,transcriber's note3 archaic spellings  
such as desart for desert have been     
retained1 as have inconsistent spellings
 such as ,galilee--,gallilee1 etc4      
,,ecce ,,homo6  ,,or1  ,a ,,critical    
,,inquiry ,,into  ,,the ,,history ,,of  
,,jesus ,,of ,,nazareth3  ,,being ,a    
,,rational ,,analysis ,,of ,,the        
,,gospels  by ,,baron d',,holbach       
7,paul ,henri ,thiry ,holbach7  ,the    
,cross was the banner1 under which      
madmen assembled to glut the earth with 
blood4--,vide ,chap4 #ah4  ,,gordon     
,,press  ,,new ,,york  #aigg            
,,gordon ,,press-,publishers            
,p4,o4 ,box #dei       ,bowling ,green  
,station       ,new ,york1 ,n4,y4 #ajjjd
        ,library of ,congress           
,cataloging in ,publication ,data       
,holbach1 ,paul ,henri ,thiry1 baron d' 
#agbc-aghi4       ,ecce homo6           
,translation of ,histoire critique de   
,jesus ,christ4        ,reprint of the  
#ast ,american ed41 rev4 and corr41 of  
#ahbg1 printed for the proprietors of   

the ,philosophical       library1 ,new  
,york1 which was issued as no4 #a of the
       ,philosophical library4          
#a4 ,jesus ,christ--,biography--,early  
works to #ahjj4       ,i4 ,title4 ,,ii4 
,series3 ,the ,philosophical library2   
no4 #a4       ,,bt#cj,o4,h#gd #aigf     
#bcb4i'ja      #gc-hbha       ,,isbn    
#j-hgifh-jgg-f        ,printed in the   
,united ,states of ,america             
,,introduction4   ,although the writings
 of the ,new ,testament are in the hands
 of every one1 nothing is more uncommon 
than to find the professors of          
,christianity acquainted with the       
history or the founder of their         
religion2 and even among those who have 
perused that history1 it is still more  
rare to find any who have ventured      
seriously to examine it4 ,it must1      
indeed1 be acknowledged1 that the       
ignorance of the one1 and the want of   
reflection in the other1 on a subject   
which they1 nevertheless1 regard as of  
infinite importance1 may arise from the 

dislike naturally occasioned by the     
perusal of the ,new ,testament4 ,in that
 work there is a confusion1 an obscurity
 and a barbarity of stile1 well adapted 
to confound the ignorant1 and to disgust
 enlightened minds4 ,scarcely is there a
 history1 ancient or modern1 which does 
not possess more method and clearness   
than that of ,jesus2 neither do we      
perceive that the ,holy ,spirit1 its    
reputed author1 has surpassed1 or even  
equalled many profane historians1 whose 
writings are not so important to        
mankind4 ,the clergy confess1 that the  
apostles were illiterate men1 and of    
rough manners2 and it does not appear   
that the ,spirit which inspired them1   
troubled itself with correcting their   
defects4 ,on the contrary1 it seems to  
have adopted them2 to have accommodated 
itself to the weak understandings of its
 instruments2 and to have inspired them 
with works in which we do not find the  
judgment1 order1 or precision1 that     
prevail in many human compositions4     

,hence1 the gospels exhibit a confused  
assemblage of prodigies1 anachronisms1  
and contradictions1 in which criticism  
loses itself1 and which would make any  
other book be rejected with contempt4   
,it is by mysteries the mind is prepared
 to respect religion and its teachers4  
,we are therefore warranted to suspect1 
that an obscurity was designedly given  
to these writings4 ,in matters of       
religion it is prudent never to speak   
very distinctly4 ,truths simple and     
easily understood1 do not strike the    
imagination in so lively a manner as    
ambiguous oracles1 and impenetrable     
mysteries4 ,jesus1 although come on     
purpose to enlighten the world1 was to  
be a stumbling block to many nations4   
,the small number of the elect1 the     
difficulty of salvation1 and the danger 
of exercising reason1 are repeatedly    
announced in the gospels4 ,every thing  
seems indeed to demonstrate1 that ,god  
sent his ,son to the nations1 on purpose
 to ensnare them1 and that they should  

not comprehend any part of the religion 
which he meant to promulgate4 ,in this  
the ,eternal appears to have intended to
 throw mortals into darkness1           
perplexity1 a diffidence of themselves1 
and a continual embarrassment1 obliging 
them to have recourse to those          
infallible luminaries1 their priests1   
and to remain forever under the tutelage
 of the church4 ,her ministers1 we know1
 claim the exclusive privilege of       
understanding and explaining the        
scriptures2 and no mortal can expect to 
obtain future felicity if he does not   
pay due submission to their decisions4  
,thus1 it belongs not to the laity to   
examine religion4 ,on mere inspection of
 the gospels1 every person must be      
convinced that the book is divine2 that 
every word contained in it is inspired  
by the ,holy ,spirit2 and that the      
explanations given by the church of that
 celestial work1 in like manner emanate 
from the ,most ,high4 ,in the first ages
 of ,christianity1 those who embraced   

the religion of ,jesus were only the    
dregs of the people2 consequently very  
simple1 unacquainted with letters1 and  
disposed to believe all the wonders any 
one chose to announce4 ,jesus1 in his   
sermons1 addressed himself to the vulgar
 only2 he would have intercourse with   
none but persons of that description2 he
 constantly refused to work miracles in 
presence of the most clear-sighted of   
the nation2 he declaimed unceasingly    
against the learned1 the doctors1 and   
the rich2 against all in whom he could  
not find the pliability necessary for   
adopting his maxims4 ,we see him        
continually extolling poorness of       
spirit1 simplicity1 and faith4  ,his    
disciples1 and after them the ministers 
of the church1 have faithfully followed 
his footsteps2 they have always         
represented faith1 or blind submission1 
as the first of virtues2 as the         
disposition most agreeable to ,god1 and 
most necessary to salvation4 ,this      
principle serves for a basis to the     

,christian religion1 and1 above all1 to 
the usurpations of the clergy4 ,the     
preachers1 therefore1 who succeeded the 
apostles1 employed the greatest care in 
secreting the gospels from the          
inspection of all who were not initiated
 in the mysteries of religion4 ,they    
exhibited these books to those only     
whose faith they had tried1 and whom    
they found already disposed to regard   
them as divine4 ,this mysterious spirit 
has been transmitted down to our days4  
,in several countries1 the laity are    
interdicted from perusing the           
scriptures1 especially in the ,romish   
communion1 whose clergy are best        
acquainted with governing mankind4 ,the 
council of ,trent has decreed1 that it  
belongs to the church alone to decide on
 the true meaning of the scriptures1 and
 give their interpretation4  ,it is     
true1 the reading of the sacred books is
 permitted1 and even recommended to     
protestants1 who are also enjoined to   
examine their religion4 ,but faith must 

always precede that reading1 and follow 
that examination2 so that before        
reading1 a protestant is bound to       
believe the gospel to be divine3 and the
 examination of it is permitted only1   
while he finds there what the ministers 
of his sect have resolved that he shall 
find4 ,beyond this1 he is regarded as an
 ungodly man1 and often punished for the
 weakness of his intellect4  ,the       
salvation of ,christians thus depends   
neither on the reading nor on the       
understanding of the sacred books1 but  
on the belief that these books are      
divine4 ,if1 unfortunately1 the reading 
or examination of any one1 does not     
coincide with the decisions1            
interpretations1 and commentaries of the
 church1 he is in danger of being       
ruined1 and of incurring eternal        
damnation4 ,to read the gospel1 he must 
commence with being disposed blindly to 
believe all which that book contains2 to
 examine the gospel1 he must be         
previously resolved to find nothing     

there but the holy and the adorable2 in 
fine1 to understand the gospel1 he must 
entertain a fixed persuasion1 that the  
priests can never be themselves         
deceived1 or wish to deceive others in  
the manner they explain it4 ,believe1   
7say they17 believe on our words that   
this book is the work of ,god himself2  
if you dare to doubt it1 you shall be   
damned4 ,are you unable to comprehend   
any thing which ,god reveals to you     
there8 ,believe evermore3 ,god has      
revealed himself that he may not be     
understood4--,the glory of ,god is to   
conceal his word2--7,prov4 xxv4 #b47 or 
rather1 by speaking1 in a mysterious    
manner1 does not ,god intimate that he  
wishes every one to refer it to us1 to  
whom he has confided his important      
secrets8 ,a truth1 of which you must not
 doubt1 seeing that we persecute in this
 world1 and damn in the other1 whoever  
dares to question the testimony which we
 bear to ourselves4  ,however erroneous 
this reasoning may appear to those      

accustomed to think1 it is sufficient   
for the greater part of believers4      
,where1 therefore1 they do not read the 
gospel1 or where they do read it1 they  
do not examine it2 where they do examine
 it1 it is with prejudiced eyes1 and    
with a determination to find there only 
what can be conformable to these        
prejudices1 and to the interests of     
their guides4--,in consistency with his 
fears and prepossessions1 a ,christian  
conceives himself lost1 should he find  
in the sacred books reason to doubt the 
veracity of his priests4  ,with such    
dispositions1 it is no way surprising to
 see men persisting in their ignorance1 
and making a merit of rejecting the     
lights which reason offers them4 ,it is 
thus1 that error is perpetuated1 and    
that nations1 in concert with those who 
deceive them1 confer on interested      
cheats an unbounded confidence in what  
they regard as of the greatest          
importance to their own felicity4 ,but  
the darkness which for so many ages has 

enveloped the human mind1 begins to     
dissipate4 ,in spite of the tyrannic    
cares of their jealous guides1 mankind  
seem desirous to burst from the         
pupilage1 wherein so many causes combine
 to retain them4 ,the ignorance in which
 the priesthood fostered the credulous1 
has vanished from among many nations2   
the despotism of priests is enfeebled in
 several flourishing states2 science has
 rendered the mind more liberal2 and    
mankind begin to blush at the           
ignominious fetters1 under which the    
clergy have so long made both kings and 
people groan4 ,the human mind is        
struggling in every country to break in 
pieces its chains4  ,having premised    
this1 we proceed to examine1 without any
 prejudice1 the life of ,jesus4 ,we     
shall deduce our facts from the gospels 
only--memorials reverenced and          
acknowledged by the doctors of the      
,christian religion4 ,to illustrate     
these facts1 we shall employ the aid of 
criticism4 ,we shall exhibit1 in the    

plainest manner1 the conduct1 maxims1   
and policy of an obscure legislator1    
who1 after his death1 acquired a        
celebrity to which he had no pretensions
 while alive4 ,we shall contemplate in  
its cradle a religion which1 at first1  
intended for the vilest populace of a   
nation1 the most abject1 the most       
credulous1 and the most stupid on earth1
 became1 by little and little1 mistress 
of the ,romans1 the firebrand of        
nations1 the absolute sovereign of      
,european monarchs2 arbiter of the      
destiny of kingdoms2 the cause of their 
friendship1 and of their hate2 the      
cement which serves to strengthen their 
alliance or their discord2 and the      
leaven always ready to put minds in     
fermentation4 ,in fine1 we shall behold 
an artizan1 a melancholy enthusiast and 
unskilful juggler1 abandoning his       
profession of a carpenter to preach to  
men of his own cast2 miscarrying in all 
his projects2 himself punished as a     
public incendiary2 dying on a cross2 and

 yet after his death becoming the       
legislator and the god of many nations1 
and an object of adoration to beings who
 pretend to common sense6  ,if the ,holy
 ,spirit had anticipated the            
transcendant fortune which the religion 
of ,jesus was one day to attain2 if he  
had foreseen that this religion would be
 received by kings1 civilized nations1  
scholars1 and persons in the higher     
circles of life2 if he had suspected    
that it would be examined1 analyzed1    
discussed and criticised by logicians2  
there is reason to believe that he would
 have left us memoirs less shapeless1   
facts more circumstantial1 proofs more  
authentic1 and materials better digested
 than those we possess on the life and  
doctrine of its founder4 ,he would have 
chosen writers better qualified than    
those he has inspired1 to transmit to   
nations the speeches and actions of the 
saviour of the world2 he would have made
 him act and speak on the most trifling 
point1 in a manner more worthy of a god2

 he would have put in his mouth a       
language more noble1 more perspicuous1  
and more persuasive2 and he would have  
employed means more certain to convince 
rebellious reason1 and abash            
incredulity4  ,nothing of all this has  
occurred3 the gospel is merely an       
eastern romance1 disgusting to men of   
common sense1 and obviously addressed to
 the ignorant1 the stupid1 and the      
vulgar2 the only persons whom it can    
mislead4 ,criticism finds there no      
connection of facts1 no agreement of    
circumstances1 no illustration of       
principles1 and no uniformity of        
relation4 ,four men1 unpolished and     
unlettered1 pass for the faithful       
authors of memoirs containing the life  
of ,jesus2 and it is on their testimony 
that ,christians believe themselves     
bound to receive the religion they      
profess2 and adopt1 without examination1
 the most contradictory facts1 the most 
incredible actions1 the most amazing    
prodigies1 the most unconnected system1 

the most unintelligible doctrines1 and  
the most revolting mysteries6  ,victor  
of ,tunis informs us1 that1 in the sixth
 century1 the ,emperor ,anastasius      
caused the gospels to be corrected1 as  
works composed by fools4 ,the ,elements 
of ,euclid are intelligible to all who  
endeavor to understand them2 they excite
 no dispute among geometricians4 ,is it 
so with the ,bible8 and do its revealed 
truths occasion no disputes among       
divines8 ,by what fatality have writings
 revealed by ,god himself still need of 
commentaries8 and why do they demand    
additional lights from on high1 before  
they can be believed or understood8 ,is 
it not astonishing1 that what was       
intended as a guide to mankind1 should  
be wholly above their comprehension8 ,is
 it not cruel1 that what is of most     
importance to them1 should be least     
known8 ,all is mystery1 darkness1       
uncertainty1 and matter of dispute1 in a
 religion intended by the ,most ,high to
 enlighten the human race4 ,in fact1    

,god is every where represented in the  
bible as a seducer4 ,he permitted ,eve  
to be seduced by a serpent4 ,he hardened
 the heart of ,pharaoh2 and the prophet 
,jeremiah distinctly accuses him of     
being a deceiver4  ,supposing1 however1 
that the gospels were in reality written
 by apostles or disciples of apostles1  
should it not follow from this alone1   
that their testimony ought to be        
suspected8 ,could not men who are       
described as illiterate1 and destitute  
of talents1 be themselves deceived8     
,could not enthusiasts and credulous    
fanatics imagine1 that they had seen    
many things which never existed1 and    
thus become the dupes of deception8     
,whoever has perused the ancient        
historians1 particularly ,herodotus1    
,plutarch1 ,livy1 and ,josephus1 must   
admit the force of this reasoning4      
,these writers1 with a pious credulity  
similar to that of ,christians1 relate  
prodigies pregnant with absurdities1    
which they themselves pretended to have 

witnessed1 or were witnessed by others4 
,among the wonders that appeared at     
,rome1 some time before the triumvirate1
 many statues of the ,gods sweat blood  
and water2 and there was an ,ox which   
spoke4 ,under the empire of ,caligula1  
the statue of ,jupiter ,olympus burst   
forth into such loud fits of laughter1  
that those who were taking it down to   
carry to ,rome1 abandoned their work and
 fled in terror4 ,a crow prognosticated 
misfortune to ,domitian1 and an ,owl    
paid the same compliment to ,herod4     
,moreover1 could not impostors1 strongly
 attached to a sect by which they       
subsisted1 and which1 therefore1 they   
had an interest to support1 attest      
miracles1 and publish statements with   
the falsehood of which they were well   
acquainted8 and could not the first     
christians1 by a pious fraud1 afterwards
 add or retrench things essential to the
 works ascribed to the apostles8 ,we    
know that ,origen1 so early as the third
 century1 complained loudly of the      

corruption of manuscripts4 ,what shall  
we say 7exclaims he7 of the errors of   
transcribers1 and of the impious        
temerity with which they have corrupted 
the text8 ,what shall we say of the     
licence of those1 who promiscuously     
interpolate or erase at their pleasure8 
,these questions form warrantable       
prejudices against the persons to whom  
the gospels have been ascribed1 and     
against the purity of their text4  ,it  
is also extremely difficult to ascertain
 whether those books belong to the      
authors whose names they bear4 ,in the  
first ages of ,christianity there was a 
great number of gospels1 different from 
one another1 and composed for the use of
 different churches and different sects 
of ,christians4 ,the truth of this has  
been confessed by ecclesiastical        
historians of the greatest credit4      
7,tillemont1 tom4 ii4 #dg1 etc4         
,epiphan4 ,homil4 #hd4 ,dodwell's       
,disser4 on ,irenaeus1 p4 #ff4 ,freret's
 ,examin4 ,critique4 ,codex ,apocryphus1

 c47 ,there is1 therefore1 reason to    
suspect1 that the persons who composed  
the acknowledged gospels might1 with the
 view of giving them more weight1 have  
attributed them to apostles1 or         
disciples1 who actually had no share in 
them4 ,that idea1 once adopted by       
ignorant and credulous christians1 might
 be transmitted from age to age1 and    
pass at last for certainty1 in times    
when it was no longer possible to       
ascertain the authors or the facts      
related4  ,among some fifty gospels1    
with which ,christianity in its         
commencement was inundated1 the church1 
assembled in council at ,nice1 chose    
four of them1 and rejected the rest as  
apocryphal1 although the latter had     
nothing more ridiculous in them than    
those which were admitted4 ,thus1 at the
 end of three centuries1 7i4e4 in the   
three hundred and twenty-fifth year of  
the ,christian era17 some bishops       
decided1 that these four gospels were   
the only ones which ought to be adopted1

 or which had been inspired by the ,holy
 ,spirit4 ,a miracle enabled them to    
discover this important truth1 so       
difficult to be discerned at a time even
 then not very remote from that of the  
apostles4 ,they placed1 it is said1     
promiscuously1 books apocryphal and     
authentic under an altar3--the ,fathers 
of the ,council betook themselves to    
prayer1 in order to induce the ,lord to 
permit the false or doubtful books to   
remain under the altar1 whilst those    
which were truly inspired should place  
themselves above it--a circumstance     
which did not fail to occur4 ,it is then
 on this miracle that the faith of      
,christians depends6 ,it is to it that  
they owe the assurance of possessing the
 true gospels1 or faithful memoirs of   
the life of ,jesus6 ,it is from these   
only they are1 permitted to deduce the  
principles of their belief1 and the rule
 of conduct which they ought to observe 
in order to obtain eternal salvation6   
,thus1 the authenticity of the books    

which are the basis of the ,christian   
religion1 is founded solely on the      
authority of a council composed of      
priests and bishops4 ,but these bishops 
and priests1 judges and parties in an   
affair wherein they were obviously      
interested1 could they not be themselves
 deceived8 ,independently of the        
pretended miracle which enabled them to 
distinguish the true gospels from the   
false1 had they any sign by which they  
could clearly distinguish the writings  
they ought to receive from those which  
they ought to reject8 ,some will tell   
us1 that the church assembled in a      
general council is infallible2 that then
 the ,holy ,spirit inspires it1 and that
 its decisions ought to be regarded as  
those of ,god himself4 ,if we demand1   
where is the proof of this              
infallibility8 it will be answered1 that
 the gospel assures it1 and that ,jesus 
has promised to assist and enlighten his
 church until the consummation of ages4 
,here the incredulous reply1 that the   

church1 or its ministers1 create rights 
to themselves2 for it is their own      
authority which establishes the         
authenticity of books whereby that      
authority is established4 ,this is      
obviously a circle of errors4 ,in short1
 an assembly of bishops and priests has 
decided1 that the books which attribute 
to themselves an infallible authority1  
have been divinely inspired6            
,notwithstanding this decision1 there   
still remain some difficulties on the   
authenticity of the gospels4 ,in the    
first place1 it may be asked whether the
 decision of the ,council of ,nice1     
composed of three hundred and eighteen  
bishops1 ought to be regarded as that of
 the universal church8 ,were all who    
formed that assembly entirely of the    
same opinion8 ,were1 there no disputes  
among these men inspired by the ,holy   
,spirit8 ,was their decision unanimously
 accepted8 ,had not the authority of    
,constantine a chief share in the       
adoption of the decrees of that         

celebrated council8 ,in this case1 was  
it not the imperial power1 rather than  
the spiritual authority1 which decided  
the authenticity of the gospels8  ,in   
the second place1 many theologists      
agree1 that the universal church1       
although infallible in doctrine1 may err
 in facts4 ,now it is evident1 that in  
the case alluded to1 the doctrine       
depends on fact4 ,indeed1 before        
deciding whether the doctrines contained
 in the gospels were divine1 it was     
necessary to know1 whether the gospels  
themselves were written by the inspired 
authors to whom they are ascribed4 ,this
 is obviously a fact4 ,it was further   
necessary to know1 whether the gospels  
had never been altered1 mutilated1      
augmented1 interpolated1 or falsified1  
by the different hands through which    
they had passed in the course of three  
centuries4 ,this is likewise a fact4    
,can the fathers of the church guarantee
 the probity of all the depositaries of 
those writings1 and the exactness of all

 the transcribers8 ,can they decide     
definitively1 that1 during so long a    
period1 none could insert in these      
memoirs1 marvelous relations or dogmas1 
unknown to those who are their supposed 
authors8 ,does not ecclesiastical       
history inform us1 that1 in the origin  
of ,christianity1 there were schisms1   
disputes1 heresies1 and sects without   
number2 and that each of the disputants 
founded his opinion on the gospels8     
,even in the time of the ,council of    
,nice1 do we not find that the whole    
church was divided on the fundamental   
article of the ,christian religion--the 
divinity of ,jesus8  ,thus it is seen   
that the council of ,nice was the true  
founder of ,christianity1 which1 till   
then1 wandered at random2 did not       
acknowledge ,jesus to be ,god2 had no   
authentic gospels2 was without a fixed  
law2 and had no code of doctrine whereon
 to rely4 ,a number of bishops and      
priests1 very few in comparison of those
 who composed the whole ,christian      

church1 and these bishops no way        
unanimous1 decided on the points most   
essential to the salvation of nations4  
,they decided on the divinity of ,jesus2
 on the authenticity of the gospels2    
that1 according to these1 their own     
authority ought to be deemed infallible4
 ,in a word1 they decided on the sum    
total of faith6 ,nevertheless their     
decisions might have remained without   
force1 if they had not been supported by
 the authority of ,constantine4 ,this   
prince gave prevalence to the opinion of
 the fathers of the council1 who knew   
how to draw him1 for a time1 to their   
own side2 and who1 amidst this multitude
 of gospels and writings1 did not fail  
to declare those divine which they      
judged most comformable to their own    
opinions1 or to the ruling faction4 ,in 
religion as in other things1 the        
reasoning of the strongest party is     
always the best4  ,behold1 then1 the    
authority of an emperor1 who determines 
the chief points of the ,christian      

religion6 ,this emperor1 unsettled in   
his own faith1 decides that ,jesus is   
consubtantial with the ,father1 and     
compels his subjects to receive1 as     
inspired1 the four gospels we have in   
our hands4--,it is in these memoirs1    
adopted by a few bishops in the council 
of ,nice2 by them attributed to         
apostles1 or unexceptionable persons    
inspired by the ,holy ,spirit2 by them  
proposed to serve as an indispensable   
rule to ,christians2 that we are to seek
 for the materials of our history4 ,we  
shall state them with fidelity2 we shall
 compare and connect their discordant   
relations2 we shall see if the facts    
which they detail are worthy of ,god1   
and calculated to procure to mankind the
 advantages which they expect4 ,this    
inquiry will enable us to judge rightly 
of the ,christian religion2 of the      
degree of confidence we ought to place  
in it2 of the esteem we ought to        
entertain for its lessons and doctrines2
 and of the idea we should form of      

,jesus its founder4  ,though1 in        
composing this history1 we have laid it 
down as a rule to employ the gospels    
only1 we presume not to flatter         
ourselves that it will please every     
body1 or that the clergy will adopt our 
labors4 ,the connections we shall form2 
the interpretations we shall give2 the  
animadversions we shall present to our  
readers1 will not always be entirely    
agreeable to the views of our spiritual 
guides1 the greater part of whom are    
enemies to all inquiry4 ,to such men we 
would state1 that criticism gives a     
lustre to truth2 that to reject all     
examination is to acknowledge the       
weakness of their cause2 and that not to
 wish for discussion is to avow it to be
 incapable of sustaining a trial4  ,if  
they tell us1 that our ideas are        
repugnant to the decisions of councils1 
of the fathers1 and of the universal    
church2 to this we shall answer1 that1  
according to their own books1 opposition
 is not always a crime2 we shall plead  

the example of an apostle1 to whom the  
,christian religion is under the        
greatest obligations--what do we        
say6--to whom alone1 perhaps1 it owes   
its existence4 ,now this apostle boasts 
of having withstood the great ,st4      
,peter to his face1 that visible head of
 the church1 appointed by ,jesus himself
 to feed his flock2 and whose           
infallibility is at least as probable as
 that of his successors4  ,if they      
charge us with innovation1 we shall     
plead the example of ,jesus himself1 who
 was regarded as an innovator by the    
,jews1 and who was a martyr for the     
reform he intended to introduce4 ,if the
 opinions be unacceptable1 the author1  
as he has no pretensions to divine      
inspiration1 leaves to every one the    
liberty of rejecting or receiving his   
interpretations1 and method of          
investigation4 ,he does not threaten    
with eternal torments those who resist  
his arguments2 he has not credit enough 
to promise heaven to such as yield to   

them2 he pretends neither to constrain1 
nor to seduce those who do not think as 
he does4 ,he is desirous only to calm   
the mind2 allay animosity2 and sooth the
 passions of those zealots1 who are ever
 ready to harass and destroy their      
fellow creatures on account of opinions 
which may not appear equally convincing 
to all the world4 ,he promises to point 
out the ridiculous cruelty of those men 
of blood1 who persecute for dogmas which
 they themselves do not understand4 ,he 
ventures to flatter himself1 that such  
as peruse this inquiry with coolness1   
will acknowledge1 that it is very       
possible to doubt of the inspiration of 
the gospels1 and of the divine mission  
of ,jesus1 without ceasing to be a      
rational and honest man4  ,such as are  
exasperated against this work are       
entreated to remember1 that faith is a  
gift of heaven2 that the want of it is  
not a vice2 that if the ,jews1 who were 
eye witnesses of the wonders of ,jesus1 
did not believe them1 it is very        

pardonable to doubt them at the         
beginning of the nineteenth century1    
especially on finding that the accounts 
of these marvels1 though said to have   
been inspired by the ,holy ,spirit1 are 
not uniform nor in harmony with each    
other4 ,in fine1 fiery devotees are     
earnestly entreated to moderate their   
holy rage1 and suffer the meekness1 so  
often recommended by their divine       
,saviour to occupy the place of that    
bitter zeal1 and persecuting spirit     
which creates so many enemies to the    
,christian religion4 ,let them remember1
 that if it was to patience and         
forbearance ,jesus promised the         
possession of the earth1 it is much to  
be feared that pride1 intolerance and   
inhumanity1 will render the ministers of
 the church detestable1 and make them   
lose that empire over minds1 which to   
them is so agreeable4 ,if they wish to  
reign over rational men1 they must      
display reason1 knowledge1 and1 above   
all1 virtues more useful than those     

wherewith the teachers of the gospel    
have so long infested society4 ,jesus   
has said1 ,happy are the meek1 for they 
shall inherit the earth2 unless indeed  
interpreters should pretend1 that this  
only signifies the necessity of         
persecuting1 exterminating1 and cutting 
the throats of those whose affections   
they wish to gain4  ,if it were         
permitted to cite the maxims of a       
profane person by that of the ,son of   
,god1 we would quote here the apophthegm
 of the profound ,machiavel1 that       
empires are preserved by the same means 
whereby they are established4 ,it was by
 meekness1 patience1 and precaution1    
that the disciples of ,jesus are said to
 have at first established              
,christianity4 ,their successors        
employed violence2 but not until they   
found themselves supported by devout    
tyrants4 ,since then1 the gospel of     
peace has been the signal of war2 the   
pacific disciples of ,jesus have become 
implacable warriors2 have treated each  

other as ferocious beasts2 and the      
church has been perpetually torn by     
dissentions1 schisms1 and factions4 ,if 
the primitive spirit of patience and    
meekness does not quickly return to the 
aid of religion1 it will soon become the
 object of the hatred of nations1 who   
begin to feel that morality is          
preferable to obscure dogmas1 and that  
peace is of greater value than the holy 
frenzy of the ministers of the gospel4  
,we cannot1 therefore1 with too much    
earnestness exhort them1 for their own  
sakes1 to moderation4 ,let them imitate 
their divine ,master1 who never employed
 his ,father's power to exterminate the 
,jews1 of whom he had so much to        
complain4 ,he did not make the armies of
 heaven descend1 in order to establish  
his doctrine4 ,he chose rather to       
surrender to the secular power than give
 up the infidels1 whom his prodigies and
 transcendent reasoning could not       
convince4 ,though he is represented as  
being the depositary of the power of the

 ,most ,high2 though he was inspired by 
the ,holy ,spirit2 though he had at his 
command all the angels of paradise1 we  
do not find that he performed any       
miracles on the understandings of his   
auditory4 ,he suffered them to remain in
 their blindness1 though he had come on 
purpose to enlighten them4 ,we cannot   
doubt1 that a conduct1 so wise1 was     
intended to make the pastors of his     
church 7who are not possessed of more   
persuasive powers than their master7    
sensible that it is not by violence they
 can reconcile the mind to incredible   
things2 and that it would be unjust to  
force others to comprehend what1 without
 favor from above2 it would be          
impossible for themselves to comprehend2
 or what1 even with such favor1 they but
 very imperfectly understand4  ,but it  
is time to conclude an introduction1    
perhaps1 already too long to a work     
which1 even without preamble1 may be    
tiresome to the clergy1 and irritate the
 temper of the devout4 ,the author does 

himself the justice to believe1 that he 
has written enough to be attacked by a  
host of writers1 obliged1 by situation  
to repel his blows1 and to defend1 right
 or wrong1 a cause wherein they are so  
deeply interested4 ,he calculates that1 
on his death1 his book will be          
calumniated1 as well as his reputation1 
and his arguments misrepresented1 or    
mutilated4 ,he expects to be treated as 
impious--a blasphemer--an atheist1 and  
to be loaded with all the epithets which
 the pious are in use to lavish on those
 who disquiet them4 ,he will not1       
however1 sleep the less tranquil for    
that2 but as his sleep may prevent him  
from replying1 he thinks it his duty to 
inform his antagonists before hand1 that
 injuries are not reasons4 ,he does     
more--he bequeaths them charitable      
advice1 to which the defenders of       
religion do not usually pay sufficient  
attention4 ,they are then apprised1 that
 if1 in their learned refutations1 they 
do not resolve completely all the       

objections brought against them1 they   
will have done nothing for their cause4 
,the defenders of a religion1 in which  
it is affirmed that every thing is      
divinely inspired1 are bound not to     
leave a single argument behind1 and     
ought to be convinced that answering to 
an argument is not always refuting it4  
,they should please also to keep in     
remembrance1 that a single falsehood1 a 
single absurdity1 a single              
contradiction1 or a single blunder1     
fairly pointed out in the gospels1 is   
sufficient to render suspected1 and even
 to overturn the authority of a book    
which ought to be perfect in all its    
parts1 if it be true that it is the work
 of an infinitely perfect ,being4 ,an   
incredulous person1 being but a man1 may
 reason wrong2 but it is never permitted
 to a ,god1 or his instruments1 either  
to contradict themselves1 or to talk    
nonsense4     ,,ecce ,,homo6  ,,chap4   
,i4  ,,account ,,of ,,the ,,jewish      
,,people ,,and ,,their                  

,,prophets4--,,inquiry ,,into ,,the     
,,prophecies ,,relating ,,to ,,jesus4   
,however slightly we cast our eyes over 
the history of the ,jews1 as contained  
in their sacred books1 we are forced to 
acknowledge1 that these people were at  
all times the blindest1 the most stupid1
 the most credulous1 the most           
superstitious1 and the silliest that    
ever appeared on earth4 ,moses1 by dint 
of miracles1 or delusions1 succeeded in 
subjugating the ,israelites4 ,after     
having liberated them from the iron rod 
of the ,egyptians1 he put them under his
 own4 ,this celebrated legislator had   
evidently the intention to subject the  
,hebrews for ever to his purposes1 and1 
after himself1 to render them the slaves
 of his family and tribe4 ,it is        
obvious1 that the mosaical economy had  
no other object than to deliver up the  
people of ,israel to the tyranny and    
extortions of priests and ,levites4     
,these the law1 which was promulgated in
 name of the ,eternal1 authorised to    

devour the rest of the nation1 and to   
crush them under an insupportable yoke4 
,the chosen people of ,god were destined
 solely to be the prey of the           
priesthood2 to satiate their avarice and
 ambition2 and to become the instrument 
and victim of their passions4  ,hence1  
by the law1 and by the policy of the    
priests1 the people of ,god were kept in
 a profound ignorance1 in an abject     
superstition1 in an unsocial and savage 
aversion for the rest of mankind2 in an 
inveterate hatred of other forms of     
worship1 and in a barbarous and         
sanguinary intolerance towards every    
foreign religion4 ,all the neighbors of 
the ,hebrews1 were1 therefore1 their    
enemies4 ,if the holy nation was the    
object of the love of the most high1 it 
was an object of contempt and horror to 
all who had occasion to know it--a fact 
admitted by their own historian1        
,josephus4 ,for this it was indebted to 
its religious institutions1 to the      
labors of its priests1 to its diviners1 

and its prophets1 who continually       
profitted by its credulity1 in          
displaying wonders and kindling its     
delirium4  ,under the guidance of       
,moses1 and of generals or judges who   
governed them afterwards1 the ,jewish   
people distinguished themselves only by 
massacres1 unjust wars1 cruelties1      
usurpations1 and infamies1 which were   
enjoined them in the name of the        
,eternal4 ,weary of the government of   
their priests1 which drew on them       
misfortunes and bloody defeats1 the     
descendants of ,abraham demanded kings2 
but1 under these1 the state was         
perpetually torn with disputes between  
the priesthood and the government4      
,superstition aimed at ruling over      
policy4 ,prophets and priests pretended 
to reign over kings1 of whom such as    
were not sufficiently submissive to the 
interpreters of heaven1 were renounced  
by the ,lord1 and1 from that moment1    
unacknowledged and opposed by their own 
subjects4 ,fanatics and impostors1      

absolute masters of the understandings  
of the nation1 were continually ready to
 rouse it1 and excite in its bosom the  
most terrible revolutions4 ,it was the  
intrigues of the prophets that deprived 
,saul of his crown1 and bestowed it on  
,david1 the man according to ,god's own 
heart--that is to say1 devoted to the   
will of the priests4 ,it was the        
prophets1 who1 to punish the defection  
of ,solomon in the person of his son1   
occasioned the separation of the        
kingdoms of ,judea and ,israel4 ,it was 
the prophets who kept these two kingdoms
 continually at variance2 weakened them 
by means of each other1 desolated them  
by religious and fatal wars1 conducted  
them to complete ruin1 a total          
dispersion of their inhabitants1 and a  
long captivity among the ,assyrians4    
,so many calamities did not open the    
eyes of the ,jews1 who continued        
obstinate in refusing to acknowledge the
 true source of their misfortunes4      
,restored to their homes by the bounty  

of ,cyrus1 they were again governed by  
priests and prophets1 whose maxims      
rendered them turbulent1 and drew on    
them the hatred of sovereigns who       
subdued them4 ,the ,greek princes       
treated with the greatest severity a    
people whom the oracles and promises of 
their prophets rendered always          
rebellious1 and ungovernable4 ,the      
,jews1 in fine1 became the prey of the  
,romans1 whose yoke they bore with fear1
 against whom impostors often incited   
them to revolt1 and who1 at last1 tired 
of their frequent rebellions1 entirely  
destroyed them as a nation4  ,such1 in a
 few words1 is the history of the       
,jewish people4 ,it presents the most   
memorable examples of the evils which   
fanaticism and superstition produce2 for
 it is evident that the continual       
revolutions1 bloody wars1 and total     
destruction of that nation1 had no other
 cause than its unwearied credulity1 its
 submission to priests1 its enthusiasm1 
and its furious zeal1 excited by the    

inspired4 ,on reading the ,old          
,testament1 we are forced to confess1   
that the people of ,god 7thanks to the  
roguery of their spiritual guides7 were1
 beyond contradiction1 the most         
unfortunate people that ever existed4   
,yet the most solemn promises of        
,jehovah seemed to assure to that people
 a flourishing and puissant empire4 ,god
 had made an eternal alliance with      
,abraham and his posterity2 but the     
,jews1 far from reaping the fruits of   
this alliance1 and far from enjoying the
 prosperity they had been led to expect1
 lived continually in the midst of      
calamities1 and were1 more than all     
other nations1 the sport of frightful   
revolutions4 ,so many disasters1        
however1 were incapable of rendering    
them more considerate2 the experience of
 so many ages did not hinder them from  
relying on oracles so often             
contradicted2 and the more unfortunate  
they found themselves1 the more rooted  
were they in their credulity4 ,the      

destruction of their nation could not   
bring them to doubt of the excellence of
 their law1 of the wisdom of their      
institutions1 or of the veracity of     
their prophets1 who successively        
relieved each other1 either in menacing 
them in the name of the ,lord1 or in    
re-animating their frivolous hopes4     
,strongly convinced that they were the  
sacred and chosen people of the ,most   
,high1 alone worthy of his favors1 the  
,jews1 in spite of all their miseries1  
were continually persuaded that their   
,god could not have abandoned           
them4--,they1 therefore1 constantly     
looked for an end to their afflictions1 
and promised themselves a deliverance1  
which obscure oracles had led them to   
expect4 ,building on these fanatical    
notions1 they were at all times disposed
 to listen with avidity to every man who
 announced himself as inspired by       
heaven2 they eagerly ran after every    
singular personage who could feed their 
expectations2 they followed whoever had 

the secret of astonishing them by       
impostures1 which their stupidity made  
them consider supernatural works1 and   
unquestionable signs of divine power4   
,disposed to see the marvellous in the  
most trifling events1 every adroit      
impostor was on the watch to deceive    
them1 and was certain of making more or 
less adherents1 especially among the    
populace1 who are every where destitute 
of experience and knowledge4  ,it was in
 the midst of a people of this          
disposition that the personage appeared 
whose history we write4 ,he very soon   
found followers in the most despicable  
of the rabble4 ,seconded by these1 he   
preached1 as usual1 reformation to his  
fellow citizens1 he wrought wonders2 he 
styled himself the envoy of the         
,divinity4 ,he particularly founded his 
mission on vague1 obscure1 and ambiguous
 predictions1 contained in the sacred   
books of the ,jews1 which he applied to 
himself4 ,he announced himself as the   
messiah or messenger1 the deliverer of  

,israel1 who for so many ages was the   
object of the nation's hope4 ,his       
disciples1 his apostles1 and afterwards 
their successors1 found means to apply  
to their master the ancient prophecies1 
wherein he seemed the least perceptibly 
designed4 ,the ,christians1 docile and  
full of faith1 have had the good fortune
 to see the founder of their religion   
predicted in the clearest manner        
throughout the whole ,old ,testament4   
,by dint of allegories1 figures1        
interpretations1 and commentaries1 their
 doctors have brought them to see1 in   
this shapeless compilation1 all that    
they had an interest in pointing out to 
them4 ,when passages taken literally did
 not countenance deceit agreeably to    
their views1 they contrived for them a  
two-fold sense3 they pretended that it  
was not necessary to understand them    
literally1 but to give them a mystical1 
allegorical1 and spiritual meaning4 ,to 
explain these pretended predictions1    
they continually substituted one name   

for another2 they rejected the literal  
meaning1 in order to adopt a figurative 
one2 they changed the most natural      
signification of words they applied the 
same passages to events quite opposite2 
they retrenched the names of some       
personages plainly designed1 in order to
 introduce that of ,jesus2 and1 in all  
this1 they did not blush to make the    
most crying abuse of the principles of  
language4  ,the third chapter of        
,genesis furnishes a striking example of
 the manner in which the doctors of the 
,christian religion have allegorized    
passages of scripture1 in order to apply
 then to ,jesus4 ,in this chapter1 ,god 
says to the serpent1 convicted of having
 seduced the woman1 the seed of the     
woman shall bruise thy head4 ,this      
prophesy appears with so much the more  
difficulty to apply to ,jesus1 that     
these words follow--and thou shalt      
bruise his heel4 ,we do not comprehend1 
why the seed of the woman must be       
understood of ,jesus4 ,if he was the    

