having been formed of the clay of the earth. So re- strictions whatever as to what they should eat, were imposed on the men who were created of nothing. " Behold (said God to them) I have given you every herb bearing seed upon earth, and all trees which have in them seed according to their kind, that it may be to you for meat." To Adam, however, he said : " Thou mayest eat of every tree in the garden ; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shall not eat, for in the day thou eatest of it thou shalt die the death." In the first crea- tion, man and woman were formed at the same moment, and the sexes distinguished by the terms male and female. But it was not till after a proper helper could not be found for Adam among the first creation, that God said, " Let us make a helper H 50 ^an can form no idea, a God, whose essence rendeff him incapable of coramiting sin, is loaded with the ini-» ^uities of man, and mast expiate theai in order to dis- arm the indi-çnation of a father he has not offended. Such are the inconceivable principles which serve for the basis of the Christian theology.* Our doctors add — It was the will of God that the birth of his Son should be accompanied with the same accidents as that of other men, to console the latter for the misfortunes attendant on their existence. Man, Saj tbej, is gniltj before he is born, because all chil- dren are bound to paj the debts of their fathers : — ■ thus man suffers justlv as a sinner himself, and as charged with the sin of his first father. Granting this, ivhat more consolatory to us than seeing a God, inno- cence and holiness itself^ suffering in s. stable all the evil» attached to indigence ! That consolation would have been wanting to men, if God had ordained that his like unto himself — afid God sent a deep sleep upon Adam, and when he had slept, God took one of his ribs, and fUied up the flesh for it." Of this rib a companion was made for Adam, which, of himself, he cailed a unman. These two distinct crea- tions prove fatal to the dogma, that Christ died for all men. Hi» death cannot be beneficial to those who are not the descendants of Adam, becàase, unless he is acknowledged the father of all fnankind, his transgression cannot be imputed to the whole hu- man race. It must therefore be confined to the Jews only, ■which clears the Gentiles of the sin of Adam, and also of the ne- cessity of an atonement for guilt, in which they could not pos- sibly participate. We are at a loss to know, by what ingenuity ©or Christian doctors will attempt to get rid of this difficulty. * The sacrifice of the Son of God is mentioned as a proof of his feenetolence. Is it not rather a proof of his ferocity, cruelty» and implacable vengeance? A good Christian on his death bed said," he had never been able to conceive how a good Goà could put an innocent God to death to appease a jws/ God-" 51 Son should be born in splendour, and an abundance of the comforts of life. If the innocent Jesus had not suf- fered, mankind, incapable of extinguishing- a debt con- tracted by Adam, would have been for ever excluded from Paradise. As to the painful journey Mary was obliged to undertake in such critical circuarstances, this occurrence had been foreseen by eternal wisdom, which had resolved, that Christ should be born at Beth- lehem, and not at Nazareth. It was necessary-'^ having been foretold, it behoved to be acconiplislied. However solid these answers may appear to the faith- ful, they are not capable of convinciiig the incredulous. Unbelievers exclaim against the injtjstice of making a most innocentGodsuffir, asid loading him with the ini- quities of the «arth ; neither can they conceive, by what principle of equity the Supreme Being couid make the human race responsible for a fault committed by their first parents, without their kaowledge and participa- tion? They maintain, that, in fair justice, children have a right to renounce the succession of their parents, %vhen they have to pay out of the estate debts which the latter have contracted. The incredulous remark, that the conduct attributed to God by the Chrii^tia^^ mytho- logy, is injurious to him, in so far as it represents him as the most implacable, the most cruel, and the most unjust of tyrants.* Finally, they contend iiifit ii would have been wiser to have hindered man from commit- ting sin than to permit him to sin, and make his own Son die to expiate man's iniquity. With respect to the journey to Bethlehem, we can- not discover the necessity of it. The place whore the Saviour of the world was to be born, seems a circum- fetance perfectly indifferent to the salvation of mau- • See Appendix, No. I. 52 kind. As for the prophecy announcing the glory of Bethlehem, in having given existence to the " Lea- der of Israel" — it does not appear to agree with Je- sus, who was born there in a stable, and who was re- jected by the people whose leader he was to be. It is only a pious straining that can make this prediction apply to Christ. We are indeed assured, that it had been foretold Jesus was to be born in poverty ; while, on the other hand, the Messiah of the Jews is gene- rally announced by the prophets as a prince, a hero, and a conqueror. It is necessary then to know which of these prophecies we ought to adopt. Our doc- tors, will not fail to tell us, " the predictions an- nouncing that Jesus would be born and live in indi- gence and meanness, ought to be taken literaUi/y and those which announce his power and glory ought to be tyken allegorically .'''' But this solution will not sa- tisfy the incredulous; they will affirm, that employing this manner of explanation, they will always find in the sacred writings whatever they may think they stand in need of. They will conclude, that the scrip- ture is to Christians what the clouds are to the man, wlo magines he perceives in them whatever figures he pleases.* • The proto-gospel, ascribed to St. James, relates some curious and ridiculous circumstances, on which none of our four canonical evangelists have wished to rely ; yet they have nothing revolting to persons who possess faith enough. This proto-gospel informs us, for example, of the ill humour of Joseph ou seeing his wife pregnant, and the reproaches he loaded her with on account of her lewdness, unworthy, ac- cording to it, of a virgin reared under the eyes of priests, Mary excuses herself with tears; she protests her innocence, and " swears in the name of the living God, that she is ignorant 53 from -whence the child has come to her." It appears, that in ber distress, she had forgot the adrenture of Gabriel : — that angel canae the night following to encourage by a dream poor Joseph, ■who, on his part, was on the point of having an affair with the priests, who accused him of having palmed this child, to the pre- judice of Mary's vow of virginity. On this the priests made the two spouses drink of the waters of jealousy^ that is, of a potion, which, by a miracle, did them no injury ; the high priest, there- fore, declared them most innocent. It is likewise related in the same gospel, that after Mary had been delivered, Salome, refusing to credit the midwife who as- sured her that the delivered was still a virgin, laid her hand on Mary ia order to satisfy herself of the fact. Immediately this rash hand felt itself on fire ; but she was cured on taking the little Jesus in her arms. See Codex ^pocr. N. T. tome i. p. 95 — 115. 54 CHAPTER ÎIÎ. ■ftffff^ff^jrjr ADOEATION OF THE MAGÎ AND SHEPHERDS — -MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS ; — ^AND OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, WHICH FOLLOWED THE BIRTH OP JESrS CHRIST» OF the four historians of Jesus adopted by the church, t^\o are wholly silent on the facts we are to relate in this chapter ; and St. Matthew and St. Luke who have transmitted them, are not at all unanimous in particulars. So discordant indeed are their relations, that the ablest commentators do not know how recon- cile them. These differences, it is true, are less per- ceptible when the Evangelists are read the one after the other, or without rellection ; but they become particularly striking-, when we take the trouble of com- paring them. This is undoubtedly the reason why we have hitherto had no concordance of the gospels, which received the general approbation of the church. Even those which have Ijeen printed, have not been universally adopted, though it must be acknowledged that they contain nothing contrary to faith. It is perhaps from judicious policy, that the heads of the church hav© not approved of any system on this point ; they have probably felt the impossibility of feccuciling narratives so discordant as those of the four Evangeiistsj for the 55 Holy Ghost, doubtless with a vievT to exercise the faith of the faithful, has inspired them very differ- ently. Besides, an able concordance of the Gospels would prove a very dangerous work: — it would ne- cessarily bring together facts related by authors, who, very far from supporting, would only reciprocally weak- en each other — a circumstance which could not fail to stagger at least the faith of the compiler. St. Matthew, who, according to common opinion, wrote the first history of Jesus, asserts, that as soon as Christ was born, and while he was still in the stable at Bethlehem, Magi came from the East to Jerusalem, and enquired where the king of the Jews was, whose star they had observed in their own country. He- rod, who then reigned in Judea, being informed of the tnotive of their journey, consulted the people of the law ; and having learned that Christ was to be born at Bethlehem, he permitted the Magi to go there, recommending to them to inform themselves exactly of this child, that he himself might do him homage.* It appears, from the narrative of St. Matthew, that as soon as the Magi left Herod, they took the road to Bethlehem, a place not far from Jerusalem. It ii surprising that this prince, alarmed at the arrival of the Magi, who had thus announced the birth of a king of the Jews, did not take more precaution to allay his own uneasiness, and that of the capital, which the gospel represents as in a state of consternation at this grand event. It would have been very easy for him to have satisfied himself of the fact, without being under the necessity of relying on strangers, who did not exe- • St. Matthew ii. 2. &c. 56 cute his commission. The Magi did not return : Josepîi had time to save himself and his little family bj flight: Herod remained tranquil in spite of his suspicions and fears. It was not till after a considerable interval that he got into a passion on finding himself deceived ; an d then, to preserve his crovi'n in safety, he ordered a ge^ neral massacre of the children of Bethlehem and the neighbouring villages ! But why suppose stjch conduct in a sovereign, jealous, distrustful, and cruel? This prince had assembled the doctors of the law and princi- pal men of the nation ; their advice had confirmed the rumour spread by the wise men ; they said it was at Bethlehem that Christ was to be born, and yet Herod did nothing for his own tranquillity ! Either Herod had faith in the prophecies of the Jews, or he did not be- lieve them. In the first case, and instead of relying on strangers, he ought himself to have gone, with alî his court, to Bethlehem, and paid homage to the Saviour of the nation. In the second case, it is absurd to make Herod order a general massacre of infants, on account of a suspicion founded on a prophecy which he did not believe. Neither do we find that this prince's indignation was roused till after the lapse of several days, and after he perceived that the Magi derided him, and returned by another road. Why did he not learn by the same means, the flight of Jesus, of Joseph, and his mother ? Their retreat must certainly have been observed in a place so small as Bethlehem. It will perhapsbe said, that God on this occasion, permitted Herod to be blinded; but God should not have permitted the inhabitants of Bethlehem and its environs to be so obstinate in pre- servins a secret that was to cost the lives of all their children. Possessed of the power of working mira- ièles, could not God have saved his son by more geii- tle means than this useless massacre of a areat num- ber of innocents ? — On the other hand, Herod was not absolute master in Judea^ The Romans Would not have permitted him to exercise such cruelties ; and the Jewish nation, persuaded of the birth of Christ, would not have been accessary to them* A King of England, more absolute than a petty sovereign of Judea-, dependent on the Ilomansj would not be obeyed, were he to order his guards to go and cut the throats of all the children in a neighbouring village^ because three strangers, in passing through Londonj^ had said to himj that among the infants born in that village there was onej who, according to the rules of judicial astrology^ was destined to be one day king of Great Britain; At the time when astrology was in vogue, they would have contented themselves with causing search to be made for the suspected infant ; they would have kept it in solitary confinement, or perhaps put it to death ; but without comprehending other innocent children in its proscription. We might indeed oppose to the relation of Matthew the silence of the other evangelists, and especially that of the historian Josephus, whoj having reasons to hate Herodj would not have failed to relate a fact so likely to render him odious as the massacre of the in- nocents. Philo is likewise silent on the subject; and no reason can be divined why these two cele- brated historians should have agreed in concealing a fact so horrible. We cannot suppose it has proceed- ed from hatred to the Christian religion ; for that de- tached fact would prove neither for nor against it. We are, therefore, warranted to conclude that this massa- cre is a fable j and that Matthew seems to have in- I 58 venteci it merely to have the opportunity of applying an ancient prophecy, which was his prédominant taste. But in this instance he has obviously deceived him* feeîf. The prophecy which lie applies to the massacre of the innocents, is taken fiora Jeremiah. All the Jews understood it as relating to the Babylonish cap- tivity. It is conceived as follows : " The Lord hatli said, the voice of lamentations, groanina^s, and bitter tears, has been heard from on high of Rachàel^ who weeped for her children, and refused to be comforted for them, because they were not." — The .following verse is so plain, that it is inconceivable why Matthew has ventured to apply it to the pretended massacre at Bethlehem :— " Thus saith the Lord (continues Jere- miah), refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears ; for thy work shall be rewarded, and thy children shall come again from the land of the ene- my." Their return from the captivity is here clearlj pointed out, when the Israelites should again plant vines after obtaining possession of their own country. It is also to accop.iplish a prophecy, that the same St. Matthew makes Jesus travel into Egypt. This journey, or rather Christ's return, had, according to him, been predicted by Hosea in these words : " Out of Egypt have I called my son." But it is evi- dent, that this passage is to be considered only as re- lating to the deliverance of the Israelites from bond- age, through the ministry of Moses. Besides, the journey and abode of Jesus in Egypt, do not agi*ee in any manner with some circumstances which happened in the infancy ofChrist, as related by St. Luke, who in- forms u>, that at the end of eight days Jesus was cir- cumcised. The time of Mary's purification being ae- eoinplishèd, according to the law of Moses, Joseph and 59 his mother carried Christ to Jerusalem, in order to present him to the Lord, agreeablj to the law which ordained the consecrating to him the first born (first fruits), and offering a sacrifice for them. On this occa- sion, Lrtike teils us, that old Simeon took the infant in Iiis arnjs, and declared in the presence of all the people assisting' at the ceremonj, that the child was the Sa- viour of Israel. An old prophetess, called Anna, bore aloud the same testimony in his favour, and spoke of him to all those who looked for the redemption of ihe Jews» But why were speeches thus publicly made in thç temple of Jerusalem, in which city Herod resided, un- known to a prince so suspicious ? They were much better calculated to excite his uneasiness, and awake bis jealousy, than the arrival of astrologers from the East. Did Joseph and Mary, who came to Jerusalem for the presentation of Jesus, and purification of his mother, return to Bethlehem ? and went they from thence into Egypt in place of going to Nazareth ? St. Luke says indeed, most expressly, that when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they re-^ turned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. But in what time did the parents of Jesus accomplish all that the law ordained ? Was it before going into Egypt, or after their return from that country, where, according to St. Matthew, they had taken refuge to shelter themselves from the cruelty of Herod? In a word, did the purification of the virgin, and the presen- tation of her son in the temple, take place before or after the death of that wicked prince? According to Leviticus, the purification of a mother who had brought a son into the world, was to be made at the end of thirty days. Hence we see how very difHcult it is to 00 reconcile the flight into Egypt, and the massacre of {ho innocents, which St. Matthew relates, with the narra^ tiveof St. Luke, who sajs, that, " after having per- formed the ordinances of the law, Joseph and Mary returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth ;" and then adds, " they went to Jerusalem every year to celebrate the passover." If we could adopt the relation of the two evangelists, at what time are we to place the coming of the Magi from the East in or- der to adore Christ; the anger of Herod ; the flight into Egypt; and the massacre of the innocents? We are forced to conclude, either that the relation of St. Luke is defective, or that St. Matthew wished to deceive his readers with improbable tales. In whatever way we consider the matter, the Holy Ghost, who inspired these apostles, will in either case be found to have committed a mistake. There is another fact on which our two evangelists do not better agree. ?t. Matthew, as we have seen, makes the Magi come to Bethlehem from the extremity of the East, to adore the child Jesus, and offer him pre- sents. St. Luke, less taken with the marvellous, makes this child be adpred by simple shepherds, who watched their flocks during night, and to whom an anael announced the gre^t event of the birth of the Saviour of Israel. The latter evangelist speaks nei-. pf the apparition of the star, nor of the coining of the Magi, nor of the cruelty of Herod — circumstances, howr ever, which ought to have been recorded by St. Luke, who informs us that he was so çxactly informed of every thing concerning Jesus, Whatever may be in this, the parents of Christ, ei- ther after their return from Egypt, or after his pres.en- tation in the temple, went to reside at Nazareth, m S't. Matthew, as usual, perceives in this the accom- plishment of the prediction, he shall he called a Naza' rene ; but unfortunately for his purpose, this prophe- cy is not to be found in the Bible, nor can it be di- vined by whom it was uttered. It is however cer^ tain, that Nazarene among the Jews, &ignified a tia- gabond, a person excluded from the rest of the world ; that Nazareth was a very pitiful town, inhabited by beings so wretched that their poverty had become pro- verbial; and that beggars, vagrants, and people whoili pobody would own, were called Nazarenes,* * It is of importance to remark, that the first Christians were styled JVazarenes. We find them also designed Ebioniles, derived from a Hebrew word which signifies a mendicant, a wretch, and a pauper. Everybody knows that St. Francis and St. Dominic, who, jnthe 13th century, proposed to revive primitive Christianity, founded orders of mendicant monks, destined to live solely on alms, to be true JVazarenes, and to levy contributions on the community, which these vagabonds have never ceased to oppress. Salraeron, in order to re-animate these mendicant monks, has maintained that Jesus Christ himself was a beggar. Be that as it may, it is not unseasonable here to make some remarks on the Nazarenes, which will throw great light on the history of Chris- tianity. It is well known, that the name of Nazarenes was given to the apostles and Jews, who were first converted. The Jews regarded them as heretics (minian), and excommunicated per- sons ; and, according to St. Jerome, anathematised them in all their synagogues, under the name of Nazarenes. St- Hieronym. Epist. ai lb. in Tsaiam. v. IS. The Jews even at present give the jiame of Naz irenes (Nozerim) to the Christians, whom the Arabs and Persians call Naziri. The first Jews, converted by Jesus and his apostles, were only some reformed Jews: they preserved circumcision and other usages appointed by the law of Moses. " Nazaraei (says ^t J'^ro ne , ita Christum recipiunt, «t ob- Sfervationes legis vetcris non amittant. Ad. Jes. S." In this they followed the example of Jesus, who being circumcised, and ?i Jew during his whole life, had often taught, that it was ae- We have seen, i» the course of this eLapler, how Yiiile harmony exists between the two, evangelists, respecting- the circuiitstaHces attenJiiig' the birth of Jesus. Let us now examine wliat could have been the views of these two writers m relating these facts so verj differently. It is at least impossible that Jesus, as St. Luke re- îatesj could constantly reside at Nasareth till be was twelve years of age, if it be true that he was carried soon after his birth into Egypt, where St. Matthew çessary to respect and obserTe the law. Yet in process of time the Nazarenes, or Ebionites, -were anathematised by the other Christians, for having united the ceremoRJes of the law wilh fhe gospel of Christ. St. Jerome, speaking of them and the ^iscipies of Corinthns, says, " Qui (Ebioni et Cerrnthieni) cre- d'entes in Chrîsîo, propter hoc solum a patrifeus anathematizati »int, quod legis cereraonias Christi erangelio miscnerunt^ Sic nova confess! sunt, ui A'etera non amilterent. St. Hieroa. in Epistol ad Augustin." It seems, that in acting thus, the Ebio- Bites, or Nazarenes, conformed themselves to the intentions of Jesus and his apostles. It is, therefore, surprising to see then? treated afterwards as heretics. But we will see (in chap. lT.)the true cause of this change ; it was evidently owing to St. PauU whose party prevailed over that of St. Peter, the other apostles, and the Nazarenes or Judaising Christians. Thus St. Paul cor- rected and reformed the system of Jesus Christ, who had preached only a Judaism reformed. The apostle of the Gen^ tiles succeeded in making his master, and his old comrades, be regarded as heretics, or bad Christians. Thus it is, that theolo- gists frequently take the liberty of rectifying the religion of the Saviour they adore! Moreover, the Nazarenes had a gospel in Hebrew very different from the one we possess, and which wa» attributed to St. Barnabas. See Toland, in a work published un- éer the title of Nazarenes, in octavo, London, 17 58. Ac- cording to that gospel, the Nazarenes did not lielieve ia the àl- viûîty of Jesus Chrifet. 6^ makes him remain until the death of Herod. Even 8ii the time that Jesus lived, he was upbraided with his stay in Egypt.*' ilis enemies averred that he thera learned magic, to which they attributed the wonders, or cMiining tricks, they saw him perform. St. Luke, to do away these accusationsj has thought proper to be silent as to the journey to Egypt, which made his hero sus- pected. He fixes him, therefore, at Nazareth, and makes him go every year with his parents to Jerusalem. But the precaution of that evangelist seems to have itôe» useless. St. Matthew, who wrote before him, had established the journey and abode of Jesus in Egypt. Origen, in his dispute with Ceîsus, does not deny it. Hence we see, that the Christian doctors did not doubt that Jesus had been in that country, notwithstanding the silence of St. Luke. Let us endeavour then to de- velope the motives of these two writers. The Jews in general agreed in the expectation of à Messiah or Deliverer ; but a» the different orders of the state had their prophets, they also possessed different signs by which they were to know the Mes- siah. The great, the rich, and persons well informed, did not surely expect that thedeliverer of Israel should be born in a stable, and sprung from the dregs of the people. They undoubtedly expected their deliverance by a prince, a warrior, a man of power, able to make himself respected by the nations inimical to Judca, and * The gospel of the infancy of Jesus Christ, ascribed to the apostle SL Thomas, makes the h.ol}' family travel isto Eçypt, and makes Jesus go from city to ciîy, working miracles sufficient to procure them a comfortable subsisteiice. The water Mary used iia wafshing her child, cured lepers, and persons possessed wilh devils*, the presence of Christ made the idois fall down, &c.— ' Codex Apoc- tome 1. p. 182. to break in pieces their chains. The poor, on {he coH» trary, who, as well as the great and the rich, have their portion of self love^ thought they might flatter theni'* selves that the Messiah would be born in their class;; Their nation and their neighbours furnished many ex- amples of great men sprung from thé bosom of poverty j and the oracles' with which this nation was fed were of such a nature, that every family believed itself enti- tled to aspire to the honour of giving birth to a Mes- siah ; though the most general opinion was, that this deliverer was to come of the race of David. Admitting this, shepherds and people of the lowest order might readily believe, that a woman, delivered in a stable at Bethlehem, had brought the Christ into the world. It may Hkwise be presumed, that Mary^ with a view to render herself interesting, said to those who visited her, that she was descended from the blood of kings— a pretension well adapted to excite'the com- misération and wonderment of the people. This secret, and the confused remembrance of some prophe» cies about Bethlehem^ the native country of David, were sufficient to operate on the imaginations of these credulous people, little scrupulous about proofe of what was told them. St. Matthew, who reckoned on the credulity of his readers,* had his head full of prophecies and popular * Men are always as credulous as children upon religlou* subjects. As they comprehend nothing about it, and are never» theless told that they must believe it, they imagine they run no risk in joining sentiments with the priests, whom they suppose to have succeeded in discovering that which they do not under- stand. The most rational people ask themselves, " What shall we do? — what interest can so many people have to deceive:" To these we say, they do deceive you, either because they ar» 65 ttôtioiis. To fill up a blank of thirty years in his history of Jesus, he contrived to niake him travel into Egypt, without foreseeing the objections that might be made on account of the neglect of the holy family to fulfil the ordinances of the law; such as the circumcision of the child, his presentation in the temple, the purifi- cation of his mother, and the Celebration of the passo- ver — ceremonies which could only be performed at Je- rusalem. Perhaps it is to justify the journey to Egypt, and those negligences, that St. Matthew introduces the prophecy of Hosea relative to the return from that place. It seems also to justify the duration of Jesus's abode there, that he relates the wrath of Herod, and the fable of the massacre of the innocents, which he makes that prince order, though his crimes had, in other respects, rendered him sufficiently odious to the Jews as well as to strangers. Mankind in general are disposed to believe every thing of a man become fa- mous for his wickedness. St. Luke, to elude the reproaches which in his time might be thrown on Jesus, on account of his residence and journey in Egypt, has not mentioned it at all; but his silence does not destroy its reality. Itwaâ necessary, to free Christ from the suspicion of magi^, themselves deceived, or because they have a great iaterest ia deceiving you. — Mirabaud. Credulity, says Helvetius, is partly the effect of indolence. We have been habituated to believe a thing that is absurd ; th« falsity of such a belief is suspected : but to be fully satisfied re, quires the fatigue of examination. This we are not for under- going ; and thus choose rather to believe than examine. In such disposition, the most convincing proof of the falsity of att opinion will always appear insufficient. Every weak reasooing Ijersuadcs; every ridiculous story is believed, K 66 but he has not clearecl him of accusations brouoht again<^t his birth, which are quite as weighty. Celsus, a celebrated ph_ysician, who lived in the se» cond century of Christianity^ and who had carefully collected all which had been published ag-ainst Christ, asserts that he was the fruit of adultery. Origen, in his work against Celsus, has preserved this accusatioa, but he has not transmitted the proofs on which it was founded. Unbelievers, however, have endeavoured to supply them, and found the opinion of Celsus on what follows : — First. From the testimony of St. Matthew himself, it is most certain that Joseph was very much dissatisfied with the pregnancy of his wife, in which he had no part. He formed the design of quitting her secretly, and '.vithout noise; a resolution from which he was di- verted by an angel, or dream, or perhaps reflection, ■which always passes among Jews for the effect of an inspiration from on high. It appears, however, that this design of Joseph had transpired, and was after- wards turned into a matter of reproach against Jesus. But St. Luke, more prudent than St. Matthew, ha» ïiot ventured to mention either the ill humour of Jo- seph, or the good-natured conduct he followed. Neither do we find, though he formed this resolu- tion as to his wife's amour, that this easy man again appeared on the stage from the time Jesus entered or» it. We are no where informed of his death, and it is obvious that he never afterwards beheld his putative son with an eye of kindness.* When, at thirty years * St. Eplphanius, lib. i. 10. of Heresie, assures us, that Jo- seph was very old at the time of his marriage with the virgin? sati adds, tbat he was a widower, and father of six childreu bv (57 ©f age, Jesus and his mother went to the wedding at Cana, there is no mention of Joseph. If we admit, with St. Luke, the history of Jesus's dispute with the doctors in the temple of Jerusalem, we will find anew proof of the indifference which reigned between the pretended father and supposed son : they met at the end of three days, and deigned not to interchange a word. Secondli/. If to these presumptions are joined testi- monies more positive, and a high antiquity, which con- firm the suspicions entertained concerning the birth of Jesus, we will obtain proofs that must convince every unprejudiced person. The Emperor Julian, as well as Celsus, who both had carefully examined ; 1! the writings existing in their time, for and against the Christian religion and its author, represent the mother of Jesus as a prostitute, living by her debaucheries, and tutned off by her betrothed. From the beginning of Chris- tianity, the sect of Antidicomarites regarded Je^us as a bastard. In the works of the Jews, he is treated as an adulterous child ; and, almost in our days, Helvidius, a learned Protestant critic, as wetl as several others, have maintained, not only that Jesus was the fruit of a criminal intercourse, but also that Mary, repudi- ated by Joseph, had other children by different hus- bands. Besides, this supposed virgin did not want a reason for forsaking Joseph, and flying into Egypt with her son. A prevailing tradition among the Jews states, his first wife. According to the proto-gospel ascribed to St. James the Young, the good man had much difficulty in prevail- ing on himself to espouse Mary, whose age intimidated him; but the high priest convinced him, finding perhaps that Joseph was the man most conformable tohis views. Codex. Apocryph. N. T. tome i. p. S8, &c. This seems to insinuate a sacerdotal intrigue. m that she made this journey to shelter herself from th^ pursuit of her spouse, who, in spite of the nocturnal visions which had been employed to pacify him, might have delivered her up to the rigour of the laws. We know that the Hebrews did not understand jesting on this subject. We also find in the Talmud'^ the name of Panther, surnamed Bar- Panther, whom they reckon in the num- ber of the gallants, or'husbands of the Virgin. From thence it would appear, that Mary, repudiated by Joseph, or after her flight, espoused Panther, an Egyptian soldier, her favourite lover, and the real fa-^ ther of Jesus. St. John Damascene thought to repair the injury which this anecdote might do to Mary's repu- tation, by saying that the navtie of Bar-Panther was hereditary in the family of Mary, and consequently in that of Joseph. But, 1st, either Mary was not the kinswoman of Joseph, or she v?as not the cousin of * In a work, published during the present year, by Solomaa Bennet, a Polish Jew, entitled " The Constancy of Israel," we find the following account of the Talmud : — This extensive work is a conamentary on the Bible and the Mishnah ; the contents thereof include all the juridical, crinriiaal, ritual, conjugal, and agricultural laws at large. It was produced by means of cor- respondence among the diiferent colleges, estaLlished in places •where the Jews were dispersed, by way of polemical questions, controversies, and debates. It contains also raoral philosophy, ethics, and various allegorical phrases- All these doctrines were collected into one work, which bears the title of the 'Talmud;' which was concluded by llabinan Sabo.-oy, who succeeded Ra- bina, and Rabbi Ashah, the chief dpct salvation, v.e find Paul would not suffer the CorinthiaBsto be bc-ptized. We also learn that hç circninC'S^d Timothy. — Christianity Unveiled, p. Ii4. 77 iù hear him, that, to pacify Heaven, it was time to repent;* that the arrival of the Messiah was not far oiF; and that he had seen him. The sermons of John having made considerable noise, the priests of Jerusa- lem, vigilant as to what might interest religion, and wishing to be informed of his views, and acquainted witli his person, they dispatched emissaries after him ; these men put some questions to him, and asked if he was the Christ, or Elias, or a prophet. + John an- swered, that he was none of these. But when he was asked by what authority he baptized and preached, he declared, that he was the forerunner of the Messiah. This proceeding of the priests only tended to give * The superstitious man, if he be wickefl, gives himself up to crime wilh remorse ; but his religion quickly furnishes him with the means of getting rid of it. His life is generally a long series of error and grief; of sin and expiation. Still he frequently commits crimes of greater magnitude in order to ex- piate tlie former. Destitute of any permanent ideas of morality, he accustoms himself to look on nothing as a crime, but that which the ministers and interpreters of heaven forbid him to commit. He thus considers actions of the blackest dye, which are held out to him as agreeable to God, as the means of effacing his transgressions. History aflFords numerous examples of fanatics expiating, by the most atrocious persecutions, their adulteries, infamy, unjust wars, and usurpations ; and, to wash away their iniquities, bathe themselves in the blood of those superstitious Seings, whose infatuation made them martyrs. + It was an opinion received by several Jews, that Elias must come before the îvîessifih. A great number of Christians he-> lieve also, in our days, that the coming of Elias ought to pre-? cede the advent of Jesus Christ, in order to judge the world. See the sentiments of the fathers on the return of Elias. It is also the opinion of the Janspnists at this day, who, like the first Christians, have their heads filled with fanatical and woeful i4ças of the near end of the world. 78 . greater' weight to John's assertions, and naturally excit- ed the curiositj of the people assembled to hear him. The next day they went in a crowd to the place where the preacher baptized, when, profiting skilfully by the circumstance, and perceiving Jesus approaching, he exclaimed, '' Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man which is preferred before me." It is proper to observe, that the author of the gos- pel ascribed to John, perceiving that it was important to remove the suspicion of collusion between Jesus and his forerunner, makes the Baptist declare twice that he knew him ziot, before baptizing him; bwt that it had been revealed to hira by the Deity, that the per- son, on whom he should see the Holy Ghost descei^- jng during his baptism, was the Son of God. Fromt thence we see that according to this evangelist, John did not know Jesus, who was however his kinsmaRj according to St. Luke, John was much esteemed by the people, whom a kind of austere and extraordinary life has always the power of seducing. They did not suspect that a mis-. gionarj', so detached from the things of this world^ could ever deceive them. They believed on his word^ that the Holy Ghost, under the form ofa dove,* had * The Holy Crhost was, according to the new maaifestation of it, a bodily Being, which could appear in one or many distinct bodies, at one and the same time. At Pentecost it came like the rushing of a mighty wind^ and appeared on the head of eacK speaker like a fiery cloven tongue. There is nota word of the Hoîy Ghost in all the Old Testament. There is mention Eiade of the Holy Spirit as a nature, or quality ; but not of the i^oly Ghost as a bodily thing. — P. JaeL 7D descended on Jesu?, and that he was the Christ oi* Messiah promised by the prophets. . On anotlier occasion we will also find John Baptist affecting not to know his cousin Jesus Christ : he de* puted to him some of his disciples to learn who he was ? ^esus replied, that they had only to relate to John the miracles he had operated, and by that sign their mas- ter would recognise him. We shall have occasion af- terwards to speak of this embassy.* Jesus had associated with him a confident, then called Simon, and afterwards Cephas or Peter, who had been the disciple of John. Scarcely had Simon taken his arrangements with the Messiah, when he drew over his brother Andrew to the new sect. These two brothers were fishermen. We readily presume, that Christ would not choose his followers among the grandees of the country. The progress of John Baptist, and the attachment of the people to him, alarmed the priests ; they com- plained loudly, and John was arrested by order of the tetrarch Herod, who, according to St. Matthew, made him be beheaded through complaisance to Herodias his sister-in-law. Yet we do not find the historians of this prince reproaching him with the punishment of the fo-erunner. After John's death, his disciples at- tached themselves to Christ, whose coming John had announced, and who, in his turn, had rendered in be- half of John the most public testimonies in presence of the people : for Jesus had openly declared, that John was " greater than a prophet, and greater than an angel, and that he was not born of woman who was greater than him." Nevertheless, the Messiah, dread- * See Chap. XL of this work. ing to be involved in the affair of his forerunner, left his two disciples at Jerusalem, and withdrew into thé desert, where he staid forty dajSi It has been re- marked, that during the imprisonment of John^ Christ did not think of delivering him ; he performed no miracle in his behalf ; after his death, he spoke but little of himj and forboi^e pronouncing his eulogy. He had no more need of him, and perhaps he wished by this conduct) to give a lesson to those who serve the views of the ambitious only in a secondary capacity, and teach them that they ought not to reckon too mucîi on gratitude. It would have been a bad exordium to assign fear as the motive of the Messiah's retreat. The gospel informs us that he was carried up hy the Spirit^ which transported him to the desert. It was necessary that Christ should surpass his forerunner. The latter had led a very austere life, his only nourishment being Avild honey and locusts ; but the gospel affirms, that, Jesus eat nothing at all during his retreat, and that on the last day, having felt himself hungry y angels came and mi- nistered to him. Moreover, to evince the importance of his mission, the prejudice which it was to occasion to the empire of thedeviJ, and the infinite advantages whichvvere to result from it to his followers, Jesus, on his returii pretended that Satan had tempted him ; made the most flattering offers on purpose to engage him to de- sist from his enterprise ; and proffered him the monar* chy of the universe, if he would renounce his project of redeeming the human race. The refusal he gave to these propositions, evinced a supernatural desire to labour for the salvation of the world. Such as lieard these details must have been filled with aston- 81 Isiimént, penetrated with gratitude, and burning wîtîi zeal for the preacher; of consequencej the number of his'adherents increased. St. John the Evangelist, or the person who has writ- ten under his name, whose object appears particularly to have been to establish the divinity of Jesus, has not mentioned his carrying away, abode in the desert, and temptation. These transactions must have been rec* koned by him prejudicial to the doctrine he wanted to introduce. St. Matthew, St. Mark, and St. Luke, relate the carrjini>- away, and temptations which ensued, in a different manner, but calculated to shew the power of Satan over the Messiah. In fact, he transported him, no doubt in spite of himself, to the pinnacle of the tem- ple, and by an astonishing miracle made Jesus con- template, from the summit of a mountain, all the king- doms of the universe, without even excepting- those Whose inhabitants were antipodes of Judea. It must be confessed, that, according to the gospels, the devil Works marvels, which yield in nothing to those of Christ. The flight and absence of Jesus made him lose for some time, his two first disciples Peter and Andrew. The necessity of providing for their own subsistence, constrained them to resume their former trade of fishers. As their master durst not then sojourn at Jerusalem, he retired towards the banks of the sea of Galilee, where he recovered them. " Follow me (said he to them) ; Leave jour nets; of catchers of fish I will make you fishers of men.* He probably made them under- * This doctrine was zealonsly acted upon during all the Nazarene era. The Roman Catholics fished, in many parts of the glohe, ■with, the net of sword, fire, and water; they op- M 84 stand, that the reflections he had made daring his re» tirement, furnished hira with certain means of subsist- ing without toil, by the credulity of the vulgar. The two brothers forthwith followed hira. Whether Jesus had been expelled from Nazareth by his fellow citizens, or whether he had quitted it of his own accord, he departed and fixed his residence for the time at Capernaum, a maritime city, situated on the confines of the tribes of Zabulon and Naphtali. His mother, a widow, or separated from her husband, followed him : she could be useful to Jesus, and the little troop of adherents who lived with him. It was at this time, that our hero, seconded by his disciples, betook himself to preaching. His sçrraon, like that of John, consisted in saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We ought perhaps at this period to fix the era of the mission of Christ. John, we have seen, commenced preaching in the fif- teenth year of Tiberius ; it was in the same year, that his interview with Jesus took place, when he was bap- tized by John. It was also towards the end of this year that John disappeared : after which Jesus was in the desert, from whence he returned to reside with his mo- ther in the city of Capernaum. There he sojourned pressed in all their dominions (to their everlasting shame), the Jews, as well as other persuasions of mankind. Our modéra reformed Nazarenes continue to recognise the same doctrine, but with good prospects and humanity, and not without a henefi- cial view towards mankind. Tliey formed themselves into a Fisher Society, in orHitv io %\\i^\}ort fishers or proselytes, and to assist, in some measure, the poor and unintelligent ^i7/es which fall in their net. Indeed such a command or doctrine is not to be found in any part of the Bible, nor in the Talmudica! Treatises of the llchrGYis.—Vide " The Constancy of Israel,** page 4?. S3 tt short time only, on account of the approach of the festivalof the passover, to celebrate which he repaired to Jerusalem. We may, therefore, fix the commence- ment of Christ's preaching at the sixteenth year of Ti- berius. This is the only system the gospel presents. He celebrated the passover three times before his death; and the common opinion is, that his preaching lasted three years, or until the nineteenth year of the same emperor. The rumours excited by the baptism and preaching of John, and the testimonies he bore in behalf of Christ, having died away on the imprisonment and punish- ment of the forerunner, and flight of the Messiah, the latter resumed courage, and thought that, with the assistance of his disciples, he ought to make a new at- tempt. Too well known or disparaged at Nazareth, and slighted by his kinsfolk, who, on all occasions, seemed to know what to think of him, Jesus quitted that ungrateful city on purpose to establish himself, as we have remarked, at Capernaum,'inthe sixteenth year of Tiberius. It was there that he betook himself to preaching his new system to some poor fishermen, and other low people. He soon found, however, thathia mission was too circumscribed in that place : but to acquire same eclat, he judged it necessary to perform a miracle, that is to say, in the language of the Jews, some trick capable of exciting the wonderment of the vulgar. An opportunity occurred for this: some inha- bitants of Cana, a small village of Galilee Superior, at the distance of about fifteen leagues from Capernaum, invited Jesus and his mother to a wedding. The mar- ried persons were poor, though St. John, who alone relates this story, gives them a steward ; yet he tells W«, that their wine failed at the moment the guests 84 were half intoxicated, or gay, and that the pitchers were found empty. On this Mary, who knew the power or the dexterity of her son, spoke to him : Theij have no wine f said she^ in an insinuating tone ; Jesus an- swered her very roughly, and in a manner which evi- dently denoted a^man warmed with wine : Woman, zchat have I to do with thee? It may however be supposed, that Christ had not totally lost the use of his reason, as he still possessed presence of mind to transmute water into wine, so that the miraculous wine was even found better than the natural wine they had drank at first. This first miracle of Jesus was performed in pre- sence of a great number of witnesses, already half drunk ; but the text does not inform us, whether they were equally astonished the day following, when the fumes of the wine were dissipated. Perhaps, indeed, this miracle was witnessed by the steward alone,, with whom it is not impossible Jesus had secret intelli- gence. The incredulous, less easily persuaded than the poor half-intoxicated villagers, do not observe in this transmutation of water into wine, a motive for being convinced of the divine power of Jesus. They re- Biark, that in the operation, he employed water in order to make his wine 5 a circumstance which may give room to suspect, that he made only a composition, of which he, like many others, might have the secret.* * A supernatural event, in order to be believed, requires much stronger proofs than a fact no way contradictory to pro- bability. It is easy to believe, on the testimony of Philostrates, that A ppollonius existed, because his existence has nothing in it contrary to reason ; but I -will not believe Philostrates, Mhen he tells me that Appollonius performed miracles. I believe that Jesus Christ died ; bull do not beiievç that he rose Aom the 4ead. — Bouîfffiger, 85 There was, in fact, no more power necessary to create wine, and fill the pitchers without puttinjç water into Ihem, than to make an actual transmutation of water into wine. At least, bj acting in this manner, he would lîave removed the suspicion of having" made only a mixture. In whatever manner the miracle may have been per- formed, it appears to have made some impression on those who saw it, or who heard it related. It is cer- tain Jesus profited by it to extend his mission even to the capital of Judea ; only giving" time for his miracle to spread, in order to produce its effect. In expecta^ tion of this, he withdrew with his mother, brothers, and disciples, to Capernaum, where he remained till the festival of the passover (the time of which was near) should collect at Jerusalem a multitude of people, be- fore whom he flattered himself with being able to ope-^ }r3,te a great number of marvels. m CHAPTER Y. JOURNEY OF CHRIST TO JERUSALEM THE SELLER» PRIVEN OUT OF THE TEMPLE CONFERENCE WITH NICODEMUS, THE noise of the miracle at Cana having reached Jerusalem, by means of those who repaired to that ci- ty from Galilee, Jesus went there himself, accompa- nied by some of his disciples ; but of the number of the latter we are ignorant. It was, as has been men- tioned, the time of the passover, and consequently, a THoment when almost the whole nation were assembled in the capital. Such an occasion was doubtless fa- vourable for working miracles. St. John accordingly affirms that Jesus performed a great number, without, however, detailing any of them. Several of the wit- nesses of Christ's power believed in him, according to our historian ; but he did not place much confidence in them. The reason given for this is, " Because he knew all men, and needed not that any should tes" tify of man ; for he knew what was in man."* — In short, he knew every thing, except the means of giv- ing to those who saw his miracles the dispositions he desired. * St. Johfl ii. 24 and 25, 8t ' But, how reconcile faith in the wonders performed by Jesus, in these new converts, with the bad disposi"" tiens they were known to possess ? If he knew the state of mind of these witnesses of his miracles, why perform them with certain loss ? In this there is a want of just inference in the writer, which must noty how- ever, be imputed to Jesus. It is perhaps better not to refer to St. John in this matter, than to believe that his sagacious master would perform miracles without design, or for the sole pleasure of working them. In the same journey to Jerusalem, Christ performed an exploit vt'hich is as great as a miracle, and evinces a very powerful arm. According to an ancient usage, mer- chants had established themselves, especially during the solemn festivals, under the porticos which envi- roned the temple. They furnished victims and offer- ings to the devout, which they were to present to the Lord, in order to accomplish the ordinances of the law ; and, for the accommodation of the Jews who re- paired thither from different countries, and for their own interest, the priests had permitted the money changers to fix their offices in this place. Jesus, who on every occasion shewed himself but little favourable to the clergy, was shocked at this usage, which, far from, being criminal, tended to facilitate the accomplishment of the Mosaical law. He made a scourge of ropes, and, displaying a vigorous arm on those merchants, drove them into the streets, frightened their cattle, and overturned the counters, without any, in their aston- ishment, being able to oppose his enterprise. It may be conjectured, the people had no reason to be displea- sed with the disturbance, and that they profited by the money and effects which Jesus overturned in the pa- roxysm of his zeal. No doubt his disciples did not m forget themselves on this occasion; their master could by this exploit make provision for them, especially if thej had been in the secret, and enable them to defray all expenses during their residence in the capital.* Besides, they saw in this event the accomplishment of a prophecy of the Psalmist, who foretold, that the Messiah would be " eaten up with the zeal of the liouse of the Lord" — a prophecy which was evidently verified by the uproar which Christ had occasioned* With respect to the merchants, it would appear they had îiot comprehended the mystic sense of this predict lion, or at least they did not expect to see it verified at their own expence. In their first surprise, they did not oppose the unexpected attacks of a man who must have appeared to them a maniac; but, on recovering from their astonishment, they complained to the ma* gistrates of the loss thej^ had sustained. The magis- trates, afraid, perhaps, of involving their authority, hy punishing a man of whom the people had become the accomplice, or a fanatic whose zeal might be ap- proved of by devotees, did not v, ish to use rigour for this time; they contented themselves with sending to Jesus, to know frpm himself by v/hat authority he acted — " What sign (said they to Christ) shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things ?'* On which Jesus answered them, " Destroy this temple* * St. Augustin says, that, of rigid divine, nil things belong to tlie just: — a maxim founded on a passage in the Psalms, wliich states, that the just shall eat the fruit of the labour of the un- righteous. It is known that the Pope, by a bull given in favour' of the kings of Casliie, Arragon, and PorliigJil, fixed the line OÏ demarcailon, tvhich was to rule the conf(uestseach had gained over the Infidels. After such principles, is not the whole earth to eecorae a prey to Christian rapacity ? 89 ênà in three days I will raise it up." But the Jews Were not tempted to make trial of this; — they took him fora fool, and returned, shrugging their shoulders. If, however, they had taken Christ at his word, they would have experienced great embarassraent ; for the gospel informs us, that it was not of the temple of Jerusalem he spoke, but of his own body. He meant his resurrection, says St. John, which was to happen three days after his death * The Jews had not sufficient discernment to divine this enigma, and the disciples themselves did not penetrate its true meaning till a long time afterj when they pretended their master had risen from the dead. We cannot forbear admiring Providence, which, wishing to instruct, enlighten, and. convert the Jewish people by the mouth of Christ, em« ployed only figures, allegories, and enigmatical syra- bols, totally inexplicable by persons the most inge- nious and most experienced.* But though Jesus had the power of raising himself from the dead, he did not wish to employ this marvel- lous power in saving himself when in the hands of the * Religion is by no means formed for even the most intelli- gent part of mankind, who, as well as the uninstructed, are ut- terly incapable of comprehending any of those aerial subtil- ties on which it rests. Who is the man that understaads the doctrines of the spiriluaUly of God 5 of the immateriality of the soul; or OÎ \.\\e mysteries of religion? — None indeed will pre- tend to this. Yet we find these theological speculations, which no one understands, have frequently disturbed the repose of Inankind, through the stubborn dispositions of those who gave them credence. Even the women have believed them- selves obliged to take a part in the quarrels, excited by idle conteraplators, who are always of less utility to society than the meanest artizan. N m Jews, ready to arrest and punish him as a diàtarbef"^^ the public repose. He thought it more convenient and prudent to decamp, without noise, and shelter himself by natural wajs from the pursuit of those whom his brilliant expedition might have displeasedo He proposed, therefore, to withdraw from Jerusalem during night, when a devout Pharisee, wishing to be instructed, came to see him. He was called Nico- demus, and held the place of senator — a rank which does not always exempt from incredulity. " Rabbi, (said he to Jesus), we know that thou art a teacher sent from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." This opportunity was favourable for Jesus to de» clare himself: by a single word he could have decided on his divinity, and acknowledged, before this senator so kindly disposed, that he was God. Yet he did none of this; he evaded answering directly, and contented himself with saying to Nicodemus, that nobody can share in the kingdom of God unless he born again. The astonished proselyte exclaimed, that it Avas im- possible for a man already old to be born again, or enter of new into his mother's womb. On which Jesus replied : " I say unto thee, except a man be born of wai- ter and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." It appears, that Nicodemus was not better satisfied than before ; Jesus, therefore, to make himself more perspicuous, added, "Knowest thou not, that what is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit? Marvel not, that I said unto thee, ye must be born again — The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it cOmeth, and Avhither it goeth : so is every one that is born of the spirit." 91 In spite of the precision and plainness of these in- structions (resembling- the reasonings of our theolo- gians), Nicodemus, whose understanding was doubt- less shut up, did not yet comprehend any part of them — " How (asks he) can these things be ?" Here Jesus, pushed to extremity, grew angry. " How (says he to liim), art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak that we do knovy, and testify that we have seen, and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath as- cended up to heaven but he that came down from hea- ven, even the son of man which is in heaven."* We thought it our duty to relate this curious dia- logue, as a specimen of the logic of Jesus ; the more so as it seems to have served as a model for the fashion of reasoning observed by all the Christiar» doctors, who are in the use of explaining obscure things by things still more obscure and unintelligible. They terminate all disputes, by referring the decision to their own testimony; that is, to the authority of the church or clergy, entrusted by God himself with regu- lating what the faithful ought to believe. The rest of the conversation of Jesus with Nicode- mus is equally perspicuous, and in the same tone : Christ alone speaks, and appears by dint of his reasons to have silenced the docile senator, who, it seems, retired fully convinced. Thus it is, that a lively faith disposes the elect to yield to the lessons, dogmas, and mysteries of religion, even when it is impossible to at- * St. Joha iii. 1-13. 92 tach any meaning to the words they hear pronoun» ced.* * The first of the Christian virtues, says Boulanger, iufnith, ■which serves as a foundation for all the others. It consists in an impossible conviction of the revealed doctrines, and absurd fables, which the Christian religion commands its disciples to believe. Hence it appears, that this virtue exacts a total rcr nunciatioQ of reason, an impracticable assent to improbable facts, and a blind submission to the authority of priests, who are the only guarantees of the truth of the doctrines and miracles that every Christian must believe, under penalty of damnation. This virtue, though so necessary to all mankind, is, nevertheless, a gift of heaven, and the effect of special grace, It forbids all doubt and enquiry, and it deprives man of the liberty of exercising his reason and reflection. It reduces him to the passive acquiescence of beasts, in matters which he is, at the same time, told are of all things the most important to his eternal happiness. Hence it is plain, that faith is a virtue invent- ed by men, who, shrinking from Ihe light of reason, deceived their fellow creatures, to subject them to their own authority, and degraded them, that they might exercise an empire over their minds. If faith be a virtue, it is certainly useful only to the spiritual guides of the Christians; for they alone gather its fruits. It cannot but be injurious to other men, who are taught by it to despise that reason which distinguishes them from brutes, and is their only faithful guide in this world. Christians, however, represent this reason as perverted, and an unfaithful guide ; by which they seem to intimate that it was not made for reasonable beings. But may we not ask, how far this retîunciation of reason ought to be carried ? Do not they themselves, in certain cases, have recourse to reason ? Do they not appeal to reason, when they endeavour to prove the exist- ence of their God ? It is an absurdity to say, we believe that of which we have no conception. What then are the motives pf the Christian for en- tertaining such a belief ? — His confidence in his spiritual guides. But what is the foundation of this confidence .'--Revelation. On what then is Revelation itself founded ? — On the authority of gpiritual guides. Such is the manner in which Christians reasoç. 93 There is no further mention of Nicodemus — We know not whether he resigned his office of senator to enrol himself among the disciples of Christ. Perhaps he was contented with secretly furnishing succours to Jesus and his troop, in gratitude for the luminous instructions he had received. There is reason to be- lieve, that he knew how to profit by them, for St. John makes him return on the scene after the death of Christ, bringing a hundred pounds weight of aloes and mjrrh, for the purpose of embalming his body, and in- terring it, with the assistance of Joseph of Ariniathea. This would prove, that he had come from his conversa- tion with Jesus a more able theologist than he had begun it. It is to be presumed, that, on this occasion, Jesus granted him grace effectual or sufficient, (saving grace,)* without which it would have been perfectly impossible to comprehend any of his sublime theo- hgy. It must, however, be owned, that the impossibility of comprehending the doctrine of Jesus furnishes to the * According to theology, men have occasion for supernatural grace to do good. This doctrine is without doubt very hurt- ful to soimd morality. Men always waitfor the call from above to do good, and those who direct them never employ the calls from below, that is tne natural motives, to excite them to vir- tue. But the clergy know not how to give a true definition of virtue. Thej siy it is an effect of grace that disposes men to do that which is ngreeabie to the T'ivinity. But what is grace ? How does it act upon man ? Wbul is it that is agreeable to God? Wherefore doelh not God give to all men the grace to do that which is agreeable in his eyes ? Adhuc sub judice est. We are unceasingly told to do goofS, because God requires it ; but no one has ever been a! ''' to (each us what that good is which :S ac- ceptable to the Almighty, and by the performance of which Tse ^hall obtain his approbalioo, 94 incredulous a plausible pretext for denying that it can be divine. They cannot conceive why a God, sent solely to instruct men, should never distinctly explain iiimself. No oracle of Paganism employed terms more ambiguous, than the divine missionary chosen by Pro- vidence to enlighten nations. It may therefore be con- cluded, that in this God himself made it his study to create obstacles to his projects, and that he laid an un- avoidable snare not op.ly for the Jews, but also for all those who must read the gospel, in order to draw from» thence the knowledge necessary to salvation ; a con- duct which appears equally unworthy of a good and just God, endowed with prescience and wisdom ;* yet with faith we mny at last succeed in reconciling every thing, and readily comprehend why God should speak without wishing to be understood, f * It was said to a very celebrated philosopher, that God Lad made man after his own image. " Man has returned him the compliment," replied the sage. Xenophanes observed, that if the ox or the elephant understood sculpture or painting, they would not fail to represent the Divinity under their own peculiar iigure. In this they would have as much reason asPo- lycletus, or Phidias, who gave him the human form. We see, "says Lamotte Le Vayer, that Iheanlhropln/ serves for the founda- tion of all Christianili'. *T It is evident, says Mirabaud, tliat all revelation which is not distinct, or which teaches imjslerie.s, cannot be the work of a wise and intelligent being. As soon as he speaks, they ought to presume that it is for the purpose of being under- stood by those to whom lie intends to manifest himself. To speak so as not to be understood, only announces folly, or want of good faith. It is then demonstf able, that every thing which the priesthood have called mystery, are inventions to throw a thick veil over their own peculiar contradictions, and their ©wn peculiar ignorance of the Divinity. They think to sQh« 95 As soon as Jesus had quitted- Nicodemus lie left Je* rusaîem, his abode in which had become very dangerous, and betook himself to wandering through the country of Judea, where he enjoyed greater safety. There is rea- son to presume, that the scandal he had occasioned ia the capital, where so great a multitude were then as- sembled, had not failed to make him known to many ; he however succeeded in gaining partisans in the coun- try. But how did he employ himself during this period ? St. John informs us, in chapter third, that he bap- tized ; thereafter he tells us, in chapter fourth, that he did not baptize, but that his disciples baptized for him. One thing is certain, that after this he quitted Judea on purpose to go into Galilee. It was perhaps to be still more private, or to prevent the schism, which, ac- cording to the gospel, was ready to take place between the Jews baptized by John, and those whom Jesus and all difficulties, by saying it is a vxystery. Besides, the interest of the clergy dictates that man should knownothing of that preten- ded science, of which they have made themselves the deposi- taries. Revelation, remarks the same intelligent writer, far from being a proof of the goodness of God, or of his coramiseratioa for men, is only a proof of his malice. Indeed all revelation supposes the Divinity has been capable of leaving the human species, during a considerable period, unacquainted with truths the most important to their happiness- This revelation, made to a small number of chosen men, would moreover suppose a partiality, and an unjust predilection, but litle compatible with the goodness of the common father of the human race. This revelation injures the divine immutability, since, by it, God would have permited men, at one time, to be ignorant of his will, and, at another lime, that they should be instructed in it. 96 his disciples had on their part baptized. Jesus con- ceived that prudence required him to be at a distance^ in order to leave the field more free to a man whom he knew still useful to his own interest, and who, as we have seen, contentedhimself with playing the se- cond part under him. It very soon appeared that Christ made a greater number of proselytes than his cousin, and this circumstance in the end might have created a misunderstanding between them. Jesus therefore di- rected his march toward Samaria, whither we are to follow him, and from thence he again passed into Gab- like* 97 CHAPTER VI. ADVENTURE OF. JESUS WITH THE FEMALE SAMARITAN — SlIS JOURNEY AND MIRACLES IN THE COUNTRY OF THE GERASENES. IT may be observed here once for all, that in this examination of the history of Jesus, we follow the most generally received arra gement of facts, withoui mean- ing to guarantee, that they occurred precisely in that «rder. Chronological mistakes are not of much impor- tance, when they do not influence the nature of events. Besides, the evangelists, without fixing any eras, content themselves vfithsay'mg at that time, which, at the period we live, dispenses with our giving a very exact chrono- logy of the following transactions. Precision, indeed, would require a labour as immense as superfluous, and would only tend to shew that the history of Jesus, dicta- ted by the Holy Ghost, is much more incorrect than that of celebrated Pagans, even of an antiquity more remote. It would also prove that the inspired writers of this im- portant history contradict themselves every instant, by making their hero act at the same time in different places, and often remonte from each other. Oa the other hand, this painful labour would not inform us which of the evangelists we, ought to follow in pre- ference to his brethren, seeing all in the eyes of faith have equally truth on their side. Time and place 98 change nothing in the nature of facts ; and it is from these facts we must endeavour to form our ideas of the legislator of the Christians. Jesus 'having begun hiis journey in the summer sea- son, felt himself oppressed with thiist near Sichar, in the country of Samaria ; an incident which gave rise to a singular adventure, Near this city there was a well, known by the name of the fountain of Jacob. Fatigued with his journey, Christ sat down on the brink of the well, waiting the return of his disciples, who had gone to the city in quest of provisic^ns. It was about noon, when a female came to draw water from the fountain. Jesus asked her to drink out of th^e v'éSSel she held ; but the Samaritan, who knew from his countenance that he was a Jew, was astoni- shed at his request, as there was 110 commerce or friendship between the orthodox Jews and the Sama- ritans. According to the custom of partisans of differ- ent sects, they detested each other most cordially. The Messiah, who was not so delicate as the ordinai'y jews, undertook the conversion of the female heretic, for wTiose sex and profession we find in him a weakness throughlhe whole course of his history. "If thou knew- est," said he to. her, " the gift of God, and wht) it is that saith to thee. Give me to drink, thou wouldst iiave asked of him, and he would baVe given thee living water." The Samaritan wortian, who did not observe Jesus have any vessel in his hand, asked from whence he could draw the living water of which he spoke? On this the Messiah, assuming a mysteri- ous tone,* answered her, " Whoso drinketh 6f * A mysterious and unintelligible tone is essentially neces- ~stry to the ministers of all religions. A clear intelligible reli- glon -without mystery, woulcl appear less divine to the gene- 99 this well shall thirst again, but whosoever (3rinketh of the water that I shall give.him shall never thirst ; it shall be in him a well of water springing «p into ever- lasting life."