'God,' but the coming of the Christ of God.' Not that we deny, says Origen, that the coming of the Son of God was foretold; but no Jew would allow of this.

b

2. There are innumerable, says the Jew in Celsus, 'who confute Jesus, affirming, that of themselves were said 'those things which were prophesied of concerning him:' that is, concerning the person who was to come.

But those were impostors, as Theudas, and some others, who affirmed without proof; who neither said, nor performed such things as Jesus had done; as Origen well shows.

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3. And says he,d how could we, who had told all men, there would come one from God, who should punish the wicked, treat him injuriously when he came.'

4. But the Jew in Celsus says: For what reason 'could we reject him, whom we had before spoken of. Was it, that we might be punished more severely than • other men?'

f

5. The Jew adds: The prophets say, that he who is to 'come, is great, and a prince, and lord of all the earth, and ' of all nations, and of armies.'

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6. The Jew in Celsus says: What god ever came to men, who did not obtain acceptance, especially if he came 'to them who expected him? Or, why should he not be acknowledged by them, who had long before expected • him?'

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7. Afterwards the Jew, representing their sentiments, 'says: For we certainly expect a resurrection of the body, ' and eternal life of which he who is to be sent to us, is to be a pattern: and thereby to show, that it is not impossi'ble for God to raise up a man with a body.' But Origen makes a doubt, whether any Jews would say this of their expected Messiah.

8. Afterwards Celsus in his own person says: That the 'contention between the christians and the Jews is very silly; and that all our dispute with one another about Christ, is no better than about the shadow of the ass, according to the proverb. And he thinks, the whole question is of no importance; both sides believing that it had 'been foretold by the Spirit of God, that a Saviour of man

b Τινες δε και ελεγξεσιν, ὡς φησιν ὁ παρα Κελσῳ Ιεδαίος, μύριοι τον Ιησεν, φασκοντες, περι ἑαυτων ταυτα ειρησθαι, ἅπερ περι εκείνε προεφήτευετο. L. i. sect. 57. p. 44. Ibid. et l. ii. sect. 8. in. p. 61. med.

d Ib. 1. ii. scct. 8. p. 61.

f L. ii. n. 29. p. 78.

1 L. ii. n. 77. p. 109.

e L. ii. sect. 8. p. 62.

8 L. ii. n. 75. p. 106.

i Lib. iii. sub in.

• kind is to come. But they do not agree, whether he who ' has been prophesied of, is come, or not.'

k

9. There are other places, where Celsus speaks of this same matter. Perhaps some of them may appear hereafter in our fourth section. Here is enough to show, that the Jewish expectation of a great person prophesied of, was a thing well known; and that this expectation was in being before the appearance of Jesus in the world. And indeed their having generally such an expectation in the time of Celsus, is an argument, that they had it before the coming of Jesus; for they would not have taken up such a notion from his followers.

10. I must not go from this section, without putting down a remarkable observation of Origen, that the Jews did not join John (the Baptist) with Jesus, and made a difference between the death of each of them.

SECTION III.

Passages of Celsus containing references to the books of the New Testament.

I. IN some of these passages we shall observe our scriptures spoken of in general; in others there will be references to particular texts.

a

2. After that,' says Origen, the Jew in Celsus goes 'on in this manner; I could say many things concerning 'the affairs of Jesus, and those too true, different from those written by the disciples of Jesus. But I purposely omit ' them.'

It is not easy to believe, that the Jew, or Celsus, would have done so, if he could have contradicted the disciples, upon good evidence, in any material points. This is only an oratorical flourish, as Origen well observes.

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Celsus by disciples of Jesus' does not mean his followers in general; for them he calls christians, or believers, or the like. He therefore here useth that term in the most strict and proper sense, for those who had been taught by Jesus himself, that is, his apostles and their companions.

k L. iv. sub in. et alibi.

Vol. vi. p. 486.

a

1 L. i. sect. 48. p. 38. And see before,

3 —— ότι πολλα εχων λεγειν, και αληθη, περι των κατα Ιησεν γενομενων, και 8 παραπλησια τοις ύπο μαθητων τε Ιησε γραφεισιν, έκων εκεινα παραλειπω L. ii. sect. 13. p. 67.

We bence learn, that in the time of Celsus there were books well known, and allowed to be written by the disciples of Jesus:' which books contained a history of him, and his teaching, doctrine, and works. The books here intended, undoubtedly, are the gospels; and, possibly, there may be here also a reference to the Acts of the apostles.

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3. Then, says Origen, he accuseth the disciples, and says: It is a fiction of theirs, that Jesus foreknew and fore'told all things, which befell him.'

He refers to our gospels, in which it is often related, that Jesus spoke of his sufferings before-hand, and likewise of the things that should befall his disciples, who were to be brought before kings and rulers for his name sake.

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4. Afterwards he says, that some of the believers, as if they were drunk, take a liberty to alter the gospel, from the first writing, three or four ways, or oftener, that when they are pressed hard, and one reading has been confuted, they may disown that, and flee to another.'

So that there was an ancient original account; but the believers, or christians of after-times, had altered it, he says, to serve a purpose. But that is only a general charge, which is of no value, without particular instances; which, so far as we can perceive from Origen, Celsus did not specify. Origen, by way of answer, says, he did not know of any who had altered the gospel, beside the followers of Marcion and Valentinus, and perhaps Lucanus; and that this is not the fault of the word itself, but of those who had been so daring as to corrupt the gospels; and that the fault of those men, who introduce new opinions, ought not to be laid to the charge of genuine christianity.

However, we hence perceive, that there were ancient written histories of our Saviour, composed by his own disciples. Nor is their genuineness disputed, but allowed of, as well known.