,son of ,god1 or ,god himself1 he could 
not be produced from the seed of the    
woman4 ,if he was man1 he is not pointed
 out in a particular manner by these    
words1 for all men1 without exception1  
are produced from the seed of women4    
,according to our interpreters1 the     
serpent is sin1 and the seed of the     
woman that bruises it is ,jesus         
incarnate in the womb of ,mary4 ,since  
the coming of ,jesus1 however1 sin1     
typified by the serpent1 has at all     
times existed2 from which we are led to 
conclude1 that ,jesus has not destroyed 
it1 and that the prediction is neither  
literally nor allegorically             
accomplished4  ,in the twenty-second    
chapter of ,genesis1 ,god promises to   
,abraham1 that in his seed all the      
nations of the earth shall be blessed4  
,what we style prosperity1 the ,hebrews 
termed blessings4 ,if ,abraham and his  
race enjoyed prosperity1 it was only for
 a short period2 the ,hebrews became    
afterwards the slaves of the ,egyptians1

 and were1 as has been seen1 the most   
unfortunate people on earth4 ,christians
 have also given a mystic sense to this 
prophecy3--they substitute the name of  
,jesus for that of ,abraham1 and it is  
in him that all the nations shall be    
blessed4 ,the advantages they shall     
enjoy will be persecutions1 calamities1 
and misfortunes of every kind2 and his  
disciples1 like himself1 shall undergo  
the most painful punishments4 ,hence we 
see1 that1 following our interpreters1  
the word blessing has changed its       
meaning2 it no longer implies           
prosperity2 it signifies what1 in       
ordinary language1 is termed curses1    
disasters1 afflictions1 troubles1       
divisions1 and religious                
wars--calamities with which the         
,christian nations have been continually
 blessed since the establishment of the 
church4  ,christians believe that they  
see ,jesus announced in the #dith       
chapter of ,genesis4 ,the patriarch     
,jacob there promises sovereign power to

 ,judah4 ,the sceptre 7says he7 shall   
not depart from ,judah1 nor a lawgiver  
from between his feet1 until ,shiloh    
come1 and unto him shall the gathering  
of the people be4 ,it is thus that      
several interpreters translate the tenth
 verse of the #dith chapter of ,genesis4
 ,others have translated it thus1 the   
authority shall forever be in ,judah1   
when the ,messiah shall have come4      
,others read1 the authority shall be in 
,judah1 till the messenger receive in   
,shiloh the sovereign power4 ,others    
again render the passage in this manner1
 the people of ,judah shall be in       
affliction1 till the messenger of the   
,lord comes to put an end to it2 and    
according to others1 till the city of   
,shiloh be destroyed4  ,this diversity  
in the translation of the same passage  
ought1 unquestionably1 to render the    
prophecy very suspicious4 ,first1 we see
 that it is impossible to determine the 
signification of the word ,shiloh1 or to
 ascertain1 whether it be the name of a 

man or a city8 ,secondly1 it is proved  
by the sacred books1 received equally by
 ,jew and ,christians1 that the         
sovereign power is gone from ,judah2 was
 wholly annihilated during the          
,babylonish captivity1 and has not been 
re-established since4 ,if it is         
pretended1 that ,jesus came to restore  
the power of ,judah1 we assert1 on the  
contrary1 that1 in the time of ,jesus1  
,judah was without authority1 for ,judah
 had submitted to the ,romans4 ,but our 
doctors have again recourse to          
allegory3--according to them1 the power 
of ,judah was the spiritual power of    
,jesus over ,christians1 designated by  
,judah4  ,they1 in like manner1 see     
,jesus foretold by ,balaam1 who1 by the 
bye1 was a false prophet4 ,he thus      
expresses himself3 7,numbers xxiv4      
#af17--;,he hath said1 who heard the    
words of ,god1 and knew the knowledge of
 the ,most ,high1 who saw the vision of 
the ,almighty1 falling into a trance1   
but having his eyes open3 ,i shall see  

him but not now2 ,i shall behold him but
 not nigh2 there shall come a star out  
of ,jacob1 and a sceptre shall rise out 
of ,israel1 c4 ,in this unintelligible  
jargon1 they pretend to shew ,christians
 a clear prediction of the founder of   
their religion4 ,it is he who is the    
star1 because his luminous doctrine     
enlightens all minds4 ,this sceptre1    
which shall rise out of ,israel1 is the 
cross of ,jesus1 by the aid of which he 
has triumphed over the ,devil1 who1 in  
spite of this victory1 ceases not to    
reign on earth1 and to render useless   
the triumph of the ,son of ,god4  ,but  
of all the prophecies contained in the  
,old ,testament1 there is not one to    
which the ,christian doctors have       
attached more importance than that found
 in ,isaiah1 chap4 vii4 #ad ,a young    
woman shall conceive1 and bear a son1   
and shall call his name ,immanuel4 ,to  
find out ,jesus in this prediction1 it  
is1 first of all1 necessary to be       
convinced1 that this woman is ,mary2    

next1 it is necessary to ascertain that 
,immanuel is the same with ,jesus4 ,it  
will always be objected against this    
pretended prophecy1 that it is          
sufficient to read the chapter of       
,isaiah whence the passage is taken1 to 
be satisfied that the prophet had in    
view ,ahaz king of ,judah4 ,this prince 
is there represented as in              
consternation1 on account of the arrival
 of ,rezin and ,pekah1 kings of ,syria  
and ,israel1 who1 with their united     
armies1 threatened his dominions4       
,isaiah encouraged him1 by representing 
that he still had forces sufficient1 and
 promised him the assistance of the     
,lord1 whom every prophet made to be of 
his own party4 ,to guarantee his        
promises1 ,isaiah told his sovereign1   
that he had only to ask of him a sign4  
,the dispirited prince replied1 that he 
did not wish to tempt the ,lord4 ,the   
prophet1 however1 wishing to convince   
him1 announced a sign--,a young woman   
shall conceive1 and bring forth a son1  

who shall be called ,immanuel4 ,now the 
following chapter informs us who this   
young woman was3 she was the wife of    
,isaiah himself4--,i took unto me 7says 
he7 faithful witnesses2 and ,i went unto
 the prophetess1 and she conceived and  
bare a son4 ,the simple inspection of   
this text1 evidently shows that it is in
 no respect applicable to ,jesus4 ,if   
what is recorded in #b;d ,chron4 c4 v4  
be true1 the prophecy was not even      
accomplished1 but the reverse of its    
fulfilment took place4 ,instead of ,ahaz
 defeating his enemies1 as ,isaiah      
promised he would1 his whole army was   
routed1 #abj1jjj killed1 and #bjj1jjj   
carried into captivity by the kings of  
,syria and ,israel4 ,it is evident1     
then1 that this famous sign of a young  
woman shall conceive1 c4 served only in 
the first instance to deceive the king  
of ,judah1 and has since been employed  
to mislead those who1 like that king1   
relied on the professions of priests and
 prophets4  ,proceeding forward in the  

perusal of ,isaiah 7chap4 ix4 #f17 we   
find the following passage3--,unto us a 
child is born1 unto us a son is given3  
and the government shall be upon his    
shoulder4 ,if the child foretold by     
,isaiah was born in his time1 it can no 
longer be said1 that the prophet meant  
to speak of ,jesus1 who was born several
 centuries after him2 for the birth of  
that person being so distant1 could not 
be a sign of deliverance to ,ahaz1 as   
his enemies pressed so closely upon him4
 ,to this it is answered1 that the      
prophets spoke of future events as if   
they were past or present2 but this     
answer requires to be established by    
proof4 ,it is likewise said1 that the   
birth of ,isaiah's son was only a type  
of that of ,jesus2 for to him1 it is    
affirmed1 is applicable the government  
on the shoulder1 in which our doctors   
perceive distinctly pointed out the     
cross that ,jesus carried on his        
shoulders when going to ,calvary4 ,our  
interpreters have thus the happiness of 

seeing the sign of dominion1 or empire1 
in what appears to eyes less            
enlightened1 the sign of punishment1    
weakness1 and slavery4  ,it is proper   
also to inquire why it is said1 in the  
,christian system1 that it is not       
necessary a prophecy have relation1 in  
all its parts1 to the subject or fact to
 which it is applied4 ,the sacred       
writers do not mean to cite a whole     
prophecy1 but only a passage1 a detached
 phrase1 or often a single word1        
apposite to the subject they treat of1  
without troubling themselves whether    
what precedes1 or what follows their    
quotation has connexion or not with what
 they are speaking of4 ,in the example  
under discussion1 ,matthew1 wishing to  
quote ,isaiah and apply a prophecy to   
,jesus1 takes of this prophecy these    
detached words only1 ,a young woman     
shall conceive1 c4--he stood in need of 
no more of it4 ,according to that       
,evangelist1 ,mary had                  
conceived3--,isaiah had said1 that a    

girl1 or woman1 should conceive4        
,matthew therefore concluded1 that the  
conception of ,jesus was foretold by    
,isaiah4 ,this vague connection is      
sufficient for all ,christians1 who1    
like ,matthew1 believe they see their   
founder pointed out in prophecy4        
,following this strange method1 they    
have referred to ,isaiah to prove that  
,jesus was the messiah promised to the  
,jews4 ,in the #ec;d chapter1 this      
prophet describes in a very pathetic    
manner the misfortunes and sufferings of
 his brother ,jeremiah4 ,the clergy have
 long labored to apply that prophecy to 
,jesus3 they have distinctly seen him   
pointed out in the man of sorrows2 so   
that it is regarded rather as a faithful
 and circumstantial narrative of the    
passion of ,jesus1 than as a prediction4
 ,but1 agreeably to sound criticism1    
this history relates only to ,jeremiah4 
,not to deprive themselves1 however1 of 
the resources so useful a passage might 
furnish1 they have decided1 that1 in the

 case of prophecies1 the indirect       
relation should have place4 ,by this    
means1 in admitting that the narrative  
of ,isaiah had ,jeremiah for its object1
 they maintained that ,jeremiah was a   
figure or type of ,jesus4 ,it is not    
that their lives were strictly          
consentaneous2 but1 in the ,christian   
religion1 conformity followed by        
affinities1 is not absolutely requisite 
to the justice of the comparison4  ,this
 manner of reasoning1 peculiar to the   
,christian religion1 has been very      
convenient for it4 ,paul especially1    
like most of the first preachers of     
,christianity1 and after them the       
fathers and doctors of the church1      
employed this curious method of proving 
their system4 ,according to them1 all   
under the ancient law was the image of  
the new2 and the most celebrated        
personages in the ,old ,testament1      
typified ,jesus and his church4 ,abel1  
assassinated by his brother1 was a      
prophetic figure of ,jesus put to death 

by the ,jews4 ,the sacrifice of ,isaac1 
which was not accomplished1 was the     
image of that accomplished on the cross4
 ,the relations or predictions which had
 for their object ,abraham1 ,isaac1     
,jacob1 ,moses1 ,joshua1 ,samuel1       
,david1 ,solomon1 ,jeremiah1 ,zorobabel1
 or other ancient personages1 were      
applied to ,jesus4 ,his death was       
represented by the blood of he-goats and
 of bulls4 ,by aid of these allegories1 
the books of the ,jews served only to   
announce the events in the life of      
,jesus1 and the history of the          
establishment of his religion4 ,in this 
manner it is easy to find in the        
scriptures whatever we desire4  ,it     
would be useless to investigate the     
famous prophecy of the seventy weeks of 
,daniel1 in which the ,christian doctors
 believe they see the coming of ,jesus  
clearly announced4 ,it is true1 that if 
,daniel1 or his editors1 had specified  
the nature of these weeks1 they would   
have prevented much trouble to          

interpreters3 this prediction might then
 have been a great resource to          
,christianity4 ,the ablest critics1     
however1 declare that they are greatly  
embarrassed when attempting to fix the  
commencement and the end of these weeks4
 ,on this they are never unanimous1 nor 
can they agree on a precise date1 which 
hitherto is wanting to the great event  
of the coming of the messiah4 ,we know  
the ,jews made use of weeks of days1    
weeks of weeks1 and weeks of years4 ,it 
is by a conjecture1 merely hazarded1    
they advance in the bible of ,louvain1  
that the weeks mentioned in ,daniel are 
weeks of years4 ,yet that supposition   
throws light on nothing1 for the        
chronological table1 which the doctors  
of ,louvain have published1 gives only  
three hundred and forty-three years     
intervening between the time when they  
make the weeks to commence and the death
 of ,jesus4 ,many have believed that    
this prediction was subsequently added  
to the text of ,daniel1 in favor of     

,jonathan ,maccabeus4 ,we may judge of  
the little credit that can be given to  
this prophecy1 from the prodigious      
number of commentaries that have been   
made on it4     ,,chapter ,,ii4  ,,the  
,,birth ,,of ,,jesus   ,all the         
prophecies contained in the sacred books
 of the ,jews1 coincide in making them  
hope for the return of the favor of the 
,almighty4 ,god had promised them a     
deliverer1 a messenger1 a messiah1 who  
should restore the power of ,israel4    
,that deliverer was to be of the seed of
 ,david1 the prince according to ,god's 
own heart2 so submissive to the priests1
 and so zealous for religion4 ,it was to
 recompense the devotion and docility of
 this holy usurper1 that the prophets   
and the priests1 loaded with kindness1  
promised him in the name of heaven1 that
 his family should reign forever4 ,if   
that famous prediction was belied during
 the ,babylonish captivity1 and at      
subsequent periods1 the ,jews1 at this  
time no less credulous than their       

ancestors1 persuaded themselves that it 
was impossible for their prophets and   
diviners to deceive them4 ,they imagined
 that their oracles sooner or later     
would be accomplished1 and that they    
should see a descendant of ,david       
restore the honor of their nation4  ,it 
was in conformity to these predictions  
and popular notions1 that the writers of
 the ,gospels gave ,jesus a genealogy2  
by which they pretended to prove that he
 was descended in a direct line from    
,david1 and consequently1 had a right to
 arrogate the character of messiah4     
,nevertheless1 criticism has exhausted  
itself on this genealogy4 ,such as are  
not possessed of faith1 have been       
surprised to find1 that the ,holy       
,spirit has dictated it differently to  
the two evangelists who have detailed   
it3 for1 as has been frequently         
remarked1 the genealogy given by        
,matthew is not the same with that of   
,luke3 a disparity which has thrown     
,christian interpreters into            

embarrassments1 from which all their    
subtilty has hitherto been unable to    
rescue them4 ,they tell us1 that one of 
these genealogies is that of ,joseph2   
but1 supposing ,joseph to be of the race
 of ,david1 a ,christian cannot believe 
that he was the real father of ,jesus1  
because his religion enjoins him to     
believe steadfastly1 that he is the ,son
 of ,god4 ,supposing the two genealogies
 to be ,mary's1 in that case the ,holy  
,spirit has blundered in one of them4   
,even ,matthew's account is             
contradictory of itself4 ,he says 7c4 i4
 v4 #ag7 ,to all the generations from   
,abraham to ,david are fourteen         
generations2 and from ,david until the  
carrying away into ,babylon are fourteen
 generations2 and from the carrying away
 into ,babylon unto ,christ are fourteen
 generations4 ,on enumerating the names 
given in the last division of time1 we  
find only twelve generations1 even      
including ,joseph4 ,in whatever way we  
consider them1 one of the genealogies   

will always appear faulty and           
incomplete1 and the extraction of ,jesus
 very weakly established4  ,let us now  
examine the occurrences which preceded  
and accompanied the birth of ,jesus4    
,only one evangelist has particularly   
narrated them2 all the others have      
superficially passed over circumstances 
as marvellous as they are important4    
,matthew1 content with his genealogy1   
speaks but in few words of the          
preternatural manner wherein ,jesus was 
formed in the womb of his mother4 ,the  
speech of an angel1 seen in a dream1    
suffices to convince ,joseph of the     
virtue of his wife1 and he adopts her   
child without hesitation4 ,mark makes no
 mention of this memorable incident4    
,john1 who1 by the assistance of his    
mystic and ,platonic theology1 could    
embellish the story1 or rather confound 
it1 has not said one word on the        
subject4 ,we are1 therefore1 constrained
 to satisfy ourselves with the materials
 ,luke has transmitted us4  ,according  

to this evangelist1 ,elizabeth1         
kinswoman of ,mary1 and wife of a priest
 named ,zachariah1 was in the sixth     
month of her pregnancy1 when the angel  
,gabriel was sent from ,god unto a city 
called ,nazareth1 to a virgin espoused  
to a man whose name was ,joseph1 of the 
house of ,david1 and the virgin's name  
was ,mary4 ,and the angel came in unto  
her1 and said1 ,hail thou that art      
highly favored1 the ,lord is with thee2 
blessed art thou among women4 ,and when 
she saw him1 she was troubled at his    
saying1 and cast in her mind what manner
 of salutation this should be4 ,and the 
angel said unto her1 ,fear not1 ,mary2  
for thou hast found favor with ,god4    
,and behold thou shalt conceive in thy  
womb1 and bring forth a son1 and shalt  
call his name ,jesus4 ,then said ,mary  
to the angel1 ,how shall this be1 for ,i
 know not a man8 ,and the angel answered
 and said unto her1 ,the ,holy ,ghost   
shall come upon thee1 and the power of  
the ,highest shall overshadow thee2     

therefore1 also that holy thing which   
shall be born of thee1 shall be called  
the ,son of ,god4 ,and ,mary said1      
,behold the handmaid of the ,lord2 be it
 unto me according to thy word4         
,thereafter 7adds the text7 the angel   
departed from her4  ,now what is there  
in all this that is any way marvellous8 
,nothing indeed is more simple than this
 narrative4 ,if the least reflection is 
employed on it1 the wonderful will      
vanish2 and we shall find the greatest  
care has been taken to spare the modesty
 of the young persons who might read the
 story4 ,an angel entered the house of  
,mary1 whose husband was absent4 ,he    
salutes her2 that is1 pays her a        
compliment1 which may be translated as  
follows3--,good day1 my dear ,mary6 you 
are indeed adorable--,what attractions6 
what graces6 of all women1 you are the  
most lovely in my eyes4 ,your charms are
 pledges to you of my sincerity4 ,crown 
then my passion4 ,fear not the          
consequences of your complaisance2 your 

husband is a simpleton2 by visions and  
dreams we can make him believe whatever 
we desire4 ,the good man will regard    
your pregnancy as the effect of a       
miracle of the ,most ,high2 he will     
adopt your child with joy1 and all will 
go on in the best manner possible4      
,mary1 charmed with these words1 and    
little accustomed to receive the like   
compliments from her husband1 replied1  
,well6--,i yield--,i rely on your word  
and address2 do with me as you please4  
,nothing is more easy than to separate  
the relation of ,luke from the          
marvellous4 ,the event of ,mary's       
pregnancy follows in the order of       
nature2 and if we substitute a young man
 in the place of the angel1 the passage 
of the evangelist will have nothing     
incredible in it4 ,in fact1 many have   
thought that the angel ,gabriel was no  
other than a gallant1 who1 profiting by 
the absence of ,joseph1 found the secret
 to declare and gratify his passion4    
,we shall not stop to form conjectures  

on the true name and station of ,mary's 
lover4 ,the ,jews1 whose testimony on   
this subject may appear suspicious1     
assert1 as we shall afterwards relate1  
that this favorite lover was a          
soldier3--the military have always      
claims on the hearts of the ladies4     
,they add1 that from his commerce with  
the wife of ,joseph1 the messiah of the 
,christians sprung2 that the            
discontented husband left his faithless 
wife1 in order to retire to ,babylon1   
and that ,jesus with his mother went to 
,egypt1 where he learned the trade of a 
conjurer1 and afterwards returned to    
practise in ,judea4  ,the proto-gospel1 
ascribed to ,james1 relates some curious
 and ridiculous circumstances1          
altogether omitted in the four canonical
 evangelists2 yet they have nothing     
revolting to persons who possess faith4 
,this gospel informs us of the ill humor
 of ,joseph on seeing his wife pregnant1
 and the reproaches he loaded her with  
on account of her lewdness1 unworthy of 

a virgin reared under the eyes of       
priests4 ,mary excuses herself with     
tears2 she protests her innocence1 and  
swears in the name of the living ,god1  
that she is ignorant whence the child   
has come to her4 ,it appears1 that in   
her distress she had forgot the         
adventure of ,gabriel3--that angel came 
the night following to encourage poor   
,joseph1 then on the point of having an 
affair with the priests1 who accused him
 of having begot this child to the      
prejudice of ,mary's vow of virginity4  
,on this the priests made the two       
spouses drink of the waters of jealousy2
 that is1 of a potion1 which1 by a      
miracle1 did them no injury2 the high   
priest1 therefore1 declared them        
innocent4 ,it is related in the same    
gospel1 that after ,mary had been       
delivered1 ,salome1 refusing to credit  
the midwife who assured her that the    
delivered was still a virgin1 laid her  
hand on ,mary in order to satisfy       
herself of the fact4 ,immediately this  

rash hand felt itself on fire2 but she  
was cured on taking the little ,jesus in
 her arms4  ,whether these histories1 or
 ,rabbinical narratives be true or      
false1 it is certain that the narrative 
of ,luke1 if not divested of the        
marvellous1 will always present         
difficulties to the minds of the        
incredulous4 ,they will ask1 how ,god1  
being a pure spirit1 could overshadow a 
woman1 and excite in her the movements  
necessary to the production of a child8 
,they will ask1 how the divine nature   
could unite with the nature of a woman8 
,they will maintain1 that the narrative 
is unworthy of the power and majesty of 
the ,supreme ,being1 who did not stand  
in need of employing ridiculous and     
indecent instruments to operate the     
salvation of mankind4 ,it will be       
thought1 that the ,almighty should have 
employed other means for conveying      
,jesus into the womb of his mother2 he  
might have made him appear on the earth 
without being incarnate in the belly of 

a woman2 but there must be wonders in   
romances1 especially if they are        
religious4 ,it was in all ages supposed 
that great men were born in an          
extraordinary manner4 ,among the        
,heathen1 ,minerva sprung out of the    
brain of ,jupiter2 ,bacchus was         
preserved in the thigh of the same god4 
,among the ,chinese1 the god ,fo was    
generated by a virgin rendered prolific 
by a ray of the sun4 ,with ,christians1 
,jesus is born of a virgin1 impregnated 
by the operation of the ,holy ,spirit1  
and she remains a virgin after that     
operation6 ,incapable of elevating      
themselves to ,god1 men have made him   
descend to their own nature4 ,such is   
the origin of all incarnations1 the     
belief of which is spread throughout the
 world4  ,theologists have agitated the 
question1 whether in the conception of  
,jesus1 the ,virgin ,mary emiserit      
semen8 ,according to ,tillemont1 the    
,gnostics1 who lived in the time of the 
apostles1 denied that the ,word was     

incarnate in the womb of the woman1 and 
averred that it had taken a body only in
 appearance--a circumstance which must  
destroy the miracle of the resurrection4
 ,basilides also maintains that ,jesus  
was not incarnate4 ,lactantius1 in order
 to establish that the spirit of ,god   
could impregnate a virgin1 cites the    
example of the ,thracian ,mares1 and    
other females1 rendered prolific by the 
wind4 ,nothing is more indecent and     
ridiculous than the theological         
questions to which the birth of ,jesus  
has given rise4 ,some doctors1 to       
preserve ,mary's virginity1 have        
maintained1 that ,jesus did not come    
into the world1 like other men1 aperta  
vulva1 but rather per vulvam clausam4   
,the celebrated ,john ,scotus regarded  
that opinion as very dangerous1 as it   
would follow1 that ,jesus could not be  
born of the virgin1 but merely had come 
out of her4 ,a monk of ,citeaux1 called 
,ptolemy de ,luques1 affirmed that      
,jesus was engendered near the virgin's 

heart1 from three drops of her blood4   
,the great ,st4 ,thomas ,aquinas has    
examined1 whether ,jesus could not have 
been an hermaphrodite8 and whether he   
could not have been of the feminine     
gender8 ,others have agitated the       
question1 ,whether ,jesus could have    
been incarnate in a cow8 ,we may        
therefore see1 how one absurdity may    
engender others1 in the prolific minds  
of theologists4  ,all the wonders which 
precede the birth of ,jesus1 are        
terminated by a very natural occurrence4
 ,at the end of nine months his mother  
is delivered like other women2 and after
 so many incredible and supernatural    
events1 the ,son of ,god comes into the 
world like all others people's children4
 ,this conformity in birth1 will ever   
occasion the surmise of a conformity in 
the physical causes which produced the  
son of ,mary4 ,indeed1 the supernatural 
only can produce the supernatural2 from 
material agents result physical effects2
 and they maintain in the schools1 that 

there must always be a parity of nature 
between cause and effect4  ,though1     
according to ,christians1 ,jesus was at 
the same time man and god1 some will    
say1 it was necessary that the divine   
germ brought from heaven to be deposited
 in the womb of ,mary1 should contain at
 the same time divinity and humanity to 
become ,son of ,god4 ,to use the        
language of theologists1 the hypostatic 
union of the two natures must have taken
 place before his birth1 and immixed in 
the womb of his mother4 ,in that case1  
we cannot conceive how it could happen1 
that the divine nature should continue  
torpid during the whole of ,mary's      
pregnancy1 in so much that she herself  
was ignorant of the time of her         
in-lying4 ,the proof of this we find in 
,luke1 chap4 ii4--,in those days 7says  
he7 there went out a decree from ,caesar
 ,augustus1 that all the world should be
 taxed4 ,and as all went to be taxed1   
every one out of his own city1 ,joseph  
also went out of ,nazareth and came to  

,bethlehem1 to be taxed with ,mary1 who 
was great with child4 ,and so it was1   
that while they were there1 the days    
were accomplished that she should be    
delivered1 and she brought forth her    
first born son1 and wrapt him in        
swadling clothes and laid him in a      
manger1 because there was no room for   
them in the inn4  ,this narrative proves
 that ,mary was taken unprovided1 and   
that the ,holy ,spirit1 who had done so 
many things for her1 had neglected to   
warn her of an event so likely to       
interest him1 and so important to all   
mankind4 ,the humanity of ,jesus1 being 
subject to every casuality in our       
nature1 might have perished in this     
journey1 undertaken at a time very      
critical to his mother4 ,nor do we      
understand how the mother could remain  
in complete ignorance of the proximity  
of her time1 or how the ,eternal could  
so abandon the precious child he had    
deposited in her womb4  ,some other     
circumstances of the relation of ,luke  

presents new difficulties4 ,he speaks of
 a taxing 7enumeration7 by order of     
,caesar ,augustus3--a fact of which no  
mention is made by any historian1       
,jewish or profane4 ,we are also        
astonished to find the son of ,god born 
in poverty1 having no other asylum than 
a stable1 and no other cradle than a    
manger2 and at the tenderest age1 in a  
rigorous season1 exposed to miseries    
without number4  ,it is true1 our       
theologists have found a way to answer  
all these difficulties4 ,they maintain1 
that a just ,god wishing to appease     
himself1 destined his innocent son to   
afflictions1 in order to have a motive  
for pardoning the guilty human race1    
which had become hateful to him through 
,adam's transgression1 in which1        
however1 his decendants had no share4   
,by an act of justice1 whereof the mind 
of man can form no idea1 a ,god whose   
essence renders him incapable of        
committing sin1 is loaded with the      
iniquities of man1 and must expiate them

 in order to disarm the indignation of a
 father he has not offended6 ,such are  
the inconceivable principles which serve
 for the basis of the ,christian        
theology4  ,our doctors add--,it was the
 will of ,god that the birth of his son 
should be accompanied with the same     
accidents as that of other men1 to      
console the latter for the misfortunes  
attendent on their existence4 ,man1 say 
they1 is guilty before he is born1      
because all children are bound to pay   
the debts of their fathers3 thus man    
suffers justly as a sinner himself1 and 
as charged with the sin of his first    
father4--,granting this1 what more      
consolatory than seeing a ,god1         
innocence and holiness itself1 suffering
 in a stable all the evils attached to  
indigence6 ,that consolation would have 
been wanting1 if ,god had ordained that 
his son should be born in splendor1 and 
with an abundance of the comforts of    
life4 ,if the innocent ,jesus had not   
suffered1 mankind1 incapable of         

extinguishing a debt contracted by      
,adam1 would have been forever excluded 
from paradise4 ,the painful journey     
,mary was obliged to undertake in such  
critical circumstances1 had been        
foreseen by ,eternal wisdom1 which had  
resolved that ,jesus should be born at  
,bethlehem and not at ,nazareth4 ,it was
 necessary--having been foretold1 it    
behoved to be accomplished4  ,however   
solid these answers may appear to the   
faithful1 they are not capable of       
convincing the incredulous1 who exclaim 
against the injustice of making an      
innocent ,god suffer1 and loading him   
with the iniquities of the earth4       
,neither can they conceive by what      
principle of equity the ,supreme ,being 
could make the human race responsible   
for a fault committed by their first    
parents1 without their knowledge and    
participation4 ,finally1 they contend   
that it would have been wiser to have   
prevented man from committing sin1 than 
to permit him to sin1 and make his own  

son die to expiate man's iniquity4      
,with respect to the journey to         
,bethlehem1 we cannot discover the      
necessity of it4 ,the place where the   
saviour of the world was to be born1    
seems a circumstance perfectly          
indifferent to the salvation of mankind4
  ,as for the prophecy announcing the   
glory of ,bethlehem1 in having given    
existence to the ,leader of ,israel--it 
does not appear to agree with ,jesus1   
who was born in a stable1 and who was   
rejected by the people whose leader he  
was to be4 ,it is only a pious straining
 that can make this prediction apply to 
,jesus4 ,we are assured1 that it had    
been foretold ,jesus was to be born in  
poverty2 while1 on the other hand the   
messiah of the ,jews is generally       
announced by the prophets as a prince1 a
 hero1 and a conqueror4--,it is         
necessary to know then which of these   
prophecies we ought to adopt4 ,our      
doctors tell us the predictions         
announcing that ,jesus would be born and

 live in indigence and meanness1 ought  
to be taken literally1 and those which  
announce his power and glory ought to be
 taken allegorically4 ,but this solution
 will not satisfy the incredulous2 they 
will affirm1 that by this manner of     
explanation1 we may always find in the  
sacred writings whatever we may think we
 stand in need of4 ,they will conclude  
that the scripture is to ,christians1   
what the clouds are to the man who      
imagines he perceives in them whatever  
figures he pleases4     ,,chapter ,,iii4
  ,,adoration ,,of ,,the ,,magi ,,and   
,,shepherds--,,massacre ,,of ,,the      
,,innocents2--,,and ,,other             
,,circumstances1 ,,which ,,followed     
,,the ,,birth ,,of ,,jesus4   ,of the   
four historians of ,jesus adopted by the
 church1 two are wholly silent on the   
facts we are to relate in this chapter2 
and ,matthew and ,luke1 who have        
recorded them1 are not at all unanimous 
in particulars4 ,so discordant are their
 relations1 that the ablest commentators

 do not know how to reconcile them4     
,these differences1 it is true1 are less
 perceptible when the evangelists are   
read the one after the other1 or without
 reflection2 but they become            
particularly striking when we take the  
trouble of comparing them4 ,this is1    
undoubtedly1 the reason why we have     
hitherto had no concordance of the      
gospels which received the general      
approbation of the church4 ,even those  
which have been printed have not been   
universally adopted1 though it must be  
acknowledged that they contain nothing  
contrary to faith4 ,it is1 perhaps1 from
 judicious policy that the heads of the 
church have not approved of any system  
on this point4 ,they have1 probably1    
felt the impossibility of reconciling   
narratives so discordant as those of the
 four ,evangelists2 for the ,holy       
,spirit1 doubtless with a view to       
exercise the faith of the saints1 has   
inspired them very differently4         
,besides1 an able concordance of the    

gospels would prove a dangerous         
work3--it would bring together facts    
related by authors1 who1 far from       
supporting1 would reciprocally weaken   
each other--a circumstance which could  
not fail to stagger at least the faith  
of the compiler4  ,matthew1 who1        
according to common opinion1 7though a  
very erroneous one17 wrote the first    
history of ,jesus1 asserts1 that as soon
 as he was born1 and still in the stable
 at ,bethlehem1 ,magi came from the     
,east to ,jerusalem1 and inquired where 
the king of the ,jews was1 whose star   
they had observed in their own country4 
,herod1 who then reigned in ,judea1     
being informed of the motive of their   
journey1 consulted the people of the    
law2 and having learned that the ,christ
 was to be born at ,bethlehem1 he       
permitted the ,magi to go there1        
recommending to them to inform          
themselves of this child1 that he       
himself might do him homage4 7,matt4 ii4
 #a47  ,it appears1 from the narrative  

of ,matthew1 that as soon as the ,magi  
left ,herod1 they took the road to      
,bethlehem1 a place not far from        
,jerusalem4 ,it is surprising that this 
prince1 alarmed at the arrival of the   
,magi1 who had thus announced the birth 
of a king of the ,jews1 did not use more
 precaution to allay his own uneasiness1
 and that of the capital1 which the     
gospel represents as in a state of      
consternation at this grand event4 ,it  
would have been very easy for him to    
have satisfied himself of the fact      
without being under the necessity of    
relying on strangers1 who did not       
execute his commission4 ,the ,magi did  
not return2 ,joseph had time to save    
himself and his little family by flight2
 and ,herod remained tranquil in spite  
of his suspicions and fears4 ,it was not
 till after a considerable interval that
 he got into a passion on finding       
himself deceived2 and then1 to preserve 
his crown in safety1 he ordered a       
general massacre of the children of     

,bethlehem and the neighboring villages6
 ,but why suppose such conduct in this  
sovereign8 ,he had assembled the doctors
 of the law and principal men of the    
nation2 their advice had confirmed the  
rumor spread by the wise men2 they said 
it was at ,bethlehem that ,christ was to
 be born1 and yet ,herod did nothing for
 his own tranquility6 ,either ,herod had
 faith in the prophecies of the ,jews1  
or he had not4 ,in the first case1 and  
instead of relying on strangers1 he     
ought himself to have gone with all his 
court to ,bethlehem1 and paid homage to 
the ,saviour of the nation4 ,in the     
second case1 it is absurd to make ,herod
 order a general massacre of infants1 on
 account of a suspicion founded on a    
prophecy which he did not believe4      
,this prince's indignation is said not  
to have been roused till after the lapse
 of several days1 and after he perceived
 that the ,magi derided him1 and took   
another road4 ,why did he not learn by  
the same means the flight of ,jesus1 of 

,joseph1 and of his mother8 ,their      
retreat must certainly have been        
observed in a place so small as         
,bethlehem4 ,it will perhaps be said1   
that ,god on this occasion1 permitted   
,herod to be blinded2 but ,god should   
not have permitted the inhabitants of   
,bethlehem and its environs to be so    
obstinate in preserving a secret that   
was to cost the lives of all their      
children4 ,possessed of the power of    
working miracles1 could not ,god have   
saved his son by more gentle means than 
the useless massacre of a great number  
of innocents8--,on the other hand1      
,herod was not absolute master in       
,judea4 ,the ,romans would not have     
permitted him to exercise such          
cruelties2 and the ,jewish nation1      
persuaded of the birth of the ,christ1  
would not have been accessary to them4  
,a king of ,england1 more absolute than 
a petty sovereign of ,judea1 dependent  
on the ,romans1 would not be obeyed1    
were he to order his guards to go and   

cut the throats of all the children in a
 neighboring village1 because three     
strangers1 in passing through ,london1  
had said to him1 that among the infants 
born in that village there was one1 who1
 according to the rules of astrology1   
was destined to be one day king of      
,great ,britain4 ,at the time when      
astrology was in vogue1 they would have 
contented themselves with causing search
 to be made for the suspected infant2   
they would have kept it in solitary     
confinement1 or perhaps put it to death2
 but without comprehending other        
innocent children in its proscription4  
,we might oppose to the relation of     
,matthew the silence of the other       
evangelists1 and especially that of the 
historian ,josephus1 who1 having reasons
 to hate ,herod1 would not have failed  
to relate a fact so likely to render him
 odious as the massacre of the          
innocents4 ,philo is likewise silent on 
the subject2 and no reason can be       
assigned why these two celebrated       

historians should have agreed in        
concealing a circumstance so horrible4  
,we cannot suppose it has proceeded from
 hatred to the ,christian religion2 for 
that detached fact would prove neither  
for or against it4 ,we are1 therefore1  
warranted to conclude that this massacre
 is a fable2 and that ,matthew seems to 
have invented it merely to have the     
opportunity of applying as ancient      
prophecy1 which was his predominant     
taste4 ,but in this instance he has     
deceived himself4 ,the prophecy which he
 applied to the massacre of the         
innocents1 is taken from ,jeremiah1     
7xxxi4 v4 #ae and #af47 ,all the ,jews  
understood it as relating to the        
,babylonish captivity4 ,it is as        
follows3 ,thus saith the ,lord2 a voice 
was heard in ,ramah1 lamentation and    
bitter weeping3 ,rachel weeping for her 
children refused to be comforted because
 they were not4 ,the following verse is 
so plain1 that it is inconceivable why  
,matthew ventured to apply it to the    

pretended massacre at ,bethlehem3 ,thus 
saith the ,lord1 refrain thy voice from 
weeping1 and thine eyes from tears2 for 
thy work shall be rewarded1 saith the   
,lord1 and thy children shall come again
 from the land of the enemy4 ,their     
return from the captivity is here       
clearly pointed out1 when the           
,israelites should again plant vines    
after obtaining possession of their own 
country4  ,it is also to accomplish a   
prophecy1 that ,matthew makes ,jesus    
travel into ,egypt4 ,this journey1 or   
rather ,jesus' return1 had1 according to
 him1 been predicted by ,hosea in these 
words3 ,out of ,egypt have ,i called my 
son4 ,but it is evident1 that this      
passage is to be considered only as     
relating to the deliverance of the      
,israelites from bondage1 through the   
ministry of ,moses4 ,besides1 the       
journey and abode of ,jesus in ,egypt1  
do not agree with some circumstances    
which happened in his infancy1 as       
related by ,luke1 who informs us1 that  

at the end of eight days ,jesus was     
circumcised4 ,the time of ,mary's       
purification being accomplished         
according to the law of ,moses1 ,joseph 
and his mother carried ,jesus to        
,jerusalem1 to present him to the ,lord 
agreeably to the law1 which ordained the
 consecrating the first born 7first     
fruits71 and offering a sacrifice for   
them4 ,on this occasion1 ,luke tells us 
that ,simeon took the infant in his     
arms1 and declared in the presence of   
those assisting at the ceremony1 that   
the child was the ,saviour of ,israel4  
,an old prophetess1 called ,anna1 bore  
the same testimony1 and spoke of him to 
all who looked for the redemption of the
 ,jews4 ,but why were speeches1 thus    
publicly made in the temple of          
,jerusalem1 in which city ,herod        
resided1 unknown to a prince so         
suspicious8 ,they were much better      
calculated to excite his uneasiness1 and
 awaken his jealousy than the arrival of
 astrologers from the ,east4  ,did      