— Our female adventurer, who was a dame of easy virtue, asked some of that marvellous water, cal- culated to exempt her from coming afterwards to draw any ; Jesus, who, from the discourse, had been able to discover the professioa of this woman, ingeniously got oft' from the business, by telling her to go seek her husband and return; reckoning, perhaps, on being able to steal away when she was gone. But the lady related to hiin her life; gave some details of her con- duct; and thereby enabled him to conjecture enough. of it to speak as a conjuror. Accordingly be told her that she had had five husbands; that sbe.had none at that time, and that the man \yith whom she lived was only a gallant. Immediately, the Samaritan woman took Jesus for a sorcerer or a prophet; he did not 4eny it; and as he was not afraid of being stoned or punished at the moment, he made bold for the first time to confess that he was the Messiah. They were at this part of their dialogue, when the rality of men, and would be less useM to the sacerdotal order, whose interest it is that the people shovdd comprehend nothing of that which they believe to be the most important to thein. Here is without doubt tHe secret of the clergy. The priest must have a metaphysical and incomprehensible Deity, whom he makes speak and act in an unintelligible manner, reservmg to liimself the right of explaining to mortals 'îiis pleasure in his own man- ner ; whUe the people, who in general wish to have their imagi- nations pleased, rather than their understandings instructed, give the preference to a dfod that is most concealed, most mysteri- ous, and most imknown. Hence the transition of many nationss, who adored the sun, to the worship of an invisible agency.i^ Mirabaud. 100 return of Jesus' disciples put an end to the conversation. The latter, whether they knew the profession of the loquacious dame, or were more intolerant than their master, were scandalized and surprized at the tete-a- tete ; yet none of them dared to criticise the conduct of Christ. On the other hand, the Samaritan woman see- ing his retinue, believed in reality that he was a prophet or the Messiah ; so leaving her pitcher, she went directly to Sichar," Come and see/' said she to the inhabitants, **a man who told me all things that ever I did ; is not this the Christ?" — The astonished inhabitants assem- bled, went out and met Jesus; and charmed with hear- ing him preach, without comprehending one word of liis discourse, they invited him to come and reside with them. He yielded to their offers for two days only : the provisions purchased were put up in reserve, and the troop lived during that time at the cost of these heretics, delighted no doubt with defraying the ex- pences of the Saviour and his followers. AH the marvellous in this adventure turns on Jesus having divined that the Samaritan lady had had five husbands, and lived at that time in criminal intercourse •with a favourite. Yet it is easy to perceive that Christ could learn this anecdote, either in his conversation with the prating dame, or by public rumour, or some other very simple way. But unbelievers find another reason for criticising this relation of St. John: and laying aside the marvel- lous, they attack the truth of the transaction. All his- tory attests, that m the time of Jesus Christ, Samaria was peopled by colonies of different nations, which the Assyrians had transported thither after the destruction of the kingdom of Israel. This would seem to exclude the expectation of the Messiah, in which, according to 101 St. John, the Samaritans lived. Pagans and Idolaters could not have very distinct notions of an event parti- cular to Judea. If the Samaritans were the descen- dants of Jacob, it was not necessary to put into the mouth of the Samaritan woman these words, " Our iathers worshipped in this mountain, and ye say, Jeru- salem is tlie place where men ought to worship." It was also absurd to make Jesus say, " ye shall no more worship the Father, either in this mountain or at Jeru- salem ; ye worship yé* know not what." ' First, the law of Moses does not forbid the worshipping God in whatever place we may find ourselves. Secondly, the laws or usages of the Jews required, in the time of Christ, that none should offer sacrifice any \vhere ex- cept in the temple of the capital : but the places of prayer depended on every man's own will and plea- sure. Thirdly, it is absurd to aver, that the descen- dants ofJacob did not know the God whom they ador- ed to be Jehovah, the God of Moses and the Jews; unless it is pretended, that they did not know whom they worshipped. On this head, indeed, since the mis- sion of Jesus, Christians have undoubtedly nothing to reproach them with. Fourthly, The words of Jesus on this occasioH seem to insinuate, that he wanted to abo- lish the worship of the Father ; at least it is certain that Christians share their homage between him and his Son, which, fiiith apart, appears to annihilate the dogma of the unity of God.* Moreover, Jesus did * The dogma of the trinity is evidently borrowed from the reveries of Plato, or from the allegories under which that ro- mantic philosopher chose to conceal his doctrines. It appeal's, that the Christian religion is indebted to him for the greater part , of its dogmas. Plato admitted three Hypostases, or modes 102 not guess rightly in saying, that the Father would be no longer worshipped either at Jerusalem, or on the mountain ; for this Father lias not ceased one instant to be worshipped there for these eighteen centuries past, by Jews, by Christians, and thereafter by Maho* metans. If it is maintained tjiat the Samaritan woman was a heathen, it is not very likely that she would ht ve re- garded Jesus as the Messiah, whom she neither knew of nor expected. Add also to fliis, that the Samari- tans believed in Jesus on the word of a courtezan; a credulity of which Jews and Christians only could be susceptible. Jesus and his disciples were-JeWs, and in that character excluded from Samaria. It imports not therefore by xvhom the country was inhahited. Two days having elapsed, and the Samaritans of Sichar being, in all appearance, sufficiently instructed, Jesus quitted their city, ^ and accompanied by his dis- ciples, took the road of Upper Galilee. In this jour- c£ being in the divinity : the first constituted the supreme God ; the second, the Logos, word, or divine intelligende, proceeding from the first ; the third is the spudt, or soul of the world. The early teachers of the Christian reHgion appear to have been Pla- tonics ; their enthusiasm probably found in Plato a doctrine ana- logous to their feelings. Had they been gratefiil, they would have" recorded him as a prophet, or, at least, as one of the fathers of the chui'ch. The Jesuitical missionaries fovmd a divinity at Thibet nearly similar to that of the Christians. By the Tartars God iî called Kon-cio-cik, the only God, and Kon-cio-sum, the threefold Gcd. They also give him the titles, Om, Ha, Hum, in- telligence, might, power or word, heart, love. The number three was always revered among the ancients ; because Salom, in the oriental languages, signifies three^ it is made also to signify health, ac^t^f and salvation. 103 ney, Christ, considering the bad disposition of his countrymen, thought proper not toenterthecity of Na- zareth, the place of his nativity. He applied to him- self the famous proverb, 'that a prophet has no honour in his own countî'i/.* It was otherwise in the rest of the province: — as soon as the people knew of the arrival of Jesus, they neglected nothing to welcome him. St. Luke assures us that he was esteemed and honoured by every body.f There is reason to believe that these good people had bel-j^ld the wonders which he had operated in Jerusalem, during the festival of the pass- over+ In gratitude for these favourable dispositions,, and for the faith he found among the Galileans, Christ did not content himself with instructing them, but confirmed his mission, and testified his love, by a crowd of prodigies. The number was doubtless very great, as St. Matthew is constrained to say vaguely, that he healed all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease among the people ;§ — that it was sufficient to present to him the sick, whatever diseases they might be afflicted with; lunatics, whose number was great in that country ; idiots, hypochondriacs, and per- sons possessed with devils, had but to fly to him for relief, and their cure was certain. This multitude of miracles, for so they style ttie ■cures operated by Jesus, drew %fter him a <;rowd of idlers and vagabonds, as well from Galilee as from Je- i-«salem, Decapolis, Judea, and the country beyond Jordan. It was in this journey he made the acquisi- tion of two famous disciples : they were brothers, sons of a fisherman of the na-ftie of Zebedee, and called James * ^St John iv. 44. ^ St John hr. 4S. ~ t St. Lukehr. 44. § St. Mat iv. 98. 104 and John. The first, though very probably he coirld not read, afterwards composed m;^tical works, which are even at this day revered by Christians. With re- spect to John, who was a very fine lad, he became the favourite of his nG^aster, and received from him marks of distinguished tenderness. He became afterwards a sublime Platonist, and^ through gratitude, deified Christ in the gospels and epistles publisiied in his name. The reputation and resources of Jesus were so great in Galilee, that to augment the number of his disciples it was only necessary for him to open his mouth and speak. The two disciples already mentioned he called with an intention to keep near his person. Wishing, however, to repose himself after the fatigues of preach- ing and miracles, he resolved to quit the cities, and re- tire to the sea coast. He conjectured, that to make himself desirable, and not waste his credit, it was pru- dent not to suffer himself to be seen either too long or too near. The people, fond of hearing the wonder- ful sermons of Jesus, followed him. Pressed by the crowd, he happily perceived two vessels ; and throwing himself into one of them, " precisely that which apper- tained to Simon Peter, the first of his disciples, he ha- rangued the eager multitude from it." Thus the boat of a fisherman became a pulpit, from whence the Deity uttered his oracles. The Galileans were not rich, and accordingly the troop of Jesus' adherents augmented. We find his four first apostles labouring in their trade of fishermen during the abode of the Messiah in the province. The day on which he preached in the vessel had not been fortunate for them ; and the night preceding it had not been more favourable. Jesqs, who knew more than 105 one profession, thought, that it behoved him to do some- thing for people, who shewed so much zeal. When, therefore, he had finished his harangue, and the crowd had retired, he bade Simon advance into the middle of the water, and cast his net ; the latter excused him- self, saying, that he had already thrown several times without success. But Christ insisted : — then Simon said, I will cast it on thy word: on which, by an asto- nishing miracle, the net broke on all sides. Simon and Andrew being unable to drag it out, they called their comrades, and drew out of it fishes enough to fill two ships. Our fishermen were so surprised, that Peter took his master for a wizard, and prayed him to de- part. But Jesus encouraged him, and promised not again to occasion the like alarms, seeing that hence- forth he, Peter, should no longer busy himself with the catching of fish. The Messiah, finding himself near Cana-^ judged it proper to enter that place, as he had once before per- formed a miracle there. An officer of Capernaum, whose son was sick of a fever, repaired to this viljage, on purpose to try the remedies of Jesus, of whose effî- -jcacy^'so many persons boasted. He besought the phy- sician to come to his house, and cure his son ; but our Esculapius, who did not chuse to operate before eyes too clear-sighted, got rid of this importunate person in fiuch a way as not to risk himself, in case he should not succeed : Go, said he to the officer, thy son liveth' The officer, while approaching his own habitation, learned that the fever, which perhaps was intermittent, èad left his son. No more was necessary to cry up the miracle, and convert all the family. » After having traversed the sea coast, and made some âiay at Caiiaj Jesus repaired to Capernaum, where, as p 10^ has been related, lie 'had fixed his residence. Th« family of Simon Peter was established in that city ; and it was no doubt this reason, joined with the bad treat- ment he had received from the inhabitants of Nazareth, that determined Christ to make choice of this abode. It appears he was abhorred in the city where he had been educated ; for as soon as he attempted to preach there, the people wanted to throw him headlong. At Capernaum they listened to and admired him; he ha- rangued in the synagogue, explained the scripture, and shewed that he himself was foretold in it. In the midst of his' sermon one sabbath day, they brought him a person possessed, who, perhaps in concert with him, began to cry out with all his might ; " Let us alone: what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth ? art thou come to destroy us ? I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God." The people waited in terror for the issue of this adventure, when Jesus, cer- tain of his ground, addressed himself not to the man, but to the devil possessing him, " Hold thy peace,** said he, " and come out of him." Immediately the malign spiritoverturned the possessed, threw him into horrible convulsions, and disappeared without any person seeing him. Physicians, and especially those acquainted with the eastern countries, do not admit miracles of the nature of this one. They know that the diseases taken for possessions, were owing solely to disorders produced in the brain by excessive heat. These maladies were frequent in Judea, where superstition and ignorance impeded the progress of medicine and of all useful knowledge.* Out of that country we find but * ReEgion, particularlj the Christian, hss always declared 107 few persons possessed with devils. This incredulity- strips Jesus of a great number of his miracles; yet even taking away from him the possessions, there still remains enough. Most of the possessed found among us are hypochondriacs, maniacs, hysterical women, melancholy persons, and those tormçnted with the vapours or spasms : or they are impostors, who, to gain money, interest the simple and display the power of the priests, consent to receive the devil, on purpose that the clergy may have* the glory of expelling him. There is scarcely a possession amongst us which could resist a flogging. Miracles are food for the imagination, but the body requires more substantial aliments; the adven- war against science and all human knowledge, wMch have been looked upon as obstacles to salvation. Neither reason nor- study- are necessary to men who are to submit their judgments to the yoke of faith. From the confession of Christians themselves, the founders of their rehgion were simple and ignorant men. Their disciples must be as Uttle enlightened as they were to admit the fables and > reveries they have received from them. It has always been remarked^ that the most enlightened men seldom make the best Christians. Science is apt to embarrass faith ; moreover it turns the attention from the great work of salvation, which is represented as the only necessary one. If science be serviceable to pohtical society, ignorance is much more so to rehgion and its mhiisters. Those ages destitute of science and mdiistry, were the golden age of the church of Christ. Then were kings dutifidly subniissive to priests ; then the coffers of priests held all the riches of society. The ministers of a very ntimerous sect have even kept from the eyes of their followers, the sacred pages which contain the laws of their religion. This conduct is ira- doubtedly very discreet; for reading the bible is the surest of all means to prevent its being respected. If, in fact, the maxims of the CPu-istian rehgion respecting science, were rigorously and universally followed, no political society could subsift.— boulanger,, lOS ture which has been related had led to the hour of dinner. On leaving the synagogue, Jesus was in- vited to the house of Sinion Peter, where every thing appears to have been -prepared, for which he might have occasion in performing a second miracle. The mother-in-law of Simon felt herself sick, at the mo- ment they had need of her ministry in managing the kitchen. Jesus, who possessed the talent of very rea- dily curing the kinsfolk of his disciples, took her by the hand, and made her rise from- her bed : she came out of it completely cured, cooked the vic- tuals, and found herself in a condition to serve the guests. The same day, in the dusk of the evening, they "brought Jesus all the sick in Capernaum, and all the possessed, whom, according to St. Matthew, he cured by some words; and, according to St. Luke, by laying hands on them. Several devils," on coming out of the possessed, had the impudence to hetray the secret of the physician, and openly declare, that he was Christ the Son of God, This indiscretion much displeased Jesus, who wished, or feigned to wish, to k^ep private.-— St. Luke tells us, that " he rebuked them, and suffered them not to speak, for they knew that he was Christ." Here it is proper to remark, that according to theologists, the Son of God, in all his conduct, had in view only to lead the devil astray, and conceal from him the mystery of the redemption. Yet we see, that Jesus was never able to succeed in deceiving bis too cunning enemy.— In the whole Gospel system, the devil is more sly and powerful than both God the Father and God the Son ; at least it is certain, that he is always successful in thwarting their designs, and succeeds in reducing 109 God the Father to the hard necessity of making his dear Son die, in order to repair the evil which Satan had done to mankind. Christianity is real raani- chseism,* wherein every advantage is on the side of the bad principle, who, by the great number of, adhe- rents he continues to acquire, seems to render nuga- tory all the purposes of the Deity. If the devil knew that Jesus was the Christ, such knowledge must have been posterior to his retirement into the desert, for he then spoke to him in a style which intimated that he knew him not. — It is, however, super- fluous to examine at what time the devil acquired this knowledge; but it is manifest that he had it only by divine permission. Now God, by granting to tiie devil the knowledge of his Son, either wished, or did not wish, that he should speak of it. If he wished, Jesus did wrong in opposing it, if he did not wish it, how was the devil able to act contrary to the divine will ? Jesus carefully concealed his quality, the knowledge where- of could alone operate salvation. But in this case^ * The doctrine of two principles is borrowed from Zoroaster, the celebrated legislator of the Persians, who flourished under Darius Hystaspes. Oromasdes or Oromazus, the ancient of days, and ArimaneSj the genius of darkness, are the original divinitie* of manichœism. Oromazes is the name, which the Magi and Chaldeans gave to the Supreme Being, and which, in the Chaldaic language, signifies burning light. They represent God as 8ur- rounded by &e, and declare that his body is like unto light, and his soul unto truth. This God was the good principle, but there was another bad principle #hich they called Arimanes, or Arimanus, that is in Chaldaic, my enemy, or cunning and deceitful. It is opposed to Oromazes, who was to destroy it however at last. This is the Osiris and Typhon of the Egyptians ; this the Pandora of the Greeks ; this the Jehovah and Satan of Jews and Christians ; and such are the vain efforts of all the sages to explain the origia of good and evil. liO t^e devil himself had the greatest interest to conceal it. It was therefore contrary to his own interest, and the will of the Almighty, that the devil made known the quality of Christ. Besides, if Jesus really did not ■wish that the devil should discover him, why delay imposing silence on him until he had spoken? The conduct of the Messiah in these particular! has made it be believed, that not daring to endanger him- self by publicly assuming the quality of Christ, or Sou of God, he was not sincerely displeased with the devils, who were at his command, for divulging his secret, and sparing him the trouble of speaking. It was moreover eliciting a very important confession out of the mouth of enemies. Jesus was not ignorant, that to retain his influence over the minds of men, it was necessary to prevent satiety. Accordingly, on the day following that on which so many miracles had been wrought in Caper- naum, he departed before day-break, and withdrew into a desert. All legislators have loved retirement; it is there they have had divine inspirations, and it is on emerging from these mysterious asylums, they have performed miracles calculated to deceive the eyes of the astonished vulgar. Solitary recollection is besides at times necessary, in order to investigate the state of our affairs. Meanwhile the disciples of Jesus, notwithstanding his flight, did not lose sight @f their master; they re- paired to him at the moment he thought himself alone, and informed him that they had been every where in search of him. In fact, there were still many sick and possessed persons in the country ; yet this consideration did not induce Jesus to return to Capernaum ; on which account many resorted to him in his retreat. Ill To get rid of them, he again traversed Galilee, wherp he continued to cure the sick, and cast out devils: this is all the gospel mentions. It appears he tarried little or none at all on his road, and preached as he went along; for in a very short time he had advanced a considerable vv^ay on the shore of the sea of Galilee. As the multitude which followed him augmented continually, by supplies of idle and cutious people that every village produced, our preacher, finding himself pressed down by the crowd, gave orders to his dis- ciples to convey him to the other side, on the territory of the Gerasenes. When he was landed, a doctor of the law repaired to him, and offered to become his follower : but Jesus very readily conceived that a doctor could not suit him ; he would hâve cut a bad figure in a company composed of fishermen and clowns, such as those of whom the Messiah had formed his court. He gave the doctor to understand, that he would repent of this step : that this kind of life would not agree with him ; the Son of man, said he to the doctor, hath no where to lay his head. Christ would not permit his disciples to ramble too far in the territory of the Gerasenes; for amongst them were some of that country. One asked his permission to go and perform the last duties to his father, — another wanted to go and embrace his family; but Jesus harshly refused their requests. The one re- ceived for answer, that he ought to " let the dead bury their dead." The other, that *' whoever having laid his hand to the plough, and looks back, is not fit for the kingdom of heaven." The incredulous think they perceive in these answers n proof of the rough habit, repulsive and despotical spirit of Jesus^ who, under pretext of the kingdom of heaven, obliged his disciples 112 to neglect the most sacred duties of morality. But Christians, docile to the lessons of their divine master, which they dare not examine, have made perfection consist in a total abandonment of those objects which nature has rendered dearest to man. Christianity seems intended only to create discord, detach men from every thing on earth, and break the ties which ought to Unite them. There is, according to Christ's maxims, but one thing needful, namely, to be attached to him exclu- sively : a maxim very useful, in meriting heaven, but calculated to destroy every society in the world.* After our missionary had spent some time in the country of the Gerasenes, where it appears he kept incog, one day towards the evening he passed over to the other side of the lake, having previously dismissed the people, who had come that day on purpose to hear him ; but he did not preach. Jesus, fatigued, fell asleep on the passage, whilst a furious tempest overtook the ship. His affrighted disciples, impressed with the • Notwithstanding the eulogies lavished by Christian» on the precepts of their divine master^ some of them are wholly contrary to equity and right reasott. When Jesus says, " Make to your- lelves friends in heaven of the mammon of unrighteousness," does he not plainly insinuate, that we may take from other» wherewithal to give to the Church? Divines will say, that he «poke in parables; these parables, however, are easily unfolded. In the mean while, this precept is but too weU followed. Many Christians cheat and swhidle during all their lives, to have the pleasm-e of making donations, at their death, to churches, monas- teries, &c. The Messiah at another 'time treated his mother ex- tremely illj when she was seekihg him with the most parental solicitude. He commanded his disciples to steal an ass; he drowned a herd of swine, &c. It must be confessed that these things da not agree extremely well with good morality. Christianity Vn* vailed, p. 14T-8. 113 idea of their master being more powerful when awake than when asleep, acquainted him with the danger. This conduct drew on them reproaches for their want of faith, while it probably gave time to the tempest to subside. Then Jesus, in the tone of a master, com- manded the sea to be still, and immediately the order was obeyed. Yet, in spite of this prodigy, the faith of the disciples was still for a long time wavering. Jesus on this returned immediately to the country of the Ge- rasenes, without having either preached or performed miracles on thç other side. ' 114 CHAPTER VII. JESUS CURES TWO PERSONS POSSESSED WITH DEVILS— MIRACLE OF THE SWINE — WONDERS PERFORMED BY CHRIST TILL THE END OF TUE FIRST YEAR OF HIS MISSION, '^•^•»##^ JESUS, landed again in the country of the Gcra- senes, took a route by which no person had forsome time passed. Two demoniacs, inhabiting the tombs in the neighbourhood, rendered this passage dangerous. Scarcely had Christ shewn himself, when these two madmen ran to meet him. As he was a connoisseur in niiitters of possession, he no sooner perceived thens than he began to exorcise, in order to make the unclean spirit come out of them. Notwithstanding his divine skill, he acquitted himself very imperfectly on this oc- casion. It was not with one devil, but with a legion of devils he had to deal. One of them, laughing at the mistake of the Son ot God who asked him his name, answered, I am called Legion. On this Jesus changed his batteries, and was proceeding to dislodge them, -when the devils, obstinate in continuing in the coun- try, or very little desirous of returning to hell, propo- sed a capitulation. One of the articles bore, that, on leaving the body of the possessed, they should enter into a herd of swine, which fed hard by on the decli- vity of a hill, Jesus readily agreed, f r once, to grant something on the prayer of the devils, and not use hi» 115 authority rigorously. Neither he nor his discipks, as good Jews, ate pork ; h^ reckoned, therefore, that swine prohibited by the law of Moses, miglit -^ eli serve for a retreat to devils. He consented to the treaty ; the demons came ont of their foro^er residence to enter into the swine, who, fVeling Satan within them, were thrown into commotion, or perhaps were terrifjt^d in a very natural manner ; and having precipitated them- selves into the sea, were drowned to the number of about two thousand. If a legion of devils is composed of the same num- ber as a Roman legion, we must believe, that there Were six thousand devils. This evidently make three devils for each hog, a sufficient number to induce them tocou)mit suicide. Some grave authors assure us, that Jesus never laughed, nor even smiled;* yet it is very difficult to believe, that the Son of God could preserve his gravity after performing such a trick. But it did not appear hu- morous to the herdsmen, whq foimd this fine miracle * M. Fleury, in the Mtfnrs des Chretiens, p. 14. ed. 1601, speaking of Jesus Christj employs these remarkable words : — " He was very grave. He was seen lo weep on two occasions, but it is not related that he has laughed : not but he has smiled sweetly, as St. Chrysostom remarks." As men are accustomed to regard God as a Tery malignant being, and not understand- ing raiUery, they reqvure gi-avity in all who come on i is ser- rice. The more gloomy a religion is, the more it pleases men, who love to indulge fear. To succeed, reformers must always display an austere exterior. Devotees prefer a harsh and mo- rose confeiBSor to an easy one ; a preacher who excites terror is iaJways certain, o( success. The Jansenists are refoi-mers, ^who strive to bring bac' 'i idans to their primitive gloom, and who would succeed in reviving the faiwticism of the apostolic tjjiaes, the world was not altered. 116 so little pleasant, that they complained of it to their masters, and ran to the city, where the affair was no sooner known, than the proprietors of the swine, far from being converted, bewailed a prodigy so ruinous to them, and maintained that it was a matter of public concern. The Gerasenes went in a body to oppose the entry of Jesus into their city, and, from inability to punish, besought him to leave their territory as soon as possible. Such was the effect which the miracle of the swine produced. This memorable transaction must be true, for it is attested by three evangelists, who, however, vary in some circumstances. St. Matthew informs us, that the possessed were two in number: Mark and Luke main- tain that there was only one, but so furious, according to St. Mark, that they could no longer bind him even with fetters. St. Luke is certain that the devil fre- quently carried him into the deserts; St. Mark affirms that he spent days and nights in the tombs, and .on the neighbouring mountains. On this occasion Jesus was also proclaimed Christ by the devil. As he was among his friends, or disciples, at the time, he did not enjoin silence to Satan, The acknowledgment was useful when given in private, aud could not hurt him ; but there were occasions on which it might do harm if made in public, where our puissant miracle-worker evinced circumspection, espe- cially when he did not perceive himself sufficiently supported. ' Unbelievers pretend to discover important errors, and evident marks of falsehood in the narrative, which also appears ridiculous. 1st, They are surprised to see devils, who, according to Christians, are con- demned to eternal torments in hell leaving it on pur- 117 pose to take possession of the inhabitants of this earth. 2dly, There is reason to be astonished at seeing the devil address prayers to the Son of God. It is an article of faith, among Christians, that to pray, grace is requisite; that the damned cannot pray; and much more so, that this grace must be denied to the chiefs of the damned, 3dly, The incredulous are offended at a miracle by which Jesus benefited two persons pos- sessed with devils, at the expence of the proprietors of two thousand swine, to whom this miracle cost at least four thousand pounds sterling; an action not quite agreeable to the rufes of equity. 4thly, We can- not conceive how Jesus, whom their law inspired with a horror towards swine, could have herds of animals which among them were of no use, and which they could not even touch without being defiled; and, 5thly, It is indecorous to make the Son of God enter into a compromise with devils ; ridiculous to make them enter into swine ; and unjust to make them enter into and destroy other people's property. Moreover, we are not informed what became of these devils .after being precipitated into the sea. - There is reason to believe, that, in coming out of the swine they entered intci the Jews, to' procure for our Saviour the pleasure of casting them out again; for the curing of people possessed was of all miracles that in which he was most expert. With respect to the-possessed person cured by Jesus, penetrated with gratitude to his^physician, with whom he was perhaps previously acquainted, he wanted to follow Christ, according to St. Mark ; but it was fore- seen that his testimony might become suspicious, if he put himself in the train of the Messiah, who therefor^ chose rather that he should repair to his family, and 118 announce the mercies he had received from the Lord. He was a native of Decapolis, a country, as we have seen, very much disposed to credulity. Accordingly, as soon as the man had there recounted his adven- ture, every body was transported with admiintiou. — We are, however, astonished at the difFeietice of dis- position between these folks, so remarkable for a do- cile faith, and the Gerasenes: — the inhabitants of De- capolis believe all without seeing any thing, whilst the Gerasenes, eye-witnesses of the prodigy, are not njoved by it, and uncivilly refuse Jesus admittance into their city. We commonly find in the gospel, ihat to wit- ness a miracle is a very strong reason for not believing it.* The hardness of heart and unbelief of the Gerasenes, and particularly the request they made the Messiah not to enter among them, obliged hitn to re-embark with his disciples, and return to Galilee, where he was very kindly received. It is not, however, related whether * If the Christians cite Jerusalem, and the testimony of dl Galilee, to prove the miracles of Christ, I see them attested only by an ignorant ]^opulace ; or I demand, how it could be possible that an entire people, who had been witnesses to the miracles of Christ, should consent to his death, and even earnestly demand it ? Would the people of London or of Paris suffer a man who îiad raised the dead, restored the blind to sight, and healed the ïame and paralytic, to be put to death before their eyes ? If the Jews demanded the death of Jesus, all his miracles are at once aniuhilated in the mind of every unprejudiced person. — Boulanger. ■ Let it not be said that the miracles of Christ are as well attest- ed as any fact in profane history, and that to doubt them is as ridiculous as to doubt the existence of Scipio or of Caesar, whicfc tre believe only on the report of the historians by whom they ar« mentioned. The exittence of a man, of the general of an 119 Tte preached and performed miracles; even the time he continued there is not accurately known. — The friends of Jesus, and the relations of his disciples and mother, received, as it appears, from time to time, in- tellig^ce of his wonders, which they took care to cir- culate : and, on learning that tliey wanted him, here- turned to Capernaum. Scarcely was his arrival known^, when the people, always fond of sermons and miracle», resorted to him in crowds. Neither his house nor the space before the door could contain the multitude; he required the voice of a Stentor to make himself heard at the extremities of the crowd ; but perhaps the idlers, content with following him without knowing why, were but very little troubled about understand- ing his orations. The phariaees, to whom Jesus* success began to give umbrage, resolved to satisfy themselves, if there wasanjr reality in what was reported of him. To clear up the matter, some doctors of Galilee, who were not of the «umber of our missionary's admirers, repaired to him. They heard him preach, and came from his sermons more prepossessed against him ; even his miracles could not convert them. Yet, according to St. Luke, the power of the Lord was displayed in their presence in the cure of the sick. But, as has been remarked, the army, or an hero, is not improbable; neither is this a miracle. We believe the probable facts, while we reject with contempt the miracles recounted by Titus Livius. The most stupid cre- dulity is often joined to the most distingxdshed talents. Of thii the Christian reUgion ftunishes innumerable examples. In mat- ters of religion, all testimony is hable to suspicion. The most enlightened men see but ill when they are intoxicated with en- thusiasm, and dazzled by the chimeras of a wild imagination. A miracle is a thing impossible in the order of nature. If this be changed by God, he b not immutable.'— «.^tcf. no miracles of the Messiah were calculated to convince those only who did not see them. Thus it is, that these miracles are believed at present by people who would not credit those performed in their presence. Four men who carried a paralytic on his bed, unable to penetrate through the crowd to Jesus, were advised to mount up with the burden to the roof of the house, and making an opening there, to let down the sick man in his bed, and lay him at the physician's feet.— - The idea appeared ingenious and new to the latter; accordingly, addressing the sick man, " My son," said he, "be of good courage, thy sins*are forgiven thee."* This absolution or remission was, no doubt, pronounced so as to be heard by the emissary doctors, who were *^ It is upon passages in the Bible similar to this, that the Ca«» tholic clergy have foimded the practice of absolution. To man- tain, says Boulanger, thfe abject and fanatic ideas, with which the priest has filled his pupils in their childhood, he commands them to come frequently, and deposit in his bosom their hidden faults ; their most secret actions and thoughts. He obliges them to hu- miliate themselves at his feet, and render homage to his power ; he frightens the criminals, and afterwards, if they are judged worthy, 'he reconciles them to God, who, on the command of his ministers, remits their sins. The Christian sects that admit this practice, boast of it as extremely useful in regulating the man- ners, and restr^ning the passions of men ; but experience proves, that the countries in which this usage is most faithfrilly observed, are distinguished rather for their dissolute Hves than the purity of their manners. By such easy expiations they are only embold- ened in vice. The lives of Christians are circles of successive oflfences and confessions. The priesthood reap the profit of this practice, by means of which they exercise an absolute dominion over the consciences of mankind. How great must be the power of an order of men, who possess all the secrets of families ; who can kindle at pleasure the destructive flame of fanaticism; and open or shut the gates of heaven at wUl \ m very mueh offended at it. Jesus, sagaciously divining their dispositions, addressed his discourse to them- " Why do you suffer wicked thoughts to enter into ypur hearts ? which is easier to say to this paralytic, tliy sins are forgiven thee ; or to say to him, Arise, take up thy bed and wallv.?" This question, boldly proposed, in the midst of a fanatical people, ths sport. of prejudice, embarrassed the doctors, who did not think proper to answer it. Jesus, profiting by 4:heir embarrassment, said to the paralytic, informed of the part he had to play. Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thine house. — This prodigy impressed their minds with. terror: it especially made our doctors, the spies, trem- ble, while the people exclaimed, " Never bave we seen before, any thing so wonderful." But if the doctors were afraid, they were not con- verted ; and notwithstanding the cure of the paralytic, they had no faith in the;, absolu'tioil granted by Jesus, It maiy, therefore, be supposed that this miracle was attended with circumstances which rendered it suspi- cious ; perhaps the gospel itself will enable us to dis- cover them. We shall first observe, that when the-same fact is differently related by different historians equal in au- thority, we are constrained to doubt it ; or, at least, are entitled to deny that it has happened in the^raanner supposed. This principle of criticism must apply to the narratives of our inspired writers, as well as to those of others. — Now, St. Matthew tells us merely, that a paralytic was presented t(> Jesus, who cured him, without relating the wonderful circumstance of the roof being perforated, and the other ornaments with which St. Mark and St. Luke have embellished their narrative. Thus, either we are in the right in suspend- R 122 iig our belief as to this fact, or we may believe at leait, that it has not occurred in the manntr related by the two last evangelists.* In the second place, Mark and Luke, vsrho say that the aick man v^as elevated on his bed to the top of the house in which Christ was, having previously inform- ed us the crowd was so great that the bearers of the diseased were unable to force their way through it, sup- pose, without expressing it in words, another very great miracle. This operation presupposes, that thé carriers penetrated through the crowd. Arrived, we know not how, at the foot of the wall, they could not singly, and far less loaded with the sick man, clam- ber up to th* roof of the house. Luke says, they made an opening through the tiles. In that case the people must have perceived them ; and particularly those in the inside of the house. During the silent attention they no doubt lent to the discourse of Jesus, they must of necessity have heard the noise made by the men in rais- ing up a bed to the roof, and afterwards uncovering this roof and making a hole in it, through w^hich to convey the sick man. — This operation became more difficult still, if the roof, instead of being covered with tiles, was flat. — Now, all the houses of the Jews and orien>- tals were, and still are, covered in this manner. Alt these difficulties furnish sufficient motives for doubting this grand miracle. It will become more probable, if we suppose that the sick man was already in the house with Jesus; that things were previously arranged, and that they let down, by a trap-door made on purpose, a paralytic most certain of being cured on command of the Messiah. This transaction might appear marvel- * Compare as to this Wstîjry, St. Matthew ix. St» Mark v. anà St. Luke Xé m lous to ^ populace disposed to see prodigies every nvhere, but it made less impression on the doclors, who had come on purpose closely to scrutinise the conduct of our adventurer. They conjectured, that it was dan- gerous to contradict weak fanatics, but they did not, for all that, credit the miracle they had witnessed. Some days thereafter, Jesus went and preached along the «ea coast, and passing near the custom-house, perceived Matthew, one of the officers, who sat there. His mien pleased the Messiah, on whose invitation our subaltern financier quitted Jhis post, and followed him, after having in the first place given a great entertain- ment to Jesus and his party. Matthew presented tohina as guests, publicans, and toll-bar officers, his brethren, and others of similar repute ; but the Pharisees and doctors, who watched the behaviour of Christ, came purposely to Matthew's house to be assured of the fact. Jesus, occupied no doubt with gratifying his appetite, did not at first observe that he was watched. Some wordsf, however, spoken rather loudly, attracted his at- tention ; it was the doctors who reproached the disci- ples with drinking and eating with persons of doubtful reputation. ** How," probably said they to them, " how dares your master, who constantly preaches up ▼irtue, sobriety, an4 repentance, shew himself publicly in such bad company ? How can he associate with knaves, monopolizers, and men wh,om their extortions render odious to the nation ? Why does he carry in his train women of bad lives, such as Susan* and Jane, • It appears, notwithstanding all Ms gravity, that the ladies were the foible of Jesus : melancholy persons are not the least susceptible of this weakness. He was very ardently loved by Mary Magdalene, who appears to have been the model of «ondflècending devotees, or debauched feraaJee, whose tempera- 124 who accompany him continually ?" The disciples, stun- ned in this, manner, knew not well how to reply; but Jesus, without being disconcerted, answered them with a proverb : — " It is not the whole/' said he, " but the sick, wholiave need of a physician." After this, he' cited a passage of scripture, which cannot now be' found — •' Learn," said he to them, '* the truth of this saying, 1 love merci/ better than sacrifice.^' It appears, the doc- tors did not consider themselves defeated, and Jesus was so transported with passion as to say, that he •' camanot to call the righteous but sinners to repen- tance." In that case, why did he reject the Pharisees and doctors, whom he called whitened sepulchres 9 Ei- ther the adversaries of Jesus were righteous, or they were sinners whom he was come to call to repentance, and consequently he ought not to have renounced them. Whatever reason Jesus might employ to palliate or justify his conduct, it was very soon published abroad, John Baptist's disciples who heard it, and whom per- haps jealousy ex-cited, came in search of him, and asked the reason of the difference in the life he and his disci- ples led, and that which they themselves followed. We fast (said they) continually, whilst you and yourfoUow- ers make very good cheer. We practise austerities, and rnent usually leads them to give themselves up to religion, witJi as much passion after their conversion, as they did before to the world and their lovers. The Albigenses maintained, that Mag- dalene had a criminal complaisance for the Saviour. — Vide La Christiade, tome i. The Faculty of Theology, at Paris, gravely decided, in 1620, that Mary Magdalene, Mary, the sister of La- zarus, and Mary the courtezan, vrere one and the same lady : but the Sorbonne has since then changed its opinion, and pretends, that these are three very difTerent Marys. — See Bernard, Nou- velles de la Repub. des Lettrea^, tome *S1. p. 300. ib. tome 32. p,140. 1^5 live in retirement, whilst you run about incessantly, and frequent the company of persons of evil repute, &c. The reproach was embarrassing, but Jesiis got himself off very well. " The friends of the bridegroom, (replied he,) ought neither to fast nor live in sorrow, whilst they have the bridegroom with them: a time will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them; and then they shall fast. No man putteth a piece of new cloth on an old garment — neither do men put new wiTie into old bottles: — and no person asks for new wine when he can get old, for he finds the old better." John's disciples had no reply to reason so sublime and convincing. It appears that Jesus, whose example is followed by our modern doctors, easily got out of this affair by the aid of an enigmatical, symbol^ or pompous bombast, very proper arguments to shut the mouths of Ihose who are not inci-vned to dispute eternally about what they do not understand. This incident dempustrates, that the Pharisees and doctors were not the only persons wbo were offended .with the conduct of Jesus, and the company he fre^- quented ; a^ruth corfirmed by the gospel.* We must observe that this trait in the conduct of Christ plainly decides the cause in favour of the partizans of lax mo- rality, and furnishes thern with victorious arms against the modern puritans. We may also remark that the actions and expressions of Jesus, on this occasion, authorise and justify the conduct and language of out holy guides, and especially our lords the bisbops, who, * St. Matthew ix. St. Mark ii. St. Luke v. and especially tli« epistles, are ascribed to St. Barnabas, in which, that apostle say* expressly, that the " apostles, whom the Lord chose, were veiy wicked men; and above all sinners iniq\ûtous." 126 when reproached with their iniquitous behaviour» shut our mouths by averring that tse ought to do as theif ttU «5, and not what they do !* It cannot be denied, that the discrepancy, which ex- isted betw^een the conduct of Jesus and thé principles adopted by the Jews, or even in his own doctrine, re- quired great miracles to prove his mission. Our mis* sionary was not ignorant of this; prodigies, there- fore, were commonly the strongest of his arguments, and of a nature well calculated to gain the vulgar, who never pique themselves on reasoning, but are * In almost all ages complaints have been made of abuses ia the church, and reformation has been talked of. Notwithstand^ ing this pretended reform in the head» of the church, it has al- ways been corrupted. Avaricious, turbulent, and seditious priests, have made nations groan under the weight of their vices, while princes were too weak to bring them to reason. These enlightened men, eays Mirabaud, who call themselves the minis- ters of the Most High, frequently preach nothing but hatred, discord, and ftiry, in his name. The Divinity, fat from having an useful influence over their own morals, commonly does no more than render them more ambitious, more covetous, more hardened, more obstinate, and more proud. In those countries where their empire is established in the most solid manner, and where they enjoy impunity, are they then enemies to that de- bauchery, that intemperance, and those excesses, against which they are constantly declaiitiing ? On the contrary, do we not see them emboldened in crime ; intrepid in iniquity ; giving fUjl scope to their irregularities, to their vengeance, to their hatred, and to their suspicious cruelties ? The priests are generally the most crafty of men, and the best of them are truly wicked. Of the clergy, it was justly remarked by Boulanger, that while those blood-suckers of society wallow in an abundance, shame- ful to the states by whom they are tolerated, the man of talents, the man of science, and the brave warrior, were suffered to lan- guish in indigence, and poorly exist on the mere necessaries of Bfe*- m ready in every thing to side with the man wha exhibit* wonders, and acquires the secret of gaining their fancy* After Jesus had silenced John's disciples, the chief of a synagogue waited on the Saviour, and besought him to come and lay hands on his daughter, twelve years old, zcho was dead, according to St. Matthew, but who was only very sick, according to St. Mark and St. Luke: a difference which seems to merit Some attention. Jesus complied with the invitation ; and whilst proceeding to the house overheated him- self 80 much, that a virtue went out of him fit to cure all those who were in its atmosphere. We shall not form conjectures on the nature of this virtue or divine transpiration ; we shall only remark, that it was so potent as suddenly to cure a woman afflicted for twelve years with an issue of blood ; a malady which probably the spectators had not better verified than its cure. On this occasion Christ perceived that there had gone out of him a considerable portion of virtue ; he, therefore, turned towards the female afflicted wifh the piles, whom his disciples had rudely pushed back; and seeing her prostrate at his feet, " Daughter, (said he to her,) be of good heart, thy faith hath made thee whole." The poor woman, whom the disciples had inti- midated, charmed with beijig relieved from her fright in so easy a manner, confessed openly she was cured. When our miracle performer was arrived at the house of Jairus, (such was the name of the chief of the synagogue,) they came and announced to the latter that his daughter had expired a moment before, and that the house was full minstrels, who were already performing a dirge or mournful concert, according to the custom of the country, Jesus, who on the way had got the fathôF of the girl to prattle, was not disopn- 128 certed at the news; he began with making every body retire, and then having entered alone, by the virtue of some words raised her from the dead. _ -In historical matters we must prefer two writers who agree, to a third who contradicts them. Now Lui\e and Mark affirm that the damsel was dead ; but here unfortunately it is the hero himself who weaken* his victory. Orf their saying to him that she was dead, he affirmed that she was only asleep. There are girls who at twelve years of age are actually subject to such swoons. On the other hand, the father of the damsel appears to have acquainted the physician with the condition of his child ; and he, more in the secret than others, did not believe the intelligence of her death. He entered alone into Iter chamber, well assured of her recovery if she was only in a swoon : if he had found her dead in reality, there is every reason to believe» he would have returned, and told the father that he had been called when too late, and was vexed at the accident. Jesus, however, did not wish that this miracle should be published ; — he forbade the father and mo- ther of the damsel to tell what had happened. Our charlatan was not solicitous to divulge an affair which might more and more excite the indignation and fury of the Jews of Jerusalem, whither he was soon after to repair, on purpose to celebrate the passover. — More- over, the account of this miracle seems to evince that the Son of God had acquired some smattering of me- dicine in Egypt. It appears at least that he was versant in the spasmodic diseases of women ; and no more wa? wanted to induce the vulgar to regard a man as a sor- eerer, or performer of miracles. Oace in the train of operating WQnders, Jesus did not ,129 rest satisfied with this one. According to St. Mat- thew, who alone relates the three facts we .are going to mention, two blind men who followed him began to exclaim. Son of David, have merci/ on us. Though Jesus, in his quality of God, knew the most secret thoughts of men, he chose to be viva voce assured of the disposition of the sick people with whom he tran- sacted. He therefore asked, if they had much faith, or if they sincerely believed that he was able to do what they requested of him. Our blind folks answered in the affirmative ; then touching their eyes, " Be it unto you," said he, " according to your faith," and instantly they received their sight. We know not how to reconcile such lively faith in two blind men, with the untractableness afterwards display- ed. Their physician, who might have good reasons for not being known, most expressly forbade them to speak of their cure ; they however spread it instantly through the country. The silence of those who were witnesses of this great miracle, is not more astonish- ing than the indiscretion of the blind men who were the objects of it. • ' A fact more miraculous still is the obduracy of the Jews, who were so stubborn, that the many wonders, performed one after another, and on the same day, were not able to convince the doctors. Nevertheless, Je- sus, far from being discouraged, determined still fur- ther to exhibit a specimen of his power. A dumb man, possessed with a devil, was presented to Christ, who expelled the demon out of him, and the dumb began to speak. At sight of this miracle, the people, as usual, were in extasy, whilst the Pharisees and doctors, who had also exorcists among them, saw nothing surprising in it : they pretended that their exorcists performed 130 their conjurations in the n;ime of God, whilst Jesus made his in the name of the dçvil. Thus they accused Christ of casting out the devil by the devil, which was indeed a contradiction. But this contradiction - iiot perform any thing more agreeable to God, than spending their whole time in mumbling prayers in a very low tone, or singing them in a very high one, and frequently in a laiiguage they do not understand. It appears, that in this, as in many other things, the church has rectified the ideas of its divine founder. St. JVïatthew informs us, that the discourse, of which we have given the substance, transported the peopl« with admiration, at the doctrine of Jesus, for he in- structed them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. — The latter, perhaps, spoke in a more simple fashion, and consequently less admired by the vulgar, * M. Basnage informs us, that the Jews have a, prayer calleil Kadish, in which they say to God — "OGod, exalted and hallow^ ed be thy name. — ]\Iay thy kingdom come," &c. This prayer is the short ancient One preserved by the Jews. Hence we see that Jesus was but a plagiary, and not the author of the Lord's prayer. — Basnage Hist, de^ Juifs, tome 6. p. 371. s 162 whose wonder is excited in proportion to their inabili- ty to comprehend, or practice, the precepts given them. Thus the sermon of Jesus had not, at that time, any contradictors. It has, however, since tlsen fur- nished ample scope for dispute to our casuists and theologians ; they have subtiily distinguished between things whicii were merely of counsel, and those of pre- cept, which ought rigorously to be observed. It was in fact soon felt, that the sublime morality of th^e Son of God did not suit mankind, and its literal observance became necessarily destructive to society. — It was, therefore, requisite to abate it, and recur to that mar- vellous distinction, in order to shelter the honour of the divine legislator, and reconcile his fanatical morali- ty with the wants of the human race. Moreover, this discourse presents difficulties, which will always appear very embarrassing to persons accus- tomed to reflect on what they read. They fmd, that it is ridiculous and false to say, a law is accomplished, when it is proposed and permitted to violate it, and add or retrench the most essential points. Since the time of Jesus, why has that law been completely abro- gated by St. Paul and his adherents, who, as we have seen, seceded from the Christian partizans of Juda- ism.? Why do Christians entertain at present so much horror at that same Judaism, except indeed when the privileges and pretensions of the clergy are in question — articles on which our Christian priests are very judaical, and which they have prudently borrowed from Leviticus; all to supply the neglect of Christ, who in his gospel was not sufficiently attentive either to their temporal interests, divine rights^ or sacred hierar- chy ? By what law do the inquisitors (if Christians) m Portugal and Spain burn those who are accused, or con- 163 victed of having observed the usages of a law, which Jesus has declared, that he did not wish to abolish, but to fulfil? By what law have Christian doctors dispen- sed with circumcision, and permit themselves to eat pork, bacon, pudding, hare, &c. ? Why has Sunday, or the day of the sun among Pagans, been substituted for Sabbath or Saturday? 2dly, It is held unjust to punish in the same manner a man in a passion and a murderer. One may be in a passion and restrain himself, or afterwards repair the injury done; but he cannot restore life to man, whom he has deprived of it. 3dly, The restriction of divorce to the single case of adultery is a law very hard, and very prejudicial to the happiness of married presons. This precept compels a man to live with a woman, who in other respects* may be odious to him. Besides, it is generally very difficult to convict a female of adultery ; she usually uses precau- tion to avoid corvictioii on account of her debauch- eries. Is it not very grievous, and even dangerous, to live with a person who occasions continual suspicions? 4thly, It is absurd to make a crime of de>ire, espe- cially without supposing the liberti/ of m^n ; but Jesus is not very explicit on that important article. On the contrary, from the train of his discourse he appears to recognize the necessity of man, who has no authority over a single hair of his head. St. Paul, his apostle, declares in many places against the liberty of man, whom he compares with a vessel in the hands of a pot- ter.* But if there be no proportion between the work- man and his work; if the hitter has no right to say to ihe former, why have you fashioned me thus ? if there * St. Augustine says, that " man is not master of liie thoughts." 164 be no analogy between them, how can they bear, any relation to each other? If God is incorporeal, how does he act upon bodies ; orjiow can these bodies disturb hi: repose,M3r excite in him motions ofanger? If man is^i'ela- tively to God as an earlhen vase, this vase owes neither thanks nor adoration to the potter who gave him so in- significant a form. If this power is displeased with his own vessel because he formed it badly, or because it is not fit for the uses he intended, the potter, if he is not an irrational being, can only blame himself for the defects which appear. He no doubt can break it in pieces, and the vase cannot prevent him ; but if, in- stead ci" forming it anew, and giving it a figure more suitable to his designs, he punishes the vase for the bad qualities he has himself conferred upon it, he would shew himself to be completely deprived of reason. This, in fact, is the view which Christianity gives of its God. It represents mankind as having no more relation with the divinity than stones. But if God owes nothing to man ; if he is not bound to show him either justice or goodness, man on his part can owe nothing tjp God. We have no idea of any relation between beings which are not reciprocal. The duties of men amongst themselves are founded upon their mutual wants. If God has no occasion for these services, they cannot owe him any thing; neither can they possibly offend him by their actions. othly. It is a very strange remedy to cut off or pi lick out a member every time it is an occasion of scan- dal or sin : it contradicts the precept not to make an attempt on one's life. Origen is blamed by the Christians for having performed an operation, which he no doubt judged necessary for preserving His chas- 165 tity.* It is not through the members, but the inclina- tion, that 'a person sins : it is therefore absurd to say that one shall escape damnation of the body by depriv- ing of himself a member. What would become of so many prelates and ecclesiastical libertines, if to ap- pease the iusts of the flesh, and make reparation for scandal, they should take it into their heads to follow the counsel oï Jesus? 