* The earliest author who is known to haTe written against Chi'istianity, and among the ablest of its opponents. He is called by Origen an Epicurean, though some of his views have a greater affinity with Platonism. He flourished during the latter half of the second century. His work against Christianity was entitled Ao^as 'AXnSr,s -, his arguments assume the historical verity of revelation. — Ed.
1 G ANIMADVERSIONS ON A TREATISE
protestants against them, but at length equally rejecting them all? — so dealt Celsus with the Jews, Christians, and those that had fallen into singular opinions of their oAvn. Doth he manage the arguments of the Jews against Christ, to intimate that we cannot well by ScrijD- ture prove him to be so? — the very same thing did Celsus, almost in the very words here used. Doth he declaim openly about the obscurity of divine things, the nature of God, the works of creation and providence, that we are not like to be delivered from it by books of poems, stories, plain letters? — so doth Celsus. Doth he insist on the uncertainty of our knowing the Scripture to be from God, the difficulty of understanding it, its insufficiency to end men's differ- ences about religion and the worship of God? — the same doth Celsus at large, pleading the cause of Paganism against Christianity. Doth our author plead, that where and from whom men had their re- ligion of old, there and with them they ought to abide, or to re- turn unto them? — the same doth Celsus, and that with pretences far more specious than those of our author. Doth he plead the quietness of all things in the world, the peace, the plenty, love, union, that were in the days before Protestants began to trouble all, as he supposeth, about religion? — the same course steers Celsus, in his contending against Christians in general. Is there intimated by our author a decay of devotion and reverence to religious things, temples, etc.? — Celsus is large on this particular: the relinquishment of temples, discouragement of priests in their daily sacrifices and heavenly contemplations, with other votaries; contempt of holy altars, images, and statues of worthies deceased, all heaven-bred ceremonies and comely worship, by the means of Christians, he expatiates upon. Doth he profess love and compassion to his countrymen, to draw them off from their folly, to have been the cause of his writing? — so doth Celsus. Doth he deride and scoff at the first reformers, with no less witty and biting sarcasms than those wherewith Aristophanes jeered Socrates on the stage? — Celsus deals no otherwise with the first propagators of Christianity. Hath he taken pains to palliate and put new glosses and interpretations upon those opinions and practices in his religion which seem most obnoxious to exception? — the same work did Celsus undertake, in reference to his Pagan theology and worship. And in sundry other things may the parallel be traced ; so that I may truly say, I cannot observe any thing of moment or importance, of the nature of a general head or principle, in this whole discourse made use of against Protestants, but that the same was used, as by others of old, so in particular by Celsus, against the whole profession of Christianity. I will not be so injurious to our author as once to surmise that he took either aim or assistance in his work from so bitter a professed enemy of Christ Jesus, and the religion by him revealed; yet he must give me leave to reckon this
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coincidence of argumentation between them amongst other instances that may be given where a simihtude of cause hath produced a great hkeness, if not identity, in the reasonings of ingenious men. I could not satisfy myself without remarking this parallel : and, perhaps, much more needs not to be added to satisfy an unprejudiced reader in or to our whole business; for if he be one that is unwillino- to foreofo his Christianity, when he sliall see that the arguments that are used to draw him from his Protestancy are the very same, in general, that wise men of old made use of to subvert that which he is resolved to cleave unto, he needs not much deliberation with himself what to do or say in this case, or be solicitous what he shall answer, when he is earnestly entreated to suffer himself to be deceived.
Of the pretences before mentioned, some, with their genuine in- ferences, are the main principles of this whole discourse. And see- ing they bear the weight of all the pleas, reasonings, and persuasions that are drawn from tliem, which can have no farther real strength and efficacy than what is from them communicated unto them, I shall present them in one view to the reader, that he lose not him- self in the maze of words wherewith our author endeavours to lead him up and down, still out of his Avay, and that he may make a clear and distinct judgment of what is tendered to prevail upon him to desert that profession of religion wherein he is engaged. For as I dare not attempt to deceive any man, though in matters incompar- ably of less moment than that treated about; so I hope no man can justly be offended, if in this I warn him to take heed to himself that he be not deceived. And they are these that follow : —