,joseph and ,mary1 who came to          
,jerusalem for the presentation of      
,jesus1 and purification of his mother1 
return to ,bethlehem8 and went they     
thence into ,egypt in place of going to 
,nazareth8 ,luke says1 that when they   
had performed all things according to   
the law of the ,lord1 they returned into
 ,galilee1 to their own city ,nazareth4 
,but in what time did the parents of    
,jesus accomplish all that the law      
ordained8 ,was it before going into     
,egypt1 or after their return from that 
country1 where1 according to ,matthew1  
they had taken refuge to shelter        
themselves from the cruelty of ,herod8  
,did the purification of the virgin1 and
 the presentation of her son in the     
temple1 take place before or after the  
death of that wicked prince8 ,according 
to ,leviticus1 the purification of a    
mother who had brought a son into the   
world1 was to be made at the end of     
thirty days4 ,hence we see how very     
difficult it is to reconcile the flight 

into ,egypt1 and the massacre of the    
innocents1 which ,matthew relates1 with 
the narrative of ,luke1 who says1 that1 
after having performed the ordinances of
 the law1 ,joseph and ,mary returned    
into ,galilee1 to their own city        
,nazareth2 and then adds1 they went to  
,jerusalem every year to celebrate the  
passover4 ,if we could adopt the        
relation of the two evangelists1 at what
 time are we to place the coming of the 
,magi from the ,east in order to adore  
,jesus2 the anger of ,herod2 the flight 
into ,egypt2 and the massacre of the    
innocents8 ,either the relation of ,luke
 is defective1 or ,matthew wished to    
deceive his readers with improbable     
tales4 ,in whatever way we consider the 
matter1 the ,holy ,spirit1 who inspired 
these apostles1 will be found to have   
committed a mistake4  ,there is another 
fact on which our two evangelists do not
 better agree4 ,matthew1 as we have     
seen1 makes the ,magi come1 guided by a 
star1 to ,bethlehem1 from the extremity 

of the ,east1 to adore the child ,jesus1
 and offer him presents4 ,luke1 less    
taken with the marvellous1 makes this   
child adored by simple shepherds1 who   
watched their flocks during night1 and  
to whom an angel announced the great    
event of the birth of the ,saviour of   
,israel4 ,the latter evangelist speaks  
neither of the appearance of the star1  
of the coming of the ,magi1 nor of the  
cruelty of ,herod--circumstances1       
however1 which ought to have been       
recorded by ,luke1 who informs us that  
he was so exactly informed of every     
thing concerning ,jesus4  ,the parents  
of ,jesus1 either after their return    
from ,egypt1 or after his presentation  
in the temple1 went to reside at        
,nazareth4 ,matthew1 as usual1 perceives
 in this the accomplishment of the      
prediction1 he shall be called a        
,nazarene2 but unfortunately for his    
purpose1 this prophecy is not to be     
found in the ,bible1 nor can it be      
imagined by whom it was uttered4 ,it is 

however certain1 that ,nazarene among   
the ,jews signified a vagabond1 a person
 excluded from the rest of the world2   
that ,nazareth was a pitiful town1      
inhabited by beings so wretched that    
their poverty had become proverbial2 and
 that beggars1 vagrants1 and people whom
 nobody would own1 were called          
,nazarenes4  ,the first ,christians were
 so styled4 ,we find them also called   
,ebionites1 derived from a ,hebrew word 
which signifies a mendicant1 a wretch1  
and a pauper4 ,st4 ,francis and ,st4    
,dominic1 who1 in the #acth century1    
proposed to revive primitive            
,christianity1 founded orders of        
mendicant monks1 destined to live solely
 on alms1 to be true ,nazarenes1 and to 
levy contributions on the community1    
which these vagabonds have never ceased 
to oppress4 ,salmeron1 in order to      
encourage these mendicant monks1 has    
maintained that ,jesus himself was a    
beggar4 ,the name ,nazarene was given to
 the apostles and ,jews1 who were first 

converted4 ,the other ,jews regarded    
them as heretics and excommunicated     
persons2 and1 according to ,jerome1     
anathematised them in all their         
synagogues under the name of ,nazarenes4
 ,the ,jews even at present give the    
name of ,nazarenes 7,nozerim7 to the    
,christians whom the ,arabs and         
,persians call ,nazari4 ,the first      
converts of ,jesus and his apostles1    
were only some reformed ,jews3 they     
preserved circumcision and other usages 
appointed by the law of ,moses4 ,in this
 they followed the example of ,jesus1   
who being circumcised1 and a ,jew during
 his whole life1 had often taught1 that 
it was necessary to respect and observe 
the law4 ,it is1 therefore1 surprising  
to see them afterwards treated as       
heretics4 ,but we shall 7in chap4 #ag7  
see the true cause of this change4 ,it  
was owing to ,paul1 whose party         
prevailed over ,peter's1 the other      
apostles'1 and the ,nazarenes or        
,judaising ,christians4 ,paul corrected 

and reformed the system of ,jesus1 who  
had preached only a ,judaism reformed4  
,the apostle of the ,gentiles succeeded 
in making his master1 and his old       
comrades1 be rewarded as heretics1 or   
bad ,christians4 ,thus it is that       
theologists take the liberty of         
rectifying the religion of the ,saviour 
they adore6  ,we have seen1 in the      
course of this chapter1 how little      
harmony exists between the two          
evangelists respecting the circumstances
 attending the birth of ,jesus4 ,let us 
now examine what could have been the    
views of these two writers in relating  
these facts so differently4 ,it is      
impossible that ,jesus1 as ,luke        
relates1 could constantly reside at     
,nazareth till he was twelve years of   
age if it be true that he was carried   
soon after his birth into ,egypt1 where 
,matthew makes him remain until the     
death of ,herod4 ,even in the time that 
,jesus lived1 he was upbraided with his 
stay in ,egypt4 ,his enemies asserted   

that he there learned magic1 to which   
they attributed the wonders1 or cunning 
tricks1 they saw him perform4 ,luke is  
silent as to the journey to ,egypt1     
which made his hero suspected4 ,he fixes
 him1 therefore1 at ,nazareth1 and makes
 him go every year with his parents to  
,jerusalem4 ,but the precaution of that 
evangelist seems to have been useless4  
,matthew1 who wrote before him1 had     
established the journey and abode of    
,jesus in ,egypt4 ,origen1 in his       
dispute with ,celsus1 does not deny it4 
,hence we see1 that the ,christian      
doctors did not doubt that ,jesus had   
been in that country1 notwithstanding   
the silence of ,luke4 ,let us endeavor  
then to develope the motives of these   
two writers4  ,the ,jews were agreed in 
the expectation of a messiah2 but as the
 different orders of the state had their
 prophets1 they also possessed different
 signs by which they were to know the   
deliverer4 ,the great1 the rich1 and    
well informed persons1 did not surely   

expect that the deliverer of ,israel    
would be born in a stable1 and spring   
from the dregs of the people4 ,they1    
undoubtedly1 anticipated their          
deliverance by a prince1 a warrior1 a   
man of power1 able to make himself      
respected by the nations inimical to    
,judea1 and to break in pieces their    
chains4 ,the poor1 on the contrary1 who1
 as well as the great and the rich1 have
 their portion of self-love1 thought    
they might flatter themselves that the  
messiah would be born in their class4   
,their nation and their neighbors       
presented many examples of great men    
sprung from the bosom of poverty2 and   
the oracles with which this nation was  
fed1 were of such a nature that every   
family believed itself entitled to      
aspire to the honor of giving birth to a
 messiah2 though the most general       
opinion was1 that he was to come of the 
race of ,david4 ,shepherds1 and people  
of the lowest order might readily       
believe that a woman1 delivered in a    

stable at ,bethlehem1 had brought ,jesus
 into the world4 ,it may likewise be    
presumed that ,mary1 with a view to     
render herself interesting1 said to     
those who visited her that she was      
descended from the blood of kings2 a    
pretension well adapted to excite the   
commiseration and wonderment of the     
people4 ,this secret1 and the confused  
remembrance of some prophecies about    
,bethlehem1 the native country of       
,david1 were sufficient to operate on   
the imaginations of these silly people1 
little scrupulous about proofs of what  
was told them4  ,matthew1 who reckoned  
on the credulity of his readers1 had his
 head full of prophecies and popular    
notions4 ,to fill up a blank of thirty  
years in his history of ,jesus1 he      
contrived to make him travel into       
,egypt1 without foreseeing the          
objections that might be made on account
 of the neglect of the holy family to   
fulfil the ordinances of the law2 such  
as the circumcision of the child1 his   

presentation in the temple1 the         
purification of his mother1 and the     
celebration of the passover2 ceremonies 
which only could be performed at        
,jerusalem4 ,perhaps it is to justify   
the journey to ,egypt1 and those        
negligences1 that ,matthew introduces   
the prophecy of ,hosea relative to the  
return from that place4 ,it seems also  
to countenance the duration of ,jesus's 
abode there that he relates the wrath of
 ,herod1 and the fable of the massacre  
of the innocents1 which he makes that   
prince order1 though his crimes had1 in 
other respects1 rendered him            
sufficiently odious to the ,jews as well
 as to strangers4 ,mankind in general   
are disposed to believe every thing of a
 man who has become famous by his       
wickedness4  ,luke1 to elude the        
reproaches which might be thrown on     
,jesus on account of his residence and  
journey in ,egypt1 has not mentioned it 
at all2 but his silence does not destroy
 its reality4 ,it was necessary to free 

,jesus from the suspicion of magic1 but 
he has not cleared him of accusations   
brought against his birth1 which are    
quite as weighty4  ,celsus1 a celebrated
 physician1 who lived in the second     
century of ,christianity1 and who had   
carefully collected all which had been  
published against ,jesus1 asserts that  
he was the fruit of an illicit          
intercourse4 ,origen1 in his works      
against ,celsus1 has preserved this     
accusation1 but he has not transmitted  
the proofs on which it was founded4 ,the
 incredulous1 however1 have endeavoured 
to supply them1 and found the opinion of
 ,celsus on what follows3  ,first4 ,from
 the testimony of ,matthew himself1 it  
is most certain that ,joseph was very   
much dissatisfied with the pregnancy of 
his wife1 in which he had no part4 ,he  
formed the design of quitting her       
secretly2 a resolution from which he was
 diverted by an angel1 or dream1 or     
perhaps reflection1 which always passes 
among ,jews for the effect of an        

inspiration from on high4 ,it appears1  
however1 that this design of ,joseph had
 transpired1 and was afterwards turned  
into a matter of reproach against       
,jesus4 ,but ,luke1 more prudent than   
,matthew1 has not ventured to mention   
either the ill humor of ,joseph1 or the 
good-natured conduct he followed4       
,neither do we find1 though he formed   
this resolution as to ,mary1 that this  
easy man again appeared on the stage    
from the time ,jesus entered on it4 ,we 
are no where informed of his death1 and 
it is obvious that he never afterwards  
beheld his putative son with an eye of  
kindness4--,when1 at thirty years of    
age1 ,jesus and his mother went to the  
wedding at ,cana1 there is no mention of
 ,joseph4 ,if we admit with ,luke1 the  
history of ,jesus's dispute with the    
doctors in the temple of ,jerusalem1 we 
shall find a new proof of the           
indifference which subsisted between the
 pretended father and supposed son3 they
 met at the end of three days1 and      

deigned not to interchange a word4      
,epiphanius 7lib4 i4 #aj47 assures us   
that ,joseph was very old at the time of
 his marriage with the virgin1 and adds 
that he was a widower and father of six 
children by his first wife4--,according 
to the proto-gospel1 the good man had   
much difficulty in prevailing on himself
 to espouse ,mary1 whose age intimidated
 him2 but the high-priest1 finding that 
,joseph was the man most conformable to 
his own views1 succeeded in removing his
 scruples4  ,secondly4 ,if to these     
presumptions are joined testimonies more
 positive1 and a high antiquity1 which  
confirm the suspicions entertained      
concerning the birth of ,jesus1 we shall
 obtain proofs that must convince every 
unprejudiced person4 ,the ,emperor      
,julian1 as well as ,celsus1 who both   
had carefully examined all the writings 
existing in their time for and against  
the ,christian religion and its author1 
represent the mother of ,jesus in a very
 unfavorable light4  ,in the works of   

the ,jews1 he is treated as an          
illegitimate child2 and1 almost in our  
days1 ,helvidius1 a learned ,protestant 
critic1 as well as several others1 have 
maintained1 not only that ,jesus was the
 fruit of a criminal intercourse1 but   
also that ,mary1 repudiated by ,joseph1 
had other children by different         
husbands4 ,besides1 this supposed virgin
 did not want a reason for forsaking    
,joseph1 and flying into ,egypt with her
 son4 ,a prevailing tradition among the 
,jews states1 that she made this journey
 to shelter herself from the pursuits of
 her spouse1 who1 in spite of the       
nocturnal visions which had been        
employed to pacify him1 might have      
delivered her up to the rigor of the    
laws4 ,we know that the ,hebrews did not
 understand jesting on this subject4    
,we also find in the ,talmud1 the name  
of ,panther1 surnamed ,bar-,panther1    
whom they reckon in the number of the   
husbands of the ,virgin4 ,from this it  
would appear1 that ,mary1 repudiated by 

,joseph1 or after her flight1 espoused  
,panther1 an ,egyptian soldier1 her     
favorite lover1 and the real father of  
,jesus4 ,john ,damascene thought to     
repair the injury which this anecdote   
might do to ,mary's reputation1 by      
saying that the name of ,bar-,panther   
was hereditary in the family of ,mary1  
and consequently in that of ,joseph4    
,but1 #ast1 either ,mary was not the    
kinswoman of ,joseph1 or she was not the
 cousin of ,elizabeth1 who was married  
to a priest1 and therefore of the tribe 
of ,levi4--#b;dly1 we no where find in  
the ,bible the name of ,panther among   
the descendants of ,david4 ,if this had 
been an hereditary surname in that      
family1 it would be found somewhere1    
unless we suppose that ,john ,damascene 
learned it by a particular revelation4  
#c;dly1 ,the name of ,panther is by no  
means ,hebrew4  ,it will perhaps be     
said1 that these rumours1 so injurious  
to ,jesus and his mother1 are calumnies 
invented by the enemies of the          

,christian religion4 ,but why decide if 
the pleas of both parties are not       
investigated8 ,the imputations are very 
ancient2 they have been advanced against
 ,christianity ever since its origin1   
and they have never been satisfactorily 
refuted4 ,in the time of ,jesus1 we find
 that his cotemporaries regarded his    
wonders as the effects of magic1 the    
delusions of the devil1 the consequences
 of the power of ,belzebub4--,the       
relations of ,jesus were also of that   
opinion1 and regarded him as an         
imposter--a circumstance stated in the  
gospel itself1 where we shall afterwards
 find that they wanted to arrest him4   
,on the other hand1 ,jesus never speaks 
of his infancy1 nor of the time that had
 preceded his preaching3--he did not    
wish to recur to circumstances          
dishonorable to his mother1 towards     
whom1 indeed1 we shall very soon find   
him failing in filial respect4  ,the    
evangelists1 in like manner1 pass very  
slightly over the first years of their  

hero's life4 ,matthew makes him return  
from ,egypt on the death of ,herod1     
without mentioning in what year that    
happened4 ,he thus leaves his           
commentators in doubt whether ,jesus was
 then two or ten years old4 ,we find    
that the term of ten years is1 through  
complaisance1 invented on account of the
 dispute between him and the doctors of 
,jerusalem1 which ,luke places in his   
twelfth year4 ,this excepted1 ,jesus    
disappeared from the scene not to shew  
himself again till thirty years of age4 
,it is difficult to discover what he did
 until that age4 ,if we credit ,luke1 he
 remained at ,nazareth4 ,yet it is clear
 that he was somewhere else1 for the    
purpose of learning the part which he   
was afterwards to play4 ,it has been    
supposed1 not without reason1 that      
,jesus passed a considerable part of his
 life among the contemplative           
,essenians1 or ,therapeutes1 who were a 
kind of enthusiastic ,jewish monks1     
living in the vicinity of ,alexandria1  

in ,egypt1 where it appears he drew up  
his severe and monastic doctrine4 ,if he
 had always resided at ,nazareth1 the   
inhabitants of that small town would    
have known him perfectly4 ,very far from
 this2--they were surprised at seeing   
him when thirty years of age4 ,they only
 conjectured that they knew him2 and    
asked each other1 ,is not this the son  
of ,joseph8--a question very ridiculous 
in the mouths of persons who must have  
been in the constant habit of seeing    
,jesus in the narrow compass of their   
town4 ,this does not prevent ,justin    
from telling us1 that he became a       
carpenter in the workshop of his        
pretended father1 and that he wrought at
 buildings or instruments of husbandry4 
,but such a profession could not long   
agree with a man in whom we find an     
ambitious and restless mind4 ,the       
,gospel of the ,infancy informs us1 that
 ,jesus1 when young1 amused himself with
 forming small birds of clay1 which he  
afterwards animated1 and then they flew 

into the air4 ,the same book says1 that 
he knew more than his schoolmaster1 whom
 he killed for having struck him1       
because ,jesus refused to read the      
letters of the alphabet4 ,we find also1 
that ,jesus assisted ,joseph in his     
labors1 and by a miracle lengthened the 
pieces of wood1 when cut too short or   
too narrow4 ,all these extravagancies   
are not more difficult to believe than  
many other wonders related in the       
acknowledged gospels4  ,we shall here   
quit ,luke in order to follow ,matthew1 
who places the baptism of ,john after   
the return from ,egypt1 and makes ,jesus
 forthwith commence his mission4 ,it is 
at this epoch1 perhaps1 that we ought to
 begin the life of ,jesus4--,yet1 to let
 nothing be lost to the reader of the   
evangelical memoirs1 we thought it our  
duty not to pass over in silence the    
circumstances which have been noticed1  
as these preliminaries are calculated to
 throw much light on the person and     
actions of ,jesus4 ,besides1 the        

interval between his birth and preaching
 has not been the part of his history   
least exposed to the darts of criticism4
 ,matthew1 as we have seen1 to account  
for his master's absence during the     
thirty years1 makes him go into ,egypt1 
and return in an unlimited time4 ,luke1 
who digested his memoirs after ,matthew1
 perceiving that the abode in ,egypt    
cast a suspicion of magic on the        
miracles of ,jesus1 makes him remain in 
,galilee1 going and coming every year to
 ,jerusalem2 and making him appear1 at  
the age of twelve1 in the capital1 in   
the midst of the doctors1 and debating  
with them4 ,but ,mark and ,john1        
profiting by the criticism which these  
different arrangements had experienced1 
make the messiah drop as it were from   
the clouds1 and put him instantly to    
labor at the great work of man's        
salvation4  ,it is thus that1 on        
combining and comparing the several     
relations1 we are enabled to discover   
the true system of the ,gospels1 in     

which1 without adopting any alterations1
 we shall find materials for composing  
the life of ,jesus by merely reducing   
the marvellous to its proper value4     
,,chapter ,,iv4  ,,baptism ,,of         
,,jesus--,,his ,,abode ,,in ,,the       
,,desert--,,commencement ,,of ,,his     
,,preaching ,,and ,,miracles--,,marriage
 ,,at ,,cana4   ,from the time the      
,romans subdued ,judea1 the             
superstitious inhabitants of that       
country1 impatient to see the arrival of
 the messiah so often promised to their 
fathers1 seemed inclined to quicken the 
slowness of the ,eternal by the ardor of
 their desires4 ,this disposition of    
mind gave birth to impostures1 revolts1 
and disturbances2 the authors of which  
the ,roman power punished in such a     
manner as to discourage their adherents1
 or quickly to disperse them4 ,down to  
the era we are about to speak of1 7which
 the gospel of ,luke fixes at the       
fifteenth year of the reign of          
,tiberius17 none of those who had       

attempted to pass for the messiah had   
been able to succeed4 ,to have acted    
that part well required forces more     
considerable than those which all ,judea
 could oppose to the conquerors of the  
world4 ,it was1 therefore1 necessary to 
have recourse to craft1 and to employ   
delusions and trick instead of force4   
,for this purpose1 it was of importance 
to be fully acquainted with the         
disposition of the ,jewish nation2 to   
affect a great respect for its laws and 
usages1 for which it entertained the    
most profound veneration2 to profit     
ingeniously by the predictions with     
which the were imbued2 to move the      
passions1 and warm the imaginations of  
that fanatical and credulous people4    
,but all this behoved to be silently    
effected2 it was necessary for him who  
attempted it1 to avoid rendering himself
 suspected by the ,romans2 it was       
necessary to be on his guard against the
 priests1 doctors1 and persons of       
education1 capable of penetrating and   

thwarting his designs4 ,it was essential
 to commence with gaining adherents and 
co-operators1 and thereafter a party    
among the people1 to support him against
 the grandees of the nation4 ,policy    
required that he should shew himself    
rarely in the capital1 to preach in the 
country1 and render odious to the       
populace1 priests who devoured the      
nation1 nobles who oppressed it1 and    
rich people of whom it ought to be      
naturally jealous4 ,not to alarm too    
much1 prudence demanded that he should  
speak in ambiguous language and in      
parables4 ,neither could he dispense    
with working miracles1 which1 much more 
than all the harangues in the world1    
were calculated to seduce ignorant      
devotees1 disposed to see the finger of 
,god in every act the true cause of     
which they were unable to comprehend4   
,such was the conduct of the personage  
whose life we examine4 ,whether we      
suppose that he had been in ,egypt for  
the purpose of acquiring the talents    

necessary to his views1 or that he had  
always resided at ,nazareth1 ,jesus was 
not ignorant of the dispositions of his 
countrymen4 ,as he knew how much        
predictions were requisite to work on   
the minds of the ,jews1 he made choice  
of a prophet and a forerunner in the    
person of his cousin ,john ,baptist4    
,the latter1 evidently in concert with  
,jesus1 preached repentance1 baptized on
 the banks of ,jordan1 and announced the
 coming of a personage greater than     
himself4 ,he said to those who gave ear 
to him1 ,i indeed baptize you with water
 unto repentance3 but he that cometh    
after me is mightier than ,i1 the       
latchet of whose shoe ,i am not worthy  
to loose3 he shall baptize you with the 
,holy ,ghost and with fire4 ,jesus      
accordingly repaired to ,john on purpose
 to arrange matters with him1 and to    
receive baptism from his hands4         
,according to the report of ,matthew1   
,john1 at first1 evinced some           
difficulty2 affirming1 that1 so far from

 being worthy to baptize ,jesus1 it was 
from him that he himself ought to       
receive baptism4 ,at last1 however1 he  
yielded to the orders of ,jesus1 and    
administered to him the sacrament of    
which the innocent son of ,god could not
 stand in need4  ,in this interview1 the
 two kinsmen evidently settled their    
plans1 and took the necessary measures  
for insuring success4 ,they both had    
ambition1 and shared the mission between
 them4 ,john yielded the first character
 to ,jesus1 whom he judged better       
qualified to play it with success1 and  
contented himself with being his        
precursor1 preaching in the desert1     
beating up for followers1 and preparing 
the ways for him--all in consequence of 
a prophecy of ,isaiah1 who had said1    
,prepare ye the way of the ,lord1 make  
straight in the desert a highway for our
 ,god--an obscure and vague prediction1 
in which1 however1 ,christians believe  
they see clearly designated the messiah 
and his holy precursor4  ,the           

arrangements being once settled by our  
two missionaries1 ,john took care to    
tell those who came to hear him1 that1  
to pacify ,heaven1 it was time to       
repent2 that the arrival of the messiah 
was not far off2 and that he had seen   
him4 ,the sermons of ,john having made  
considerable noise1 the priests of      
,jerusalem1 vigilant as to what might   
interest religion1 and wishing to be    
informed of his views1 dispatched       
emissaries after him4 ,these men asked  
if he was the ,christ1 or ,elias1 or a  
prophet4 ,john answered1 that he was    
neither of these4 ,but when he was      
questioned by what authority he baptized
 and preached1 he declared1 that he was 
the forerunner of the messiah4 ,this    
proceeding of the priests only tended to
 give greater weight to ,john's         
assertions1 and naturally excited the   
curiosity of the people assembled to    
hear him4 ,the next day they went in a  
crowd to the place where the preacher   
baptized1 when1 profiting skilfully by  

the circumstance1 and perceiving ,jesus 
approaching1 he exclaimed1 ,behold the  
,lamb of ,god1 which taketh away the sin
 of the world4 ,this is he of whom ,i   
said1 after me cometh a man who is      
preferred before me4  ,the author of the
 gospel ascribed to ,john1 perceiving   
that it was important to remove the     
suspicion of collusion between ,jesus   
and his forerunner1 makes the ,baptist  
declare twice1 that he knew him not     
before baptizing him3 but that it had   
been revealed to him by the ,deity1 that
 the person on whom he should see the   
,holy ,spirit descending during his     
baptism1 was the son of ,god4 ,whence we
 see that1 according to this evangelist1
 ,john did not know ,jesus1 who was1    
however1 his kinsman1 according to      
,luke4  ,john was much esteemed by the  
people1 whom an austere and             
extraordinary life is always certain of 
seducing4--,they did not suspect that a 
missionary so detached from the things  
of this world1 could ever deceive them4 

,they believed on his word1 that the    
,holy ,spirit1 under the form of a dove1
 had descended on ,jesus1 and that he   
was the ,christ or messiah promised by  
the prophets4 ,on another occasion we   
shall also find ,john affecting not to  
know his cousin ,jesus3 he deputed some 
of his disciples to learn who he was8   
,jesus replied1 that they had only to   
relate to ,john the miracles he         
performed1 and by that sign their master
 would recognize him4 ,we shall         
afterwards speak of this embassy4       
,jesus had associated with him a        
confident1 then called ,simon1 and      
afterwards ,cephas or ,peter1 who had   
been the disciple of ,john4 ,scarcely   
had ,simon taken his arrangements with  
the messiah1 when he drew over his      
brother ,andrew to the new sect4 ,these 
two brothers were fishermen4 ,we readily
 presume that ,jesus would not choose   
his followers among the grandees of the 
country4  ,the progress of ,john        
,baptist1 and the attachment of the     

people to him1 alarmed the priests2 they
 complained loudly1 and ,john was       
arrested by order of the tetrarch       
,herod1 who1 according to ,matthew1     
caused him to be beheaded to please     
,herodias his sister-in-law4 ,yet we do 
not find the historians of this prince  
reproaching him with the punishment of  
the forerunner4 ,after ,john's death1   
his disciples attached themselves to    
,jesus1 whose coming ,john had          
announced1 and who1 in his turn1 had    
rendered in behalf of ,john the most    
public testimonies in presence of the   
people3 for ,jesus had openly declared1 
that ,john was greater than a prophet1  
and greater than an angel1 and that he  
was not born of woman who was greater   
than him4 ,nevertheless1 the messiah1   
dreading to be involved in the affair of
 his forerunner1 left his two disciples 
at ,jerusalem1 and withdrew into the    
desert1 where he continued forty days4  
,it has been remarked1 that during the  
imprisonment of ,john1 ,jesus did not   

think of delivering him2 he performed no
 miracle in his behalf2 after his death 
he spoke but little of him1 and forebore
 pronouncing his eulogy4 ,he was no     
longer in need of him1 and1 perhaps1 he 
wished by this conduct to teach those   
who serve the views of the ambitious in 
a subordinate capacity1 that they ought 
not to reckon too much on gratitude4    
,it would have been a bad exordium to   
assign fear as the motive of the        
messiah's retreat4 ,we are told that he 
was carried up by the ,spirit1 which    
transported him to the desert4 ,it was  
necessary that ,jesus should surpass his
 forerunner4 ,the latter had led a very 
austere life1 his only nourishment being
 locust and wild honey2 but the gospel  
affirms1 that ,jesus ate nothing at all 
during his retreat1 and that on the last
 day1 having felt himself hungry1 angels
 came and ministered to him4 ,the       
fasting of ,jesus for forty days1 is    
considered by his followers as a proof  
of his divinity4 ,but this abstinence   

falls far short of that practised by a  
,talapoin at ,siam1 who1 according to   
,la ,loubere1 lived satisfactorily      
without food for one hundred and seven  
days6  ,to evince the importance of his 
mission1 the prejudice which it was to  
occasion to the empire of the devil1 and
 the infinite advantages which were to  
result from it to his followers1 ,jesus1
 on his return from the desert1         
pretended that ,satan had tempted him2  
made the most flattering offers to      
engage him to desist from his           
enterprise2 and proffered him the       
monarchy of the universe1 if he would   
renounce his project of redeeming the   
human race4 ,the refusal he gave to     
these propositions1 evinced a           
supernatural desire to labor for the    
salvation of the world4 ,such as heard  
these details must have been filled with
 astonishment1 penetrated with          
gratitude1 and burning with zeal for the
 preacher4 ,of consequence1 the number  
of his adherents increased4  ,john the  

,evangelist1 or the person who has      
written1 under his name1 whose object   
appears to have been to establish the   
divinity of ,jesus1 has not mentioned   
his carrying away1 abode in the desert1 
and temptation4 ,these transactions must
 have been considered by him prejudicial
 to the doctrine he wished to introduce4
 ,matthew1 ,mark1 and ,luke1 relate the 
carrying away1 and the temptations in a 
different manner1 but calculated to show
 the power of ,satan over the messiah4  
,he transported him1 no doubt in spite  
of himself1 to the pinnacle of the      
temple2 and by a miracle1 made ,jesus   
contemplate1 from the summit of a       
mountain1 all the kingdoms of the       
universe1 without even excepting those  
whose inhabitants were antipodes of     
,judea4 ,according to the gospels1 the  
devil worked marvels1 which far         
surpassed those of ,jesus4  ,the absence
 of ,jesus made him lose for a time1 his
 two disciples ,peter and ,andrew4 ,the 
necessity of providing for their        

subsistence1 constrained them to resume 
their former trade4 ,as their master    
durst not then reside in ,jerusalem1 he 
retired towards the banks of the sea of 
,galilee1 where they joined him4 ,follow
 me1 7said he to them17 leave your nets2
 of catchers of fish ,i will make you   
fishers of men4 ,he1 probably1 made them
 understand1 that the arrangements he   
had made during his retirement1         
furnished him with the means of         
subsisting1 without toil1 by the        
credulity of the vulgar4 ,the two       
brothers immediately followed him4      
,whether ,jesus had been expelled from  
,nazareth by his fellow citizens1 or    
quitted it of his own accord1 he fixed  
his residence at ,capernaum1 a maritime 
city1 on the confines of the tribes of  
,zabulon and ,naphtali4 ,his mother1 a  
widow1 or separated from her husband1   
followed him3 she could be useful to    
,jesus and the little troop of adherents
 who lived with him4  ,it was at this   
time that our hero1 seconded by his     

disciples1 opened his mission4 ,his     
sermon1 like that of the ,baptist1      
consisted in saying1 ,repent1 for the   
kingdom of heaven is at hand4 ,john1 we 
have seen1 commenced preaching in the   
fifteenth year of ,tiberius4 ,it was in 
the same year that his interview with   
,jesus took place1 when he was baptized 
by ,john4 ,towards the end of this year 
,john disappeared3 after which ,jesus   
was in the desert1 whence he returned to
 reside with his mother in the city of  
,capernaum4 ,there he remained a short  
time only on account of the approach of 
the festival of the passover1 to        
celebrate which he repaired to          
,jerusalem4 ,we may1 therefore1 fix the 
commencement of his preaching in the    
sixteenth year of ,tiberius4 ,he        
celebrated the passover three times     
before his death2 and the common opinion
 is1 that his preaching lasted three    
years1 or until the nineteenth year of  
,tiberius4  ,the rumours excited by the 
baptism and preaching of ,john1 and the 

testimonies he bore in behalf of ,jesus1
 having died away on the imprisonment   
and death of the forerunner1 and flight 
of the messiah1 the latter resumed      
courage1 and thought that1 with the     
assistance of his disciples1 he ought to
 make a new attempt4 ,too well known at 
,nazareth1 and slighted by his          
relations1 who1 on all occasions1 seemed
 to think but little of him1 he quitted 
that ungrateful city to establish       
himself1 as we have remarked1 at        
,capernaum1 in the sixteenth year of    
,tiberius4 ,it was there that he        
commenced preaching his new system to   
some poor fishermen1 and other low      
people4 ,he soon found1 however1 that   
his mission was too circumscribed in    
that place3 but to acquire some eclat1  
he judged it necessary to perform a     
miracle2 that is1 in the language of the
 ,jews1 some trick capable of exciting  
the wonder of the vulgar4 ,an           
opportunity occurred for this3 some     
inhabitants of ,cana1 a small village   

,of ,galilee ,superior1 at the distance 
of about fifteen leagues from           
,capernaum1 invited ,jesus and his      
mother to a wedding4 ,the married       
persons were poor1 though ,john1 who    
alone relates this story1 gives them a  
steward2 yet he tells us that their wine
 failed at the moment the guests were   
half intoxicated1 or gay4 ,on this      
,mary1 who knew the power or the        
dexterity of her son1 said to him3 ,they
 have no wine4 ,jesus answered her very 
roughly1 and in a manner which evidently
 denoted a man warmed with wine3 ,woman1
 what have ,i to do with thee8 ,it may1 
however1 be supposed1 that ,jesus had   
not totally lost the use of his reason1 
as he still possessed presence of mind  
to transmute water into wine1 so that   
the miraculous wine was found better    
than the natural wine they had drank at 
the beginning4  ,this first miracle of  
,jesus was performed in presence of a   
great number of persons1 already half   
intoxicated2 but the text does not      

inform us1 whether they were equally    
astonished the day following1 when the  
fumes of the wine were dissipated4      
,perhaps this miracle was witnessed by  
the steward only1 with whom ,jesus had  
secret intelligence4 ,the incredulous1  
less easily persuaded than the poor     
inebriated villagers1 do not observe in 
this transmutation of water into wine1 a
 motive for being convinced of the      
divine power of ,jesus4 ,they remark1   
that in the operation1 he employed water
 in order to make his wine2 a           
circumstance which may give room to     
suspect1 that he made only a            
composition1 of which be1 like many     
others1 might have the secret4 ,there   
was in fact1 no more power necessary to 
create wine1 and fill the pitchers      
without putting water into them1 than to
 make an actual transmutation or water  
into wine4 ,at least1 by acting in this 
manner1 he would have removed the       
suspicion of having made only a mixture4
  ,in whatever manner the miracle was   

performed1 it appears to have made some 
impression on those who saw it1 or who  
heard it related4 ,it is certain ,jesus 
profited by it to extend his mission    
even to the capital of ,judea2 only     
giving time for his miracle to spread1  
in order to produce its effect4 ,in     
expectation of this1 he withdrew with   
his mother1 brothers1 and disciples1 to 
,capernaum1 where he remained till the  
festival of the passover 7the time of   
which was near7 should collect at       
,jerusalem a multitude of people1 before
 whom he flattered himself with being   
able to operate a great number of       
marvels4     ,,chapter ,v4  ,,journey   
,,of ,,jesus ,,to ,,jerusalem4--,,the   
,,sellers ,,driven ,,out ,,of ,,the     
,,temple4--,,conference ,,with          
,,nicodemus4   ,the noise of the miracle
 at ,cana having reached ,jerusalem1 by 
means of those who repaired to that city
 from ,galilee1 ,jesus went there1      
accompanied by some of his disciples2   
but of the number of the latter we are  

ignorant4 ,it was1 as has been          
mentioned1 the time of the passover1 and
 consequently1 a moment when almost the 
whole nation were assembled in the      
capital4 ,such an occasion was favorable
 for working miracles4 ,john accordingly
 affirms that ,jesus performed a great  
number1 without1 however1 detailing any 
of them4 ,several of the witnesses of   
,jesus' power believed in him1 according
 to our historian2 but he did not place 
much confidence in them4 ,the reason    
given for this by ,john1 is1 ,because he
 knew all men1 and needed not that any  
should testify of man2 for he knew what 
was in man4 ,in short1 he knew every    
thing except the means of giving to     
those who saw his miracles the          
dispositions he desired4  ,but1 how     
reconcile faith in these new converts1  
in the wonders performed by ,jesus1 with
 the bad dispositions they were known to
 possess8 ,if he knew the state of mind 
of these witnesses of his miracles1 why 
perform them with certain loss8 ,in this

 there is a want of just inference in   
the writer1 which must not1 however1 be 
imputed to ,jesus4 ,it is perhaps better
 not to refer to ,john in this matter1  
than to believe that his sagacious      
master would perform miracles without   
design1 or for the sole pleasure of     
working them4  ,in the same journey to  
,jerusalem1 ,jesus performed an exploit 
which is as great as a miracle1 and     
evinces a powerful arm4 ,according to an
 ancient usage1 merchants had           
established themselves1 especially      
during the solemn festivals1 under the  
porticos which environed the temple4    
,they furnished victims and offerings to
 the devout1 which they were to present 
to the ,lord1 in order to accomplish the
 ordinances of the law2 and1 for the    
accommodation of the ,jews who repaired 
thither from different countries1 and   
for their own interest1 the priests had 
permitted the money changers to fix     
their stalls in this place4 ,jesus1 who 
on every occasion shewed himself but    

little favorable to the clergy1 was     
shocked at this usage1 which1 far from  
being criminal1 tended to facilitate the
 accomplishment of the ,mosaical law4   
,he made a scourge of ropes1 and1       
displaying a vigorous arm on those      
merchants1 drove them into the streets1 
frightened their cattle1 and overturned 
the counters1 without their being able  
to oppose his enterprise4 ,it may be    
conjectured1 that the people had no     
reason to be displeased with the        
disturbance1 but profited by the money  
and effects which ,jesus overturned in  
the paroxysm of his zeal4 ,no doubt his 
disciples did not forget themselves3    
their master could by this exploit make 
provision for them1 especially if they  
had been in the secret1 and enable them 
to defray all expenses during their     
residence in the capital4 ,besides1 they
 saw in this event the accomplishment of
 a prophecy of the ,psalmist1 who       
foretold1 that the ,messiah would be    
eaten up with the zeal of the house of  

the ,lord--a prophecy that was clearly  
verified by the uproar which ,jesus had 
occasioned4 ,it would appear that the   
brokers had not comprehended the mystic 
sense of this prediction2 at least they 
did not expect to see it verified at    
their expense4 ,in their first surprise1
 they neglected to oppose the unexpected
 attacks of a man who must have appeared
 to them a maniac2 but1 on recovering   
from their astonishment1 they complained
 to the magistrates of the loss they had
 sustained4 ,the magistrates1 afraid1   
perhaps1 of weakening their authority by
 punishing a man of whom the people had 
become the accomplice1 or a fanatic     
whose zeal might be approved by the     
devotees1 did not wish to use rigor for 
this time2 they contented themselves    
with sending to ,jesus to know from     
himself by what authority he            
acted--,what sign 7said they7 shewest   
thou unto us1 seeing that thou doest    
these things8 ,on which ,jesus answered1
 ,destroy this temple1 and in three days