6thly, The suppression of a just defence of one's per- son andrights, against an aggressor or unjust litigant, is to overturn the laws of every society. It is to open a door to iniquities and crimes, and render useless the exercise of justice. By such maxims a people could not exist ten years. 7thly, The counsel or precept, to possess nothing, amass nothing, and think not of the morrow, would be very prejudicial to families ; — a father ought to pro- * Aristotle and Epictetus recommended chastity of speech. Menander said, " that a good man could nev^er consent to de- bauch a virgin, or commit adultery." Tibullus said, casta placent tuperis. Mark Antony " thanks the Gods that he had pre- served his chastity in his youth." The Romans made laws against, adultery. Father Tanchard informs us, " that the Siamans forbid not Only dishonest actions, but also impure thoughts and desires." It thus appears that chastity and purity of manners were esteemed even before the Christian religion existed. The clergy it is true, deny this, and incessantly cry out against unbe- lievers and philosophers, whom they denominate dangerous sub' Jecis. But if we open history, we do not find that philosophers were those who embroiled states and empires. Such events were almost universally produced by the religious. The Domi- nican who poisoned the Emperor Henry XI. James Clement, and RavaUlac, were not unbelievers. They were not phiJoso* phers, but fanatic Christians, who led Charles I. to the scaffold. It was the priest Gomare, and not Spinosa, who set Holland on fire, &e. • z ' ' 166 vide a subsistence for his children. These maxims can suit sluggards only, such as, priests and monks^ who hold labour in horror, and calculate on living at the expence of the public. Sthly, It is now easy to perceive, that the promises made the Jews by the mouth of Moses, inspired by the Divinity, have not been verified literally, and are only allegorical. But it was not from the Son of God that the Jews should have learned this fatal truth. Once deceived by tlie Divinity, they ought to have dreaded being again deceived by another envoy. Like Jesus, Moses had made promises ; like Jesus, Moses had con- firmed his promises and mission by miracles ; yet these promises have been found deceptive, and merely alle- gorical. This idea ought to have created presumptions dangerous to the promises of Christ.* Qthly, To say that it is necessary to be^oor inspirit, and to say afterwards that to attain heaven it is neces- * AH the first Christians, as already iremarked, expected, 'on the word of Christ and his apostles, soon to see the end of the world, which, however, still endures. They looked, day after day, for the arrival of Christ in the clouds of heaven ; they reckoned that he was to establish on earth a temporal kingdom, which was to endure a thousand years. Several holy doctors, among whom is St. Irenaeus, have firmly believed this fable borrowed from the golden age, or reign of Saturn. The church, remarking that this reign did not arrive, changed its opinion on the matter, as on Hiany others, and declared the MUlenarians heretics. ■ St. Irenaeus, hdw- ever, has left us a poetical description of the abundance and sen- sual pleasures, which this reign was to procure. St. Justin Martyr expected also this fine Idngdom. See Tillemont, tome 2. p. 300. Yet we know not how to reconcile the prediction of the near end of the world made by Christ, and the ignorance he said he was^in^ as to the duration of the world in St. Mark xiii. 3f . This igno- rance appears strange indeed in 8 God. 167 sa,ry tp be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect, is to make Goda 'stupid being ; to afford to Atheists a solution for all the evil they perceive in nature ; and to pretend, that4;o enter paradise, one must be a fool. But has man ttie power of being spiritual or poor in s-pirit, reasonable or foolish, believing or unbeliev- ing? Is not the holy stupidity of faith a gift, which God grants only to wliom he will? Is it not unjust to damn people of understanding ? Lastly, In this sermon, Jesus recommends to be- ware 0Î false prophets, and says, that it is by their works we shall know them. — Yet as we have seen, the priests. tell us,'* we ought to do as they say, with- out imitating what they do," when we find their con- duct little conformable to the maxims they preach. — It was necessary, therefore, to give us another sign than works, whereby, to recognize false prophets, or else the faithful will often be reduced to believe, that the clergy are provided only with lying prophets. , It is in this manner unbelievers argue, that is to say, all those who have not received from heaven jooor- ness of spirit , so necessary for not perceiving the want of inference, false principles, and numberless inconsis- tencies, which most directly result from the morality of Jesus. This morality appears a divine chef^'œuvre to docile Christians illuminated by faith ; and it was much admired by those who heard it delivered. We know not, however, if many of the auditors were so affected by it as to fpllo\y it literally; to admire a doctrine, and believe it true and divine, is a thing much more easy than to practise it. Many persons set a higher value on evange- lical virtues, which are sublime in theory, than on the hu- man virtues, which reason commands us to practise.* * See Appendix, No. II. 168 It is not then surprising, that the suf)ernatural and marvellous morality of Jesus was applauded by those who heard it. It was addressed to paupers, the dregs of the people, and the miserable. An austere stoical morality must please the wretched ; it transforms - their actual situation into virtue ; it flatters their vanity ; makes them proud of their misery ; hardens them' against the strokes of fortune ; and persuades them that they are much more valuable thanthe rich, who maltreat them ; and that the Deity, who delights in see- ing man suffer, prefers the wretched to those who enjoy felicity. On the other hand, the vulgar imagine, that those who possess the faculty of restraining their passions, despising what men seek after, and depriving them- selves of what excites the desires of others, are extra- ordinary beings, not only agreeable to God, but en- dowed by him with preternatural grace, withdut which they would be incapable of the exertions they are seen to make. Thus a harsh morality, which seems to proceed from insensibility, pleases the rabble, imposes on the ignorant, and is sufficient to excite the admira- tion of the simple. It is not even displeasing to per- sons placed in more happy situations, who admire the doctrine, well assured of finding the secret to elude the practice of it, by the assistance of their indulgent guides; there is only a small number of fanatics who follow it literally. Such were the dispositions which must have induc- ed so many people to receive the doctrine of Jesus. His maxims hatched a multitxode of obstinate martyrs, who, ill the hope of opening to themselves a lOad to heaven, set torments and afflictions at defiance. The same maxims produced penitents of every knd, soli- 169 taries, anchorites, cénobites, and monks, who, in emu- lation of each other, rendered themselves illustrious in the eyes of nations by their austerities, voluntary poverty, a total renunciation of the comforts of nature, and a continual struggle against the gentlest and most lawful inclinations.* The counsels and precepts of the gospel inundated nations with a vast number of mad- men, enemies of themselves, and perfectly useless to others — These wonderful men were admired, respected, and revered as saints by their fellow citizens, who, themselves deficient in grace or enthusiasm necessary for imitating them, or following faithfully the counsels of the Son of God, had recourse to their intercession, in order to obtain pardon for their sins, and indulgence from the Almighty, whom they supposed irritated at the impossibility in which they found themselves of following literally the precepts of his Son. In fine, it is easy to perceive, that these precepts rigorous- ly observed, would drag society into total ruin, for so- ciety is supported only because that most Christians, admiring the doctrine of the Son of God as divine, dis- pense with practising it, and follow the propensity of nature, even at the risk of being damned.f * To form a true idea of Christian morality, such as has been taught by the most esteemed doctors, we have only to read a work of the learned Barbeyrac, published on the subject, under the title of Traite de la morale des pères, in 4to. Amsterdam, 1728. f It is several times related in Leviticus xvii. 11 and 14, that the soul consists of the blood. St. Paul stUl further obscures the question of the humortality of the soul. In his first epistle to the Thessalonians, v. 23. not content with making- man double, he makes him treble, and describes him as composed of body, soul, and spirit. Thereafter he gives us to understand, that the body and soul are mortal, but that the spbrit is immortal. With res- . pect to the doctrine of the resurrection, scholars have sheisTî 170 In the gospel Jesus menaces with eternal punish- ment those who shall not fulfil his precepts. This frightful doctrine was not contradicted in the assembly; the supersititious love to tremble ; those who threaten them most, ^re the most eagerly listening. This was undoubtedly the time for establishing firmly the dogma of the spirituality and immortality of the soul. The Son of God ought to have explained to those Jews, but little acquainted with this matter, how . a part gf man could suffer in hell, whilst another part was rotting in the ^earth. But our preacher was not acquainted with any of the dogmas which his church has since taught. He had not clear ideas of spirituality ; he spoke of it only in a very obscure manner : *' Fear (said he, in one place,) him who can throw both body and soul into hell" — words which must have appeared unintelligible in a language, in which the soul was taken for the blood or animating principle. — It was not till a long time after Jesus, and when somePlatonists.had been initiated in Christianity, that the spirituality and immortality of the soul were con- verted into dogmas. Before their time, the Jews and Christians had only vague notions on that important subject. We find doctors in the first ages speaking to us of God and the soul as material substances, more subtile indeed than ordinary bodies. It was reserved for latter metaphysicians to give us such sublime ide^ of mind, that our limited understandings are bewilder- ed when employed on them. that what the Pharisees admitted, was only a i^ansmigration of soulSf similar to what had been taught by Pythagoras, and not a resurrection like that of the Christians. See Prideaux Hist.^ des Juife, tome 3. 171 CHAPTER XL ACTIONS AND PARABLES OF JESUS. — ENTERPRISE OF HT« RELATIONS AGAINST HIM. JOURNEY OF JESUS TO NAZARETH, AND THE SUCCESS HE HAD THERE. THOUGH the obstinacy of the doctors of the law and principal men among the Jews created continual obstacles to the success which Christ had promised himself, he did not lose courage; he again had recourse to prodigies, the certain means of captivating the populace, on whom he plainly perceived it was neces- sary to found his hopes. This people were very sub- ject to diseases of the skin, such as leprosy and similar cutaneous disorders. No doubt can be entertained on this point, when we consider the precautions which the law of Moses ordains against these infirmities. To establish his reputation the more, Christ resolved to undertake the cure of this disgusting disease with which his countrymen were so much infected. According to St. Luke, a leper came, and prostrat- ed himself at the feet of Jesus, and adored him, say- ing, that he had heard him spoken of as a very able man, and that, if he was inclined, he could cure him; :*— on this, Jesus merely stretched forth his hand, and the leprosy disappeared.* Hitherto Christ had only, * St Lwkë, T. 13. St. Matt vjii. ». St Mark, I 40. A À 172 recommended it to those he cured to go and present themselves to the priests, in order to offer them the gift prescribed in such cases ;* but on this occasion he thought that he would reconcile them by strictly- enjoining this mark of deference ; He therefore exacted of the cured leper, that he would satisfy the ordinance of the law ; but at the same time recommended secrecy as to the physician's name^, — a secret which was not "better preserved by him than by others. Jesus forgot that it was not sufficient to impose silence on the per- sons he cured, but that it was likewise necessary to lay a restraint on all the tongues of the spectators; unless Indeed it is supposed that these miracles were perform- ed v/ith shut doors, and witnessed by the Saviour's disci- ples only; or, rather, that they were not performed at all. Meanwhile, the leper's 'indiscretion was the cause why Jesus, according to St. Mark, no longer ventured to appear in the city.f The priests seem to have talîen in ill'mood the cure he had performed : He therefore withdrew into the desar;f,.t where the more he was followed, the more he buried himself in concealment.^ It was in vain that in this situation the people desired to hear him; it was in vain that the sick, who ran after him requested their cure; he no longer suffered that marvellous virtue, calculated to cure every dis- order, to exhale from him. After having wandered for some time in the desart, ruminating on hisaffairs, he re-appeared at Capernaum. The domestic of a Rohian centurion, much beloved by * Levit. xiv. and St. Matt, vm, i. t St. Mark, i. 45. % St. Luke^ t. 15. 173 5iis master, was at the point of death from an attack of the palsy*. This Pagan believed that Jesus could easily cure his slave; but instead of presenting him to Christ, as4îe ought to have done, he deputed some Jewish senators, whom he seemsto have brought from Jerusalem ,v, to wait on the Messiah. However dis- agreeable this commission might be to persons whom the centurion had no right to command, and who by that step seemed to acknowledge the mission of Jesus, these senators performed it. Christ, flattered with, ^seeing an idolater apply to him, set out immediately ; but the centurion sent some of his people to 'inform Jesus, that he was not worthy of the honour thus in- tended him by entering his house ; and i hat, to cure his servant it was sufficient to speak only one word. Jesus was delighted with this ; he declared, that he had not found so much faith in Israel ; and with one word, if the Gospel may be believed, he performed the cure. He afterwards gave the Jews to understand, that if they persisted in their hardness of heart, (the only disease which the Son of God could never cure, though he had come for that purposef,) the idok'» trous nations would be substituted in their stead in the inheritance of heaven, and that God, notwithstanding his promises, would abandon his ancient friends for ever and for ever. The Gospel, however, does not tell us, whether this centurion, so full of faith, was him- self converted. The day after this cure, Jesus, having left Caper- * St. Matt. viii. St. Luke, viL + We are assured that the Messiah of the Jews had been dearly predicted and designated by their own prophets ; but in that case, how came the Jews not to recognize him? A A 2 174 iiaum, arrived at Nain, a small town in Galilee, about twenty leagues distant, which proves that Christ \yas a It will be answered, that the blindness of the Jews was also predicted by the same prophets who had predicted the re- jection and death o£ the t Messiah. To this I object that a wise and omnipotent God, who must always exactly adapt his means to his ends, ought to have employed a more certain and efficacious mode of deliverance for his people ; but if he did not intend their dehverance (and surely to know that the scheme adopted would faU is tantamount), then it was useless to send his son, and* to expose Mm to a certain and fore- seen death It wiU be said, that the con-uption and Avicked- ness of the Jews had at length exhausted the patience of the Almighty, who, although he had sworn an eternal alliance with Abraham's posterity, was now determined in conse- quence to break the treaty. It will be pretended that God was now resolved to reject the Hebrews, and adopt the Gen- tile nations, who had been the objects of his hatred for so long a period; but surely nothing can be more inconsistent with just notions of an immutable Deity, whose mercies are infinite, and whose goodness is inexhaustible. If the Mes- siah announced by the Jewish prophets was sent to the Jews, then ought he to have been their deliverer, and not the destroyer of their worship and nation. If it be really possible to discover any meaning in the obscure, enigmatical oracles of the Jewish prophets — if any thing can be divined in those inexpUcable logographes which have been dignified with the pompous name of prophecies, we shall find that the prophets, when in a good humour, always promised the Jews an avenger of their wrongs, a restorer of the kingdom of Judea, and not an aboMsher of the reHgion of Moses. If the Messiah was sent to the Gentiles, then was he not the Messiah promised to the Jews , he covdd not be the destroyer of their nation. If it be said, that Jesus himself declared he came not to abolish but to fulfil the law of Moses, then I ask why do the Christians reject the Jewish dispensation? Thus whatever way we take it, Jesus Christ could not be the person foretold by the prophets, since it is evident that great walker. Fortunately he got there in time to per- form an excellent miracle. A poor widow had lost her son: they were aheady carrying him to be buried; the disconsolate mother, accompanied by a great mul- titude, followed the funeral procession. Jesus, moved with compassion, approached the bier, and laid his hand on it. Immediately those who carried it stop- ped. Young mem ! said Christ, speaking to the de- ceaseii, / s«j/ to thee, Arise. Forthwith he who was de^d sat up. This miracle terrified all the assistants», but Convt^rted nobody. It is proper to remark, that this transaction is related by St. Luke alone ; and even if It were better verified, we might justly suspect that the disconsolate mother held secret intelligence with ^ tiie performer.* Some historians have made John Baptist live to this period ; others made him die m^ich earlier. Here St. Matthew and St. Luke introduce the disciples of the precursor, on purpose to question Jesus on the part of their mastërf, "Art thou he that was to corne, or look he came to abolish the Jewish dispensation, which, though instituted by God himself, had become obnoxious to him. If this mutable Deity, tired with the worship of his chosen people, had at last repented of his injustice to the Gentiles, it was properly to them that hç should have sent his son. He would, in that case, have spared his ancient friends the horrid criine of deicide, which he obhged them to commit, by not teaching them to know whom he had sent. The Jews surely were excusable for not discovering their Messiah in a Galilean mechanic, destitute of the characters ascribed to him by their own prophets, and who contributed neither to their hap- piness, nor to their deliverance. — Preservative against Religious ^Prejudices, Lond. 1812. * St. Luke, vii. 11—17. t St. Matt, xi- 2. St. Luke, vii. 1S~22. we for another?" The Messiah in reply worked miracles in their presence, cured the sick, cast out devils, and gave sight to the blind ; after which he said to John's deputies, "Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen*." It was on this occasiau that Jesus pronounced the eulogy of John. He had, as we have seen in chapter fourth of this history, his reasons fordoing so. "Amongst all those, "said he, •* that are born of woman, verily I say unto you, there is not a greater than John Baptist." Our panegyrist profite^ afterwards by this circumstance to abuse the Pharisees and doctors, who rejected both his baptism and John's. He compared these unbelievers to ** Children sitting in the market place, and calling to one another, we have piped to you, and you have not danced ; we have chanted funeral airs, and ye have not weeped." But we are not informed whether this jargon converted the doctorsf. After this our speech-maker compared hie own con- duct with that of the precursor. "John,", said he, " came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say he hath a devil. I drink, eat and love good cheer, yet you reject me also, under pretence that I am a drunken sot and a debauchee; and that I frequent the company of men and women of bad reputation." He gave the populace, however, to understand, that their suffrage was sufficient for him ; as if he had told them, " I am certain of you — you are too poor in spirit to perceive of yourselves the irregularity of my con- duct — my wonders especially pass with you ; you should not reflect; you are the true children of wis- dom, which will he justified by you + '» +• * St. Matt. xi. 11. + St. Luke, vii. 18, 22. X St. Matt. ii. 11. St. I^e, vii. 33. St Luke, vii. 34—5. 177 After this harangue, a Pharisee, who, to judge of him by his conduct, had been noways moved by Jesus, invited the orator to dinner ; but he used Christ in the most unpolite manner. He did not cause his feet to be bathed, ♦nor did he present perfumes, according to the established custom of the Jews towards every per- son. Though the self love of Jesus might be offended at this omission, he did not decline sitting down at table ; but while he was eating, a woman of bad fame bathed his feet with her tears, wiped them with her beautiful hair, and thereafter anointed them with a mpst precious perfume. The Pharisee did not com- prehend the mystery. As stupid as incredulous, he conjectured that Jesus did not know the profession of the female ; but he was grossly mistaken : the courte- zan in question and all her family were intimately connected with Christ. St. John informs us, that she was called Mary Magdalane, and that she wa- the sister of Martha and Lazarus, people well known to Jesus, and who, as we shall very soon see, held a regular Cûrrespondence with him. In particular it appears, that Magdalane entertained the most tender Sentiments' for the Son of God.. This action of the courtezan did not disconcert the Saviour; he explained her lové, the cares she render- ed him, and the kisses with which she loaded him, in a mystical and spiritual sense ; and assuming the tone of one inspired,* he sent her away, telling her that her * It is for want of being acquainted with the tnie causes of the passions^ the talents, of poetical rapture, of di-unkeu- nessy &c. that these qualities have been deified under the; names of Cupid, Apollo, Esculapius, Bacchus, Furies. — Terror and a fçver have equally bad altars, and mm has 178 sins were forgiven on account of the love she had dis- played. St. Luke informs us in the chapter following, that Jesus had delivered this lady of seveti devils — a service wliich doubtless merited all her gratitude. Be that as it may, Christ employed this indirect way of shewing the Pharisee the incivility of his behaviour to a man of his consequence. The relations f>f Jesus, informed of the noise he made, and suspecting that he could not lead a very pure life amongst t be gentry with whom he associated ; or tearing that his conduct in the end would draw him iniosome unlucky affair, went from Nazareth to Capernaum on purpose to seize him, and cause him to be confined. They were evidently afraid of being involved in his disgrace, and chose rather to charge themselves with the correction of their kinsman, than see him delivered up to justice; an event which they foresaw was likely very scon to happen. They therefore circulated a rumour, that he was a fool whose brain was disordered* believed that he ought to attribute to some divinity all thaie effects which he coiild not account for. This is the reason why dreams, hysteric vapours, and swimming in the head^ have been looked upon as divine inspirations. The Maho- metans have still a great respect for fools. The Christian» regard a trance as the favour of heaven; they call vision» those things which others would call folly, giddiness, and derangement of the brain. Women who are hysterical and subject to vapours, are the most subject to vision and to extasies. Penitents, and monks who fast, are most exposed to receive the favours of the Most High, or to have fantasti- cal dreams. According to Tacitus, the Germans believed that women had something of the Divinity. Amongst the savages, it was women who excited them to war. The èrreeka had thdr Pytiioiu^ thw Sibyl?, iincl ^eir ftro- phetesse*^ 179 Jesus, informed of their arrival and the jnotive of their journey, kept close in his quartern, and had a prodigy in reserve for the moment they should appear. The people who had got a hint of this, or were told beforehand by the emissaries of the Messiah, repaired thither in a crowd. As soon as the relations appeared, a blind and dumb man possessed with a devil was brought forth: Jesus exorcised him, the possessed was delivered, and the people were in admiration. The doctors beheld with pain the credulity of the rabble, and foresaw the consequeices of it. — The kins- men of Jesus, little affected by this miracle, promised to the doctors to use all their efforts to deliver up to them so dangerous a man. — He is a sorcerer, said some ; he is a prophet, said others ; he must prove it, said a third ; and, notwithstanding the great miracle he had performed, others added, Le(. iis ask oj" him a sign in the air ? " Good God," said the Nazarenes, " he is neither sorcerer iior prophet ; we know him l>etter than any body; he is a poor lad whose brain is disordered." All these speeches were related to Jesus ; he an- swered them by -parables and invectives, and defended himself from the charge of being a wizard, by saying it was absurd to maintain that he c^st out devils by the power of devils. As to the imputation of folly, he repelled it with affirming- that whoever should at- tack him on the score of understanding, could not ex- pect the remission of his sins either in this or in the other world. This undoubtedly i- what nii.st be un- derstood by the Sin against the Honj Ghost. Nevertheless the midway course of demanding a - sign- was followed ; for this purpose a deputation was sent to Jesus ; but instead of a sign in the air he gave B B 180 them one in the water. He referred our inquisitive folks to Jonas, and told them they should have no other; for, added he, ** As Jonas vv^as three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." The Jews, who were neither wizards nor prophets, could not comprehend this lan- guage. Jesus, to whom miracle cost nothing when every thing was arranged for performing them, did not risk himself by working them impromptu, or in the presence of those whom he judged acute enough to examine them. — On this occasion he put off these poor Jews, whom he calculated on converting to him- self for ever, with an unintelligible answer. The refusal to perform a prodigy in the air creates a belief that Jesus declined the contest: raillery was intro- duced : the Son of God got into a passion, and launched out in prophetical invectives against the Jews. He <:ompared the conduct of the queen of Sheba with theirs; boasted of his being greater and wiser thatt Solomon; and threatened to deprive them of the light which he shed in their country. We are of opinion however, that, if he had deigned to consent to give the sign demanded, he would have spread this light much further. — -But there is reason to believe the Messiah felt that a sign in the air was much more difficult than all those he had given on the earth, where he was better able to arrange matters than aloft in the atmosphere, a region in which there was nobody to concert with. Meanwhile Jesus* mother had joined her other chil- dren and relations in order to soothe and engage them to desist from their pursuits, but she could not prerail on them» They persisted in the design of taking up 181 our adventurer; but as they could not penetrate through the multitude and get close up to him, they sent notice they were there. " Behold," said some one to Jesus, " thy mother and thy brethren who seek thee." — Christ knowing the object of their visit which he was no ways eager to receive, abjured such fro ward rektions : " Who is my mother, and'who are my bre- thren ?" said he ; after which, stretching forth his hand tpwards the people, " Behold" added he, " my mother^ and my breihren ; I know no other kinsmen than those who hearken to my word, and put it in practice." The people, flattered with the preference, took Jesus under their protection, and the attempt of his family was thus turned to their confusion*. Escaped from this perilous adventure, afraid of be- ing caught unawares, or mistrusting the constancy of the populace, who, notwithstanding the pleasure they found in seeing him perform his juggles, might desert him at last, Jesus thought proper to provide for his safety by leaving the town f. He accordingly de- parted with his twelve apostles, the ladies of his train, Mary his mother, Jane and Magdalane, who assisted the company with their property. There is reason to be- lieve that the last, who, before she was with the Mes- siah, had made gain of her charms, was rich in jewels and ready money. This rendered her conversion of great importance to the sect, and especially to Jesus, who could not, without cruelty, refuse to repay so much love with a little return. The persecution which Jesus experienced excited an interest in his behalf, and it would seem procured * St. ]Vi./'.. xii. 46. St.M3.Tk, iii. 12. St. Luke, viii. 19, t St Matt. xiiL 1. B B 2 182 him greater countenance. A multitude of peo{)le im- pelled by curiosity, as soon as they knew the road he had taken, went out of the towns and hamlets in thé environs to see him. To avoid being incommoded by the crowd, he again resolved to go on board a vessel; and having done so, he began to preach to those on shore ; but recollecting the scrapes which his former sermons had'broughr Irim into, he did not think it pru- dent to explain, himself so clearly ; he, therefore, pre- ferred speaking in parables, which are always suscep^ tible of a double m-eaning. It ma}^ be believed the explication of these enigmas was circulated by means of -the apostles, to whom Jesus gave it in charge*. One day, chagrined at his lit tie success, he distinctly avowed that he had changed his resolution as to the Jews, and meant to abandon their conversion. The reason for doino- so he expressed to them in parables; "iliat seeing," said he, " they may not perceive, and hearing the}'' may not understand, lest at any time they should be converted, and tlVeir sins should be for- given them.t" It must be owned, that it is very difficult to recon- cile, this conduct of God. Were we not afraid of com- mitting sacrilege by hazarding conjectures on the mission of Jesus; might it not be presumed that at first he had the design of giving laws to the Jews, but perceiving afterwards his little success, he resolved, as he began to be disparaged in that country, to seek his fortune elsewhere, and gain other subjects ? What he entrusted to his disciples in this secret interview, ap- pears to have been for the purpose of preparing them * St. Mark, iv. 10. t St. Maik, v. 12. 183 for this change ; but his punishment prevented all his desi^'ns, which were not executed till a long time after by his apostles, who no do bt carefully treasured up this conference. We should not enter into a detail of all the parables which Jesus employed in communicating his marvel- lous doctrine to the Jews, or preaching without being understood. Such a discussion would become very tiresome ; we therefore advise those who may have taste tor such kind of apologues rather to read those of Esop 'M- La Fontaine, which they wilt find more amus- ing and more instructive than the fables of Christ. Those, however, who wish to consult the parables or apologues of the gospel, will find them in thefollpwing plac--s : — Tiie parable of the sotiper, Luke, viii, 5— of the co«- cealed lamp, ib. viii. If)— ^of the tares. Matt. xiii. 24 of the seed, Mark iv. 26 — of the grain of ntus- taid, 'ntr, xiii. 31 — of the leaven, ib. xiii. 33 — of the hidden treasure, ib. xiii. 44 — of \.\\e pearl, ib. xiii. 45 — of the net cast into the sea, ib. 47 — aud , of i^t father of the family, ib. 52. Jesus informed that his brothers and cousins were from home, went to Nazareth accompanied with his apostles. He perhaps wanted to convince his country- men tiîat he was not such a fool as was reported. Pro- bably he hoped to confer with his family, and gain them over to his sid^. He arrived on the sabbath, and repaired to the synagogue : immediately the priests Very politely presented him with a book ; he opened it, and stumbled precisely on this passage of Isaiah : " The spirit of the Lord has rested upon me, and there- fore I am anointed to preach." Having shut the book, 184 he delivered it to the priest and sat down ; but he did not neglect to apply to himself this passage of the prophet, where also mention is made of miracles and prodigies. There were present, either by chance or design, several Galileans, who having been witnesses of the marvels he had performed the year preceding, did not hesitate to bear testimony in his favour. But the Nazarenes, who knew what to think of Jesus, were shocked at his magisterial tone. ** Is not this," said they to one another, " the carpenter, the son of Joseph the carpenter ? Is not his mother called Mary ? Are not his. brethren and sisters with us? Whence then has he so much skill ? How and by what mean^s does he work the miracles related to us?" Jesus, hearing these discourses, saw plainly that this was not the proper place for performing prodigies. — But he wished that his inaction might be attributed to the evil dispositions of his countrymen, who were sur- prised to hear the sagacity and power of a man vaunted, whose conduct appeared to them very equivocal. *' I see well," said Jesus to them, " that you apply to me the proverb. Physician cure thyself; and that, to prove the truth of the marvels you have heard of me, you wish me to perform some of those fine leger- demains which I have elsewhere exhibited ; but I know I shall labour in vain in this city: I am too well con- vinced of the truth of the proverb. No man is a prophet in his own country." To justify himself he quoted examples which would seem to throw a suspi- cion on the miracles of the prophets of the Old Testa- ment, whom this proverb, even by itself, was calcu- lated to make pass for knaves. Whatever opinion we may form of this, he cited the example of Elias, who, 185 among all the widows of Israel, did not find one more deserving of a miracle than her of Sarepta, a woman of the country of the Sidonians. In the days of Elias Judea was overrun with lepers ; and yet the Prophet cured Naaraan, who was a Syrian and an idolater, in preference to his countrymen. This harangue, which tended to insinuate the repro- bation and perversity of the audience, put them into ill humour, and excited their rage so much, that they dragged ihe orator out of the synagogue, and led him to the top of a^ mountain with an intention to throw him down headlong; but he had the good fortune to escape, and thus avoid the fate which was intended him in the place of his nativity. St. Matthew, speaking of this journey to Nazareth, says that his master did not perform many miracles there on account of the unbelief of the inhabitants. But St. Mark says positively, that he could not do any, which is still more probable.* Our luminous interpreters and commentators believe, that Jesus escaped only by a miracle out of the hands of the Nazarenes. But would it have cost him more to perform a miracle in order to convert them, and thereby prevent their mischievous designs ? This was all that was required of him, and then he would not have stood in need of performing a miracle in order to save himself and place his person in security. Jesus never performed miracle's but with certain loss; he always dispensed with working any, when they would have been decisive. * Compare on this/fact, St. Matt xi. 11. St. Mark, vi.t St. Luke, iv. and viii. i86 CHAPTER XII. MISSION OF THE APOSTLES. THE INSTRUCTIONS JESUS GAVE THEM. MIRACLES WROUGHT BY HIM UNTIL THE END OF THE SECOND YEAR OF HIS OWN MISSION. DISSATISFIED with his expeditioifi to Nazareth, Jesns went to Upper Galilee, which had already been the theatre of his wonders. ïîe found the inhabitants of that country in a disposition better -adapted to his pur- pose. He perceived, however, that the necessity they were under of suspending their labour in order to come and hear him, kept a great number at home. This consideration obliged him to disperse his apostles by two and two in the province. It is probable, he re- solved on this dispersion because he found his own sermons and prodigies did not gain proselytes enough. The continual enterprises of his enemies made him feel the necessity of increasiaig his party. It appears that Jesus had already sent several of his discipl/son mission, retaining near himself his twelve apostles only; it may, however, be presumed that tbese preachers were as yet mere novices ; their Jaboui* were unsuccessful ; for they found the devils so obsti- nate as to resist their exorcisms. Yet this want of success was owing solely to the weaKnessof their faith, aéd would seem to throw a shade on the foresight and penetration of their divine master. Why did he send 187 missionaries whose dispositions were not sufficiently known to him? Besides, it belonged to him' alone to bestow on them before hand a necessary stock of faith for their journey. Whatever opinion may be formed of this, there is reason for believing that the apostles, who never quitted their master, saw him continually operating, enjoyed his confidence, and had faith from the first hand— were better qualified than the disciples to labour to the satis- faction of the public. Thus Jesus, fully resolved to make a desperate effort, renewed all their powers, and gave them his instructions, of which the following is the, substance: " Every thing being well considered, do not go among the Gentiles, for our Jews will charge it as a crime against us, and will employ it as a reproach against me. It is true I have already threatened to renounce them, but it is still necessary to make one attempt more ; you will therefore preach tb the Jews only. Repentance supposes sobriety and few wants ; hence the inutility of riches. I have no money to give you, but strive to pick up for yourselves what you can. Providence will provide for you; if he takes care of the sparrows, he will take care of you. Moreover expect to be ill received, reviled, and perse- cuted ; but be of good courage ; all is for the best. Silence is no longer requisite ; preach openly and on the house tops what I have spoken to you in secret. Intorm the world that I am the Messiah, the son of David and the Son of God. We have no longer to observe discretion ; we must either conq,uer or die; away then with pusillanimity. " Tbough I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, explain to the good people that you are under C G 188 the safeguard of tb^ Most High, who will take a terri- ble revenge for the outrages offered you, and liberally reward those who welcome you.* — You do not require to concert measures for supplying your expences ; it belongs to those whose souls you are going to save to provide for the wants of your bodies ; carry not there- fore either gold, or silver, or provision, or two suits of jaiment ; take a good cudgel, and depart in the name of the Lord. " Take care in your way always to preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. S^peak of the end of the world; this will intimidate women and poltroons. Ori entering citieB and villages, inform yourself underhand of such credulous people, as are very charitable and prepossessed in our favour. You will salute theni civilly; saying. Peace be to this house. But the peace you bring must be only allegorical; for my doctrine is calculated to create trouble, discord, and division, every where. Whoever would follow me must aban- don father, mother, kinsmen, and family; we want only fancies and enthusiasts, who, attaching themselves -wholly to us, trample every human consideration under foot. I came not to send peace y but a sword. As à like Conduct might embroil you with your hosts, you will * It was evidently in strict compliance with this injimctioa that John Calvin, On the 30th of September 1561, wrote thef following letter to the High Chamberlain of the King of Navai*« : ifc-" Honor, glory, and riches, shall be the reward of your pains; but above all, do not fail to rid the country of those zealous scoundrels, who stir up the people to revolt againt vs. Such monsters should be exterminated, as I have exterminaiid Michael Servetus th* I5paiûard."i— -Vide JEedes, Res«arihes^ pi 348, 189 change your abode from time to time. Do not reiy on the power I have of raising the dead : the safest way for you is not to risk your being killed ; shtm therefore places where you shall find yourselves menaced with persecution. Leave disobedient cities and houses, ihakingthe dust from off your feet. Tell them, that they have incurred the punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah. Declare, in my name, that the divine vengeance is ready to make them sensible of their guilt, and that the inhabitants of these cities will be less rigorously punished than those who shall have tbe audacity to resist your lessons. The great and last day is at hand : I assure you, that you shall not have finished your tour through all the cities of Israel» before the Son of man shall arrive*." Such is the sense and spirit of the instructions which Jesus gave to his apostles. In charging them to divulge his secretj he gave them a commission, which, notwithstanding his omnipotence, he himself dared not execute. But it vsras a grand policy to have in- struments to act, without exposing himself personally in the matter. These trifles, however, scarcely merit notice :— We are more surprised to find the Son of God proclaiming peace and charity, and at the same time asserting that he brings war and hatred. It is without doubt a God only who can reconcile these contradictions. It is besides unquestionable, that the apostles, and espe- cially their successors in the sacred ministry, have in preaching their gospel brought on the world troubles and divisions unknown in all other preceding religions. * St. Matt. X. St. Mark vi. St. Luke ix, CC 2 190 The incredulous, who by the way refer to the history of the church, find, that the glad tidings which they came on purpose to announce^ have plunged the hunnan race into tears and blood*. It is obvious from his language, that Jesus charged people of property with the maintenance of his apos- tles. Their^successors have taken sufficient advantage of this, and through it assumed an authority to exer- cise for many ages the most cruel extortions on im- poverished nations. Would not the Almighty have rendered his apostles more respectable by rendering them incapable of suffering, and exempting them from the wants of nature .f' There is reason to believe, that this would have given more weight to their sublime sermons and those of their infallible successors. Critics maintain also that it was false to say near eighteen hundred years ago the end of the world was neaVf .* If the Christian religion be as is pretended, a restraint to the crimes of men;— if it produces salutary effects on some individuals — can these advantages, so rare, so inefficient and doubtful, be compared with the evident and immense evils which this religion has produced on the earth? Can the pre- vention of a few trifling crimes, some conversions useless to society, some sterile and tardy repentances, enter into the balance îigainst the perpetual dissensions, bloody >vars, horrid massacres, persecutions, and cruelties, of wliich the Christian religion has been a continual cause and pretext? For one secret sinftd thought suppressed by it, there are even whole nations armed for reciprocal destruction; the hearts of millions of fanatics are inflamed; families and states are plunged into confusion; and the earth is bedewed with tears and blood." After this, let common sense decide the magnitude of the advantages which mankind derive from the glad tidings which Christians pretend to have received from their God.— — r* ChrisHanitf/ Unveiled. 191 and more false still to affirm that the great Judge would arrive before the apostles could have time to make the tour of the cities of Israel. It is true, theologists un. derstand that the end of the vi^orld shall happen when all the Jewish citjes, that is, when all the Jews shall be converted. Time will demonstrate whether it be in that sense we -ought to understand the words of Jesus: meanwhile the world still remains, and does not appear to threaten speedy ruin. It is likewise very probable, that, besides these pub- lic instructions, Jesus gave more particular ones to his apostles. They departed in the hope pf charities which they were to receive from Jews, of whom the greatest number were already in a state of reprobation, or damned in petto by Providence. Jesus altered his orders in part ; he reserved for himself the cities, and left the villages only to his apostles. Accordingly they went here and there, calling out. Hearken to the glad tidings ; the world is near its end. Repent there'- fore, pray, fast, and give us money and provisions, for having acquainted you with this interesting secret. We. are al?o assured, that they cured several diseases by the application of a certain oil. They had doubtless done more excellent things,' but the paraclete (the comforter) was not yet come: maugre the instructions of the Son of God, the understandings of the apostles were not yet sufficiently brightened * ; for we do not find that the missionaries, with their balsam and fine speeches, made many converts. The incredulous are still much surprised to find, in the instructions of Christ to his apostles, an explicit order to labour only for the con.. 'tb /u«> •* St. Luke k. 6. St. Matt. xi. St. Mark vi. J2, 192 version of the Jews, and an express prohibition against preaching to the Gentiles. They maintain, that a righteous God could make no distinction of persons ; that the common father of mankind must show an equal love to ail his children* ; that it cost no more to the * What shovild we say of the father of a numerous offspring, who should waste all his fondness upon one child, and never admit the rest to his presence, and then punish them for having no knowledge of his person? Would not such a con- duet denote caprice and cruelty? Would he not be guilty of an injustice that we have never heard of in the most depraved and unfeeling of oiur species? How could a father think of punishing a child for not doing his will, whjch he thought proper to conceal from him? We mus.t, therefore, conclude that a particular revdation pre-supposes not a good and equitable God, hut not an unjust and whimsical tyrant^ •who, if he be lavish of his favours to a few, is at least cruel and unjust to the rest. Revelation, in this case, does not prove the goodness, but the caprice, of a being, whom religion declares to be the perfection of wisdom, benevolence, and justice, sxià the common father of all the common race. If self-interest should carry a few to admire the hidden ways of the Almighty, what ought the many to think who are made the victims of his injustice and partiality? Assuredly pride alone could over have induced a particular people to fancy themselves the privileged of their race, and the only favoured of heaven. Blinded by vanity, they perceived not the wrong they offered their Creator, in presuming that all his creatm-es, being equally the work of his hands, were not equally the objects of his ç3re and affection. It is, nevertheless, upon particular revela- tions that all the religions in the world are founded. As every man has the vanity to think himself of more import- ance than his fellow, so has evjery nation conceited that they were the exclusive favourites of the author of nature. If the Indians believe that Brama spoke for their instruc- tion alone, the Jews and the Christians are persuaded that the world was created for them, and tha> God has mani- fested himself for them only.-— PrwervûÉ^îvè against Religious Préjudices, m Almighty to convert and save all nationsj that a God, who is friendly to one country only, is a God purely , local» and cannot be the God of the universe ; and that a God partial, exclusive, and unjust, who follows ca- price alone in his choice, can neither be perfect nor the model of perfection. In short, those who have not the happiness of being: sacredly blinded by faith, can- not comprehend how the equitable and wise Lord of all the nations of the earth could cherish exclusively the Jewish people; his infinite prescience ought to have shown him that his love and favours would be completely lost on this untractable people. Unbelievers remark, that it does not become the Son of God to exclaim, " Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works whicli were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon^ they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes." Would it not have been wiser to go and preach to cities so docile, where Christ was certain of sqccess, than to persist in preaching to the Jews, as to whom he was certain of miscarrying ? Jesus, now left alone, went about preaching through many cities of Galilee; but deprived of the assistance of his dear confidents, he did not in these places work 2iïïy wonders. We have hitherto seen the magistrates and the great paying little attention to the conduct of Jesus ; they despised a man whom they regarded as a vagrant, or a fool little to be feared. *Tis true, that some of Herod's officers are said to have been on the watch, along with the Pharisees, to destroy him ; but this combination had no success. After all, the new mis- 194 sionary could give umbrage solely to the Jewish priests and the doctors of the law, against whom he declaim- ed with the greatest indecofum. By this conduct he rendered himself very agreeable to the people, long -weary of the extortions of these public bloodsuckers, who, without pity,, drained the nation, treated the poorer sort with disdain, and, as the parable of the priest and the Samaritan evinces, were destitute of charity. The priests and doctors were very numerous in Jerusalem ; on which account the people in the capital, as we have seen, were less disposed than else- where to listen to our preacher, and there is reason, to believe, that the priests were the true cause of the hatred and contempt entertained against him in this great city. ^ By a very singular contrariety, the most obscure interval in our hero's life was that wherein he acquired ttie greatest celebrity. Jesus was wholly unknown at the,court-of Herod; while at the head of his troop, and surrounded by multitudes, he chased away devils, gave sight to the blind and speech to the mute, expel- led the sellers from the temple, and raised the dead. But while he led a private life in Galilee, — when, dur- ing the mission of his apostles, he found himself alone and without followers, and content with preaching re- pentance, — it was then that his fame, penetrating even to > the throne, excited in the monarch a desire to see him. According to St. Luke, a ray of light struck the heart of Herod; doubt filled his mind; " John," said he, " have I caused to be beheaded, but he must have risen from the dead, ançj therefore it is that so many miracles are performed by him ; but who should 195 this be of whom I hear such great things ?" Herod must see Jesus to exphiin these onatters, and for this purpose he sent for him*. If nature had given Christ unquestionable, rights to the throne cf Judea, we might believe that these pre- tensions were ais motives for not putting himself in the power of a prince, the usurper of his crown. But Jesus could not dissemble that his pretensions were not too well establishrd ; he knew besides, that for a long time past the family of David had lost the sovereig;n [)ower. We must therefore search for another motive for his refusing to see Herod ; the more so, as the interview with the Son of God would not only have contributed to the conversion of thi> prince and oil his court, but even of all Judea, and perhaps of the whole Roman empire. A single miracle of consequence, performed before a court, acknowledged and attested by persons of high authority, would doubtless have been more effectual than the suspected testimony of all the pea- santry and vagabonds in Galilee. Far from comply- ing with the requests of Herod, and performing so eminent a benefit, Jesus withdrew into a desert as soon as he learned the- prince's intentionf. He who often uttered the most terrible causes against such as reject- ed him, scorned the invitation of a sovereign, and fled into a desert, instead of labouring for his conversion. The Messiah, who made no difficulty in entering the house of a centurion to heal his slave, refused to visit a monarch in order to cure his blindness, and bring , * St. Lvike, v. 7. &c. St. Mark, vi. 14, &c. St. Matt, xiv, 1, &c. f St. Matt. xiv. 13. D D 1Q6' back to himself all his sutjjects, for whom, he affirmed that he was specially sent I Our theologians explain these contradictions by re- ferring us to the inexplicable decrees of Providence. But the incredulous maintain, that Jesus, who well knew how to work wonders in the eyes of a simple populace, dared not to expose himself before an en- lightened court ; and it must be owned, that the man- ner in which he comported himself before his judges, before whofti he was afterwards to appear, strengthens this opinion. Meanwhile, the mission of the apostles expired. — In a short time they had traversed Galili^ee: and it ap- pears from the repast which Jesus soon after gave to a crowd of people that the preaching of his missiona- ries had procured an abundant harvest. Loaded with the alms of the Gahleans, the apostles returned to their master, who again found himself incommoded by the multitude which flocked to see him. — To enjoy more liberty, the party embarked on board a small vessel, which conveyed them across the sea of Galilee. There, in a retired spo'-, the apostles gave an account of the success of their mission — they made arrange- ments for the future, and especially secured their pro- visions in a place of safety. Those who had seen Jesus embark, thought, perhaps, they were for ever to be deprived of the pleasure of seeing him perform wonders. They made the tour of the lake, and though on foot, reached the other side before Jesus arrived there in his vessel. He preached to them, wrought miracles and cured the ^iseasedj and thçse labours lasted until the evening. — His disciples that devised him to send away the people from the 197 desart place, that they might go in search of lodgings and victuals in the neighbouring villages. He made no reply on the article of lodging; — there were doubtless few persons in this multitude who were ac- customed to sleep on down — besides, the nights were likely not cold in that season and climate. But wish- in^ to amuse himself with the embarrassment of those who made the proposal, and who might not know the resources which the collections of his apostles had pro- cured, " It is necessary," said he, '* that they should go into the villages, — give them, yourselves, wherewith to eat." " Think you so ?" replied they, — " shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?" — Philip, who perhaps was not in the secret*, represented the impossibility of finding bread to feed this multitude: Upon which Christ said to Peter, " See how many loaves you have." He found none at all— a circumstance the more surpriz- ing, a?, according to. St. Mark, they had withdrawn to this place " on purpose to eat.f" Peter, without ans- wering the question, said to his master, " There is a young lad here, who has five jarley loaves and two Small fishes." Jesus ordered them to be brought, and made the multitude range themselves in companies of hundreds and of fifties. — From this arrangement it appeared that there were five thousand inerl, besides women and children. When every one had taken his place on the grass, Jesus, according to the usage of the Jews, blessed the loaves and fishes, broke, anddis- *In important affairs, it was always Peter, James, and John^ whom Jesus employed. + St. Mark, vi. 31. p IX 2 198 tïibuted them among the apostles, who gave thereof t0 the people as much as they desired; they likewise filled twelve baskets with the fragments of this cele- brated entertainment. The guests, penetrated with -admiration, exclaimed, "This is of a truth a prophet, and that prophet who should come into the world*," which, translated into ordinary language, means. The true Ampbitrion is he who gives us our dinner. The apostles spoke not a word. Some critics, founding on the impossibilities this miracle presents, have ventured to doubt the truth of it : as if the impossibility of things could prejudice the reality of a miracle, the essence of which is to pro- duce things impossible. Yet if attention is given to the account of the evangelists, who are not, however, very unanimous on particulars, we shall find, that this miracle presents nothing impossible, if we are inclined to give any credit to the prudence of the Son of God, who on this occasion, found that he could not make a better use of the provisions amassed by his apostles, than to distribute them to a hungry multitude. By this act, he saw himself certain of gaining their favour.* It may be, the crowd was not quite so numerous as is related. Besides, our apostles, in passing; to the oppo- site siior«, might have thrown their nets with sufficienÊ success to furnish fish for the company assembled. This meal must have appeared miraculous to persons who knew that Je.-us had no fortune, and lived on alms. We accordingly find, that the people wanted to pro- claim king the person who had so sumptuously regaled * St. Mark, vi. 31>— 44. St. Matth. xiv. 18, &Ci wid St. John, vi. 199 them. The entertainment no doubt recalled to their mind the idea of a Messiah, under whose government abundance was to reign. No more was requisite to induce a handful of misérables to believe, that the preacher, who by a miracle fed them so liberallj^, must be the extraordinary man the nation expected. This great miracle then will become very probable, by supposing that the apostles in their collection had received a large quantity of bread. They amused themselves, as has been observed, with fishing while they crossed the lake; Jesus gave them the hint: — when evening was come, things were disposed without the observations of the people, who were thus fed with provisions amassed by means very natural. Though the Galileans wished to proclaim Christ king, he did not think proper to accept an honour which he found himself for the present incapable of. supporting. His exhausted provisions did not suffer him to undertake the frequent entertaining of so many guests at his own expence ; and, though this conduct much more than all his other miracles, would have gained him the affections of the beggars, idlers, and vagabonds of the country, the necessity of his affairs prevented him from recurring to it. Thus Jesus crowned the second year of his mission with an action well adapted to conciliate the love of the people, and at the same time give uneasiness to the magistrates. This stroke of eclat must doubtless have alarmed those in power, who perceived that the affair might become very serious, especially consider- ing the intention the Galileans had displayed of pro- claiming our adventurer king. The priests probably profited by these dispositions in order to destroy 200 Christ, who at ^11 times appeared anxious to gain the populace, on purpose to aid him afterwards in sub- duing the great. This project might have succeed- ed, if Judea, as in times past, had been still governed by kings of its own nation, who, as the Bible esta- blishes, depended continually on the caprice of priests, of prophets, or of the first comer, who by predic- tions, declamations, and wonders, could, at will, stir up the Hebrew nation, and dispose of the crown : whereas in the time of Jesus, the Roman govern- ment had nothing to fear from the efforts of super- stition. 201 CHAPTER XIII. JESUS REPASSES INTO GALILEE ABOTJ"» THE TIME OF THÇ THIRD PASSOVER IN HIS MISSION .-r-WH AT HE DID UNTIL THE TIME HE LEFT IT. THE expression of St. John*, who tells us, that Jesus, knowing the guests he had entertained would come and take him by force on purpose to make him their /cîV/g, demonstrates that these guests had withdrawn at the end of the entertainment. This observation ena- bles us to fix prptty correctly the route of Jesus, and affords a reason for his conduct. It was already late when the disciples said to their master, that it was time to send away the people. Jhe preparations for the repast must have consumed time : the distribution of the victuals required also some hours; so that daylight could not have been far off when the meal was finished, and "when Jesus dismissed his guests. It vvas about the evening he learned the de- sign they had of carrying him off to make him king ; and it was not until after having received tbis intelli- gence, that he took the resolution of concealing himself in a mountain, after having dispatched his disciples to Capernaum. The latter to reach the place were obliged to make several tacks; vvben Jesus, observing this, changed his resolution, and set out for Gennesaret, on * Chap, vi. rer. U. 202 Êhe north side of the lake. Seeing him approach at the moment they thought him far off in the recesses of the mountain, his disciples were terrified ; they took him for a spirit, for spirits were very common ia Judea. They v/ere confirmed in their opinion when they perceived his shadow near their vessel. Simon Peter observing him advance, did not doubt but he had seen him walking on the waters. In attempting to go and meet his master, he felt himself sinking ; but Jesus took him by the'hand, and saved him from the danger in which he believed himself to be; and, after repri- mandinghim for his cowardice, went with him on board the ship. The apostles, who had not been much struck with the miracle of the five 'oaves, were very much astonished at this. They had been in great fear, and fear disposes to believe; in tfieir distress they confess- ed unanimously, that ha was truly the So» of God. Jesus reached Gennesaret at noon. There several of his guests recognized him, and did not neslect to an- nounce his arrival to others. They presented him the diseased, and he performed a great numbir of cures. We cannot too much admire the faith of the Galileans, who exposed at all seasons their sick in the streets, and the complaisance of Jesus, vpho indefatigably cured them ! The guests at the miraculous supper two days be- fore, whom their affairs called home, had returned ; but the greatest number, that is, all the labouring peo- ple, having seen Jesus' ship take the direction of Ca- pernaum, had set out by land for that city. Some ves- , sels from Tiberias arrived there at the same time, but none carried Jesus, and nobody had seen him ; for he had made his passage during night. The crowd how- %03 ever tarried still,' in hopes of I eing again entertained gratis, when they learned at Capernaum that Christ was on the opposite shore. Immediately all our idle folks set out, either by land or by water, on purpose to visit him*. But these parasites, instead of finding a repast served out on the grass were entertained with a sermon. Jesus, who had not always wherewith to defray the expences of 80 numerous a court, held forth to them this lan- guage : " Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye seek me, not because you saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.— Labour," added he ** for life everlasting. " His hearers, whose ideas extended not beyond the present life, did not compre- hend what Jesus meant; they therefore asked him what it was requisite they should do ; on which he gave them to understand, that it was necessary they ahould become his disciples, as he was the Mes- siah. Here we are quite surprised to find them ask- ing of Jesus, " What sign shewest thou then that we may believe? What extraordinary thing do you perform for that purpose? — You will perhaps instance the supper you gave us, but did not onr fathers eat manna in the desart for forty yean? and after all, what is your supper in comparison with that wonder ?" From this we may perceive, that Jesus strove in vain to draw over these Galileans to his party. The conti- nuation of the miraculous repast was alone dftpable of moving them, Jesus to no purpose maintained, that the bread, with which Moses had fed their father^^ was not the bread of heaven, which alone could pro- * St. John, vi. S2— 31. £ £ \ 204 perly nourish; An'ernpty belly has no ears; so they suflered him to preach on.