or uncertainty of Hearing can no more difturb Book I. me, as to what I have feen with my Eyes. Yet after all this, when I gave a Philofopher of my Acquaintance an account of this Design of minc, he advis'd me by no means to venture upon it. For, fays he, if the Soul does not come up at the Command of the Magician, you will afterward fuppofe there is nothing after Death, and fo live more diffolutely than before; as having alfo ventur'd upon unlawful Arts: But if you feem to fee fomewhat, what fort of Religion or of Piety will that be, which has its Foundation from unlawful and impious Practices? For 'tis ufually fuppos'd that fuch a thing is hateful to the Deity; and that God is against those who disturb Souls after their Departure from their Bodies. Accordingly when I heard this, I was lefs forward in the Affair I was upon; yet could not I intirely lay afide the Defire of undertaking it, or caft away the Trouble of anxious Thoughts about it. VI. Now that I may not be tedious in this Narration, while I was distracted with these uneafy Paffions, a certain Rumour came to us gradually, in the Reign of Tiberius Cafar, taking its Rife from the Eastern Parts, which continually increafing upon us fill'd the whole World; as if a certain Meffenger of Joy was fent from God, and no longer fuffered the Will of God to be conceal'd from Men. This Rumour therefore spread abroad into all Places, declaring that there was a certain Perfon in Judea, who began in the Spring of the Year, and preached the glad Tidings of the Kingdom of God to the Jews; and that he faid, that those who kept his Commands and the Laws that he gave them, fhould be partakers of that Kingdom. Nay, he was reported to perform many Miracles, and Signs, and B 3 wonder Book I. wonderful Prodigies by his bare command, that thereby his Doctrine might be believ'd worthy of Credit, and of Divine Original: Nay it was faid, that he feem'd to have fuch Power given him by God, that he made the Deaf to hear, the Blind to fee, the Lame to walk, and healed every Infirmity, and caft all Dæmons out of Men; nay that he even rais'd the Dead, when they were offer'd him, and heal'd the Lepers at a diftant Sight of them; and that nothing feem'd at all impoffible to him. Thefe and the like Facts were in process of Time confirm'd, not meerly by frequent uncertain Reports, but as it were.by the plain Accounts of fuch as came from thofe Parts. And indeed the truth of the Facts did every day appear more and more visible. VII. At length in Rome there began in feveral Places to be Meetings of the People, and publick Difcourfes concerning this Report; and the Matter began to be had in admiration, who the Perfon fhould be that appeared, or what Meflage he fhould bring from God to Men. Until a certain Man, that very Year, ftood in one of the moft publick Places of the City, and proclaimed to the People, and faid, O ye Citizens of Rome, hearken to me: The Son of God is now prefent in the Region of Judea, and promises to all that are willing to hear him, Eternal Life; but this only on condition, that they order their Actions. according to the Will of God his Father, who fent him. Wherefore Be converted from Wickednefs to Goodnefs, and from Temporal Enjoyments to those which are Eternal. Acknowledg that there is but One God, the Ruler of Heaven and Earth, under whofe righteous Eyes you, who are your felves Unrighteous, do dwell in his World. But if ye be converted, and behave your felves according to his Will, when you come come into the Future World, and are made Im-Book I. VIII. But because the People began to attend with good Will to thofe things which were fincerely spoken, and to embrace his plain Difcourfe, thofe Men who feem'd to themselves to be Learned, or Philofophers, began to laugh at the Man, and defpife him; and to produce the Snares of Syllogifms, as Weapons of the greatest Force against him. But he appear'd unconcern'd, and like one that efteem'd their Subtilties as Delufions, did not think them worthy of any Reply, but went on with what he was about, without disturbance. And to conclude: Whereas a certain Perfon, as he was fpeaking, propos'd to him this Queftion, Why a Gnat was fo made, that fmall in Bulk as he was, and with no fewer than fix Feet, he should yet have Wings fuperadded B 4 befides; Book I. befides; while at the fame time the Elephant, a Creature of fo vaft a fize, has no Wings at all, and no more than four Feet: These things were fo wholly difregarded by the Man, that he went ftill on with his former Difcourfe with one continu'd tenour; abating that fmall Interruption which fo unfeasonable a Question had occafion'd. He only added thefe few words upon every fuch interruption; We have it in charge to declare to you the Words of him that fent us, and his wonderful Works, and to establish the Credit of what we fay, not by Arguments drawn from humane Sciences, but by Witneffes drawn from among your felves. For I remember the Faces of many that ftand in the midst of you, who, I remember, heard with us what we heard, and faw what we faw: But be it at your Pleafure, whether you will receive what we declare, or defpife it. For we cannot but fpeak what we know to be for your Advantage, because if we be filent 'tis our Lofs, and what we fay, if you do not receive it, is to your Destruction. Not but that I could very easily give an Answer to your foolish Queftions, if you enquir'd for the difcovery of Truth, I mean about the difference between the Gnat and the Elephant: But 'tis now abfurd for us to difcourfe of the Creatures at all to you, while the Maker and Creator of all things is unknown by you. IX. When he had fpoken thus, all the-Hearers, as if it were with one Confent,-did very rudely fet up a Laughter, as defirous to put him to Shame and Silence; crying out, that he was a Barbarian, and not in his right Mind. As for my felf, when I faw things at this pass, I was all on fire, on what account I do not know; and in a religious Rage I was not able to hold my Peace, but with all boldness I cried out thus: Most Moft juftly has Almighty God hid his Will from Book, you, whom he forefaw unworthy of the Knowledg of him; as is manifeft from your present Behaviour to those who are not as mad as your felves. For when you see a Preacher of the Will of God come to you, because his Difcourfe is not fet off with Oratory, but he brings you Divine Precepts in plain and unpolifh'd Difcourfes, fo that all who hear them may follow them, and understand what is faid, you laugh at the Minifter and Messenger of your Salvation: not confidering that this is your Condemnation; yours, I fay, who feem to your felves Skilful and Eloquent; that the knowledg of the Truth is entertain'd among the Rude and the Barbarous; but when it comes to you, 'tis look'd on as a Stranger, and rejected: whereas if your Intemperance, and other Lufts, did not ftand in the way, it ought to be receiv'd as a Fellow Citizen, and one of your own Country. So that this Conduct of yours fhews you are not the Friends. of Truth, or true Philofophers, but the Difciples of Boafting and Vanity: Since you fuppofe, that Truth is to be found not in plain Difcourfes, but in fuch as are Artful and Sophiftical; and utter thousands of Sayings that are not worth one fingle Word. Pray therefore, O all you Grecians here prefent, what do you think will become of you if there be a Future Judgment, as this Perfon fays? But for the prefent leave off laughing at this Man, to your own Destruction, and give me an Answer to this Question, any one of you that will: Since you by your meer barking, hinder thofe from hearing who are defirous of Salvation, and turn away those Minds from the Faith which are prepared for it, by your disturbance, How can you ever hope for Pardon, who laugh at, and affront the Messenger |