 ,i will raise it up4 ,but the ,jews    
were not tempted to make the            
trial2--they took him for a fool1 and   
returned1 shrugging their shoulders4 ,if
 they had taken ,jesus at his word1 they
 would have experienced great           
embarrassment2 for the gospel informs   
us1 that it was not of the temple of    
,jerusalem he spoke1 but of his own     
body4 ,he meant his resurrection1 says  
,john1 which was to happen three days   
after his death4 ,the ,jews had not     
discernment to divine this enigma1 and  
the disciples did not penetrate its true
 meaning till a long time after1 when   
they pretended their master had risen   
from the dead4 ,we cannot forbear       
admiring that ,providence1 which1       
wishing to instruct1 enlighten1 and     
convert the ,jewish people by the mouth 
of ,jesus1 employed only figures1       
allegories1 and enigmatical symbols1    
totally inexplicable by persons the most
 ingenious and most experienced4        
,though ,jesus had the power of raising 

himself from the dead1 he did not wish  
to employ it when in the hands of the   
,jews1 who were ready to arrest and     
punish him as a disturber of the public 
repose4 ,he thought it more prudent to  
decamp without noise1 and shelter       
himself from the pursuit of those whom  
his brilliant exhibitions might have    
displeased4 ,he intended to withdraw    
from ,jerusalem during night1 when a    
devout ,pharisee1 wishing to be         
instructed1 came to see him4 ,he was    
called ,nicodemus1 and held the place of
 senator--a rank which does not always  
exempt from credulity4 ,rabbi1 7said he 
to ,jesus17 we know that thou art a     
teacher sent from ,god2 for no man can  
do these miracles that thou doest1      
except ,god be with him4  ,this         
opportunity was favorable for ,jesus to 
declare himself3 by a single word he    
could have decided on his divinity1 and 
acknowledged1 before this senator so    
kindly disposed1 that he was ,god4 ,yet 
he evaded a direct answer2 contenting   

himself with saying to ,nicodemus1 that 
nobody can share in the kingdom of ,god 
unless he be born again4 ,the astonished
 proselyte exclaimed1 that it was       
impossible for a man already old to be  
born again1 or enter anew into his      
mother's womb4 ,on which ,jesus replied3
 ,i say unto thee1 except a man be born 
of water and of the spirit1 he cannot   
enter into the kingdom of ,god4 ,it     
appears1 that ,nicodemus was no better  
satisfied than before4 ,jesus1 to make  
himself more perspicuous1 added1 that   
which is born of the flesh is flesh1 and
 that which is born of the spirit is    
spirit4 ,marvel not1 that ,i said unto  
thee1 ye must be born again--,the wind  
bloweth where it listeth1 and thou      
hearest the sound thereof1 but canst not
 tell whence it cometh1 nor whither it  
goeth3 so is every one that is born of  
the spirit4  ,notwithstanding the       
precision and plainness of these        
instructions1 7resembling the reasoning 
of our theologians17 ,nicodemus1 whose  

understanding was doubtless shut up1 did
 not comprehend any part of them4 ,how  
7asks he7 can these things be8 ,here    
,jesus1 pushed to extremity1 grew       
warm3--,art thou 7says he7 a master of  
,israel1 and knowest not these things8  
,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto thee1 we   
speak that we do know1 and testify that 
we have seen1 and ye receive not our    
witness4 ,if ,i have told you earthly   
things and ye believe not1 how shall ye 
believe if ,i tell you of heavenly      
things8 ,and no man hath ascended up to 
heaven but he that came down from       
heaven1 even the son of man which is in 
heaven4 7,john iii4 #a-ac47  ,we thought
 it our duty to relate this curious     
dialogue1 as a specimen of the logic of 
,jesus2 the more so as it seems to have 
served as a model for the fashion of    
reasoning observed by ,christian        
doctors1 who are in the use of          
explaining obscure things by things     
still more obscure and unintelligible4  
,they terminate all disputes by         

referring the decision to their own     
testimony2 that is1 to the authority or 
the church or clergy1 entrusted by ,god 
himself with regulating what the        
faithful ought to believe4  ,the rest of
 the conversation of ,jesus with        
,nicodemus is equally perspicuous1 and  
in the same style3--,the former alone   
speaks1 and appears by the dint of his  
reasons to have silenced the docile     
senator1 who1 it seems1 retired fully   
convinced4 ,thus it is1 that faith      
disposes the elect to yield to the      
lessons1 dogmas1 and mysteries of       
religion even when it is impossible to  
attach any meaning to the words they    
hear pronounced4  ,there is no further  
mention of ,nicodemus--,we know not     
whether he resigned his office of       
,senator to enrol himself among the     
disciples of ,jesus4 ,perhaps he was    
contented with secretly furnishing      
necessaries to his adherents1 in        
gratitude for the luminous instructions 
he had received4 ,he evidently knew how 

to profit by them1 for ,john makes him  
return after the death of ,jesus1       
bringing a hundred pounds of aloes and  
myrrh1 for the purpose of embalming his 
body1 and then interring it1 with the   
assistance of ,joseph of ,arimathea4    
,this proves that he had come from his  
conversation with ,jesus a more able    
theologist than he had begun it4 ,on    
this occasion1 ,jesus must have granted 
him saving grace1 without which it would
 have been impossible to comprehend any 
of his sublime dogmas4  ,according to   
theology1 men have occasion for         
supernatural grace to do good4 ,this    
doctrine is injurious to sound morality4
 ,men always wait for the call from     
above to do good1 and those who direct  
them1 never employ the calls from below2
 that is the natural motives to excite  
them to virtue4 ,but the clergy cannot  
give a correct definition of virtue4    
,they say it is an effect of grace that 
disposes men to do that which is        
agreeable to the ,divinity4 ,but what is

 grace8 ,how does it act on man8 ,what  
is it that is agreeable to ,god8        
,wherefore doth not ,god give to all men
 the grace to do that which is agreeable
 in his eyes8 ,we are unceasingly told  
to do good1 because ,god requires it2   
but no one has been able to teach us    
what that good is which is acceptable to
 the ,almighty1 and by the performance  
of which we shall obtain his            
approbation4  ,it must be acknowledged1 
that the impossibility of comprehending 
the doctrine of ,jesus furnishes a good 
reason for denying that it can be       
divine4 ,it cannot be conceived why a   
,god1 sent to instruct men1 should never
 distinctly explain himself4 ,no ,pagan 
oracle employed terms more ambiguous1   
than the divine missionary chosen by    
,providence to enlighten nations4 ,in   
this the ,deity appears to have made it 
his study to create obstacles to his    
projects1 and to have laid a snare not  
only for the ,jews1 but for all those   
who must read the gospel to obtain      

salvation2 a conduct equally unworthy of
 a good and just ,god1 endowed with     
prescience and wisdom2 yet by faith we  
may succeed in reconciling every thing1 
and readily comprehend why ,god should  
speak without wishing to be understood4 
,as soon as ,jesus had quitted          
,nicodemus1 he left ,jerusalem1 his     
abode in which had become very          
dangerous1 and wandered through the     
country of ,judea1 where he enjoyed     
greater safety4 ,the uproar he had      
occasioned in the capital1 where so     
great a multitude were assembled1 had   
not failed to make him known to many2   
but it was at a distance that he gained 
the greatest number of partisans4 ,john 
informs us1 in chapter third1 that      
during this period he baptized2         
thereafter he tells us1 in chapter      
fourth1 that he did not baptize1 but    
that his disciples baptized for him4    
,one thing is certain1 that1 after this1
 he quitted ,judea to go into ,galilee4 
,it was1 perhaps1 to be more private1 or

 to prevent the schism1 which1 according
 to the gospel1 was ready to take place 
between the ,jews baptized by ,john1 and
 those whom ,jesus and his disciples had
 baptized4 ,jesus conceived that        
prudence required him to remain at a    
distance1 and to leave the field open to
 a man who was useful to him1 and who   
contented himself with playing the      
second part under him4 ,it very soon    
appeared that ,jesus made a greater     
number of proselytes than his cousin2 a 
circumstance which1 in the end1 might   
have created a misunderstanding between 
them4 ,jesus therefore directed his     
march towards ,samaria1 whither we are  
to follow him1 and thence he passed into
 ,galilee4     ,,chapter ,,vi4          
,,adventure ,,of ,,jesus ,,with ,,the   
,,female ,,samaritan--,,his ,,journey   
,,and ,,miracles ,,in ,,the ,,country   
,,of ,,the ,,gerasenes4   ,it may be    
observed that in this examination of the
 history of ,jesus1 we follow the most  
generally received arrangement of facts1

 without meaning to guarantee that they 
occurred precisely in that order4       
,chronological mistakes are not of much 
importance when they do not influence   
the nature of events4 ,besides1 the     
evangelists1 without fixing any eras1   
content themselves with saying at that  
time1 which precludes our giving an     
exact chronology of the following       
transactions4 ,precision would require a
 labor as immense as superfluous1 and   
tend only to shew that the history of   
,jesus1 dictated by the ,holy ,spirit1  
is more incorrect than that of          
celebrated ,pagans of an antiquity more 
remote4 ,it would also prove that the   
inspired writers contradict themselves  
every instant1 by making their hero act 
at the same time in different places1   
and often remote from each other4 ,on   
the other hand1 this great labor would  
not inform us which of the evangelists  
we ought to prefer1 seeing all in the   
eyes of faith have truth on their side4 
,time and place do not change the nature

 of facts2 and it is from these facts we
 must form our ideas of the legislator  
of the ,christians4  ,jesus having      
commenced his journey in the summer     
season1 felt oppressed with thirst near 
,sichar1 in the country of ,samaria1    
which gave rise to a singular adventure4
 ,near this city there was a well1 known
 by the name of ,jacob's fountain4      
,fatigued with his journey1 ,jesus sat  
down on the brink of the well1 waiting  
the return of his disciples1 who had    
gone to the city for provisions4 ,it was
 about noon1 when a female came to draw 
water4 ,jesus asked her to let him drink
 out of the vessel she held2 but the    
,samaritan1 who knew from his           
countenance that he was a ,jew1 was     
astonished at his request1 as there was 
no intercourse between the orthodox     
,jews and the ,samaritans4 ,according to
 the custom of partisans of different   
sects1 they detested each other most    
cordially4 ,the messiah1 who was not so 
fastidious as the ordinary ,jews1       

undertook the conversion of the female  
heretic1 for whose sex we find in him a 
strong attachment through the whole     
course of his history4 ,if thou knewest1
 said he to her1 the gift of ,god1 and  
who it is that saith to thee1 give me to
 drink1 thou wouldst have asked of him1 
and he would have given thee living     
water4 ,the ,samaritan woman1 who did   
not observe ,jesus to have any vessel in
 his hand1 asked whence he could draw   
the living water of which he spoke8 ,on 
this the messiah1 assuming a mysterious 
tone1 answered1 ,whoso drinketh of this 
well shall thirst again1 but whosoever  
drinketh of the water that ,i shall give
 him1 shall never thirst2 ,it shall be  
in him a well of water springing up into
 everlasting life4 ,the female1 who was 
a dame of easy virtue1 asked some of    
that marvellous water2 and ,jesus1 from 
this discourse having discovered the    
profession of the woman1 ingeniously got
 off by telling her to go and seek her  
husband2 calculating1 perhaps1 on being 

able to steal away when she was gone4   
,but the lady related to him her life2  
gave some details of her conduct2 and   
thereby enabled him to conjecture enough
 of it to speak as a conjuror4          
,accordingly1 he told her that she had  
had five husbands2 that she had none at 
that time1 and that the man with whom   
she lived was only a gallant4 ,the      
,samaritan woman took ,jesus for a      
sorcerer or a prophet2 he did not deny  
it2 and as he was not then afraid of    
being stoned or punished1 he made bold  
for the first time to confess that he   
was the messiah4  ,they were at this    
part of their dialogue1 when the return 
of ,jesus' disciples put an end to it4  
,the latter1 whether they knew the      
profession of the loquacious dame1 or   
were more intolerant than their master1 
were surprised at the tete-a-tete2 yet  
none of them ventured to criticise the  
conduct of ,jesus2 while the ,samaritan 
woman seeing his retinue believed in    
reality that he was a prophet or the    

messiah4 ,leaving her pitcher1 she went 
directly to ,sichar1 ,come and see1 said
 she to the inhabitants1 a man who told 
me all things that ever ,i did2 is not  
this the ,christ8--,the astonished      
inhabitants went and met ,jesus2 and    
charmed with hearing him preach1 without
 comprehending one word of his          
discourse1 they invited him to come and 
reside with them4 ,he yielded to their  
request for two days only3 the          
provisions purchased were put up in     
reserve1 and the troop lived during that
 time at the cost of these heretics1    
delighted no doubt with defraying the   
expenses of the ,saviour and his        
followers4  ,all the marvellous in this 
adventure turns on ,jesus having divined
 that the ,samaritan lady had had five  
husbands1 and lived at that time in     
criminal intercourse with a favorite4   
,yet it is easy to perceive that ,jesus 
could learn this anecdote either in his 
conversation with the prating dame1 or  
by public rumor1 or in some other very  

easy way4  ,but unbelievers find another
 reason for criticising this relation of
 ,john4 ,laying aside the marvellous1   
they attack the truth of the            
transaction4 ,all history attests1 that 
in the time of ,jesus1 ,samaria was     
peopled by colonies of different        
nations1 which the ,assyrians had       
transported thither after the           
destruction of the kingdom of ,israel4  
,this would seem to exclude the         
expectation of the messiah1 in which1   
according to ,john1 the ,samaritans     
lived4 ,pagans and ,idolators could not 
have very distinct notions of an event  
peculiar to ,judea4 ,if the ,samaritans 
were the descendants of ,jacob1 it was  
not necessary to put into the mouth of  
the ,samaritan woman these words1 ,our  
fathers worshipped in this mountain1 and
 ye say1 ,jerusalem is the place where  
men ought to worship4 ,it was also      
absurd to make ,jesus say1 ye shall no  
more worship the ,father1 either in this
 mountain or at ,jerusalem2 ye worship  

ye know not what2 for the law of ,moses 
does not forbid the worshipping ,god in 
whatever place we may find ourselves4   
,in the time of ,jesus1 the laws or     
usages of the ,jews required1 that none 
should offer sacrifice any where1 except
 in the temple of the capital2 but the  
places of prayer depended on every man's
 own will and pleasure4 ,it is1 besides1
 absurd to say1 that the descendants of 
,jacob did not know the ,god whom they  
adored to be ,jehovah1 the ,god of      
,moses and of the ,jews2 unless it is   
pretended1 that they did not know whom  
they worshipped4 ,since the mission of  
,jesus1 ,christians have undoubtedly    
nothing to reproach them with on this   
head4 ,moreover the words of ,jesus seem
 to insinuate1 that he wished to abolish
 the worship of the ,father4 ,it is     
certain that ,christians share their    
homage between him and his ,son1 which1 
faith a part1 annihilates the dogma of  
the unity of ,god4 ,finally1 ,jesus did 
not conjecture right in saying1 that the

 ,father would be no longer worshipped  
at ,jerusalem1 or on the mountain2 for  
this ,father has not ceased one instant 
to be worshipped there for these        
eighteen centuries1 by ,jews1 by        
,christians1 and by ,mahometans4  ,if it
 is maintained1 that the ,samaritan     
woman was a heathen1 it is not likely   
that she would have regarded ,jesus as  
the messiah1 whom she neither knew nor  
expected4 ,add to this1 that the        
,samaritans believed in ,jesus on the   
word of a courtezan2 a credulity of     
which ,jews and ,christians only could  
be susceptible4 ,jesus and his disciples
 were ,jews1 and in that character      
excluded from ,samaria4 ,it is of no    
import1 therefore1 by whom the country  
was inhabited4  ,two days having        
elapsed1 and the people of ,sichar      
being1 in all appearance1 sufficiently  
instructed1 ,jesus quitted their city1  
and with his disciples took the road of 
,upper ,galilee4 ,in this journey1      
,jesus considering the hostile          

disposition of his countrymen1 thought  
proper not to enter ,nazareth1 the place
 of his nativity4 ,he applied to himself
 the famous proverb1 a prophet has no   
honor in his own country4 ,it was       
otherwise in the rest of the            
province3--as soon as the people knew of
 his arrival1 they gave him welcome4    
,luke assures us that he was esteemed   
and honored by every body4 ,these good  
people had beheld the wonders which he  
had operated in ,jerusalem1 during the  
festival of the passover4 ,in gratitude 
for these favorable dispositions1 and   
for the faith he found among the        
,galileans1 ,jesus did not content      
himself with instructing them1 but      
confirmed his mission1 and testified his
 love by a crowd of prodigies4 ,the     
number was1 doubtless1 very great1 as   
,matthew is constrained to say          
generally1 that he healed all manner of 
sickness1 and all manner of disease     
among the people2 and that it was       
sufficient to obtain a cure1 to present 

to him the sick1 whatever might be their
 disease4 ,lunatics1 whose number was   
great in that country2 idiots1          
hypochondriacs1 and persons possessed   
with devils1 had but to fly to him for  
relief1 and their cure was certain4     
,this multitude of miracles1 for so they
 style the cures operated by ,jesus1    
drew after him a crowd of idlers and    
vagabonds from ,galilee1 ,jerusalem1    
,decapolis1 ,judea1 and the country     
beyond ,jordan4 ,it was in this journey 
he obtained two famous disciples3 they  
were brothers1 sons of a fisherman of   
the name of ,zebedee1 and called ,james 
and ,john4 ,the first1 though1 probably1
 he could not read1 afterwards composed 
mystical works1 which are at this day   
revered by ,christians4 ,with respect to
 ,john1 he was the favorite of his      
master1 and received from him marks of  
distinguished attention4 ,he afterwards 
became a sublime ,platonist1 and1       
through gratitude1 deified ,jesus in the
 gospels and epistles published in his  

name4  ,the reputation and resources of 
,jesus were so great in ,galilee1 that1 
to increase the number of his followers1
 it was only necessary for him to open  
his mouth and speak4 ,the two disciples 
already mentioned1 he called with an    
intention to keep near his person4      
,wishing1 however1 to repose after the  
fatigues of preaching and performing    
miracles1 he resolved to quit the cities
 and retire to the sea coast4 ,he       
conjectured1 that to make himself       
desirable1 and not exhaust his credit1  
it was prudent not to suffer himself to 
be seen too long or too near4 ,the      
people1 fond of hearing the wonderful   
sermons of ,jesus1 followed him4        
,pressed by the crowd1 he happily       
perceived two vessels2 and stepping into
 the one belonging to ,simon ,peter1 he 
harangued the eager multitude from it4  
,thus the boat of a fisherman became a  
pulpit1 whence the ,deity uttered his   
oracles4  ,the ,galileans were not rich1
 and1 accordingly1 the troop of ,jesus' 

adherents augmented4 ,we find his four  
first apostles laboring in their trade  
of fishermen during the abode of the    
messiah in the province4 ,the day on    
which he preached in the vessel had not 
been fortunate for them2 and the night  
preceding was not more favorable4       
,jesus1 who knew more than one          
profession1 thought that it behoved him 
to do something for people who shewed so
 much zeal4 ,when1 therefore1 he had    
finished his harangue and the crowd had 
retired1 he bade ,simon advance into the
 middle of the water and cast his net2  
the latter excused himself1 saying1 that
 he had already thrown several times    
without success4 ,but ,jesus            
insisted3--then said ,simon1 ,i will    
cast it on thy word3 on which1 by an    
astonishing miracle1 the net broke on   
all sides4 ,simon and ,andrew were      
unable to drag it out1 they called their
 comrades1 and drew out of it fishes    
enough to fill two ships4 ,our fishermen
 were so surprised1 that ,peter took his

 master for a wizard1 and prayed him to 
depart4 ,but ,jesus encouraged him1 and 
promised not to alarm them again1 seeing
 that henceforth he1 ,peter1 should no  
longer occupy himself with catching     
fish1 but men4  ,the messiah finding    
himself near ,cana1 judged it proper1 as
 he had once performed a miracle there1 
to enter that place4 ,an officer of     
,capernaum1 whose son was sick of a     
fever1 repaired to this village on      
purpose to try the remedies of ,jesus1  
of whose powers so many persons boasted4
 ,he entreated the physician to come to 
his house and cure his son2 but our     
,esculapius1 who did not chuse to       
operate before eyes too clear-sighted1  
got rid of this importunate person in   
such a way as not to incur any risk1 in 
case he should not succeed3 ,go1 said he
 to the officer1 thy son liveth4 ,the   
officer1 while approaching his own      
habitation1 learned that the fever1     
which perhaps was intermittent1 had left
 his son4 ,no more was necessary to cry 

up the miracle1 and convert all the     
family4  ,after having traversed the sea
 coast1 and made some stay at ,cana1    
,jesus repaired to ,capernaum1 where1 as
 has been related1 he fixed his         
residence4 ,the family of ,simon ,peter 
was established in that city2 and it was
 no doubt this reason1 joined with the  
bad treatment he had received from the  
inhabitants of ,nazareth1 that          
determined ,jesus to make choice of this
 residence4 ,it appears he was abhorred 
in the city where he had been educated2 
for as soon as he attempted to preach   
there1 the people wanted to throw him   
headlong4 ,at ,capernaum they listened  
to and admired him2 he harangued in the 
synagogue1 explained the scripture1 and 
showed that he himself was foretold in  
it4 ,in the midst of his sermon1 one    
,sabbath day1 they brought him a person 
possessed1 who perhaps in concert with  
him1 began to cry out with all his      
might2 ,let us alone3 what have we to do
 with thee1 thou ,jesus of ,nazareth8   

,art thou come to destroy us8 ,i know   
thee who thou art1 the holy one of ,god4
 ,the people waited in terror for the   
issue of this adventure1 when ,jesus1   
certain of his ground1 addressed himself
 not to the man1 but to the devil       
possessing him3 ,hold thy peace1 said   
he1 and come out of him4 ,immediately   
the malign spirit overturned the        
possessed1 threw him into horrible      
convulsions1 and disappeared without any
 person seeing him4  ,physicians1       
especially those acquainted with the    
eastern countries1 do not admit miracles
 of the nature of this one4 ,they know  
that the diseases considered            
possessions1 were owing solely to       
disorders produced in the brain by      
excessive heat4 ,these maladies were    
frequent in ,judea1 where superstition  
and ignorance impeded the progress of   
medicine and all useful knowledge4 ,out 
of that country we find but few         
possessed with devils4 ,this incredulity
 strips ,jesus of a great number of his 

miracles2 yet taking away the           
possessions1 there still remain enough4 
,most of the possessed among us are     
hypochondriacs1 maniacs1 hysterical     
women1 melancholy persons1 and those    
tormented with the vapors or spasms2 or 
they are impostors1 who1 to gain money1 
to interest the simple and to display   
the power of the priests1 consent to    
receive the devil1 that the clergy may  
have the glory of expelling him4 ,there 
is scarcely a possession now-a-days     
which could resist a flogging4          
,miracles are food for the imagination1 
but the body requires more substantial  
aliments3 the adventure which has been  
related had led to the hour of dinner4  
,on leaving the synagogue1 ,jesus was   
invited to the house of ,peter1 where   
every thing appears to have been        
prepared for performing a second        
miracle4 ,the mother-in-law of ,simon   
felt sick at the moment they had need of
 her in managing the kitchen4 ,jesus1   
who possessed the talent of readily     

curing the relatives of his disciples1  
took her by the hand1 and made her rise 
from her bed3 she arose completely      
cured1 cooked the victuals1 and was in a
 condition to serve the guests4  ,in the
 evening of the same day1 they brought  
,jesus all the sick in ,capernaum1 and  
all the possessed1 whom1 according to   
,matthew1 he cured by some words2 but1  
according to ,luke1 by laying hands on  
them4 ,several devils1 on coming out of 
the possessed1 had the impudence to     
betray the secret of the physician1 and 
openly declare1 that he was ,christ the 
,son of ,god4 ,this indiscretion        
displeased ,jesus1 who wished1 or       
feigned to wish1 to keep private4 ,luke 
tells us that he rebuked them1 and      
suffered them not to speak1 for they    
knew that he was ,christ4  ,according to
 theologists1 the ,son of ,god1 in all  
his conduct1 had in view only to lead   
the devil astray1 and conceal from him  
the mystery of redemption3 ,yet we see1 
that ,jesus was never able to deceive   

his cunning enemy4 ,in the whole gospel 
system1 the devil is more sly and       
powerful than both ,god the ,father and 
,god the ,son3 he is always successful  
in thwarting their designs1 and succeeds
 in reducing ,god the ,father to the    
dire necessity of making his dear ,son  
die in order to repair the evil which   
,satan had done to mankind4             
,christianity is real manichaeism1      
wherein every advantage is on the side  
of the bad principle1 who1 by the great 
number of his adherents renders nugatory
 all the purposes of the ,deity4 ,if the
 devil knew that ,jesus was the ,christ1
 such knowledge must have been posterior
 to his retirement into the desert1 for 
he then spoke to him in a style which   
intimated that he knew him not4 ,it is  
superfluous to examine at what time the 
devil acquired this knowledge2 but it is
 manifest that he had it only by divine 
permission4 ,now ,god1 by granting to   
the devil the knowledge of his ,son1    
either wished1 or did not wish1 that he 

should speak of it4 ,if he wished it1   
,jesus did wrong in opposing it3 if he  
did not wish it1 how was the devil able 
to act contrary to the divine will8     
,jesus carefully concealed his quality1 
the knowledge of which could alone      
operate salvation4 ,but1 in this case1  
the devil had the greatest interest to  
conceal it2 yet in opposition to this   
interest1 and the will of the ,almighty1
 the devil made known the quality of    
,jesus4 ,besides1 if ,jesus did not wish
 that the devil should discover him1 why
 delay imposing silence on him until    
after he had spoken8  ,the conduct of   
the ,messiah in these particulars has   
made it to be believed1 that not daring 
to endanger himself by publicly assuming
 the quality of ,christ1 or ,son of     
,god1 he was not displeased with the    
devils for divulging his secret1 and    
sparing him the trouble of speaking4 ,it
 was1 moreover1 eliciting a very        
important confession out of the mouth of
 an enemy4  ,jesus was not ignorant1    

that to retain his influence over the   
minds of men1 it was necessary to       
prevent satiety4 ,accordingly1 on the   
day following that on which so many     
miracles had been wrought in ,capernaum1
 he departed before day-break1 and      
withdrew into a desert4 ,all legislators
 have loved retirement4 ,it is there    
they have had divine inspirations1 and  
it is on emerging from these mysterious 
asylums1 they have performed miracles   
calculated to deceive the vulgar4       
,solitary reflection is at times        
necessary to ascertain the state of our 
affairs4  ,meanwhile the disciples of   
,jesus1 notwithstanding his flight1 did 
not lose sight of him2 they repaired to 
him at the moment he wished to be alone1
 and informed him that they had been    
every where in search of him4 ,in fact1 
there were still many sick and possessed
 in the country2 yet this consideration 
did not induce ,jesus to return to      
,capernaum2 on which account many       
resorted to him in his retreat4 ,to get 

rid of them1 he again traversed         
,galilee1 where he cured the sick and   
cast out devils4 ,this is all the gospel
 mentions4 ,it appears he tarried little
 on his road1 while he preached as he   
went along2 for in a short time he had  
advanced a considerable way on the shore
 of the sea of ,galilee4 ,as the        
multitude augmented by idle and curious 
people from the villages1 our preacher1 
finding himself pressed by the crowd1   
gave orders to his disciples to convey  
him to the other side1 on the territory 
of the ,gerasenes4  ,when he had landed1
 a doctor of the law offered to become  
his follower3 but ,jesus readily        
conceived that a doctor would not suit  
him4 ,he would have cut a poor figure in
 a company composed of fishermen and    
clowns1 such as those of whom the       
messiah had formed his court4 ,he gave  
the doctor to understand1 that he would 
repent of this step2 that this kind of  
life would not agree with him3 the son  
of man1 said he to the doctor1 hath no  

where to lay his head4  ,jesus would not
 permit his disciples to ramble too far 
in the territory of the ,gerasenes2 for 
amongst them were some of that country4 
,one asked permission to go and perform 
the last duties to his father2--another1
 to embrace his family2 but ,jesus      
harshly refused their requests4 ,the    
first received for answer1 let the dead 
bury their dead4 ,the other1 whoever    
having put his hand to the plough1 and  
looketh back1 is not fit for the kingdom
 of heaven4 ,the incredulous think they 
perceive in these answers a proof of the
 rough habits1 and repulsive and        
despotic spirit of ,jesus1 who1 for the 
kingdom of heaven1 obliged his disciples
 to neglect the most sacred duties of   
morality4 ,but ,christians1 docile to   
the lessons of their divine master1     
which they dare not examine1 have made  
perfection consist in a total           
abandonment of those objects which      
nature has rendered dearest to man4     
,christianity seems intended only to    

create discord1 detach men from every   
thing on earth1 and break the ties which
 ought to unite them4 ,there is1        
according to ,jesus1 but one thing      
needful2 namely1 to be attached to him  
exclusively3 a maxim very useful in     
meriting heaven1 but calculated to      
destroy every society on the earth4     
,after our missionary had spent some    
time in the country of the ,gerasenes1  
one day towards the evening he passed   
over to the other side of the lake1     
having previously dismissed the people1 
who had come that day on purpose to hear
 him2 but he did not preach4 ,fatigued1 
he fell asleep on the passage1 whilst a 
furious tempest overtook the ship4 ,his 
affrighted disciples1 impressed with the
 idea of their master being more        
powerful when awake than when asleep1   
acquainted him with the danger4 ,this   
drew on them reproaches for their want  
of faith1 which1 probably1 gave time for
 the tempest to subside4 ,then ,jesus1  
in a tone of authority1 commanded the   

sea to be still1 and immediately the    
order was obeyed4 ,in spite of this     
prodigy1 the faith of the disciples was 
for a long time wavering4 ,jesus after  
this returned to the country of the     
,gerasenes1 without having either       
preached or performed miracles on the   
other side4     ,,chapter ,,vii4        
,,jesus ,,cures ,,two ,,persons         
,,possessed ,,with ,,devils--,,miracle  
,,of ,,the ,,swine--,,wonders           
,,performed ,,by ,,jesus ,,till ,,the   
,,end ,,of ,,the ,,first ,,year ,,of    
,,his ,,mission4   ,landed again in the 
country of the ,gerasenes1 ,jesus took a
 route by which no person had for some  
time passed4 ,two demoniacs1 inhabiting 
the tombs in the neighborhood1 rendered 
this passage dangerous4 ,scarcely had   
,jesus shown himself1 when these madmen 
ran to meet him4 ,as he was a           
connoisseur in matters of possession1 he
 no sooner perceived them than he began 
to exorcise1 to make the unclean spirits
 come out of them4 ,notwithstanding his 

divine skill1 he acquitted himself very 
imperfectly on this occasion4 ,it was   
not with one devil1 but with a legion of
 devils he had to deal4 ,one of them1   
amused at the mistake of the son of ,god
 who asked him his name1 answered1 ,i am
 called ,legion4 ,on this ,jesus changed
 his batteries1 and was proceeding to   
dislodge them1 when the devils1         
obstinate in continuing in the country1 
or very little desirous of returning to 
hell1 proposed a capitulation4 ,one of  
the articles stipulated1 that on leaving
 the body of the possessed1 they should 
enter into a herd of swine1 which fed   
close by on the declivity of a hill4    
,jesus readily agreed1 for once1 to     
grant something on the prayer of the    
devils1 and not to use his authority    
rigorously4 ,neither he nor his         
disciples1 as good ,jews1 ate pork3 he  
supposed1 therefore1 that swine1        
prohibited by the law1 might well serve 
for a retreat to devils4 ,he consented  
to the treaty2 the demons came out of   

their former residence to enter into the
 swine1 who1 feeling ,satan within them1
 were thrown into commotion1 or1        
perhaps1 were terrified--a very natural 
thing2 and having precipitated          
themselves into the sea1 were drowned to
 the number of about two thousand4 ,if a
 legion of devils is composed of the    
same number as a ,roman legion1 we must 
believe that there were six thousand    
devils4 ,this evidently makes three     
devils for each hog1 a sufficient number
 to induce them to commit suicide4      
,some grave authors assure us1 that     
,jesus never laughed1 nor even smiled2  
yet it is very difficult to believe1    
that the son of ,god could preserve his 
gravity after performing such a trick4  
,but it did not appear so humorous to   
the herdsmen1 who found this fine       
miracle so little pleasant that they    
complained of it to their employers1 and
 ran to the city2 where the affair was  
no sooner known than the proprietors of 
the swine1 far from being converted1    

bewailed a prodigy so ruinous to them1  
and maintained that it was a matter of  
public concern4 ,the ,gerasenes went in 
a body to oppose the entry of ,jesus    
into their city1 and1 from inability to 
punish1 besought him to leave their     
territory as soon as possible4 ,such was
 the effect which the miracle of sending
 devils into the swine produced4  ,this 
memorable transaction must be true1 for 
it is attested by three evangelists1    
who1 however1 vary in some              
circumstances4 ,matthew informs us1 that
 the possessed were two in number2 ,mark
 and ,luke maintain that there was only 
one2 but so furious1 according to ,mark1
 that they could not bind him even with 
fetters4 ,luke is certain that the devil
 frequently carried him into the        
deserts2 ,mark affirms that he spent his
 days and nights in the tombs1 and on   
the neighboring mountains4 ,on this     
occasion ,jesus was also proclaimed     
,christ by the devil4 ,as he was among  
his friends1 or disciples1 he did not   

enjoin silence to ,satan4 ,the          
acknowledgement was useful when given in
 private1 and could not hurt him2 but   
there were occasions on which it might  
do harm if made in public4 ,it was      
necessary1 therefore1 our puissant      
miracle-worker should be circumspect1   
especially when he did not perceive     
himself sufficiently supported4         
,unbelievers discover important errors1 
and evident marks of falsehood in the   
narrative1 which also appears           
ridiculous1 #ast1 ,they are surprised to
 see devils1 who1 according to          
,christians1 are condemned to eternal   
torments in hell1 leaving it to take    
possession of the inhabitants of this   
earth4 #b;dly1 ,they are astonished at  
seeing the devils address prayers to the
 son of ,god4 ,it is an article of      
,christian faith1 that to pray1 grace is
 requisite2 that the damned cannot pray2
 and much more1 that this grace must be 
denied to the chief of the damned4      
#c;dly1 ,the incredulous are offended at

 a miracle by which ,jesus benefitted   
two persons possessed with devils1 at   
the expense of the proprietors of two   
thousand swine1 to whom this miracle    
cost at least eighteen thousand         
dollars2--a transaction not quite       
agreeable to the rules of equity4       
#dthly1 ,it cannot be conceived how     
,jews1 whom their law inspired with     
horror towards swine1 could have herds  
of these animals among them1 and which  
they could not even touch without being 
defiled2 and1 #ethly1 ,it is indecorous 
to make the son of ,god enter into a    
compromise with devils2 ridiculous to   
make them enter into swine2 and unjust  
to make them enter into and destroy     
other people's property4  ,we are not   
informed what became of these devils    
after being precipitated into the sea4  
,it is not unreasonable to believe1     
that1 in coming out of the swine1 they  
entered into the ,jews1 to procure the  
saviour the pleasure of casting them out
 again2 for the curing of people        

possessed was1 of all miracles1 that in 
which he was most expert4  ,the         
possessed person cured by ,jesus1       
penetrated with gratitude to his        
physician1 with whom he was perhaps     
previously acquainted1 wanted to follow 
,jesus1 according to ,mark2 but it was  
foreseen that his testimony might become
 suspicious if he put himself in the    
train of the messiah1 who1 therefore1   
chose rather that he should repair to   
his family1 and announce the mercies he 
had received from the ,lord4 ,he was a  
native of ,decapolis1 a country1 as we  
have seen1 very much disposed to        
credulity4 ,accordingly1 as soon as the 
man had there recounted this adventure1 
every body was transported with         
admiration4 ,we are1 however1 astonished
 at the difference between these folks1 
so remarkable for a docile faith1 and   
the ,gerasenes3--the inhabitants of     
,decapolis believe all without seeing   
any thing1 whilst the ,gerasenes1 eye   
witnesses of the prodigy1 are not moved 

by it1 and uncivilly refuse ,jesus      
admittance into their city4 ,we commonly
 find in the gospel1 that to witness a  
miracle is a very strong reason for not 
believing it4  ,the hardness of heart   
and unbelief of the ,gerasenes1 and     
particularly the request they made to   
the messiah not to come among them1     
obliged him to re-embark with his       
disciples and return to ,galilee1 where 
he was very kindly received4 ,it is not1
 however1 related whether he preached   
and performed miracles2 even the time he
 continued there is not accurately      
known4--,the friends of ,jesus1 and the 
relations of his disciples and mother1  
received1 it appears1 from time to time1
 intelligence of his wonders1 which they
 took care to circulate2 and1 on        
learning that they wanted him1 he       
returned to ,capernaum4 ,scarcely was   
his arrival known1 when the people1     
always fond of sermons and miracles1    
resorted to him in crowds4 ,neither his 
house nor the space before the door     

could contain the multitude2 he required
 the voice of a ,stentor to make himself
 heard at the extremities of the crowd2 
but the idlers1 content with following  
him without knowing why1 were very      
little troubled about understanding his 
orations4  ,the ,pharisees1 to whom     
,jesus' success began to give umbrage1  
resolved to satisfy themselves1 if there
 was any reality in what was reported of
 him4 ,some doctors of ,gallilee1 who   
were not of the number of our           
missionary's admirers1 repaired to him4 
,they heard him preach1 and came from   
his sermons more possessed against him3 
even his miracles could not convert     
them1 though1 according to ,luke1 the   
power of the ,lord was displayed in     
their presence in the cure of the sick4 
,but1 as has been remarked1 the miracles
 of the messiah were calculated to      
convince those only who did not see     
them4 ,thus it is1 that these miracles  
are believed at present by people who   
would not credit those performed in     

their presence4  ,four men who carried a
 paralytic on his bed1 unable to        
penetrate through the crowd1 were       
advised to ascend with the burden to the
 roof of the house1 and1 making an      
opening there1 to let down the sick man 
in his bed1 and lay him at the          
physician's feet4 ,the idea appeared    
ingenious and new to the latter1 and    
indicated first rate faith2 accordingly1
 addressing the sick man1 he said1 ,my  
son1 be of good courage1 thy sins are   
forgiven thee4 ,this absolution or      
remission1 was pronounced so as to be   
heard by the emissary doctors1 who were 
highly offended at it4 ,jesus1 divining 
their dispositions1 addressed his       
discourse to them--,why do you suffer   
wicked thoughts to enter into your      
hearts8 which is easier to say to this  
paralytic1 thy sins are forgiven thee2  
or to say to him1 ,arise1 take up thy   
bed and walk4 ,this question1 boldly    
proposed in the midst of a fanatical    
people1 the sport of prejudice1         

embarrassed the doctors1 who did not    
think proper to reply4 ,jesus1 profiting
 by their embarrassment1 said to the    
paralytic1 ,arise1 take up thy bed1 and 
go into thine house4 ,this prodigy      
impressed their minds with terror3 it   
especially made our doctors1 the spies1 
tremble1 while the people exclaimed1    
,never have we seen before anything so  
wonderful4 ,but if the doctors were     
afraid1 they were not converted2 and    
notwithstanding the cure of the         
paralytic1 they had no faith in the     
absolution granted by ,jesus4 ,it may1  
therefore1 be supposed1 that this       
miracle was attended with circumstances 
which rendered it suspicious3 perhaps   
the gospel will enable us to discover   
them4  ,when the same fact is           
differently related by different        
historians equal in authority1 we are   
constrained to doubt it2 or1 at least1  
are entitled to deny that it happened in
 the manner supposed4 ,this principle of
 criticism must apply to the narratives 

of the gospel writers1 as well as to    
those of others4 ,now1 ,matthew merely  
tells us1 that a paralytic was presented
 to ,jesus1 who cured him1 without      
relating the wonderful circumstance of  
the roof being perforated1 and the other
 ornaments with which ,mark and ,luke   
embellished their narratives4 ,thus1    
either we are in the right in suspending
 our belief as to this fact1 or we may  
believe that it has not occurred in the 
manner related by the two last          
evangelists4 ,again1 ,mark and ,luke1   
who say that the sick man was elevated  
on his bed to the top of the house1     
having previously informed us the crowd 
was so great that the bearers of the    
diseased were unable to force their way1
 suppose1 without expressing it in      
words1 another very great miracle4 ,they
 make the carriers penetrate through the
 crowd4 ,arrived1 we know not how1 at   
the foot of the wall1 they could not    
singly1 and far less loaded with the    
sick man1 climb up to the roof of the   

house4 ,luke says they made an opening  
through it4 ,in that case the people    
must have perceived them1 particularly1 
those in the inside of the house4       
,during the silent attention they gave  
to the discourse of ,jesus1 they must   
have heard the noise made by the men in 
raising up a bed to the roof1 and       
afterwards uncovering1 or making a hole 
in it1 through which to convey the sick 
man4 ,this operation became more        
difficult if the roof1 instead of being 
covered with tiles1 was flat4 ,now1 all 
the houses of the ,jews and orientals   
were1 and still are1 constructed in this
 manner4 ,these difficulties furnish    
sufficient motives for doubting this    
grand miracle4 ,but it will become more 
probable1 if we suppose that the sick   
man was already in the house with       
,jesus2 or that things being previously 
arranged1 they let down by a trap-door  
made on purpose1 a paralytic most       
certain of being cured on command of the
 messiah4 ,this transaction might appear

 marvellous to a populace disposed to   
see prodigies every where2 but it made  
less impression on the doctors1 who had 
come purposely to scrutinize the conduct
 of our adventurer4 ,they conjectured1  
that it was dangerous to contradict weak
 fanatics1 though they did not credit   
the miracle they had witnessed4  ,some  
days thereafter ,jesus preached along   
the sea coast1 and passing near the     
custom-house1 perceived ,matthew1 one of
 the officers1 who sat there4 ,his mien 
pleased the messiah1 on whose invitation
 the subaltern financier quitted his    
post1 and followed him1 after having    
given a great entertainment to ,jesus   
and his party4 ,matthew introduced his  
new master to publicans1 and toll       
collectors1 his brethren in trade1 and  
others of similar repute4 ,the          
,pharisees and doctors1 who watched our 
missionary1 came to ,matthew's house to 
be assured of the fact4 ,jesus1 occupied
 with gratifying his appetite1 did not  
at first observe that he was watched4   