—- After he had spoke a great deal. " Well," said. they in their turn, *' give us then this bread, which alone nourishes, for it signifies little to us what kind of bread we eat; but some we must have. Promise to furnish us with it at all times, and ^t this price we -shall be at your devotion." It appears, that if Jesus at this moment had poSf sessed the same resources as formerly, he would have been able, at little expence, to form a small army, which the pleasure and assurance of having food with- out toil would have soon increased; but all, failed. These people oflered themselves to him, providing he would always furnish them with bread. The proposi- tion was urgent, and Jesus got off with so bad a grace, that his disciples themselves were shocked at it. He said to them, " that he himself was bread, that his flesh jsvas meat, and his blood wine; and that to get to heaven, it was necessary to eat this bread and meat, and drink this wine sent down from heaven: that those only who eat it would he raise up, and conduct to everlasting banquets*." Our dull folks pomprehend- * The doctiine of the Eucharist is founded upon this and sdmilar passages of the New Testament. Those, says -Bo** langer, who wander farthest from reason, and have entered most deeply mto the spirit of the Christian religion, not contented with the dark mysteries common to other sects, have invented one still darker and more astonishing, which they denormnate transubstantiation. At the all-powerful command of a priest, the God of the Universe is forced to descend from the habitation of his glory, and transform him» «elf into a piece of bread. This bread is afterwards wor- shipped by a people who boast their detestation of idolatry! Acsurd as this doctrine is, it is not peculiar to Christians^ ^o ë'A labne oî this mysterious jargon, contrived on pur- pose to puzzle *them. Perceiving that they were not moved by it, he informed then», that in order to foUow^ him,ia particular call vv'as necessary, and that as they were not disposed to do this, they were, therefore, not called*, rior does it appear to have originated with Christ. In In-> dostan, the Bramas distribute a kind of grain in their Pago- das ; this distribution is' called Prajadam or Eucharist. The Mexicans believe in a kind of transubstantiation, which is mentioned by father Acosta in liis Travels, chap. 24. The Protestants have had the courage to reject transubstantia-* . tion, though it is fonually established by Christ, who says, " Take, eat; this is my body" The Peruvians have a reli- gious ceremony, in which, after sacrificing a lamb, they mingle his blood with flour, and distribute it amongst the people. — Anetanae quest, lib. 2. cap. 20. * We cannot do too much in order to exposé the absurd doctrines of grace and predestination held by Christians. An intelligent writer, whom !we have already quoted, remarks--'-" We scarcely find any traits of the Supreme Being in the fundamentals of this religion, but what strongly impress us with notions subversive of his moral attributes. If we exclaim against a conduct so unworthy of a just and beneficent Being, religion will tell us that God is the disposer of his own gifts; that he owes us nothing: that we are but woi-ms of the earth, who have no right to scrutinize his actions; and that to murmur or complain, is to incur his everlasting resentment. It is easy to , discover the weakness of such reasoning. Power, I do contend, can never confer the right to violate justice. A sovereign who punishes and rewards, without any regard to merit and demerit, in both ■ cases incurs the imputation of blame : his éubjects may, indeed,, flatter and fear him, but never . can sincerely lover and serve, hina. If he be deemed a fit subject of praise, it can only be by those who have had the good fortune to fee selt'cted as the otjects of his kindness. If it be true, that bv E t ^ 206 The adherents Jesus procured on this occasion were but few. The Jews, on the other hand, were indignant that he should pretend to have descended from hearenr We know, said they, his father and mother, and we know wher-ê he zvas born. All tiiese rumours, spread- ing as far as Jerusalem, so irritated the priests, that they resolved on his death ; but the Son of God eluded their pursuits and designs by skilful marches and countermarches, which disconcerted their vigilance. It was especially in the capital that they wished to en* snare him ; but Jesus bad not been there at the last passover. His distance from the metropolis did not prevent them from knowing his most secret proceed* ings ; and from thiis he concluded there were some false brethren in the number of his disciples. He was not deceived : but the fear of being betrayed in a country where his resources began to fail, through his refusal to give the people bread, ia- duced him to dissemble till he should arrive in a place of safety. He set out therefore on his journey home- ward to Capernaum. At this place he recited nearly the same sermon he had in vain preached to the Gali- leans. No one, however, would consent to receive for food his flesh and blood. Those who enjoyed his con- relaticm to God we are but as worms of the earth, or that in his hands we are as ' a vessel in the hands of a potter, then must it follow that there is no moral relation between the creature and his Creator. Seehig, therefore, that a worm of the earth owes to man who crushes him nothing, and that the vessel can have no obligation to the potter who forms it, and supposhig that man is but a worm, or a brittle vessel in the estimation of his Maker, then must he be alike incapable to honour or offend him-.-^henee I conclude that reBgioH vb useless;" so? fidence, knew very well that he gave better cheer ; but his other àisciples asserted, that they could not subsist on this mysterious mess, and took their leave of him*. Unable to do better, Christ was obliged to suffer them to depart. Jesus observing the defection of a part of his fol- lowers, was vexed at it ; and in sorrow for the harm it would occasion, asked the twelve, " And will you also leave me ? On which Simon Peter answered, " Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal ^ life. And we believe, and are sure, that thou art the ^""hrist, the Son of the living God," Thus Jesus was assured, in the best way he could, of the fidelity of his apostles; — ^yet we see, that in épite of his infinite knowledge, he always kept the traitor Judas in his company, though he must have foreseen that he would deliver him up to his enemies. Meanwhile Christ departed on purpose to return into Galilee, whither his apostles followed him, though his last preaching, and particularly the refusal of victuals, had dissatisfied the Galileans. They did not indeed give him a very welcome reception. The arrival of some Pharisees and doctors from Jerusalem completely marred every thing. They were deputed by the chiefs in the capital to watch the conduct of Jesus, and to put the people on their guard against him. Every one knows, how strictly the Jews adhere to the ceremonies of their law; and in spite of his protestations of at- tachment to it, Jesus, like his trusty friends, observed none of its ordinances. It was particularly taken amiss that they ate without washing their hands. But he de- fSt.Joh»,vi.66, &c. ^08 fended himself with saying, that it was better to vio^ late traditions and neglect ceremonies, than to infringe the commandments of God, as the doctors did. He advanced, contrar}"^ to express law, that nothing zchich enters the body defiles it, and that it is what comes out of it that renders it impure. This seems to establish, that Christ and his party were not scrupulous as to their aliments. Thereafter he launched out in invec- tives against the doctors, whom he called hypocrites, ignorant and blind, who conducted others that were also blind. In his anger he did not perceive that the com- pliment was not less offensive to the people than to their guides. On this account the latter preserved a deep resentment, but the populace did not regard it. Besides, Jesus did not allow them time for reflection; he engaged their attention by a fine discourse, to prove that the lawyers and priests were the worst of men, and the least charitable, and that none could be happy, either in this world or in the other, without becoming his disciples. In the mean time he was informed that there Avas no safety for him in this place. He therefore left it in great haste, with an intent to go towards the frontiers of Tyre and Sidon. His design was to live concealed in a house of the country, whither he had withdravi'n; but with such great renown as that of our hero, it was difficult to continue long unknown. The secret of his retreat was divulged; and, as misfortune sometimes turns to good, this trifling duplicity procured him the advantage of performing a miracle among the Gentiles. A woman of Canaan came, and besought him to deli- ■ver her daughter from a devil that tormented her. Jesus at first made no answer. She insisted— the 209 jBpostles interceded, and pressed their master to grant her request, merely on purpose to silence her ; for she spoke clamorously, and might have disclosed that he )vas the Messiah. He defended himself on the plea of his being sent to the Jews only, andnot to the Heathen. -—They again besought him, and answered his com- parison by another. — He at length yielded ; and the girl was delivered from her devil or her vapours.* The success of Jesus in this country terminated with this miracle. He passed from thence into De- capolis; and there acquired some consequence from the cure of a dumb and deaf man, on pronouncing the word Epheta, and then putting his finger into his ears and spittle on his tongue. It would, therefore, appear that our missionary made a sufficiently abundant har- vest of alms. He moreover wrought a great number of miracles on the sick, the cripple and the maimed. But it was his custom to steal away when his miraculous power began to make a noise; he accordingly with- drew to a mountain at the distance of three days jour, ney from the place where he had performed so many hiiraclesf. The people in a crowd followed him in Jiis retreat, and it appears that they did so without eat- ing. But at this time, Christ loaded with provisions or money procured by his miracles, again saw himself in a situation to lay the table-cloth. As if he knew nothing of this, he asked one of his apostles how many loaves they had: Seven was the answer. He theo' oidered the multitude to sit down on the ground ; and taking the loaves, blessed them, together with some small fishes. — These were distributed to four thousand * St. Matt. XV. St. Lixke, viî. St. John, vil + St. Mark, xv. St. Mark, vii. 210 men, besides women and children, wl?o were all satis- fied; and with the remains of the repast, they after- wards filled seven baskets. This prodigy appears to be a mere repetition of what we have related before ; yet St. Chrysostom maintains, that the difference of the number of baskets proves irrefragably they must not be confounded. Admitting this, it would appear, that Jesus, having no longer any safe retreat in his own country, sacri- ficed once more the money and provisions his prodi- gies had enabled him to amass. It was necessary to gain the people, and he at that time felt he had very great need of them ; he was generous when he had the means to be so, and he had not forgot that they had pro- mised to follow him, provided he would give them food. The evangelists, however, overheated with the idea of this miracle, forgot another equally deserving their notice. — It was indeed a prodigy to see four thousand men, without reckoning women and little children, following Jesus during three days without eating or drinking; or else we must believe, that, prepared to travel, these people had provided themselves with pro- visions, which suddenly failed. But, in a desart, whence came the baskets they made use of in gather- ing up the remains of the entertainment ? It is to bo presumed, that they dropt down from heaven. But, on the other hand, why not make loaves and fishes drop down also? It was undoubtedly still requisite, by a new miracle, to feed this multitude during the three) days' march necessary for their return. Yet, through- out the whole business, it would have been a shorter way to have made the people feel neither hunger nor thirst. It would have been a shorter way, by an ef- fort of eflfecfeual mercy, to have converted, at once, all 211 the inhabitants of Judea, and spared Jesus the trouble of so many entertainments, flights, marches, and coun- termarches, which at last terminated in a manner so tragical to this hero of the romance. The Pharisees and Sadducees did not lose sight of Jesus; and on learning that he bad returned to the interior of the kingdom, they went in search of him. The evangelists, it is suspected, made them much worse than they were in reality, by representing them as eager to ruin them. Was it then so difficult to arrest thirteen men ? Be that as it may, these Phari- ■^.ees at this time accosted Jesus very politely, and de- manded of him a miracle. " You perform them," said they, " by dozens, in presence of a thousand people, who, by your own confession, do not believe in you ; give us then a specimen of your skill, and we shall be less opiniative than those of whom you complain. Do then shew us this condescension." Jesus was inexor- able, and perpetually referred them to Jonas. This refusal offended them : he, in turn, inveighed against them ; and as the presence of these inconvenient spec- tators rendered his power useless, he quitte»! them in order to go to Bethsaida. On the way his apostles asked him the reason of his refusal to work a miracle in presence of persons who entreated him in so handsome a manner; on which Jesus, by a figure gave them to understand, th:ir he could noi. operate before people so clear-sighieM ; Be- ware, said he, of the leaven of the Pharisees, nvd of the leaven of Herod. Our silly tolk-^, vv m) iiad un. tune to provide bread, thought t'leir inasrer meautio re- prove them for their negligence. An)' orher but Jesus- would have laughed at the mistake, but the state of 2U his affairs chagrined him, and he treated them very harshly.* On his entering Bethsaida, they brought him a blind man whom he cured by applying spital to his eyes. This remedy at first produced a pleasant effect : the man saw other men, like trees, walking ; Jesus then laid his hands on him, and immediately he saw quite otherwise.f But this miracle gained no conquest to the Messiah. He, therefore, went to try his fortune in the villages in the environs of Csesarea-Philippi. It is in this jour- ney, that asking his apostles what they thought of him, some said that he passed for Elias, others for Jeremiah, &c. ; but Peter openly confessed that he acknowledged him for the Christ :J a confession which has since gained him the honour of supremacy in the sacred col- lege, and of being declared the head of the church. ^ Though sovereign in heaven, Christ possessed no- thing on earth, and of course could confer no tempo- ral s:ifts. Instead of these, he gave his disciples the spiritual privilege of damning and saving the rest of mankind at their pleasure. — He promised to Peter the place of door-keeper of Paradise, since become so lu- crative an office to his successors and assigns. Mean- while Jesus recommended silence to the party On this^ promotion ; but perhaps the traitor Judas, not satisfied with the office of treasurer, did not preserve the Se- cret. Notwithstanding the suffrage of Peter, the cohéé- quences which might result firom the choler of t^fe * St. Matt. xvi. St. Mark, viii. St. Luke, xii. + St. Mark viii. 22— 26. X St. Matt. xvii. St. Mark, rii. St. Luke, ix. 2\S priests were always present to the mind of Jesus. îld .saw himself cried down, and rejected on all sides, and presumed with good sense, that being once excluded from all the provinces, and the Gentiles not much in- clined to receive a Jew, expelled his own country, for legislator, he would be constrained, sooner or later, to return to Jerusalem, where he must expect to meet with perilous adventures. On the other hand, the Romans, masters of the forces over whom the Jews could arrogate no authority, would very quickly have put an end to the mission of a man whom they must have regarded either as a fool or as a disturber of the public peace, if he should have dared to declare against them. There is reason, indeed, to believe that the mission of Jesus existed in Judea merely because the Romans were not much displeased that a restless and turbulent people should amuse themselves with follow- ing a man of his rank, a pretended Messiah, to whose appearance the prepossessions of the nation gave rise. Always certain of being able to crush those who dared to undertake the boldest enterprises, they troubled themselves little about what might be done in the country by a party no way formidable to an authority seconded by disciplined legions. The situation of the Son of God must have alarmed the companions of his fortune, however dull we may suppose them to \\a\e been; it was therefore neces- sary to contrive means to encourage those at least who were the honest dupes of bis vain promises. He did ^oit dissemjjjejt^he. lîad st^|,e.of his affairs, the fate he had. to dread„and the death wjth which he vvas menaced. Hcauticipated, the.m on this subject, and declared that even if he should sutler death, they must not be dis- F 3F '2 2J4 côuraged, for at the end of three days he would rise^ triumphant from the tomb. — We shall afterwards see I he use the apostles made of this prediction which must at the time have appeared to them as foolish as mcredible. To retain them as his followers, and revive their zeal; Christ entertained them incessantly with the beauty of his Father's kingdom ; but he forwarhed them, that to arrive there, they must have courage, love him sincere- ly, and agree to suffer with him. These melancholy sermons deinonstrated the situation of the orator, and tended rather to depress than incite the courage of his auditory. He, therefore, thought it seasonable to pre- sent to his disciples a specimen of the glory of which he had so often vaunted. For this purpose he exhi- bited the brilliant spectacle of the transfiguration. All the Apostles were not witnesses of it ; he granted this fcivour to three onlVj Peter, James, and John, his most intimate confidents, to whom he recommended silence. This scene took place, it is said, on mount Thabor. There Jesus appeared irradiated with glory, accompa- nied with two others, whom the apostles took for Moses and Elias, and whom, as far as we can discover, they had never seen before.* A cloud unexpectedly enve- 'loped the three luminous bodies; and when they no longer beheld any person, a voice was heard pro- nouncing these words, Thi& is my beloved Son. The * Theophylact assures us, that " in the transfiguration the apostles recognized Moses and Elias, not by their visage, which they had never seen, but by their talk." We suspect, however, that the apostles were as well acquainted with the countenances of Moses and Elias as with their speech. 215 disciples were asleep while the spectacle was displayed —a circumstance which has occasioned a suspicion, that the whole was only a dream. The apostles, who remained at the foot of the moun- tain, and had been deprived of this spectacle, wished to try their spiritual powers on a lunatic, or one pos- sessed ; but the devil disregarded their exorcisms.. The father of the disordered person, perceiving their master descen favoured cru- elty^ stupidity, ambition and tyranny? Has .not the cause of God made murder, perfidy, rebellion, and regicide, legi- timate objects? Have not those princes who have frequently made themselves the avengers of heaven, the liclors of reli- gion, hundreds of times been its victims ?. In fine, has not the name of God been the signal for the most dismal follies, and the most fiightful and wicked outrages ? — Have not the altars of the gods every where swam in blood ? and under whatever form they may have exhibited the divinity, was he not always the cause or the pretext of the most insolent vio^- latioM of the rights of humanity ? K K 2 S46 Christian's zeal permitted, or rather enjoined, to be savage. It is during this night, and the morning of the fol- lowing day so fatal to the Saviour of the world, that we must place the three denials of St. Peter the' chief of the apostles ; yet for him his master had prayed. His camrades, seized with dismay, had dispersed them- selves in Jerusalem and its nei^hbourhood. Several among them would have acted like Peter, if they had found themselves in a similar situation. He had at least the merit of keeping near his master ; He abjured him, it is true, but would it have been of more avail if, by acknowledging him openly, Peter should have entangled himself in a very scurvy affair, without be- mg in a condition to relieve the Saviour. The Sanhedrim repaired to the palace of Pilate the Roman governor, in order to get the sentence con- firmed. Jesus was conducted thither. Pilate instantly perceived,|that it was an affair in which fanaticism and folly had the greatest share. Filled with contempt for so ridiculous a motive, he at first testified unwilling- ness to meddle in it. Judge him yourselves, said he to the magistrates. On this the latter because felse wit^ nesses. Zeal, no doubt, made them imagine, that- every thing was allowed against an enemy of religion. They interested the sovereign power in their quarrel.-^ They accused Jesus of wishing " to make himself kmg of Ifhe Jews," and of having maintained, that "they ought "not to pay tribute to Cœsar." We re- cognise here the genius of the clergy, who, to ruin their enemies, are never very fastidious in the choice of means. They especially strive to render the latter â47 suspected by the temporal power, in order to engage it, through motives of self-interest, to revenge their injuries, or satiate their passions. Pilate could not avoid paying attention to accusations of so serious a nature. Unable to persuade himself that the man he beheld could have conceived projects * so ridiculous, he interrogated him : — "Are you the king of the Jews?" On which Jesus, in lijs turn, in- terrogated Pilate, and demanded " Say you thi's of yourself, or have others told it you ?"— " Of what con- sequence is it to me," returned Pilate, "that you pre- tend to be the king of the Jews ? You do not appear to be a man much to be dreaded by the Emperor my master— I am not of your nation ; I concern myself very little with your silly quarrels. Your priests are your accusers-^L have my own opinion of them--but they accuse you; they deliver you into my hands- Tell me then. What have you done?" Jesus might very easily have brought himself off in this affair ; but in the distress he was, his judgment began to wander • and, far from penetrating the favourable disposition of Pilate, who w4shed to save him, he replied, ** that hh kingdom was nofof this world— that he was the truth " &c. On this the Governor asked him, What is the truth? But the Saviour made no reply, though the question well deserved a categorical answer. Pilate, a little alarmed on account of Jesus de Glared, that he " found notbing in him worthy of death:" But this redoubled the cries of his enemies. Having learned that the accused was a Galilean he to get qu^fcof the ridiculous business, seized the* on' portunity to send him to Herod, to whose tetrarchate Jesus originally belonged. We have s^id^ elsewhere 248 that this Prince had desired to see our hero, and his desire was now gratified. But, on seeing his obstinacy and constant refusal to answer the questions put to him, he conceived a sovereign contempt for him. To Pilate, therefore, he sent him back clothed in a white robe by way of derision. The governor, however, saw no capital crime in Jesus, and wished to save him ; besides, his superstitious wife had a dream, that inte- rested her in favour of our missionary.* — Pilate then said to the Jews, that he could find nothing in the man, which rendered him worthy of death. But the people, mis-led, and wishing him to be crucified, cried out, ToUe, Tolle^ away, away with him. The Governor now devised another plan to save him. " I release," said he, "every year a criminal; supposing that Jesus may be culpable, I am going to set him free." The cries were redoubled, and the Jews de- manded, that a robber called Barabbas should profit of this mercy in preference to Jesus, whose punishment they persisted to urge. The Romans, desirous to calm the rage of a fanatical people, caused Jesus to be whipped. Thereafter, they dressed him in a ridiculous manner, crowned him with thorns, and made him hold a reed instead of a sceptre ; after which Pilate shewed him to the people, saying, " Behold your king ! are you not yet satisfied ? See * John Malida, and other fabricators of legends, inform us, that the wife of Pilate was called Procla, or Procula. They have made a saint of her. Some authors have made Pilate him- Belf a Christian, and even a martyr. Others afiirm that Nero put him to death, for having been concerned in the crucifixion of Christ. Others assert, that Pilate was exiled to Vienne in Dauphine, where he killed bimaelf. ^49 how to please you I have bedecked him. Be then less cruel : do not carry your indignation further : he ought no longer to give you umbrage." The priests, whose maxim it is never to forgive, were not moved by this spectacle; it was only the death of their enemy that could satisfy them. They shifted their attacks, and, to intimidate the governor, gave him to understand, that by suffering the accused to live, he betrayed the interests of his master. It was then that Pilate, fearing the effects of the malice of the clergy, consig^ned Jesus to the Jews, that they might satisfy their rage on him, and execute their projects; declaring, however, that " he washed his hands of it," and that it was against his opinion if they put him to death. We cannot well conceive how a Roman governor, who exercised sovereign power in Jùdéa, could yield so easily to the wishes of the Jews; but we cannot more easily conceive how God permitted this honest governor to become through weakness an accomplice in the death of his dear Son. Jesus, abandoned to the rage of devotees, again suf- fered the cruellest treatment.* Pilate, to humble those * St. Justin, Tatian, Athenagoras, Lactantius, &c. have reproached the pagans with their gods, several of whom, according to the poets, had experienced persecution and bad »jsage. Were not these reproaches preposterous in the mouths of the adorers of a crucified God ? The partizans of one rehgion perceived very well the ridiculousness of their adversaries, but never saw that of their own rehgion. Lax;- tantius asks the pagans, " If it is possible to take for a God an exile, obhged to fly or forced to conceal himself? No- feody," says he, "is fool enough to do so; for he who flies or conceals himself, shews that he fears violence ^r death." — L^ct. Instit. Divin. 1. i. c. 13. 250 barbarians, wished the label affixed to the upper part of the cross to bear, that he was their king: and no- thing could induce him to recede from this resolution. " What is written is written," said he to those who requested him to alter an inscription dishonourable to their nation. It is also proper to observe, that this in- scription is differently expressed by the four evange- lists. The Jews treated Christ as a king dethroned, and made him experience the most bloody outrages. Though he had said that, if he were inclined, he could make legions of angels come to his protection, yet the Jews, notwithstanding their natural credulity, paid no. credit to his assertion, and nothing could stop their religious cruelty, excited by the priests. They made him take the road to Calvary. Christ sunk under the weight of his cross, but they loaded one Simon with it, who was more vigorous than him ; the unfortunate Jesus must have been indeed much enfeebled by what he had suffered during both the night and the morning. At last Christ was placed on the cross, the usual pu- nishment of slaves. He did not suffer long under the agonies of crucifixion : after invoking his Father, and lamenting his being so shamefully abandoned, he ex- pired, it is said, between two thieves.* Here it is pro* * St. Matt. xxviL 44. St. Mark, xv. 32. St. Liike, xxiii. 39, &c. It is said that Jesus when dying exclaimed. Eli ! Eli I lam ma sabbactani ! (My God ! my God ! why hast thou forsaken me !) This complaint was very ridiculous in the mouth of Christ; the part he acted having been agreed on with his father from all eternity, he ought to have known what he had to expect. At least we may suppose that this exclamation was but a feint meant to deceive the spectators — a conduct little beeoming a divinity. 351 per to remark, that the Holy Ghost, v/ho insph-ed St. Mark, makes Jesus die at the third hour, that is, at Dine o'clock in the morning, whilst the Holy Ghost, who in like manner inspired St. John, makes Jesus die at the sixth hour, that is, at mid-day. The Holy Ghost is not more consistent in the story of the two thieves, in whose company Jesus was crucified. St. Matthew and St. Mark tell us, that the two thieves insulted him with abusive language; while St. Luke assures us, that one only of the two abused the Saviour, and that the other reprimanded his comrade for his insolence, and besought Jesus " to remember him when he should come to his kmgdom." But our interpreters have a thousand ways of proving that the Holy Ghost never contradicts himself, even when he speaks in the most contradictory manner. Those who have faith are satis- fied with their arguments, but they do not so power- fully impress the freethinkers, who have the misfortune to reason. The remorse of Judas soon revenged Jesus on this traitor. He restored to the priests the thirty pieces he had received from them, and wentforthwith to hang himself.* According to St. Matthew, the selling of * According to the .gospel of The Infancy of Jesus, chap. XXX. Judas was possessed of a devil from his infancy, and would bite every body when the demon agitated him ; — he one day bit the little Jesus on the side, who fell a weeping : Satan came out of Judas under the form of a mad dog. Codex Apocryp. N. T. tome 1. p. 197. Some heretical Christians have much esteemed Judas Iscariot, maintaining that without him the mystery of the redemption could not have beeri accomphshed ; — an idea not destitute of reason. Indeed, . why blame a man, who, by selling his master, was only the instru- ment of the salvatioa of the universe, and executor of the L L 252 Jesus ïoy thirty pieces had been foretold by Je'remiah : it must however be observed, that the prediction does not appear iuthe writings of this prophet, which would create a suspicion that the evangelists, little satisfied with applying to Christ some prophecies, such as are extant in the Old Testament, have taken the liberty of drawing from their own store, or forging them when in need. But our able interoreters are not at all ern- barrassed with this; and a holy blindness will always prevent these bagatelles from being perceived. The Gospel informs us, that at the death of Christ all nature seemed to take part in the grand event. At the moment he expired there was a total eclipse; a frightful shaking of the earth was felt, and several holy personages came out of their tombs to take a walk on the streets of Jerusalem.* The Jews alone had the misfortune to see nothing of all this ; it appears, that these wonders were performed only in the fancy of xht disciples of Jesus. As for the eclipse, it was doubtless an inconceivable prodigy,- which could not have taken place without a total derangement in the machine of the world. A total eclipse of the sun during full moon, the time at which the celebration of the passover was fixed by the Jews, is of all miracles the most impossible. No contemporary author has mentioned it, though this phenomenon well merited decrees of God himself? These heretics have also a gospei, of which they make Judas the author, St. Ireneus, b. 1. contra llaeres. c. 35. * How then is Christ termed " the Jirst fruits of them that Sleep .''" And what are we to make of the resm-rection of Lazaru», which preceded this, if Jesus Christ is to be held the " first bom îxonx the dead?" to be transmitted to posterity.* The incredulous therefore maintain, that there was no eclipse on this occasion, but of the' common sense of those who saw all these marvels, or of the good faith of the writers who have attested them. With respect to the shaking of the earth, they suspect that the apostles of Jesus, benumbed with fear at the sight of their divine master's fate, were the only persons who felt it. In this way indeed the thing becomes veiy probable. When Jesus was dead, or believed~to be sq,t after an incision had been made in liis side, from which came blood and a whitish fluid, which they took for water, his body was embalmed, and deposited in a tomb. This was done on Friday evening. He had several times intimated, that he would rise again the third day, that is, at the end of three davs and three niffhts. Yet on the Sunday following, early in the morning, the * Some tvriters pretend, that the eclipse here spoken of has been attested by Thallus, an author ^wholly unknown, and by Phlegon, whose work no loflger exists, but has been cited by Julius AfricanuSj a Christian author of the third century. This Phlegon says merely, that in the fourth year of the 202d Olym- piad there was a considerable eclipse ; but this has nothing marvel- lous in it. + If the punishment of Jesus is proved by the Gospel, some circumstances may create a doubt whether he died immedi- ately. We are told, that they did not, according to custom, Isreak his legs. His friends had the^ liberty of taking away his body, and they might take care of his wounds on finding that he was not dead, and in this manner bring him back to life, at least for some time. It is proper to obsen^e, tliat they laid "^ him in a tomb quite new, from whence his disciples had perhaps taken care to get him out. We however thought it our duty to follow the vulgar opinion, in supposing that Jesus was actu- ally dead. L L 2 C S5é tomb, wherein he had been laid, was found empty, — ^^The Jews, always opiniative, did not admit that he was risen again. They held it niore natu a I to believe that he had failed in his word; or to suppose that his disciples #àd found means to carry him off. This could easily have been executed by force ; by bribing the guards, whom the priests and Plmrisees had placed around his sepulchre; or by cunning. As Pilate took but little interest in the matter, we do not find that he punished the guards merely from compli- ance to the fears of the Jews, for neglecting to take care of what he had confided to them, and which ap- peared to him very ridiculous. The idolatrous go- vernor, little acquainted with the resources or designs of the apostles, never suspected they could pt-r-suade any person, that a man, whose death was well attested» could return to life.* It was, however, on this marvel- * It is not sui"prising that a pagan should doubt the resur- rection of Christ. From the first day of the church, several Christians have not believed it, perceiving very plainly the incon- gruity of supposing that the Son of God could die ; they hare therefore denied the death of their divine master. On this sub- ject the followers of Basilides affirm, that Jesus at the time of his passion assumed the appearance of Simon the Cyrenean, and transferred to him his own, under which the said Simon was cru- cified in his stead, whUe Christ, who beheld tliis without being himself seen, laughed at their mistake. St. Ireneus, lib. i. c. 23- S. Epiph. hsers. xxiv. num. 3. The Cerijithians, or disciples of Cerinthus, who was contemporary with the apostles, and the Carpycratians, in like manner, denied that Jesus could have been actually crucified. Some have maintained, that the traitor Judas was pumshed in place of his master. Yet tk-se sectaries regarded Christ as a mere man, and not as a god. Thus we find Chris- tians contemporary with the apostles believing in Christ, and yet, like heretics, doubting of his death. — M. de Tillemont, 255 ious notion, as we shall see, that a sect was afterwards founded, powerful enough to subject by degrees the Roman empire and a considerable portion of the globe. On the other hand, the punishment of our hero must have produced very little sensation in the world, and his adventures must have been strangely unknown, since we do not find that any historian, with the ex- ception of the evangelists, makes mention of them.* tome 2. p. 221. St. Epiph. horn. 24, 28, 30. Theodoret Haeretic. fab. lib. 1. * The celebrated Blondel, le Fevre de Saumur, and other good critics, have showm, that the passage of the historian Josephus, where he speaks In praise of Jesus^ has been visibly interpolated, by a pious fraud of Christians. This fraud is likewise very ably- exposed in an excellent dissertation in manuscript by the late M. I'Abbe de Longuerue. If the passage, favourable to Jesus, had been really written by Josephus, that historian could not, without being guilty of an absurdity, dispense with becoming a Christian. The devout forgers of writings, who anciently fabricated vouchers for the Cliristian religion, have taken care to counterfeit, with as much good faith, two letters of Pilate, addressed to the emperor Tiberius, in which this idolatrous governor speaks of Jesus, his miracles, death, and resurrection in the same tone as the most zealous disciple coi.dd have employed. We have als» a testimony as authentic in a letter of one Lentulus to the Romam senate. Although these suppositious pieces may be now re- jected by the church, they were adopted by Christians in the time of TertuUian, as may be seen in his Apolog. c. 5. 21. These letters are to be found entire in the Codex Apocryp. N. T. tome 1. p. 298, &c. In the Appendix we have given a list of books mentioned by tJie fathers and other ancient writers, ascribed to Jesus and his ■apostles, which we see no reason for regarding as less au- thentic than tiie books composing the New Testament, at present in our hand?. 256 CHAPTER XVI. RESURRECTION OF JESUS — HIS CONDUCT UNTIL HIS ASCEN- SION EXAMINATION OF THE PROOFS OF THE RESURRECTION. THE history of the life of an ordinary man termi- nates commonly with his death; but it is different with a Man-God who has the power of raising himself from the dead, or whom his adherents have the faculty of making rise at will. This happened to Jesus: thanks to his apostles or evangelists, we see him still playing a considerable part even after his decease. Tiie moment Christ was arrested, his disciples, as we have narrated, dispersed themselves in Jerusalem and the neighbourhood, with the exception of Simon Peter, who did not lose sight of him during his exa- mination at the house of the high priest. This apostle was anxious, for his own interest, to know the result of it. Encouraging themselves on finding that Jesus had not criminated 'them in his examinations, the dis- ciples re-assembled, concerted measures, and deter- mined, as their master was dead, or reputed so, to take advantage of the notions which he had diffused during his mission. At^customed hr so long a period to lead a wandering life under his command, and sub- sist at the expence of the public by means of preach- ing, exorcisms, and miracles, they resolved to continue â57 a profession more easily exercised, and incomparably more lucrative than their original occupations. They had enjoyed an opportunity of observing that it w^as better to catch men than fish. But how could the dis- ciples of a man who was punished as an i-mpostor, mak^ themselves listened to ? It was necessary to give out that their master having, during his life, raised others from the dead, had, after his own death, raised himself, in virtue of his omnipotence. Jesus had pre- dicted it ; it was therefore necessary to accomplisk the prediction. The honour of the master and his dis- ciples thereby acquired a new lustre; and the sect, far from seeing itself annihilated or disgraced, was enabled to acquire new partizans in this credulous nation. ' ^ , In consequenqp of this reasoning, the good apostles had only to make the body of their master, dead or alive, to disappear, which, if it had remained in the tomb, would have borne evidence against them. They did not even wait till the three days and three nights in the pretended prophecy were expired. The dead body disappeared on the second day ; and thus the second day after his decease, our hero, triumphing over liell and the grave, found himself revivified.* * The ancient framers of the Gospels have fabricated one which they have ascribed ' to Nicodemus. In it we leant kow Christ passed his tune after his death till his resurrec- tion, his journey to hell, the deliverance of the patriarcl», the discomfiture of Satan, &c. All these details are attested by two dead persons who came purposely from the other world, to acquaint Annauias, ^Caiphas, and the doctors of Judea, of these events. Codex. Apocryph. N. T. tome 1. I». 288, &c. 258 If Christ was not yet dead of his punishuîeut, his returrection had nothing surprising in it. If he was actuallv dead, the cave, where his body was deposited, might very probably have secret passages, through whicl) they could enter and come out, without being observed or stopt by the enormous stone with which they had affected to block up its entrance, and near which the guards had been placed. Thus the dead body tidght have been carried off either by force or by stratagem ; and perhaps it had never been deposited in the tomb at all. In whatever manner the affair was transacted, a report was circulated that Jesus was risen, and his body not to be found. Nothing is of more importance to a Christian, than to ascertain satisfactorily the resurrection of Christ. St. Paul tells us, that " if Jesus be not risen, our hope is vain." Indeed without this miracle of Omnipotence, intended to manifest the superiority of Christ over other men, and the interest the Deity took in his suc- cess, Jesus must appear only as an adventurer, or weak fanatic, punished for having given umbrage to the priests of his country. It is therefore requisite to examine seriously a fact, on which alone the belief of every Christian is founded. In doing this it is necessary to satisfy ourselves of the quality of the witnesses wiio attest the fact, whether they were acute, disinterested, and intelligent per- sons ; if they agree in the narratives they give, or i» the circumstances they relate. Such are the precau- tions usually employed to discover the degree of pro- bability or evidence of facts. They are also the more necessary, when it is intended to examine supernatural facts, which, to be believed, require much stronger 259 proofs than ordinary facts. On the unanimous testi- mony of some historians, we readily believe that Cœsar made himself master of Gaul ; the circumstances of his conquest would be less established, were we to find them related by hiniself only, or his adherents ; but they would appear incredible, if we found in them pro- digies or facts contrary to the order of nature. We would then have reason to believe, that it was intended to impose on us ; or, if we judged more favourably of the authors, we would regard them as enthusiasts and fools. Agreeably to these principles, adopted by sound criticism, let us consider who are the witnesses that attest the marvellous, and consequently the least pro- bable facts which history can produce. They are apostles — But who are these apostles? They are ad- herents of Jesus. Were these apostles enlightened men ? Every thing proves that they were ignorant and rude, and that an indefatigable credulity was the most prominent , trait in their character. Did they b*'hold Jesus rising from the dead ?— No ; — no one beheld this great miracle. The apostles themselves did not see their master coming out of the gr-ave ; they merely found that his tomb was empty ; but this by no means proves that he had risen. It will however be said, the apostles saw him afterwards and conversed with him, and that he likewise shewed himself to some women, who knew him very well. But these apostles and these women, did they see distinctly? Did not their pre- . possessed imaginations make them see what did not exist? Is it absolutely certaii^i that their master was dead before they laid him in the tomb? In the second place, were these witnesses disint'eresl' edf The apostles and disciples of Jesus were doubt- M M 260 less iiiteresteJ in the glory of the master ihey had followed durhig the course of his mission. Their iiitertsts were confounded with those of a man who enabled theai to subsist withou-t toil. Several among them expected to be recompensed for their attachment to him, by the favours which he promised to bestow on them in the kingdom he was about to establish. Finding these hopes destroyed by the death, real or supposed, of their chief, most of the apostles, per- suaded that all was over, lost courage; but others, less daunted, conceived that it was not necessary to throio the handle after the hatchet; that they might profit still by the impressions which the preaching of Christ and his wonders had made on the people. They be- lieved that their master might again return, or, if they supposed him dead, they could feign that he had fore- told he would rise again. They therefore agreed that it was proper to circulate the report of his resurrec- tion ; to say 'that they had seen him; and to assert thrtt Jesus had triumphantly come out of the tomb: which would appear very credible in the case of a personage who had evinced himself capable of raising others from the dead. Knowing the imbecility of those they had to deal with, they presumed that the [jeopie were prepared long before hand to believe the marvellous wonder which they intended to announce. They conceived, that, in order to subsist, it was ne- cessary to continue preaching the doctrine of a man who would not have attracted an audience, if it had not been taken for granted that he was risen again. They felt that it was necessary to preach the resurrec- tion of Christ, or consent to perish with hunger. They foresaw, moreover, that it was necessary to brave SGI chastisement and even death, rather than renounce aii opinion or doctrine on which tneir daily subsistence and welfare absolutely depended. Hence unbelievers conclnde, that the witnesses of the! resurrection of Christ were any thin^ but disinterested, and were spurred on by tne principle, thatV/e who risks nothings gains nothing. In the iJtird place, are the witnesses of the resurrec- tion of Christ iinammous in their evidence? Much more, are they consistent with themselves in the nar- ratives they give ? We find neither the one nor the other. Though Jesus, according to some of the evangelists, had foretold in the most positive manner, that he would rise again*, St. John makes no mention of this prediction, but expressly declares, that the dis- ciples of Jesus knew not that he must rise again from the deadf. This denotes in them a total ignorance of that great event, said, however, to have been announc- ed by their master; and creates a suspicion that these predictions of Christ were piously invented after- wards, and inserted in process of time into the text of St. Matthew, St„ Mark, and St. Luke. Yet nothing can be more positive than the manner in which St^ Matthew speaks of the prediction ; he supposes it so well known by the public, that he affirms, the priests and Pharisees went to Pilate, and told him. IVe remem- her this deceiver said while he was yet alive, that after three days he zoould rise again *• We do not, however, find in any of the evangelists a passage where this resurrection is foretold in so public and decided a man- * St. Matt. xxvi. 32. St. Mark, xvi. 28. f St. John, XX. 9. ^ St. Matt, xxvii. 63. f62 ner. St. Matthew himself relates only the answer of Je- sus to those who demanded of him a sign; it consistedp as we have elsewhere said, in referring them to " Jonas, who was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale ; so,'' said he, " shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth*." Now Jesus, having died on Friday, at the ninth hour, or mid-day, and risen again the second day early in the morning^, was not, as we have already remarked, " three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Besides, the obscure manner in which Christ expres- sed himself in this pretended prediction, could not enable the priests and Pharisees to conclude that Jesus must die and rise again,, or to excite their alarm, unless it is pretended, that, on this occasion, these enemies of Christ received by a particular revelation the interprétation of 'the mysterious prediction. St. John tells us, that when Jesus was taken down from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, in order to enjbalm him, brought a mixture of aloes and myrrh, weighing about a hundred pounds, and that he afterwards took the body, wrapt it in a clean linen cloth, furnished spices according to the custom practised by the Jews in their funeral cere- monies, and laid it in the tombt. Thus was Jesus embalmed, carried away, and buried. On the other hand, St. Matthew and St. Luke tell us that this sepul- ture and embalming were performed in presence of Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus^, who, consequently must have known what Nicodemus * St. Matt. xii. 38, &c t St. John, xix. 39—40. i St. Matt, xxril. 61. St. Mark, xr. 47. St. Liike, xxii, 55. ^63 had done; yet St. Mark, forgetting all this, tells us, that these same women brought sweet spices (aroma- tics) in order to embalm his body, and came for that purpose early in the morning of the day subsequent to the Sabbath*. St. Luke has no better memory, and informs us, that these ladies came also to embalm a dead body, which according to St. John, had already received a hundred pounds zseight of aromatics, and was inclosed in a sepulchre, the entrance of which was blocked up by a massy stone, which embarrassed the women as much at finding it as the incredulous are with these contradictions of our evangelistsf. These ladies, however, who dreaded the obstacle of the stone, did not dread the obstacle of the guard which St. Matthew placed at the entrance of the tornb. But if these women knew that Christ was to rise again at the end of three days, why were they so careful in embalming his body ? — unless indeed we suppose that Jesus made a secret to his mother and the tender Màg- dalane of an event which it is asserted was publicly predicted, and which was perfectly well known not only by his disciples, but also by the priests and Phari- sees, of whose extraordinary precautions we are in- formed by St. Matthew. According to this evangelist, these precautions were founded on the fear the priests were under, that the disciples of Jesus " should come and carry away his body, and afterwards say unto the people, that he is risen from the dead; an error, which, in their opinion, would be more dangerous than the first." Nevertheless we find some women and disciples continually roaming about the tomb, going * St. Mark, xvi. 1. i % Luke, Km. R 264 and coming freely, and offering to embalm the same dead body twice. It must be acknowledged that all tiiis surpiisses human understanding*. It is not more easy to conceive the conduct of the guards placed near the tomb at the solicitation of the priests, or that of the priests themselves. According to St. Mattliew, these guards, terrified at the resurrec- tion of Christ, ran to Jerusalem to tell the priests, " that the angel of the Lord had descended from hea- ven, and taken avray the stone which blocked up the tomb; and that at the sight of him they had nearly expired through fear." ' On this the priests, not at all doubting the truth of the relation of the guards, enjoined them to say publicly that the disci- ples of Jesus had carried away his body during the night, and while they were asleep. They also gave the soldiers money to speak in this manner, and pro- mised to pacify the governor, if he wished to punish them for their negligencef. As to this narrative, it is proper to observe, that the guards did not say they had seen Jesus rise from the dead ; they pretended merely to have seen " the angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, and rolling away the stone which was at the entrance of the tomb." Thus this history announces an apparition only, and not a resurrection. We might explain it in a manner natural enough by supposing that during the night, while the guards were buried in sleep, the ad- herents of Jesus came by the light of flambeaus, with an armed force, to open the tomb and intimidate the soldiers taken unawares, who in the alarm they ex- * St. Matt, xxvii, 6f~«g. + St. Matt, xxviii. 265 perienced imagined tbey had seen their prey taken out of their hands by a preternatural power, and that they afterwards affirmed all this in order to justify themselves. The most singular circumstance is the conduct of the priests, who believed in earnest the relation of the guards, and consequently gave credit to a miracle strong enough to convince them of the pow- r of Je- sus. But far fro n being moved by the prodigy, which" they thus believed, they gave money to the soldifrs to engage them to tell, not the incident as it occurred, but that the disciples of Jesus came by night to take away the body of their master. On the other liand, the guards, who must have been more dead than alive through teri'or ^^ the spectacle they had witnessed, accepted money for publishing a falsehood: a conduct for which the angel of the Lord might very properly have punished them. Far, however, from dreading punishment, these soldiers for a sum of money con- sented to betray their consciences. But could the Jewish priests, however base we may suppose them, be silly enough to imagine that these men, after hav- ing witnessed so terrible a miracle, would be very faithful in preserving the secret? It must have been ■an insignificant miracle indeed which could make no impression either on the soldiers who had seen it, or on the priests who believed it on the relation of these soldiers. If the priests were convinced of the reality of the miracle, was it not natural ' that they should recognise Jesus for the Messiah, and that they should unite with him in labouring to deliver their country from the yoke of idolaters? On this occasion indeed, the angel of the Lord 26S seems to have bungled the affair, by so terrifying the soldiers that they fled without having tima to see Jesus rising from the dead, whose resurrection, however, was the object of all this pompous preparation. Very far from allowing it to be seen by any one, this awk- ward angel chased away the guards who ought to have been the witnesses of the mighty wonder. It appears in fact, that the transaction of Jesus* resurrection was seen by nobody. His disciples did not see it ; the soldiers, who guarded his tomb, did not see it ; and the priests and Jews did not bold this fact to be so memorable as some persons who beheld no part of it. It was only after his resurrection that Jesus shewed himself. But to whom did he shew himself? To disciples interested in saying that he was risen again; to women, who to the same interest joined also weak minds and ardent imaginations, disposed to form phantoms and chimeras. These remarks will enable us to judge of all the pre- tended appearances of Jesus after his resurrection. Besides, the evangelists are not unanimous as to these appearances. St. Matthew relates, that Jesus shewed himself to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary ; while St. John makes mention of Mary Magdalene singly. St. Matthew tells us, that Jesus shewed himself to the two Marys on the road whilst returning from the sepulchre on purpose to apprise the disciples of what they had seen. St. John informs us, that Mary Magdalene, after visiting the sepulchre, went and car- ried the news to the disciples, and thereafter returned to this same sepulchre, where she beheld Jesus m the company of angels. St. Matthew affirms, that the two Marys embraced the feet of Jesus. St, John says. 267 Jesus forbade Magdalane to touch him. St. Matthew . inform-f us, that Jesus'bade the two Marys tell his dis- ciples that he was going into Galilee. St. John says, Jesiîs ordered Mary to acquaint his disciples, that he was going to his Father ; that is, to heaven. — Bit it is more singular still, that, according to St. Mark, the disciples themselves were not inclined to credit the apparition of Christ to Magdalane: agreeably to St. Luke, they treated all that she told them of angels as reveries. According to St. John, Magdalane herself did not at first believe that she had seen her adorable lover, whom she took for the gardener.* There is no greater certainty in the apparition of Jesi^ to St. Peter and St. John. These two apostles went to the sepulchre, but they did not find their dear master. According to St. John, he himself saw neither Jesus nor the angels. From St. Luke it appears, that these apostles arrived after the angels were gone ; and from St. John, before the angels had arrived. The witnesses are indeed very little unanimous as to these angels, who seem to have been seen only by the good ladies, whom they charged toannoupce to the disciples the resurrection of Jesus., St. Matthew makes mention of one angel only, whom St. Mark calls a young man. St. John affirms, that 'there were two. It is said, that Jesus shewed himself again to two disciples of Emaus, called Simon and Cleophas ; but they did not recognize him, though they had lived fa- miliarly with him. They proceeded a long while in his company without suspecting who he was — a cir- * St. Matt, xxviii. St. John xx. St. Ltike, xxiv. II. St. Mark, xvi. N N 268 cumstance which, undoubtedly, evinced a very strange failure of memory. It is true, St. Luke tells us that their eye'i zcere as if shut. Is it not very si-ugular that Jesus should shew himself in order not to be known again? They, however, recognized him afterwards; but immediately dreading, as it would seem, to be seen too nearly, the phantom disappeared. The two disciples went immediately and announced the news to their brethren assembled at Jerusalem, where Jesus arrived fully as soon as they. St. Matthew, St. Mark, and St. Luke, agree in tell- ing us, that when the disciples were informed of the resurrection of Jesus, they saw him for the first and last time. But the author of the Acts of the Apostles, St. John, and St. Paul, contradict this assertion, for they speak of several other appearances, which after- wards occurred. St. Matthew and St. Mark inform us that the disciples received orders to go and join Jesus in Galilee; but St. Luke and the author of the Acts {i. e. the same St. Luke) says, that the disciples were ordered not to go out of Jerusalem. With respect to this last apparition, St. Matthew places it on a moun- tain in Galilee, where Jesus had fixed the rendezvous for the evening of the day of his resurrection ; whilst St. Luke informs us, that it was at Jerusalem, and tells us, that immediately thereafter Christ ascended into heaven, and disappeared for ever. Yet the author of the Acts of the Apostles is not of this opinion; he maintains, against himself, that Jesus tarried still forty days with his disciples, in order to instruct them. There still remain to be considered two appearances of Jesus to his apostles, the one art which Thomas was mt present, and refused to believe those who assured ^ 269 him of their having seen their master, and the other when Thomas recognised his master, who shewed him his wounds. To render one of these apparitions more marvellous, they assure us, thai Jesus was seen in the midst of his disciples, whilst the doors were shut. But this will not appear surprising to those who know that Christ, after his resurrection, had an immaterial or ^?^- corpbrea/ body, which consequently could make itself a passage through the smallest orifices. His disciples took him for a spirit : yet this spirit had wounds, was palpable, and took food. But perhaps all this was only chimerical, and those apparitions mere illusions of sense. Indeed, how could the apostles be assured of the reality of what they 'saw ? A being who has the power of changing the course of nature,, can destroy all the rules by which we judge of certainty : and on this supposition the apostles could never be certain of having seen Christ after his resurrection. St. John speaks of several appearances of Jesus to his disciples, of which no mention is made by the other evangelists : hence we see that his testimony destroys theirs, or that theirs destroy his. As to the appari- tions of Jesus which St. Paul mentions, he was not a witness of them, and knew them only by hearsay ; we find him accordingly speaking of them in a manner very little exact. He says, for example, that Jesus -shewed himself *' to the twelve," while it is evident, that, by the death of Judas, the apostolic college was reduced to eleven. We are surprised to see these in- accuracies in an inspired author; they may render sus- picious what he likewise says of the apparition vt Jesii^^ to five hundred of the brethren at once*. A? to hitn- * 1 Cor. XV. 6. N N 2 270 self we know, that he never saw his master but in a vision* and considering the testimonies on which the resurrection of Jesus is founded, perhaps we may say as much of the other apostles and disciples. They were Jews, enthusiasts, and prophets; and consequently subject to dreaming even while awake. The incredu- * St. Paul himself informs xis that he was ravished up to the third heaven. But why was he transported thither, and what did he learn by his journeys ? — Things unspeakable, which no man could comprehend. What advantage are man- kind to derive from all ^ this? In the Acts of the Apostles, we find that this same Paul was guilty of a falsehood in say- ing before the High Priest, that he was persecuted because he was a Pharisee, and on account of the resurrection. Here, in fact, are two untruthSr First, Paul was not a Pha- risee at the time, but a most zealous apostle of the Christian religion, and consequently a Christian. Secondly, the accu- sations brought against him did not refer to his opinion on the resurrection. If we know that the apostles sometimes wandered from the truth, how shall we believe them on other occasions ? We indeed find tliis great apostle continu- ally changing his counsels and conduct. At Jerusalem he strenuously opposed Peter because he favoured Judaism, while he himself shortly after complied with Jewish rites ; and boasted that he always accommodated himself to the circumstances of the times, and became all things to all men. 37 this he set an example to the Jesuits in india, who were ;reproached with having vmited the worshap of the Pagans to that of Christ. We do not know that the protestant Christi- ans of the present day, who are employed as missionaries in Hindostan, are as accommodatmg as their brethren the Jesuits Î but this we know by no less an authority than official documents reeeutly laid on the table of the House of Commons, that we Chiistians make a traffic of the Pagan religion m India, bjr actually compelling the natives to pay a tax Jor admission to their ,Qwn temples to worship the Idol Jaggernaut ! 271 lous consider this to be the most favourable opinion they can form of witnesses who attest the resurrection of the Saviour, on which however the Christian religion is solely established. It appears indeed most certain, from the nature of the testimonies we have exaiaained, that Providence has in a singular manner neglected to give to an event so memorable and of such great importance, the au- thenticity it seemed to require. Laying aside faith, which never experiences any difficulty about proofs, no man can believe facts, even the most natural, from vouchers so faulty, proofs so weak, relations so con- tradictory, and testimonies so suspicious as those which the evangelists furnish us on the most incredi- ble and marvellous occurrence that was evet related. Independent of the visible interest these historians had in establishing the belief of the resurrection of their master, and which ought to put us on our guard against them, they seem to have written merely to contradict one another, and reciprocally weaken their testimonies. To adopt relations, in which we have only a tissue of inconclusiveness, contradictions, improbable facts, and absurdities, calculated to destroy all confidence in history, requires indeed grace from above. Yet Chris- tians do not for a moment doubt the resurrection; and their belief in this respect is founded on a rocky that is, according to infidels, on prejudices they have never examined, and to which, from early infancy, their spiritual guides have prudently attached the greatest importance. They teach them to immolate on the altar of faith, reason, judgment, and good sense: — After this sacrifice, it is no longer difficult to make them acknowledge, v/ithout enrjuiry, the most palpa- 212 ble absurdities for truths, on which it is not permitted even to be sceptical. It is in vain, that people of sense demonstrate the falsity of these pretended truths ; it is in vain, that an intelligent critic stands up against interested testimo- nies, visibly suggested by enthusiasm and imposture ; it is in vain, that humanity exclaims against wars, mas- sacres, and horrors without number, which absurd disputes on absurd dogmas have occasioned. They silence people by saying, that " it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nought the understanding of the prudent. — Where is the wise? Where are the scribes? (the doctors of the law). Hath not^God made foolish the wisdom of this world by causing the foolishness of the gospel to be preached*?" It is by such declamations against reason and wisdom, that fanatics and impostors have succeeded in banishing good sense from the earth, and fashioning slaves who make a merit of subject- ing reason to faith, of extinguishing a sacred torch, which would conduct them with certainty, on pur- pose to lead them astray in the darkness these inte- rested guides know how to infuse into minds. To de- grade reason is an outrage against God its author ; aad it is an outrage against man who is thereby re- 'duced to the condition of brutes. The dogma of the resurrection of Jesus is only attested by men whose subsistence depended on that absurd romance ; and as roguery continually belies itself, these lying witnesses could not agree among them- selves in their evidence. They tell us, that Jesus had * 1 Cor. i. 9, &c. 273 publicly predicted his own resurrection. He ought therefore to iiave risen again publicly ; he ought to have shewn hifnself, not in secret to his disciples, but openly to priests, Pharisees, doctors, and men of understanding, especially after having intimated, that it was the only sign which would be given them. Was it not acknowledging the falsehood of his mission, to refuse the sign by which he had solemnly promised to prove the truth of that mission ? Was it reasonable to require the Jews to believe, on the word of his disciples, a fact which he could have convinced them with their own eyes ? How is it possible for rational persons of the present age to believe, after the lapse of eighteen hundred years, on the discordant testimo- nies of four interested evangelists, fanatics, or fabulists, a fact which they could not make be believed in their own time, except by a small number of imbecile people, incapable of reasoning, fond of the marvel- lous, and of too limited understandings to escape the snares laid for their simplicity.