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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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-a many of their priests and scribes . In a very short period he convinced them that they were all boys to him ; became their prophet , their leader , their grand president , and , in short , all in all to to them . He explained and interpreted
several of their books , and wrote some himself . They also regarded him as a god , received him us a lawgiver , and adopted his name as their patron . And accordingly they still worship that
magician , though crucified in Palestine far having introduced this new mystery into the world . " Having thus shewn that Jesus , in submitting to death , was actuated only by rain-glory , he insinuates that his miracles were but the effects of magic . This , indeed , is the grand conclu sion which it is the object of Laician
to inculcate , though he contents himself with calling him a magician and a wonder-worker , OwuiAaTovoios . The ground then is clear for asserting what indeed he does expressly assert , that there were not just reasons for believing in him : — His followers being
infatuated have persuaded themselves that they are altogether immortal , and will live for ever . They despise death therefore , and offer up their lives a voluntary sacrifice , being taught by their lawgiver that they are all brethren ; and that , quitting our Grecian gods , they must worship their own
sophist , who was crucified , and live in obedience to his laws . In compliance with them they look with contempt on all worldly treasures , and hold every thing in common * , maoeims which they have adopted without any reason or foundation . "
It remains briefly to notice the inference on which I have insisted in my " Important Facts , demonstrating the Truth of Christianity . " The death and resurrection of Christ , with many of the awful events attending them , are in a manner conceded by Lucian . He does not deny their truth , but endeavours to set them aside by ascribing similar circumstances to an impostor ; all which circumstances , if not invented by himself , he knew to be the inventions of others . Now , would he have had recourse to such an artifice
as this book presents , an artifice which * when detected , holds him forth as a base and unprincipled villain to every * Jge and nation of the world , if he could with effect have contradicted or
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exposed the great facts which he endeavours to 3 et aside ? Lucian has not directly mentioned the miracles of Christ ; he only insinuates that they were but the tricks of magic . Why then did he not meet them and expose
them as such ? No man was better qualified than Lucian to do this . He possessed vast talents and extensive learning : he was thoroughly acquainted with the affairs of the Christians : he had a full knowledge of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures . And it appears from his own writings , that for a time lie joined the followers of Jesus ,
professing at least to be a sincere believer ; not to mention that he lived in an age when the works of Christ were fresh in the memories of men . What he did respecting Alexander is a monument of what he would have done
respecting Jesus , if his miracles were really impostures . In his Pseudomantis he lays open all the artifices of that deceiver ; and it is morally certain that he would have done the same thing , and done it with equal success , if the works of our Saviour had had any other foundation than truth . His account of Alexander is a luminous and successful exposure of fraud and
falsehoods . On the contrary , his attempt upon Jesus but serves to shew that no one in those ages could question the works ascribed to him , without asserting things which he well knew to be false . J . JONES .
P . S . The use that is made of the example of Bar-Jesus to justify the infliction of punishment on unbelievers , induces me , by way of postscript , to make one or two observations on the incident respecting him , recorded in the Acts xiii . 5—12 . The real miracles
performed by our Lord led the minds of men in those days to receive false miracles as true . This circumstance raised up a host of impostors in Judea and other countries where the fame of Jesus had been made known . In the number of these was Bar-Jesus , who , like Simon of Samaria and others
of the Gnostics , pretended to be disciples of Jesus , to be teachers of his gospel , and even to work miracles in his name . It appears evident from the narrative , that this impostor , before his rencontre with Paul , pretended to be a teacher of the gospel . The apostle asks him , " Wilt thou not cease to pervett the straight way of the Lord V
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Dr . «/• J < m& * on the Trwv ' estie of the Gospel by Luclan . 207
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1821, page 207, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2499/page/15/
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