,some words1 however1 spoken rather     
loudly1 attracted his attention3 it was 
the doctors who reproached the disciples
 with eating and drinking with persons  
of doubtful reputation4 ,how1 probably  
said they to them1 how dares your       
master1 who constantly preaches up      
virtue1 sobriety1 and repentance1 show  
himself publicly in such bad company8   
,how can he associate with knaves1      
monopolizers1 and men whom their        
extortions render odious to the nation8 
,why does he have in his train women of 
bad lives1 such as ,susan and ,jane1 who
 accompany him continually8 ,the        
disciples1 attacked in this manner1 knew
 not how to reply2 but ,jesus1 without  
being disconcerted1 answered with a     
proverb3--,it is not the whole1 said he1
 but the sick who have need of a        
physician4 ,after this he cited a       
passage of scripture1 which cannot now  
be found--,learn1 said he1 the truth of 
this saying1 ,i love mercy better than  
sacrifice4 ,it appears the doctors did  

not consider themselves defeated1 and   
,jesus was so transported with zeal as  
to say1 that he came not to call the    
righteous but sinners to repentance4 ,in
 that case1 why did he reject the       
,pharisees and doctors1 whom he called  
whitened sepulchres8 ,if the adversaries
 of ,jesus were not righteous1 they were
 sinners1 whom he was come to call to   
repentance2 consequently he ought not to
 have renounced them4  ,whatever reason 
,jesus might have to palliate or justify
 his conduct1 it was very soon published
 abroad4 ,john ,baptist's disciples who 
heard it1 and whom1 perhaps1 jealously  
excited1 came in search of him1 and     
asked the reason of the difference in   
the life he and his disciples led1 and  
that which they themselves followed4 ,we
 fast1 7said they7 continually1 whilst  
you and your followers enjoy good cheer4
 ,we practise austerities1 and live in  
retirement1 whilst you run about and    
frequently keep company with persons of 
evil repute1 c4 ,the reproach was       

embarrassing1 but ,jesus contrived to   
evade it4 ,the friends of the           
bridegroom1 7replied he17 ought neither 
to fast1 nor live in sorrow whilst they 
have the bridegroom with them2 a time   
will come when the bridegroom shall be  
taken away from them2 and then they     
shall fast4 ,no man putteth a piece of  
new cloth on an old garment--neither do 
men put new wine into old bottles3 and  
no person asks for new wine when he can 
get old1 for he finds the old better4   
,john's disciples had no reply to       
reasons so sublime and convincing4 ,the 
enigmatical symbol1 or pompous bombast1 
by which ,jesus got out of this affair1 
is closely imitated by our modern       
preachers1 who find it very proper      
argument to shut the mouths of those who
 are not inclined to dispute eternally  
about what they do not understand4      
,this incident demonstrates1 that the   
,pharisees and doctors were not the only
 persons who were offended with ,jesus1 
and the company he kept4 ,in the        

epistles1 ascribed to ,barnabas1 that   
apostle says expressly1 that the        
apostles1 whom the ,lord chose1 were    
very wicked men1 and above all sinners  
iniquitous4 ,the fact is also confirmed 
in ,matthew ix41 ,mark ii4 and ,luke v4 
,this evidently decides the cause in    
favour of the partizans of lax morality1
 and furnishes them with victorious arms
 against the modern puritans4 ,we may   
also remark1 that the actions and       
expressions of ,jesus on this occasion1 
authorise the conduct and language of   
our holy guides1 our lords the bishops1 
who when reproached with their          
iniquitous behaviour1 shut our mouths by
 averring1 that we ought to do as they  
tell us1 and not what they do6  ,it     
cannot be denied1 that the discrepancy  
which existed between the conduct of    
,jesus and the principles of the ,jews1 
or even in his own doctrine1 required   
extraordinary miracles to prove his     
mission4 ,he was not ignorant of this2  
prodigies1 therefore1 were commonly the 

strongest of his arguments2 these were  
well calculated to gain the vulgar1 who 
never value themselves on reasoning1 but
 are ready to applaud the man who       
exhibits wonders1 and acquires the      
secret of pleasing their fancy4  ,after 
,jesus had silenced ,john's disciples1  
the chief of a synagogue waited on him1 
and besought him to come and lay hands  
on his daughter1 twelve years old1 who  
was dead1 according to ,matthew1 but who
 was only very sick1 according to ,mark 
and ,luke2 a difference which seems to  
merit some attention4 ,jesus complied   
with the invitation2 and whilst         
proceeding to the house overheated      
himself so much that a virtue went out  
of him sufficient to cure all who were  
in its atmosphere4 ,we shall not form   
conjectures on the nature of this virtue
 or divine transpiration4 ,we shall only
 remark1 that it was so potent as       
instantaneously to cure a woman         
afflicted for twelve years with an issue
 of blood2 a disease which1 probably1   

the spectators had not better verified  
than its cure4 ,on this occasion1 ,jesus
 perceiving that there had gone out of  
him a considerable portion of virtue1   
turned towards the afflicted female1    
whom his disciples had rudely pushed    
back1 and seeing her prostrate at his   
feet1 ,daughter1 7said he7 be of good   
cheer1 thy faith hath made thee whole4  
,the poor woman1 whom the disciples had 
intimidated1 charmed with being relieved
 from her fright in so easy a manner1   
confessed openly she was cured4  ,when  
our miracle performer was arrived at the
 house of ,jairus1 the chief of the     
synagogue1 it was announced to the      
latter that his daughter had expired1   
and that the house was full of          
minstrels1 who were performing a dirge  
or mournful concert according to the    
custom of the country4 ,jesus1 who on   
the way had got the father of the girl  
to prattle1 was not disconcerted at the 
news4 ,he began with making every body  
retire1 and then by virtue of some words

 raised her from the dead4  ,in         
historical matters we must prefer two   
writers who agree1 to a third who       
contradicts them4 ,luke and ,mark affirm
 that the damsel was dead2 but here     
unfortunately it is the hero himself who
 weakens his victory4 ,on their saying  
that she was dead1 he affirmed that she 
was only asleep4 ,there are girls who at
 twelve years of age are subject to such
 swoons4 ,on the other hand1 the father 
of the damsel appears to have acquainted
 the physician with the condition of his
 child2 and he1 more in the secret than 
others1 did not believe the intelligence
 of her death4 ,he entered alone into   
her chamber1 well assured of her        
recovery if she was only in a swoon3 if 
he had found her dead1 there is every   
reason to believe1 he would have        
returned1 and told the father that he   
had been called too late1 and regreted  
the accident4  ,jesus did not wish that 
this miracle should be published2 he    
forbade the father and mother of the    

damsel to tell what had happened4 ,our  
charlatan was not solicitous to divulge 
an affair which might increase the      
indignation of the ,jews of ,jerusalem1 
whither he was soon to repair to        
celebrate the passover4 ,the account of 
this miracle seems to evince that the   
,son of ,god had acquired some          
smattering of medicine in ,egypt4 ,it   
appears that he was versant in the      
spasmodic diseases of women2 and no more
 was wanting to induce the vulgar to    
regard him as a sorcerer1 or performer  
of miracles4  ,once in the way of       
performing wonders1 ,jesus did not rest 
satisfied with one merely4 ,according to
 ,matthew1 7who alone relates the facts 
we are now to notice17 two blind men who
 followed him began to exclaim1 ,son of 
,david1 have mercy on us4 ,though       
,jesus1 in his quality of ,god1 knew the
 most secret thoughts of men1 he chose  
to be viva voce assured of the          
disposition of the sick with whom he had
 intercourse4 ,he asked1 if they had    

much faith1 or if they sincerely        
believed that he was able to do what    
they requested of him4 ,our blind folks 
answered in the affirmative2 then       
touching their eyes1 ,be it unto you1   
said he1 according to your faith1 and   
instantly they received their sight4    
,we know not how to reconcile such      
lively faith in two blind men1 with     
their disobedience4 ,their physician1   
who might have good reasons for not     
being known1 expressly forbade them to  
speak of their cure2 they1 however1     
spread it instantly through the country4
 ,the silence of those who were         
witnesses of this great miracle1 is not 
more astonishing than the indiscretion  
of the blind men who were the objects of
 it4 ,a fact still more miraculous is   
the obduracy of the ,jews1 who were so  
stubborn1 that the many wonders         
performed one after another and on the  
same day1 were not able to convince     
them4 ,jesus1 far from being            
discouraged1 determined still to exhibit

 specimens of his power4 ,a dumb man1   
possessed with a devil1 being presented 
to him1 he expelled the demon and the   
dumb began to speak4 ,at sight of this  
miracle1 the people1 as usual1 were in  
extasy1 whilst the pharisees and        
doctors1 who had also exorcists among   
them1 saw nothing surprising in it3 they
 pretended that their exorcists         
performed their conjurations in the name
 of ,god1 whilst ,jesus operated in the 
name of the devil4 ,thus they accused   
,jesus of casting out the devil by the  
devil1 which was indeed a contradiction4
 ,but this did not prove the divinity of
 ,jesus2 it proved only that the        
,pharisees were capable of talking      
nonsense and contradicting themselves1  
like all superstitious and credulous    
people4 ,when theologists dispute1 we   
soon discover that the wranglers on both
 sides speak nonsense2 and1 by          
contradicting themselves1 impugn their  
own authority4     ,,chapter ,,viii4    
,,of ,,what ,,jesus ,,did ,,at          

,,jerusalem ,,during ,,the ,,second     
,,passover ,,in ,,his ,,mission4   ,our 
doctor having closed the first year of  
his mission in a glorious manner1 he    
proceeded to ,jerusalem1 to try his     
fortune1 and gather the fruits of his   
labour1 or form a party in the capital1 
after having acquired adherents in the  
country4 ,there was reason to expect    
that the wonders which he had performed 
the year preceding in ,galilee1 would   
have a powerful effect on the populace  
of ,jerusalem2 but they produced        
consequences opposite to those which    
,jesus had hoped for4 ,it might be said 
that the infernal legion which he had   
sent into the swine of the ,gerasenes1  
had returned and fixed their abode in   
the heads of the inhabitants of the     
country4 ,the gospel shows in the former
 an incredible hardness of heart4 ,in   
vain ,jesus wrought before their eyes a 
multitude of prodigies1 calculated to   
confirm the wonders related to them2 in 
vain did he employ his divine rhetoric  

to demonstrate the divinity of his      
mission4 ,his efforts served only to    
increase the anger of his enemies1 and  
induce them to devise means to punish   
him whom they persisted in regarding as 
a juggler1 a charlatan1 and a dangerous 
impostor4  ,it is true1 the adversaries 
of ,jesus surprised him sometimes at    
fault--,they reproached him with        
violating the ordinances of a law       
venerated by them as sacred1 and from   
which he had promised never to depart4  
,they regarded these violations as a    
proof of heresy1 and it did not enter   
their heads that a ,god could raise     
himself above ordinary rules1 and       
possess the right of changing every     
thing4 ,they were ,jews1 and therefore  
obstinately attached to their           
ordinances2 and they did not conceive   
how a true messenger of ,god could allow
 himself to trample under foot1 what    
they were accustomed to regard as sacred
 and agreeable to ,deity4  ,so many     
obstacles did not discourage ,jesus4 ,he

 determined to succeed at any price2 and
 though he might have foreseen what     
would be the issue of his enterprise1 he
 was sensible he must conquer or die2   
that fortune favours only the brave2 and
 that it was necessary to play an       
illustrious part1 or tamely consent to  
languish in misery in the solitude of   
some obscure village in ,galilee4  ,on  
arriving at ,jerusalem1 he devoted his  
attention to sick paupers--the rich had 
their own physicians4 ,at this time     
there was in the city1 and near the     
sheep port1 a fountain1 or pool1 of     
which1 with the exception of the gospel1
 no historian has ever spoken1 though1  
it well deserved to be transmitted to   
posterity4 ,it was a vast edifice1      
surrounded with five magnificent        
galleries1 in the centre of which was a 
sheet of water1 that possessed admirable
 properties2 but these were known only  
to indigent people and mendicants2 and  
they knew them1 doubtless1 by a         
particular revelation4 ,under these     

galleries were soon languishing a great 
number of sick persons1 who patiently   
waited for a miracle4 ,god1 on giving to
 the water of this pool the faculty of  
curing all diseases1 had annexed a      
condition to it--,the first who could   
plunge therein after an angel had       
troubled it1 which happened only at a   
certain time1 could alone obtain the    
benefit of a cure4 ,the chief magistrate
 of ,jerusalem1 who probably knew       
nothing of the existence of this        
extraordinary fountain1 had not         
established any regulation respecting   
it4 ,the most forward and agile1 and    
such as had friends always in readiness 
to lead them to the water when it was   
troubled1 succeeded often in obtaining  
deliverance from their diseases4  ,a    
paralytic had been there for            
thirty-eight years1 without any one     
having had the charity to lend him a    
helping hand in descending to the       
fountain4 ,jesus1 who beheld him lying1 
asked him if he wanted to be cured8     

,yes1 answered the sick man1 but ,i have
 nobody to put me into the water when it
 is troubled4 ,that signifies nothing1  
7replied ,jesus17 ,arise1 take up thy   
bed and walk4 ,this wretched man1       
perhaps not unlike many of our beggars1 
who1 to soften the public1 feigned      
diseases1 and who on this occasion might
 be gained over by some trifle to be    
accessary to the farce2 this miserable1 
we say1 did not leave him to speak      
twice--on the order of ,jesus he took up
 his couch and departed4  ,this cure was
 performed on the ,sabbath4 ,our        
paralytic having been met by a man of   
the law1 the latter reprimanded him for 
violating the ordinances of religion by 
carrying his bed4 ,the transgressor had 
no other excuse to give1 but1 that he   
who had cured him had commanded him so  
to do4 ,he was then questioned about the
 person who had given this order1 but he
 knew nothing of him4 ,jesus had not    
said who he was2 and1 as if the act had 
been very trifling1 the person on whom  

the miracle was performed had not       
informed himself of the author of it4   
,here the matter ended2 but ,jesus      
having some time after met the          
paralytic1 made himself known to him1   
and then the latter informed the ,jews  
of the name of his physician4 ,the      
priests were so irritated1 that from    
this instant they formed the design of  
putting ,jesus to death1 because1       
according to ,john1 he had done these   
things on the ,sabbath day4  ,it is not 
probable that this was the true cause of
 the rage of the ,jews4 ,however        
scrupulous we suppose them1 it is       
presumed that their physicians did not  
think themselves obliged to refuse      
medicines to the sick on the ,sabbath4  
,jesus1 not content with curing1 also   
authorised those he cured to violate the
 ,sabbath by carrying their bed1 which  
was a servile work2 or rather these     
unbelievers regarded the miracles of the
 saviour as mere delusions1 impostures1 
tricks of dexterity1 and himself as a   

cheat who might excite disturbances4    
,jesus having learned that the ,jews    
were ill disposed towards him1 attempted
 to justify himself4 ,he made a speech  
to prove that he was the ,son of ,god1  
and that his ,father authorised him not 
to observe the ,sabbath4 ,but he took   
care not to explain himself very        
distinctly on this filiation2 and by his
 ambiguous language1 insinuated the     
eternity of his father1 though he did   
not call him ,god4 ,yet the ,jews       
perceiving his object1 were very much   
offended at this pretension4 ,he        
changed1 therefore1 his ground1 and     
threw himself on the necessity by which 
he acted4 ,verily1 said he to them1 the 
,son does nothing of himself1 but what  
he seeth the ,father do4 ,the ,father1  
who loves him1 sheweth him all things   
that he himself doeth1 and he will show 
him greater works than these4 ,by these 
expressions1 ,jesus seems to overthrow  
his own eternity and infinite knowledge2
 for he announces himself as susceptible

 of learning something1 or as the pupil 
of the ,divinity4  ,to impress the minds
 of these unbelievers1 whom his         
enigmatical language could not convince1
 he declared that henceforth the ,father
 would no longer interfere in judging   
men1 but had devolved that care on his  
,son4 ,this1 however1 had no effect2 as 
the ,jews expected a great judge1 they  
were not yet staggered4 ,jesus1 like our
 modern teachers1 for want of better    
arguments proceeded to intimidate his   
audience1 knowing well that fear        
prevents the exercise of reason4 ,he    
gave them to understand1 that the end of
 the world was near1 which ought to make
 them tremble4  ,the testimony of ,john 
,baptist1 had facilitated the first     
successes of ,jesus2 but the difference 
remarked between his conduct and that of
 the forerunner1 destroyed the force of 
this testimony4 ,our orator pretended to
 have no need of it and endeavored to   
weaken its value4 ,he was a burning and 
a shining light to them2 you were       

willing for a season to rejoice in his  
light2 ,i have a greater witness than   
his4 ,here he appealed to his own works1
 which he maintained to be infallible   
proofs of his divine mission4 ,he       
undoubtedly forgot at this moment1 that 
he spoke to people who regarded his     
marvellous deeds as delusions and       
impostures4 ,his works were precisely   
the thing which it was necessary to     
prove even to the ,jews1 who saw them   
performed6 ,this manner of reasoning has
 been since adopted with success by     
,christian doctors1 who1 when doubts or 
objections are advanced against the     
mission of ,jesus1 appeal to his        
miraculous works1 which were at all     
times incapable of convincing the very  
persons whom they tell us had been      
witnesses of them4  ,among the proofs   
employed by ,jesus to exalt his mission1
 he advanced one1 the tendency of which 
is to destroy the mission of ,moses1 and
 cause him to be regarded as an         
impostor4 ,he told them1 ,you have never

 heard the voice of my ,father2 whilst  
it was on the voice of this ,father1 of 
whom ,moses was the interpreter1 that   
the law of the ,jews was founded4 ,after
 having annihilated the authority of    
scripture1 our orator wished to prop his
 mission on the same scriptures1 by     
which he pretended he was announced4    
,fear says he1 the ,father2 ,i will not 
be the person who will accuse you before
 him2 it will be ,moses1 in whom you    
trust1 because you believe not in him2  
for if you believed in him1 you would   
also believe in me4 ,i am come in the   
name of the ,father1 and you pay no     
attention to it2 another will come in   
his own name1 and you will believe in   
him4  ,the hearers of this sermon were  
not moved by it3 they considered it     
unconnected1 contradictory1 and         
blasphemous2 the fear of seeing the end 
of the world arrive1 did not hinder them
 from perceiving the want of just       
inference in the orator1 who took away  
from his ,father1 and restored to him   

the quality of judge of men1 which he   
had at first appropriated to himself4   
,besides1 it would appear the ,jews were
 of good courage as to this end of the  
world1 which events had so often belied4
 ,their posterity1 who beheld the world 
subsisting after this1 notwithstanding  
the express prediction of ,jesus and his
 disciples1 have founded their          
repugnance for his doctrine1 among other
 things1 on this want of accomplishment4
 ,from his sublime discourse the        
incredulous conclude1 that it is very   
difficult for an imposter to speak long 
without contradicting and exposing      
himself4  ,the inefficacy of this       
harangue convinced ,jesus that it was in
 vain to rely on miracles1 in order to  
draw over the ,jews of ,jerusalem4 ,he  
forbore to perform them1 though the     
festival of the passover might furnish  
him with a favourable opportunity4 ,it  
appears he was completely disgusted with
 the incredulity of these wretches1 who 
showed themselves no way disposed to    

witness the great things which he had   
exhibited with success to the           
inhabitants of ,galilee4 ,to make       
miracles pass in a capital1 there must  
be a greater share of credulity than in 
the country4 ,besides1 if the populace  
are well disposed even in large cities1 
the magistrates and better informed     
oppose a bulwark to imposition4 ,the    
same thing happened to ,jesus in        
,jerusalem4 ,perhaps he despaired of the
 salvation of these infidels1 for during
 the short time he sojourned in that    
city1 he kept no measures with them1 but
 loaded them with abusive language4 ,it 
does not appear1 however1 that this plan
 gained proselytes1 though since that   
time his disciples and the priests have 
frequently endeavored to succeed by     
similar means1 and even by coercion4    
,in this journey1 ,jesus had no         
success--his disciples did not meet with
 good cheer2 to sustain life they were  
reduced to the necessity of taking a    
little corn in the environs of the city2

 and were caught in this occupation on  
the ,sabbath day4 ,complaint was made to
 their master2 but no satisfaction could
 be obtained4 ,he replied to the        
,pharisees1 by comparing what his       
disciples had done with the conduct of  
,david1 who1 on an emergency1 ate1 and  
also made his followers eat1 the shew   
bread1 the use of which was reserved for
 the priests1 adding1 that the ,sabbath 
was made for man1 and not man for the   
,sabbath2 therefore1 he concluded1 the  
,son of man is ,lord of the ,sabbath4   
,critics have remarked in several       
circumstances of the life of ,jesus1    
that he was frequently liable to commit 
mistakes4 ,for example1 on the occasion 
we speak of1 he gave the name of        
,abiathar to the high priest who        
permitted ,david to eat the shew bread4 
,the ,holy ,spirit1 however1 informs us1
 in the first book of ,kings1 that this 
high priest was called ,achimelech4 ,the
 error would be nothing if an ordinary  
man had fallen into it1 but it becomes  

embarrassing in a man-,god1 or in ,god  
made man1 whom we ought to suppose      
incapable of blunders4  ,on the same    
occasion1 ,jesus maintained that the    
priests themselves violated the         
,sabbath1 by serving ,god in the temple 
on that day2 and1 this1 according to the
 principles of theology1 is confounding 
servile works with spiritual4 ,but this 
is to have the same idea of a robbery   
and of an oblation2 it is to tax ,god   
with being ignorant of what he did1 by  
ordaining1 at one and the same time1 the
 observance and the violation of a day  
which he had consecrated to repose4     
,our doctors further justify ,jesus by  
saying1 that1 as ,god1 he was absolute  
master of all things4 ,but in that case 
he ought to have procured better fare   
for his disciples4 ,it would not have   
cost him more to have permitted them to 
encroach on the table of some rich      
financier of ,jerusalem1 or even that of
 the high priest1 who lived at the      
expense of ,god his ,father1 than to    

permit his followers to forage in the   
fields of the poor inhabitants of the   
country4 ,at least it was previously    
necessary to verify such sovereignty    
over all things in the eyes of the      
,jews1 who1 from not knowing this truth1
 were offended at the conduct which the 
,son of ,god seemed to authorise4 ,it is
 apparently on this principle several   
,christian doctors have pretended1 that 
all things appertain to the just2 that  
it is permitted them to seize on the    
property of infidels and the unholy2    
that the clergy have a right to levy    
contributions on the people2 and that   
the pope may dispose of crowns at his   
pleasure4 ,it is on the same principle  
that actions are defended1 which        
unbelievers regard as usurpations and   
violence1 exercised by the ,christians  
on the inhabitants of the new world4    
,hence it is of the utmost importance to
 ,christians not to depart from the     
example which ,jesus has given them in  
this passage of the gospel2 it appears  

especially to concern the rights of the 
clergy4  ,pretensions1 so well founded1 
did not1 however1 strike the carnal     
minds of the ,jews2 they persisted in   
believing that it was not permitted to  
rob1 particularly on the ,sabbath2 and  
not knowing the extent of the rights of 
,jesus1 they considered him an impostor1
 and his disciples knaves4 ,they        
believed him to be a dangerous man1 who1
 under pretence of reformation1 sought  
to subvert their laws1 trample on their 
ordinances1 and overturn their religion4
 ,they agreed1 therefore1 to collect the
 proofs they had against him1 accuse1   
and cause him to be arrested4 ,but our  
hero1 who had information of their      
designs1 frustrated them by leaving     
,jerusalem4     ,,chapter ,,ix4  ,,jesus
 ,,works ,,new ,,miracles--,,election   
,,of ,,the ,,twelve ,,apostles4   ,as   
soon as ,jesus was safe from the malice 
of his enemies1 and found that he was   
among persons of more favourable        
dispositions than the inhabitants of    

,jerusalem1 he again commenced working  
miracles4 ,his experience convinced him1
 that to gain the capital1 it was       
necessary to augment his forces in the  
environs1 and procure1 in the country1 a
 great number of adherents1 who might1  
in due time and place1 aid him in       
overcoming the incredulity of priests1  
doctors1 and magistrates2 and put him in
 possession of the holy city1 the object
 of his eager desires4  ,these new      
prodigies1 however1 produced no         
remarkable effect4 ,the ,jews1 who had  
been at ,jerusalem during the passover1 
on returning home1 prepossessed their   
fellow-citizens against our missionary4 
,if he found the secret of gaining the  
admiration of the people in the places  
he passed through on leaving the        
capital1 he had the chagrin to find     
opponents in the ,pharisees and doctors4
 ,the following fact shows to what a    
degree the people were influenced3--,on 
a ,sabbath1 ,jesus entered the synagogue
 of a place1 the name of which has not  

been preserved4 ,he there found a man   
who had1 or said he had1 a withered     
hand4 ,the sight of the diseased1 who   
was1 probably1 some noted mendicant and 
knave1 and the presence of the          
physician1 excited the attention of the 
doctors4 ,they watched ,jesus           
closely--,let us see1 7said they1 one to
 another7 if he will dare to heal this  
man on the ,sabbath day4 ,but observing 
that ,jesus remained inactive1 they     
questioned him as to the ,sabbath1 for  
which he had1 on so many occasions1     
shown but little respect4 ,it was       
apparently one of the principal points  
of his reform1 to abrogate a number of  
festivals4 ,the doctors asked him1      
,master1 is it lawful to heal on this   
day8 ,he was frequently in the habit of 
answering one question by another3      
,logic was not the science in which the 
,jews were most conversant4 ,jesus      
replied1 ,is it lawful to do good on the
 ,sabbath day1 or to do evil--to save   
life1 or to take it away8 ,this         

question1 according to ,mark1 confounded
 the doctors4 ,nevertheless1 there is   
reason to believe1 unless we suppose the
 ,jews to have been a hundred times more
 stupid than they really were1 that this
 question was ill timed4 ,they were     
prohibited from applying to servile     
occupations only1 but must have been    
permitted to discharge the most urgent  
duties of morality even on the ,sabbath 
day4 ,it is to be presumed1 that a      
midwife1 for example1 lent her ministry 
on that day1 as on any other4 ,it is    
stated in the ,talmud1 that it was      
permitted to annoint the sick with oil  
on the ,sabbath4 ,the ,essenians        
observed the ,sabbath with so much      
rigor1 that they did not allow          
themselves to satisfy the most pressing 
wants of life4 ,this1 perhaps1 gave     
occasion to the reproaches with which   
this sect loaded ,jesus1 who had by his 
own authority reformed this ridiculous  
custom4  ,jesus continued his questions1
 and asked them1 if when a sheep fell   

into a ditch on the ,sabbath1 they would
 not draw it out8 ,hence1 without       
waiting for an answer1 he very justly   
concluded that it was permitted to do   
good on that day4 ,to prove it1 he said 
to the sick1 whom he had1 perhaps1      
suborned to play this part in the       
synagogue1 ,arise1 stand up1 and stretch
 forth thy hand2 and immediately his    
hand became as the other4 ,but ,jesus1  
finding this prodigy produced no change 
in their minds1 darted a furious look on
 the assembly1 and1 boiling with a holy 
choler1 instantly forsook the detestable
 place4 ,matt4 xii4 ,mark xii4 #f4      
,jesus acted wisely2 for these naughty  
doctors immediately took counsel with   
the officers of ,herod1 how they might  
destroy him4 ,informed of every thing by
 his adherents1 he gained the sea shore1
 where it was always easy for him to    
effect his escape4 ,his disciples1      
several of whom understood navigation1  
followed him4 ,a number of people1 more 
credulous than the doctors1 resorted to 

him on the noise of his marvels4 ,there 
came hearers from ,galilee1 from        
,jerusalem1 from ,idumea1 from the other
 side of ,jordan1 and even from ,tyre   
and ,sidon4 ,this multitude furnished   
him with a pretext for ordering his     
disciples to hold a boat in readiness1  
that he might not be too much thronged1 
but1 in truth1 to escape1 in case it    
should be attempted to pursue him4  ,on 
this shore1 favorable to his designs1   
,jesus performed a great number of      
miracles1 and cured an infinity of      
people4 ,we must piously believe it on  
the word of ,matthew and ,mark4 ,these  
wonders were performed on the sick1 and 
especially on the possessed4 ,the       
latter1 at whatever distance they       
perceived the ,saviour1 prostrated      
themselves before him1 rendered homage  
to his glory1 and proclaimed him the    
,christ2 whilst he1 always full of      
modesty1 commanded them with threats not
 to reveal him2 the whole to accomplish 
a prophecy1 which said of him1 ,he shall

 not dispute1 nor cry1 nor make his     
voice be heard in the streets2 a        
prophecy1 which1 however1 was frequently
 contradicted by his continual disputes 
with the doctors and ,pharisees1 and by 
the uproar he occasioned in the temple1 
in the streets of ,jerusalem1 and in the
 synagogues4  ,nothing is more          
astonishing than the obstinacy of the   
devil in acknowledging ,jesus1 and      
confessing his divinity1 and the        
stubbornness of the doctors in not      
recognizing him1 in spite of his cares  
to make the one silent to convince the  
others4 ,it is evident1 that the son of 
,god has come with the sole intent of   
preventing the ,jews from profiting by  
his coming1 and acknowledging his       
mission4 ,it may be said that he has    
shown himself merely to receive the     
homage of satan2 at least we perceive   
only the devil and his disciples        
proclaiming the character of ,jesus4    
,when he had preached much1 cured much1 
and exorcised much1 our missionary      

wished to be alone to reflect on the    
situation of his affairs4 ,with a view  
to enjoy more liberty1 he ascended a    
mountain1 where he spent the whole      
night4 ,the result of his solitary      
reflections was1 that although he       
required assistants1 he could no longer1
 without giving umbrage to the          
government1 continue marching up and    
down with a company so numerous as that 
of the idlers who composed his suite4   
,when day appeared1 he called those of  
his disciples whom he judged most worthy
 of confidence1 and selected twelve to  
remain near his person4 ,this is what   
,luke says2 but ,mark insinuates that he
 chose his twelve apostles on purpose to
 send them on a mission4 ,as ,jesus1    
however1 assures us1 that he chose them 
to be near him1 and as the apostles1    
content with begging and making         
provision for themselves and their      
master1 did not perform any mission     
during his life1 at least out of ,judea1
 we shall adhere to the first opinion4  

,the names of these apostles were ,simon
 ,peter1 ,andrew1 ,matthew1             
,simon-,zelotes1 ,james1 ,philip1       
,thomas1 ,jude1 ,john1 ,bartholomew1    
another ,james1 and ,judas ,iscariot1   
the treasurer4  ,as ,jesus had no money 
to give his disciples1 he told them no  
doubt to go and push their fortune4 ,he1
 however1 took care to impart to them   
his secret2 to teach them the art of    
miracles1 to cure diseases1 and to cast 
out devils4 ,he also gave them the power
 of remitting sins1 and to bind and     
unbind in the name of ,heaven2          
prerogatives1 which1 if they did not    
enrich the apostles1 have been worth    
immense treasures to their successors4  
,to them the roughest staff has become a
 crosier1 a staff of command1 making its
 power felt by the mightiest sovereigns 
of the earth4 ,the bag or wallet of the 
apostles has been converted into        
treasures1 benefices1 principalities and
 revenues4 ,permission to beg has become
 a right to exact tithes1 devour        

nations1 fatten on the substance of the 
wretched1 and enjoy1 by divine right1   
the privilege of pillaging society1 and 
disturbing it with impunity4 ,the       
successors of the first missionaries of 
,jesus1 though professing to be         
mendicants1 enjoyed the prerogative of  
coercing all who refused to bestow      
charities on them1 or to obey their     
commands4 ,many have imagined1 that     
,jesus never concerned himself about the
 subsistence of the ministers of the    
church2 but if we examine attentively   
the gospel1 especially the ,acts of the 
,apostles1 we shall find the basis of   
the riches1 grandeur1 and even despotism
 of the clergy4     ,,chapter ,x4       
,,sermon ,,on ,,the ,,mount--,,summary  
,,of ,,the ,,morality ,,of              
,,jesus--,,observations ,,on ,,that     
,,morality4   ,the dread of being       
arrested having constrained ,jesus to   
abandon the cities1 where he had many   
enemies1 the country became his ordinary
 residence4 ,the people1 or at least    

some male and female devotees whom he   
had converted1 furnished provisions to  
the divine man and his followers4       
,obliged to wander about1 bury          
themselves in mountains and in deserts1 
and sleep in the open air1 our apostles 
became discontented with their lot4 ,in 
spite of the spiritual graces1 which    
they received in the society of the     
messiah1 these carnal men expected      
something more substantial on devoting  
themselves to his service4 ,they were   
doubtless promised important posts1     
riches1 and power in the kingdom he was 
about to establish4 ,jesus on this      
account frequently experienced as much  
difficulty in retaining them1 as in     
convincing the rebellious ,jews by his  
miracles and conclusive arguments4 ,the 
measure of their appetite1 and well     
being1 was at this time1 the only rule  
of their faith4 ,to prevent their       
murmurs1 and familiarize them with a    
frugal life1 which our missionary saw he
 would be obliged1 perhaps for a long   

time1 to make them lead1 he pronounced  
an oration on true happiness3 it is the 
one known by the name of the ,sermon on 
the ,mount1 and related by ,matthew1    
chap v4  ,according to our orator1 true 
happiness consists in poverty of        
,spirit2 that is1 in ignorance1 and     
contempt of knowledge1 which bids us    
exercise our reason1 and strips man of  
the blind submission that is necessary  
to induce him to submit to a guide4     
,jesus preached a pious docility1 which 
implicitly credits every thing without  
examination2 and to tell them1 that the 
kingdom of heaven would be the reward of
 this happy disposition4 ,such is the   
sense which the church has given to the 
words of ,jesus1 ,blessed are the poor  
in spirit1 for theirs is the kingdom of 
heaven4  ,among the apostles1 there were
 some whose passionate dispositions     
might have been prejudicial to the      
progress of the sect4 ,it may in general
 be presumed1 that rough men1 devoid of 
education1 have repulsive manners4      

,jesus demonstrated the necessity of    
meekness1 civility1 and patience1 in    
order to gain proselytes2 he recommended
 moderation and toleration1 as the      
certain means of insinuating themselves 
into the minds of men1 of thriving in   
the world1 and as the surest way of     
making conquests4 ,this is the true     
sense of these words1 ,happy are the    
meek1 for they shall inherit the earth4 
,wishing to inspire them with courage1  
and console them for their miserable    
situation1 he told them1 that to live in
 tears is felicity1 and an infallible   
method of expiating iniquity4 ,he       
promised that their vexations should not
 endure forever2 that their tears should
 be dried up2 that their misery should  
terminate2 and that their hunger should 
be appeased4 ,these consolations and    
promises1 were indispensably necessary  
to fortify the apostles against every   
accident which1 in the course of their  
enterprises1 might befal them in the    
retinue of a chief destitute of riches  

and power1 and incapable of procuring to
 himself or others the comforts of      
existence4  ,jesus1 with a view1 no     
doubt1 of sweetening the lot of his     
apostles1 recommended compassion to the 
listening multitude1 of which he1 as    
well as his party1 stood in the greatest
 need4 ,it is readily perceived1 that   
the messiah felt the most imperious     
necessity to preach charity to his      
auditors2 for he lived on alms1 and his 
success depended on the generosity of   
the public1 and the benefactions of the 
good souls who hearkened to his lessons4
  ,the preacher recommended peace and   
concord2 dispositions necessary to a new
 born1 weak1 and persecuted sect2 but   
this necessity ceased when this sect had
 attained strength enough to dictate the
 law4  ,he afterwards fortified his     
disciples against the persecutions which
 they were to experience2 he addressed  
their self love--spurring them on by    
motives of honor3 ,ye are 7says he7 the 
salt of the earth1 the light of the     

world4 ,he gave them to understand that 
they were the successors of the         
prophets1 men so much respected by the  
,jews3 and1 to share in whose glory1    
they ought to expect the same crosses   
which their illustrious predecessors    
experienced4 ,he told them to regard    
hatred1 persecution1 contempt1 and the  
deprivation of every thing that         
constitutes the well being and happiness
 of man1 as true felicity1 and most     
worthy of heavenly rewards4  ,after     
haranguing his disciples1 he addressed  
himself to the people4 ,he presented to 
them a new morality1 which1 far from    
being repugnant to that of the ,jews1   
could easily be reconciled with it4     
,things were not as yet sufficiently    
matured for abrogating the law of       
,moses3 too great changes alarm mankind4
 ,a feeble missionary must at first     
confine himself to reforming abuses1    
without seeking to probe to the bottom4 
,jesus wisely contented himself with    
showing1 that the law was faulty in some

 particulars1 and that he proposed to   
perfect it4 ,such is the language1 of   
all reformers4  ,jesus expressly        
declared1 that he was not come to       
destroy1 but to fulfil the law3 and he  
affirmed that1 in heaven1 ranks would be
 fixed according to the rigorous        
observance of all its articles4 ,he     
insinuated1 however1 to his audience1   
that neither they1 nor their doctors1   
understood any part of that law which1  
they believed1 they faithfully          
practised4 ,he undertook1 therefore1 to 
explain it2 and as all reformers pretend
 to puritanical austerity1 and to a     
supernatural and more than human        
perfection1 he went beyond the law4 ,the
 following is the substance of his      
marvellous instructions3  ,you have     
heard that it was said by them of old   
time1 ,thou shalt not kill2 and         
whosoever shall kill shall be punished  
with death2 but ,i say unto you1 that it
 is necessary to extend this prohibition
 and punishment even to wrath1 seeing it

 is wrath which urges one on to put his 
fellow creature to death4 ,you would    
punish adultery only when it is         
committed2 but ,i tell you1 that desire 
alone renders one as culpable as fact4  
,you1 perhaps1 will answer1 that man is 
not the master of his passions and      
desires1 and that he can hardly resist  
them3 ,i agree with you in this2 you    
have not any power1 even on the hairs of
 your head4 ,the penances1 sacrifices1  
and expiations which your priests       
impose1 are not capable of procuring the
 remission of your sins2 behold1 then1  
the only means of preventing them1 or   
making reparation3 has your eye1 or any 
of your members solicited you to commit 
iniquity8 ,cut off that member1 or pull 
out that eye1 and cast it from you2 for 
it is more expedient that one of your   
members should perish1 than that the    
whole body be thrown into hell fire4 ,if
 ,moses1 inspired by the divinity1 had  
known this hell1 destined for your      
suffering eternal punishment1 he would  

not have failed to menace you with it2  
but he was ignorant of the dogma of     
another life2 he spoke only of the      
present1 to which he has limited your   
misfortunes1 or your felicity4 ,had it  
not been for this1 he would not have    
neglected to acquaint you with a fact so
 well calculated to inspire you with    
fear1 and render life insupportable4    
,we are quite surprised at finding1 that
 ,moses and the ancient ,hebrew writers 
have no where mentioned the dogma of a  
future life1 which now-a-days forms one 
of the most important articles of the   
,christian religion4 ,solomon speaks of 
the death of men by comparing it with   
that of brutes4 ,some of the prophets1  
it is true1 have spoken of a place      
called ,cheol1 which has been translated
 ,hell 7,enfer72 yet it is evident1 that
 this word implies merely sepulchre or  
tomb4 ,they have also translated the    
,hebrew word ,topheth into ,hell3 but on
 examining the word1 we find that it    
designates a place of punishment near   