* A Roman gover- nor, a tetrarch, a Jewish high priest, converted by the apparition of Christ, would have made a greater impression on a man of sense than a hundred secret apparitions to his chosen disciples. The conversion of the Sanhedrim at Jerusalem to the faith, would have been of greatei*^ weight than all the obscure rabble which the apostles prevailed on to believe their improbable marvels, and persuaded that they had seen Christ alive after his death. * So stupid indeed were the Jewish people, that Apollonius said to them, " The Jews were the most trifling of all the barbarians, and that they were the only people who had never found out any thing useful for life." Josepkus against Apion, lib. 2. 2U îf the apparitions of Jesus to his apostles were not obviously fables invented by roguery, or ,adopted through enthusiasm and ignorance, the motive of these clandestine visits cannot be divined. Become inca- pable of suffering, re-established in his divine omni- potence, was he still afraid of the Jews ? Could he dread being put to death a second time? By shewing himself, had he not better reason to flatter himself with converting them,*" than jhe derived from all his sermons and miracles? But it is said, that the Jews by their opposition de- served to be rejected ; that the views of Providence were changed ; and that God no longer wished his chosen people should be converted- These answers are so many insults to the divinity. How is it pos- sible for men to withstand God ? Is it not to deny the Divine Omnipotence to pretend that man can oppose its will ? Man, it is asserted, is free : but must not a God who knew every thing, have foreseen that the Jews would abuse their liberty by resisting his will? In that case why send them his Son? Why make him suffer to no purpose an infamous and cruel death ? Why not send him at once to creatures disposed to hear him, and render him their homage? To pretend that the views of Providence were changed, is it not to attack the divine immutability ? unless indeed it be said, that the Deity had from all eternity resolved on this change — which, however, will not shelter that immutability. Thus in whatever point of view we contemplate the matter, it will remain a decided fact, that the resurrec- tion of Christ, far from being founded on solid proofs, unexceptionable testimony, and respectable authority. 275 f is obviously established on falsehood and knavery, which pervade every paire of the discordant relations of those who have pretended to vouch it. After having made their hero revive and shew him- self, we know not how often, to his trusty disciples, it was necessary in the end to make him disappear al- together — to send him back to heaven, in order to conclude tUe romance. But our story-tellers are not more in union on this disappearance than on other things. They agree neither as to the time nor the place of Jesus' ascension. *St. Mark and St. Luke inform us, that Christ, after having shewn himself to the eleven -apostles, while they were at table, and spoke to them, ascended into. heaven. St. Luke how- ever adds, that he conducted them out of Jerusalem as far as Bethany ; and there he lifted up his hands and blessed them, and was afterwards carried up into liea- ven. St. Mark contradicts St. Luke, and makes .Tesus ascend to heaven from Galilee : and as if he had seen what passed on high, places him on the right hand of God, who on this occasion yielded to him the place of , honour*. St. Matthew and St. John do not speak of thig ascension. If we referred it to them, we must presume, that Jesus is still on earth, for, according to the first of these evangelists, his last words to Jiis dis- ciples gave them to understand, that '* he would re- main with them until the encUof the world." To fix our ideas on this subject, St. Luke tells us, as v/e have seen, that Jesus ascended into heaven the very evening * The fable of the ascension of Christ is visibly borrow- ed from that of the ascension of Romulus and Juhus Csesar, which Lantantius however finds very ridiculous. Lactant. Institut, b. 1. 15. o o ' ' ■ 276 of the day of the resurrection. But tlie same St. Luke, who is supposed to be the author of the Acts of the Apostles, informs us, that Jesus tarried fort^ days after his resurrection with his dear disciples. Faith only can extricate us from tiiis embarrassment. St. John advances nothing on the matter, but leaves us in uncertainty as to the time which Jesus passed on earth after his resurrection. Some unbelievers on observ- ing the romantic style reigning in the gospel on this apostle, have concluded from the manner ii! which he finishes his history, rhat he meant to uive free course to the fables which might afti-rwards be published about Christ. He terminates his iiarrative with these words ; " Jesus did also many other things, and if they should be written every, one, I suppose, tiiat even ilie world itself could not contain the books that should be written;" and M'ith this hyperbole, the well-beloved apostle finishes the Platonic romance which he made on bis master*. * We have already given examples of the fables contained in the different gospels, published and adopted by the dif- ferent sects of Christianity. These fables demonstrates both the impudent juggling of the forgers who composed ffuch romances, and the astonishing stupidity of the different sectaries who believe them. — It is also proper to observe, that the Acts of the Apostles, composed by St. Luke, relate, only with minuteness the transactions of St- Paul, liis mas- ter, and give us scarcely any information of the success or fate of his b?etheren. Yet other romance writers have wor- thily supplied this defect.. One Abdias, among others, has transmitted us in nine books the Apostolic History, but fraught with so many fables, prodigies, and adsurdities, that the- church thought itself obhged to reject them, at a time when its children had no longer the simplicity of the first ages. Ignorance however has at tunes yielded to this ancient 277 CHAPTER XVII. GENERAL REFLECTIONS ON THE LIFE OF CHRIST. — PREACH- ING OF THE APOSTLES. CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL. ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRISTIANITY. — PER- SECUTIONS IT SUFFERS. CAUSES OF ITS PROGRESS, THE mere reading of the life of Jesus, such as we have (3resented it, according to the monuments which Christians respectas inspired, must be sufficient to un- deceive every thinking being. But it is the property of superstition to prevent thinking: it benumbs the soul, confounds the reason, perverts the judgment, ren- ders doubtfui the most obvious truths, and ,makes a merit with its slaves of despising enquiry, and of rely- ing blindly on the word of those who govern them. It is not unseasonable, therefore, to bring again under re- view, some reflections, which may be useful to those readers who have not courage to draw out of the en- quiry we have made, the consequences which naturally result from it ; and thus aid them in forming rational ideas of the Christ they adore, of his disciples whom credulity ; and weak people and knaves have existed, who piously revived the fables and traditions of the ancient romantic writers. These are the only memoirs we possess concerning the apostles : specimens of them will be found at the end of tome 1. of the Codex Apocryph. N. T. o o 2 278 they revere, and of books which they are accustomed to regard as divine. Our examination of the birth of Christ ought to render it very suspicious. We have found the Holy Ghost mistaken on that important article of Jesus' life ; for he inspired two evangelists with two very different genealogies. Notwithstanding so striking a blunder, and the consanguinity of the Virgin Mary and .Eliza- beth, wife of the priest Zacharias, we shall not cavil on these points : — we shall grant, that Mary might really be of the race of David .: — many examples demon- strate, that the branches of races more illustrious have fallen into misery. Departing also from the supposi- tion, that Mary, the immaculate wife of Joseph, may have willingly yielded to the angel ; or, simple and devout, may Jjave been deceived by the angel, there is every reason to believe, that she afterwards taught her son his descent from David, and perhaps some marvel- lous circumstances, which, by justifying the mother, might kindle the enthusiasm of the child. Thus, at a very early age, Jesus might be really persuaded both of his royal extraction, and of the wonders which had accompanied his birth. These ideas might afterwards inflame his ambition, and by degrees make him believe that he was destined to play a grand part in his native country. Prepossessed with these sublime notions, he concluded with being convinced of their authenticity, and intoxicating himself more and more by the perusal of obscure prophecies, and the study of traditions spread abroad in his own country. It is then very possible, that our ad"venturer might have come to be- . lieve himself actually called by the Divinity, and pointed out by the 'prophets to be the reformer, the 279 chief, and the Messiah of Israel. He was indeed a visionary, and found people silly enough to be caught by his reveries*. Anotiier cause might likewise contribute to heat the brain of our missionary. Some learned men have con- jectured, with much appearance of truth, that Jesus framed his morality, and acquired his knowledge in the house of a kind of monks, or Jewish Cœnobites, (friars) called Thérapeutes or Essenians. We cer- tainly find a striking conformity between what Philo tells us of these pious enthusiasts, and the sublime precepts of Christ. The Thérapeutes quitted father and mother, wife, children, and property, an order to apply themselves to contemplation. They explained the scripture in a manner purel,y allegorical; they abstained from all oaths ; they lived in cçmmon ; they suffered with resolution the misfortunes of life, and died with joyf. From all which it may be concluded, * It is an ardent and tender temperament that produces ■mystic devotion. Hysterical women are those who com- monly love God with most vivacity ; they love him to dis- traction as they would love a man. In monasteries, most of the devotees are of this description. Their imaginations grow wUd, and they give to their God, whom they paint in the most captivating colours, that tenderness which they are not permitted to bestow on beings of their own species. Christianity Unveiled. t See Philo on Contemplative Life. The first fathers of the church, struck with the conformity between the manners which Philo attributes to the Thérapeutes, and those of the first Christians, do not entertain a doubt that they were the persons this learned Jew meant to point out under the "name of Thérapeutes, or contemplative Essenians. It is certain, that, in the time of the historian Josephus, three sects were reckoned in Judea, the \ Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the 280 either that Jesus had been a Thérapeute before his preaching, or at least that he had bon owed their doctrines. Whatever may be in this, in the midst of an igno- rant ahd superstitious nation; perpetually fed with oracles and pompous promises; miserable at that time, and discontented with the Roman yoke; continually cajoled with the expectation of a deliverer, who was to restore them with honour; our enthusiast, without difficulty, Found an audience, and, by degrees, adhe- rents. Men are naturally disposed to listen to, and believe, those who make them hope for an end to their miseries. Misfortunes render them timorous and ere-, dulous^ and lead them to superstition. x-V fanatic easily makes conquests among a wretched people. It is not then wouderlul, that Jesus should very soon acquire partiz, which they style pious. Tliere are but few zealots who do not even think crimes allowable when the interests of reli- gion are concerned. In religion, as at play, one begins with being dupe and ends with being knate. Thus, on considering things attentively, and weigh- ing the particulars of the life of Christ, we must rest persuaded, that he was a fanatic, who really thought himself inspired, favoured by Heaven, sent to liis na- tion, and io short the Messiah ; — that to support his divine mission, he made no difficulty to employ frauds the best calculated to succeed with a people to whom miracles were absolutely necessary, and whom, with- out miracles, the most eloquent Imrangues, the wisest precepts, the most intelligent counsels, and the truest principles, could never have convinced. — In a word, a medley of enthusiasm and juggling appears to con- stitute the character of Jesus, and it is that of almost all spiritual adventurers who assume the name of Re- formers, or become the chiefs of a sect. * The want of experience in every country has nearly produced the same effects. The Americans conside red the Spaniards Gods because they used gunpowder, rode on horseback, and had vessels which sailed quite alone. The inhabitants of the island of Tenian, having no knowledge of fire before they were visited by Evu'opeans, took them for animals the first time they saw them, who, devoured wood. We always find Christ, during his mission, preach- ing the kingdom of his Father, and supporting his preaching with wonders. At first he spoke only in a very reserved manner of his quality of Messiah, Son of God, and Son of David. There ^as prudence in not giving himself out for such. — But he suffered the secret to be revealed by the mouth of the devil, to impose silence on whom he commonly took great care! not, however, until after the devil had spoken in a man- ner sufficiently intelligible to make an impression on the spectators. He thus, with the assistance of his possessed, his proselytes, or his convulsionaries, pro- cured testimonies in his behalf, which from his own mouth would have been very suspicious, and ruight have rendered him odious. Our operator also took care to choose his ground for performing miracles ; he constantly refused to operate his wonders before persons whom he supposed inclined to criticise them. If he sometimes performed them in -the synagogues, and in presence of the doctors, it^as in the certainty that the less ïastidious populace, who believed in his miracles, would take his part, and de- fend him against the evil designs of the more acute spectators.* The apostles of Jesus appear to have been men of their master's temper, either credulous or mis-led en- * In like manner, some years ago in Paris, on the tomb of Deacon Paris, miracles were wrought in presence of very intelligent persons, who dared neither to criticise nor con- tradict them, for fear of being maltreated by a populace ob- stmate in seeing prodigies, and whom impostors would not have failed to excite against those who shovild have pretended to see only rogueries. 283 tbusiastP, adroit cheats, or often both together There is every reason to beh'eve that Christ, who had skill in men, admitted into his intimate confidence those only in whom l)e remarked the most submissive creduhty or the greatest address. X)n important oc- casions, such as the miracle of multiplying the loaves, the transfiguration, &c. we find, as already noticed, that he used always the ministry of Peter, James, and John. It is easy to conceive that his disciples and adhe- rents were much attached to him, either by the ties of interest or of credulity. The most crafty perceived, that their fortunes could only be ameliorated under the conduct of- a man who knew how to impose on the vulgar, and make his follovVers live at the expence of charitable devotees. Fishermen, formerly obliged to subsist by a labour painful and often attended with insuccess, cconeived that it was more , advantageous to attach themselves to a missionary, who made therai live comfortably without, trouble. The most cre- dulous expected always to make a brilliant fortune, and occupy posts of eminence in the new kingdom their chief intended to estabiivsli*. The hopes and comforts of both vanished on the death of Jesus. The most pusillanimous lost courage. * It was evidently from earthly or interested xnotiveSj and not heavenlj^ that the apostles attached themselves to Christ. At the last supper there was a strife- amongst them who should be accounted the greatest, '^ The meanest^" as Bishop Parker expressed it, '''hoped at least to have been made lord mayor of Capernaum," And even at his ascension the only question his disciples asked, was, Lord^ vnlt thoit at this time restore ■aonin the kingdom of hrafl? FF 284 but the most able and subtle did not think themselves under the necessity of abandoning the party. They therefore contrived, as we have seen, the tale of the resurrection, by the aid of which both the reputation of their master and their own fortune were secured. It also appears, that these apostle never sin- "cerely believed their master was a God. The Acts incontestibly demonstrate this fact. The same Simon Peter who had recognised Jesus for the Son of the living God, declared in his first sermon, that he was man. " Ye know," says he, " that Jesus of Na- zareth was a MAN whom God hath rendered famous among you — Yet ye have crucified him — but God hath raised him up again," &c.* This passage proves most clearly, that the chief of the apostles dared not yet hazard, orwas wholly ignorant of tlie doctrine of the divinity of Jesus, which was afterwards contrived by the self-interest of the clergy, and adopted by the foolishness of Christians, whose credulity was never startled by the greatest absurdities ; and self-interest and foolishness have perpetuated this doctrine until our time. By dint of repeating the same tales for so long a period, they have succeeded in making people believe the most ridiculous fables. The religion of the children is always regulated by the fancy of their fa- thersf. *^Acts of the Apostles, ii. 22—25. f The word Trinity was first used by Theophilus, bishop of Antioch, in the year 150, to express persons, as they are called^ m the Godhead. The passage in the 1st Epistle of John, c. 5. V. 7. never appeared till tlie 2d edition of Erasmus's N. T. about 1560. The 1st edition was printed In 1514^ and the text alluded to is not in ii. . ^85 It appears, however, that the apostles of Jesus, de- prived of the counsels of their master, would not have succeeded in procurhig their doctrine to be adopted, if they had not found povs^erful succours after his death, and wisely selected for associates men niorft adroit than themselves, and better calculated for the business. They deliberated together on their com- mon interests ; it was then the Holy Ghost descended o>n them ; that is, they considered on the means of earn- ing a subsistence, gaining proselytes, and increasing the number of their adherents, in order to seciire them- selves, against the enterprises of the priests and gran- i\ees of the nation, whom the new sect might have very much displeased. The latter, little satistied with having put Jesus to death, had also the imprudence to persecute his ,adherents. They engaged Herod to destroy James the brotherof Christ; finally they caused Stephen to be stoned. These priests and doctors did r.ot perceive, that persecution is the surest method of spreading fanaticism, and that it always gives import- ance to the party persecuted. Accordingly this persecuting -spirit, inherent in the clergy, served only to make new partisans to the per- secuted sect. Bad treatment, imprisonments, and pu- nishments, always render sectaries more obstinate, and interesting objects to those who witness their suffer- ings. Tortures excite our pity in behalf of the person who endures them. Every fanatic that is punished is certain of finding credulous friends, who aid him, because they persuade themselves it is for religion he is persecuted. The persecution, instigated by the priests, also made the new Sectaries perceive, that it was of the utmost p p 2 286 importance to them to unite their interests. They, feit it necessary to avoid quatrels, and every thing which could create division ; they in consequence lived in concord and peace. - The apostles, now become heads of the sect, ne- glected not their own interests. One of the first facul- ties with which the H0I3) Ghost inspired them, was to - profit by devout souls, and engage them to place all their property in common. The apostles werç the depositaries of these' goods ; and had under their orders ministers or servants, known by the name of deacons, charged with the distribution of alms. There is every reason to believe, that these great saints did not forget themselves in these distributions. It appears also, that the law for this communion of goods, was observed with rigour, as we find, in the Acts of the Apostles, Ananias and Saphira struck dead on the prayer of St. Peter, for having had the temerity to retain a portion of their own property : — a conduct which would ap- pear as unjust as barbarous in any otfier person but an apostle of Christ. It must however be acknowledged, that the law which obliged the rich to place their [>ro- perty in common, ..was very important, not only to the apostles, but likewise for encreasing the sect and gain- ing partizans. The poor undoubtedly must have been eager to join a party, where tlie rich engaged io /aj/ the cloth for the indigent. Hence it is easy to perceive how this institution might, without a miracle, strengthen faith, and daily augment the number of the faithful. Of all the adherents the new-horn sect acquired, tnere was none superior to Saul, afterwards known by the name of St. Paul. The actions and writings as- cribed to this apostle, exliibJt him as an aKibitious, 287 active, intrepid, and opiniative man, full of entbu- siasm, and capable of inspiring otbers witb it. Engaged at first in tbe profession of a tent-maker, be afterwards attacbed himself to the service of Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, and rendered services to the priests in their persecntions against the Christians. >There is however reason to believe, that the apostles feeling the utility which a man of Saul's character might be of to the* party, profited by s-ssme disgust he had taken, in order to draw him over, to their sect; he consented, very readily conceiving that by the assistance of his talents, superior to those of his brethren, he might easily suc- ceed in placing himself at the head of a party, to which he knew, the means of rendering himself necessary. He pretended therefore that his conversion was the effect of a miracle, and that God himself had called him. He caused himself to be baptised at Damascus, joined the apostles at Jerusalem, was admitted a mem- ber of their college, and soon made them acquainted with his talents*. He betook himself to preaching Christ and his resurrection, and laboured in gaining over souls. His vehement zeal hurried him, without fear or hesitation, into quarrels with the priests, always indignant at the conduct of the apostles ; but his per- secutions rendered hi hi dearer to his party, of which be became from that time the prime mover and soul. Often maltreated and banished by the Jews, he con- jectured that it would, be beneficial not to confine him- self to them, but that conquests might likewise be made among the heathen. He no dout)tknew very well, that mankind resemble each other in all superstitions; Acts of the Apostles, c. 9. 288 that they are every where equally curious about what- ever is marvellous; susceptible of fanaticism, lovers of novelties, and easily deceived. — Paul, therefore, sometimes preached to the Jews, and sometimes, on their refusal, addressed himself to the Gentiles, among ■whom he succeeded in enlisting a considerable num- ber of recruits, * Jesus, born in the bosom of Judaism, and knowing well the attachment of his fellow-citizens to the law of Moses, had always openly declared, that he was Gome to "accomplish, and not to destroy it." His first apostles were, like himself, Jews, and frequently shewed much attachment to the rites of their religion. They took it amiss that Paul their brother would not subject the proselytes he made among the Gentiles, to Judaical usages. Filled with views more vast than those entertained by the other apostles, he did not wish to disgust his new converts with inconvenient ceremonies^ such as circumcision and abstinence from certain meats. The better to attain his ends, he thought it his duty to neglect usages, which he consi- dered as trifles, while his brethren regarded them as most essential*. Paul endeavoured to prevail on theui * The first proselytes which the apostles made among the Jews, as we have elsewhere said, were called Nazarenes or Ebionites, who believed in Jesus without forsaking the law of Moses on that account. Of consequence they regarded St. Paul as an heretic or an apostate. This fact, attested by Origin, Eusebius, and St. Epiphanius, is important in giving us a distinct idea of primitive Christianity, which we see divided into two sects almost as soon as St. Paul had em- braced it. In fact, this new apostle very soon separated himself from his brethren to preach a doctrine different from theirs, and openly undermined the Judaism which St. Peter, 289 to hear reason : and it was, on this occasion he resisted St. Peter, who did not wish that they should relax in articles important in his eyes. This altercation produced a real schism. Paul left St. James, and all the other heads of the chm-ch persisted in respecting. But as St. Paul had success among the Gen- tiles, his party prevailed; Judaism was entirely proscribed, and Christianity became quite a new rehgion, of which Judaism had been only the figure. Thus St. Paul wholly changed the religious system of Christ, who had proposed only to reform Judaism, professed the law of Moses, and declared himself to have come on purpose to accomplish, and not to abolish it. The principal apostles followed the con- duct of their master, and shewed themselves much attached to the law and usages of their fathers. St. Paul, notwith- standing their protestations, took a different course; he dis- played a contempt or indifference for the legal ordinances, to which, we however observe, he, through pohcy, sometimes subjected himself. Thvis we find he circumcised Timothy, and performed Jewish ceremonies in the temple of Jeru- salem. Not content with decrying the law of Moses, St. Paul, by his own confession, preached a gospel of his own. He sayS positively, in his epistle to the Galatians, chap. i. 11, &c. ''That the gospel which t preach is not after men," and that he had received it by a particular revelation of Jesus Christ. He speaks hkewise of his quarrels with the other heads of the sect; but Ms disciple St. Luke passes over these very slightly in the Acts, wMch are much more the Acts of Paul than the Acts of the Apostles. It appears evident, that he embroiled liimself with his brethren, the partizans of the circumcision, and founders of the Nazarenes or Ebionites, i. e. reformed Je\vs converted to Jesus. They had a gospel little confoi-mable to that of Pai.il, as they combined the la w of Christ with that of Moses. St. Irenaeus, St. Justin, St. Epiphanius, Eusebius, Theodoret, and St. Augustine, agree in telling us, that these Ebionites^ or converted Jews, re- garded JesUs as a ''mere man, son of Joseph and Mary\ 290 1)15 bsethren to preach the Judaical gpspeî or circunl- cisioij, wiiilst he preached his o^i in Asia Minor and in Greece, sometimes to the Hellenistic Jews, whom he i'ound established there, and sometimes to the idola- trous Greeks, whose languagej though unknown to the other apostles, Paul was acf^uainted with. His missiotî had a success vvhich far surpassed that of his brethren; in so m\uch that we may fairly regard Paul as the true founder of the Christian religion such as it is at this day. If we have recourse to the Acts of the Apostles, we perceive in this new preacher an activity, a warmth, a veheoience,and an enthusiasm well adapted to communicate itself. The missionaries he t'ormed, spread his doctrine to a great distance. The gospel of the apostle of the Gentiles prevailed over the gospel of the Judaiziïig apostles; and in a short time there were a great liumber of Christians in all the provinces of the Roman empire. To a miserable people, crushed by tyrants and op- pressors of ev^ery kind, the principles of the new sect had powerful attractions. Its maxims, which tended to introduce equality and a community of goods, were calculated to entice persons despised. Its promises flattered miserable fariatics, to whom y/as announced the end of a perverse v/orld, the approaching arrival -,v of Jesus, and a kingdom wherein abundance and hap- to whom they gave the name of Son of God, orJy on accourst of his virtues."* From this it is evident th-'t it was St. Paiil who deified Jesua and abolished Judaism. The Paulites^ become the strongest, prevailed over the Ebionites, or disciples of the apostles, and treated them as heretics. Hence wç see it is the religion of St. Pa-iil, an^ not that of Jesua Chri«t, which at present subsigtg. 291 piness would reign. To be admitted there, they merely required of the proselytes " to believe in Jesus Christ, and be baptized." As for the austere maxims of the Christian sect, they vvere not of a nature to disgust misérables, accustomed from their situation to suffer, and to experience the want of the conveniences of life. Its dogmas, few in the beginning, were readily adopted by ignorant men, fond of wonders, whom their own mythology disposed to receive the fables of Chris- tians :* besides, their own preachers wrought mira» * All superstitions have resemblances and affinities. The heathens perceived in their religion circumstances conformable to Christianity. They had Sibyls, oracles, and predictions. Their mythology exhibited gods dethroned, and replacing one another. There we see gods persecuted, exiled, and put to death ; an Osiris killed by Typhon, and raised again from ^ the dead ; an Apollo expelled from heaven ; an Adonis, &c. We especially find many points of conformity between Escu- lapius and Jesus Christ. The heathen god was son of ApoUo and the maid Boebias ; and, like Jesus, performed a great number of miraculous cures. He was pimished and thunder- struck by Jupiter, for having raised the dead and restored them to a better life. After his death, he too went and rejoined the god his fa; ". The fathers of the church themselves have found striking conformities between Jesus and Prometheus, who was called The wisdom of the father. He was punished by Jupiter for having saved the human race, who were on the poiht of being precipitated into Tartarus. Suidas says, that they gave Prometheus a surname, which signifies he who died for the people. He was ^jïrucified on Caucasus, and Tertullian speaks of crosses found there. His blood produced a plant, which rendered invvdnerable. See ^'the treatise of M. de Rondel, intitled De la superstition (on superstition), Amsterdam 1686, 18mo. p. 115—118. This author also observée, that Q Q t9% clés, which did not permit them to doubt those said to have bpen performed by Jesus. . There is, thereforej, reasoi) to presume, that differenit missionaries, in emu= lation of one another, took care to compose romances, or histories of Christ, wherein they related a great number of prodigies calculated to make their hero bis revered, and to interest the veneration of the faithful. In this manner the different collections, known by the name of Gospel, seem to have been framed, wherein, along with very simple facts which might have really occurred, we find many relations that appear credible only to enthusiasts and fools. These histories, com- posed by different hands, on traditions little uniform, and by authors of very different characters, are not much in harmony ; hence the want of conformity in the relations of our evangelists, which has been fre- quently noticed in the course of this work. There was, a^ vs^e have elsewhere remarked, a^vast number the heathens had some ideas of the Trinity, The same god was styled Jupiter in heaven. Mercury on earthy and Pluto in heU. See p. 106. Mercury is called Herrnes in Greece, which signifies interpreter ; this god and son of Jupiter is often called the word interpreted. The mystery of the Tri- nity is owing to Plato, who of the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, made three hypostases, that is, personified these divine attributes. See Platonisme dévoile, by Souverain, a Sociniajï, 8vo. 1700, p. 65. In fact, we know that the heathens admitted a heU or Tartarus, a last judgment, genii, angels, demons ; metamor- phoses or incarnations, and a thousand fables, analogous to those of Cliristians. Several of'- their philosophers have bei- lieved in the end of the world ; and that doctrine, according t« Lactantiu% wonderfully favoured the preachers of the gospeL â93' of gospels in the first ages of the church ;* and out of these the council of Nice chose only four, to which they gave the divine sanction. We shail not here examine whether these gopels really belong to the authors to whom they are ascribed. The opinion which attributes them to their putative writers, might have been founded at first oii some tra- dition, true or false, which existed in the time of the council of Nice, or which the fathers of that council had an interest in sanctioning. We shall only remark, that it is difficult to persuade ourselves, without faith, that the gospel of St. John especially, filled with Pla- tonic notions, could be composed by the son of Zebe- dee; by a poor fisherman, who, perhaps, incapable of writing, and even reading, could not be acquainted with the philosophy of Plato. f Whatever opinion may be^formed as to this, we find the mystical and marvellous philosophy of Plato intro- duced very early into Christianity, which agreed in * See Appendix for a list of these gospela. t From the infancy of Christianity there have been peo- ple, who have denied the authenticity of the gospels. Mar- tias accused them of being filled with falsehoods. The Aloges and Theodoti^ns rejected the gospel according to St. John, which they regarded as a tissue of lies. See Tillimont Memou-s, tome 2. p. 256. St. Epiph. Haeresis. 51. Tilli- mont. t. 2. p. 438. St. Augustin in his Confessions, 1. 7. c. 9. says, that he had found in the Platonists the whole beginning of the gospel of St. John. Origen (contra Celsum) informs us, that this heathen reproached Christ with having taken ' from Plato the finest maxims, which the gospel attributes to him, and among others the one which says, that " it is more easy for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to be saved."— i. €, 294 several respects with the tenets held by the followers of that eminent philosopher; while, on the other hand, his perplexed philosophy mast also have easily amal- gamated with the principles of the Christian sect. This analogy introduced into the religion of Christians the notions of SpinUxality^ Trinity, and the Logos, or Word, besides a multitude of magical and theurgical ceremonies, which, in the hands of the priests of Chris- tianity, have become mysteries, or sacraments. On reading Porphyry, Jamblichus, and particularly Ploti- nus, we are surprised to hear them speaking so fre- quently in the same style as our theologists. These marks of resemblance drew several Platonists over to the faith, who figured among the doctors of the church. Of this number were St. Clement of Alexandria, St. Jreneus, St. Justin Martyr, Origen, &c. Platonism may indeed be regarded as the source of the principal dogmas and mysteries of the Christian religion.* * Tliose who doubt the truth of this assertion, have only to read the works of the disciples of Plato, -who were aU superstitious persons and Theurgists, whose ideas are sufficiently analogous to those of Christians. We find indeed these writings filled with receipts to make the gods and good genii descend, and to drive away the bad, &c. See particularly Platonisme dévoile. Tertullian reproaches the heretics of his time mth having wandered astray in order to introduce Platonism, Stoicism, and Dialectics into Christianity. Viderint qui Stoicum et Platonicum, et Dialecticum Chridianismum protulerunt. TertuT de praescription. adv. haeres. c. 3. It was evidently the mixture of the unintelli- gible doctrine of Plato, -ndth the Dialectics of Aristotle, which rendered theology so senseless, disputable, and fraught with subtilties. The cardinal PaUaAacini acknow- ledges, that " without Aristotle the Christians woidd have wanted a great number of articles c£ faith." 2% The austere and fanatical lives of Christians must ' also have favourably disppsed a great number of Stoics in behalf of the sect, who were accustomed to make a merit of despising objects desirable to other men, de- priviuiï themselves of the comforts of life, and braving affliction and death. We accordingly find a great number of enthusiasts tinctured with these maxims in the Ciiristian religion. This fanatical way of thinking was very necessary to the first Christians, in the midst of the crosses and persecutions which they suffered at first on the part of the Jews, and thereafter on the part of the emperors and grandees, incited by the hea- then priests. The latter, according to the custom of the priesthood in all countries, made a very cruel war on a sect who attacked their gods, and menaced their temples with a general desertion. The universe was weary of the impostures and exactions of these priests, their costly sacrifices, and lying oracles. Their kna- veries had been frequently unveiled, and the new sect tendered to mankind a worship less expensive, and which, without being addressed so much to the eyes as the worship of idols, was better adapted than the other to set the imagination at work, and excite en- thusiasm. Christianity was moreover flattering and consolatory to the wretched ; it placed all men on the same level ; humbled the rich, and was announced as destined for the poor through preference. Among the Romans, slaves were in some measure excluded from religion ; and it might have been said, that the gods did not con- cern themselves with the homage of these degraded beings. The poor, besides, had not wherewith to satisfy the rapacity of Pagan priests, who, like ours. 296 did nothing without money. Thus slaves and persons in misery must have bi-'eu strongly attached to a sys- tem, accordiTig to which all men are equai va f.ie eyes of the Divinity, and that the wretched have better right to the favours of a suffering and contemned God, than persons temporally happy. The priests of Paganism therefore became uneasy at the rapid progress of the sect. The government was alarmed at the clandestine assemblies which' the Christians held. They were believed to be the ene- mies of the emperors, because they continually refused to offer sacrifices to the gods of the country for their prosperity. Even the people, ever zealous, believed them enemies of their gods, because they would not join in their worship. They treated the Christians as Atheists and impious persons, because they did not conceive what could be the invisible objects of their adoration ; and because they took offence at the mys- teries, which they saw them celebrating in the greatest secrecy*. The Christians, thus loaded with the pub- lic hatred, very soon became Us victims ; they were * We may , see from the apologies of St Justin, Tatian, Athenagoras, Tertullian,- and Amobius, that the most abo- minable crimes were imputed to the first Christians, such as eating Httle children, being irreligious and sacrilegious, com- mitting incontinences and incest in their nocturnal assemblies. It was pretended that they fastened a dog to a candlestick^ and when by means of this the light was extingviished, the sexes coupled promiscuously. These opinions, spread abroad among the people, irritated them against the Christians, whom they regarded as the cause of the wrath of the gods, and of the pubhc calamities. We accordingly see that, even under the mildest emperors, the popular fiiry kindled per- secutions. persecuted : and persecution, as it always happens, rendered t h p m moreopiniative. Enthusiasm more and more enflamed their souls; they made it h «^iory to resist the efforts of tyrants; they even went so far as to brave their punishments, and concluded with be- lieving, that the greatest happiness was to perish under their severities. In this they flattered themselves with resembling the Son o! God, and were persuaded, that by dying for his cause, they were certain of reigning with him in heaven. In consequence of these fanatical ideas, so flattering to vanity, martyrdom became an object of ambition to many C^lristians. Independent of the heavenly re- wards, which they believed assured to those who suffer- ed with constancy, a,nd perished for religion, they saw them esteemed, revered, and carefully attended to, during their lives, while honours, almost divine, were decreed them after death. On the contrary, those of the Christian community, who had the weakness ta shrink from tortures, and renounce their religion, were scoffed at, despised, and regarded as infamous. So iriany motives combined, contributed to warn the ima- ginations of the faithful, already sufficiently agitated by notions of the approaching end of the world, the coming of Jesus, his happy reign, and impressed with the fanatical notions which glut the writings of the Christians. They submitted cheerfully to punish- ments, and gloried in their chains : they courted martyrdom as a favour, and often, through a blind zeal, provoked the Tage of their persecutors. The magistrates by their proscriptions and tortures, caused the enthusiasm of the Christians to kindle more and nacre. Their courage was besides supported by the S98 heads of their sect, who constantly displayed the hea- vens opening to the heroes who consented to suffer and perish for their cause, which they took care to make the poor fanatics regard as the cause of God himself. A martyr, at all times, is merely the victim of the en- thusiastic or knavish priest who has been able to se- duce him.* Men are always disgusted with those who use vio- lence; they conjecture that they are wrong, and that those against whom they commit violence have reason on their side. Persecution will ever make partisans to the cause persecuted : and those to which we allude, tended the more to confirm Christians in their religion. The spectators of their sufferings were interested for them. They were curious to know the principles of a sect which drew on itself such cruel treatment, and infused into its adherents a courage believed to be su- pernatural. They imagined that such a religion could be the work of a God only ; its partisans appeared ex- traordinary men, and their enthusiasm became conta- gious. Violence served only to spread it the more, and, according to the language of a Christian doctor, •* the blood of the martyrs became the seed of the church." * Martyr in (îréek signifies witness. But, with the ex- ception of the apostleSj (whose actions have been transmit- ted to us only by the forgers of legends), what kind of tes- timony could men, who had never seen Jesus, bear Mm, and Tfho could know him only from the stories told them by preachers, who had what they themselves knew of him only by a very suspicious tradition ? A martyr is in general only a fool, duped by another fool, who was the dupe of a knave, whose object was to establidi a sect, and who hiixiself frequently was punished for his projects ! ! 299 The clergy would fain make the propagation of Christianity pass for an evident miracle of divine om- nipotence ; while it was owing solely to natural causes, inherent in the human mind, the property ot which it is to adhere strenuously to its own way of thinking; harden itself against violence ; applaud itself for its pertinacity ; admire courage in others ; feel an interest for those who display it; and suffer itself to be gained by their enthusiasm. A little reflection will show that the obstinacy of the martyrs, far from being a sign of the divine protection, or of the goodness of their cause, can be regarded only as the effect of blindness, occa- isioned by the reiterated lessons of their fanatical or deceitful priests.* What conduct more extravagant * The learned H. Dodwell has written two copious dis- sertations on the martyrs : the one to proye that they were »ot so numerous as is commonly imagined ; and the other to demonstrate that their constancy can be ascribed only to very nat\iral causes. Dodwell's Dissertationes Cypri- ariicse, in 8vo, Osonis, 1684. It cannot be denied, that the frenzy of martyrdom was an epidemical disease among the fiarst Christians, to which their spiritual physicians were obliged to apply remedies, as these wretched beings v/ere guilty of suicide. Many of the primitive Christians, instead of Jlying as the go^el directs, not only ran voluntarily to esecvition, but provoked their judges to do them that favor. Under Trajan, all the Christians in a city of Asia came in a body to the proconsul, and offered themselves to the slaughter, which made him cry, " O ! ye unhappy people, if ye have a mind to die, have ye not halters and precipices enough to end your lives, but ye must come here for executioners." Tertid. ad Scap. c. 5. p. 11. Fleury's Manners of the Christians, &c. This was a general practice under the Antonini. Marcus Antoninus severely reflected on the obstinacy of the Chris- it K soo than that of a sovereign, who, able and without effu- sion of blood to extend his power, should prefer to do it by the massacre of the most faithful of his subjects? Is it not annihilating the divine wisdom and goodness to assert, that a God, to whom every thing is pos- sible, among so many ways which he may have had to establish his religion, will venture upon that of making its dearest friends victims to the fury of its cruellest enemies? Such are the notions which Christianity presents; and it is easy to perceive that they are the necessary.consequences of a fundamental absurdity, on which that religion is established. It maintains, that a just. God did not wish to chuse any other way to redeem guilty men, than that of making tians in thus ninnmg headlong to death j and St. Cyprian laboured hard to comfort those who were so ixnhappy as to escape the crown of martyrdom. The enemies of Julian the apostate even admit that the Christians of his time did every thing they could to provoke that emperor to put them to death. Dr. Hickes, a celebrated protestant divine, goes so far as to say that the Christians " were not illegally perse- cuted by Juhan."— -See his Answer to Juhan, c. ii. &c. After aU, it will be found that every violent passion has its martyrs. Pride, vanity, prejudice, love, patriotism, and even vice itself, produces martyrs ^ or at least a contempt of every kind of danger. Is it then surprising that enthusiasm and fanaticism, the strongest passions of mankind, have so often enabled men, insph-ed with the hopes they give, to face, and despise death .'' Besides, if Christians can boast a cata- logue of martyrs, Jews can do the same. The unfortimate Jews, condemned to the flames by the inquisition, were - martyrs to their religion; and their fortitude proves as much in their favour as that of the Christians can do in favour of Christianity. If martyrs demonstrate the truth of a reMgion or sect, where are we to look for thç true one .'' — Boulanger. Volneys Ruins of Empires, S^c. 301 his dear innocent son be put to death. According to such principles, it can excite uo surprise that so un- reasonable a God should wish to convert the heathen, his enemies, by the murder of Christians, his children. Though these absurdities, are believed, such- as do not possess the holy blindness of faith cannot comprehend why the Son of God, having already shed his blood for the redemption of men, was not a sufficient sacrifice? and why, to effect the conversion of the Vv^orld, there was still a necessity for the blood of an immense num- ber of martyrs, whose merits must have been undoubt- edly much less than those of Jesus..^ To resolve these diflÉiculties, theologians refer us to the eternal decrees, the wisdom of which we are not permitted to criticise* This is sending us far back indeed ; yet notwithstand- ing the solidity of the answer, the incredulous persist in saying that their limited understandings can neither find justice, nor wisdom, nor goodness, in eternal de- crees which could in such a manner effect the salva- tion of the human race.' Persecutions were not the only means which served to propagate the religion of christians. The preachers, zealous for the salvation of souls, or rather desirous, to extend their own power over the minds of men, and strengthen their party, inherited from the Jews the passion of making proselytes*. This passion suited * The mîssions have for theh* particular object to extend the power of the clergy. The church sends enthusiasts or knaves to the extremities of the earth to beat- up for subjects. The missionaries there transact their business vastly well,^ and open to themselves new branches of commerce, while they act with prudence. The inscdence and imprudence of tke Jesuits have occasio»\ed the proscription of the Christian S02 presumptuous fanatics, who were persuaded, that they alone possessed exclusively the divine favour : it was unknown to the heathens, who were accustomed to suf- fer every one peaceably to adore his gods, providing that his worship did not disturb the public tranquil- lity. Prompted by zeal, the Christian missionaries, not- withstanding persecutions and dangers, spread them- selves, with an ardour unparalleled, wherever they could penetrate, in order to convert idolaters, and bring back strayed sheep to the fold of Jesus. This activity naturally merited the recompence of very great success Men, whom their idolatrous priests neglected, were flattered with seeing themselves courted, and becoming the object of the disinterested cares of personages, who through pure tenderness for them came from afar, and through the greatest perils, to bring them consolation. In consequence of these dispositions, they listened favourably to them ; they showed kind- ness to men so obliging, and were enchanted with their doctrine and relations. Many adopted their lessons, placed themselves under their guidance, and found reli^on in Japan, Cliina, &c. Our missionaries are every- where well received in the beginning, and in general sirffer martyrdom only when their real designs are discovered. Kambi, emperor of China, asked the Jesuit missionaries at Pekin v/hat they would say if he would send missionaries to their nation ? The revolts excited by the Jesuits in Japan and Ethiopia are well known. A holy missionary has beai heard to say, that without muskets, missionaries could never make proselytes. It remains to be seen whether the pro^ posed missions to Hiedostan under the sanction of the British government will find it necessary to employ these carnal weapons. 303 that their God and dogmas were superior to those which had preceded them. Thus by degrees and without a miracle, Christianity planted colonies, more or less considerable, in every part of the Roman empire. They were directed, and governed by inspectors, overseers, or bishops* who, in spite of the dangers with which they were menaced, laboured obstinately, and without intermission, in augmenting the number of their disciples, that is, of slaves devoted to their holy wills. Empire over opi- nions was always the most unbounded. As nothing has greater power over the minds of the vulgar than religion. Christians every where displayed an unli- mited submission to their spiritual sovereigns, on whose laws they persuaded themselves that their eternal hap- piness depended. Thus our missionaries, converted into bishops, exercised, with consent of their disci- ples, a spiritual magistracy and sacred jurisdiction which, in the end, placed them not only above other priests, but also made them respected by, and neces- * Fleury informs us that in the early periods of Chris- tianity " all the clergy, even to the bishops, lived after a poor, at least a plain and ordinary manner." St. Jerome highly disapproved the distinctions of bishops and priests, or citâtes. He asserted that, according to St. Paul, they were the same thing, " till by the instigation of the devil there were desti- nations in religion." At this day bishops, who do nothing, enjoy great revenues, whUe innumerable curates who labour are dying for hunger ; and while lazy priests, those blood- suckers of society, thus wallow in an abundance shameful to the states by whom they are tolerated, the man of talents, the man of science, and the brave soldier are suffered to languish iu indigence^ and scarcely exist on the mere necessaries of life. 301 sary to, the temporal power. Princes have ahvaj^s employed religion and its ministers with success in crushing the people, and keeping them under the yoke. Impostures and delusions are of no use to so- vereigns who govern, but they are very useful to thos^ who tyrannize.* * See Appendix, No. III. 305 CHAPTER XVII ACCOUNT OF CHRISTIANITY FROM COKSTANTINK TO THE PRESENT TIME. AT the end of the three centuries, we find Chris- tianity, advanced by all those means, become a for- midable party in the Roman empire. The sovereign power acknowledged the impossibility of stifling it ; and Christians, scattered in great numbers through all the provinces, formed an imposing combination.* Ambitious chiefs incessantly wrested from one another the right of reigning over the wrecks of an enslaved republic: each sought to increase his own strength, and acquire an advantage over his rivals. It was in these circumstances that Constaiitine, to strengthen himself first against Maxentius, and thereafter against Licinius, thought it his interest, by a stroke of policy, to draw over all the Christians to his party. For this purpose he openly favoured them, and thereby rein- forced his army with all the soldiers of that numerous sect. In gratitude for the advantages they procured hicn, he concluded with embracing their religion, now * We are, said Tertullian, but of yesterday, and yet the world is filled with us^ — yovir cities, your houses, your gar- risons, your villages, your colonies, your very camps, your tribes, your palaces, yovu: senate, your courts of justice. — Apol. c. 27. 306 become so powerful. He honoured, distinguished and enriched the Christian bishops, well assured of attaching them to himself , by his liberality to their pastors, and the favour he shewed them. Aided by their succours, he flattered himself with the disposal of the flock.* By this political revolution, so favourable to the clergy, the bashful chiefs of the Christians, who hitherto had reigned only in secret and without eclat, sprung out of the dust, and became men of import- ance. Seconded by a very despotical emperor, whose interests were linked with theirs, they very soon em- ployed their credit to avenge their injuries, and return to their enemies, with usury, the evils which they had received. The unexpected change in the fortune of the Christians made them soon foi^-get the mild and tolerating maxims of their legislator. They conceived, that these maxims, made for wretches destitute of power, could no longer suit men supported by sove- reigns ; they attacked the temples and gods of pa- ganism ; their worshippers were excluded from places of trust, and the master lavished his favours on those only who consented to think like him, and justify his change by imitating it.f Thus, without any miracle. * It is evident that Constantino, notwithstanding the eulogiums the Christians have bestowed on him, was an abo- minable prince, stained with the murder of his wife, his son, and his colleague. He sought in vain for expiation in the heathen religion, but found it only in the Christian. If he was really a Christian, his example will serve, like many others, to prove, that a person nsjay be at once very devout and very wicked. + It is well established, that Constantine, his children. 307 the court became Christian, or at least feigned to be so, and the descendants of hypocritical courtiers were Christians in reality.* Even before the time of Constantine, Christianity had been rent by disputes, heresies, schisms, and ani- mosities between the Christian chiefs.f The adhe- rents of the different doctors had reviled, anathema- tised, and maltreated each other without their quarrels making a noise in the world. The subtil^ies of Gre- cian metaphysics, introduced into the Christian reli- gion, had hatched an infinity of disputes, which had not hitherto been attended with any remarkable con- sequences. AH these quarrels burst forth in the reign of Constantine. The bishops and champions of dif- ferent parties caballed to draw over the emperor to their side, and thus aid them in crushing their adver- saries. At the same time a very considerable party of Christians, under the banner of the priest Arius, and especially Theodosius, used unheard-of violences in order to annihilate paganism. To be convinced of this, we have only to read the Theodosian code, xvi. tit. x. de Paganis, Sacrificiis, et Templis. ^ * "lis true, says Flemy, the barbarians vs^ere converted ; the Francs turned Christians ; and the Goths and Lombards became good Catholics ; but they remained barbarians still. t St. Epiphany, who wrote in the fourth century of \he Christian- aera, informs us, that in his time th^re were already fourscore heresies or Sects, into which Christians were di- vided. St. IrenjEus, who fived in the second century, had, before liim, akeady refuted a great number.' Since then, we have beheld heresies multiplying in the chiu-ch without end ; but this is not surprising : — in works so contradictory, so obscure, and so absurd, as those of which the Bible is composed, every one may find whatever he is in want of to prop up systems the most opposite and extravagant. S s 308 denied the divinity of Jesus. Too little versed in ike principles of the religioh that party had embraced, but wishing to decide the question, the emperor re- ferred it to the judgment of the bishops. He con- vened them in the city of Nice, and the plurality of suffrages regulated definitively the symbol of faith. Jesus became a God comuhstantial with his Father; the Holy Ghost was likewise a God proceeding from the two others ; finally, these three Gods combined, made only one God. Tumultuous clamours made this unintelligible deci- sion pass, and converted it into a sacred dogma, not- withstanding the reclamations of opponents, who were silenced by treating them as blasphemers and heretics. The priests who had the strongest lungs, declared themselves orthodox. The emperor, little acquainted \7ith the ground of the quarrel, ranged himself for the time on their side, and quitted it afterwards, ac- cording as he thought proper to lend an ear sometimes to the bishops of one party, and sometimes to those of another. The history of the church informs us, that Constantine, whom we here see adhering to the deci- sion of the council of Nice, made the orthodox and the heretics alternately experience his severities. Nevertheless, after many years, and even ages of disputes, the bishops of Christendom have agreed in regarding Jesus as a true God. They felt in the end that it was important for them to have a God for their founder — a tenet which could not fail to render their own authority more respected. They maintained, that this authority was derived from the apostles, who held theirs directly from Christ, that is, from God himself. It would now-a-days be criminal to desubt the truth of 809 this opinion, though many Christians are not yet con- vinced of it, and venture to appeal to the decision of the universal church.* The bishops assembled at Nice, decided also, as we have elsewhere related,, on the authenticity of the gos- pels and books ordained] to serve for a rule to Chris- tians. It is then to these doctors, as has been already remarked, that Christians owe their faith, which how- ever was afterwards frequently shaken by disputes,, heresies, and wars, and even by assemblies of bishops, who often annulled what other assemblies of bishops had decreed in the most solemn manner. To reckon from Constantine to our time, the interest of the heads of the church dictated every decree, and formed the rule, by which dogmas were established, often wholly unknown to the founders of their religion. The uni- verse became the arena of the passions, disputes, in- trigues, and cruelties of these holy gladiators, who * Except the EngUsh, all Protestant CHristians reject Episco- pacy, and regard it as an usurped power. Among the Cathohcs, the Jansenists think the same, which is the ti\ie cause of the enmity the Pope and bishops display against them. It appears St. Jerome was, on this point, of the opinion of the Jansenists. Yet we see St. Paul at first much occupied in advancing the Episcopal dignity. St. Ignatius of -Antioch, disciple of tlie apostles, insinuates in his epistles, the high opinion wMch the Christians ought to have of a bishop ; and the very antient author of the Apostolic Constitutions, 1. 1. c. 2, openly declares, that a bishop is a god on earth, destined to rule over all men; priests^ Icings, and magisi7'aies,. Though these Constitutions are reputed Apocryphal, the bishops have conformed their conduct to them more than to the canonical gospel, wherein Jesus, far from as- signing prerogatives to bishops, declares, that in his kingdom there will be neither Jirst nor last. 310 treated each other with the utmost barbarity. Tern* poral sovereigns, united in interest with spiritual chiefs, or blinded by them, thought themselves at all times obliged to partake of their fury. Princes seemed to hold the sword for the sole purpose of cutting the throats of victims pointed out by the priests, who influenced their minds. These blinded princes be- lieved they served God, or laboured for the welfare of their kingdoms, by espousing all the passions of the priests, who were become the most arrogant, the most vindictive, the most covetous, and the most flagitious of men.* We shall not enter into a detail of all the quarrels which the Christian religion has produced. f We shall merely observe, that they were continual, and have been frequently attended with consequences so deplor- able, that nations have had reason more than a hundred times every century, to regret the peaceful paganism, and tolerating idolatry of their ancestors. The gos- pel, or the glad tidings, constantly gave èhe signal for the commission-of crimes. The cross was the ban- ner UNDER WHICH MADMEiV ASSEMBLED TO GLUT THE EARTH WITH BLOOD. The will of Heavcu was understood by nobody ; and the clergy disputed without end on the manner of explaining oracles, \vhich the Deity had himself come to reveal to mortals. It was * See Appendix IV. ■f" Their àis|)utes were endless, and from disputing they often fell into quarrels and seditions. The clergy and monks who were the most zealous, broke forth into the greatest heats, and when the monks, above all others, espoused the quarrel, there were no methods too lawless or violent for thtm. Fkury, 311 always indispensable to take a side in the most unintel- ligible quarrels: neutrality was regarded as impiety. The party for which the prince declared, was always orthodox, and on that account believed it had a right to exterminate all others ; the orthodox in the church were those who had the power to exile, imprison, and destroy their adversaries.* The bishops, whom the puissance of an emperor had raised from the dust, soon became rebellious sub- jects ; and, under pretence of maintaining their spi- ritual power, laboured to be independent of the sove«» reign, and even the laws of society. They maintained that princes themselves, being subjects of Christ,, ought to be subjected to the jurisdiction of his re- presentatives on earth. Thus the pretended suc- cessors of some fishermen of Judea, to whom Con- stantine had stretched forth his hand, arrogpted to themselves the right of reigning over kings ; and in this way the kingdom of heaven served to conquer the kingdoms of the earth. Hitherto the Christian sect, spread throughout the empire, had been governed by bishops or chiefs inde- pendent of each other, and perfectly equal as to ju- risdictiom This made the church an aristocratical republic; but its government soon became monarchial, and even despotical. The respect which was always * Lucifer Calaritanus, then a most orthodox bishop, îr several discourses addressed to the son of Constantine, did not scruple to tell the emperor liimself that It ^ras the duty of the orthodox to kill Constantius on account of his Arianism, which he called Idolatry; and for this he quoted Deut. xiii. 6. and I Maccab. i. 43, to v. g9 of c. ii. Sse Johnson's Answer to Hick's Constant, p. *6, &c. 312 entertained for Rome, the capital of the world, seemed to give a kind of superiority to the bishop or spiritual head of the Christians established there,* His bre- thren, therefore, frequently shewed a deference to him, and occasionally consulted him. Nothing more was wanting to the ambition of the bishops of Rome, or to advance the right they arrogated of judging their brethren, and incite them to declare themselves the monarchs of the Christian church. A very apocryphal tradition had made St. Peter travel to Rome, and had also made this chief of the apostles establish his see in that city. The Roman bishop therefore pretended to have succeeded to the rights of Simon Peter, to whom Jesus in the gospel had entrusted more particu- larly the care of feeding his sheep. He accordingly assumed the pompous title of successor of St. Peter, universal bishop, and vicar of Jesus Clirist.t It is * Several authors have deiiied, and with much reason, that St. Peter ever set a foot in Rome. In the Acts of the Apos- Ûes no mention is made of this jom-ney, unless we suppose that Luke has omitted to speak of St. Peter, Tvho was a Na- zarine or Ebionite, for the purpose of attributmg to St. Paul his master the conversion of the capital. See what has been said before of the squabbles of St. Paid with the Judaismg apostles. If St. Peter had been at Rome, his gospel would have been forced to yield to that of the apostle of the gentUés, more accommodating to the heathens, as it dispensed with circumcision. It may therefore be presiuned that St. Paul was the first pope. — Hist, des Papes, tome 1. Lettres et Monumens des Peres ApostoHques, par Abraham Ruchat, in 8vo, Leyde, 1738. Fr. Spanheim filii dessertat. iv. Ludg. Batav. 