BOOK II.

SECT I.

That the Christian Religion is true.

THE Design then of this Second Book, (after having put up our Petitions to Christ, the King of Heaven, that he would afford us such Assistances of his holy Spirit, as may render us sufficient for so great a Business) is not to treat particularly of all the Opinions in Christianity; but only to shew that the Christian Religion itself is most true and certain; which we attempt thus.

SECT. II.

The Proof that there was such a Person as Jesus. THAT Jesus of Nazareth formerly lived in Judæa, in the Reign of Tiberius the Roman Empe-e heathen ror, is constantly acknowledged, not only by Christians, dispersed all over the World, but also testify the by all the Jews which now are, or have ever wrote Birth of Jesu since that Time; the same is also testified by Heathens, that is, such as did not write either of thealso the few Jewish, or of the Christian Religion, (a) Suetonius, (b)

Tacitus,

(a) Suetonius, &c.] In his Claudius, Chap. 25. where Chresto is put for Christo, because that Name was more known to the Greeks and Latins.

(b) Tacitus, &c.] Book XV. where he is speaking of the Punishment of the Christians. "The Author of that Name "6 was Christ, who in the Reign of Tiberius suffered Punish"ment under his Procurator Pontius Pilate." Where the great Crimes and Hatred to human Kind they are charged with, is

nothing

Tacitus (a) Pliny the Younger, and many after these.

That he died an ignominious Death.

THAT the same Jesus was crucified by Pontius Pilate, the President of Judea, is acknowledged by all the same Christians, notwithstanding it might seem dishonourable to them who worship such a Lord. (b) It is also acknowledged by the Jews,

nothing else but their Contempt of false Gods; which same Reason Tacitus had to curse the Jews; and Pliny the Elder, when he calls the Jews" a People remarkable for Contempt of

the Gods." That is, very many of the Romans were come to this, that their Consciences were not affected by that Part of their Theology which was Civil (which Seneca commends) but they feigned it in their outward Actions, and kept it as a Com mand of the Law; looking upon Worship as a Thing of Cus tom, more than in Reality. See the Opinion of Varro and Seneca about this Matter, which is the same with that of Tacitus; in Augustin, Book V. Chap. 33. and Book VI. Chap. 10. of his City of God. In the mean Time it is worthy observing, that Jesus, who was punished by Pontius Pilate, was acknowledged by many at Rome, in Nero's Time, to be the Christ. Compare that of Justin in his Second Apologetic concerning this History; where he addresses himself to the Emperors and Roman Senate, who might know those Things from the Acts.

(a) Pliny the Younger, &c.] The Epistle is obvious to every one, viz. Book X. Chap. 97. which Tertullian mentions in his Apologetic, and Eusebius in his Chronicon; where we find, that the Christians were used to say a Hymn to Christ as God, and to bind themselves not to perform any wicked Thing, but to forbear committing Theft, Robbery, or Adultery; to be true to their Word, and strictly perform their Trust. Pliny blames their Stubbornness and Inflexible Obstinacy in this one Thing; that they would not invoke the Gods, nor do Homage with Frankincense and Wine, before the Shrines of Deities, nor curse Christ; nor could they be compelled to do it by any Torments whatsoever. The Epistle, in Answer to that of Trajan, says, that He openly declares himself to be no Christian, who supplicates the Roman Gods. Origen, in his Fourth Book against Celsus, tells us, there was a certain History of Jesus extant in Numenius the Pythagorean,

(b) It is also acknowledged, &c.] Who calls him in, that is hanged. Benjaminus Tudelensis, in his Itinerary, acknow ledges that Jesus was slain at Jerusalem,

though

though they are not ignorant, how much they lie

under the Displeasure of the Christians, under The Jews whose Government they every where live, upony ho were gre

this Account, because their Ancestors were the

Cause of Pilate's doing it. Likewise the Heatheny ophr

Writers, we mentioned, have recorded the same to O by the Chi Posterity; (a) and a long Time after, the Acts of Pilate were extant, to which the Christians someStans, wen time appealed. Neither did Julian, nor otherallow that Opposers of Christianity, ever call it in Question. Jesus was So that no History can be imagined more certain cuc than this; which is confirmed by the Testimonies, I don't say, of so many Men, but of so so does full many People, which differed from each other. (b) Notwithstanding which, we find him worshipped as Lord, throughout the most distant Countries of the World.