,jerusalem1 where malefactors were      
punished1 and their carcases burned4 ,it
 was after the ,babylonish captivity    
that the ,jews knew the dogma of another
 life1 and the resurrection1 which they 
learned of the ,persian disciples of    
,zoroaster4 ,in the time of ,jesus1 that
 dogma was not even generally received4 
,the ,pharisees admitted it1 and the    
,sadducees rejected it4  ,you use too   
freely 7proceeded our missionary7 the   
permission of divorce2 the least disgust
 makes you repudiate your wives2 but ,i 
tell you1 that you ought to repudiate   
them only when you have surprised them  
in adultery4 ,it is cruel to stone one  
for this fault2 we ought to have respect
 for the weakness of the sex4 ,jesus1   
whose birth was very equivocal1 had     
particular reasons for wishing that     
adultery should be treated with         
indulgence4 ,independently of ,mary his 
mother1 from whom ,joseph was probably  
separated1 our preacher had in his train
 dames1 whose conduct had not been      

irreproachable anterior to their        
conversion4 ,besides ,mary ,magdalene1  
who was a noted courtesan1 ,jesus had in
 his suite ,joanna1 wife of ,chuza1     
,herod's steward1 who1 according to the 
tradition1 robbed and forsook her       
husband to follow the messiah1 and      
assist him with her property4 ,moreover1
 the indulgence which he preached must  
have gained him the hearts of all the   
ladies in his auditory4  ,the messiah   
continued nearly in these terms3--,god  
has of old promised you blessings1      
prosperity1 and glory2 but he has       
changed his intention1 and revoked these
 promises4 ,as you were almost always1  
and still are the most unhappy1 the most
 foolish1 and most despised people on   
earth1 you ought to suspect that these  
pompous promises were mere allegories4  
,you ought1 therefore1 to have an abject
 and mortifying morality1 conformable to
 your genius1 your situation1 and your  
misery4 ,if it does not procure you     
welfare in this world1 you should hope  

that it will render you more happy in   
the next4 ,your humiliations are the    
certain means of attaining one day that 
glory1 which hitherto neither you nor   
your fathers have ever been able to     
acquire4 ,when therefore a person shall 
give you a blow on one cheek1 offer him 
the other4 ,do not go to law--lawyers   
will ruin you2 and1 besides1 the poor   
are always in the wrong when opposed to 
the rich4 ,give to whoever asks of you1 
and refuse nothing you possess2 it is by
 relying on the punctual practice of    
this important precept1 that ,i send my 
disciples into the world without money  
or provisions4  ,i do not give you any  
description of paradise--it is          
sufficient to know that you will be     
perfectly happy there4 ,but to get      
there1 it is necessary to be more than  
men--it is necessary to love your       
enemies2 to render good for evil2 to    
preserve no remembrance of cruel        
outrages2 to bless the hand that strikes
 you2 and not to speak one silly word2  

for one only will precipitate you into  
hell4 ,have a pleasant aspect when you  
fast2 but especially live without       
foresight4 ,accumulate nothing1 lest you
 excite the wrath of my father4 ,think  
not of to-morrow--live at random1 like  
the birds that never think of sowing1   
gathering1 or accumulating provisions4  
,detach yourselves from all things      
below--seek the kingdom of ,god1 which  
,i and my disciples will give you for   
your charities4 ,this conduct cannot    
fail to plunge you into misery2 but then
 you shall beg in your turn4 ,god will  
provide for your wants--ask and it shall
 be given you4 ,do not beggars find1    
agreeably to our divine precepts1       
wherewith to live at the expense of the 
simpletons who labor8 ,my disciples and 
,i1 are a proof that without toil1 one  
may avoid difficulties1 and not perish  
by hunger8 ,if our manner of living     
appears not to agree with my language1  
,i charge you not judge my actions1 nor 
condemn your masters and doctors4 ,do   

not intermeddle with state              
affairs2--that care is reserved for me1 
and those in whom ,i confide4 ,the      
master is superior to the disciple--it  
is to me in particular you ought to     
listen4 ,if you call me master1 it is   
necessary to do what ,i desire you4 ,the
 practice of my morality is difficult1  
and even impossible to many persons2 but
 the broad and easy way conducts to     
perdition2 and to enter heaven1 it is   
necessary to be as perfect as my        
heavenly father4 ,i must caution you    
against my enemies1 or those who shall  
preach a contrary doctrine4 ,treat them 
as wolves2 they are false prophets--show
 them no indulgence3 for it is not to   
them that you ought to be humane1       
tolerant1 and pacific4  ,in the course  
of his sermon ,jesus taught them a short
 form of prayer1 known by the name of   
the ,lord's prayer4 ,though the ,son of 
,god may have shewn himself on this     
occasion the enemy of long prayers1 the 
,christian church is full of pious      

sluggards1 who1 in spite of his         
decision1 believe they cannot perform   
any thing more agreeable to ,god1 than  
spending their whole time in mumbling   
prayers in a very low tone1 singing them
 in a high one1 and frequently in a     
language they do not understand4 ,it    
appears1 that in this1 as in many other 
things1 the church has rectified the    
practice of its divine founder4         
,matthew informs us1 that the discourse1
 of which we have given the substance1  
transported the people with admiration1 
for ,jesus instructed them as one having
 authority1 and not as the              
scribes4--,the latter1 perhaps1 spoke in
 a more simple manner1 and consequently 
less admired by the vulgar1 whose wonder
 is excited in proportion to their      
inability to comprehend1 or practise the
 precepts given them4 ,thus the sermon  
of ,jesus had not1 at that time1 any    
contradictors4 ,it has however1         
furnished ample scope for dispute to our
 casuists and theologians4 ,they have   

subtlely distinguished between things   
which were merely of counsel1 and those 
of precept which ought rigorously to be 
observed4 ,it was soon felt1 that the   
sublime morality of the ,son of ,god did
 not suit mankind1 and its literal      
observance was destructive to society4  
,it was1 therefore1 requisite to        
moderate it1 and recur to that          
marvellous distinction1 in order to     
shelter the honour of the divine        
legislator1 and reconcile his fanatical 
morality with the wants of the human    
race4  ,moreover1 this discourse        
presents difficulties1 which will always
 appear embarrassing to persons         
accustomed to reflect on what they read4
 ,they find1 that it is ridiculous and  
false to say1 a law is accomplished1    
when it is proposed and permitted to    
violate it1 and add or retrench the most
 essential points4 ,since the time of   
,jesus1 why has the ,jewish law been    
completely abrogated by ,paul and his   
adherents1 who1 as we have seen1 ceceded

 from the ,christian partizans of       
,judaism8 ,why do ,christians entertain 
at present so much horror at that same  
,judaism1 except indeed when the        
privileges and pretensions of the clergy
 are in question--articles on which our 
,christian priests are very judaical1   
and which they have prudently borrowed  
from ,leviticus2 all to supply the      
neglect of ,jesus1 who was not          
sufficiently attentive either to their  
temporal interests1 divine rights1 or   
sacred hierarchy8 ,by what law do the   
inquisitors 7if ,christians7 in         
,portugal and ,spain burn those who are 
accused1 or convicted1 of having        
observed the usages of a law1 which     
,jesus has declared he did not wish to  
abolish1 but to fulfil8 ,by what law    
have ,christians1 dispensed with        
circumcision1 and permit them selves to 
eat pork1 bacon1 pudding1 hare1 c8 ,why 
has sunday1 or the day of the sun among 
,pagans been substituted for ,sabbath or
 ,saturday8  #b;dly1 ,it is held unjust 

to punish in the same manner a man in a 
passion and a murderer4 ,one may be in a
 passion and restrain himself1 or       
afterwards repair the injury2 but he    
cannot restore life to a man whom he has
 deprived of it4  #c;dly1 ,the          
restriction of divorce to the single    
case of adultery is a law very hard1 and
 very prejudicial to the happiness of   
married persons4 ,this precept compels a
 man to live with a woman who in other  
respects may be odious to him4 ,besides1
 it is generally difficult to convict a 
female of adultery2 she usually takes   
precaution to avoid this4 ,is it not    
very grievous1 and even dangerous to    
live with a person who occasions        
continual suspicions8  #dthly1 ,it is   
absurd to make a crime of desire1       
especially without supposing the liberty
 of man2 but ,jesus is not explicit on  
that important article4 ,on the         
contrary1 from the train of his         
discourse he appears to recognize the   
necessity of man1 who has no authority  

over a single hair of his head4 ,paul1  
his apostle1 declares in many places    
against the liberty of man1 whom he     
compares with a vessel in the hands of a
 potter4 ,but if there be no proportion 
between the workman and his work2 if the
 latter has no right to say to the      
former1 why have you fashioned me thus8 
if there be no analogy between them1 how
 can they bear any relation to each     
other8 ,if ,god is incorporeal1 how does
 he act upon bodies8 or how can these   
bodies disturb his repose1 or excite in 
him emotions of anger8 ,if man is       
relatively to ,god as an earthen vase1  
this vase owes neither thanks nor       
adoration to the potter who gave him so 
insignificant a form4 ,if this power is 
displeased with his own vessel because  
he formed it badly1 or because it is not
 fit for the uses he intended1 the      
potter1 if he is not an irrational      
being1 can only blame himself for the   
defects which appear4 ,he no doubt can  
break it in pieces1 and the vase cannot 

prevent him2 but if instead of forming  
it anew1 and giving it a figure more    
suitable to his designs1 he punishes the
 vase for the bad qualities he has      
conferred upon it1 he would show himself
 to be completely deprived of reason4   
,this1 in fact1 is the view which       
,christianity gives of its ,god4 ,it    
represents mankind as having no more    
relation with the divinity than stones4 
,but if ,god owes nothing to man2 if he 
is not bound to show him either justice 
or goodness1 man on his part can owe    
nothing to ,god4 ,we have no idea of any
 relation between beings which are not  
reciprocal4 ,the duties of men amongst  
themselves are founded on their mutual  
wants4 ,if ,god has no occasion for     
these services1 they cannot owe him any 
thing2 neither can they possibly offend 
him by their actions4  #ethly1 ,it is a 
strange remedy to cut off or pluck out a
 member every time it is the occasion of
 sin2 it contradicts the precept not to 
make an attempt on one's life4 ,origen  

is blamed by the ,christians for having 
performed an operation1 which he no     
doubt judged necessary for preserving   
his chastity4 ,it is not through the    
members1 but the inclination1 that a    
person sins3 it is therefore absurd to  
say that one shall escape damnation of  
the body by depriving himself of a      
member4 ,what would become of so many   
ecclesiastical libertines1 if to appease
 the lusts of the flesh1 and make       
reparation for scandal1 they should take
 it into their heads to follow the      
counsel of ,jesus8  #fthly1 ,the        
suppression of a just defence of one's  
person and rights against an aggressor  
or unjust litigant1 is to overturn the  
laws of society4 ,it is to open a door  
to iniquities and crimes1 and render    
useless the exercise of justice4 ,by    
such maxims a people could not exist ten
 years4 ,to love our enemies is         
impossible4 ,we may abstain from        
retaliating on the person by whom we are
 injured2 but love is an affection which

 can only be excited in the heart by a  
friendly object4  #gthly1 ,the counsel  
or precept1 to possess nothing1 amass   
nothing1 and think not of the morrow1   
would be very prejudicial to            
families3--a father ought to provide a  
subsistence for his children4 ,these    
maxims can suit sluggards only1 such as 
priests and monks1 who hold labor in    
horror1 and calculate on living at the  
expense of the public4  #hthly1 ,it is  
now easy to perceive1 that the promises 
made the ,jews by the mouth of ,moses1  
inspired by the divinity1 have not been 
verified literally1 and are only        
allegorical4 ,but it was not from the   
,son of ,god that the ,jews should have 
learned this fatal truth4 ,once imposed 
on1 they ought to have dreaded being    
again deceived by another envoy4 ,like  
,jesus1 ,moses had made promises2 like  
,jesus1 ,moses had confirmed his        
promises and mission by miracles2 yet   
these promises have been found          
deceptive1 and merely allegorical4 ,this

 idea ought to have created presumptions
 against the promises of ,jesus4        
#ithly1 ,to say1 that it is necessary to
 be poor in spirit1 and to say          
afterwards that to attain heaven it is  
necessary to be perfect as the heavenly 
father is perfect1 is to make ,god a    
stupid being2 to afford to atheists a   
solution for all the evil they perceive 
in nature2 and to assert that to enter  
paradise one must be a fool4 ,but has   
man the power of being spiritual or poor
 in spirit1 reasonable or foolish1      
believing or unbelieving8 ,is not the   
holy stupidity of faith a gift which    
,god grants only to whom he will8 ,is it
 not unjust to damn people of           
understanding8  ,lastly1 ,in this sermon
 ,jesus recommends to beware of false   
prophets1 and says1 that it is by their 
works we shall know them4 ,yet1 the     
priests tell us1 we ought to do as they 
say1 without imitating what they do1    
when we find their conduct opposed to   
the maxims they preach4 ,another sign1  

therefore1 than works ought to have been
 given whereby to recognize false       
prophets2 otherwise the faithful will be
 reduced to believe that the clergy are 
provided only with lying prophets4  ,in 
this manner unbelievers argue2 that is  
all those who have not received from    
heaven poorness of spirit1 so necessary 
for not perceiving the want of          
inference1 false principles1 and        
numberless inconsistencies1 which result
 from the morality of ,jesus4 ,this     
morality appears a divine chef d'oeuvre 
to docile ,christians illuminated by    
faith2 and it was much admired by those 
who heard it4 ,we know not1 however1 if 
the auditors were so affected by it as  
to follow it literally4 ,to admire a    
doctrine1 and believe it true and       
divine1 is a thing much more easy than  
to practice it4 ,many persons set a     
higher value on evangelical virtues1    
which are sublime in theory1 than on    
moral virtues1 which reason commands us 
to practice4 ,it is not then surprising 

that the supernatural and marvellous    
morality of ,jesus was applauded by     
those who heard it4 ,it was addressed to
 paupers1 the dregs of the people1 and  
the miserable4 ,an austere stoical      
morality must please the wretched2 it   
transforms their situation into virtue2 
it flatters their vanity2 makes them    
proud of their misery2 hardens them     
against the strokes of fortune2 and     
persuades them that they are more       
valuable than the rich1 who maltreat    
them2 and that ,deity1 which delights in
 seeing men suffer1 prefers the wretched
 to those who enjoy felicity4  ,on the  
other hand1 the vulgar imagine that     
those who can restrain their passions1  
and deprive themselves of what excites  
the desires of others1 are extraordinary
 beings1 agreeable to ,god1 and endowed 
with preternatural grace1 without which 
they would be incapable of these        
exertions4 ,thus a harsh morality1 which
 seems to proceed from insensibility1   
pleases the rabble1 imposes on the      

ignorant1 and is sufficient to excite   
the admiration of the simple4 ,it is not
 even displeasing to persons placed in  
happier situations1 who admire the      
doctrine1 well assured of finding the   
secret to elude the practice of it by   
the assistance of their indulgent       
guides4 ,there is only a small number of
 fanatics who follow it literally4      
,such were the dispositions which must  
have induced so many people to receive  
the instructions of ,jesus4 ,his maxims 
produced a multitude of obstinate       
martyrs1 who1 in the hope of opening a  
road to heaven1 set torments and        
afflictions at defiance4 ,the same      
maxims produced penitents of every kind1
 solitaries1 anchorites1 cenobites1 and 
monks1 who1 in emulation of each other1 
rendered themselves illustrious in the  
eyes of nations by their austerities1   
voluntary poverty1 a total renunciation 
of the comforts of nature1 and a        
continual struggle against the gentlest 
and most lawful inclinations4 ,the      

counsels and precepts of the gospel     
inundated nations with a vast number of 
madmen1 enemies of themselves1 and      
perfectly useless to others4 ,these     
wonderful men were admired1 respected1  
and revered as saints by their          
fellow-citizens1 who1 themselves        
deficient in grace or enthusiasm        
necessary for imitating them1 or        
following faithfully the counsels of the
 ,son of ,god1 had recourse to their    
intercession1 in order to obtain pardon 
for their sins1 and indulgence from the 
,almighty1 whom they supposed irritated 
at the impossibility in which they found
 themselves of following literally the  
precepts of ,jesus4 ,in fine1 it is easy
 to perceive that these precepts1       
rigorously observed1 would drag society 
into total ruin2 for society is         
supported only because that most        
,christians1 admiring the doctrine of   
the ,son of ,god as divine1 dispense    
with practicing it1 and follow the      
propensity of nature1 even at the risk  

of being damned4  ,in the gospel1 ,jesus
 threatens with eternal punishment those
 who shall not fulfil his precepts4     
,this frightful doctrine was not        
contradicted in the assembly2 the       
superstitious love to tremble2 those who
 frighten them most1 are the most       
eagerly listened to4 ,this was          
undoubtedly the time for establishing   
firmly the dogma of the spirituality and
 immortality of the soul4 ,the ,son of  
,god ought to have explained to those   
,jews1 but little acquainted with this  
matter1 how a part of man could suffer  
in hell1 whilst another part was rotting
 in the earth4 ,but our preacher was not
 acquainted with any of the dogmas which
 this church has since taught4 ,he had  
not clear ideas of spirituality2 he     
spoke of it only in a very obscure      
manner3 ,fear1 7said he1 in one place17 
him who can throw both body and soul    
into hell--words which must have        
appeared unintelligible in a language in
 which the soul was taken for the blood 

or animating principle4 ,it was not till
 a long time after ,jesus1 and when some
 ,platonists had been initiated in      
,christianity1 that the spirituality and
 immortality of the soul were converted 
into dogmas4 ,before their time1 the    
,jews and ,christians had only vague    
notions on that important subject4 ,we  
find doctors in the first ages speaking 
to us of ,god and the soul as material  
substances1 more subtile indeed than    
ordinary bodies4 ,it was reserved for   
latter metaphysicians to give such      
sublime ideas of mind1 that our         
understandings are bewildered when      
employed on them4     ,,chap4 ,,xi4     
,,actions ,,and ,,parables ,,of         
,,jesus--,,enterprize ,,of ,,his        
,,relations ,,against ,,him--,,journey  
,,to ,,nazareth1 ,,and ,,the ,,success  
,,jesus ,,had ,,there4   ,though the    
obstinacy of the doctors of the law and 
principal men among the ,jews1 created  
continual obstacles to the success of   
,jesus1 he did not lose courage2 he     

again had recourse to prodigies1 the    
certain means of captivating the        
populace1 on whom he perceived it was   
necessary to found his hopes4 ,this     
people were subject to diseases of the  
skin1 such as leprosy and similar       
cutaneous disorders4 ,no doubt can be   
entertained on this point when we       
consider the precaution which the law of
 ,moses ordains against these           
infirmities4 ,to establish his          
reputation1 ,jesus resolved to undertake
 the cure of this disgusting disease    
with which his countrymen were so much  
infected4  ,according to ,luke1 a leper 
prostrated himself at the feet of       
,jesus1 and adored him1 saying1 that he 
had heard him spoken of as a very able  
man1 and that1 if he was inclined1 he   
could cure him4 ,on this1 ,jesus merely 
stretched forth his hand1 and the       
leprosy disappeared4 ,hitherto1 the     
messiah had only recommended it to those
 he cured to present themselves to the  
priests and to offer them the gift      

prescribed in such cases2 but on this   
occasion he thought that he would       
reconcile them by strictly enjoining    
this mark of deference4 ,he1 therefore1 
exacted of the cured leper1 that he     
would satisfy the ordinance of the law2 
but at the same time recommended secrecy
 as to the physician's name--a secret   
which was no better preserved by him    
than by others4 ,jesus forgot that it   
was not sufficient to impose silence on 
the persons he cured1 but that it was   
likewise necessary to lay a restraint on
 all the tongues of the spectators2     
unless indeed it is supposed that these 
miracles were performed with shut doors1
 and witnessed by the ,saviour's        
disciples only2 or1 rather1 that they   
were not performed at all4  ,meanwhile1 
the leper's indiscretion was the cause  
why ,jesus1 according to ,mark1 no      
longer ventured to appear in the city4  
,the priests seem to have taken in ill  
mood the cure he had performed3 ,he     
therefore withdrew into the desart1     

where the more he was followed the more 
he buried himself in concealment4 ,it   
was in vain that the people desired to  
hear him2 it was in vain that the sick1 
who ran after him1 requested their cure4
 ,he no longer suffered that marvellous 
virtue1 calculated to cure every        
disorder1 to exhale from him4  ,after   
having wandered for some time in the    
desart1 ruminating on his affairs1 he   
re-appeared at ,capernaum4 ,the domestic
 of a ,roman centurion1 much beloved by 
his master1 was at the point of death   
from an attack of the palsy4 ,this      
,pagan believed that ,jesus could easily
 cure his slave2 but1 instead of        
presenting him to the physician as he   
ought to have done1 he deputed some     
,jewish senators to wait on him4        
,however disagreeable this commission   
might be to persons whom the centurion  
had no right to command1 and who by that
 step seemed to acknowledge the mission 
of ,jesus1 these senators performed it4 
,flattered with seeing an idolator apply

 to him1 our miracle-worker set out     
immediately2 but the centurion sent some
 of his people to inform ,jesus that he 
was not worthy of the honour thus       
intended him by entering his house2 and 
that to cure his servant it was         
sufficient to speak only one word4      
,jesus was delighted with this2 he      
declared1 that he had not found so much 
faith in ,israel2 and with one word1 if 
the gospel may be believed1 he performed
 the cure4 ,he afterwards told the      
,jews1 that if they persisted in their  
hardness of heart1 7the only disease    
which the ,son of ,god could never cure1
 though he had come for that purpose17  
the idolatrous nations would be         
substituted in their stead1 and that    
,god1 notwithstanding his promises1     
would forever abandon his ancient       
friends4 ,the gospel1 however1 does not 
tell us1 whether this centurion1 so full
 of faith1 was himself converted4  ,the 
day after this cure1 ,jesus having left 
,capernaum1 arrived at ,nain1 a small   

town in ,galilee1 about twenty leagues  
distant1 which proves that the messiah  
was a great walker4 ,fortunately he got 
there in time to perform a splendid     
miracle4 ,a poor widow had lost her son2
 they were already carrying him to be   
burried1 and the disconsolate mother1   
accompanied by a great multitude1       
followed the funeral procession4 ,jesus1
 moved with compassion1 approached the  
bier and laid his hand on it4           
,immediately those who carried it       
stopped4 ,young man6 said he1 addressing
 the deceased1 ,i say to thee1 arise4   
,forthwith1 he who was dead sat up4     
,this miracle terrified all the         
attendants1 but converted nobody4 ,the  
transaction is related by ,luke alone2  
but even were it better verified1 we    
might justly suspect that the           
disconsolate mother held secret         
intelligence with the performer4  ,some 
historians have made ,john ,baptist live
 to this period2 others made him die    
much earlier4 ,here ,matthew and ,luke  

introduce the disciples or the          
precursor1 on purpose to question ,jesus
 on the part of their master4 ,art thou 
he that was to come1 or look we for     
another8 ,the messiah in reply worked   
miracles in their presence1 cured the   
sick1 cast out devils1 and gave sight to
 the blind2 after which he said to      
,john's deputies1 ,go and relate to     
,john what you have heard and seen4 ,it 
was on this occasion that ,jesus        
pronounced the eulogy of ,john4 ,he had1
 as we have seen in chapter fourth of   
this history1 his reasons for so doing4 
,amongst all those1 said he1 that are   
born of women1 verily ,i say unto you   
there is not a greater than ,john       
,baptist4 ,our panegyrist profited      
afterwards by this circumstance to abuse
 the pharisees and doctors1 who rejected
 both his baptism and ,john's4 ,he      
compared these unbelievers to ,children 
sitting in the market place1 and calling
 to one another3 ,we have piped to you1 
and you have not danced2 we have        

chaunted funeral airs1 and ye have not  
weeped4 ,but we are not informed that   
this jargon converted the doctors4      
,after this our speech-maker compared   
his own conduct with that of the        
precursor4 ,john1 said he1 came neither 
eating bread nor drinking wine1 and you 
say he hath a devil4 ,i eat1 drink1 and 
love good cheer1 yet you reject me also1
 under pretence that ,i keep company    
with men and women of bad reputation4   
,he gave the populace1 however1 to      
understand1 that their suffrage was     
sufficient for him2 as if he had told   
them1 ,i am certain of you--you are too 
poor in spirit to perceive the          
irregularity of my conduct--my wonders  
pass with you2 you should not reflect2  
you are the true children ,of wisdom1   
which will be justified by you4  ,after 
this harangue1 a ,pharisee1 who to judge
 of him by his conduct had been noways  
moved by ,jesus1 invited the orator to  
dinner2 but he used him in the most     
unpolite manner4 ,he did not cause his  

feet to be bathed1 nor did he present   
perfumes according to the established   
custom of the ,jews4 ,though ,jesus     
might be offended at this omission1 he  
did not decline sitting down at table2  
but while he was eating1 a woman of bad 
fame bathed his feet with her tears1    
wiped them with her hair1 and thereafter
 anointed them with a precious ointment4
 ,the pharisee did not comprehend the   
mystery4 ,stupid and incredulous1 he    
conjectured that ,jesus did not know the
 profession of the female2 but he was   
mistaken3 the courtezan in question and 
all her family were intimately connected
 with the messiah4 ,john informs us1    
that she was called ,mary ,magdalane1   
and that she was the sister of ,martha  
and ,lazarus1 people well known to      
,jesus1 and who held a regular          
correspondence with him4 ,in particular 
it appears1 that ,magdalane entertained 
the most tender sentiments for ,jesus4  
,this action of the courtezan did not   
disconcert the ,saviour2 he explained   

her love1 the attention paid him1 and   
the kisses with which she loaded him1 in
 a mystical and spiritual sense2 and    
assuming the tone of one inspired1 he   
assured her that her sins were forgiven 
on account of the love she had          
displayed4 ,luke informs us in the      
following chapter1 that ,jesus had      
delivered this lady of seven devils--a  
service which well merited her          
gratitude4 ,be that as it may1 ,jesus   
employed this indirect way of shewing   
the pharisee the incivility of his      
behaviour to a man of his consequence4  
,the relations of ,jesus1 informed of   
the noise he made1 and suspecting that  
he could not lead a very pure life among
 the gentry with whom he associated2 or 
fearing that his conduct in the end     
would draw him into scrapes1 went from  
,nazareth to ,capernaum to seize him1   
and cause him to be confined4 ,they were
 afraid of being involved in his        
disgrace1 and chose rather to charge    
themselves with his correction1 than to 

see him delivered up to justice2 an     
event which they perceived was likely   
soon to happen4 ,they therefore         
circulated a rumor1 that he was a fool1 
whose brain was disordered4 ,jesus1     
informed of the motive of their journey1
 kept close1 and had a prodigy in       
reserve the moment they should appear4  
,the people1 who had a hint of this1 or 
were told of it by the emissaries of the
 messiah1 repaired thither4 ,as soon as 
the relations appeared1 a blind and dumb
 man possessed with a devil was brought 
forth4 ,jesus exorcised him1 the        
possessed was delivered1 and the people 
were in extacies4  ,the doctors beheld  
with pain the credulity of the rabble1  
and foresaw the consequences of it4 ,the
 kinsmen of ,jesus1 little affected by  
this miracle1 promised to the doctors to
 use all their efforts to deliver him up
 to them4 ,he is a sorcerer1 said some2 
he is a prophet1 said others2 he must   
prove it1 said a third2 and1            
notwithstanding the great miracle he had

 performed1 others added1 ,let us ask of
 him a sign in the air4 ,good ,god6 said
 the ,nazarenes1 he is neither sorcerer 
nor prophet2 he is a poor lad whose     
brain is disordered4  ,these speeches   
being related to ,jesus1 he answered    
them by parables and invectives1 and    
defended himself from the charge of     
being a wizard1 by maintaining that it  
was absurd to suppose he cast out devils
 by the power of the devil4 ,as to the  
imputation of folly1 he repelled it with
 affirming that whoever should question 
his intellect1 could not expect the     
remission of his sins either in this or 
in the other world4 ,this undoubtedly is
 what must be understood by the ,sin    
against the ,holy ,ghost4  ,nevertheless
 the midway course of demanding a sign  
was followed2 for this purpose a        
deputation was sent to ,jesus2 but      
instead of a sign in the air1 he gave   
them one in the water4 ,he referred our 
inquisitive folks to ,jonas1 and told   
them they should have no other sign2    

for1 added he1 ,as ,jonas was three days
 and three nights in the belly of the   
whale1 so shall the ,son of man be three
 days and three nights in the heart of  
the earth4 ,these ,jews who were neither
 wizards nor prophets1 could not        
comprehend this language4 ,jesus1 to    
whom miracles cost nothing when every   
thing was arranged for performing them1 
did not risk himself by working them    
impromptu1 or in the presence of those  
he judged acute enough to examine them4 
,on this occasion he put off these poor 
,jews1 whom he calculated on converting 
to himself for ever1 with an            
unintelligible answer4  ,having refused 
to perform a prodigy in the air1 he     
began to rail at them4 ,he got into a   
passion1 and launched out in prophetical
 invectives against the ,jews4 ,he      
compared the conduct of the queen of    
,sheba with theirs2 boasted of his being
 greater and wiser than ,solomon2 and   
threatened to deprive them of the light 
which he shed in their country4 ,we are 

of opinion1 however1 that1 if he had    
deigned to give the sign demanded1 he   
would have spread this light much       
further4 ,but the messiah felt that a   
sign in the air was much more difficult 
than those he had given on the earth1   
where he was better able to arrange     
matters than aloft in the atmosphere1 a 
region in which there was nobody to     
concert with4  ,meanwhile ,jesus' mother
 had joined her other children and      
relations in order to induce them to    
desist from their pursuit1 but she could
 not prevail on them4 ,they persisted in
 the design of apprehending our         
adventurer4 ,as however1 they could not 
penetrate through the multitude and get 
close up to him1 they sent notice they  
were there4 ,behold1 said some one to   
,jesus1 thy mother and thy brethren who 
seek thee4--,jesus knowing the object of
 their visit which he was no ways eager 
to receive1 abjured such froward        
relations2 ,who is my mother1 and who   
are my brethren8 said he2 after which1  

stretching forth his hand towards the   
people1 ,behold1 added he1 my mother and
 brethren2 ,i know no other kinsmen than
 those who hearken to my word1 and put  
it in practice4 ,the people1 flattered  
with the preference1 took ,jesus under  
their protection1 and the attempt of his
 family was thus turned to their        
confusion4  ,escaped from this perilous 
adventure1 afraid of being ensnared or  
mistrusting the constancy of the        
populace1 who1 notwithstanding the      
pleasure they found in seeing him       
perform his juggles1 might desert him at
 last1 ,jesus thought proper to provide 
for his safety by leaving the town4 ,he 
accordingly departed with his twelve    
apostles1 the ladies of his train1 ,mary
 his mother1 ,jane and ,magdalane1 who  
assisted the company with their         
property4 ,no doubt the last1 who before
 she was with the messiah had made gain 
of her charms1 was rich in jewels and   
ready money4 ,this rendered her         
conversion of great importance to the   

sect1 and especially to ,jesus1 who     
could not1 without cruelty1 refuse to   
repay so much love with a little return4
  ,the persecution which ,jesus         
experienced excited an interest in his  
behalf1 and it would seem procured him  
greater countenance4 ,a multitude of    
people impelled by curiosity1 as soon as
 they knew the road he had taken1 went  
out of the towns and hamlets in the     
environs to see him4 ,to avoid being    
incommoded by the crowd1 he again       
resolved to go on board a vessel1 from  
which he preached to those on shore2 but
 recollecting the trouble1 which his    
former sermons had brought him into1 he 
did not think it prudent to explain     
himself so clearly4 ,he1 therefore1     
preferred speaking in parables1 which   
are always susceptible of a double      
meaning4  ,one day chagrined at his     
little success1 he distinctly avowed    
that he had changed his resolution as to
 the jews1 and meant to abandon their   
conversion4 ,the reason for doing1 so he

 expressed to them in parables2 that    
seeing1 they may not perceive1 and      
hearing they may not understand1 lest at
 any time they should be converted1 and 
their sins should be forgiven them4  ,it
 must be owned that it is very difficult
 to reconcile this conduct of ,god4     
,were we not afraid of committing       
sacrilege by hazarding objections on the
 mission of ,jesus1 might it not be     
presumed that at first he had the design
 of giving laws to the ,jews2 but       
perceiving afterwards his little        
success1 he resolved to seek his fortune
 elsewhere1 and gain other subjects8    
,what he communicated to his disciples  
in this secret view1 appears to have    
been for the purpose of preparing them  
for this change2 but his punishment     
prevented all his designs1 which were   
not executed till a long time after by  
his apostles1 who no doubt carefully    
treasured up this conference4  ,we shall
 not enter into a detail of all the     
parables which ,jesus employed in       

communicating his marvellous doctrine to
 the ,jews1 or preaching without being  
understood4 ,such a discussion would    
become very tiresome2 we therefore      
advise those who may have a taste for   
such kind of apologues rather to read   
those of ,esop or ,la ,fontaine1 which  
they will find more amusing and more    
instructive than the fables of ,jesus4  
,those1 however1 who wish to consult the
 parables of the gospel1 will find them 
in the following places3--,the parable  
of the sower1 ,luke1 viii4 #e--of the   
concealed lamp1 ib4 viii4 #af--of the   
tares1 ,matt4 xiii4 #bd--of the seed1   
,mark iv4 #bf--of the grain of mustard1 
,matt4 xiii4 #ca--of the leaven1 ib4    
xiii4 #cc--of the hidden treasure1 ib4  
xiii4 #dd--of the pearl1 ib4 xiii4      
#de--of the net cast into the sea1 ib4  
#dg--;and of the father of the family1  
ib4 #eb4  ,jesus informed that his      
brothers and cousins were from home1    
went to ,nazareth accompanied with his  
apostles4 ,he perhaps wanted to convince

 his countrymen that he was not such a  
fool as was reported4 ,probably he hoped
 to confer with his family1 and gain    
them over to his party4 ,he arrived on  
the ,sabbath1 and repaired to the       
synagogue3 immediately the priest very  
politely presented him with a book2 he  
opened it1 and stumbled precisely on    
this passage of ,isaiah3 ,the spirit of 
the ,lord has rested upon me1 and       
therefore ,i am anointed to preach4     
,having shut the book1 he delivered it  
to the priest and sat down2 but he did  
not neglect to apply to himself this    
passage of the prophet1 where also      
mention is made of miracles and         
prodigies4 ,there were present1 either  
by chance or design1 several            
,gallileans1 who having been witnesses  
of the marvels ,jesus had previously    
performed1 did not hesitate to bear     
testimony in his favour4 ,but the       
,nazarenes1 who knew what to think of   
him1 were shocked at his magisterial    
tone4 ,is not this1 said they to one    

another1 the carpenter1 the son of      
,joseph the carpenter8 ,is not his      
mother called ,mary8 ,are not his       
brethren and sisters with us8 ,whence   
then has he so much skill8 ,how1 and by 
what means does he work miracles8       
,jesus1 hearing these remarks1 saw      
plainly that this was not the proper    
place for performing prodigies4 ,but he 
wished that his inaction might be       
attributed to the evil dispositions of  
his countrymen1 who were surprised to   
hear the sagacity and power of a man    
extolled whose conduct appeared to them 
very equivocal4 ,i perceive1 said ,jesus
 to them1 that you apply to me the      
proverb1 ,physician cure thyself2 and   
that1 to prove the truth of what you    
have heard of me1 you wish me to perform
 some of those miracles which ,i have   
elsewhere exhibited2 but ,i know ,i     
shall labour in vain in this city3 ,i am
 too well convinced of the truth of the 
proverb1 ,no man is a prophet in his own
 country4 ,to justify himself he quoted 

examples which would seem to throw a    
suspicion on the miracles of the        
prophets of the ,old ,testament1 whom   
this proverb1 even by itself1 was       
calculated to make pass for knaves4     
,whatever opinion we may form of this1  
he cited the example of ,elias1 who1    
among all the widows of ,israel1 did not
 find one more deserving of a miracle   
than her of ,sarepta1 a woman of the    
country of the ,sidonians4 ,in the days 
of ,elias1 ,judea was overrun with      
lepers2 and yet the prophet cured       
,naaman1 who was a ,syrian and an       
idolater1 in preference to his          
countrymen4  ,this harangue1 which      
insinuated the reprobation and          
perversity of the audience1 excited     
their rage so much that they dragged the
 orator out of the synagogue1 and led   
him to the top of a mountain with an    
intention to throw him down headlong2   
but he had the good fortune to escape1  
and thus avoid the fate which was       
intended him in the place of his        

nativity4 ,matthew1 speaking of this    
journey to ,nazareth1 says that his     
master did not perform many miracles    
there on account of the unbelief of the 
inhabitants4 ,but ,mark says positively1
 that he could not do any1 which is     
still more probable4  ,our luminous     
interpreters and commentators believe1  
that ,jesus escaped only by a miracle   
out of the hands of the ,nazarenes4 ,but
 would it have cost him more to perform 
a miracle in order to convert them1 and 
thereby prevent their mischievous       
designs8 ,this was all that was required
 of him1 in order to save himself and   
place his person in security4 ,jesus    
never performed miracles but with       
certain loss2 he always dispensed with  
working any when they would have been   
decisive1 and beneficial4     ,,chapter 
,,xii4  ,,mission ,,of ,,the            
,,apostles4--,,the ,,instructions       
,,jesus ,,gave ,,them4--,,miracles      
,,wrought ,,until ,,the ,,end ,,of ,,the
 ,,second ,,year ,,of ,,his ,,own       