1679. + Besides, it was at Rome the most opulent Christian resided. Thç Romish church gave large charities to th« SIS true, these titles were often contested with him by the oriental bishops, too proud to bow willingly under the yoke of their brother ; but by degrees, through dint of artifices, intrigues, and frequently violences, those ■who enjoyed the see of Rome, ever prosecuting their project with ardour, succeeded in getting themselves acknowledged in the west as the heads of the Christian church ;* Pliant and submissive at first to sovereigns, whose power they dreaded, they soon mounted on their shoul- ders ; and trampled them under their feet, when they saw themselves certain of their power over the minds of devotees, rendered frantic by superstition. Then indeed they threw off the mask, gave to nations the signal of revolt, incited Christians to their mutual de»« struction, and precipitated kings from their thrones. To support their pride, they shed oceans of blood ; they made weak princes the vile sport of their pas- sion, sometimes their victims and sometimes their executioners. Sovereigns, become their vassals, exe- cuted with fear and trembling the decrees Heaven pronounced against the enemies of the holy see, which had created itself the arbiter of faith. In fact, these f^thiul in the provinces ; its bishop was the richest, and even in the time of the pagans, the Roman see was the object of ambition and contests of the priests, who wrangled among them- selves for the flock of Jesus. * To such a pitch of grandeur had the clerical character reached about this period, that " the emperor Maximus caused St. Martin with one of his priests to eat at the same table with him, aad the empress his wife served them with her own hands."— Fleury, p. 293, 314 Inhuman pontiffs immolated to their God a thousand times more human victims than paganism had sacri- ficed to all its divinities. After having succeeded in subduing the bishops, the head of the church, with a view to establish and pre- serve his empire over the people, inundated the states of the princes attached to the sect, with a multitude of subaltern priests and monks, who acted as his spies, his emissaries, and the organs which he employed in making» known his will at a distance, and serving his ambition. Thus nations were deluged with men use- less or dangerous. Some, under pretext of attaining Christian perfection, astonished the vulgar with a kind of frantic life, denied themselves the common plea- sures of existence, renounced the world, and languished in the recesses of a cloister, awaiting the death which their disagreeable life must have rendered desirable. They imagined to please God by occupying them- seles solely with prayers, sterile and extravagant meditations, and rendering themselves the victims of a destructive fanaticism. These fools^ whom Chris- tianity esteems, may be considered as the victims and martyrs of the higher clergy, who take care never to imitate them.* * Chiistianity condemns suicide f yet we admire, as mo- dels of perfection, and as personages endo-v^ed with super- natural grace, men and women, who, by penitence and sense- less austerities, evidently abridge their days. It is asserted, that the religious of La Trappe ended their lives in a few yearSj dying of phthysis. Is it then more criminal in one to kill himself at once, than to labour ten years at his ow» destructidn? If mankind were more consistent, they would perceive, that it i» very ridiculous to condemn a suicide, aad Si 5 Few people, however, felt themselves inclined lo tispire to this sublime perfection. Most of the moTiks^, more indulgent' to thenriselves, were content with re- nouncing the world, vegetating in solitude, languish- ing in an abundant ^loth, and living in -absolute idle- ness, at the expence of nations who toil. If some among tlieni were devoted to study, they employed themselves only with the vain subtilties of an unintel- ligible theology, calculated to incite disturbances in society, and foment discord. Others more active spread themselves over the globe : and, under pretence of preaching the gospel, preached up themselves, the interests of the clergy, and especially the submissioa due fo the Roman pontiff, who was always their true sovereign. These emissaries indeed never had any other country than the church, any other master than its head, or any other interest than that of disturbing the state, in order to advance the divine rights of the clergy. Faithful in following the example of Jesus, they brought the sword , sovired discord, and kindled wars, seditions, persecutions, and crusades. They sounded the tocsin of revolt against princes who were disagreeable or rebellious to the haughty tyrant of the church ; they frequently employed the sacrificing knife of fanaticism, and plunged it in the hearts of -kings ; and, to make the cause of God prosper, they justified the niost horrible crimes, and threw the whole earth into consternation. Such, especially in latter times, were the maxims and conduct of an order of monks, who, pretending drag his carcase into the street, while they regard a frantic uioiik, or an enthusiastic wench, as saints agreeable to God. 1 r 316 to walk il) the footsteps of Jesus, assumed the nam€of his Society. Solely and blindly devoted to the interests of the Roman pontiff, they seemed to have come into the world for the purpose of bringing the universe un- der his chains. They corrupted the youth, the educa- tion of whom they wished exclusively to engross ; they strove to restore barbarism, .knowing well that want of knowledge is the greatest prop of superstition ; they ex- tolled ignorance and blind submission ; they depraved the manners, and in their stead substituted vain usages and superstitions, compatible, with every vice, and cal- culated to suppress the remorse which crime might produce. They preached up slavery and unbounded submission to princes, who themselves were their slaves, and who consented to become the instruments of their vengeance. They preached rebellion and re- gicide against the princes who refused to bend under, the odious yoke of the successor of St. Peter, whom they had the effrontery to declare infaUihle, and whose decisions they preferred far above those of the univer- sal church. By their assistance the pope became not only the despot, but even the true God of the Christians. There were persons, however, who ventured to protest against the violences, extortions, and usurpa- tions of this spiritual tyrant. There were sovereigns, Vi^ho, to defend their own rights, ventured to struggle with him ; but, in times of ignorance, the contest was always unequal between the temporal and spiritual power of opinion. At last, preachers, discontented with the Roman pontiff, opened the eyes of many; they preached reformation, and destroyed some abuses and dogmas which appeared to them the most dis- gusting. Some princes seized this opportunity to 317 break the chains wherewith they had been so long op- pressed. Without renouncing Christianity, which they always regarded as a religion wholly divine, they renounced Romish Ciiristiariity, which they considered as a superstition corrupted through the avarice, in- terest, and passions of the clergy. Content with lop- ping off in this planner some branches of a poisoned tree, which its bitter fruits should have discovered, our reformers did not perceive, that even the princi- ples of a religion, founded on fanaticism and impos- ture, must of necessity always produce fanatics and knaves. They did not observe, that an exclusive re- ligion, which pretends to enjoy alone the approbation of the Most High, must be from its essence arrogant and proud, and become at last tyrannical, intolerant, and sanguinary. They did not perceive, that the mania of proselytism, the pretended zeal for the sal- vation of souls, and passion of the priests for dominion over consciences, must, sooner or later, create devas- tation. Christianity reformed, pretending to resemble the pure Christianity of the first days of the church, produced fiery preachers, persons illuminated, and public incendiaries, who, under pretence of establish- ing the kingdom of Christy excited troubles, massacres, revolts, and endless disorders. Christian princes of every sect, thought themselves obliged to support the decisions of their doctors. They regarded as infallible, opinions which they themselves had adopted ; they en- forced them by fire and sword ; and were every where in confederacy with their priests to make war on all who did not think like them.* * The protestants have persecuted, as well as the Romish clergy. Calvin caused Servetus to bé burnt at Geneva, while ' 318 We see, especially, the intolerant and persecuting spirit reignisig in countries which continue subject to the Roman pontitF. It was there, that priests, nurtur- ed in the maxims of a spiritual despotism, dared with most insolence to tyrans-ize over minds. They had the effrontery to maintain, that the prince could not, with- out impiety, dispense with entering into their quarrels^ sharing their frenzy, and shedding the blood of their enemies. Contrary to the express orders of Christ, the emissaries of the vicar of Jesus preached openly in his name persecution, revenge, hatred, and mas- sacre.* Their clamours imposed on sovereigns; and the least credulous trembled at sight of their power, which they dared not curb. A superstitious and cow- ardly policy made them believe, that it was the interest of the throne to unite itself for ever with these inhuman and boisterous madmen. Thus princes, submissive to the clergy, and making common cause with them, be- came t!ie ministers of th ir vengeance, and the execu- tors of their will. These blind princes were obliged to p/upport a power the rival of their own, but they did not perceive, that they injured their own authority by de- they burned Calvinists at Paris. Th6 Anabaptists commit- ted unheard-of excesses in Germany. The Engliih liturgy made Charles I. lose his head, who wanted to introduce it into Scotland. In Holland the Gomarists warmly persecuted the Arminians. ; * The gospel contradicts itself incessantly : It blows hot and cold on the article of toleration;, which is very convenient for theo- logians, v^hatever side they take. When their party is the weakest^ they rest on passages which .ecommend mildness; but so soon as that party get the upperhand, they are then authorised by other passages to crush their adversaries. 319 livering up their subjects to the tyranny and extor- tions of a swarm of men, whose interest it was to plunge them into ignorance, incite their fanaticism, make themselves masters of their minds, domineer over their consciences, and, in short, make them fit instruments to serve their pride, avarice, revenge, and obstinacy. By this worthless policy, in the states most submissive to the spiritual dominion of the Roman pontiff, the liberty of thinking was proscribed with fury, activity was. repressed, science was punished, and industry crushed by the rapacity of the clergy, while morals were neglected, and their place supplied by traditional observances. Nations vegetated in in- activity; men cultivated only" monastic virtues, grievous to themselves, and useless to society.* They had no other impulse than what their fanaticism afforded, and no other science than an obscure jargon of theology. Their understandings had no other employment than endless disputes on mysterious subtilties, trnworthy of rational beings. Those futile occupations engrossed the attention of the most profound genius, whose la- bours would have been useful, if they had been directed to objects really interesting. Nations were impoverished to foster, in abundance. * The learned Abbé Fleury agrees as to these facts, in is Mœurs des Chretiens, partie 5. §^ 54. where he fays, that Christians ought to observe exactly what is practised in the most orderly monasteries, to become living examples of Christian morality. Thus, by this confession, a good Christian is a true monk : now a monk is a citizen dead to society. What would become of a country where every body shoidd pretend to Christian perfection, and to attain which was their only aim ? There would be neither merchants, nor soldiers, nor married persons. 320 in luxury, and often in drunkenness, legions of monks, priests, and pontiffs, from whom they derived no real benefits. Under pretence of bestowing stipends on the intercessors with God, they richly endowed a multi- tude of drones, whose prayers and reveries procured only misery and dissensions. Education, entrusted throughout Christendom to base or ignorant priests, was calculated to form superstitious persons only, des- titute of the qualities necessary to make useful citizens. The instruction they gave Ciiristians, was confined to inculcating dogmas and mysteries which the latter ne- ver could comprehend. They incessantly preached up evangelical morality; but that sublime morality which all the world esteeins, and which so few prac- tice, because it is incompatible with the nature and wants of man, did not restrain the passions, or ever aeck their irregularity of manners. When that Stoical morality was practised, it was only by some imbecile fanatics or fiery enthusiasts, whom the ardour of their zeal rendered dangerous to society. The saints of Christianity were either the most useless or most flagi- tious of men. Princes, the great, the rich, and even the heads of the church, thought themselves excused from the ri- gorous and literal practice of precepts and counsels, which a God himself had come on purpose to commu- nicate. They left Christian perfection to some raiser- able monks, for whom alone it seemed originally des- tined. Complaisant guides smoothed for others the roads to Paradise, and, without bridling the passions, persuaded their votaries that it was sufficient to come at stated times to confess their faults to them, humble themselves at their feet, undergo the penances and ce- 321 rernonies which they should impose, and especialiy make donations to the church, iu order to obtain from God remission of the outrages they committed on his creatures. By these means, in most Christian coun« tries, people and prinees openly united devotion with the "most hideous depravity of manners, and often with the blackest crimes. There were devout tyrants and adulterers, oppressors and iniquitous ministers, cour- tiers without morals, and public depredatoi^ all very devout. There were knaves of every kind displaying the greatest zeal for a religion, the ministers of which inaposed easy expiations even on those who violated its most express precepts*. Thus, by the cares of the spiritual guides of Chris- tianity, concord was banished from states; princes sunk into bondage; the people were blinded ; science was stifled ; nations were impoverished ; true morR- lity was unknown ; and the most devout Christians were commonly devoid of those talents and virtues which are indispensably necessary for the support o society. * It is asserted, ^ and repeated every day, that religion is necessary,, and that it is a check. It is necessary only to open our eyes to be convinced, that religion among high and low, restrahis nobody, not even the priests who preach and- live by it. The most devout nations of Europe, such as the Italians, Portuguese, and Spaniards, ' are alike distinguished by their bigotry and corruptiofli of manners ; the clergy themselve shew them the example of perfidy, cruelty, and the mos. unbridled licentiousness- To restrain men, there is need neither of falsehoods nor fables ; but of good laws, good education, cultivated reason, ' talents, science, good examples, rewards, and equitable punishments. As chimeras only are opposed to the irregularities of mankind, they are not capable of vanquishing their inclination». Such are the immense advantages wiiich the rcligiou of Christ has procured to the world 1 Such ara the effects we see resulting from the gospel, or the glad MdingSiVj\i\cX\ the Son of God came in person to an- nounce! 'i'o judge of it by its fruits^ that is, accord- ing, to the rule which the Messiah himself has given, the incredulous find, that Christianity was allegorically represented by the Jig tree accursed. But those who have faith, assure us, that in the other world this tree will some day produce delicious fruits. We must therefore wait for them in patience, for every thing evinces that the great benefits promised by this reli- gion are very little perceptible in the present world. There are, however, people who carry incredulity so far as to think, that if there exists a God really jealous of his rights, he will confer little recompence on mortals so impious as to associate with him a man, a Jew,, and a charlatan ; apd to pay him honours which are due only to the Divinity. Indeed, in supposing that God is offended by the actions of his creatures, and concerns himself with their behaviour, he must be irritated at the odious conduct of many Christians, ■who, under pretence of devotion and zeal, believe themselves permitted to violatet he most sacred duties of nature, of which they make the Deity the author. It is, add our unbelievers, very ^difficult to calcu- late the duration of human extravagancies; but they flatter themselves, that the reign of falsehood and error will terminate at some period, and give place to reason and truth*. They hope, that nations and their chiefs * A Scotchman published at London, 169^, a book under the title of Jok. Craigii Scoii, theologiœ Christianas princi- pia mathtmatica, wherein he endeavours to prove, that every thing founded on the testimony of men, whether inspirad or 323 V\ iU some dfiv perceive the danger resulting from their prejudices ; that they will blush at having prostituted their praises on objects deserving sovereign contempt ; that they will regret the blood and treasures which baneful fables and reveries have cost them ; and that they will be at last ashamed of having been the dupes and victims of a mass of romances, destitute of proba- bility, and never possessing a more solid foundation' than the astonishing credulity of men, and the astonish- ing impudence of those who preach them. These un- believers venture at least to glimpse at a time, when men, become more sensible of their own interest, will acknowledge the truly barbarous folly of hating and tormenting themselves, and cutting one another's throats for obscure dogmas, puerile opinions and cere- monies unworthy of rational beings, and on which it is impossible to be ever unanimous. These infidels push- not inspired, is only probable, and that its probability di- minishes in proportion as mankind recede from the time the witnesses hved, on whose testimony they believe. On this principle he makes an algebraical calculation, according to which he* affirms, that it is probable the Christian religiori will endure stiU 14<54 years, at the end of which its proba- bility of endurance will be reduced to notMng. But he supposes, that the last judgment must arrive in time to pre- vent this total eclipse of the faith. Whether these calcula- tions and conjectures be true or false, w« may apply to the religion of Jesus what Lactantius said of the heathen my- thology, according to which Jupiter had dethroned his father Saturn : Video alium Demn fuisse regem primis tenu- paribus, alium consequentibiis. Potest ergo fieri, ut alius fit posteajuturus. Si enim regnuvi pj'ius mutatum est ; cur desperemns etiam posterius posse mutari ? Lactant. Institut. Divin, hb. i. c. 11. If God was weary of the Jewish religion, why may he not become weary of the Christian also .'' u U 324 their temerity so far as to maintain, that it is very possible sovereigns and subjects may one day loathe a religion burdensome to the people, and producing real advantages only to the priests of a beggarly and cru- cified God. They think, that the profane laity, if un- deceived, could easily bring their priests back to the frugal life of the apostles or of Christ, whom they ought to regajd as a model ; at least, these infidels imagine, that the ministers of the God of peace would be obliged to live more peaceably, and follow some occu- pation more honest than that of deceiving, or tearing to pieces, the society which fosters them. If it is demanded of us what can be substituted for a religion which at all times produced only effects pernicious to the happiness of the human race, we will bid men cultivate their reason, which much better than absurd and deceptive systems, will advance their welfare, and make them sensible of the value of vir- tue. Finally, we will tell them with Tertullian — ■ Why PA.IN YOURSELVES IN SEEKING FOR A DIVINE LAVr, WHILST YOU HAYE THAT WHICH IS COMMON TO MANKIND AND ENGRAVEN ON TKE TABLETS OF NATURE.* * TsrtiUl. de corona militis. APPENDIX I. THE CHRISTIAN MYTHOLOGY. GOD, by an inconceivable act of his omnipotence, created the universe out of nothing.* He made the earth for the residence of man, whom he created in ' his own image. Scarcely bad this man, the prime object of the labours of the Almighty, seen the light, when his creator set a snare for him, into which God undoubtedly knew that he must fall. A serpent, which speaks, seduces a woman, who is no way surprised at this phenomenon. Being persuaded by the serpent, she solicits her husband to eat of a fruit forbidden by God himself. Adam, the father of the human race, by this light fault draws upon himself and his innocent posterity innumerable evils, which are followed but not terminated by death. By the offence of only one man, the whole human race incurs the wrath of God ; and they are at length pu- nished for involuntary faults with an universal deluge. God repents having peopled the earth, and he finds it easier to * Ex nihilo nihil Jit, was considered as an axiom by ancient philoso- phers. The creation, as admitted by Christians of the present day, i. e, the eduction of all things from nothing, is a theological invention not indeed of very remote date. The wrord Barah, which is used in Genesis, signifies to tompose, arrange^ to dispose matter already existing. 326 drown and destroy the human race, than to cliange their hearts, A small Tiumber of the just, however, escaped this des- tructive flood ; but the deluged earth, and the destruction of mankind, did not satiate the implacable vengeance of their Creator : a new generation appeared. These, though de- scended from the friends of God, whom he had preserved in the general shipwreck of" the world, incense him by new crimes. The Almighty is represented as having been inca- pable of rendering his ci-eatures such as he desired them : a new torrent of corruption carries away mankind, and wrath ie again excited in the bosom of Jehovah ! Partial in his affections and preferences, God, at length, casts his eyes on an idolatrous Assyrian.* Reenters into an alliance with this man, and covenants that his posterity shall be multiplied to the numbef of the stars of Heaven, or the sands of the sea, and that they shall for ever enjoy the favour of God. To this chosen race he reveals his will : for them, regardless of his justice, he destroys whole nations, Nevertheless this favoured race is not the more happy, or more attached to their God. They fly to strange gods, from whom they seek succours which are denied to them by their own. They frequently insult the God who is able to exter- minate them. Sometimes he punished, sometimes consoles .iJjem ; at one period he hates them without a cause ; and at * The Arabians believe that Abraham, soon after he was born, was hid by his father in a certain cave under a mountain, for fear of the Chaldeans, wlio sought. to lay hands on -him, because the astrologers had foretold that he would prove the destruction of their gods. In process of time, Abraham, when he was grown to years of maturity, one evening came out of the cave, and began with great admiration tt contemplate the Heavens, with their innumerable stars, and, by chance, seeing- the planet Venus arise, -which greatly exceeds the rest in beauty and brightness, he said, " This is my God and my Creator." But a little after, when the moon appeared, he changed his opinio», and said, " This is my God and my Creator." At length when the suu arose^ being astonished, he cried out, " This is really my God and mj Creator, than whom nothing can be imagined ' more splendid, lofty or beautiful." • But when he had spoken these words, the angel Gabriel appeared and stood before him, and taught him Ihe true God and the tiue religion, Abr, Ecc. Hist. Arab, c. vi. 327 another be caresses them with as little reason. At last, fitul- ing it impossible to reclaim this perverse people, for whom he continues to feel the warmest tenderness, h^ sends amongst them his own son. To this son they will not listen. What do I say ? — this beloved son, equal to God his father, is put to an igaominious death by his favourite nation ! His father at the same time finds it impossible to save the human race without the sacrifice of his own son. Thus an innocent God becomes the victim of a just God, by whom he is beloved : both consent to this strange sacrifice judged necessary by a God who knows that it will be useles^s to an hardened nation which nothing can reclaim. We should expect that the death of this God, being use- less to Israel, must sei've at least to expiate the sins of the rest of the human race. Notwithstanding the eternal alli- ance with the Hebrews, solemnly sworn to by the Most High, and so many times renewed, that favourite nation find themselves at last deserted by their God who could not reduce them to obedience. The merits of the. sufferings and death of his son, are applied to the nations before excluded from his bounty. These are recon«iled to Heaven, now be- come more just in regard to them, and return to grace. Yet in spite of all the efforts of God, his favours are lavished in vain : mankind continue to sin, to enkindle the divine wrath, and to render themselves worthy of the eternal pu- nishment previously prepared and destined for the greater part of the human race. Such is the faithful history of the God on whom the foundation of the Christian i-eligion is laid. His conduct being so strange, cruel and opposite to all reason, is it surprising to see* the worshippers of this God ignorant of their duties, destitute of humanity and justice, and striving to assimilate themselves to tiie model of that barbarous di- vinity which they adore ? What indulgence have mankind a right to expect from a God who spared not even his own son ? What indulgence can the Christian who believes this fable sliew to his fellow man. Ought he not to imagine that the surest means of pleasing his God, is to imitate his ^ ferocity and cruelty ? ' • 328 , ' Eut this God is not always unjust and cruel ; his conduce varies. Sometimes he appears to have created all nature for man alone ; at others he seems to have created man only as an object whereon to exercise his arbitrary rage. Sometimes they are cherished by him, notwithstanding all their faults '. at others the whole species is condemned to eternal misery for an apple. — This unchangeable God is alternately agi- tated by anger and love, revenge and pity, benevolence and fury. His conduct is continually destitute of that uni- formity which characterises wisdom. Partial in his affec- tions, he makes it the duty of his favourite people deliber- ately to commit the most atrocious crimes. He commands them to violate good faith and contemn the rights of na- tions : he enjoins upon them the commission of robbery and murder. On other occasions we see him forbidding the same crimes, ordaining justice, and prescribing to mankind ab- stinence from whatever disturbs the good order of society. This God, who in turn is styled the God of Vengeance, the God of Mercies, the God of Arms, and the God of Peace, is constantly at variance with himself. His subjects are conse- quently each for himself, at liberty to imitate that part of his conduct which he finds most congenial to his humour* Hence their morality becomes arbitrary, which renders it no way surprising that they have never yet been able to agree among themselves, whether it would be most pleasing to their God to tolerate the various opinions of mankind, or - to exterminate all who differ from themselves ? It is in fact a problem with most Christians, whether it would be more expedient to persecute and assassinate those who think not as they do, or to treat them with humanity and suffer them to live in peace ? Christianity Unveiled, by Boulanger» Chap. iv. S29 IL CHRISTIAN MORALITY, Were we to believe Christians, there could have been no true morality on earth until the coming of the founder of their sect. They represent the world as having bee» plunged in darkness and vice at all times and places where Christ was unknown. Yet morality was always necessary to mankind ; for, without it, no society can exist. We find, that before the time of Christ, there were flourishing and virtuous nations, and enlightened philosophers, who continually reminded mankind of their duties. The pre- cepts of Socrates, Confucius, and the Gymnosophists of India, are by no means inferior to those of the Messiah of the Christians.* We find amongst heathens, innumerable instances of equity, humanity, temperance, disinterested- ness, patience, and meekness, which fkitly contradict the pretensipns of the Christians, and prove, that before Christ * The purest part of the system of morals taught in the New Testa- ment, and which is so much boasted of by Christians, appears to be nothing more than a literal copy of the Morals of Confucius, who wrote near 600 years before the birth of Christ. This will appear erident froja the following extracts : " Do to another what you would they should do unto you 5 and do not unto another what you would should not be done unto you : thos only needest this law alone ; it is the foundation and principle of all the rest." 24th Moral, " Desire not the death of thine enemy ; thou wouldst desire it in vain : his life is in the hands of Heaven." 51st Moral. "Acknowledge thy benefits by the return of other benefits, but never revenge injuries." 53rd Moral. 'r We may have an aversion for an enemy without desiring revenge. The motions of nature are not always criminal." 63rd Moral. Confucius instructed as well by his example as by his precepts ; and it would be well if his morals were taught in all the schools and colleges of Europe, instead of those christian creeds and dogmas which the student can never comprehend. 330 was known on earth, virtues flourished which were far more real than those he came to teach. Was a supernatural revelation necessary to inform man- kind that society cannot exist without virtue, and that, by the adjnission of vice, societies consent to their own des- truction? Was it necessary that a God should speak, to shew, that they have need of mutual aid and mutual love ? Was assistance from on High necessary to discover that revenge is an evil, and an outrage upon the laws, which, when they are just, assume to themselves the right of retri- bution ? Is not the forgiveness of injuries connected with this principle ? And is not hatred eternalized, where im- placable revenge is exercised ? Is not the pardoning of our enemies a greatness of soul, vpMch gives us an advantage over those who offend us ? When we do good to our ene- fiaies, does it not give us a superiority over them ? Is not such conduct calculated to multiply our friends ? Does not every man, wrho is desirous to live, perceive that vice, in- temperance, and voluptuousness must shorten the period of life? Has not experience demonstrated to every thinking being, that vice is injurious and detestable even to those who are not free from its empire, and that the practice of virtue is the only means of acquiring real esteem and love ? How- ever little mankind may reflect on what they themselves, their true interests, and the ends of society are, they must feel what they ought to be to each other. Good laws will render them good; and where these exist, there is no need of flying to Heaven for rules for the preservation and hap- piness of society. Reason is sufficient to teach us our duties to our fellow, creatures. What assistance can it receive from a religion by which it is continually contradicted and degraded ? It is said that Christianity, far from counteracting mo- rality, is its chief support, and rentiers its obligations more sacred, by giving them the sanction of God. In ray opi- nion, however, the Christian religion, instead of supporting morality, renders it weak and precarious. It cannot possi- bly have any solid found^ion on the commands of a God, who is changing, partial, and capricious, and ordains with 33 î the same iXiOuth, justice and injvistice, concord and carnage, toleration and persecution. It is impossible to follow the precepts of a rational naorality, under the empire of a re- ligion which make» a merit of the most destructive zeal, enthusiasm, and fanaticism. A religion which commands us to imitate the conduct of a despot who delights to ensnare his creatures, who is implacable in his vengeance, and de- ' votes to flaming destruction all who have the misfortune to displease him, is incompatible with all morality. The innu- raerable crimes with which the Christian, more than any- other religion, has stained itself, have always been com- mitted under the pretence of pleasing the ferocious God whom the Christians have inherited from the Jews. The moral character of this God, must of necessity, govern the moral conduct of those who adore him. Morality should be founded upon invariable rule^.* A God who destroys these rules, destroys his own work. If God be the creator of man, if he intends their happiness and preservation, he would have them to be just, humane^ and benevolent, and averse to injustice, fanaticism, and" cruelty. We may thus see what we ought to think of those divines who pretend, that without the Christian religion there could be neither morality nor virtue among mankind. The con- verse' of this proposition would much nigher approach the * " It cannot be too often repeated," says Mjvabaud, " that there is no morality without consulting- the nature of man, and his true rela- tions, with the beings of his species ; no fixed principles for man's con- duct in reg-ulating it upon unjust, capricious, and wicked gods ; no sound politics without consulting- the nature of man living- in society, and the way to satisfy his wants and ensure his happiness ; no g-ood g-overn- ment can found itself upon a despotic God— he will always make ty- rants of his representatives ; no'laws will be g-ood without consulting- the nature and the end of society ; no jurisprudence can be advanta- geous for nations, if it is regulated upon the caprice and passions of deified tyrants. No education will be rational unless it be founded upon ReasoTi, and not upon chimeras and prejudices. In short, there is no virtue, no probity, no talents under corrupt masters — under the con- duct of those priests who render men the enemies of themselves and of others, and who constantly and eagerly seek to stifle the seeds of rea- son, of science, and of coiuag-e.' — System of Nature^ vol, IV. p,C4'2, truth ; and it might be maintained» tlmt every Chri&tïaiî wîi* imitates his God and practises all his commands, must ne- cessarily be an immoral person. If it be said that those commands are not always unjust, and that the Scriptures often breathe benevolence, harmony, and equity, I answer. Christians must have an inconstant morality, sometimes good and sometimes bad, according to interest and indivi- duals. It appears that they must either be wholly desti- tute of true morality, or vibrât^ continually from virtue t©^ vice, and from vice to virtue. The Christian religion is but a rotten prop to morality. It will not bear examination, and every man who dis- covers its defects will be ready to believe that the morality founded on such a basis can be only a chi raiera. Thus we often behold men, who have couched the neck beneath the yoke of religion, break loose at once, and abandon them- selves to debauchery, intemperance, and every kind of vice. Escaping from the slavery of superstition, they liy to coni'» plete anarchy, and disbelieve the existence of all moral dw* ties, because they have found religion to be only a fable. Hence, among Christians, the words infidel and libertine have become synonj'^mous. All these inconveniences would be avoided, if mankind, instead of being taught a theological, were taught a natural morality. Instead of interdicting in- temperance and vice, because they are offensive to God and religion, they should be prevented, by convincing man that they are destructive to his existence, and render him con- temptible in society ; that they are disapproved and forbid- den by reason and nature, who aim at his preservation, and direct him to take the path that leads to permanent felicity. Whatever may be the will of God, and independently of the future rewards and punishments announced by religion, it is easy to prove to every man that it is in this world his in- terest to preserve his health, to respect virtue, acquire the esteem of his fellow-creatures, and, in fine, to be chaste, temperate, and virtuous. Those whose passions will not suffer them to attend to principles so clear, and reasonable, will not be more docile to the voice of rehgion, which they will cease to believe the moment it opposes their misguiding propensities. 333 Let then the pretended advantages which the Clu'islian î^âligîon lends morality be no longer boasted*. The piin- ciples drawn from revelation tend to its destruction We have frequent examples of Christian nations, whose morals are far more corrupted than those of people whom they style infidels and heathens ; the former are at least most sub- ject to religious fanaticism, a p-assion calculated to banish justice and ail the social virtues from society. Christianity creates intolerance and persecutors, who are much more injurious to society than the most abandoned debauchees. It is at least certain, that the most Christian Rations of Europe are not those where true morality is most felt and practised. In Spain, Portugal, and Italy, where the most superstitious sect of Christians has fixedits residence, people live in the most shameful ignorance of their duties. Robbery, assassination, debauchery, and per- secution are there carried to their worst extreme ; and yet all men are full of religion. Few virtuous men exist in those countries. There religion itself becomes an accom- plice to vice, furnishes criminals with an asylum, and pro- cures to them easy mearls of reconciliation with God. Presents, prayers, and ceremonies procure mankind a dis- pensation from the practice of virtue. Even amongst na- tions, who boast of possessing Christianity in all its purity, religion has so entirely absorbed the attention of its sectaries, * Notwitbstandingf the happy influences attributed to the Chris- tian religion, do we find more virtues in those wlio profess it, than in those who are strangers to it ? Are tlie men ledecmed by the blood of even a Deity, more honest than others ? ft niig-ht be imr;- gined that we would ask in vain among Christians for rapine, for- nication, adultery, and oppression. Among the orthodox courtiers who surrounded Christian thrones, do we not discover intrigues, ca- lumny, and perfidy ? Among the clergy wlio preach to others sucli redoubtable doctrines, and announce such terrible cliastisement», do we not find crimes that shun the day, and every species of ini- qjiity? — AH these men are Christians, who, unbridled by their reii- ^on, continually violate the plainest duties of morality, and know- ingly continue to offend a God whom they are conscious of havittg; irritated. Yet they flatter themselves they shall be able, by a death- bed repentance, to appease that divine justice which they have iuîuUeJ during- the whole course of their lives. 334 that morality enters not into their thoughts ; and they calcu- late that they fulfil all their duties by a scruptilous observa- tion of the minutiae of superstitious ceremonies, whilst they are strangers to all social affections, and labour for the de- struction of human happiness. Cliristianity Unveiled, Chap^ si, S III. Political Eff'ects of the Christian Religion. After having seen the inutility and even danger of the perfections, virtues, and duties proposed by the Christian religion, let us enquire whether its political influences be more happy, and whether it can in reality promote the welfare of^a nation, among whom it is established and faith- fully observed. We at once find, that wherever this reli- gion is admitted, two opposite legislations, ever at variance with each other, established themselves. Although this reli- gion preaches love and peace, it soon annihilates the effects of those precepts by the divisions which it necessarily sows among its sectaries, who unavoidably interpret differently the ambiguous oracles anttounced in holy writ. We find that from the infancy of religion the most acrimonious dis- putes have continually taken place among divines. The successive ages of Christianity have been stained wjth schisms, heresies, persecutions, and contests widely discor- dant from its boasted spirit of peace and concord, which is in fact incompatible with a religion whose precepts are so dark and equivocal. In all religious disputes each party believes that God is on its side, and conseqiiently they are obstinate*. Indeed, how can it be otherwise, when they * All the religions on earth declarfl that they have emanated from God, and pretend to possess an exclusive rig-ht to his favours. The Indian asserts that the Brama himself is the author of his worship. The Scandinavian derives his from the awful ()din. If the Jew and SSb confound the caîise of God vvitli that of their own vanity ? Thus mutually averse to concession, they quarrel and fight until force has decided a contest in which they never appeal to reason. In fact, political' authorities' have ever been forced to interfere in all the dissensions which have arisen amon^ Christians. Governments have always listened to the frivolous disputes of priests, and foolishly considered them. as objects of the last importance. They have conceived, th&t in a religion established by God himself, there could be nothing of a trifling nature. Thus princes have araaed them- selves against their own svibjects, whose opinions differed from their's. The way of thinking at court has decided the creed and faith of subjects. Opinions supported by kings and priests have been the only true ones. Their creatures have been the guardians of orthodoxy, and were com- missioned to exterminate all whom they chose to denominate heretics and rebels. The jirejudices of princes or their false policy, has caused them to consider those of their subjects who difiisr fi'om themselves in religious opinions, as bad citizens, dangerous to the state, and enemies to their power. If, leaving to priests the business of finishing their own impertinent dis- putes, vhey had not assisted their quarrels and persecutions, they would have died away of themselves, and never have the Christian have received theirs frem Jehovah, by the ministry of Moses and Jesus, the Mahometan affirms, that he has received his from hi» prophet, inspired by the same God. Thus all religions pi-etend tea divine orig'in ; and they all interdict the use of reason in the examination of their saured titles. Each pretends to be the only true one, to the exclu- sion of all others. Al! menace with the wratli of Heaven those who refuse to submit to their authority ; and all acquire the character of falsehood by the palpable contradictions with which they are filled ; by the mis-shapen, obscure, and often odious ideas which they give of the godhead ; by the whimsical laws which thoy attribute to Iiim ; and by the «lisputes which they generate among- their sectaries. In short, they all appear to be a mass of impostures and reveries equally disgusting- to rea- son. Thus on the score of I)retensions, the Christian religion has no ad- vantage over the other superstitions with which the worM is infected • a-nd its divine origin is contesled by all others witli as murli propriety as iti^eix^'B is denied by it. 336^ disturbed the peace of uatious. If those kings had impar» tiallj recompensed the good aod punished the bad without regard to their worship, ceremonies, and speculative opi» nions, they would not have made many of their subjecta such enemies to that power by which they found themselves oppressed. Christians have always attempted to reclaim hereties by injustice, violence, and persecution. Ought not they to have perceived that this conduct was calculated only to produce hypocrites and hidden enemies, or open rebellions ? But these rej&ections are not designed for princes, who, from their infancy, have been filled with fanaticism and prejudices. They, instead of being actuated by virtuous motives, have formed obstinate attaehtnents to frivolities, and impetuous ardour for doctrines foreign to the welfare of their states, and a boundless wrath against all who refuse to bend to their despotic opinions. Such sovereigns find it a shorter way to destroy mankind tlian reclaim them by mild means. Their haughty despotism will not condescend to reason. Religion assure» them that tyranny is lawful, and cruelty meritorious, when they are employed in the cause of Heaven. The Christian religion, in fact, always makes despots and tyrants of all the sovereigns by whom it is adopted. It represents them as gods upon earth ; it causes their very caprices to be respected as the will of Heaven itself. It delivers mankind into their hands as an herd of slaves, of whom they may dispose at their pleasure. In return for their zeal for religion, all the outrages upon justice that they can commit are forgiven, and their subjects are commanded under pain of the wrath of the Most High, to submit with- out a murmur, to the sword that strikes instead of protect- ing them. It is not, therefore, matter of surprise that since the establishment of this religion, we see so many nations groaning under devout tyrants, who, although obstinately attached to religion, have been unjust, licentious, and cruel. Whatever were the oppressions and ravages of these religi- ous or hypocritical princes, the priests have not failed to pieach submission to their subjects. On the other hand. S31 letus not be surprised to see so many weak and wicked princes support in their turn the interest of a religion which their false policy judged necessary to the maintenance of their authority. If kings were enlightened, just and vir- tuous, and knew and practised their real duties, they would have had no need of the aid of superstition in governing nations. But, as it is more easy to conform to rites than t& acquire talents or practise virtue, this religion has too often found in princes support for itself, and destruction for its enemies. The ministers of religion have not had the same complais- ance for pxinces who refused to make a common cause with them, espouse their quarrels, and become subservient to their passions. They have arisen against those who have thwarted their views, punished their excesses, touched their immunities, endeavoured to subject them to reason, or re- press their ambitious designs. The priests on such occa- sions, cry out, Impiety! Sacrilege! Then they pretend that the sovereign puts his hand to the censer, and usurps the rights granted them by God himself. Them they endea- vour to excite nations to rebellion. They arm fanatics against sovereigns, whom they declare tyrants for having- been wanting in submission to the church. Heaven is always ready to revenge any injustice done to its ministers. They are themselves submissive, and preach submission to others, only when they are permitted to share the authority, or are too feeble to resist it. This is the reason why the apostles in the infaricy of Christianity, being destitute of power, preached subordination. No sooner had this religion gained sufficient strength than it preached resistance and rebelUon ; dethroning some kings and assassinating others*. * It is well to observe, that the priests who are perpetually crying» out to the people to submit themselves to their sovereigns, because their authority is derived from Heaven— because they are tlie images of the divinity, presently change their language whenever the sove- reign does not blindly submit to the church. The clergy uphold des- potism only that it may direct its blovifs against their enemies ; it overthrows it whenever it finds it contrary to its interests. The ministers of the iavisible powers preach np obedience to the visible power» only when theie »re humbly devoted to them. Miraba«d. 338. îa every political body where this religion is established^ there are two rival powers, which by iacessant contention convulse and wound the state. The citizens divide into opposite parties, each of which fights or thinks it fights for God. These contests at diffèrent times terminate diffe- rently, but the triumphant party is always in the right. By attentive examination of such events we shall escape the dominion of fanaticism. It is by stimulating mankind to enquiry that they must be freed from the shackles of su- perstition. Let mankind think till they have thrown aside their prejudices, and they will think justly. The reign of the prie^hood will cease, when men cease to be ignorant and credulous. Credulity is the offspring of ignorance, and superstition is the child of credulity. But most kings dread that mankind should be enlight- ened. Accomplices with the priesthood they have formed a league with them to stifle reason, and persecute all who confide in its guidance^ Blind to their own interest and those of their subjects, they wish only to command slaves, forgetting those slaves are always at the disposal of the priests.^ Thus we see science neglected and ignorance tri- umphaiit in those countries where this religion holds the most absolute dominion. Arts and sciences are the children of liberty, and separated from their parents, they languisii and die. Among Christian nations, the least superstitious are the most free, powerful, and happy. In countries where spiritual and temporal despotism are leagued, the people grovel in the most shameful ignorance and lethargic inactivity. The European nations who boast of possessing the purest faith, are not surely the most flourishing and pow- erful. Their kings, enslaved themselves by priests, have not energy and courage enough to make a single struggle for their own welfare or that of their subjects. Priests in such states are the only order of men who are rich ; other citi^e^is languish in the deepest indigence. But of what im- portance are the power and happiness of nations to the sec- taries of a religion who seek not for happiness in this ivorld, who believe riches injurious, p<;each a God of poverty, a'nd recommend abasement to the soul, and mortification of thnk of citizens. During all his.life, the Christian is obliged to assist in the .ceremonies of worship under the direction of his priests. When he has performed this important duty, he esteems himself the favourite of God, and pej^uades himself that he no longer owes any- thing to society. Thus frivolous practices take place of morality, which is always rendered subordinate to religion. When death approaches, the Christian, stretched in agony on his bed, is still assailed in those distressful moments by priests. In some sects, religion seems to have been inyented to render the bitter death of man ten thousand times more bitter. A malicious priest comes to the couch of the dying man, and holds before him, arrayed in more than all its terrors, the specta,cle of his approaching end. Although this custom is destructive to citizens, it is extrernely profitable to .the priesthood, who owe rau.ch of their riches to legacies procured by it. Morality is not quite so highly advantaged by it. Experience proves, that most Christians live in se- curity, and postpone ■ till death their reconciliation with God. By means of a late repentance, and largesses to the priesthood, their faults are expiated, and they are permitted to hope, that Heaven will forget the accumulated crimes of a long and wicked life. Death itself does not terminate the empire of the priest- hood in certain sects, which find means to make money even out of the dead bodies of their followers. These, for a sufficient sum, are permitted to be deposited in temples, where they have the jirivilege of spreading infection and disease. The sacerdotal power extends still further. The prayers of the church are purchased at a dear rate, to de- liver the souls of the dead from their -pretended torments inflicted in the other world, for their purification. Happy .they who are rich in a religion, whose priests, being fa- vourites with God, can be hired to prevail on him to remit the punishments which his immutable justice had intended to inflict. Christianity Unveiled, Chap. xiii. M2 V. Books mentioned hy the Fathers^ and other anci- ent Writers., said to have been written hy Jesus Christy his Apostles^ and other Disciples. JESUS CHRIST. A Letter written with his own hand to Abgarns king of Edessa, An Epistle to Peter and Paul. The Parables and Sermons of Christ. A Hymn Tvhich Christ se- cretly taught his Disciples and Apostles. A Book of the Magic of Christ, or the Art whereby he wrought his Miracles, A Book of the Nativity of Jesus, of the Holy Virgin his Mother, and her Mid- wife. A Letter written by Christ, and dropt down from Hea- ven in the 6th Century. MARY. An Epistle to Ignatius. Another Epistle to the Sici- lians. A Book of the Nativity of the Virgin. The Book of the Virgin Mary and her Midwife. The History and Traditions of Mary. The Book of Mary, concern- ing the Miracles of Christ, and the Ring of King So- lomon. The greater and lesser Ques-* tions of Mary. The Book of the Progeny of Mary. PETER. The Gospel of Peter. Acts of Peter. Revelation of Peter, Another Revelation. The Epistle of Peter to Cle- mens. The Disputation of Peter and Appion. The Doctrine of Peter. Preaching of Peter, Liturgy of Peter, . . . ■ Itinerary of Peter. -- — Judgment of Peter. ANDREW. The Gospel of Andrew. Acts of Andrew, JAMES. The Gospel of James. Liturgy of James. A Book on the Death of the Virgin. ^ JOHN. The x4.cts of John, Another Gospel of Jobu. The Itinerary of John, Liturgy of John. -Traditions of John. ——Epistle of John to the Hydropic. A Book on the Death of Mary. The Memorial of Jesus Christ, and his Descent from the Cross. Another Pievelation of John. BARTHOLOMEW. The Gospel of Bartholomew. PHILIP, The Gospel of Philip. Acts of Philip. THOMAS. - The Gospel of Thomas. 'Acts of Thomas. Book of the infancy of Christ. -.Revelations of Thomas. "Itinerary of Thomas. MATTHEW. A Book of the Infancy. The Liti^rgy of Matthew. MARK. The Liturg-y of Mark. Gospel of the Egyptians. Passion of Barnabas. THADDEUS. The Gospel of Thaddeus. MATTHIAS. The, Gospel of Matthias. Traditions of Matthias. Acts of Matthias. PAUL. The Acts of Paul. Acts of Paul and Thecla. — ^ Epistle to the Laodi- ceans, A Third Epistle to theThes- salonians. A Third Epistle to the Co- rinthians. An Epistle from the Corin- thians, with Paul's Answer. The Epistles to and from Seneca. The Revelations of Paul. Another Revelation, The Visions of Paul. Anabaction of Paul. The Gospel of Paul. ■ Preaching of Paul. ——Narrative ' concerning the charmins: of Vi- pers. -Precepts Paul. of Peter and BARNABAS. The Gospel of Barnabas. Epistle of Barnabas. When we find Christianity at its very commencement, inundated with so many Gospels, Epistles, Revelations, &c. the greater part of which are regarded as authentic by a vast majority of Christians of the present day, by what 344 'Criterion are we to determiae that the books received by protestants are the only works possessing Divine Authority ? — The difficulty increases when it is recollected that these books, before the invention of printing, were liable to be altered and interpolated at pleasure. Printing was invented in the year 1450, and first brought to England by William Caxton in 1471. The first translation of the Bible from the Hebrew was by order of Ptoleâiy Philadelphus, 277 years B. C. The translation called the Septuagint was made by the LXX, or rather by seventy-two persons in se- venty-two days. From this the vulgate or Latin transla- tion was first printed in 1462, and called Jerom's of Prague. The first English translation of the Bible was by order of Henry the VIII. Act 27th, 1541. That now in use by James I. 1611, Act 8th. If the Bible be the word of God, it requires not the wretch- ed aid of prosecutions to defend it; and the legislature might with as much propriety enact a law to protect the rays of the sun as to protect the Bible, if the Bible, like the sun, be the work of God. THE END. A LETTER CONCERNING THE TWO FIRST CHAPTERS OF LUKE, ADDRESSED TQ AN. EDITOR OF THE IMPROVED VERSION. V" William lavlor 1811. PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR AT NORWICH, AND SOLD BY W, POPLÏj 67j CHANCEKY-LANEj LONOOX. fV, Fcpkj Printer, Chancti y Laiit, London. Who was the tather of Jesus Cluistl being the Expostulation of a Critical Reviewer, with a Vindicator of the Improved Version, concerning the tv»'o first chapters of Luke. The case is the same with the gospels throughout: the hypot'sesis of thelf Inspiration was piously invented, to reflert the greater lustre upon them, where there was not the least want of it: since nothing more is required to establish their author) tj', than to know, as we do in this case, I hat the com- pilers ot them were perfectly informed of all the important facts, which they had undertaken to relate, and were zealous to pubiish them for the cominoii benefit of mankind: while many little omissiojis and inaccuracies, which are observable in their several narrative^, clearly show, that they could not be guided by a divine and infallible spirit. Conyers Middleton's Reflections on the Variations found in ihr. four ÉvimgelistS} p, 53. WHO WAS THE FATHER OF JESUS CHRIST? ÉEING THE EXPOSTULATION, <^c. m^a iwriM^eaM—— i—^M Sir, Of your equity and erudition I' am disposed ta form a mild opinion : the misrepresentation which I am about to complain of, or rather to protest against, v.'as, I hope, not wilful on your part. It occurs in a printed letter, signed B. . . . . ., and con- sists in ascribing to Professor Paulus, on autho- rity, for which I am responsible, an opinion. somewhat intolerantly called abajninahle*, that Joseph of Arimathea was the father of Je&us Christ. The supposition is not absolutely indefensible. in the Roman empire it was the office of rela- tions to bury their kinsmen. Ulpian records a lawy (xLViii. 24.) Corpora eorum qui capite plec- tuntur, cognatis neganda non sunt. Now Jo- seph of Arimathea was the person who applied for, and obtained, the body of Christ. And, in the gospel of Nicodemus, which, if in its present shape of later fabrication, is in som& form so ancient a work as to be quoted under the name of the Acts of Pilate by Justin Martyr m his Apology, this Joseph, yvhen he goes for the body of Christ, is called the father. Corpus ejus pater honorabilis Joseph sepelivit in sepulchra Kovo. (Codex apocryphus Fabricii, p. 273. )• Poor scholars were enjoined among the Jews to leafn some mechanic trade (Compare Philo. p. 678, with Basnage Histoire des Juifs, Vol. iv. p. 1 150.) that they might be able to subsist during the years of subordination. Hence Joseph, the ex- cellent counsellor, may once have been Joseph the carpenter, the husband of the mother of Jesus» * MonlhlyRepositOîy of THeology, for August I8O9. Note %(} p, 415. ' s A removal from Nazareth to Arimathea. is not im- practicable. Admitting that this hypothesis should be re- jected, as irreconcileable with the testimony pre- served in Matthew (i. 25.) that Joseph knew not his wife before her delivery ; and allowing that the pater of the gospel of Nicodemus ought to be construed as a title of honor, not as a desig- nation of relationship ; it is still not a little amusing to observe a vindicator of the editors of the " Improved Version" inveighing against a theory as abominable, which is entirely consistent, not to say identical, with their own. Professor Paulns however teaches no such opinion. His Commentary on the New Testa- ment* y which is the most learned and complete one extant, has already been nearly ten years before the European public, the first edition hav- ing appeared at Jena in 1800. It is surprizing, that to any professed scripture-cïîtic his opinions should still at this time be so little known, as to incur misstatement. It is lamentât le, that by one, who has to defend; with a solicituoe so paternal, the late " Improved Version," a commentary should have been overlooked, which has in nu- merous instances, by the aid of rabbinical and * Coxrimentar ueber das neue Testament. 2d. edit. Lubeck, 1804. B % oriental learning, so exquisitely ascertained the ori^ ginal meaning of disputed passages ; and which usually detects the incidents recorded in the gospel- narratives \iith an insight so sagacious and so pro- found ; a cçmmentary, which aims at seating reason in the temples of Christianity, and at bring- ing truth to anchor on the sacred books. The erroneous account of the creed of Pro- fessor Paulus, given by Mr. B in the Reposi- tory, is pretendedly derived from the analysis of a Critical Revie^xr (C. R. Vol. xvi. p. 456.) who therefore feels bound to rectify the error. No such opinion is by him attributed to Professor Paulus, as a citation of the words employed will shov/. " With an equitable impartiality, which is rarely evinced in the theological world, Professor Paulus proceeds to consider the hypothesis of an anonyrnous popular writer among the Germans, who has published a Natural History of Jesus of Naza- reth*'. This novel, or conjectural biography, attempts to explain by bold fictions, and without the hypo- thesis of supernatural interposition, the successive incidents in the life of Christ. The adventure of Mary is^ in this book, parallelized with a relation of Josephus, contained in the Archeology (xviti. 3, 4.) ""cspecting an imposition practised on Pau- f Naturliche Geschichte des Profeten von Nazareth, lîna. The author, with characte/istic temerity, ventures to designate Joseph f Alexandria applied this epithet to the world,, and to certai» beetles which were supposed to impregnate themselves. IT Now as Peter, who is the real author of Mark^ and James, who wrote the general Epistle, both died before the publication of Luke, it is apparent that every one of the canonical writers, who could have seen Luke's gospel, has alluded to the con- tents of the two first chapters. Surely some censure is due to the positive man- ner, in which the important but unsupported asser- tions of this fifth objection are made. The sixth paragraph is a bundle of disconnected arguments, which it v,ill be necessary to label and to consider separately. " VI. The style of the two first chapters is " different from the rest of the history. 2. The " date of the enrollment (Luke ii. 1, SJ.) is a great " historical difficulty. S. That John the Baptist " should have been ignorant of the person of " Christ (John i. 31 — 34.) is not probable if this " narrative be true. 4. And there are many other " circumstances in the story which wear an inj' " probable and fabulous aspect. — Evanson's " Dissonance, p. 57-" '-'i'itK^SWEK. L The style is in fact more hebraistic,^(Ernesti Inst, ififerp}'. N.T. p. 43.) the diction and imagery more poetical, in these chapters, than in the rest of Luke. This indicates that Luke borrowed and did not compose them. They may still have c formed one of those memoirs, which Luke had before him at the original redaction of his gospel, and which he deliberately included therein. While John the Baptist was in the zenith of popularity, his father Zacharias can hardly not have been applied to for some particulars of the early life of this favourite ©f the people. Their zeal was on the point of mistaking him (Luke iii. 15.) for the Messiah. From the Recognitions of the Pseudo-Clemens (liv. i. c. 55.)^ it appears even that some evangelists arose, holding up John as the Christ. Et ex discipulis Johannis, qui videban- tur esse magni, segregarunt se a populo, et magis- trum suum, veluti Christum, predicarunt. Again afterwards a disciple of John is introduced, qui af- firmabat Christum Johannem fuisse, et non Jesum. According to the fore-gospel of James (c. xxiii.), Herod suspected John of wishing to reign over Israel. Saint Paul found at Ephesus (Acts xix. 1 — 7.) a sect of Johannites: and he himself lays great stress (Acts xiii. 25.) on John's having re- signed his pretensions to Jesus. For [a gospel of these zealots the narrative of Zacharias perhaps was originally destined ; and, after John had recognized the higher vocation of Jesus, may have been added an account of the other more remarkable infancy. The relation was plainly intended to have been continued further, but was broken off by some accident, A commencement io 19 epic could not but be intended to introduce a his- tory splendidly blazoned *. * The lives of Jewish rabbees were usually written by their disciples in a. legendary manner, so as to give a miraculous turn to quotidian incidents. This was adapted to produce among the vulgar a worshipful reverence for the learned. Basnage, where he treats about the literary history of this period, (Histoire des Juifs^ vol. iv. p. 922.) collects several in- stances. " God is related to have governed the world only for Ananias the son of Doza : one day when his wiff and he were keeping a holy fast, the oven meanwhile became filled with bread. 2. Hunna, in whose time a great drought prevailed, swore by the name of God that he would not go out of a circle which he traced, until rain should fall ; and the miracle happened as in the time of Elijah. 