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5. The Jew in Celsus,' says Origen, shuts up that argument iu this manner. These things, then, we have alleged to you out of your own writings, not needing any ' other witnesses. Thus you are beaten with your own weapons.'

L. ii. n. 13. p. 67.

Ο Μετα ταυτα τινας των πιςευοντων φησιν, ώς εκ μεθης ήκοντας εις το εφετάναι αυτοις μεταχαράττειν εκ της πρώτης γραφης το ευαγγελιον τριχη και τετραχη και πολλαχη. κ. λ. L. ii. n. 27. p. 77. ---ταυτα μεν εν υμιν εκ των ὑμετέρων συγγραμματων, εφ' δις εδενος αλλο μαρτυρος χρηζόμην. κ. λ. L. ii. sect. 74. p. 106.

d

6. Origen expressly says, That Celsus quoted many things out of the gospel according to St. Matthew, as the star that appeared at the nativity of Jesus, and other won⚫derful things.'

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f

7. Celsus says, the composers of the gencalogies of Jesus, were very extravagant in making him to descend 'from the first man, and the Jewish kings. And he thinks ' he says somewhat very extraordinary, when he observes, that the carpenter's wife was ignorant of her high original.'

Celsus plainly refers to both St. Matthew's and St Luke's gospels; for he speaks of composers of the genealogy in the plural number; and St. Luke only has carried up our Saviour's genealogy to the first man. See Matt. eh i. and Luke iii.

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8. They have likewise such precepts as these. Resist 'not him that injures you; and, if a man strike thee, as his phrase is, on the one cheek, offer to him the other also. That is an old saying; but here it is expressed in a more homely manner.' Then he quotes a passage from Plato's Crito to the like purpose.

Celsus here refers to our Saviour's sermon upon the mount, as it is called, and particularly to Matt. v. 39, “But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." See likewise Luke vi. 29. Celsus says, the same thing had been said before, and better expressed. This is not a place to enter into controversy upon that head. But Origen answers very well: That these precepts of Jesus thus 'expressed, as Celsus says unpolitely, apoLKOTEρоv, have 'been more beneficial in life than Plato's discourse in Crito, of which the vulgar have never heard, and hardly they, who have gone through a course of Greek philosophy.'

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9. He finds fault with Jesus after this manner. He threatens, and feebly reproaches, when he says: "Woe 'unto you:" and "I foretell unto you:" For thereby he

• Ότι δε κακεργων ο Κελσος εκ εξ εθετο την προφητειαν. [Is. viii. 10--14. Matt. i. 22, 23.] δηλον μοι γίνεται, εκ τε παραθέμενον αυτον πολλα απο το κατα Ματθαιον ευαγγελις, ώσπερ τον ανατείλαντα ασερα επι τη γενέσει τε Ιησε, και αλλα των παραδόξων, μηδε την αρχην τετε εμνημονευκέναι. L. i. n. 34. p. 27.

f

Φησι δε απηυθαδησθαι τες γενεαλογησαντας απο τα πρωτε φυντος και των εν Ιεδαίοις βασιλεων τον Ιησεν και οιεται τι εισφερειν γενναιον, ότι εκ αν ἡ τε τεκτονος γυνη τηλικετε τυγχανεσα ηγνοει. L. ii. n. 32. p. 80. 8 L. vii. i L. ii. n. 76. p. 107.

n. 58. p. 370.

h Ibid. n. 61. p. 373.

'plainly confesseth his disability to persuade; which is so 'far below a god, that it is even unworthy a wise man.'

I need not say, that here are references to our gospels. But these are poor remarks.

k

10. Celsus asks, why we may not worship angels, and demons, and heroes? Why, the only reason, he says, is, because "it is impossible to serve two masters.'

He refers to some text, where are those words, either Matt. vi. 24, or Luke xvi. 13. This maxim Celsus has endeavoured to expose, several times.

11. O light," O truth, says the Jew in Celsus; Jesus ' with his own mouth expressly declares these things, as you • have recorded it, that there will come unto you other men, with like wonders, wicked men, and impostors.'

Undoubtedly, he refers to some of our Saviour's predictions concerning the coming of deceivers, and false prophets; as Matt. vii. 15; xxiv. 11, 24; Mark xiii. 22. And the genuineness of the evangelical histories is here clearly acknowledged; they are here alleged as containing our Lord's own words there recorded. And in other places Celsus has taken notice of such like predictions of our Saviour.

12. In another place Celsus is arguing, that Moses and Jesus, though both are said to be sent from God, do not agree. 'Moses encourageth the people to get riches; and destroy their enemies. But his Son, [meaning the Son of God,'] the Nazarean man, delivers quite contrary laws. Nor will he admit a rich man, or one that affects dominion, to have access to his Father. Nor will he allow men to 'take more care for food, or treasure, than the ravens; nor 'to provide for clothing, so much as the lilies; and to him 'that has smitten once, he directs to offer, that he may smite again.'

Beside the quotation from Matt. v. 39, or Luke vi. 29, which we had before, here are plain references to Matt. vi. 26," Behold the fowls of the air. For they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feedeth them." And ver. 28, "Why take ye thought for raiment! Consider the lilies of the fieldor to Luke xii. 24, 27, "Consider the ravens. For they neither sow,

k L. vii. sect. 68. p. 376, 377. 1 L. viii. sect. 2, 3. p. 380, 381. et sect. 15. p. 388. m αλλ', ω φως και αληθεια τη αυτε φωνη διαρ ῥηδην εξαγορευει νησες ταυτα, καθα και ύμεις συγγεγράφατε ——K. λ. L. ii. sect. 53. p. 92. n Vid. 1. vi. sect. 42. p. 303. το δε υἱος αρα αυτό, ὁ Ναζαραιος ανθρωπος, αντινομοθετει. κ. λ. L. vii. sect. 18. p. 343.