,,mission4   ,dissatisfied with his     
expedition to ,nazareth1 ,jesus went to 
,upper ,gallilee1 which had already been
 the theatre of his wonders4 ,he found  
the disposition of the inhabitants of   
that country better adapted to his      
purpose4 ,he perceived1 however1 that   
the necessity they were under of        
suspending their labor to come and hear 
him1 kept a great number at home4 ,this 
consideration obliged him to disperse   
his apostles by two and two in the      
province4 ,it is probable he resolved on
 this dispersion because he found his   
own sermons and prodigies did not gain  
many proselytes4 ,the continual         
enterprizes of his enemies made him feel
 the necessity of increasing his party4 
,it appears that ,jesus had already sent
 several of his disciples on missions1  
retaining near himself his twelve       
apostles only4 ,it may1 however1 be     
presumed1 that these preachers were as  
yet mere novices1 as their labors were  
unsuccessful1 the devils obstinately    

resisting their exorcisms4 ,yet this    
want of success was owing solely to the 
weakness of their faith1 and would seem 
to throw a shade on the foresight and   
penetration of their divine master4 ,why
 did he send missionaries whose         
dispositions were not sufficiently known
 to him8 ,besides1 it belonged to him   
alone to bestow on them a necessary     
stock of faith for their journey4       
,whatever opinion way be formed of this1
 those of the apostles1 who never       
quitted their master1 who saw him       
continually operating1 who enjoyed his  
confidence1 and had faith from the first
 hand--were better qualified than the   
others to labor to the satisfaction of  
the public4 ,fully resolved to make a   
desperate effort1 ,jesus renewed all    
their powers1 and gave them his         
instructions1 of which the following is 
the substance3 ,every thing being well  
considered1 do not go among the         
,gentiles1 for our ,jews will charge it 
as a crime against you1 and as a        

reproach against me4 ,it is true1 ,i    
have already threatened to renounce     
them1 but it is still necessary to make 
one attempt more2 you will therefore    
preach to the ,jews only4 ,repentance   
supposes sobriety and few wants2 hence  
the inutility of riches4 ,i have no     
money to give you1 but strive to pick up
 for yourselves what you can4           
,providence will provide for you2 if he 
takes care of the sparrows1 he will take
 care of you4 ,moreover expect to be ill
 received1 reviled1 and persecuted2 but 
be of good courage2 all is for the best4
 ,silence is no longer requisite2 preach
 openly and on the house tops what ,i   
have spoken to you in secret4 ,inform   
the world that ,i am the messiah1 the   
son of ,david and the ,son of ,god4 ,we 
have no longer to observe discretion2 we
 must either conquer or die2 away then  
with pusillanimity4  ,though ,i send you
 forth as sheep in the midst of wolves1 
explain to the good people that you are 
under the safeguard of the ,most ,high1 

who will take a terrible revenge for the
 outrages offered you1 and liberally    
reward those who welcome you4 ,you do   
not require to concert measures for     
supplying your wants2 it belongs to     
those whose souls you are going to save 
to provide you in necessaries for the   
body4 ,carry not therefore either gold1 
or silver1 or provision1 or two suits of
 raiment2 take a good cudgel1 and depart
 in the name of the ,lord4  ,take care  
in your way always to preach that the   
kingdom of heaven is at hand4 ,speak of 
the end of the world3 this will         
intimidate women and poltroons4 ,on     
entering cities and villages1 inform    
yourself of such credulous people as are
 very charitable and prepossessed in our
 favor4 ,you will salute them civilly2  
saying ,peace be to this house4 ,but the
 peace you bring must be allegorical2   
for my doctrine is calculated to create 
trouble1 discord1 and division every    
where4 ,whoever would follow me1 must   
abandon father1 mother1 kinsmen1 and    

family2 we want only fanatics and       
enthusiasts1 who attaching themselves   
wholly to us1 trample every human       
consideration under foot4 ,i came not to
 send peace1 but a sword4 ,as a like    
conduct might embroil you with your     
hosts1 you will change your abode from  
time to time4 ,do not rely on the power 
,i have of raising the dead the safest  
way for you is not to risk your being   
killed2 shun therefore places where you 
may be menaced with persecution4        
,abandon disobedient cities and houses1 
shaking the dust from off your feet4    
,tell them1 that they have incurred the 
punishment of ,sodom and ,gomorrah4     
,declare1 in my name1 that the divine   
vengeance is ready to make them sensible
 of their guilt1 and that the           
inhabitants of these cities will be less
 rigorously punished than those who     
shall have the audacity to resist your  
lessons4 ,the great and last day is at  
hand4 ,i assure you that you will not   
have finished your tour through all the 

cities of ,israel before the son of man 
shall arrive4  ,such is the sense and   
spirit of the instructions which ,jesus 
gave to his apostles4 ,in charging them 
to divulge his secret1 he gave them a   
commission1 which1 notwithstanding his  
omnipotence1 he himself dared not       
execute4 ,but it was a grand policy to  
have instruments to act without exposing
 himself to personal injury4  ,these    
trifles1 however1 scarcely merit        
notice3--,we are more surprised to find 
the ,son of ,god proclaiming peace and  
charity1 and at the same time asserting 
that he brings war and hatred4 ,it is   
without doubt a ,god only who can       
reconcile these contradictions4 ,it is  
besides unquestionable1 that the        
apostles1 and especially their          
successors in the sacred ministry have1 
in preaching their gospel1 brought on   
the world troubles and divisions unknown
 in all other preceding religions4 ,the 
incredulous1 who by the way refer to the
 history of the church1 find1 that the  

glad tidings which a ,god came on       
purpose to announce1 have plunged the   
human race into tears and blood4  ,it is
 obvious from this language1 that ,jesus
 charged people of property with the    
maintenance of his apostles4 ,their     
successors have taken sufficient        
advantage of this1 and through it       
assumed an authority to exercise the    
most cruel extortions on impoverished   
nations4 ,would not the ,almighty have  
rendered his apostles more respectable  
by rendering them incapable of          
suffering1 and exempting them from the  
wants of nature8 ,this would have given 
more weight to their sublime sermons and
 those of their infallible successors4  
,critics maintain also1 that it was     
false to say eighteen hundred years ago 
that the end of the world was near1 and 
still more false to affirm that the     
great ,judge would arrive before the    
apostles could make the tour of the     
cities of ,israel4 ,it is true1         
theologists understand that the end of  

the world shall happen when all the     
,jewish cities1 that is1 when all the   
,jews shall be converted4 ,time will    
demonstrate whether it be in that sense 
we ought to understand the words of     
,jesus3 meanwhile the world still       
remains1 and does not appear to threaten
 speedy ruin4  ,it is probable that1    
besides these public instructions1      
,jesus gave more particular ones to his 
apostles4 ,they departed in the hope of 
charities which they were to receive    
from ,jews1 of whom the greatest number 
were already in a state of reprobation4 
,jesus altered his orders in part2 he   
reserved for himself the cities1 and    
left the villages to his apostles4      
,accordingly they went here and there1  
calling out1 ,hearken to the glad       
tidings2 the world is near its end4     
,repent therefore1 pray1 fast1 and give 
us money and provisions1 for having     
acquainted you with this interesting    
secret4 ,we are assured that they cured 
several diseases by the application of a

 certain oil4 ,they had doubtless done  
more excellent things1 but the paraclete
 7the comforter7 was not yet come3      
maugre the instructions of the ,son of  
,god1 the understandings of the apostles
 were not yet sufficiently brightened2  
for we do not find that the             
missionaries1 with their balsam and fine
 speeches1 made any converts4 ,the      
incredulous are still much surprised to 
find in the instructions of ,jesus to   
his apostles1 an explicit order to labor
 only for the conversion of the ,jews1  
and an express prohibition against      
preaching to the ,gentiles4 ,they       
maintain1 that a righteous ,god could   
make no distinction of persons2 that the
 common father of mankind must show an  
equal love to all his children3 that it 
cost no more to the ,almighty to convert
 and save all nations2 that a ,god1 who 
is friendly to one country only1 is a   
,god purely local1 and cannot be the    
,god of the universe2 and that a ,god   
partial1 exclusive1 and unjust1 who     

follows caprice alone in his choice1 can
 neither be perfect nor the model of    
perfection4 ,in short1 those who have   
not the happiness of being sacredly     
blinded by faith1 cannot comprehend how 
the equitable and wise ,lord of all the 
nations of the earth could cherish      
exclusively the ,jewish people2 his     
infinite prescience ought to have shown 
him that his love and favors would be   
completely lost on this untractable     
people4  ,unbelievers remark1 that it   
does not become the ,son of ,god to     
exclaim1 ,woe unto thee1 ,chorazin6 woe 
unto thee1 ,bethsaida6 for if the mighty
 works which were done in you had been  
done in ,tyre and ,sidon1 they would    
have repented long ago in sackcloth and 
ashes4 ,would it not have been wiser to 
have gone and preached to cities so     
docile1 where ,jesus was certain of     
success1 than to persist in preaching to
 the ,jews1 of whom he was not certain  
of making converts8  ,jesus went about  
preaching through many cities of        

,gallilee2 but deprived of the          
assistance of his confidents1 he did not
 work any wonders4 ,we have seen the    
magistrates and the great paying little 
attention to his conduct4 ,they despised
 one whom they regarded a vagrant1 or a 
fool little to be feared4 ',tis true1   
that some of ,herod's officers are said 
to have been on the watch1 with the     
pharisees1 to destroy him2 but this     
combination had no success4 ,after all1 
he gave umbrage only to the priests and 
the doctors of the law1 against whom he 
declaimed with the greatest indecorum4  
,by this conduct he rendered himself    
agreeable to the people1 weary of the   
extortions of these bloodsuckers1 who1  
without pity1 drained the nation1       
treated the poor with disdain1 and1 as  
the parable of the priest and the       
,samaritan evinces1 were destitute of   
charity4 ,the priests and doctors were  
very numerous in ,jerusalem2 on which   
account the people in the capital were  
less disposed than elsewhere to listen  

to our preacher1 and the influence of   
the priests was the cause of the hatred 
and contempt entertained against him in 
this great city4  ,by a singular        
contrariety1 the most obscure interval  
in our hero's life was that wherein he  
acquired the greatest renown4 ,jesus was
 wholly unknown at the court of ,herod2 
while at the head of his troop1 and     
surrounded by multitudes1 he chased away
 devils1 gave sight to the blind and    
speech to the mute1 expelled the sellers
 from the temple1 and raised the dead4  
,but while he led a private life in     
,gallilee2 when1 during the mission of  
his apostles1 he found himself alone and
 without followers1 and content with    
preaching repentance1 it was then that  
his fame1 penetrating even to the       
throne1 excited in the monarch a desire 
to see him4 ,according to ,luke1 a ray  
of light struck the heart of ,herod2    
doubt filled his mind2 ,john1 said he1  
,i have caused to be beheaded1 but he   
must have risen from the dead1 and1     

therefore1 it is that so many miracles  
are performed by him2 but who should    
this be of whom ,i hear such great      
things8 ,herod wished to see ,jesus to  
explain these matters1 and for this     
purpose he sent for him4  ,if nature had
 given ,jesus a right to the throne of  
,judea1 we might judge his motives for  
not putting himself in the power of a   
prince1 the usurper of his crown4 ,but  
,jesus could not dissemble that his     
pretensions were not well established2  
he knew that for a long time the family 
of ,david had lost the sovereign power4 
,we must1 therefore1 search for another 
motive for his refusing to see ,herod1  
as the interview with the ,son of ,god  
would not only have contributed to the  
conversion of this prince and his court1
 but of all ,judea1 and perhaps of the  
whole ,roman empire4 ,a single miracle  
of consequence1 performed before a      
court1 and acknowledged and attested by 
persons of high authority1 would have   
been more effectual than the suspected  

testimony of all the peasantry and      
vagabonds in ,gallilee4 ,far from       
complying with the request of ,herod1   
and conferring so eminent a benefit1    
,jesus withdrew into a desert as soon as
 he learned the prince's intention4 ,he1
 who often uttered the most terrible    
curses against such as rejected him1    
scorned the invitation of a sovereign1  
and fled into a desert1 instead of      
laboring for his conversion4 ,the       
messiah1 who made no difficulty in      
entering the house of a centurion to    
heal his slave1 refused to visit a      
monarch in order to cure his blindness1 
and bring back to himself all his       
subjects1 for whom1 he affirmed1 that he
 was specially sent6  ,our theologians  
explain these contradictions by         
referring to the inexplicable decrees of
 ,providence4 ,but the incredulous      
maintain1 that ,jesus1 who well knew how
 to work wonders in the eyes of a simple
 populace1 dared not to expose himself  
before an enlightened court2 and it must

 be owned1 that the manner in which he  
comported himself before his judges1    
strengthens this opinion4  ,meanwhile1  
the mission of the apostles expired4 ,in
 a short time they had traversed        
,gallilee2 and it appears from the      
repast which ,jesus soon after gave to a
 crowd of people1 that the preaching of 
his missionaries had procured an        
abundant harvest4 ,loaded with the alms 
of the ,gallileans1 the apostles        
returned to their master1 who again     
found himself incommoded by the         
multitude which flocked to see him4 ,to 
enjoy more liberty1 the party embarked  
on board a small vessel1 which conveyed 
them across the sea of ,gallilee4       
,there1 in a retired spot1 the apostles 
gave an account of the success of their 
mission2 they made arrangements for the 
future1 and especially secured their    
provisions in a place of safety4  ,those
 who had seen ,jesus embark1 thought1   
perhaps1 they were forever to be        
deprived of the pleasure of seeing him  

perform wonders4 ,they made the tour of 
the lake1 and though on foot1 reached   
the other side before ,jesus arrived    
there in his vessel4 ,he preached1      
wrought miracles1 and cured the         
diseased2 and these labors lasted until 
the evening4 ,his disciples then advised
 him to send the people in search of    
lodging and victuals in the neighboring 
villages4 ,he made no reply on the      
article of lodging2--there were         
doubtless few persons in this multitude 
who were accustomed to sleep on         
down4--,besides1 the nights were likely 
not cold in that season and climate4    
,but1 wishing to amuse himself with the 
embarrassment of those who made the     
proposal1 and who might not know the    
resources which the collections of his  
apostles had procured1 it is not        
necessary1 said he1 that they should go 
into the villages2 give them yourselves 
wherewith to eat4 ,think you so8 replied
 they1--shall we go and buy two hundred 
penny-worth of bread1 and give them to  

eat8--,philip1 who perhaps was not in   
the secret1 represented the             
impossibility of finding bread to feed  
this multitude4 ,on which ,jesus said to
 ,peter1 ,see how many loaves you have4 
,he found none--a circumstance the more 
surprising1 as1 according to ,mark1 they
 had withdrawn to this place on purpose 
to eat4 ,peter1 without answering the   
question1 said to his master1 ,there is 
a young lad here1 who has five barley   
loaves and two small fishes4 ,jesus     
ordered them to be brought1 and made the
 multitude range themselves in companies
 of hundreds and of fifties4 ,from this 
arrangement it appeared that there were 
five thousand men1 besides women and    
children4 ,when every one had taken his 
place on the grass1 ,jesus1 according to
 the usage of the ,jews1 blessed the    
loaves and fishes1 broke1 and           
distributing them among the apostles1   
who gave thereof to the people as much  
as they desired4 ,they likewise filled  
twelve baskets with the fragments of    

this celebrated entertainment4 ,the     
guests1 penetrated with admiration1     
exclaimed1 ,this is of a truth a        
prophet1 and that prophet who should    
come into the world2 which1 translated  
into ordinary language1 means1 the true 
,amphitrion is he who gives us our      
dinner4 ,the apostles spoke not a word4 
,some critics1 perceiving the           
impossibilities this miracle presents1  
have ventured to doubt the truth of it1 
as if the impossibility of things could 
prejudice the reality of a miracle1 the 
essence of which is to produce things   
impossible4 ,yet if attention is given  
to the account of the evangelists1 who  
are not1 however1 very unanimous on     
particulars1 we shall find1 that this   
miracle presents nothing impossible if  
we are inclined to give any credit to   
the prudence of the ,son of ,god2 who1  
on this occasion1 found that he could   
not make a better use of the provisions 
amassed by his apostles1 than to        
distribute them to a hungry multitude4  

,by this act1 he saw himself certain of 
gaining their favor4 ,it may be the     
crowd was not quite so numerous as is   
related4 ,besides1 our apostles1 in     
passing to the opposite shore1 might    
have thrown their nets with sufficient  
success to furnish fish for the whole   
company4 ,this meal must have appeared  
miraculous to persons who knew that     
,jesus had no fortune1 and lived on     
alms4 ,we accordingly find1 that the    
people wanted to proclaim king the      
person who had so sumptuously regaled   
them4 ,the entertainment no doubt       
recalled to their mind the idea of a    
messiah1 under whose government         
abundance was to reign4 ,no more was    
requisite to induce a handful of        
miserables to believe1 that the         
preacher1 who by a miracle fed them so  
liberally1 must be the extraordinary man
 the nation expected4  ,this great      
miracle then will become very probable1 
by supposing that the apostles in their 
collection had received a large quantity

 of bread4 ,they amused themselves1 as  
has been observed1 with fishing while   
they crossed the lake2 ,jesus gave them 
the hint3--when evening was come1 things
 were disposed without the observation  
of the people1 who were thus fed with   
provisions amassed by very natural      
means4  ,though the ,gallileans wished  
to proclaim ,jesus king1 he did not     
think proper to accept an honor which he
 found himself for the present incapable
 of supporting4 ,his exhausted          
provisions did not suffer him to        
undertake the frequent entertaining of  
so many guests at his own expense2 and  
though this conduct1 much more than all 
his other miracles1 would have gained   
him the affections of the beggars1      
idlers1 and vagabonds of the country1   
the necessity of his affairs prevented  
him from recurring to it4  ,thus ,jesus 
crowned the second year of his mission  
with an action well adapted to          
conciliate the love of the people1 and  
at the same time give uneasiness to the 

magistrates4 ,this stroke of eclat must 
doubtless have alarmed those in power1  
who perceived that the affair might     
become very serious1 especially         
considering the intention of the        
,gallileans to proclaim our adventurer  
king4 ,the priests probably profitted by
 these dispositions in order to destroy 
,jesus1 who at all times appeared       
anxious to gain the populace1 in order  
to aid him in subduing the great4 ,this 
project might have succeeded if ,judea1 
as in times past1 had been governed by  
kings of its own nation1 who1 as the    
,bible shows1 depended continually on   
the caprice of priests1 of prophets1 or 
of the first comer1 who by predictions1 
declamations1 and wonders1 could1 at    
will1 stir up the ,hebrew nation1 and   
dispose of the crown3 whereas in the    
time of ,jesus the ,roman government had
 nothing to fear from the efforts of    
superstition4     ,,chapter ,,xiii4     
,,jesus ,,repasses ,,into ,,gallilee    
,,about ,,the ,,time ,,of ,,the ,,third 

,,passover ,,in ,,his ,,mission--,,what 
,,he ,,did ,,until ,,the ,,time ,,he    
,,left ,,it4   ,the expression of ,john1
 who tells us1 that ,jesus knowing the  
guests he had entertained would come and
 take him by force on purpose to make   
him their king1 demonstrates that these 
guests had withdrawn at the end of the  
entertainment4 ,this observation enabled
 us to fix pretty correctly the route of
 ,jesus1 and affords a reason for his   
conduct4  ,it was already late when the 
disciples said to their master1 that it 
was time to send away the people4 ,the  
preparations for the repast must have   
consumed time3 the distribution of the  
victuals required also some hours2 so   
that daylight could not have been far   
off when the meal was finished1 and when
 ,jesus dismissed his guests4 ,it was   
about the evening he learned the design 
they had of carrying him off to make him
 king2 and it was not until after having
 received this intelligence1 that he    
resolved to conceal himself in a        

mountain1 after having dispatched his   
disciples to ,capernaum4 ,to reach the  
place1 the latter were obliged to make  
several tacks2 when ,jesus1 observing   
this1 changed his resolution1 and set   
out for ,gennesaret1 on the north side  
of the lake4 ,seeing him approach at the
 moment they thought him far off in the 
recesses of the mountain1 his disciples 
were terrified2 they took him for a     
spirit1 for spirits were very common in 
,judea4 ,they were confirmed in their   
opinion when they perceived his shadow  
near the vessel4 ,simon ,peter observing
 him advance1 did not doubt but he was  
walking on the waters4 ,in attempting to
 go and meet his master1 he felt himself
 sinking2 but ,jesus took him by the    
hand1 and saved him from the danger4    
,after reprimanding him for his         
cowardice1 he went with him on board the
 ship4 ,the apostles1 who had not been  
much struck with the miracle of the five
 loaves1 were astonished at this4 ,they 
had been in great fear1 and fear        

disposes to believe2 in their distress  
they confessed unanimously1 that he was 
the ,son of ,god4  ,jesus reached       
,gennesaret at noon4 ,there several of  
his guests recognized him1 and announced
 his arrival to others4 ,they presented 
him the diseased1 and he performed a    
great number of cures4 ,we cannot too   
much admire the faith of the            
,gallileans1 who exposed at all seasons 
their sick in the streets1 and the      
complaisance of ,jesus1 who             
indefatigably cured them4  ,the guests  
at the miraculous supper1 whom their    
affairs called home1 had returned2 but  
the greatest number1 that is1 all the   
laboring people1 having seen ,jesus'    
ship steer for ,capernaum1 had set out  
by land for that city4 ,some vessels    
from ,tiberias arrived there at the same
 time1 but none carried ,jesus1 and     
nobody had seen him2 for he had made his
 passage during night4 ,the crowd1      
however1 remained1 in hopes of being    
again entertained gratis1 when they     

learned at ,capernaum that ,jesus was on
 the opposite shore4 ,immediately1 all  
our idle folks set out1 either by land  
or by water1 to visit him4 ,but these   
parasites1 instead of finding a repast  
served out on the grass1 were           
entertained with a sermon4 ,jesus1 who  
had not always wherewith to defray the  
expenses of so numerous a court1 held   
forth to them this language3 ,verily1   
verily1 ,i say unto you1 ye seek me1 not
 because you saw the miracles1 but      
because ye did eat of the loaves1 and   
were filled4 ,labour1 added he1 for life
 everlasting4---- ,his hearers1 whose   
ideas extended not beyond the present   
life1 did not comprehend what ,jesus    
meant2 they therefore asked him what it 
was requisite they should do2 on which  
he told them that it was necessary they 
should become his disciples1 as he was  
the messiah4 ,here we are surprised to  
find them asking of ,jesus1 ,what sign  
showest thou then that we may believe8  
,what extraordinary thing do you perform

 for that purpose8 ,you will perhaps    
instance the supper you gave us2 but did
 not our fathers eat manna in the desert
 for forty years8 ,and after all1 what  
is your supper in comparison with that  
wonder8  ,from this we may perceive that
 ,jesus labored in vain to draw over    
these ,gallileans to his party4 ,the    
continuation of the miraculous repast   
was alone capable of moving them4 ,it   
was to no purpose ,jesus maintained1    
that the bread with which ,moses had fed
 their fathers1 was not the bread of    
heaven1 which alone could properly      
nourish4 ,an empty belly has no ears2 so
 they suffered him to preach on4 ,after 
he had spoken a great deal--,well1 said 
they1 give us this bread which alone    
nourishes1 for it signifies little to us
 what kind of bread we eat2 but some we 
must have4 ,promise to furnish us with  
it at all times1 and at this price we   
shall be at your devotion4  ,if ,jesus  
at this moment had possessed the same   
resources as formerly1 he would have    

been able1 at little expense1 to form a 
small army1 which the assurance of      
having food without toil would have soon
 increased2 but all failed4 ,these      
people offered themselves providing he  
would always furnish them with bread4   
,the proposition was urgent1 and ,jesus 
got off with so bad a grace1 that his   
disciples themselves were shocked at it4
 ,he said to them1 that he himself was  
bread1 that his flesh was meat1 and his 
blood wine2 and that those only who eat 
it would be raised up1 and conducted to 
everlasting banquets4 ,our dull folks   
comprehended none of this mysterious    
jargon1 contrived on purpose to puzzle  
them4 ,perceiving that they were not    
moved by it1 he informed them that in   
order to follow him1 a particular call  
was necessary1 and that as they were not
 disposed to do this1 they were1        
therefore1 not called4  ,the adherents  
,jesus obtained on this occasion were   
but few4 ,the ,jews were indignant that 
he should pretend to have descended from

 heaven4 ,we know1 said they1 his father
 and mother1 and we know where he was   
born4 ,these rumors1 spreading as far as
 ,jerusalem1 so irritated the priests   
that they resolved on his death2 but the
 son of ,god1 by skilful marches and    
countermarches1 disconcerted their      
vigilance4 ,it was especially in the    
capital that they wished to ensnare him2
 but ,jesus had not been lately there4  
,his distance from the metropolis did   
not1 however1 prevent them from knowing 
his most secret proceedings2 and from   
this he concluded there were some false 
brethren among his disciples4 ,he was   
not deceived2 but the fear of being     
betrayed in a country where his         
resources began to fail1 induced him to 
dissemble till he should arrive in a    
place of safety4 ,he set out1 therefore1
 for ,capernaum4 ,at this place he      
recited nearly the same sermon he had in
 vain preached to the ,gallileans4 ,but 
no one would consent to receive as food 
his flesh and blood4 ,those who enjoyed 

his confidence knew that he gave better 
cheer2 but his other disciples asserted 
that they could not subsist on this     
mysterious mess1 and took their leave of
 him4 ,unable to do better1 ,jesus was  
obliged to let them depart4  ,observing 
the defection of a part of his          
followers1 our adventurer was vexed at  
it2 and1 in sorrow for the injuries it  
would occasion1 he asked the twelve1    
,and will you also leave me8 ,on which  
,simon ,peter answered1 ,lord1 to whom  
shall we go8 thou hast the words of     
eternal life4 ,and we believe1 and are  
sure1 that thou art the ,christ1 the son
 of the living ,god4 ,thus ,jesus was   
assured1 in the best way he could1 of   
the fidelity of his apostles2 yet we    
see1 in spite of his infinite knowledge1
 that he always kept the traitor ,judas 
in his company1 though he must have     
foreseen that he would deliver him up to
 his enemies4  ,meanwhile1 ,jesus set   
out for ,gallilee1 whither his apostles 
followed him1 though his last preaching1

 and particularly the refusal of        
victuals1 had dissatisfied the          
,gallileans4 ,they did not1 indeed1 give
 him a welcome reception4 ,the arrival  
of some pharisees and doctors from      
,jerusalem completely marred everything4
 ,they were deputed by the chiefs in the
 capital to watch the conduct of ,jesus1
 and to put the people on their guard4  
,every one knows how strictly the ,jews 
adhere to the ceremonies of their law2  
and1 in spite of his protestations of   
attachment to it1 ,jesus1 like his      
trusty friends1 observed none of its    
ordinances4 ,it was particularly        
offensive that they ate without washing 
their hands4 ,but he defended himself   
with saying1 that it was better to      
violate traditions and neglect          
ceremonies1 than to infringe the        
commandments of ,god1 as the doctors    
did4 ,he advanced1 contrary to express  
law1 that nothing which enters the body 
defiles it1 and that it is what comes   
out of it that renders it impure4 ,this 

seems to establish1 that ,jesus and his 
party were not scrupulous as to their   
victuals4 ,thereafter he launched out in
 invectives against the doctors1 whom he
 called hypocrites1 ignorant and blind1 
who directed others that were also      
blind4 ,in his anger he did not perceive
 that the compliment was not less       
offensive to the people than to their   
guides4 ,on this account the latter     
entertained a deep resentment1 but the  
populace did not regard it4 ,besides1   
,jesus did not allow them time for      
reflection3 he engaged their attention  
by a fine discourse1 to prove that      
lawyers and priests were the worst of   
men and the least charitable1 and1 that 
none could be happy1 either in this     
world or in the other1 without becoming 
his disciples4  ,he was now informed    
that there was no safety for him in this
 place4 ,he therefore left it in great  
haste1 intending to go towards the      
frontiers of ,tyre and ,sidon4 ,his     
design was to live concealed in the     

country2 but with such great renown as  
that of our hero it was difficult to    
continue long unknown4 ,the secret of   
his retreat was divulged2 and1 as       
misfortune sometimes turns to good1 this
 trifling duplicity gave him an         
opportunity of performing a miracle     
among the ,gentiles4 ,a woman of ,canaan
 besought him to deliver her daughter   
from a devil that tormented her4 ,jesus 
at first made her no answer4 ,she       
insisted2 the apostles interceded1 and  
pressed their master to grant her       
request1 merely to silence her2 for she 
was clamorous1 and might have disclosed 
that he was the messiah4 ,he defended   
himself on the plea of being sent to the
 ,jews only1 and not to the ,heathen4   
,they again besought him1 and answered  
his comparison by another4 ,he at length
 yielded2 and the girl was delivered    
from her devil1 or her vapors4  ,the    
success of ,jesus in this country       
terminated with this miracle4 ,he passed
 into ,decapolis1 and there acquired    

some consequence from the cure of a dumb
 and deaf man on pronouncing the word   
,epheta1 and then putting his finger    
into his ears and spittle on his tongue4
 ,our missionary on this occasion made a
 sufficiently abundant harvest of alms4 
,he moreover wrought a number of        
miracles on the sick1 the cripple1 and  
the maimed4 ,but it was his custom to   
steal away when his miraculous power    
began to make a noise2 he accordingly   
withdrew to a mountain at the distance  
of three days journey from the place    
where he had performed so many miracles4
 ,the people followed him in his        
retreat1 and it appears that they did so
 without eating4 ,loaded with provisions
 or money procured by his miracles1     
,jesus again saw himself in a situation 
to lay the table cloth4 ,as if he knew  
nothing of this1 he asked one of his    
apostles how many loaves they had3 seven
 was the answer4 ,he then ordered the   
multitude to sit down on the ground2 and
 taking the loaves1 blessed them1       

together with some small fishes4 ,these 
were distributed to four thousand men1  
besides women and children1 who were all
 satisfied2 and with the remains of the 
repast1 they afterwards filled seven    
baskets4  ,this prodigy appears to be a 
mere repetition of what we have related 
before2 yet ,st4 ,chrysostom maintains1 
that the difference of the number of    
baskets proves irrefragably they must   
not be confounded4 ,admitting this1 it  
would appear that ,jesus once more      
sacrificed the money and provisions his 
prodigies had enabled him to amass4 ,it 
was necessary to gain the people1 and he
 at that time felt he had very great    
need of them2 he was generous when he   
had the means to be so1 and he had not  
forgotten that they had promised to     
follow him1 provided he would give them 
food4  ,the evangelists1 however1       
overheated with the idea of this        
miracle1 forgot another equally         
deserving their notice4 ,it was indeed a
 prodigy to see four thousand men1      

without reckoning1 women and little     
children1 following ,jesus during three 
days without eating or drinking2 or else
 we must believe1 that1 prepared to     
travel1 these people had provided       
themselves with provisions1 which       
suddenly failed4 ,but1 in a desert1     
whence came the baskets they made use of
 in gathering up the remains of the     
entertainment8 ,it is to be presumed1   
that they dropt down from heaven4 ,but  
why not make loaves and fishes drop down
 also8 ,it was undoubtedly requisite to 
feed this multitude during the three    
days march necessary for their return4  
,but would it not have been a short way 
to have made the people feel neither    
hunger nor thirst8 ,would it not have   
been easier1 by an effort of mercy1 to  
have converted at once all the          
inhabitants of ,judea1 and spared ,jesus
 the trouble of so many entertainments1 
flights1 marches1 and countermarches1   
which at last terminated in a manner so 
tragical to this hero of the romance8   

,the pharisees and sadducees did not    
lose sight of ,jesus3 on learning that  
he had returned to the interior of the  
kingdom1 they went in search of him4    
,the evangelists1 it is suspected1 made 
them much worse than they were in       
reality1 by representing them as eager  
to ruin them4 ,was it then so difficult 
to arrest thirteen men8 ,be that as it  
may1 the ,pharisees at this time        
accosted ,jesus very politely1 and      
demanded of him a miracle4 ,you perform 
them1 said they1 by dozens1 in presence 
of a thousand people1 who by your own   
confession1 do not believe in you2 give 
us then a specimen of your skill1 and we
 shall be less opiniative than those of 
whom you complain4 ,do then show us this
 condescension4 ,jesus was inexorable1  
and perpetually referred them to ,jonas4
 ,this refusal offended them3 he1 in    
turn1 inveighed against them2 and as the
 presence of these inconvenient         
spectators rendered his power useless1  
he quitted them in order to go to       

,bethsaida4  ,on the way1 his apostles  
asked him the reason of his refusal to  
work a miracle in presence of persons   
who entreated him in so handsome a      
manner2 on which ,jesus1 by a figure1   
gave them to understand1 that he could  
not operate before people so            
clear-sighted2 ,beware1 said he1 of the 
leaven of the ,pharisees1 and of the    
leaven of ,herod4 ,our silly folks1 who 
had not time to provide bread1 thought  
their master meant to reprove them for  
their negligence4 ,any other but ,jesus 
would have laughed at the mistake1 but  
the state of his affairs chagrined him1 
and he treated them very harshly4  ,on  
entering ,bethsaida1 they brought him a 
blind man whom he cured by applying     
spittle to his eyes4 ,this remedy at    
first produced a pleasant effect3 the   
man saw other men1 like trees1 walking2 
,jesus then laid his hands on him1 and  
immediately he saw quite otherwise4     
,but this miracle gained no conquest to 
the messiah4 ,he1 therefore1 went to try

 his fortune in the villages in the     
environs of ,caesarea-,philippi4 ,it is 
in this journey that asking his apostles
 what they thought of him1 some said1   
that he passed for ,elias1 others for   
,jeremiah1 c42 but ,peter openly        
confessed that he acknowledged him for  
the ,christ3 a confession which has     
since gained him the honor of supremacy 
in the sacred college1 and of being     
declared the head of the church4        
,though sovereign in heaven1 ,jesus     
possessed nothing on earth1 and of      
course could confer no temporal gifts4  
,instead of these1 he gave his disciples
 the spiritual privilege of damning and 
saving the rest of mankind at their     
pleasure4 ,he promised to ,peter the    
place of door-keeper of ,paradise1 since
 become so lucrative an office to his   
successors and assigns4 ,meanwhile      
,jesus recommended silence to the party 
on this promotion2 but perhaps the      
traitor ,judas1 not satisfied with the  
office of treasurer1 did not preserve   

the secret4  ,notwithstanding the       
suffrage of ,peter1 the consequences    
which might result from the choler of   
the priests were always present to the  
mind of ,jesus4 ,cried down and         
rejected1 he presumed1 with good sense1 
that1 being once excluded from all the  
provinces1 and the ,gentiles not much   
inclined to receive for legislator a    
,jew1 expelled his own country1 he would
 be constrained sooner or later1 to     
return to ,jerusalem1 where he must     
expect to meet with perilous adventures4
 ,on the other hand1 the ,romans1       
masters of the forces over whom the     
,jews could arrogate no authority1 would
 very quickly have put an end to the    
mission of a man whom they must have    
regarded either as a fool or as a       
disturber of the public peace1 if he    
should have dared to declare against    
them4 ,it is evident1 indeed1 that the  
mission of ,jesus existed in ,judea     
merely because the ,romans were not much
 displeased that a restless and         

turbulent people should amuse themselves
 with following a man of his            
character--a pretended messiah1 to whose
 appearance the prepossessions of the   
nation gave rise4 ,always certain of    
being able to crush those who dared to  
undertake the boldest enterprises1 they 
troubled themselves little about what   
might be done in the country by a party 
no way formidable to an authority       
seconded by disciplined legions4  ,the  
situation of the ,son of ,god must have 
alarmed his companions1 however dull we 
may suppose them to have been4 ,it was1 
therefore1 necessary to devise means to 
encourage those at least who were the   
honest dupes of his vain promises4 ,he  
did not dissemble the bad state of his  
affairs1 the fate he had to dread1 and  
the death with which he was menaced4 ,he
 anticipated them on this subject1 and  
declared that even if he should suffer  
death1 they must not be discouraged1 for
 at the end of three days he would rise 
triumphant from the tomb4 ,we shall     

afterwards see the use the apostles made
 of this prediction1 which must at the  
time have appeared to them as foolish as
 incredible4  ,to retain them as his    
followers1 and revive their zeal1 ,jesus
 entertained them incessantly with the  
beauty of his ,father's kingdom2 but he 
told them that to arrive there1 they    
must have courage1 love him sincerely1  
and consent to suffer with him4 ,these  
melancholy sermons demonstrated the     
situation of the orator1 and tended     
rather to depress than incite the       
courage of his auditory4 ,he1 therefore1
 thought it seasonable to present to his
 disciples a specimen of the glory which
 he had so often vaunted4 ,for this     
purpose he exhibited the brilliant      
spectacle of the transfiguration4 ,all  
the apostles were not witnesses of it3  
he granted this favor to three only1    
,peter1 ,james1 and ,john1 his most     
intimate confidents1 to whom he         
recommended silence4 ,this scene took   
place1 it is said1 on mount ,thabor4    

,there ,jesus appeared irradiated with  
glory1 accompanied with two others1 whom
 the apostles took for ,moses and       
,elias1 and whom1 as far as we can      
discover1 they had never seen before4 ,a
 cloud unexpectedly enveloped the three 
luminous bodies2 and when they no longer
 beheld any person1 a voice was heard   
pronouncing these words1 ,this is my    
beloved ,son4 ,the disciples were asleep
 while the spectacle was displayed--a   
circumstance which has occasioned a     
suspicion1 that the whole was only a    
dream4  ,the apostles1 who remained at  
the foot of the mountain1 and had been  
deprived of this spectacle1 wished to   
try their spiritual powers on a lunatic1
 or one possessed2 but the devil        
disregarded their exorcisms4 ,the father
 of the disordered person1 perceiving   
their master descending from the        
mountain1 immediately presented his son 
to him1 whom ,jesus cured2 he then gave 
a strong reprimand to those fumblers2   
told them that their want of success was

 owing to want of faith1 a grain of     
which was sufficient to remove          
mountains2 and recommended to them      
fasting and prayer1 as the surest means 
of expelling certain demons more        
rebellious than others4  ,the people1   
however1 withstood all these wonders3   
the devils1 with whom they were         
possessed1 could not be expelled by any 
thing which ,jesus had not contrived4   
,expecting1 therefore1 to draw over some
 of the strangers whom the solemnities  
always brought in great numbers to the  
capital1 he resolved1 as the feast of   
the tabernacles was approaching1        
secretly to repair thither4 ,but1       
agitated by the most troublesome        
misgivings1 he traversed ,gallilee2 he  
explained himself on his fears in an    
enigmatical manner to his apostles1 who 
could not comprehend what he said2 but  
who1 on observing their master grieved1 
conformed themselves to his humor4  ,on 
arriving at ,capernaum1 the place of his
 usual residence1 the officers charged  

with collecting the customs taking him  
for a stranger1 and not even recognising
 ,matthew1 their old companion exacted  
tribute from them4 ,jesus being a ,jew1 
was offended at their demand2 but       
whether they did not hearken to his     
reasons1 or that he did not wish to be  
known1 he dispatched ,peter in search of
 a piece of thirty-pence in the mouth of
 a fish2 or rather desired him go and   
catch a fish1 which being sold for that 
sum1 served to pay the custom4  ,the    
apostles having understood from the     
,saviour's discourses1 that his kingdom 
was still very distant1 occupied        
themselves with disputing on the        
pre-eminence and ranks they should enjoy
 in the empire which had been obscurely 
announced to them4 ,in this they have   
been since faithfully imitated by their 
successors4 ,in the mean time ,jesus    
took occasion from this dispute to      
deliver a sermon on humility4 ,he called
 for a child1 placed it in the midst of 
them1 and declared that this child was  

the greatest among them4 ,this sermon1  
by which our clergy have profitted so   
well1 contains fine parables1 and points
 out excellent means whereby to attain  
heaven1 but not to thrive on earth4 ,as 
all these1 however1 are only repetitions
 of what is taught in the sermon on the 
mount1 we refer the reader to it4       
,jesus wrought no miracles during his   
abode at ,capernaum1 where he had an    
interest not to be too much spoken of4  
,his brethren or his parents1 who were  
of the same mind as the priests1        
proceeded to that place on purpose to   
persuade him to leave his asylum and go 
into ,judea1 where he might exhibit his 
skill4 ,they reminded him that the feast
 should draw him to ,jerusalem1 where he
 could not fail to find an opportunity  
of signalising himself4  ,this ironical 
tone enabled ,jesus to foresee that they
 were plotting against him4 ,here       
eternal truth extricated itself from    
these importunities by means of         
falsehood4 ,the ,son of ,god told his   

brethren to go to the feast1 but assured
 them that for himself he would not go4 
7,john vii4 #h47 ,this1 however1 did not
 hinder him from taking the road to     
,jerusalem1 but with the greatest       
secresy4 ,in his way he cured ten       
lepers1 among whom one only1 who was a  
,samaritan1 shewed any gratitude to his 
physician2 and from courtesy to his     
faith his sins were remitted4           
,notwithstanding this miracle and       
absolution1 the incredulous do not admit
 that ,jesus can be acquitted of having 
prevaricated4 ,it seems very strange1   
that the ,son of ,god1 to whom his      
omnipotence furnished so many honorable 
means of acting openly1 had recourse to 
subtlety and deception in order to elude
 the snares of his enemies4 ,this       
conduct can be explained only by        
supposing that what seems falsehood to  
carnal eyes is truth in the gospel4     
,,chapter ,,xiv4  ,,jesus ,,shews       
,,himself ,,at ,,jerusalem4--,,he ,,is  
,,forced ,,to ,,leave                   