3. No birds pass«d over the head of John, the son of Zachariah, while he was teaching, without swoop- ing to do him homage : else God made them fall dead." Men of sense will not presume from such testimony that Jehovah, but that Sapphira (or whatever was the wife's name) made the bread of Ananias. They will not presume that rain came because Hunna staid at home, although the drought might induce him to forbear a dusty walk. They will not presume that wood-pigeons were inspired to do homage to John, but rather that he had tamed them by attentions, and taught them to swoop over those whom he baptized. The mythos of Cannes, half a man and half a fish, who was never seen to eat, who from the Red Sea ascended the Syrian rivers, and taught the people on the banks, retiring nightly to sleep in the waters, may be merely a distortion of some rabbi- nical legend respecting the Baptist, who, like Jesus, no doubt «pent much time in the boats of the fishermen, whence he ha- rangued the multitude, and where he often slept. That sort of narration; which may emphatically be called c 2 ^0 In the ' family, and among the connections of Zacharias, of John, and of Jesus, this memoir the legendary, will naturally grow out of a pious imagination, ■which supposes every occurrence to proceed from a particular providence, and discovers in every incident the interposition of a superior being. When Balaam sees, in the restiveness of his ass, an omen, that his undertaking is frowned on from above; he personifies to himself the messenger of heaven forbidding him to proceed ; and offers to turn back. This internal pro- cess of mind assumes in the narrative (Numbers xxii. 22— 34.) a legendary form. So again, whenTheodoret sees, in the obstacles opposed by nature and circumstance to the triumphs of religion, an in- terference of antagonist dœmons, his narration (1. v. c. 21.) be- comes legendary. The version of Lardner runs thus. "To ** Apamea came Cynegius, the prefect of the east, having with " him two tribunes, with the soldiers under their command, " through fear of whom the people were quiet. He endea- " voured to destroy the temple of Jupiter, which was large " and magnificent : but seeing that the structure was very / firm and solid, and that the stones were of extraordinary t' size, and cemented with lead and iron, he judged it impos- " sible to remove them by any'human power. Marcellus, " seeing the timidity of the prefect, sent him away to other '' cities. Himself made his supplication to the Deity for di- " rections how to accomplish this design. In the morning ** there came to him of his own accord a man, who was " neither a carpenter, nor a mason, nor skilful in any employ- " ment, but only had been wont to carry wood and stone upon *' his shoulders. He assurred INIarcellus that he could easily " pull down the temple, if he would but allow him pay for " two workmen, which was readily promised him. He then " proceeded in this manner. The temple was built upon an SI would circulate for a time, would be preserved with curious and pious care ; and would insen- " eQiinence, surrounded by a portico on all the four sides, with ** largH pillars reaching up to the top of the temple. The " The pillars were sixteen feet in circumference, of a very firm " stone, not easy to be pierced by the iron instruments of the "^ mason. The workmen dug round each pillar, going fronti ** one to another, and laid olive-wood under them. In that " rnanner he h^d undermined three of the pillars, and then ^* set fire to the wood. But a black dœmon appeared, and ^' hindered the operation of the fire, This was done several " times. Seeing then that they were not able to advance, '■^ they came to Rlarcellus, when he was asleep at rest in the " afternoon, and told him of it. \Vhereupon he w«nt to the " divine temple, and put water under the altar, and prostrating ** himself he entreated the merciful Lord to restrain the in- " fluence of the daemon, and at once to manifest its weakness " and his own power, least the unbelieving should take occa- '■'■ sion to harden themselves yet more and more. Havin.^ J ■ ■ ■ o " finished his prayer, he signed the water with the sign of the '* cross, and gave it to his deacon Ecjuitius, who was full of " faith and zeal; and bade him go presently and sprinkle the " place with the holy water, and then put fire to it, trusting " in the power of God. Which being done, the dcemon, not ** enduring the force of the water, fled awaj'. The fire then " kindling burnt with fierceness. The wooden props were " presently consumed, ai.d the three pillars, by which they had " been supported, fell to the giound, and the other twelve pil- " lars with them. The side of the temple, which adjoined, " fell likewise. The sound was heard through the whole city. " ^yhen they knew how the da:nion had been put to fiight, all " the Christians in the place lifted up their voices in hymns 12 sibly become more general ; at length it might be handed to Luke, as a document, worthy, from its aathenticity, to be included in his intended bio- '* to the God of the universe. This divine man also destroy- ** ed all the other temples thereabouts.'* In neither of these instances of Balaam, or of Marcellus, is there apparently the slightest inflection of truth of historic fact. The only questionable part of the representation consists in the cause assigned by the narrator for real phaenomena, in the interpretation put by him upon event, in his inference not in his statement. The imagination of Balaam, or of Marcel- lus, refers to a good or evil daemon the origin of accidents, ■which influenced the fortunes of a religious cause. A disin- terested spectator might discover only natural impediment ; but, that Balaam and Marcellus, had this marvellous turn of mind, is itself an important part of veracious delineation. From these cases it may be perceived, that legendary nar-. ratives, when drawn up in a right spirit, are very trustworthy. To initiated readers, to persons accustomed to that plan of com- position, tkey convey exact information ; although they may have contributed to inure the vulgar to a superstitious way of interpreting past occurrences. There is a prismatic fringe to separate; but the objects are little distorted by this form of exhibition. Indeed the plan of historiography, already em- ployed in the earliest books of the Old Testament, was faith- fully adopted from the Jewish church by the catholics, and is yet persisted in by many of their ecclesiastic writers. That the gospels are themselves links in the chain, not ex- ceptions to the rule, of this class of -vrriting, is admitted by the editors of the " Improved Version," p. 8, as far as the demoniac miracles aie concerned; and may the narrative of the concep- tion not be commented in an analogous spirit ? 2S graphy, to which in some degree it may have served as a model: nor can the authority of Za- charias, who relates at first hand, be held at all inferior to that of Luke, who every where relates only at second hand*. Zacharias dwelt (Luke i. 65.) in the hill-country of Judea, near Bethlehem, probably in the family-seat of the house of Jesse^ at the period of the incidents recorded. g. The difficulty respecting the date of the en- rollment has often been considered, and sufficient!}'" solved. It is usual to reply, tliat Augustus may, through Herod, have requested some enrollment of the people preparatory to that assessment which Cyrenius introduced. In this case, the enrollment and assessment may in some degree have been confounded by the public mind, as parts of the same odious measure, which was ascribed wholly to Cyrenius, who was in fact, perhaps, the clerk of office that prompted Quintiiius Varus. The en- rollment, though previous to the arrival of Cyre^ nius with the rank of Governor, might thus vvith- * It is doubtful whether Luke was born a Jew, (Michadis Eiiileitung, § 139 ) and certain, by his own declaration, (Luke i. 2, 3.) that his information was derivative not empirical. The first account given to him of the mission of Christ was proba- bly due to Paul, (Acts xvi. 8.) who attached Luke at Troas : and the redaction of the gospel was perha,ps their joint work, (Michaelis y^nmerkungen far Utigdehrte, p. 356.) during the confinement of Paul (Acts xxiii.'ZS, and xxiv.23,) at Cesare». out impropriety have eventually been called after him. If this enrollment had the taxation of land for its object, it was peculiarly natural under the Jewish tenure, to order every man into his own tribe, nome, or shire, and to compel the produc- tion of his pedfgree. This inaccuracy about Cyrenius is quite symp- tomatic of the pen of Luke, who seems to have in- terpolated the second verse of the second chapter into Zachariah's narrative. Luke was a stranger in Palestine; ill informed of its history, he errs not only here, and again about Lysanias, but also about Annas and Caiaphas being high-priests (Luke III. 2,) in the same year, and about Theudas (Acts V. 37.) having preceded Judas of Galilee. Thus some proof is afforded by this very verse, that it was Luke himself who adopted and inserted the narrative of Zacharias. 3. John the Baptist does not say he was hither- to ignorant of tlie person, but of the destination, (Less, Ueber die Beliglon, vol. i. p. 722. >/ or office, of Jesus. An ignorance relating to the Messiah, not to the man, could not but last, until the moment arrived for the first manifestation of Jesus in that capacity. 4. What other circumstances are alluded to by the Unitarian editors in their concluding sentence? The prodigies? All miraculous circumstances may be said to vrcar an improbable and fabulous aspect • â5 but in this respect the two first chapters do not differ from the rest of Luke's evangelical history. Is the ascension less marvellous, or less solitarily attested than the salutation? The natural circum- stances are altogether probable : and the .mytholo- gical decorations have here an aptness of allegor}^, which proves, ^hat they were not intended to be mistaken, by the educated, for descriptions of su- pernatural interference : for, as Kobbes* observes, *' seeincp admiration and wonder is consequent to " the knowlc^e and exoerience vvdierewith men are " endued, some more, some less; it follov.-s that tlie " same thinn; may be a miracle to one and not to " another." The mode of narration adopted in this memoir of Zachariasf will more easily be understood, by considering apart its principal segments; and in the * C. XXXVII. Of a Christian Commontccalth, the third ]>art of which work still forms a concise and excellent intro- (I'.'.ction to scripture criticism ; and has been the foundation- stone of that theology, which, in our own times, under the auspices of professors Eichhorn and Pauius, has so exten- sively established itself in the more learned churches of pro- lestant Europe. t Much as the metaphysical part cf Mr. ThooTis Cooper's Stimmurij of Unitarian Arguments must be admired, one surely is not bound to concede to him [Tracts, p. 491.) that this ac- count of the conception is spurious. 26 first place the two paragraphs extending Luke i. 5—^5, and 57— 80, which relate to the infuncy of John. ^' 5 There was in the davs of Herod, the kinor of Judœa, a certain Priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia : and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. " 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. " 7 And they had no child, because that Elisa- beth was barren, and they both were fiow well stricken in years, " S And it came to pass, that while he executed the Priest's office before God in the order of his course, " 9 According to the custom of the Priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. " 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. V. 5. The Lévites consisted of the elder sons, or first-born (Numbers viii. 17.) of all Jewish land-owners: these were educated at the expense of the state (Josephus, AicJiœu. iv, 4. 5.); and the priests were chosen from among them by some process (Contra Apionem, i. 7-) in which pedigree was consi- dered. (See 1 Chrouicles vi. 3S.). The nobility of Zacharias was so eminent, that his son John was called (Grotius on MatthcK XIV. 2.) high-priest by the rabbees. «7 " 1 1 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. " la And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. *^ 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Za- charias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. " 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. " 35 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and ehall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the holy ghost, even from his mother's womb. " 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. "17 And he shall go before him in tlie s{)irit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of V. 15. The angel of Jehovah, observes Professor Paulus here, would not descend to forbid wine to the precursor of a Messiah who was to incur reproach (Matthew xi. 19-) as a wine-bibber; but the angel of the Lévite Zachariah's imagination might well couple together the ideas of holiness and abstinence. Gabriel is made to quote Judges xiii. 3 — 5, and applies to the Baptist a passage which Saint Matthew applies (ii. Ç3.) t» Christ. 28 the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. " 18 And Zdcharias said unto tlie angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and mv wife well stricken in years. " 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. " 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb; and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, whicli shall be fuihlled in their season. " ^\ And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. " 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto theuK and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. V. 19. Vv'h}' does Zacharias infer that the being he beholds is Gabriel? Peihaps, says Professor Paulus, because the ap- parent situation of the figure was in frojit of the place conse- crated to the divine presence. This was the understood sta- tion of Gabriel, Michael's being on the right, and Uriel's en the it'ft. Perhaps, because he saw the vision on a Monday, which was the day consecrated to Gabriel. Perhaps, because the writings of Daniel were peculiarly familiar to his imagi- nation. Perhaps, — but the remaining conjecture is evolved in the t-ubsequent comtneutary. Q9 "9,3 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he de- parted to his own house. " 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth con- eeived, and hid herself five months, saving, " 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt wUh me in tiie days wherein he looked on ?ne, to take away my reproach among men." from the foregoing segment no one has inferred, either that Gabriel, or that the holy ghost, super- naturaîly occasioned the conception of Elizabeth. " 57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. "38 And her neij^hbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. " 69 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. " 60 And his mother answered and said, Not 6o; but he shall be called John. " 6 1 And tbey said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. *' 6-2 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. " 63 And he asked for a writiiic^ table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. Aiad they marvelled ail. 30 " 64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. " 65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judœa. " 65 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying. What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. " 67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the holy ghost, and prophesied, saying, " 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, " 69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; V. 65. BetljlKhem is situate on the mountain Eplirata, which is the hilliest part of Judaea. V. 67. That sanctanimity, that pious fervor, that devout zeal, that religious excitement, expressed by the words holy ghost, here comes upon Zacharias, before the generation of 'Christ: hence, although, among Christians, this spiritual sti- mulation, glow, or illumination, commonly proceeds from the joint ideas of God and Christ; yet God and Christ are not. necessarily antecedent to the procession of the holy ghost. V. 69. This verse includes the remarkable assertion that Zacharias was a descendant from the family of David: his re- sidence at Bethlehem-Ephrata, the site of the family property, indicates, that he was the lineal heir, the princeps famili». 51 " 70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy pro- phets, which have been since the world began: " 71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; "72 To perform the mevcj promised to our fa- thers, and to remember his holy covenant; " 73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, * - *' 74 Tliat he would grant unto us,^ that we being delivered out of the hand of crur enemies might serve him without fear, " 75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. " 76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his M'ays; " 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, " 78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, " 79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and i7i the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. *' SO And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel." V. 80. This account, observe, was drawn up, after John had taken his abode in the wilderness. % ?,1 Thus much may at once be discerned, that thé somewhat elderly priest Zacharias was seized, while burning incense in the temple, witli a para** lytic stroke, and returned home unable to speak ; but that after the birth of his son John, excited by the feeling of joy, and eager to give the boy a name, he recovered the power of articulation. It may also be remarked, that the apparition of Gabriel was internal. The people (v. 22.) did not see the angel : although, as Michaelis infers from Josephus,(yirc/z^o. iii.G. 4.) the prospect Aras open to them. From Zachariah's having lost his speech^ they presumed, that he mast have had a vision, or visitation, from on high. Zacharias, in this ac- count of the transaction, therefore, is describing an oTTiaa-ix {v. 22) a series of phenomena, whicli passed within his own mind. Nations in the early stages of civilization, and above all, the oriental nations, may be observed to think, with ideas of the eye, and not with ideas of the ear. They think in pictures, not in words. But when persons, who so think, attempt to deve- lope their thoughts in writing, they are often oblised to have recourse to an enormous circuit of words, in order to give to others a notion of a very rapid succession of pictures in their own ima- gination. (Compare Balaam's narrative in Num- bers XXII. 22—34.) es An European, who is suddenly impressed with a consciousness of declinino; health, of coming debility, says, / have had a warnmg. This is an idea of the ear. An oriental, who is alarmed by a similar feeling of impending privation and ap- proaching danger, says, / have seen a messenger. This is an idea of the eye. But the thought expres- sed by either phrase is identical. If this oriental, revolving in his mind the causes of his temporary weakness, be led to suspect that he kas indulged too liberally in the duties of eonnubial love, and, having put this case ill his own picture-language; has to describe the resulting surmise — he will represent the messenger, or angel, as talking with him, and saying, " Fear not, thy wife shall bear a son." If the thoughts of the oriental incline him to devote his expected child to some monastic pro- fession (superstition often suggests such vows as a condition of recovery from sickness) his fancy will proceed to paint the messenger of fate, as continuing to give directions concerning the dress and diet of his child. " He shall drink rteilher wine, nor strong drink." Thus a narration, circumstantially similar to that of Zacharias, may easily have afterwards grown out of the attempt to give a niinute description of all the particulars relative to the birth of a son, who had become so famous as John the Baptist. Jewish superstition, or science, considered the ÈMe of mind of the parents at the period of pro- creation (Compare Leclerc (Histoire de la Méde- cine, liv. u.c. 3.) with Darwin, (Z907Zow?m,§ XXXIX,) whose notions corroborate those of the Jews) as very influential on the disposition of the child, and therefore worthy of exact notice. A mixture however^ may be traced in this nar- ration of the older ideas recalled by laborious re- collection, such as the appeafance of the angel *' standing on the right hand of the altar of in- cense," and of the newer ideas originating at the time of enditing the account, such as " he shall go forwards in the spirit and power of Elias to make ready for the Lord a prepared people." The gene- ral hopes, which Zacharias might form of his son's eventual excellence as a preacher, at the time of thus secretly devoting him to the clerical profes- sion, were not lii^ely to assume so definite a cha- racter, as to expect in this son, the harbinger of the Messiah, until the Jews began to muse in their hearts, whether John or Jesus were the Christ. Still, in a mind full of reliance on a particular pro- vidence, those prospective trains of thought, which event realizes, are recollected with complacence, are selected for distinction, are considered as pro- phetical, are eagerly ascribed to the suggestion of a superior power. If the 76th verse authorizes dating the composition of this document, at a period nearly as late as the S6 baptism oiP Jesus j the 74th verse will authorize dating it before the misfortunes of John. So far ifrom foreseeing; an intolerance that was to be fatal to his son, and tO himself, the good old man san- guinely expects that the Messianic party, were to be '' delivered out of the hand of their enemies, and to serve God without fear." Of the rise of this Messianic party Some, account appears in Josephus {Archœo. xviii, 1. 1.). A religious sect, or " fourth philoso-^ phy," as he calls it, had been founded* by a pha- * Some greek anthology of passages from the Jewish scrip- tures prophetic of the Christ must have existed earlyj for Mat- thew, in his gospel, arid James, in his fore-gospel, and Justin^ and other primaeval writers, quote such prophecies in identical words, but in words differing from the Alexandrian version. To Saddok such a èummary of prophecy may well be as- cribed : and the character of the selection may be inferred from these impressions on the mind of Zacharias ; it directed atteiition merely to à temporal deliverance of the jews. If it was entitled Evangdion, this would account for the terms evangelist and to etangdize being in use before the origin of any christian gospel. Judas of Gamala was the son of Ezekias of Sepphoris (Jos, Archœo. xviî. 10. 5.) a feudal chieftain, whom Herod slew ; a sort of condottiere, who, like the 7i\rabiart sheiks, maintained armed vassals. He attempted resistance against Cyrenius {Jewish IFar, ii. 8. l.)j his sons {Archœo. xx. c. 5. 2.) against Tiberius Alexander; and his remoter descendants against Silba (Jewish War, vii. 8. 5), who with difficulty reduced the fortress of Masada, which they eventually oceu- 3^' tkee named Saddok, and patronized by Judas of' Gamala. In its almost seditious zeal for liberty and independerîce, in its impatience of taxation and Roman sway, and in the incitements which it keld out to the people to redress their own wrongs, this sect resembled the jacobinism of modern times. It had other features which bore a closer resem-^ blance to the millenarians of two centuries ago. In order to foster a spirit of insurrection against the idolatrous Romans, the Jewish priesthood had pied. The heroic conduct of Eleazar and his companions inspires a shuddering veneration for the principles of indepen- dence which they inherited. If the relation which subsisted between Saddok and Judas of Gamala was that of a domestic chaplain to a baron bold, Judas himself will have been the Christ of Saddok's imagina- tion; and as he had something of Samson's character, to his birth might aptly be applied the passage in Judges (xiii, 3—5,) which Zacharias alludes to (Luke i, 15,) and which Matthew alludes to (ii, 23,) so unaptly» No doubt they were well read in Saddok's F.vangelion ; of which one conspicuous maxim was (Joseph. Archœo. xviii. 1. 6.) to call no maa mas- ter on earth. With the death of Judas and the dispersion of Lis followers, the theory that he was the Christ naturally be- came extinct ; but the passages accommodated to him still vibrated in the public mind as prophetic of the Christ. Ga- maliel in comparing the new Christianity with the old (Acts, V. 34) draws a truly philosophic analogy, they had the same patria, some propagators, snd several exgectations in com* Hion, 57 very generally introduced into their sermons those passages of the scriptures, which promised an ever- lasting sceptre to the house of- David, and a wide- spreading dominion over the contiguous heathen nations. These passages were indeed originally only flatteries of tlie hour to extinct princes*, which event had already falsified : but produced in con- nection with names venerated as prophetic, with denunciations held to be oracular, they found faith with the people, and were believed to be on the eve of fulfilment. The writings ascribed to Daniel were especially in favor, and the promise (vit. 27.) made by Judas Maccabœus^ probably to his fol- lowers, was interpreted to announce another ap- proaching kingdom of the saints on earth. A great party had insensibly been collected of these hopeful awaiters of national redemption, of these votaries to a temporal deliverer, of these vo- lunteers in drill for the kingdom of God, of these fond expectants of a conquering Messiah, of these holy insurgents (See instances of their paschal riots ^ . — ■ '' » ■ -— ■ - - - ■■-■-■■ — . — . — _ - - * What Isaiah (ix. 6.) and Micah (v. 2.) had addressed to He- zekiah was thus transapplied. f The Pseudo-Daniel included in our canon of scripture has been comniented with elaborate originality in the Annual Re- view, Vol. IV. p. 122, and is there referred, on strong grounds, *' to the times, if not to the hand, of Judas Maccabaeus." Pos- sibly Jason of Cyrene acted as a sort of secretary to Judas Maccabteus, and was the real scribe. in Josephus, Archceo. xvii. <). 3. and xx. 5. S.) against the idolatrous usurpers of the temple. To these political christians, or Christites, as for dis- tinction's sake they might be called, was eventually given the name of zealots. Had an adapted leader existed and come forwards, while Aretas was at war with Herod, and disposed to assist the Chris- tites acrainst the Herodians, the partisans of such views might so far have succeeded, as to restore an independent commonwealth, analogous to that of the Maccabees, governed by a sanhedrim of seventy * delegates, and presided by a series of elective Christs. If a man like Josephus, for in- stance, had flourished at that time, who, to great iniHtary knowlege and conduct, united a famili- arity with the writings and schemes of the Jewish priesthood, it is not improbable that he might have realized the public wish, have rendered Judea independent, and even have separated Syria from the dominion of Rome; as Joshua divided it from that of Egypt, or as Washington redeemed Ame- rica from Bi'itish bondage. There are circumstances which favour the sus- picion, that this Messianic, or Christian, party was * Was the j)urchase of a paschal lamb at the temple the condition, and the moment, of suffrage ? Godwin says (Moses and Aaron, liv. v.) that six members were chosen into the san- hedrim from each tribe or shire, and four from the Levitical order. S9 regularly organized, and had a conference (to bor- row from our methodists the designation of a pa- rallel oligarchic over-ruling synod) habitually sit- ting in Jerusalem and employing about seventy itinerant preachers. (Compare Lessing, Vom Zzvecke Jesu, c. ii. with Grotius on Luke, x. 1. with Vitringa's Archisynagogus, p. 248. with Jo- SQ'Çth.us' A rchao. xvii. 1, 6. and Sigonius de rep. Heb. ir. c- 8. who says there were 4S0 synagogues in Jerusalem only). Within this party jOwre Chris- tianity had its first germ. Among the adherents of tlie political Christites €ire found the primitive converts to that revolution of opinion, which substituted the hope of a spiritual kingdom, not of this world, to the previously prevail- ing hope of a temporal monarchy, or rather Chris- tocracy ; which taught that the redemption of souls, not that of the living Israelites, was the office of the Messiah ; and which proclaimed that the Christ was no longer to be expected, but was already come in the person of Jesus. The spiritualization of the prevailing Christianity was calculated to draw off the quiet, the prudent, the orderly, the virtuous, and the despairing mem- bers of the party; and to leave the turbulent, the rebellious, and the unprincipled to the natural con- sequences of their violence. Joseph of Arimathea (Luke xxTii. 51.) and Nicodemus (Joiin vir. 50.) Fcre leaders of the change. This moral révolu- 40 tion of the pristine faith was highly useful and me- ritorious: it was beeun bv the effect of the dis- courses, it was completed by the effect of the sufferings of Jesus. Some tincture of the traditional opinions of this Messianic party may be traced in all the canonical gospel-writers. The annunciation of a Messiah, and of the kingdoni of God among men, is the cardinal point of their zeal, the pivot and the spring of their whole narration. No particulars of tlie life of Jesus, but what related to this end, were, in the first instance, thought worthy of being record- ed. Nor is John tlie Baptist characterized any further, than as the harbinger of the Messiah. Zacharias flourished wholly before the spiritual- ization of the pristine political Christianity had begun. Accordingly every word of the fragment under consideration points exclusively to the ex- pectation of a temporal Messiah. Thus the whole series of phœnomena, which this sweep of narra- tion exhibits, concur. to autliorize confidence in the genuineness of the memoir, and to justify the at- tribution of it, on internal evider^ce, to the pen o'f Zacharias : and not to a later writer. Why does Zacharias (t^. Ip.) conceive, or repre- sent, the angel Gabriel to be the cause of his alarming impressions, the autl^or of his bciçg smitten ? Angel- worship was early practised (Joshua v. 41 14.) by the Jews : and they returned from Baby-- Ion with a strengthened belief (Zechariah iv. I.) m the exterior reaUty of angehc natures. The Jewish angels were until that period (Caknet Diciionaii^e (le la Bible, art. Aiige.) anonymous. The opinion that all had guardian angels, both empires (Daniel -^11. I.) and individuals (Matthew xviii. 10.) is subsequently very prevalent in the Jewish and Christian scriptures. Duma, according to the rabbces, (Basnage ii. 773, and iir. 170.) was the angel of ipgypt, Metatron the angel of Moses, and Michael the angel of David. The evangelical writers ascribe to Jesus, while in this world (Mat- thew XXVI. SS.) power over twelve legions of an- gels; and when in the next an unlimited ascendr lancy (1 Peter iit. 252,) over tlie three higher ranks of celestial spirits. The apostles (1 Cor. vr. S.) were to sit in judgment over angels. The humbler author of the Apocalypse (xxii, 8.) professes tg be a jvorshipper of angels. From Zechariah (r. 14.) to Jude (t. 6.) this traditional impression was un- interruptedly (2 Maccabees iii. 24.) familiar (Acts y. 19.) especially in the pharisaic sect (Colossians I. l6.) throughout Judea, and all Jewry. (Philo de Somnmy p. 455. Farmer en the fVorship of Human Spirits, Introduction, p. xvii.). Litanies were addressed in certain synagogues to Actariel for all the people of Israel, (Bartoloçci '^iblig^li^.ça 42 Rabbinica, vol. i. p. J 93.) to other angels in alpha- betic order, and at last to the archangel for his in- tercession. The traveller invoked (Buxtorf's Sy- nagog. Jiid. c. xliv.) Michael to stand at his right hand, Nemuel to go before him, and Shaatsiel to look behind. Prayers were said to the tutelar angels before and after sleep, before and after sex- ual intercourse, before and after meals, before and after going to stool. (Heywood'g Hierafxkie of the blessed Angels, p. 219- Picart's Ceremonies Reli- gieuses, Preface, p. iv. Ockley's Leon of Modena, p. 22.). A great repository of the names of angels was the book of Enoch, as it was called, which is first quoted by ]\'Ialachi, which formed a part of the Jewish canon in the time of Zacharias, and vhich still forms a part of the christian canon of Abyssinia. ' (For an account of the book see Monthly Magazine, Vol. xi. p. 18 and 300.) In this noble poem, various inventions are ascribed to the angels during their antediluvian intercourse with mankind. Azaziel is recorded to have ima- gined knives; and Armoris, mirrors. Kobabiel distinguished the signs of the zodiac, Tamiel the length of the sun's path, and Azaradiel the changes of the moon. There were other sources of angelic mythology. Rabbee Elias says (Leclerc, Histoire de la Médecine, p. 87.) that over medicine three ^ngeîs ruled, whom the sick invoked, Senoi, San- senoi, and Sanmangelof. The angel Azariel was supposed to rule over water {^Encyclopédie, article Decalogue,^ and Nekid over nutriment. Now the province of Gabriel, perhaps from the etymology of his name, which signifies man of thç. piighty one, was to preside over generation. In the book of Enoch (c. x.) he is sent to the sons of fornication, and of midnight revelling, to punish them. And this traditional office of Gabriel was stiil assigned tp- him throughout the east in the time of Mahomet. (Consult the comments on the nineteenth sura of the koran, especially those of Al Beidawi, and Sale's Koran, II. ISO.). If Gabriel was an emblematic or allegorical personification of the power of generation, it was natural to give that name to the unknown smiter of a paralytic blow, which conscience referred to the intemperate abuse of the gifts of Gabriel. While Zacharias is hesitating inwardly to what his weak- jiess should be ascribed, a secret voice rings in his ear " I, the author of your punishment, am Ga- briel." Had he imagined his complaint to arise from over-eating, the angel would have said to him: " I am Nekid." Had he attributed it to the excessive use of wine, the angel would have said : *' I am Arsayalalyor*. * It is not indeed expressly stated in the book of Enoch jthat Arsayalalyor taught to squeeze the grape ; but as he is the 44 Let us now pass on to the account of the other childbirth. " 20 And in the sixth month the angel Ga- briel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, " 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of tbe house of David; and the virgin's nanie teas Mary. " 2S And the angel came in unto her, and said. Hail, thou that art highly favoured^ the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. " 29 And when she saw hwi, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of sali^tation.this should be. " 30 And the angel said unto her, Tear not, îll'ary : for thou hast found favour with God. "SI And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. '^ 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the iTiessenger to Noah, who first planted vines, the inference is sufficiently obvious for a mere purpose of rhetorical illus- tration. V. 28. Beausobre {Remarques Critiques sur le Nouveau Testa~ ment, p. 102.) observes that in the epithet KiXH^ruj.'.iv73 there is p, something of gallantry, that it describes visible beauty net spiritual grace. 45 • Son of the Highest : and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David*: "33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever ; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. " 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? " 3.5 And the angel answered and said unto her. The holy ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the son of God f. V. 32. Through whom can Jesus have been a descendant of David? Elizabeth (Luke i. 5.) was of the daughters o£ Aaron, and as Mary (Luke i. 36.) was a cousin of Eliza- beth, she too must have been of the house of Aaron. This rendered her a legitimate wife, or mother, for a high-priest (see Grotius on Luke i. 5.) ; but it negatives her being of the Davidical family. Nor was nobility among the jews usually traced through a mother's pedigree : Familia tnatris non vocu" . tur familia was the maxim of their law (Godwin, vi. 4). Zacharias was certainly (Luke i. 69.) of the house of David; and so was Joseph (Matthew i. 6 — 20.) the husband of Mary. V. 35. In Germany, John David Heilman had the merit of withdrawing the prop of a long string of prejudices, by first showing, that, among the Jews, " Son of God in its especial ëen^e," and '* Messiah, or theocratic king/' were equivalent ex- 46 ** 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elizabetli, she hath also conceived a son in her old age : and this is the sixth month with her who was called bar- ren. " 37 For with God nothing shall be impossi- ble. "38 And Mary said. Behold the hand-maid of the Lord ; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed fiom her." To what does the foregoing periphrasis amount, but to this ? That a betrothed virgin, named Mary, was, by the power of generation, emblematically personified as Gabriel, rendered pregnant. The pressions. Seeliis Disquisitio deratione, quaJesvs sua ex mortuis Kvaarcio-u Messias demonstratus est. 1763. Opuscula Vol. I N'' XXII. The leading arguments merit repetition in bis own words. "Tertius fons cognoscendi veram vim nominis/î/iiDfj — :Io- quendi usus Christi et Apostolurum aetale inter Judaeos, et iptos Christi discipiilos , valgatus. De quo hoc erimus breviores* que major et copia est et perspicuitas eorum N.T. locorum, ex quibus apj»aret, nominibns Messiae, s. X§«rTot; et Jilii Det eandem plane polestatem turn vulgo ab hominibus subjectam fuisse. Modo iliud, quo reclius ea loca iiiteliigatitur, teneauius: et Hehrœis vetustioribus nomen ipsum ri-iya vulgo prorege BSHrpatum;, quemadmodum ex 1 Sam- xvi. 6. xxiy. 7'. xxvi. 45* prospective trains of idea about the child, which are here imputed to the angel, such as, " The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:" can hardly have been formed in the mind of Zacharias, until about the period of his drawing up the narration. They display all his idiosyncrasies, his erroneous expectation of a tem- 9. 16. 2 Sam. 1. 16. 2 Chron. vi. 42. Psal. xviii. 51. Lxxxiv. lO.cxxxii. 10. 17« intelligitur, quibus in locis non solum Alexandrini interprètes, varum etiam Vulgatus, graecam Christi adhibuerunt : et Judacos, quos Christi aetas tulit, ipsosque Apostolos, nullo aeque, ac regio, mungre p.ersqnam ^lessiae censuisse. Jam comparet aliquis, ut ex multis pauca seligamus, Nathanaelis professionem, Jo. i. 49-, qua se p,ersua- sum esse, ait, Jesum esse filium Dei, regem Israelis, cuii> Mar- Mae elogio, Jesum destiriatum terrarum orbi (seu rempublicam illam Israeliticam intellexerii) Christum, filium Dei declarantis Jo. XI. 27., turn Petri, Magistrum suum Cnristum filium Dei viventis pronuntiantis, verba a Matthaeo c. xvi. I6. exhibita, cum oratione a Luca c. ix. 20. eidem tributa, qua Jesum Toy Xgto-Toy Tcy ^iov profitetur. Judaeorum etiam audiat primores et magistros religionum de Messia ita loquentes, ut eiun baud dubitauter Dei filium praedicent : Matth. xxvi. 6,'3. Marc. XIV. 61., et quod Luc. xxii. 67» prima vice ita ex Jesu quae- runt, sitne ipse Christus? id, responsum récusante Jesu, mox iterata quaestione ita effercntes : filiumne se Dei profiteatur? memineritque, iisdem de [summe] divino I\Iessiae fastigio nihi constitisse. Quod cum alias satis certinr, est , turn ex Matth. XXII. 43. sunima ratione colligitur. Neque enlm ad illani 46=^ poral sovereignty for the Christ, or Jesus, who, in no sense, ever obtained the throne of his father David. (Compare v. 27 — 29 of the Lxxxixth Psalm, which was addressed by Ethan, a com- panion of Ezra, to Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and naturally became among the descendants of David, the oracle of the family.) By the marriage of Zacharias, who was the representative of the house of David, with Elizabeth, who was descended quaestionem a Jesu ipsis propositam, quo tandem modo David JMessiam, cujus ipse pater futurus esset, dominum suum vocare in animum induxerit, ita stupere potuissent, ut nullum ad earn verbum, quod responderent, haberent, si quid de [summe] divino Messiae fastigio suspicati essent. . . Quid illi, qui sub- lato in crucem Domino ita illudebant, ut, si Deo tam cams esset, quam se ipse sermonibus suis, quibus se Dei filium jacta- rit, tulisset, jam ejus benevolentiam magno documento cxpe- riretur, liberaturum se nefando supplicio, Matth. xxvii. 43.? videnturne hi ad Dei demum auxilium delabi voluisse sarcasrais suis, si assumto filii Dei titulo ipsum se pro Deo gerere voluisse credidissent ? Aut tentantem Domini virtutem cacodaemonem, qui certe sermonibus suis ad ejus aelatis et gentis usum se com- posuit, putamus, postquani eum hortatus esset, praecipitem se de templi fastigio mitteret, si Dei JiUus esset, jejunam illam orationem subjecturum fuisse, qua ad id audendum facinus eum proposita sanctorum geniorum tutela confirmare volebat si Jilium Dei eundem Deum se dicere putasset ? Ne jam id corame- moremus, idem dicterium, quod Mattheo teste cap. xxvii."40. jn Christum ita jactarunt : ffuaov cnavray, U doi s( to» Seo»; 47* from the house of Aaron, the claims of both these noble houses to the hereditary high-priesthood of Jerusalem was probably concentered in their off- spring. This mistaken enthusiasm, about the IMessiah'» a hucuy cap. xxiii. 35. ita relatum o-wo-arw Ixvrov, tl 6 «to» tent into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; " 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. "41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the holy ghost: " 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb^ V, 42 'EyAoyjjfiEU) cv 'ev lyyva»!*» is repeated from the 28lh E 50 " 43 And whence is this to iiie, that my LoihFs mother should come to me? " 44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of th}^ saluta- tion sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. " 45 And blessed is she that believed : for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. " 45 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord. " 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Sa- viour. '' 48 For he hath regarded the low^ estate of his handmaiden ^ for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. " 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. " 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. *' 5\ He hath shewed strength with his arm J he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. "52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. verse, which might happen to the scrihe, but could noi happen to the speaker ; and is-a further proof that the pen of Zacharias provides the speech of Gabriel, as of Elizabeth.^ 51 ^* 53 Hg hath filled the hungry with good things j and the rich he hath sent empty awa}^ " 54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in re- membrance of /lis mercy. " 55 As he spake to our fathers,- to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. *' 56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house." Here is the testimony in point. It appears fronî^ the 24th verse, that Elizabeth, on finding herselT pregnant, had hid* herself for five months, that is, had separated from the bed of her husband, fear- ing to endanger a complete gestation. In such circumstances it was not uncommon for Jewish wives to provide the husband with a substitute con- cubine. The wife of Abraham had done so : the wife of David had done so. Elizabeth, during the interval of her separation, receives at her house * So Zenobia, who was of Jewish extraction, is described by Trebellius Pollio. Cujus ea castitas fuisse dicitur, ut ne virum suum qiiidem sciret, nisi tentatis conceptionibus : nam, quum semel concnbuisset, expectatis menstruis continebat se, si prtegnans esset ; sin minus, iterum pot«statem quserendis liberis dabat. In polygamous countries the high tone of fe- minine conduct is to trample on the mean grudgings of jea- lousy, to exact still less attention than the generosity of the husband would vouchsafe, and to consider as a motive for friendship, as a sisterly tie, the being pregnant by the same father. Shall not the mothers of brethren b€ as sisters ? E 2 5â a female dependant, who was distantly related, (Luke I, S6, a-vyyivyji) and who had, through the patronage of Zacharias, been brought up in the charity-schools (E-vangel. De Natkit. Mana, c, VI and VII.) at the temple. Alter a stay of about three months this young person (v. 56.) goes away from the house of Zacharias with child. What is the obvious inference, but that her protector was the father? This acknowledgement is, by the narrator, put with exquisite delicacy and propriety into the mouth of Elizabeth^ who (v. 43) calls Mary, 77/y lord's mothers Now as these v»ords must mean either; (l) " mother of my lord and husband,** or (2) " mother by my lord and husband :" and as ^lary, being younger than Zacharias, cannot have been in the first sense his mother; she must have been so in the other sense, a mother of his making, one whom he had caused to become a mother. On the legitimate construction of the words *>j /x',îT'/yf m Kv^iH i^a hinges the strongest direct evi- dence for the proposition that Zacharias was the father of Jesus Christ. But it is decisive* All the particulars of the narrative corroborate this declaration 4 * According to the fore-gospel * The Protevangelium Jacobi was, according to Fabricius, 62, — 20 — 25 Instead of the too affirmativ» paragraph: — ** Dû the legitimate instruction it is decisive." sij>st(tu(e these w^rds. And thus without indiscreetly betraying to the vulgar, tliat the priest Zacharias iras the father of Jesus, the intimation was conveyed to those leaders of the people who were to be influence»! by it in their s«lectioi» of the Christ. 5S of James (c. viii.) which being quoted by Origen (Commentar. in Ev. Matth. "coL xi, p. QQ3J i3 (Codex u4pocri/phus, p. 42 and p. 349J, drawn up by some Ebionite, for ihe purpose of being prefixed to Mark. It im- plies the previous perusal of Luke ; at least to the end of the second chapter. It does pot so clearly imply the previous perusal of Matthew ; for IMatthew may hence have derived the adoration of the Magi and the massacre of ihe Innocents. — (1) The fore-gospel of James, it is urged, quotes INIicah (v. 2.) in the words employed by IMat- thew ; but these words are not likely to have originated with the author of the first chapter of Matthew, who elsewhere (v. 23.) employs the Alexandrian version. (2) The pure jmitarianisip of the concluding doxology in James seems to mark a period prior to the annexation of the baptismal for- mula to Matthew. — (3) Herod the tetrarch, <:onceiving that the seditious character of the Baptists, or Chnstiles, in Gali- lee, injured the reputation of his loyalty at the imperial court of Rome, (Compare Josephus, Archceo. xviir, c. 5 and 7.) beheaded John the Baptist, and no doubt occasioned the un- willing severity of Pilate (Luke xxiii, il.) toward Christ. The early Christians therefore had naturally a vioJent hatred agamst Herod the tetrarch, and most willingly circulated and accredited any atrocities concerning him. Now, it is to this Herod the tetrarch that the fore-gospel of James im- putes the massacre of the innocents. And tliis must be the earlier form of the anecdote, as there could be no motive for inventing such a calumny against Herod the great. — (4) The author of this fore-gospel claims to have written at the time of the persecution excited by Ananus (Josephus, Archoco. XIX, Q, 1.) which he supposes (c. xxv.) to have taken place with the concurrence of Herod Agrippa. How could a writer. 54 évidence of very early tradition, Zacharias was the person, who induced Joseph to marry Mary. By what inducennent. this was effected, the docu- ment preserved in Luke, veils, but not wholly con- ceals. Mary was (v. 43.) oî lew estate, and her condition in lite was (v. 52.) exalted by the con- nexion. A dower, therefore, proportioned to the equivocal character of the circumstances, may rea- sonably be presumed. In the fore-gospel of James (c. xv.) the scribe Annas conducts the nei^otiation between Joseph and Zacharias. Matthew, like Luke, had no doubt taken pains to obtain original and authentic intelligence con- cerning the early years of Jesus. The account which he procured evidently comes from Joseph, not writing exactly at that very moment, attribute a perse-» cution to Herod Agrippa, which he deposed Ananus for inflict- ing? If this book were an after-forgery in the name of James, the persecution would have been attributed to Ananus merely. (5) This fore-gospel was trusted by Justin Martyr, who in the dialogue with Trypho, p. 303, alludes to the account therein contained, that Jesus was born in a grotto. — (()) The author of this fore-gospel looks up with singular veneration to Simeon (c. xxiv) as to his religious oracle, or patron ; is it clear that the James, mentioned in Acts (xv, 13 — 21), who looks up with a like singular veneration to Simeon, is not really the same person ? At this period, James might have seen the two first chapters of Luke, beyond which his imitations do noï extend. $5 whose motives of conduct are detailed (i, l§.) in a way "that no stranger could have detailed them. Yet it is not probable that Jose{)h drew up this account for Matthew's use in xvriting ; as it is not all from the same mint. Some of it was thought in the language of Palestine, as verse 21, where the words Jesus and save vyould suggest one another in the Aramaean, but not in the Greek. Some of it was thouglit in Greek, as verse 23, where the Alexandrian text was likely, and where the Hebrew text of Isaiah was not likely, to excite such a perception of parallelism as could occasion the application of the passage. This change of pen announces a writer who draws his materials partly from the dictation of another, and partly from his own mind. It may therefore be pre- sumed that Matthew took down the testimony of Joseph, but that he interpolated it. It is Joseph who thinks in Aramasan, it is Matthew who thinks in Greek. In the genealogy preserved by Matthew, several women in whose historv there was a sometbincf of equivocal delicacy, are named, as Tamar, Rachab, Ruth, Bathsheba; an indirect but cogent proof that this is really a family document, and not co- pied merely from public registers. One conspicuous feature of the succeeding me- moir is a regard to dreams. (See i. 20, ii. 12, ii. 13, II. 19» and ii. 21.) This again favours the S6 suspicion that the memoir came from Joseph : for as a Jew considered himself under the habitual protection of the saint after whom he was named, and in the scriptures studied especially the history of that saint, he was likely to catch from the origi- nal Joseph a regard to dreams. The Editors of the " Improved Version" affect ta doubt (p. 2.) whether this narrative alvvays formed p, part of the gospel ot- Matthew, or whether it was subsequently prefixed. Professor Paulus thinks the two first chapters always formed a part of the gospel of Matthew, (l) because they are not omitted in any manu- script J (5) because Cerinthus and Carpocras, gnostics by inclination and not favourers of thç terrestrial symptoms in the history of Christ, had inferred from the genealogy that Jesus was Jo- seph's son ; they therefore regarded the genealogy as authentic, and knew that it was so considered by their adversaries; (3) because the dialogue \yith Trypho quotes certain passages of scripture with variations from the Alexandrian and from the Hebrew te:j^t, but exactly as they occur in the second chapter of Matthew, and therefore proba- bly froni this very sources (4) because, accord- ing to Clemens Alexandrinus, several fathers of the church held the gospels with the genealo- gies to be the more antient, and consequently Matthew and Luke, already had the genealogiçs à1 in the time of those fathers; (.5) because neitker Julius Africanus, nor the antients refuted by him, who were fathers of the second century, ever ques- tioned the genuineness in their attempts to recon- cile the apparent incoiibistencies. These arguments may suffice to authorize our receiving the two first chapters of Matthew, as documents adopted in the original redaction of the gospel, and in part derived from Joseph. Now this testimoiiy expressly excludes the pa- ternity of Joseph. F". 18 and 19- Before they came together she was found with child of the holy ghost. Then Jo- seph her husband being a just man, was minded to put her away priyily. V, 24 and 25. Joseph took unto him his wife; and knew her not, until she had brought forth iier first-born son. As to the messenger of the Lore which inter- feres {v. 20 — 24.) to prevent the divorce, professor Pauius supposes the meaning analogous to this.-— The image of an adequate * determining cause iji- * So Hobbes L I'he Dove and the Fiei y Tongues, in that they >yere signs of God's special presence, might be called angels. — For it is not the shape, but their use that makes them angels. ^ — I was inclined to Uns opinion, that angels were no- thing but apparitions of the fancy, raised by the special and 58 tervénes, and presents itself before Joseph on his piilow ; and this cause might be the dov\ er offered by Zacharias. Both from the account here (Mat- thew I, 18.) and from the fore-gospel of James (c. xiii.) it appears, that Mary was betrothed to Joseph before he was aware of her pregnancy, she being at that time (c. xn.) sixteen years of age. Let us pursue the narrative of Zacharias through the second chapter, *' 1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. *' 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cy-- renius was governor of Syria.) / " 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. " 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David :) extraordinary operation of God, thereby to make his presence and commandments known to mankind, and chiefly to his own people. But the many places of the New Testament, and our Saviour's own words, and in such texts wherein is no suspicion of the corruption of scripture, have extorted from my feeble reason, an acknowlegement and belief, that there be also angels substantial and permanent." Christian Commoiu •eçealth, HI, c. xxxiv. " 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child." At first sight it may seem extraordinary, that a woman far advanced in pregnancy, should think of accompanying her husband on so long a journey * as from Nazareth, where Joseph lived, to Bethlehem. But it should be observed that Za-^ charias dwelt in the immediate neighbourhood of Bethlehem, in the hill -country of Judea, and that he might wish his little god child to be born under his own roof. Mary too might desire to revisit her bountiful protectors. In this case, if Mary was somewhat prematurely delivered at a village inn, or in a contiguous grotto, it would be natural for Zacharias to send a depu- tation of shepherds to remove the mother and child in the easiest and safest possible manner,, on a hurdle of olive-boughs perhaps, to his own residence, and to congratulate her on the birth of one, whom they understood to be in some degree an adopted child of their master. That these shepherds should be led to consider any shoot- * In the fore-gospel of James, Simon and Joses, sons of Joseph by a former wife, accompany their father at his setting out for three miles ; and Salome, the wife of Zebedee, makes the whole journey with the bride : the females travçl on asses j, and Joseph on foot. 60 ing * stars, or northern lights, they had seen the night before, as an ominous or angelic apparition, is also natural. And out of some such basis no doubt the poetic pen of Zacharias builds the fol- lowing exquisitely beautiful narration. " 8 And there were in the same country shep-. herds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. " 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them : and they were sore afraid. " 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not j for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. " 1 Î For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. " 12 And this ^hall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapt in s^vaddling clothes, Kv ing in a manger. "13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. * Professor Paulus indicates in Shaw's. Travels the descrip- tion of a fen-fire seen in the valley of Ephraim as illustrative of this incident. 61 "15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made Imown unto us. " 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. " 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. " ] 8 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shep- herds. " 1 9 But ^lary kept all these things, and pon- dered them in her heart. " 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it vvas told unto them." It deserves notice that this explanation or expo- sition of the phenomenon seen by the shepherds is expressly said in the concluding verse to have been told unto them. They did not know they beheld angels, until Zacharias had solved to them the meteorous apparition : it is he who sees for them the hovering host of heaven, he who hears for them the words that crackled in the sky. The inference of Zacharias, not the autopsy of the shepherds, shapes this glorious vision. How envi- 62 iable is a fancy so picturesque, so brilliant, so sub- lime ! How aaiiabie a philanthropy which thus in- terprets tlie omens of nature ! The next incidents are thus related. "21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the an^el before he was conceived in the womb. " 22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord ; " 2 J (As it is written in the law of the Lordj Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord ;) " 24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. " £5 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusa- lem, whose name icas Simeon; and the same man "was ]u?>i and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the holy ghost was upon him. " 26 And it was revealed unto him by the holy ghost; that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. '^ 27 And he came by the spirit into the tem- ple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law. 63 *' 28 Then took he him up in his arms, blessed God, and said, " 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word : '■ 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, " 3 Î Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people ; " 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. "33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. " 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother. Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel ; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; " 35 (Yea a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. " 36 And there was one Anraa, a prophetess^- the daughter of Fhanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity : " 37 And she ïvas a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the tem- ple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. V. 33. This verse is evidently phrased with a, view to cxdude the idea of the paternity of Joseph. 64 *' 38 And she comino; in that instant s^ve thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jeru- salem. " 3.9 And when they had performed all thihgs according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. " 40 And the child greM% and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him." At the lime of circumcision the Jews in general fixed on some godfather and godmother for the child ; vvho in case of the parent's death undertook the requisite superintendance. But as we some- times name a child as soon as it is born, and re- serve a more formal christening for the period, when the mother is sufficiently recovered to take part in the ceremony j so the Jews sometimes made a domestic private circumcision, and reserved the appointment of the godfather and godmother, until the purification, or churching, of the mother This seems to have happened in the case before us. Who the Simeon and Anna were that acted as godfather and godmother is not wholly known. Lightfoot [Horœ Hebraicœ, p. 7^^-) and Michaelis (p. 374.) wish to conjeoture thai Samai, the son of liillel and the father of Gamaliel, h the vene.»'able 66 priest employed. His -^vife Abital was of tlie fa- mily of David, and nmy therefore have been re ■ rated to Joseph ; but it is more probable that the protection of Zacharias, so conspicuous over the early years of Jesus, had soHcited this interference. According to the fore-gospel of James, one Saiiiuel (c. X.) took the place of Zacharias, when he was struck dumb; and Simeon (c. xxiv.) when he wàs- no more. Perhaps the name lias been mistran- scribed by Luke, and that it was Samuel who ofii- •ciated in the temple on the presentation ot Christ: for the great age ascribed to the ofliciating priest (Luke IT. 26.) at the presentation, renders it im- probable that he should have been still living, as Simeon was (Acts xv. 14.) long after the resur- rection of Christ. From the account of Luke, observe especially the 39th verse, one v^ould suppose the parents of Jesus to have returned strait from Jerusalem to their home at Nazan th, and to have there passed twelve quiet years, without any other journies than their yearly visit to Jerusalem in the passover week. There is no symptom of omission in 'the account of Luke; there is every reason to suppose that Zacharias, the fountain of that accou-nî, musî^ as a friend and kinsman, have known the exact truth. The relation in the second chapter of IMatthew F 66 is en the contrary encumbered with some impro- "bable circumstances. It is true that in an age when astrolofisy* was generally credited, there mi,a;ht well arrive at Jerusalem some strolling Ba- bylonians, who made a profit of their pretended science. A carpenter and his wife might send for such persons to tell the fortunes of their child; might see them consult his star, accept from them presents of trinkets, and reward them according to custom. Such ma^ians might discover, in the mo- ther, a notion, and, in his name, an omen, that her child was to become a saviour of the people; and might corroborate her wishes by tlieir flattery. But that Herod, already too old to incur the compe- tition of an infant, sliould take alarm at the horo- scope, that he should order a massacre of all the children in Bethlehem, and that Josephus should not mention this most remarkable insanity of cruelty, is indeed very surprising. Besides Herod xvas ill at Cailirhoe, and Could not visit Jerusalem at this period of his life. And that Joseph' should have foreseen this proscription, and, without warn- ing the other inhabitants of Bethlehem, should have nndertaken a journey into iEgypt, in order to save his foster-child, has in it something of legendary * Fellowcs (Guide to IirmortaUfy, i. 59.) accedes to tVjJ' opinion that the magians were itinerant astrologers. 6r improbability: especially as such a story concern- ing the early years of Daniel (Bociiart Ilierozoicon, 111. 3.) was already current. The tradition of a migration into ^î'gypt is more likely to respect a period, uhen the caies of edu- cation* attracted the fof^ter-child of Joseph to the colleo-es of Alexandria, than the period to -ubich it is here assigned. Yet if the maesacre of the innocents were aban- doned as historically indefensible ; it may never- theless have been sincerely believed by ^fattliew, and therefore adopted, with a supposed correction in the chronology of the Prstevangeliuin, in his own original'j^ redaction of the foremost gospel, * It is known from Origeu lliiit bv Celous, tlie magical power, or medical tkill, of Jesiis was impuved to his /F.g}'plia)a education: he ranks himself (Matthew xii. 52. and xxiii. 34.) among the scribes, that is among the clerks, or graduates. Did he graduate at the Serapeam of Alexandria? (--— Vespasian was there taught the art of touching for the evil, and fur pa- ral3'Sis, of curing blindness with his spittle, &c. Taciti HisL liv. IV. — ) and under Philo? to whcra his brother Alexander, the alabarcb, pi'obably gave the profitable principality of that college. See Se)ifh)jaits of Philo Judœus by Bryant, who Las com'incingly detailed the identities of metaphysicial opinion prevalent between Philo and the iirst teachers of Christianity. Some account of the Serapcum shall be given in the appendix. t Matthew's historic criticism was not very vigilant: }:e surrounds the sepulchre of Christ (xxvii. 02 — Gb.) wrai a guard of lloman soldiers, employed by the chief priests, which |s inconsistent with the free access enjoyed by the women an^ F 3 6S x\s in the second chapter, so throughoct the gospel, Matthew introduces his quotations of prophetic passages with 'a/cc zs-K^^ooêy}. (Compare ii. 15 and 1 S with IV. 15, viir. i7, xii. 18, xiii. 35, xxi. 4, and XXV ir. 9.). As in the second chapter, so throughout the gospel, JMatthew habitually uses^ version distinct from the Alexandrian. As m the second chapter every thing is motived by a dream,- so, in the progress of the gospel, jMatthew, and ^vlatthevv only, shakes the resolution of Pilate (xxvii. 