Celsus states, even to minuteness, the facts recorded by the Sacred Historians, as to the Death of Christ. He says, that he was “betrayed,” { 22b} “bound,” “scourged,” “stretched upon the Cross;” { 22c} that he “drank vinegar;” { 22d} that after his death, he was “said to have appeared twice,” { 22e} but that “he did not appear to his enemies.” { 22f} To the objection conveyed in the last clause it is an obvious reply, that his appearance to his enemies cannot be claimed, except by those who contend that God is bound to increase evidence to the persons who shut their eyes against it. Those who, after the evidence of the miracles of Jesus Christ, could continue to doubt, would not have believed, though he “had risen from the dead” { 23} in their view.
The objections of Celsus to the character of Christ being thus dismissed, and they are really unworthy even of the scanty space here bestowed upon them, it is plain that all the _facts_ admitted by him are so much to be added to the scale of evidence. It is thus proved, that, either influenced by universal persuasion, or borne down by overwhelming testimony, men, who desired to be infidels, were compelled to admit the facts of Christianity. It is also proved, that nothing can be charged against the life of Christ, except that he most accurately maintained the character in which he condescended to appear.
THE strongest evidence in favour of Christianity is supplied by the Miracles, which accompanied its promulgation. We shall proceed to consider the light cast by the work before us, on this important topic; and examine, first, the testimony of Origen and Celsus to the miraculous effects that were produced; secondly, the pretensions which these works had to a Divine original.
Celsus lived in an age when by the testimony of all history, the Miracles of Christ were objects of notoriety. The disciples had yet the power of working them, { 24a} and they propounded { 24b} them as the incontrovertible proof of the truth of their religion. It was impossible therefore, in a general work against Christianity, that Celsus should not refer to the subject of Miracles, or that he should, in the face of their public performance, flatly deny their existence. He has then taken the only method by which he could obviate this difficulty. He makes a “_supposition_ { 25a} that Christ did perform many marvellous works;” these however he imputes to “the same magical power that is made use of in the market-places of Egypt.” We shall first examine how far this concession on the part of Celsus may stand as an admission that Miracles were really performed. Writers have differed about the meaning to be attached to these words; but the greater part of those, whose opinion is of highest authority, { 25b} have considered them as an acknowledgment that these wonderful works could not be denied by him. Considering the peculiarly difficult circumstances in which Celsus was placed, he could, by a supposition of this kind alone, escape from the dilemma; and as he did not dare on such a subject to assert a falsehood, he endeavoured at least to excite a doubt. This opinion is moreover strengthened by the line of argument he pursues, “that if the by-standers had really thought these works to be Miracles, they could not but have believed;” then he proceeds to undervalue the worth of these performances, by comparing them with those of Æsculapius. { 26a}