SECT. III.

And yet, after his Death, was worshipped by wise

Men.

in

to tha

AND that not only in our Age, or those im- And that. mediately foregoing; but also, even in the first,e next the Age next to that in which it was done, in the Reign of the Emperor Nero; at which Time the age forementioned Tacitus, and others attest, that very many were punished because they professed the Worship of Christ.

he was free

cified, in Le was worship (a) And a long time after, &c.] See Epiphanius in his Tes sarescadocatita. It were better to have omitted this Argument, Tacitus pan

because some imprudent Christians might appeal to some spurious Acts; for it does not appear that there were any genuine ones. Le Clerc.

(b) Notwithstanding which, &c.] Chrysostom handles this Matter at large, upon 2 Cor. v. 7.

SECT.

SECT. IV.

The Cause of which could be no other, but those
Miracles which were done by him.

AND there were always very many amongst the Worshippers of Christ, who were Men of good Judgment, and of no small Learning; such as (not to mention Jews) (a) Sergius the President of Cyprus (b) Dionysius the Areopagite, (c) Polycarp, (d) Justin, (e) Irenæus, (f) Athenagoras, (g) Origen, (h) Tertullian, (i) Clemens Alexandrinus, and others: Who being such Men, why they should themselves be Worshippers of a Man that was put to an ignominious Death, especially when almost all of them were brought up in other Religions, and there was neither Honour nor Profit to be had by the Christian Religion: Why, I say, they should do thus, there can be no Reason given but this one; that upon a diligent Inquiry, such as becomes pru

(a) Sergius the President, &c.] Acts xiii. 12.

(b) Dionysius the Areopagite, &c.] Acts xvii. 34.

(c) Polycarp, &c.] Who suffered Martyrdom in Asia, in the CLXIXth Year of Christ, according to Eusebius.

(d) Justin, &c.] Who published Writings in Defence of the Christians in the CXLIId Year of Christ. See the same Eusebius.

(e) Irenæus, &c.] He flourished at Lyons, in the CLXXXIId Year of Christ.

(f) Athenagoras, &c.] This Man was an Athenian. He flourished about the CLXXXth Year of Christ, as appears from the inscription of his Book.

(g) Origen, &c.] He flourished about the CCXXXth Year of Christ.

(h) Tertullian, &c.] Who was famous in the CCVIIIth Year of Christ.

(i) Clemens Alexandrinus, &c.] About the same Time. See Eusebius.

dent

dent Men to make, in a Matter of the highest the cause Concern to them; they found, that the Report

which was spread abroad, concerning the Mira-Christ's cles that were done by him, was true, and founded being folla upon sufficient Testimony: Such as healing sore Diseases, and those of a long Continuance, only the by a Word, and this publicly; restoring Sightmiracles he

SECT. V.

to him that was born blind; increasing Bread for the feeding of many thousands, who were atersom d Witnesses of it; restoring the Dead to Life again, Men who he and many other such like. inculcateda Religion of à dippersmature falook it and followed hem Which Miracles cannot be ascribed to any Natural or Diabolical Power, but must be from God. WHICH Report had so certain and undoubted a Foundation, that neither (a) Celsus, nor (b) Julian, when they wrote against the Christians, dared to

Shove lad deny that some Miracles were done by Christ; (c) afflicted

by

domingto

the Hebrews also confess it openly in the Books of a the Talmud. That they were not performed by they are called Wonders or Miracles; nor can izid not he natural Power, sufficiently appears from hence, thannels ever be, that grievous Distempers should be healed eures ly immediately only by a Word speaking, or a Touch, oly by the Power of Nature. If those Works could naturel have been accounted for, by any natural Efficacy, it would have been said so at first, by those, who ficacy

(a) Celsus, &c.] Whose Words, in Book II. of Origen, are: "You think he is the Son of God, becausé he healed "the Lame and the Blind."

(b) Julian, &c.] Nay, he plainly confesses the Thing, when he says in the Words recited by. Cyril, Book VI.

"Unless

any one will reckon amongst the most difficult Things, "healing the Lame and the Blind, and casting out Devils in "Bethsaida and Bethany."

(c) The Hebrews also, &c.] In the Title Abyda Zara.