19") hy a dream '\ V/hat Luke preserves concerning the education of Jesus Christy is merely this: " 4 1 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. disciples in the other gospels; and is otherwise improbable, us the chief priests could not expect a resurrection. If the guard stationed at the holy sepulchre granted free access to the ernbalniers, this guard must have been obtained of Pilate by Joseph of Arimathea, in order to prevent a riotous intru- sion of the Herodians into his garden. * Eichhorn (Krifischc Schiften, vol. v, p. 422.) sides with the Unitarian editors against this portion of JMatthew : he too thinks it a praiseworthy sacrilege, to withdraw the second chapter, and contends it was first attached at the time of making the Greek translation, and was no part of the Hebre-.v Matthew. Was there ever a Hebrev/ Matthew? Was not the Hebrew gospel, which Jerom saw, Peter's vernacular ori- ginal of Mark?, iS9 '' 42 And when he was t\xe]ve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the castoni of the feast. " 43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem ; and Joseph and his mother knew not qfit. " 44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaint- ance. " 45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem^ seeking him. " 46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them Questions. " 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. " 48 And when they saw him, they were amazed : and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sou"ht thee sorrowing. " 49 And he said unto them, How is it that V. 44. Tvvc^iix in the caravan. Those, who came from a distance to the passover, travelled, after the custota of the east, in caravans ; hence it was easy not to miss an absentee until the hour of encampment. 70 ye sought rue ? wist ve not that I must be about my fa.ther's business? " 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. " 5i And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them : but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. '' 52 And Jesus hicreased in wisdom ;ind sta- ture, and in favour with God and nian." Professor Pauhis is for tcrn^inating the narra- tive of Zacharias at the fortietii verse. Tne Uni- tarian editors sureiy display a correcter feeling, in considerin»! this further fran;ment also as of the same fabric with the preceding. The whole of the two first chapters of Luke plainly compose a dis- tinct, but uniform document. They must be of an unmixed staple. There is a continuation of one feeling throughout the whole narrative. This part of it, like all the preceding, clearly exhibits the honest pride of a father exulting in the celebrity of liis race. It v.as no doubt com.posed about the time of the baptism of Jesus, when both he and John were in the bloom of a thriving popularity ; and was intended to illustrate the seed-bed of plants, which Zacharias had himself nursed into progressive eminence, and which were become such lofty cedars of God. Pcriiaps the mournful catastrophe of the elder -^1 abridgexJ the father's toil, and broke his neart, and thus closed his eyes to an event 3'et more terrible! and distressing. P.rhaps, and for this supposition Strong traditional testimony * can be adduced, the saniie Herod, who imprisoned and beheaded John at ?>Iacha?rus, sent assassins against Zacha- * The testimony alluded to is contained in the xxiii. chap- ter of the fiire-gospel of Janicb, which runs thus : '• Then Herod, seeking John, sent messengers to Zacharias, who was at the altar of incense, and said to him: Where hast thou hidden thy son ? " He answered them: I ana a priest, and am j)re£ent hefore God, and assist at the altar of incense, whence should I know where my son is ? " Then the messengers went away, and told all these things to Herod. " But Herod was angry, and said : His son wants to reign over Israel. " And sending his messengers back to Zacharias, he said : Tell us the truth; where is thy son? Knowest thou not that thy blood is in our hands. " And the messengers went announcing all these things. And Zacharias said unto them : I am God's martyr ; shed nly blood, my spirit God will receive. " In the vestibule of the temple and of the altar of incensfe, about the separation, Zacharias was slain. " And the sons of Israel knew not. when he was slain." It is the more probable that the death of Zacharias really took place as here related; because Jesus Christ apparently alludes, and with the vehemently pathetic resentment of indig- nant piety, to this very aisasiination (Matthew sxin. 35.): *^ lias into the very temple (ipsas ad aras majiis ad- missuin scelas!) for having attempted to conceal bis son. Bnt while he yet wrote, he yet rejoiced in both his descendants. He narrates trie examination of Jesus before the doctors in tJîe tempie, which no doubt he had prepared and commissioned the lad to undergo, and which Y\^as to pave the way for a reception into the free schools cf the priesthood, with the warm delight of a parent, who feels that his affectionate endeavors are now recompensed, and that he has inspired a taste for learning and for piety similar to his own. As soon as kindred dispositions had stamped on the boy the seal of his descent, the little Jesus too was made acquaint- ed with his filial relation to Zacharias, who puts tl-e words, " sen of BerecMas," (See L?.rdner's Works, i. 404.) being inlerpolaied. Herod's jealousy of the Deaposifnoi, or noble Israelites, is noticed by Julius Africancs. In the preceding chapter of James it is said, that Elizabetri, i>?!n" apprehensive for lier son, prayed to the mountain, and tliat the mountain opened and received them, and that the an- gel of the Lord guarded thcfri. This allegory of the legendary plainly means that Eliza- beth and her son had deserted the home of Zacharias, and. were conco-a'ed among the mountains about Bethlehem-ephra. tah. One might suppose that the cottagers, who harboured John, v;ere, on his seizur?, murdered, children and all, by the emissaries of iierod, and that this massacre of innocents gave •i'ise to the anecdote antedated by iNiatthew. into the mouth of the lad an acknowlegcir.cnt of this wt'lcouiR consciousness. When reproved for lingering in Jeriisalem to undergo the examinations Zacharias had set him about: ek visits oti Iv roig 7b' •uraTPoç [jL-d hi huoci [j-;; Wist ye not, says he, I had to stay about 7}iy father's business? How many commentators have let pass this arch confession* with as obtuse an ear as Joseph himself! It appears then that Zacharias was the father of Jesus Christ, 1. From Zachariah's own testimony implied throughout this narrative '. Q, From the direct testimony of Elisabetiî: 3. From the admission of j\Iary in replying to -Elisabeth : and, 4. From the direct testimony of Jesus Christ. This attestation, of itself satisfactory, is corro- borated by the whole evidence of circumstances; such as the sedulous patronage of Zacharias to !Mary and lier offspring, the cordial tone of hi;) narration, and the weight and station assigned to his testimonial by Luke. In the fore-gospci of James moreover (c. vin.) the other priests of tlie temple, when they are apprehensive least the re- putation of the holy house should, because of 3,'ary, ■■■ The fiftieth verse sccras there, leiist the allusion should Us missed. 74 receive a stain, are described as caliing on Zacha- rias to see to it; as if the inference of bis pater-r nity had been drawn by his colleagues. Besides, it appears from the positive and almost indelicately precisS testimony, contained in the first chapter of Matthew, which testimony must have come from Joseph himself, and may well have been given in a legal form, before Annas the scribe, that* Joseph cpuld not be the father of Jesus Ciirist. lie says, he knew not his wife until she had brought forth her first-born son, After what has been premised, it will be ra- tional to conclude, tiiat the pedigree preserved by Lnke in his third chapter, v. £3 — 38, is also a document obtained from the heirs of Zacha- rias, and is consequently that of Zacharias him- self. In tiiis case, we must, with Venema (Instit. Hidt. Eccles. lib. iv, c. 10.) read, as a parenthesis, the entire clause, d'ç 1\,cij.iÇcto vtog ''ic'CTri(p, and suppose the genealogist to announce Jesus as de- ■* Thofe, wlio inaiiitain Je&iis to' have been tlie son of Jo- £epL and iNlnr}', nsust suj^pose, that Joseph, an elderly widovt'er, seducedj under a promise of cnarriage, Mary, while a young girl, and afterwards endeavoured to rid himse'if of the betroth- ment, by pretending that she was with child by another. They must suppose, that Mary, through her friends, compclleii Jr)£eph to abide b}^ this promise of marriage, and then boasted ■f^lsclij, that she was in fact with child bv another. 75 ^cending from Heii, without choosing to define tlic intermediate links. It cannot be the pedigree of Mary; for her fa- ther was called Joachim (Protevaiig. Jac. c. I. and E-cang. de Nativ. Mariœ, c \.): nor that of Joseph; for his father was called Jacob (Matthew, I. 16.). Supposing that Zacharias was the sen of He!i, this would account naturally for several historic phaencmena — for the ambitious turn of Zachariah's hopes - for the oriiiinal pretensions of John to the Çhristship, as a branch of the stem of Jesse — for the deadly jealousy which IL^Tod the tetrarch felt against John's attempting to reign over Israel, a jealousy, which no baptist minister, unarmed with such a pedigree, could have provoked — for the tranquillity of Jesus during the whole of John's ascendancy — for the value set, even by Saint Paul, oî^ John's resignation in favor of Jesus, which dates from the baptism, and which does not appear to have preceded the seizure of John by the Ilcro- dians — for an incessant use of the appellation •' son of David," — and for the successive selection of John and of Jesus, as Christs, by a party .vhich had temporal views ; although such men v»-crc surely not adaj)ted to found a kingdom of this world. The Unitarian editors '.viil, Î hope, weio^h and, 76 acquiesce in these reasons, and expunge from the expected, and not unnecessary, Revised Edition of their Improved Version, all those passages of their Commentary, which, in defiance of the scriptures, impute to tiieir prophet, a genealogy alike indefen- sitile and inslorious. APPENDIX 'ENDIX, The story of Mundus and Paulina being referred to at page 4, and being characteristic of the super- stitions, and practices of the time, is here reprinted from Whiston's translation of Josephus. " There was at Rome a woman, whose name was Paulina: one, who, on account of the dignity of her ancestors, and by the regular conduct of a virtuous life, had a great reputation. She vvas also very rich. And although she were of a beautiful countenance, and in that flower of her age wherein women are most gay, yet did she lead a life of great modesty. She vvas married to Saturninus, one that was every way answerable to her in an excellent character. " Decius j\lundus fell in love with this woman: he was a man very high in the equestrian order. And as she was of too great dignity to be caught by presents, and had already rejected them, though they had been sent in great abundance, he was still more inflamed v,ith love to her; in so much that he offered to give lier two hundred thousand attic G 2 80 drachnisu îoi one night's lotlo;ing. And when thiW would ijot prevail on her, and he was not able ta' bear this misfortune in his amours, lie thought it the best way to starve himself to death, on account of Paulina's mortifying refusal. And he deter- mined with himself to die after this manner, and went J'. bout his i)urposc accordingly, abstaining wholly from food. " Now 3(lundus had a freed woman, who had been ni-dCic free by liis father, whose name was Ide, one skilful in all sorts of intrigue. This wo- man was veiy much giieved at the young man's resolution to kill himseli^ for he did not conceal his intc!itio:v from others,: and came to him,; and encouiaii;c(i liiin b}^ her discourse, and made him hope by some promises she gave him, that he might obtain a nigfit's lodging with Paulina. And when he iovfu'iv hearkened to her, she said she wanted 3..0 more lljanHfty thousand dracbm'tE for entrap- ping the woman. "Having encouraged the young mnw, and gotten as much money as she inquired, slie did not take the same methods that had been taken before, be- cause she perceived that Paulina' was by no means to be ten>pted with money. But as she knew this lady to be very much given to the worship of the goddess Isis, she devised t^e following stratagemi She went to some of the priests of Isi:-, and' \jith tiiC sîrongfpt assurances of conceahr.ent;- she per» 81 stiaded tliem by Avords, but chiefly by the offer of monc}^, of twenty-live thousand drachmœ in hand, and as much more when the thing had taken etîecti to lend their aid. She told them the passion of the vouno; man, and besoudit tiiem to use all means possible to beguile the woman : and they were drawn in to promise to do so by that large sum of gold they were to have. -' Accordin^iiy the oldest of them went immedi- ately to Paulina, and on his admittance he desired to speak with her privately. When that was granted him, he told her, that he was sent by the god Anubis, who was fallen in love with her, and enjoined her to come to him. This message she took very kindly, and valued herself greatly on this condescension of Anubis, and told her husband that she had a message sent her, and was to sup and to lie vvnth Anubis. So he agreed to her ac- ceptance of the offer, being fully satisfied of the chastity of his wife, " In the evening Paulina went to the temple, and after she had supped there, and it was the hour to go to sleep, the priest shut the doors of tiie temple, when in the holy part of it the lights were also put out. Then did Mundus leap out; for he was hidden therein ; and did not fail of enjoying her, who was at his service all the nidit lono', as supposing he was tiie god. And when he was gone îiway, which ^vas before those priests, who knew 82 nothing of the stratagem, were stirring, Paulina re- turned early to her husband, and toid him how the god Anuois had appeared to her. Among her friends also she declared how great a value she put on this favor: they partly disbelieved the thing, and partly were amazed at it, as having not any pretext for not believing it, uhen they considered the modesty and uigijitv of the person. " But nu'vv on the third day af:rr v hat had been done, Alundus met Paulina, and said to her: — ' Nay, Paulina, thou hast saved me tuo hundred thousand drachma?, which sum thou miiihtest have added to thy family. Yet hast thou not failed to be at my service in the manner I invited thee. As for the reproaches thou hast cast upon Mundus, I care nut about names, since I can rejoice in the pleasure I reaped, while I took to myself the name of Anubis.' When he had said this he vvent his way. " Paulina then began to come to a sense of the grossness of what she had done: and rent her gar- ments, and told her husband of the horrid nature of this viicked contrivance, and prayed him not to neglect to assist her in this case. So he discovered the fact to the emperor, '■ Whereupon Tiberius enquired into the matter thoroughly, by examining the priests aboutit; and ordered them to be crucified, as well as Ide, who was the occasion of their perdition, and had can- 83 Irived the whole matter which was so injurious to the honor of Paulina. The tennple of Isis also was ordered to be demolished, and her statue thrown into the Tiber. But the emperor only banished Mundus, and did no more to him, as sup- posing that what crime he had committed was done put of the passion of love. APPENDIX, No. II. APPENDIX, N° 2. In illustration of the note at pa^e 67, it may per- haps be expedient to speak more largely of the -Serapeum of Alexandria, and of the opinions pre- valent there. Serapeums were as common in iEgypt, as Be- nedictine abbies in catholic Europe; there was one at Memphis (Strabo, p. II6I.) founded by king Osimandyas (Diodorus Siculus, liv. i. p. 51.), which was of all the most antient (Pausanias, liv. I. c. XVIII.); one at Canopus (Strabo, p. J i52.), to nhicli a hoy carried worshippers from afar; and one especially famous for its splendor (Strabo, p. 1143.) at Alexandria. This Serapeum was a sort of college, or mona- tery, consisting of several stories^ of cells and * Jam vero in siiperioribus extrema totius ambitus occupant exhedrae et pastophoria, dorausque in ecceisuni porrectœ, in quibus vel seditui, vel hi quos appellabant 'aynvotrus, id est, qui se castiricant, commanere soliti crant. lUifinus, His(, Ecclcs. 1. II. c. "23. 8S : cloisters, of a refectory ^ with the connected of- fices ^, and of a comprehensive library called the Museura * : which apartments surrounded, or rather supported, a temple of Serapis, adorned "with huge^ windows, pretious^ columns, and walls incrusted externally with marble and iniernaliy '^ ■with gilding. It was ascended by more than a hundred steps, whence the square® pillars, and Strabo, p. 1143. ^ Serapidis fanum extra muros extruxtum erat, quod ipsi hostiae mactarentur. JMacrob. Saturnal, liv. i. "* Epiphanius says, (vol. ii. p. l58.) that it was so called after the private, or rather personal library of Ptolemy in the Bruchion, which had already this name. Confusion has arisen from applying to the mother-library, and to the daughter- library, the same appellation. Perhaps that Epiphanius him. self in this very passage (see Bonamy's Dissertation Historique sur la Bibliothèque d'Alexandrie, in the Mémoires (vol. ix.) de l'Académie des Inscriptions,) has interchanged them, and that the library in the Bruchion was the daughter-library, the de- rivative and posterior institution, and, until Anthony, in atone- ment for the conflagration during Julius Ccesar's war, placed there the spoils of Pergamus, the lesser collection. ' Immensis desuper luminaribus ^ pretiosis édita columnis, et marmoris saxo extrinsecus ample magnificeque constructa ^ interioris delubri parietes laminis primo aureis vestiti, super has argenteis. Rufinus, Hist. Ecoles, ii. G.23. Porticus quoque post ha?c omnem ari^.bitum quadratis or- B9 brick arcades^ of the interior court below appear- ed like subterraneous dwellings. Externally also a portico embraced the vast quadrangle. In the north-west suburb ^*^ of Alexandria, called ilhacotis", on the royalties i'^, or public domain, contiguous to the open space, where Dioclesian's^^ pillar remains, this building was eminently^* situate. It was undertaken by the first Ptolemy^*, and was progressively'^ adorned, augmented, and endowed by succeeding sovereigns. The kings of iE^ypt, and afterwards the Roman emperors '^ appointed dinibus distinctcC intrinsecus circiimib'ant. .... ^ Cuncta Opere forniceo constructa. . . . Rufinus, ii. 23. "^ Templum pro magnitudine urbis extnictum, loco cni iiomen Rhacotis ;■ fu&rat illic sacellum, Serapidi atque Isidi antiqiiitus sacraturii. Taciti, Hist. liv. iv. p. 84. *" This suburb was the old town : in the Coptic version of the Christian soiptures the Alexandrians (Acts vi. 9. xïjîi, 24, &c.) are calld Rakoti. '^ Tojv h ^xb-i\nm fjupog If». Strabo, p. 1 143. " White's iï^gyptiaca, p. 05.! '■* Valetitia's Tra\els, vol. iii. p. 464. *^ 'n7o7iZjjixicii Ô TTÇuros avvocyxyuv to Mmx-tov, Plutcirch. ùdlU Coioû. p. 1095. '* According to Galen {Conime/ifur. 2. ad Epidemic.) Pto- lemy Physcon had recourse to fraiid in order to obtain scarse manuscrlpts ïw the Serùpeiini.. lie pawned fifteen ingots of gold to the Athenians for the loan of an autograph of Sopho- cles' Tragedies, and sent llîetu a copy instead of the ori'ïiiiul, telling them to confiscate the pledi^e. §0 the abbot, or father-librarian, on whom the sub- ordinate patronage devolved of engaging the lec- turers, translaters, scribes and other men of letters, sevent}'^^ in number, who were employed and maintained in the establishment. Of this institution the first abbot, or supermten- MsiTfia T5Ta7jt*5voj, tots (*iv ctTio Twv ^xcr.Kscov, vvv ^cliro ^vatx^ou Strabo, p. 1144. ^^ Those Hebrew manuscripts of the Jewish scriptures, ob- tained from Jerusalem by the kings of iEgypt, whence the 7\lexandrian Greek version derived, were preserved in the Se- rapeum. Hodie apud Sera|)œum, says Tertullian, (Jpolog. c. XVIII.) Ptolemœi Bibliothecas cum ipsis Hebraicis Uteris exhibentur. Thio is confirmed by Chrysostom (torn. i. p.443.). Consequently the preparation of this version had been in- trusted to the master and fellows of the Serapeum : and as the version is denominated that of t/ie sevcnfy, they must have been seventy in number. It is not to be supposed that all, or even that many, of the inmates of the college were actually employed in this task. Of the Benedictines in Saint-Maure six or seven perhaps suf* iiced to. superintend those editions of the fathers, which have immortalized the v/hole fraternity. In the distribution of a poetic prize at the Serapeum, during the reign of Ptolemy Phvscon, the committee appointed to judge between the can- didates was composed of six persons (Vitruvius, liv. vii.) who aggregated a seventh, the studious Aristophanes of Alexandria, to insure a casting vote. From this instance it may be pre- sumed, that each class of literature was separately snperin- tended by a committee consisting of the sacred number seven. Nor is it to be supposed that there were originally so many 91 daût, must have been Demetrius^^ of Phalera. There are writers who place him at the Bruchion- museum; but it is unhkeîy that the same prince should found ^'^ two rival collegiate libraries, the mother and the daughther; and it is certain that the patron of Demetrius did found the Serapeum, and did import for its temple from Sinope a pe- culiarly venerated effigy "^^ of Serapis. classes in this Institute as were ultimately introduced, Jn the 'colleges of the ^Egyptian priests (Jablonski, Pantheon ^gypt. Proleg. § 42.) medicine, that branch of geometry which we call mensuration, and astronomy as applied m dialling and al- manak-making to the division of time, were especially stu- died. To these pursuits, which were common at every Sera- peum, Greek patronage added, at Alexandria, a class of philo- logy. This was so numerous as to have influenced the 'de- signation (Strabo, p. 1143.) of the inmates of the Serapeum. '^ See Bonamy's Vie de Demetrius de Phalere in th-e Mémoires de l'Académie des Inscriptions, vol. viïi. p. 157. ^■^ The revenues of the Serapeum probably consisted in some tax on navigation, and were connected with an obliga- tion to light up the Pharos. Aristeas, at least, places in the pharos the cells or private study-rooms, of the authors of the Alexandrian version ; and Philo, in his life of Moses, notices the annual procession l)y water to the Pharos-iland, instituted in their honor. So that the Serapeum and thePharos were connected institutions. Sostratus the Gnidian was the archi- tect of the one; may it not be presumed that he built the other? A passion for turning arches characterized the style of his art: and this feature domineered in the Serapeum. Ptolemaso regi, qui Macedonum primus •/Egypti opes fir- mavit, cum Alexandria? recens conditœ mœnia, templaqne, et The statue was colossal ", the god was represent- ed as a majestic middle-aged man, in loose rai- ment, with a ""^ skep, or bushel, on his head, and religiones adderet : oblatum per quietem, deccre eximio et majore quam humana specie juvenem, qui moneret, ut fidicis- simis amicorutn in Pontum missis effigiem suam acciret.-=- (Taciti Hi&t. liv. iv. 83.) An account follows of the sending of Timotheus, a noble Athenian who was priest at Eleusis, to Sinope for the effigy, which after three years arrives. From this narrative Gibbon (c. xxviii.) is for inferring that Serapis was a foreign god, whose worship Ptolemy intro- duced into ^gypt'. Surely this king imported only the idol, not the divinity. Serapis was no new god. Osimandyas had long ago con- secrated a Serapeum at ôlemphis. An iland in the Red Sea was called after Serapis. And the testimony of Tacitus is express, that there was already a chapel of Isis and Serapis ou the site of Ptolemy's Serapeum. But Sinope was the very place whence to obtain a metallic idol of superior workmanship : it was the Birmingham of the age : its inhabitants were great dealers in iron, which the mines around them yielded. Pomponius Mela calls them Chalyhes, steel-smiths, and their country Chalybia, from its manufactures. We are then thus to interpret the legend: that a statue was bespoken at Sinope by 'i imotheus, which tbok three years in making. " In hac siraulachrum Serapis ita erat vastum, ut dextrâ ahum parietem, alterum laîvâ jierstringeret : qilod monstrum ex- omnibus geiieribas metallorum lignorum que compositurh' fefebatur. (Rufihus ii. 23.) ■^ The lleliopolitans had a similar statue of the sen -god» (Macrob. Saturn, liv. i. c. IJ & c. ?d.> 9S in his hand a serpent^"^ having three diverging tails severally terminated by the heads of a dog, a lion, and a wolf. ^* This hitherto unexplained emblem is perhaps copied from the Pheniciiin mariner's compass, the four heads stand- ing for the four cardinal points. (See Ilerwart on the Isiac tabic.) \Vhen tlie statue of Serapis was destroyed by the Christian archbishop Theophilus, it was found to contain a loadstone which assisted in perfarming the miracles for which it was famous. One of them may have been to impower such bwinmiiug serpents to point out the north and south. The Chinese and Indian compasses still consist of iron crosses headed with cork which float. The Greeks got the magnet from Asia-minor, wherefore Sophocles, in a poem Lot preserved entire, named it Av^ix >iidos. This favours the suspicion that at Sinope the properties of the loadstone were early known. And it is more natural to suppose that the philosophic and learned Ptolemy, the to- lerant patron both of jews and heathens, the builder of the pharos, the especial benefactor of commerce, should have sent Timotheus on a three years embassy to Sinope, that he might impott the art of making magnetic compasses; than that such an embassy should have been intended merely to fetch an effigy, to which superstition, and not experience, attributed a mira- culous virtue. After all, the legend of an embassy to the Euxine has been suspected (see liochart's II ierozuico/i) as a mere Latin blunder. There was a mount Sinope, (q. Sinai?) known at Memphis, (Eus- talhius on v. 25 5 of the Perisgesis of Dionijsius, Snw-wv yap ôp,- yii^K^xhs,) where Serapis had immemorially been venerated, and whence may have been translated the divinity in question. But from the fiagment of a life of Alexander, preserved in the xivth H 94 Serapis is said to signify Bull of tTie Nile^ (see volume of the Bibliutkeca Grœca of Fabricius, and ascribed to one Callisthenes, it appears, that no idol stood at this Sinope, the Serapis there being expressly mentioned as invi- sible. " The fire-god sent them for prophecies, ir^oç roj wio^xtov ru ^tvu9in" And Plutarch further says, that the idol of Alexandria came from the Pontic Sinope as a Pluto (De Iside et Osir, p. 362.) but was named Serapis, after its arrival, by the advice of Timotheus and Manetho. Let us conclude that Ptolemy founded, not the worship, but the idolatrovs worship of Serapis. Nee ipsum Serapim receperant in arcana templorum, usque ad Alexandri JNIacedonis occasura. INIacrob. Saturnal, liv. i. c. 7. - Another remark on the passage from Callisthenes deserves record. The priests of the fire-god had a good understanding with the priests of Serapis, and sent consultations to one another. Of course they were fundamentally of the same re- ligion. And, if Serapis was a deified man, he must be classed with the fire-worshippers. Stobaius preserves (p. 117.) a pas- sage in which he is called 'H?)a'^v.s 5 'H^airo^ mu^x M.i^.(pilcjn;. Suidas. To irv^ Ihet hc^iK^u 6a? >cr. • Eces. From those initialed at Memphis circum- cision was required (Compare Joshua, v. 9 > He- rodotus II. 36.; Ezekiel xxxi. 18 ; Clemens Alex- ^x^^nwx}.^ Stromat . i. p. 302; llorapollo i. §14; Jablon?ki Frohit- ^ 7.) as amono; the Jews ; but it was not in use with the aboriginal Jigyptians. Both the Jev.iih f.riests (Suidas 7/2 roc6" .£'.~ec///(76') and those, of tlie Serapcu:i)s^^ practised medicine; = 3 C. So great was the medical reputation o,[ the priests in the Serapeum, that they were consulted by Alexander, (Arrian, liv. VII. p. 499; and Plutarch in Akxandro, p. 706.) who offered to jgo and lodge m the holy hall. Drugs too were sold at the Serapeum ; for Gales (Autidot. liv. ii. c. xiv.) mentions an ointment used by Philometor, a metrical advertisement of which was posted on the dooi". Under the first Ptolemy, He-' jophilus of Carthage taught medicine at Alexandria, and prac- tised dissection, llle medicus aut lanius, says Ter.tullian, qui sexcentos homines exsecuit, ut naturaixj scrutaretur. Now tins can only have taken place at the Serapeum; as blood was not suffered to be spilled within the precincts of any other holy edifice. Serapion of Alexandria, the founder of the em- piric sect in medicine, (Celsus Vrccfat. liv, i.) succeeded at no great distance of time to lierophilus. And probably Themi» son of Laodicea, the founder of the methodic sect, had lec- tured at Alexandria before he setti^-d at Rome. His favourite medicine was a diacodlum consisting of opium administered in honey. The manner in which medicine was taught to be prEictised at the Serapeum had, however, not all the dignity of modern ^Visage; a parade more analogous to quackery was still the •taste of the age. The medical philosophers of the Serapeum 98 keeping a sort of hospital in the temple, and re- ceivinsi; patients to sleep there. had discovered ibe sanati\e powe) of confidence: they had observed the medicinal effect of iaiih. They knev;^ that if hope in the remedy, and trust in the physician, can be wound up to an enthnsiastic pitch, this stimulation of mind in the patient will often produce bodily cure. (See Haygarth on Traitors p. 29-) Hence they taught the exhibition of simu- lated cures dazzlingly complete, with a view to generate that Siipeislicious confidence for the physician, which can alone enable him in many cases to perform a real cure. On this plan, Vespasian was employed at the Serapeum to cure blind- ness and paralysis. The details given by Tacitus merit at- tention : Suetonius attests (Vesp. § 7-) the same miraculous facts, but hurries them over. Per eos menses quibus Vespasianus Alexandrie statos aestivis flatibus dies et certa maris opperiebatur, multa mira-» cula evenêre, quis celestis favor et quaedam in Vespasianum inclinatio numinum ostenderetur. Ex plebe Alexandrinâ quidam oculorura tabe notus, genua ejus advolvitur, remedium cœcitatis exposcens gemitu,imonitu Serapidis dei, quern dedita superstitionibus gens ante alios colit, precabaturque princi- pem, ut genas et oculorum orbes dignaretur respergere oris çxcremento. Alius manu oeger, eodem deo auctore, ut pede ac vestigio Caesaris calcaretur, orabat. Vespasianus primo irridere, aspernari : atque illis adstanti- bus, modo famam vanitatis metuere, modo obsecratione ipso- rum, et vocibus adulantium in spem induci, postremo sestimari a medicis jubet, an talis cœcitas ac débilitas, ope humanâ super- abiles forent. Medici varie disserere ; huic non exésam vim luminis^ et reditura si pellerentur obstantia: illi elapses in pravum artus, si salubris vis adhibeatur, posse integrari. Id fortasse cordi dels, et divino ministerio principem electuno, de= 99 After the conquest of iEgypt by Cambyses, the Persian administration sent thither Democritus*^ of Abdera, who had embraced the reHgion of the Persian empire, to preside ^^ over the temples. iiique patrati remedii gloriam penes Caesarem ; irriti ludibrium penes miseros fore. Igitur Vespasianus ciincta fortiinœ suae patere ratus, nee quidquam ultra incredibile, lœto ipse vuitu, erecta quaî astabat niultitudine, jiissa exequitur. Statim conversa ad nsum manus, ac cœco reluxit dies. Utruraque qui interfuêre nunc quoque memorant, postquam nullum mendacio pretium. p,vnSE4î 'vit' Ocrlava ru MrjJe; crlaXevIoj lv 'Atyvjfltf Traça ruv ^^^v^>c«•l»^o• - aoÇvi, X.CH HoL^invjic. Syncelli Ckronographia, p. 248. ^° This office, president of' the temples, resembled what we call principal of a college. Deiuocritus lectured ; for Celsus (liv. I. prccfatio) states that Hippocrates was his pupil. The theology of Democritus may be inferred from that passage of Hippocrates (I am obliged to quote from memory) in which it is maintained, that calorique (ôsç/xo^) hears, knows and perceives all things, both that which it, now, and that which is to come. Theology and medicine were connected de- partments among the Persian, ^î;,gyptian and Jewish priests. They were fire-worshippers, like xMoses (Exodus xm. 21, xix. IS. Numbers ix. 13.) and held that heat is the soul of the world, the all-pervasive instrumenl, or organ, oi peiception, the seat of the supreme intelligence. The sun and rire were more than emblems, they were concentrated émanations of a deity, so imagined. Okely has revived this Uoctnae {tyrom ^^Sy^ § 2. c. 1.) in our own times. 100 He was initiated at ^leinphis, in company witli Pammenes^^, and with a Jewish woman, named Mary, who taught him to correspond in hierO" glyphs. The temple of Phthas, or Vulcan, there- fore, that is of the fire-worshipj>ers^2 at Mem- phis, was considered at this period as of her own sect hy the Jewess ISlary, and as of the religion of the Persian empire by Democrjtus. Hence it ac- quired a sort of cathedral rank during the Persian sovereignty, and a power of patronage which pre- pared the ascendancy ^^ of its ritual. The great revolution of Persia, which elevated Darius to the supreme rank in preference to the descendants of Cyrus, originated with Otanes^-^the ^* The same, no doubt, who in a very corrupt passage of Macrobius (lib. i. c. 23.) is called Parteinitis, and was high- priest of the .Egyptians : sacerdotuni princeps. ^' Something may be gleaned concerning the primseval fire- worshippers from the Institutes of Menu (Works of Sir W. Jones, vol. III. c. 2.) ; for in Hindostan, as in .-Egypt, temples of the fire.worshippers appear to have been planted on the edges of a land preoccupied by lingam-worsbippers. , Some intermixture of rites ensued. ^^ About this period the name Serapis, whether through the misun4er5tanding of these strangers, or of later Greeks, seems to have superseded the name Phthas, and to have been applied to the supreme being. Instead of the fire of Joseph or the god of Joseph the elliptical expression became popular of Joseph nierel3\ ^* Both Otanes and Darius may well have descended from 101 Mede (Herodotus, Thalia 70.) who retained, under Darius, the praclical administration, and who, while lie employed Denjocritus in yEgypt, patroa- ized Daniel and Ezra at Babvlon. Darius, with the especial aid of the Jews, (Esther ix. 1 — 6.) commanded by Arioc of Elam (Daniel ii. 14.) ac- complished the Magophonia (a massacre of the lingam-worshippers by the tire-worshippers) which decided the victory of monotheism in Persici, and its restoration at Jerusalem. The impatience with winch the odiously ac- quired ascendancy of the monotheists was borne in the remoter parts of the empire, niay be judged of by the general rebellion of the Greeks a planted into Media. 102 oriental religion. The Romans habitually coope- rated with the polytheists until the deposition of Nero; but the Flavian family went over to the Se- rapians. Aristeas, and after him Philo and Josephus, as well as Chrysostom and Augustin, ascribe to Pto- lemy Philadelphus, or the second, the procuring of the Jewish scriptures for the Serapeum. Aristeas, in nothing trust worth)'', must in this err. He makes Demetrius to have been the abbot, or father-librarian of the time: now Demetrius ^^ died immediately on the accession of Philadelphus, and in consequencç of that king's displeasure, and was never employed under him. Zenodotus the Ephesian superseded Demetrius, already under the first Ptolemy (Suidas Lexicon^ torn. IÎ. p. 7.) about two years before the death of that prince; whom Demetrius had advised to re- cognize and adopt the children of Eurydice his Macedonian wife. But Berenice his ^Egyptian wife prevailed, and secured the succession for her own, a younger progeny. To the son of Berenice Zenodotus was preceptor: he accordingly rose im- ^' Cicero seemingly describes the death as voluntary. Videa Demetrium, in eodem isto iEgypti regno, aspide ad corpus admotâ, vita esse privatum. But Diogenes Laertius hints that the asp was sent and applied while he slept. K«» ww; 103 mediately on tlie ruin of Demetrius, and obtained the abbotship of the Serapeum. He purchased for it Aristotle's collection of books from the heirs of Theophrastus. (Athenseus, liv. i.). Arnon;'' the successors of Zenodotus are enu- merated, the Caliimachiis, whose poem on Bere- nice's hair stimulated the Rnpe of the Lock* Eratosthenes the geographer; Apollonius of the Argonauts- and A5istonvmnî=, the corner list; uho flourished in the reigns ol the third, fourih, and fifth princes of the Ptolemaic dynasty. The mar- riage of Ptolemy Epiphanes, or the tilth, with ihe daughter of Antiochus, king of Syria, was accom- panied with the surrender of Palestine to the Ptolemies. This event first supplied to the go- vernment of iEgypt an opportunity and a motive for examining the Jewish laws. Until the ensuing reign this motive did not much operate. Cleopatra, the wife of Ptolemy Philometor, and afterwards of Pcolemy Physcon, was a great patroness of Jewish literature. In- spired by Aristobulus, the preceptor of her first husband, and afterwards abbot of tiie Serapeum, she encouraged the refugee son of the high- priest of Jerusalem to found a Greek worship for the Egyptian Jews ; and no doubt aided the Serapeum to recompense the study of Jewish archasolc£jy. Josephus, in his book against Apion, savs, that this gueen and her husband put the whole admini- 104 btration into Jewish hands^ "O ^s <]?i?^ouyi7ù/o Xeiccv oXri'^ TQIÇ 'cXVTOig \iidxioic \TTi(nsve Muiidi opificio, p. 2.) into the object and the cause of motion; or, as we should phrase it, into matter and spirit. God^®, he says, is one> but consists ^^ Bryant (p. 31.) has not succeedrd at invalidatiRg tfii^ date. -^ All are but parts of one stupendous whole, Whose body nature is, and god the soul. "^ *£ij w'. é Sjor ho Tc^i ■x';u',C'C\u ^t'««^'f i;ç«(. De Mundo. p. 833- i06 of two powers. Be it observed however that Phild considered spirit or mind, (Quid miindus sit in- corruplibilis, p. 728.) as corporeal-; as a subtler sort of matter having peculiar essential -properties ; as the finest secretion from the oreat whole, but Eot as differniff foni it in kind^^. The unknown process by which this percipient lluid is produced, or evolved, Philo described [De Mundi epi/ïcio, p. 2.) by the metaphorical term generation; as if we Aveie to say, " mind is generated from matter." Having once fixed on this metaphor, his whole lansuagd was to be accommodated to it. The collective mass of matter, which he considered as the generating cause, he calls ^^ god the Jathcr, and the collective mass of mind, the supreme in- telligence, the all-pervasive soul of the universe, the generated spirit, he calls ^^ god the son, and also tiic logos. This substantial wisdom, or intel- lect of the deity, he naturally considers as the plastic cause of all organic being ; describes it as bestowing the marks of desiijn, contrivance and "^ Tlie absurdity (Hobbes Human Nature, c. xi. § 4.) so com- mon among modern scholastics, of denying the corporeality of spirit, did not yet prevail. *° Quod deus sit immutabilis, p. 232. Avi(f,iHçyos iccn x?<"® ** Tovcgô;:» A-y;, 0o 'Tior. De Agricult. Uc^'^s'tios. De profugis. 107 order on the world, as the nialcpr or rather shaper of all tilings, without which notliing was made. The ontologist, who dissects man into body and soul, in order to treat separately and methodically of his properties, both as a material and as a ra- tional heing, is not accused of denying the unity, or personality, of the human individual. Why should Philo be thought *2, contrary to his own assertion, to have infringed on the unity ^^ or per- sonality of the divine nature? The(i) sonship of the logos, and the eternal (•2) generation of this son from god the father, and (3) the godship of this son, are doctrines strictly consistent with reason, and with the unity of God : in the language of Philo they mean no more than that (1) the supreme intelligence de- ♦' De monarchiâ, p. 629 and 634. De Mundo, p. 8S8. *^ The Unitarian Serveto was a strict Philonist. Attend to these expressions. Dens ipse est comprehensio et continentia reriim omnium. Ipse Deus sustinet nns, et portât nos. Ipse vivificat omnia. In ipso vivimus, movemur et suinus. Omnia in ipso consis- lunt. Omnia ex ipso, per ipsum et in ipso. Omnia sunt in ipso, ipse dat esse rebus, et singulis formis ipsum est formale. In essentia sua rerum omnium ideas continens, est veluti pars formalis omnium, pecuHari prcesertim in nobis ratione ob quam nos dicimur participes divinaî natura. De TrijiUafe, iiv.iv.p. IC.9. ^ 108 rives from the eternal^-* uncreated self-subsistenf mass of matter; that (2) this derivation has al- ways been and always will be going on, so th£?t the wisdom which arranges is coeternal with be- ing itself, and is indestructible as the material of" the universe ; and that (3) the wisdom, or supreme intelligence, is in an especial sense ^^ god, as being the real seat of omniscience, the depositary of uni-, versai perception* , the image of entire nature, the sensorium of the sjreat whole. If it should eventually be perceived, as I appre- hend it will, that these doctrines were all received by Jesus Christ; and are all taught in the chris- tian^'^ scriptures; this would only be an adciitional ** Quod mundus sit incorruptibilis, p. 7'2S, where he recog- nizes the principle, E nihilo nihil fit. '^x. l'a ^*j à'.tc; ôvtn ya'.'tcti. ■*' Ait/Isfof Qi^jç 'o Aoyc;. Fragm. *" Aoyo^^s Efiv iixuvQea. De IMonarch. *^ Bryant's Sentiments of Philo Judaeus, p. 106 to 2*06. Jerningham's Alexandrian School, p, iG. Paulus, vol. iv. p, 1—52. The scriptural or Jewish idea r..^Lached to the epithet son of god is distinct from the Philonic or philosophic idea attached "to the same epithet, and is prior in point of time. Still these ideas eventually coalesced in the minds of several of the early disciples of Christ, and notoriously in the mind of the evangelist John. The Jewish idea originates at a passage in 1 Chronicles (XXII. 10.) where the Lord says of Solomon: " I will be his father, and he shall be my son," In this j>lace a relation proof, how commensurate with the highest possible progress of human faculty was the instruction pro- mulgated at the Serapeum : since the labors of modern metaphysical philosophy have been una- vailing to make further discoveries in this branch of enquir}'. of protection and acceptance, of patron and client, is clearly signified; a spiritual parentality and filiation, an affection of mind toward Solomon is described. Solomon was tbe son of God, God was the father of Solomon, here means no mor© than that the grace of God was to repose on Solomon, thaè he was to enjoy in an especial manner, the divine favor. This proposition is entirely compatible with the human pa- ternity of Solomon, with his descent from David as a bodily father. Subsequent prophets, in announcing a second greater des- cendant of David, who was to be the anointed deliverer of the jews, kept this passage in view, and proclaimed Christ as the son of God. But there are no traces previous to the cru- cifixion, of any person's having supposed the epithet to ex- clude the idea of human paternity. On the contrary, through- out the gospel-narratives, the son of man and son of David are used by the many in the same breath with the epithet son of God, as alike designative of the Messiah. And at a later period the oriental christians maintained that Jesus became son of God hy his baptism, (See Beausobre on Matthew I.17-) As the male stock among the jews alone bestowed nobility, and women were not noble in their own right, feminine pedi- grees were not even preserved. It was not through IMary therefore that any Jew can have referred the descent of Jesus 80 David. Now if the epithot son of God cannQt, in its Philonic sense, I no From the time of Aristobulus forwards the Jews had uniformly prevailed in the Serapeum, and had slowly continued their Alexandrian version of the bible, which was perhaps not completed before the time of Philo, the Ecclesiastes being apparently unknown to him. Of Greek literature they patron- relate to the human nature, or bodily frame, of Christ ; and does not, in the Jewish sense; it will follow that the employers of the epithet could not intend to intercept the opinion of the entire humanity of Christ, of his descent from two human parents. John himself may have believed the entire huma- »ity ; although he certainly does not teach the simple huma- nity, but on the contrary that the logos, that Philo's son of God, that the monogaious wisdom of the Supreme Being be- came incarnate in this man. To such doctrine powerful theologians have inclined. la the first of the thirty-nine articles. Hod is declared to b* " without body, parts, or passions;" which excludes everj other than a spiritual relation, than an allegorical paternity, to any human being. In the second article, the son of God is said to be " begotten //w» everlasting of the Father," which limits to the Philonic logos, to the word, to the indwelling soul or spirit, the ^jroperty of being god-begotten. And in the second and fourth articles, Christ is said to, be perfect man, and to have " the perfection of man's nature," which implies an entire Jhum^nity ; for wa donot say of any hybrid animal, that it is a perfect animal. The doctrine of the human paternity of Je- sus, being moreover consistent with the whole phraseology of the Apostolic, Nicene, and Athanasian creeds, must belong to that segment of the circuit of human opinion, within which the pendulum of orthodoxy is allowed to vibrate. So that the Opinion advanced in the foregoing letter appears to be not Ill iéeâ chiefly the deistical philosophy oif the Pla- tonists, which easily coalesced (Brucker, liv. ii. § 7.) with their traditional creed ; but which tinc- tured it anew by the coalition. Of the opinions which flo^ved together at theSera- pcum, Philo's works are the great reservoir ; and they merely consistent with tHe scriptures, but also with the reli- gion of the magistrate. If the epithet son of God no more excludes, 'm the case of Jesus, than of Solomon, a human paternity, the range of choice, as to the ftither's name, is narrow. There is the Soci- nian theory, which names Joseph; it contradicts the testi- mony of Matthew. There is the Rabbinical theory, which names Pandira; it vitiates the authority of Luke. There is the theory advanced above, which names Zacharias, and which is consistent with the testiniony of Matthew, inferred from the testimony of Luke, and corroborated by the historic incidents. That Zacharias, moved perhaps by the cel'ebri'ly of his liàmesake the physiciah of Mithridates, should have sent his godson to study at the Serapeum, and have afterwards ob- tained for him the benefice at Capernaum, vacated by John's aVrest ; and that on the death of John, who was the legal and lineal heir of the house of David, much public àttejtion should have been turned to this adopted and recognized graff, as des- tined to realize the character of Christ, and to lound a new Davidical dynasty of hereditary liigh-priests, is all in the order of nature and probability. The consentaneity of içônduct and opinion between the con- nexions of the Hillei family at Jerusalem, and the first adhe- rents of Jesus, renders it likely that relationship was the basl^ of the unanimity ; and that, noCwithstanding the dissimilaiit» I S m already exhibit a tendency to insist little on what was local and national in Jewish religion, and to insist much on what tended to cosmopoliticalize its cha- of spelling, which in Hebrew letters is still more glaring, the Heli of Luke (in. 23.) is the Hillel of the Talmudists. From a genealogy drawn up in Greek, in which the final lambda of the name was effaced, some transcriber, and why not Luke himself? may have corrected the residual letters into the near- est scriptural name. Hillel was a poor but learned Babylonian, who came, as a sort of théologie and legal professor to settle at Jerusalem, where he married, at the age of twenty, into the family of David, (Compare Bartolocci, ii. p. 784 with Lightfoot on Matthew ii.l.) to which some authorities (Bartolocci, ii. p. 793-) refer his own extraction. His wife's name was Abital, and as his children ^Yere rich, it is probable she was an heiress of considerable fortune. He became early in life prefect of the Sanhedrim (Lightfoot on Matthew, ii. 1. and xxvi. 3.) for he held that office during forty years. Zacharias, when smitten with a paralytic dumbness, v^as thereby (Lightfoot on Luke, i. 23.) disqualified for acting as a priest. Among the jews priesthood was hereditary, and thus the office devolved on the next kinsman who was of legal age. This kinsman, as Zachariah's son was yet an infant, must have been a younger brother. Now the Simeon of the" pre- sentation (Luke II. 25.) on whom Zachariah's office had de- Yolved, was a son of Hillel {Horce Hebraicce, p. 736) and the father of Gamaliel. Zacharias therefore was also a son of Hillel, whose descent from David through Salathiel and Zc- rubbabel the rabbies celebrate. That the posterity of Hillel through Simeon, Gamaliel, and Simeon the second, are re- corded, whereas Zacharias is not flamed in the same recordf 113 racter. Yet some reluctance against the image of Serapis seems to have been felt ; since Philo pre- arises from this circumstance, that the document occurs in the genealogy of Hillel^ surnamed Hannassi,(Bartolocci ii. p, 797.) ■who descended from Simeon, and to whose pedigree the extinct line of Zacharias was irrelevant. Gill {o7i Matthew xxvii. 57.) adduces evidence for suppos. ing that Joseph of Arimathea was brother to Nicodemus ; but inattentive to the testimony of Josephus (Jewish War iv. 3. 9- ) lie makes Joseph the son, instead of making him the father, of Gorion. Now Nicodemus was related to Gamaliel, like him was brought up a pharisee, and was buried in the same family-vault. (See the authorities, partly legendary, quoted by L'Avocat, article Nicodeme.) If Joseph, Gamaliel, and Nicodemus were brothei"s, Joseph must have been the el- der of the three ; because Josephus [Jeunsh War, I v. 3. 90 raoks his descendant before his brother's descendant, because he is mentioned as eminently rich, (Matthew xxvii. 57-) and be- cause it is he who applies for the body of Jesus, which it was the place of the next of kin, of the head of the family, to bury. The stem then must be this: Hillel, or Ileli, (Luke III. 23.) Zacharias J Simeon of the presentation, (Luke I. 5.) (Luke. ir. 25.) I i ~~ r ~\ John, Joseph, Gamaliel, Nicodemus, (Mark 3. 4 )(Mat. xkvn.57.) (Acts v. 34.) (John iii.l.) preceptor otSaul. Gorion, Simeon, An only daugh- (Jewish War. IV. (Acts xv. 14.) ter, called, by 3. 9. and 6. 1.) slain by Titus.) LudoIf,Abrokla, 114 ierst he name Sebastion, assumed by the college pf- Alexandria in honor of Augustus {Jlz^i Tlpê(r(3£iaç TT^oç Tcciovi p. 784) to that of Serapeum, which re- called the idolatrous character of the Institute. The image, however, had its value. Sacred in the eyes of the jJEgyptian populace, it- protected Now this whole Hillel family, the observation cannot but appear impressive, recognize Jesus as one of their lineage, as through them a descendant of David, in the protection they all uniformly show to his person, to his claims, to his mission, to his misfortunes, to his corse, and to the earliest teachers of Christianity, who harp on the name of' David (Acts i. 16^ II. 25, 29> &c.) with a zeal which would be else unmeaning. The murderous hostility with wliich the primitive christi- ans, called, by the rabbles, HillelianSj were attacked by the Shammœans, or libertines, who were attached to Ananias, is ïîoticed both in the rabbinical and christian narratives. (See Bartolocci li. p. 84S. and Lightfoot on Matt'nev) x. 34.) Ad cameram Chananiœ accesserunt Shammaeani atque liilleliani. Dirus fuit iste dies, Shammaeani astiterunt ai> infra, et quos^- dam ex IllUelianis trucidarunt. (Compare Acts ri. pj'ii^d VII. 58.) Hillel is recorded to have introduced, under the fcame Perozbol, that legal and qualified community of goods xvhich was peculiar to the first christians. (Bartolocci ii. p, 787.) He is also said to have had (p. 789-) seventy or eighty inspired disciples, marked by the benignity of their dcctrin'e, by the discouragement of vain observances, and by the gift of miracles. These circumstances suffice to identify his followers with the first christians, and prove that the lesions of the grandfather contributed to inspire the system ef ■tlie jirandson. Among the maxims ascribed to Hillel occurs Ibis: Judge not that ye be not judged. 115 the pursuits of the philologers, even when directed against superstition, from the charge or odium of inïpiety. Put up by the founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty, it was a bond of reciprocal loyalty and protection between literature and government. Second in majesty only to the Jupiter of Phidias, By tbe school of Hillel (Gill on Matthew n. 41.) women were obliged to the offering of the passover ; accordingly Ma- ry, the mother of Jesus, contrary to the custom of her coun- try-wpmen, sets the example of attendance. This again in- dicates family connexion. Indeed she is spoken of as the daughter of Heli, {Hieros. Chagigah. fol. fj' 4.) but as her fa- ther's name was Joachim, and her mother's name Anne, (Pro" tecang. Jacobi, c. i.) it must have been as daughter-in-law that she was adopted and recognized: her connection with Zacha- Tias would have, in a polygamous country, so little in it of offensive, that it wouM be considered as a sort of left-hand marriage, which was to ally her for life with his kinsmen. The notoriety of these family relationships may have been one cause of their escaping a more formal record in the evaq- gelical historians ; but there were other reasons, at the tinle of the publication of the gospels, for throwing into the shade what there had been of worldly-mindedness in the original pursuits of the Hillel family. The daemon of ambition had tempted them with the hope of glory among all the surround- ing nations of the oriental world, and had offered to seat them on the pinnacle of the temple ; but they soon found that pi'o- digality must accompany enterprize, and that unless they could turn the stones of the desert into bread, they should peilher satisfy the craving, nor detain the attroopmeii^à, of Ihcir partisans. Fallen from the heights of splendor to tb-s, 116 it might appear, in the eye of taste, to be one of the noblest symbols, which man could use of the the architect of the universe. And with such rea- sons hebrews and christians without number were satisfied m their occasional conformity to the wor- ship of the Institute. depths of poverty, it would have been unkind to remind them of the melancholy change; their virtues were to be recollected, their mortifications forgotten. They had wholly abandoned political for religious party, temporal for spiritual pursuits, it was the new and mystical turn, which their sincere but hum- bled piety was giving to prophecies so ruinously misunder- stood, which it was now especially important to impress, to expound, and to diffuse, Nicoderaus (Gill on John iii, ] .) was reckoned among the three rich ones of Jerusalem, and the dovver of his daughter was estimated by myriads; but the rabbi Jochanan beheld her reduced to pick barley-corns for lier sustenance out of ihe dung of the stable. In the life-time of Zacharias, the views of the house of Hil'el were promising, and were directed to advancement in the state. Those prophecies, which v/ere thought to predestine (See Clarke's Hebrew Criticism and Poetry , p. 81, &c,) for some branch of the stem of Jesse to sway in peaceful prosperity the sceptre of Judea, had naturall}' concentrated on iheir family much public interest; out of it the Messiah was expected to arise. (Lightfoot on Matthew n. 1. Principatum Synedrii tenuit Hillel per annos quadraginca. Familiae huju& Ililleliana:; splendor et pompa ita reliquas stirpis Davidicae familas ob- scuraverat, ut ex iis nascendum ^lessiam expectarent.) The form in which they must have hoped to realize this expecta- tion, was, by obtaining a vote of the Sanbedrini to declare tht 117 The emperor Hadrian, in a letter to Severianus, which Vopiscus has preserved, remarks : lUi qui Serapin colunt christiani sunt, et qui se Christi episcopos dicunt, unus illis Deus est; hunc chris- tiani, hunc judœi, hunc omnes venerantur et gen- tes. Even Origen, who treats the novel divinity high priesthood once more hereditary (See p. 46*, and the pe- digrees in Butler's Horœ Blblicœ, § vu.) in the house of David. The title of the anointed X^kttoç was well chosen for the intended dignitary ; as in the east the ceremony of anointing was com- mon both to priest and king : and thus it tended to attract the authority of royalty, without exciting the same jealousy. A vote of the Sanliedrim could be pleaded at Rome in bar of Herod's claim to what may be called the perpetual advovv- son of the bigh-priesthood at Jerusalem ; and, if seconded by nobler presents than his, was likely to be recognized there as law of the land. Nor was such a vote of improbable attain- ment. Vitellius, the Roman prefect of Syria, (Joseph. Archœo. XV. 11.4. and xviii. 4. 3.) favoured against Herod the rights of the Sanhedrim. The desposunoi, or noble Israelites, naturally disposed to defer to claims of birth, were many of them allied to the Hillelian family, others could be attached by patronage, or presents, and all might hope to derive additional conse- quence, from restoring that political constitution to the coun- try, which had subsisted since the restoration after captivity until the democratic revolution of the Maccabees. The Herodian family had repeatedly insulted public opinion by a scandalous sale, among ignoble candidates (Joseph. Archœo. xx. 10. 10,) of the next presentation to the high' priest-hood ; and were considered as betraying the indepen- dence of Syria into the hands of Cœaar. By insisting oc 118 of Serapis with some contempt (iiv. v. centra Cei- sumj was at least an outward conformist j and in a Palm-sunday procession (Epiphanius i. p. 524) in whicli he concurred, offered the branch he bore to his comrade, saying: Take the bough, not of the idol, but of Christ. An intimation, surely, of these and other popular topics of discontent, by the distribu- tion of repasts and alms, by patronizing the Hillelian sect, or evangelical clergy of the time, it was possible greatly to in- fluence those elections of deputies (Godwin, Iiv. v. g. 4.) to the Sanhedrim, which took place in the passover week, and ■widely to arouse that tumultuous popularity, which sometimes bursts into the prechicts, (Compare Mark, c. xi.) and overawes the hesitation of deliberative bodies. Though Caiaphas was the person to be displaced, it may be inferred, from the attroopments about the house of Ananias, (Lightfoot on Matthew x. 34.) that he was the practical leader of the opposition to the Hillelians in the Sanhedrim. That Pilate would lend every necessary aid to execute a decree of the Sanhedrim for the deposition of the high-priest, the Hil- lelians might conclude, from his dislike to Herod, and from his matrimonial connection, which operated consentaneously (Matthew xxvir. ip.) with their inclinations : yet they had not wholly neglected more comprehensive military precau- tions. With Aretas Petr£eus, king at Damascus, they had some understanding; since Josephus (yâVc/iceo. xvin. 5. 2.) nar- î"ates the defeat of Herod's troops by Aretas, as a retribution for the dealh of John the Baptist, hinting that the adherents of John contributed to the event. The Hillelians Iiad moreover succeeded in gaining the ear of Vitellius, the prefect of ^yria, who owed iierod a grudge U9 Ongen*s opinion, that Jesus had done the sarae, while a student at the Serapeum. for anticipating, at Rome, his account (Joseph. Archœo. xviii. 4. 5,) of the treaty with Artabanus. He accordingly ordered %ht custody of the inaugural robes of th^ high-priest to b? transferred from Herod to the temple, {Archœo. -S-V, l\. Ai.) which was an indirect recognition of the right or appoint- ment (yirc^ûFo XVIII. 4. 3 ) being vested in the Sanhedrim. In every thing mindful of the Hillelians, he waged the war against their coadjutor Aretas {Archœo. xvm. 5. 3.) faintly, punished on Pilate [Archœo. xviii, 4. 2.) severely his critical desertion of their interests, took away the pontificate from their foe Caiaphas, {Archœo. xviii. 4. 3.) and again from Jo- nathan, and gave it {Archœo. xvm. 5. 3.) to, their friend Tha- ophilus, the patron of Luke. To a party founded on hereditary principles, the possession ef the king's person (as it may figuratively be called) is of essential importance ; because so much allegiance always de- ways depends on the opinion of his personal favor. Hence the seizure of John, by Herod, baffled a well-concerted and constitutional enterprize, which the Herodians artfully de- .scribed to the Roman government as a seditious aim at roy- alty. But the execution of John, however alarming to the in- ôividual candidates iu successive pursuit of the Chribtship, ?n one respeci tended to sirengthen the Hillelian party, by al- lowing them to marshal under a free chieftain- Such a chieftaincy however was become a service of great difficulty and danger. Rank and wealth could neither secure impunity nor success. Only virtue could give dignity, only genius resources to the cause. Joseph of Arimathea, whose ^i?rn it was^i be tbu a?pir;.^g catididate, however highly respect- 120 able and respected, might feel unequal to the undertaking, ané averse from an adventurer in which he had so much more to hazard than to acquire. He might well prefer to discover, in the friend of John, a kinsman, falling just within the verge of the prophetic promises, who though married, (John xx. 1:3.) had no descendant to detain the fruit of success, from whom adversity could tear but little, whom ibe family influence might hope to rescue from any critical extremity, and who was en» titled by his talent to all rank, and by his benevolence to all power. And thus at the period of the annunciation of Jesus by Zacharias, the Hillelian family might feel motived to pro- claim and sanctiim a relationship, which it only depended oa themselves to have concealed and disavowed. They could confer a legal sanction ; for, beside the pri- mary wife, the Jewish law tolerated secondary wives, Pj7- lagshim (Godwin vi. 4.), who were betrothed by copulation, and whose progeny was legitimated by the recognition of the father, and of the levitical son, or first-born. Accordingly this recognition does not appear to have pre- ceded the caption of John the Baptist by Herod's order. A form of detainder is still usual in the east, called nczer-hundeâf in which a shir of the police, having arrested a nobleman, is content with the bail of his word of honor, until the expe- dient or agreed time comes for a formal surrender of his per- son. In this condition of a parole-prisoner, sufficiently at large to settle his family affairs, John probably yet was at the time of the baptism of Jesus. This baptism was plainly in- tended as a public transfer of John's pretensions to Jesus. A deputation from the Sanhedrim (John i. 19.) also attended at the same time, no doubt in order to receive in a legal form the attested recognition of Jesus by Zacharias and John, as henceforth the next lineal representative of the family, the in- vested claimant of the Christsbip, the person in whose behalf 121 were to be solicited the suffrages of every loyal adherent of th« house of David. This acknowlegement, so long mysterious, so suddenly blazoned, has all the character of a resolution taken in emer- gency. The heads of the Hillel party constituted of course the priests and lévites (John i. 19) of the deputation which assembled in the wilderness near Bethlehem-ephratah; and as the temptation, that is the conflict between contending resolu- tions, is stated (Mark i. 13.) to have endured forty days, John's furlough must have allowed that period only for deliberation. Though this consultation terminated in their adhering to Jesus as the Christ ; yet during the whole life-time of John, Jesus evidently considered himself but as 'âlocum-tenens, and in his visit to Machœrus, made perhaps with a view to ascer- tain the practicability of a forcible release of John, had to incur the reproach of John (Compare Luke vii. IS — 30. with Mat- thew XI. 1 — 24.) for not assuming the Messiahship, as had been arranged. If Jesus had advanced his claim to the Christship on the ground of his mothers descent from David, as is commonly presumed; that claim would have operated in bar of the rights of the Hillel family; it v/ould have been a hostile claim to theirs, u demand inconsistent with their pretensions, and con- sequently would not have been countenanced, recognized, and supported by them, but resisted. With any other genealogy than their own on which to found his rights, which could thus alone be allowed compatibly with their foremost interests, they would not have suffered him to inherit and to direct the powerful machinery of an organized party which already di- vided the suffrages of a nation. Yet, immediately after his inaugural baptism, he can depute, first twelve, then seventy» disciplined public instructors, to read, no doubt, in the syna» gogues — the two first chapters of Luke. It follows, that Jesus in his mature years, as in his boy- hood, (p. 73-) regarded Zachariâs as his fatïicr, and through him claimed to descend from David. This circumstance also establishes and confirms the identity of Hillel and Heli. To pursue further the historic thread is needless. Whest the concatenation of these facts is considered, it will be plain, that saint Luke, who may have obtained from Gamaliel , through Paul, the materials of kis three first chapters, «annofe Lave intended to refer th« pedigree of Jesus to Heli through Joseph, whose father was Jacob, or through Mary, whose fa- ther was Joachim, but that, writing and reading »V wfw^eT'e 'vios 'livCTu^ parenthetically, he intended to refer the pedigree of Jesus to Hillel, or Heli, through Zacharias. Thus the proof by historic induction coincides with the proof by exegetic induction ; and this completes an adequate demoustiation of the proposition that Zacharias was the father of Jesus Christ. Vv' M^ i> %^' A\ T" /"' ^ / — '\ • '^^■wv X^V^ ^^ ''^■ . ( ^^K\ ;~^ .~._^>^ \ J t' ■ '. ■J s i ' 'W^-^ -..v/'^: •>3^/ V. .^^■/.■.r-A '^/U .'^ t hH vv