,,it4--,,resurrection ,,of              
,,lazarus4--,,triumphant ,,entry ,,of   
,,jesus4--,,his ,,retreat ,,to ,,the    
,,garden ,,of ,,olives4--,,the ,,lord',s
 ,,supper4--,,he ,,is ,,arrested4   ,it 
is probable that our hero changed his   
intention of showing himself publicly at
 ,jerusalem on learning the diversity of
 opinions which divided the capital on  
his account4 ,he imagined that his      
presence and discourses would remedy the
 inconstancy of the people1 and remove  
the perplexity of disputants2 but he    
deceived himself4 ,he who so often      
recommended the cunning of serpents1    
failed on this occasion4 ,but how revoke
 an immutable decree8 ,the world had    
been created solely on purpose that man 
might sin1 and man had sinned in order  
that ,jesus by his death might have the 
glory of making atonement for sinners4  
,if they spoke much evil of ,jesus in   
,jerusalem1 they spoke also much good4  
,praise is a snare1 wherein the ,son of 
,god himself was caught4 ,flattering    

himself with being able to reconcile the
 suffrages1 he went to the temple and   
preached4 ,but what must have been his  
surprise when on beginning to speak he  
heard the cries of rage1 and the        
multitude accusing him of being         
possessed with a devil4 ,in spite of the
 noise that prevailed among the         
audience1 ,jesus continued to harangue4 
,perhaps he might have succeeded in     
conquering the bad disposition of the   
assembly1 if a company of soldiers had  
not arrived1 and interrupted him        
precisely in the most pathetic part of  
his sermon4 ,he was speaking of his     
heavenly ,father2 and this occurrence   
has undoubtedly made us lose a sublime  
treatise on the nature of the divinity4 
,the soldiers1 however1 had no design to
 seize him2 they wished only to impose  
silence on him2 it was1 therefore1 easy 
for him to steal away4  ,jesus1 whose   
temper appears to have been vindictive  
and restless1 was piqued at the insult1 
and continued his invectives against the

 priests1 doctors1 and principal men    
among the ,jews1 who taking counsel on  
the subject1 agreed to issue a decree   
against him and try him for contumacy2  
but ,nicodemus1 whom we mentioned       
before1 undertook his defence1 and      
proposed to his brethren to go and hear 
him before condemning him4 ,they1       
however1 insisted that no good ever came
 out of ,nazareth1 i4e4 that his        
protegee could be no other than a       
vagabond4  ,in his retreat on the mount 
of ,olives1 ,jesus learned that they had
 postponed proceedings against him4 ,he 
therefore appeared next day in the      
temple by day break4 ,the doctors and   
senators came a little later1 and       
brought him a female accused of         
adultery--a crime for which1 according  
to the law1 she ought to suffer death4  
,the doctors1 perhaps acquainted with   
her conduct1 and informed of ,jesus'    
having women of wicked lives in his     
train1 wanted to ensnare him4 ,he might 
have got off by merely saying1 that it  

was not for him to judge2 but he wished 
to argue4 ,he wrote on the ground2 and  
concluded1 very prudently1 that for one 
to judge it is necessary to be himself  
exempted from all sin4 ,then addressing 
himself to the doctors1 let him among   
you who is without sin1 cast the first  
stone at her4 ,at these words they      
departed1 shrugging their shoulders4    
,jesus remained alone with the          
adulteress1 whom the ,jews would not    
have treated so tenderly if she had been
 really culpable4 ,on this he said to   
her1 ,since no man hath accused thee1   
neither will ,i condemn thee3 ,go then1 
and sin no more4  ,having happily       
escaped from this danger1 ,jesus thought
 himself in safety2 but1 induced by his 
natural petulence1 he again hazarded a  
sermon in the temple3 he spoke only of  
himself2 and what follows was nearly his
 strongest argument3 ,you ask1 said he1 
a full proof by two witnesses4 ,now ,i  
bear witness of my ,father1 and my      
,father bears witness of me2 you        

therefore ought to believe in me2 which 
amounts to this2 my ,father proves me1  
and ,i prove my ,father4 ,the doctors1  
but little surprised with this          
circuitous and erroneous reasoning1 and 
with a view to come directly to the     
point1 asked him1 ,who art thou8 ,i am1 
replied ,jesus1 from the beginning1 and 
,i have many things to say to you2 but  
,i speak to the world those things only 
which ,i have heard of my ,father4 ,the 
audience were no doubt impatient at     
these ambiguous answers3 ,jesus1 who    
wished to increase their embarrassment1 
then added that they would know him much
 better after they had put him to death4
  ,the messiah did not omit to display  
great views in this conference3 he      
informed his hearers in dark language1  
that it would not perhaps be impossible 
to shake off the ,roman yoke4 ,but      
either through fear1 or that they did   
not believe such a man in a condition to
 effect so great a revolution1 they     
affected not to comprehend him4 ,piqued 

at finding the doctors and pharisees so 
dull and opiniative1 he called them     
children of the devil2 he affirmed that 
he was older than ,abraham4 ,in short1  
he broke out in a manner so unreasonable
 that the people1 declaring against him1
 were about to stone him4 ,jesus1       
perceiving his folly when too late1     
concealed himself until an opportunity  
offered to escape4  ,from this time his 
miracles became more rare1 and the zeal 
of the people subsided4 ,it was         
therefore necessary to rekindle it3     
,jesus accordingly performed a miracle  
by curing a man born blind with a little
 earth moistened with spittle4 ,this man
 was a well known mendicant1 whom they  
could not suspect of any artifice4 ,yet 
they would no longer tolerate him after 
he had received his sight2 an incident  
which no doubt diminished the alms he   
was in use to receive4 ,but1 perhaps1 he
 was made a disciple4 ,some legends1    
indeed1 assert1 that after the death of 
,jesus he came into ,gaul1 where he     

became a bishop or inspector2 which at  
least presupposes good organs of vision4
  ,this prodigy coming to the knowledge 
of the ,pharisees1 the beggar underwent 
an examination2 he openly confessed that
 one called ,jesus had cured him with a 
clay of his composition and some        
bathings in ,siloam4 ,on this occasion1 
the bad humor of the pharisees went a   
little too far4 ,they made it a crime   
for the physician to have composed his  
ointment on the ,sabbath1 and formed the
 project of excommunicating whoever     
should countenance him4  ,this          
resolution made ,jesus tremble4 ,he knew
 the power of excommunication among the 
,jews2 he found himself crossed in all  
his designs2 and dared not venture to   
preach in ,jerusalem1 or show himself in
 any other place4 ,every thing1 even his
 miracles1 turned against him1 and it   
was not without some difficulty that he 
had escaped from the capital4 ,at a     
little distance he knew of an asylum in 
,bethany1 where his friend ,lazarus     

possessed a house4 ,he accordingly took 
the resolution of retiring thither2 but 
though it was a large house1 the party  
that accompanied him might have         
incommoded their host4 ,this determined 
,jesus to send seventy of his disciples 
on a mission to ,judea1 to whom it      
appears he now gave very able powers2   
for on their return we find them        
applauding themselves1 and overjoyed at 
the facility with which they expelled   
the devils4  ,scarcely had ,jesus       
arrived at ,bethany1 when in order to   
receive him in a becoming manner1 they  
prepared a banquet4 ,but the voluptuous 
,magdalane1 content to devour with her  
eyes her dear ,saviour1 left ,martha her
 sister to superintend the arrangements 
in the kitchen while she herself        
continued at his feet4 ,peevishness1 and
 perhaps jealousy1 got the better of    
,martha2 she came and scolded           
,magdalane2 but the tender messiah      
undertook the defence of his penitent1  
and asserted that she had chosen the    

better part4 ,brother ,lazarus1 who came
 in unexpectedly1 terminated the        
squabble by ordering them to their work4
  ,this little altercation was the cause
 why ,jesus did not tarry long at       
,bethany4 ,when about leaving it1 a     
pharisee through pure curiosity invited 
him to dinner4 ,the messiah accepted his
 invitation2 but our unpolished ,jew had
 not the civility to give his guest     
water to wash with4 ,this occasioned him
 a fine lecture on charity and filled   
with marvellous comparisons1 which1     
however1 we shall omit1 as our orator so
 frequently conned over the same lesson1
 and as this dinner appears to be a     
repetition of one we have already       
mentioned4  ,from this period till the  
feast of the dedication of the temple1  
our hero wandered in the environs of    
,jerusalem with his disciples1 whom he  
incessantly entertained with the        
grandeur of his aerial kingdom1 and what
 it was necessary to do in order to     
enter it4 ,it was1 according to ,luke1  

on this occasion1 and according to      
,matthew in the sermon on the mount1    
that he taught the apostles1 who could  
not read1 a short prayer called since   
that time the ,lord's prayer1 which     
7injurious as it is to the ,divinity1   
whom it seems to accuse of leading us   
into temptation17 ,christians still     
continue to repeat4  ,meanwhile time    
passed away without any advantage4 ,the 
cessation of prodigies and preaching    
occasioned that of alms4 ,jesus again   
hazarded a sermon in a village2 but     
although it attracted the admiration of 
the people1 it produced no effect4      
,towards the end of our hero's mission  
we see the crowd no longer running after
 him4 ,if he wished to perform a        
miracle1 he was under the necessity of  
calling those he wished to cure4 ,for   
eighteen years an old woman of this     
village had been quite bent4 ,it was1   
according to the language of the        
country1 the devil who had kept her in  
this inconvenient posture4 ,jesus called

 her and exclaimed2 ,woman1 thou art    
loosed from thine infirmity4 ,the old   
woman made efforts to become straight2  
she approached the feet of the messiah  
with the pace of a tortoise2 he laid his
 hands on her and immediately she walked
 upright like a girl of fifteen4 ,at    
this time the devil spoke not a word2 on
 which it has been remarked1 that ,satan
 always followed the opinion of the     
spectators of the ,saviour's miracles1  
and marvellously coincided with them in 
acknowledging or rejecting him4 ,this   
analogous conduct of the spectators and 
,satan was perhaps the result of the    
excommunication fulminated against all  
who regarded ,jesus as the messiah4     
,the reputation of ,john ,baptist still 
subsisted on the banks of the ,jordan4  
,to excite the primitive zeal1 or1      
perhaps1 with an intention to induce the
 disciples of ,john1 who had borne him  
such flattering testimony1 to follow    
him1 ,jesus turned towards that quarter4
 ,but the attempt was fruitless3 he     

succeeded no better in curing a         
dropsical person that chanced to be in  
the house of a pharisee who gave the    
,saviour a dinner4 ,his cures were      
admired1 but he spoiled all by his      
extravagant arguments1 so offensive were
 they to the greatest part of his       
hearers4 ,as a last resource1 he        
endeavored to attach publicans1         
officers1 and such like disreputable    
persons to his party2 but these were    
only feeble props1 and their familiarity
 made him lose the little esteem which  
others still entertained for him4  ,the 
sight of punishment has often occasioned
 the loss of courage even to the most   
determined hero4 ,ours1 agitated by a   
crowd of untoward events1 imagined that 
nothing being dearer to men than life1  
and nothing more difficult than to come 
back after leaving it1 the people of    
,jerusalem1 notwithstanding the clamors 
of the priests1 would declare in his    
favor if he could succeed in making them
 believe that he had the power of       

raising the dead4 ,lazarus the intimate 
friend of ,jesus appeared to him the    
fittest person for presenting to the    
public the spectacle of a dead man      
brought to life4 ,when every thing was  
properly concerted1 ,jesus set out for  
,bethany4 ,learning this1 ,martha and   
,magdalane went to meet him1 and        
publicly informed him that their brother
 was very sick4 ,jesus made them no     
answer1 but speaking loud so as to be   
heard1 ,this sickness1 said he1 is not  
unto death1 but for the glory of ,god4  
,this was already telling too much4     
,instead of going to ,bethany1 ,jesus   
remained two days in the village without
 doing any thing2 thereafter he told his
 apostles that it was necessary to      
return into ,judea4 ,he was there at the
 time he spoke1 but he meant1 no doubt1 
the capital4 ,they represented that it  
would be a very imprudent journey as the
 populace had recently wanted to stone  
him4 ,we see that ,jesus said this on   
purpose to give room to his friends to  

invite him not to neglect brother       
,lazarus in his sickness4 ,besides1 the 
following words evince that he had no   
intention of going to ,jerusalem4 ,our  
friend ,lazarus sleepeth2 but ,i go that
 ,i may awake him out of sleep4 ,on     
hearing this1 the apostles thought      
,lazarus had recovered4 ,jesus declared 
that he was dead1 and that he was highly
 pleased with not having been present at
 his decease1 as it would afford means  
to confirm them in the faith4  ,the two 
days which ,jesus passed in the village1
 joined to the time he took in going    
about half a league1 were immediately   
converted into four days from the period
 he pretended ,lazarus was dead4 ,at    
last he arrived at the abode of the     
defunct1 whom they had deposited in a   
vault adjoining to his house1 and not1  
according to the custom of those days1  
in a sepulchre out of the city4 ,after  
some questions put to ,martha on her    
belief1 he assured her that her brother 
would rise again4 ,yes1 said she1 but it

 will be at the last day4 ,here our     
,thaumaturge affected to be very        
sensibly touched2 he trembled1 he wept1 
invoked the aid of heaven1 advanced to  
the vault1 made it be opened1 called on 
,lazarus with a loud voice1 and         
commanded him to come forth4 ,the dead  
man1 though wrapped up in his grave     
clothes1 arose and was unloosed before  
witnesses at the entrance of the vault4 
,this prodigy was conducted with very   
little dexterity4 ,john1 the only       
,evangelist who relates this striking   
miracle1 in vain supports his relation  
with the presence of the ,jews3 he      
destroys his own work by not making them
 come till after the death of ,lazarus  
to console his sisters4 ,it was         
necessary that the ,jews should have    
seen him die1 dead1 and embalmed2 that  
they should have felt the smell of his  
corruption2 and that they should have   
conversed with him after his coming out 
of the tomb4 ,unbelievers have exhausted
 all the darts of criticism on this     

miracle4 ,to investigate it would be    
only repeating what they have said4 ,the
 ,jews found in it such strong marks of 
knavery1 that far from being converted1 
they took more serious measures against 
,jesus1 who having intimation of this1  
withdrew towards the desert to a city   
called ,ephrem1 where he abode with his 
disciples4 ,in the mean time the cities 
and villages were ordered to refuse him 
an asylum1 and the inhabitants to       
deliver him up to the magistrates4 ,in  
fact this miracle occasioned a general  
proscription of the messiah4 ,on        
presenting himself at the gates of a    
town in ,samaria1 they at first refused 
to let him pass2 he was not permitted to
 stop at ,jericho1 though he gave sight 
to a blind man1 whom ,matthew magnifies 
into two4 ,jesus returned to ,bethany1  
where he was received1 not by ,lazarus1 
who had1 perhaps1 been obliged to save  
himself on account of his being         
concerned in such an imposture2 but1 as 
,matthew affirms1 by ,simon the leper4  

,lazarus after his resurrection appeared
 no longer on the stage4  ,a legend1    
according to ,baronius1 affirms that    
,lazarus went afterwards to preach the  
faith to the ,provencals1 and was the   
first bishop of ,marseilles4 ,as for    
,magdalane1 she went to bewail her sins 
and the death of her lover in a desart  
of ,province1 called la ,sainte ,baume  
7the ,holy ,balm47 ,martha1 as every    
body knows1 lies interred at ,tarascon4 
,this rejection and desertion of ,jesus 
threw the apostles into consternation4  
,to reanimate their confidence1 ,jesus  
caused a fig-tree to die in twenty-four 
hours to punish it for not producing    
figs at a season when it was physically 
impossible for it to bear any2 that is  
about the month of ,march4 ,as all the  
actions of the messiah1 even when they  
appear foolish to ordinary men1 have an 
important signification in the eyes of  
devotees illuminated by faith1 we ought 
to perceive in the miracle of this      
fig-tree one of the fundamental dogmas  

of the ,christian religion symbolically 
represented4 ,the fig-tree cursed is the
 mass of mankind1 whom1 according to our
 theologists1 the ,god of mercy curses1 
and condemns to eternal flames1 for     
having neither faith nor grace1 which   
they could not possibly acquire of      
themselves1 and which ,god does not seem
 to have been willing to give them4     
,thus we find that the ridiculous       
passage of the fig-tree in the gospel1  
is intended to typify one of the most   
profound dogmas of the ,christian       
religion4  ,whilst ,jesus in this manner
 instructed his apostles by figures and 
ingenious parables1 his enemies were    
laboring hard against him at ,jerusalem4
 ,it appears that the ,sanhedrim was    
divided on his account4 ,they perhaps   
wished to punish him1 but not to put him
 to death4 ,all were of opinion that he 
should be arrested without noise1 and   
that they should afterwards consider on 
the punishment to be inflicted4 ,the    
most fiery of the priests wished that he

 should be seized in the capital1 and   
assassinated during the hurry of the    
festival4 ,this shows they did not      
consider themselves certain that the    
people would not interest themselves in 
his behalf4 ,perhaps they had some      
reason3 what a part of the populace did 
in his favor when he approached         
,jerusalem1 evinced that it would have  
been very dangerous to act openly4 ,in  
pursuance of this plan1 they secretly   
promised a reward to whoever should     
deliver up ,jesus2 and we shall soon    
find one of his apostles betraying his  
master for a very trifling sum4  ,before
 entering ,jerusalem1 ,jesus evidently  
caused his approach to be announced by  
his friends in that city4 ,his adherents
 labored to render his entry into the   
capital somewhat brilliant4 ,affecting  
to display modesty in the midst of his  
triumph1 or unable to do better1 ,jesus 
chose for his steed a young ass that had
 never been rode on1 which his          
disciples1 by his order1 had seized with

 its mother4 ,in place of a saddle1 some
 of the disciples laid their clothes on 
the back of the ass4 ,the company       
advanced in good order4 ,the people1    
ever fond of a spectacle1 ran to see    
this2 and we may believe that if some at
 this time paid sincere homage to the   
triumpher1 the greatest number laughed  
at him and shouted at the ridiculous    
farce4 ,the chief magistrate fearing an 
uproar1 endeavored to quiet the         
populace1 to whom the disciples had set 
the example4 ,he accordingly addressed  
,jesus himself1 who answered that the   
stones would speak1 rather than his     
friends would be silent4 ,this seemed to
 insinuate an insurrection in case they 
should attempt force2 and the magistrate
 understood very well that this was not 
the moment to provoke ,jesus4  ,as soon 
as the ,messiah had entered ,jerusalem1 
he betook himself to weeping and        
predicting its ruin4 ,the announcing    
calamities was1 and will ever be1 a sure
 method to excite the attention of the  

vulgar4 ,some persons of consequence who
 knew not the cause of the riotous      
assemblies of the people around ,jesus1 
on enquiry were answered1 it is ,jesus  
of ,nazareth--it is a prophet of        
,galilee4 ,mark assures us1 that in this
 transaction1 decisive in behalf of the 
,son of ,god1 ,jesus once more gave to  
the people the pillage of the           
merchandise exposed to sale in the court
 before the porch of the temple4 ,this  
is very credible3 it was indeed more    
necessary at present than at the former 
period4  ,profitting by the tumult1     
,jesus cured a great many blind and lame
 people4 ,whilst these wonders were     
performing on one side1 they exclaimed  
,hosannah on the other4 ,some besought  
the author of these exclamations and    
tumult to stop them2 but the messiah had
 no longer measures to observe1 he      
perceived it was necessary to engage the
 popular enthusiasm1 and that it would  
be silly to appease it4 ,besides1 the   
uncertainty of success had thrown him   

into distress1 which hindered him from  
seeing or understanding any thing4 ,a   
child1 frightened1 or too much pressed  
in the crowd1 began to cry while ,jesus 
was speaking1 ,father1 save me from this
 hour4 ,they took the child's voice for 
a voice from heaven4 ,john1 moreover1   
informs us1 that the disciples had      
palmed on the people the famous miracle 
of ,lazarus' resurrection1 which1       
attested by eye-witnesses1 must have    
made a great impression on the          
astonished vulgar4 ,they did not        
entertain a doubt that the voice from   
heaven which they had heard1 was that of
 an angel who bore testimony to ,jesus2 
and the latter1 profitting dexterously  
of the occasion1 said to them1 ,this    
voice came not because of me1 but for   
your sakes4 ,he afterwards harangued the
 people1 and announced himself as the   
,christ2 but he spoiled his sermon by   
timid expressions1 and not knowing how  
to draw from the circumstance all the   
advantage it seemed to promise1 he left 

the city and retired to ,bethany1 where 
he passed the night with his disciples4 
,in general our hero was subject to low 
spirits3--we constantly find in him a   
mixture of audacity and pusillanimity4  
,accustomed to operate in the country1  
and among rude and ignorant people1 he  
did not know how to conduct himself in a
 city1 or to succeed among vigilant and 
intelligent enemies4 ,thus he lost the  
fruit of his memorable journey1 which   
had been so long before projected4 ,we  
do not indeed find that after this he   
returned to ,jerusalem1 except to be    
tried4 ,melancholy and fear had deprived
 him of all presence of mind1 and his   
disciples were under the necessity of   
reminding him that it was time to take  
the passover4 ,they asked him where he  
wished them to go and prepare the       
entertainment3 ,he bade them take the   
first house they met with1 which they   
did4 ,a chamber was provided for them   
where they assembled with their master1 
who1 ever occupied with his sorrowful   

thoughts1 gave them to understand that  
this passover would likely be the last  
which he should celebrate4 ,his language
 was mournful2 he bathed their feet in  
order to teach them that humility was   
essentially necessary when they were    
weakest4 ,having afterwards set down to 
table1 he told them that he was afraid  
of being betrayed by one of themselves4 
,his suspicions fell on ,judas1 whose   
frequent visits to the houses of the    
priests might be known to his master4   
,as ,judas was treasurer to the party1  
and charged with paying for the         
entertainment1 ,jesus wished it to be   
understood that they were then regaled  
at the expense of his life and his      
blood4 ,take1 said he to them in a      
figurative style1 for this is my body4  
,thereafter he gave them the cup1 saying
 that it was his blood which was to be  
shed for them4 ,judas readily           
comprehending the meaning of his enigma1
 arose from table1 and immediately      
withdrew3 but the other apostles did not

 understand it4--,it is1 however1 on    
this emblem that some doctors have since
 built the famous dogma of              
transubstantiation3 they enjoin rational
 beings to believe1 that at the word of 
a priest bread is changed into the real 
body1 and wine into the real blood of   
,jesus6 ,they have taken the figurative 
words of our missionary literally1 and  
have employed them in forming a mystery1
 or rather the most curious juggle that 
ever has been devised by priests in     
order to deceive mankind4  ,after supper
 our guests retired with their master to
 the mount of ,olives1 where they       
thought themselves in safety2 but our   
hero did not entertain the same opinion4
 ,scarcely had the ,man-,god entered the
 garden of ,olives when a mortal terror 
seized him2 he wept like a child and    
anticipated the pangs of death4 ,his    
apostles1 more tranquil1 yielded to     
sleep1 and ,jesus1 who was afraid of    
being surprised1 mildly reproached them4
 ,could you not1 said he1 watch with me 

one hour8 ,judas1 whom we have seen     
depart suddenly and who had not rejoined
 the party1 gave extreme uneasiness to  
,jesus and every moment redoubled his   
terror4 ,it is affirmed that an angel   
came to strengthen him in his situation3
 ,yet he was afterwards seized with a   
bloody sweat1 which can only denote a   
very great weakness4  ,the agitated     
condition of the ,saviour appears very  
surprising to persons in whose minds    
faith has not removed every difficulty  
the gospel presents4 ,they are much     
astonished to find such weakness in a   
,god who knew from all eternity that he 
was destined to die for the redemption  
of the human race4 ,they aver1 that ,god
 his father1 without exposing his son to
 such cruel torments1 might by one word 
have pardoned guilty men1 and conformed 
them to his views4 ,they think that the 
conduct of ,god would have been more    
generous in appeasing his wrath at less 
expense on account of an apple eat four 
thousand years ago4 ,but the ways of    

,god are not as those of men4 ,the      
,deity ought never to act in a natural  
way1 or be easily understood4 ,it is the
 essence of religion that men should not
 comprehend any part of the divine      
conduct4 ,this furnishes to their       
spiritual guides the pleasure of        
explaining it to them for their money4  
,on the near approach of death the      
,man-,god showed a weakness which many  
ordinary men would blush to display in a
 similar situation4 ,the traitor ,judas1
 at the head of a company of archers or 
soldiers1 proceeded towards ,jesus whose
 retreats he know4 ,a kiss was the      
signal by which the guards were to      
recognise the person whom they had      
orders to seize4 ,already ,jesus beheld 
the lanthorns advancing which lighted   
the march of these sbirri2 and          
perceiving the impossibility of         
escaping1 he made a virtue of necessity4
 ,like a coward become desperate1 he    
resolutely presented himself to the     
party3 whom seek ye8 said he1 with a    

firm tone3--,jesus1 answered they4 ,i am
 he4 ,here ,judas confirmed with a kiss 
this heroical confession4 ,the apostles1
 awakened by the noise1 came to the     
succour of their master4 ,peter1 the    
most zealous among them1 cut off with a 
stroke of his sabre the ear of ,malchus1
 servant of the ,high ,priest4 ,jesus1  
convinced of the folly of resistance1   
commanded him to put up his sword1 set  
in order the ear of ,malchus1 7who      
escaped at the expense of being         
frightened17 and then surrendered       
himself4  ,it is said that the party who
 came to apprehend ,jesus1 were forced  
at first to give way4 ,the fact is very 
probable3 it was dark1 and the archers  
perceiving the apostles but very        
indistinctly1 might believe that their  
enemies were more numerous than they    
were2 but plucking up courage they      
fulfilled their commission4 ,whilst they
 bound the ,son of ,god with cords1 he  
besought the chief of the detachment not
 to molest his apostles1 and as they    

wanted him only1 he easily obtained his 
request4 ,john believes that ,jesus made
 this entreaty in order to fulfil a     
prophecy2 but it appears our hero       
thought it was neither useful nor just  
to involve men in his ruin1 whose       
assistance might still be necessary1 or 
who1 being at large1 would have a better
 opportunity to act in his favor4       
,,chapter ,,xv4  ,,trial ,,and          
,,condemnation ,,of ,,jesus4--,,his     
,,punishment ,,and ,,death4   ,when the 
enemies of ,jesus saw him in their      
hands1 they were not less embarrassed   
than before4 ,from the time the ,romans 
had subdued the ,jewish nation1 they had
 no longer the power of the sword4 ,to  
punish those who had sinned against     
religion1 it was sufficient at any      
former period1 that the high priest     
pronounced sentence on the culprit4 ,the
 ,romans1 more tolerant1 rarely punished
 with death2 and1 besides1 to take away 
life1 they required decisive proofs     
against the accused4 ,annanias1         

father-in-law of the high priest        
,caiphas1 was known among the ,jews for 
a very subtle man4 ,it was to ,annanias'
 house1 therefore1 that they first      
conducted ,jesus4 ,we are ignorant of   
what passed in this first scene of the  
bloody tragedy4 ,it is to be presumed1  
that the prisoner underwent an          
examination which proved no way         
favorable to him4  ,from the house of   
,annanias they conducted ,jesus to that 
of ,caiphas4 ,he was the man most       
interested by his office in the ruin of 
every innovator in matters of religion2 
yet we do not find this pontiff speaking
 with anger3 he conducted himself       
according to law1 and as a man who      
understood his profession4 ,who1 said he
 to ,jesus1 are your disciples1 their   
number and names8 ,jesus made no answer4
 ,but at least1 continued ,caiphas1     
explain to me your doctrine4 ,what end  
does it propose8 ,you must have a       
system4 ,tell us then what it is4 ,at   
last the messiah condescended to say1 ,i

 spoke openly to the world2 it is not   
,i1 but those who have heard me1 that   
ought to be interrogated4 ,here one of  
the officers of the high priest gave    
,jesus a blow on the ear1 saying1       
,answerest thou the high priest so6 ,the
 reprimand was harsh1 but it must be    
owned1 that the answer of ,jesus was    
disrespectful to a man invested with    
authority1 and with the right of putting
 questions1 in order to discover the    
truth from the mouth of the accused4    
,jesus ought to have been better        
acquainted with his own doctrine than   
the peasants of ,galilee or ,judea1     
before whom he had through preference   
affected to preach in an unintelligible 
manner4 ,it was therefore just and      
natural to suppose1 that ,jesus could   
give a better account of his sentiments 
and parables1 than an ignorant multitude
 who had listened without being able to 
comprehend him4 ,he alone could be      
supposed to possess the secret of       
forming into a system the scattered and 

unconnected principles of his heavenly  
doctrine4  ,caiphas1 unable to draw any 
thing from the accused1 waited till next
 morning1 when the council would        
assemble in order to continue the       
inquest4 ,jesus appeared before the     
,sanhedrim1 the most respectable        
tribunal in the nation4 ,the gospel     
represents the priests and chiefs of the
 ,jews occupied during the whole night  
that ,jesus was arrested1 in searching  
for and suborning false witnesses       
against him4 ,they produced two persons1
 on whom they very unjustly bestowed    
this epithet4 ,these witnesses deposed  
to a fact verified by the gospel        
itself4--,we heard him say that he would
 destroy the temple1 and rebuild it in  
three days4 ,it is certain that ,jesus  
had uttered these words1 ,destroy this  
temple1 and in three days ,i will raise 
it up4 ,but the poor witnesses knew not 
that he then spoke in his figurative    
style4 ,their mistake was pardonable1   
for1 according to the gospel1 the       

apostles themselves did not discover the
 true sense of these words till after   
the resurrection of their master4  ,this
 evidence was not sufficient to condemn 
,jesus4 ,the ,jews1 however iniquitous  
we may suppose them to have been1 did   
not sentence fools to die2 and these    
words of their prisoner must have       
appeared to them the effect of delirium4
 ,accordingly the high priest contented 
himself with asking what he had to      
answer8 and as the accused refused to   
speak1 he did not further insist on that
 point4 ,he proceeded to questions more 
serious3 ,are you the ,christ8 said he  
to ,jesus4 ,how did the messiah answer  
this question8 ,if ,i tell it1 you will 
not believe me1 nor suffer me to depart4
 ,but hereafter the ,son of man shall   
sit on the right hand of ,god4 ,you are 
then the ,son of ,god8 continued the    
priest4--,you have said it1 replied the 
accused4 ,but it is not sufficient that 
we should say it2 it is you who are to  
answer3 once more1 are you the ,christ8 

,i conjure you by the living ,god tell  
us if you are his ,son8--,you have said 
it1 answered ,jesus3 the ,son of man    
shall one day come in the clouds of     
heaven4 ,notwithstanding these          
perplexing answers1 the judges imagined 
they understood the meaning of his      
words3 they plainly perceived that he   
wished to give himself out for the ,son 
of ,god4 ,he hath spoken blasphemy1 said
 they2 and immediately concluded that he
 deserved death--a judgment which was   
valid according to the law of the ,jews1
 and which must also appear so to       
,christians whose sanguinary laws punish
 capitally those whom the clergy accuse 
of blasphemy4 ,they have1 therefore1 no 
right to blame the conduct of the ,jews1
 so often imitated by ecclesiastical and
 secular tribunals4  ,on the other hand1
 if it was necessary that ,jesus should 
die2 if he wished it2 if the reprobation
 of the ,jews was resolved on1 he acted 
very properly in keeping them in error4 
,but if this was the intention of       

providence1 why preach to them8 ,why    
perform miracles before a whole people  
whilst a small number were only to      
profit by it8 ,did ,jesus wish to save  
them8 ,in that case why not convince the
 whole ,sanhedrim of his power8 ,why did
 he not burst his bonds8 ,why did he not
 by a single word change their obstinate
 hearts8 ,did he wish to destroy them8  
,why not then strike them dead8 ,why not
 instantly precipitate them into hell8  
,the judges could not comprehend why the
 accused1 who could not extricate       
himself from their hands1 could be the  
,son of ,god4 ,they accordingly declared
 him worthy of death2 but not           
definitely1 as it was requisite that the
 sentence should be approved of and     
executed by the ,romans1 sovereigns of  
the nation4 ,during these transactions1 
,jesus was treated in the cruelest      
manner by the ,jews1 whom1 as well as   
,christians1 their zeal permitted1 or   
rather enjoined1 to be savage4  ,it is  
during this night1 and the morning of   

the following day1 so fatal to the      
,saviour of the world1 that we must     
place the three denials of ,peter1 the  
chief of the apostles4 ,his master had  
prayed for him4 ,his comrades1 seized   
with dismay1 had dispersed themselves in
 ,jerusalem and its neighborhood4       
,several among them would have acted    
like ,peter if they had found themselves
 in a similar situation4 ,he had at     
least the merit of keeping near his     
master2 he abjured him1 it is true2 but 
would it have been of more avail if1 by 
acknowledging him openly1 he should have
 entangled himself in a very awkward    
affair1 without being able to relieve   
the ,saviour4  ,the ,sanhedrim repaired 
to the palace of ,pilate the ,roman     
governor1 in order to get the sentence  
confirmed4 ,jesus was conducted thither4
 ,pilate instantly perceived that it was
 an affair in which fanaticism and folly
 had the greatest share4 ,filled with   
contempt for so ridiculous a motive1 he 
was at first unwilling to interfere4    

,judge him yourselves1 said he to the   
magistrates4 ,on this the latter became 
false witnesses4 ,zeal1 no doubt1 made  
them imagine that every thing was       
allowable against an enemy of religion4 
,they interested the sovereign power in 
their quarrel--,they accused ,jesus of  
wishing to make himself king of the     
,jews1 and of having maintained1 that   
they ought not to pay tribute to ,casar4
 ,we recognize here the genius of the   
clergy1 who1 to ruin their enemies1 are 
never very fastidious in the choice of  
means4 ,they especially strive to render
 the latter suspected by the temporal   
power1 in order to engage it1 through   
motives of self-interest1 to satiate    
their revenge4  ,pilate could not avoid 
paying attention to accusations of so   
serious a nature4 ,unable to persuade   
himself that the man he beheld could    
have conceived projects so ridiculous1  
he interrogated him3--,are you the king 
of the ,jews8 ,on which ,jesus demanded 
of ,pilate--,say you this of yourself1  

or have others told it you8--,of what   
consequence is it to me1 returned       
,pilate1 that you pretend to be the king
 of the ,jews8 ,you do not appear a man 
much to be dreaded by the ,emperor my   
master--,i am not of your nation2 ,i    
concern myself very little with your    
silly quarrels4 ,your priests are your  
accusers--,i have my own opinion of     
them--but they accuse you2 they deliver 
you into my hands--,tell me then1 what  
have you done8 ,jesus might very easily 
have got off2 but in his distress his   
judgment failed2 and1 far from          
penetrating the favorable disposition of
 ,pilate1 who wished to save him1 he    
replied1 that his kingdom was not of    
this world--that he was the truth1 c4   
,on this the ,governor asked him ,what  
is the truth8 ,but the ,saviour made no 
reply1 though the question well deserved
 a categorical answer4  ,pilate1 a      
little alarmed on account of ,jesus1    
declared1 that he found nothing in him  
worthy of death4 ,but this redoubled the

 cries of his enemies4 ,having learned  
that the accused was a ,galilean1 he1 to
 get quit of the ridiculous business1   
seized the opportunity to send him to   
,herod1 to whose tetrarchate ,jesus     
originally belonged4 ,we have said      
elsewhere1 that this prince had desired 
to see our hero1 and his desire was now 
gratified4 ,but on perceiving his       
obstinacy and constant refusal to answer
 the questions put to him1 he conceived 
a sovereign contempt for him4 ,to       
,pilate therefore he sent him back      
clothed in a white robe by way of       
derision4 ,the governor1 however1 saw no
 capital crime in ,jesus1 and wished to 
save him2 besides1 his superstitious    
wife had a dream1 that interested her in
 favor of our missionary4 ,pilate then  
said to the ,jews1 that he could find   
nothing in the man which rendered him   
worthy of death4 ,but the people misled1
 and wishing him to be crucified1 cried 
out ,tolle1 ,tolle2 away1 away with him4
 ,the ,governor now devised another plan

 to save him4 ,i release1 said he1 every
 year a criminal2 supposing that ,jesus 
may be culpable1 ,i am going to set him 
free4 ,the cries were redoubled1 and the
 ,jews demanded1 that a robber called   
,barabbas should profit of this mercy in
 preference to ,jesus1 whose punishment 
they persisted to urge4  ,the ,romans1  
desirous to calm the rage of a fanatical
 people1 caused ,jesus to be whipped2   
dressed him in a ridiculous manner1     
crowned him with thorns1 and made him   
hold a reed instead of a sceptre4 ,thus 
decorated1 ,pilate showed him to the    
people1 saying1 ,behold your king6 are  
you not yet satisfied8 ,see how to      
please you ,i have bedecked him4 ,be    
then less cruel3 do not carry your      
indignation further2 he ought no longer 
to give you umbrage4  ,the priests1     
whose maxim it is never to forgive1 were
 not moved by this spectacle2 nothing   
short of the death of their enemy could 
satisfy them4 ,they changed their       
ground1 and1 to intimidate the governor1

 told him that by suffering the accused 
to live he betrayed the interests of his
 master4 ,it was then that ,pilate1     
fearing the effects of the malice of the
 clergy1 consigned ,jesus to the ,jews1 
that they might satiate their rage on   
him2 declaring1 however1 that he washed 
his hands of it1 and that it was against
 his opinion if they put him to death4  
,we cannot well conceive how a ,roman   
governor1 who exercised sovereign power 
in ,judea1 could yield so easily to the 
wishes of the ,jews3 but we cannot more 
easily conceive how ,god permitted this 
honest governor to become an accomplice 
in the death of his dear ,son4  ,jesus1 
abandoned to the rage of devotees1 again
 suffered the cruellest treatment4      
,pilate1 to humble those barbarians1    
wished the label affixed to the upper   
part of the cross to bear1 that he was  
their king2 and nothing could induce him
 to recede from this resolution4 ,what  
is written is written1 said he to those 
who requested him to alter an           

inscription dishonorable to their       
nation4 ,it is also proper to observe1  
that this inscription is differently    
expressed by the four evangelists4  ,the
 ,jews treated ,jesus as a dethroned    
king1 and made him experience the most  
bloody outrages4 ,though he had said    
that he could make legions of angels    
come to his protection1 yet the ,jews1  
notwithstanding their natural credulity1
 paid no credit to his assertion1 and   
nothing could stop their religious      
cruelty1 excited by the priests4 ,they  
made him take the road to ,calvary4 ,he 
sunk under the weight of his cross1 but 
they loaded ,simon with it1 who was more
 vigorous4 ,the unfortunate ,jesus must 
have been indeed much enfeebled by what 
he had suffered during both the night   
and the morning4 ,at last he was placed 
on the cross1 the usual punishment of   
slaves4 ,he did not suffer long under   
the agonies of crucifixion3 after       
invoking his ,father1 and lamenting his 
being so shamefully abandoned1 he       

expired1 it is said1 between two        
thieves4 ,it is said that ,jesus when   
dying exclaimed1 ,eli6 ,eli6 lamma      
sabbactani6 7,my ,god6 my ,god6 why hast
 thou forsaken me67 ,this complaint was 
very ridiculous in the mouth of ,jesus1 
if1 as is pretended1 the part he acted  
was agreed on with his father from all  
eternity4 ,matthew and ,mark tells us1  
that both the thieves insulted him with 
abusive language2 while ,luke assures   
us1 that one only of the two abused the 
,saviour1 and that the other reprimanded
 his comrade for his insolence1 and     
besought ,jesus to remember him when he 
should come to his kingdom4 ,but our    
interpreters have a thousand ways of    
proving that the ,holy ,spirit never    
contradicts himself1 even when he speaks
 in the most contradictory manner4      
,those who have faith are satisfied with
 their arguments1 but they do not so    
powerfully impress freethinkers1 who    
have the misfortune to reason4  ,the    
remorse of ,judas soon revenged ,jesus  

on this traitor4 ,he restored to the    
priests the thirty pieces he had        
received from them1 and went forthwith  
to hang himself4 ,this is what ,matthew 
says1 in opposition to the writer of the
 ,acts of the ,apostles1 7,luke7 who    
tells us1 that ,judas purchased a field 
with the reward of iniquity2 and falling
 headlong he burst asunder in the midst4
 ,mark and ,john are silent respecting  
this memorable event4 ,according to     
,matthew1 the selling of ,jesus for     
thirty pieces had been foretold by      
,jeremiah4 ,the prediction1 however1    
does not appear in the writings of this 
prophet1 which would create a suspicion 
that the evangelists1 little satisfied  
with applying to ,jesus some prophecies1
 such as are extant in the ,old         
,testament1 have drawn from their own   
store1 or forged them when in need4 ,but
 our able interpreters are not at all   
embarrassed with this2 and a holy       
blindness will always prevent these     
trifles from being perceived4  ,the     

gospel informs us1 that at the death of 
,jesus all ,nature seemed to take part  
in the grand event4 ,at the moment he   
expired there was a total eclipse2 a    
frightful shaking of the earth was felt1
 and several holy personages came out of
 their tombs to take a walk on the      
streets of ,jerusalem4 ,the ,jews alone 
had the misfortune to see nothing of all
 this2 it appears1 that these wonders   
were performed only in the fancy of the 
disciples of ,jesus4 ,as for the        
eclipse1 it was1 doubtless1 an          
inconceivable prodigy which could not   
have taken place without a total        
derangement in the machine of the world4
 ,a total eclipse of the sun during full
 moon1 the time at which the celebration
 of the passover was fixed by the ,jews1
 is of all miracles the most impossible4
 ,no contemporary author has mentioned  
it1 though this phenomenon well merited 
to be transmitted to posterity4 ,the    
incredulous therefore maintain1 that    
there was no other eclipse on this      

occasion but of the common sense of     
those who saw all these marvels1 or of  
the good faith of the writers who have  
attested them4 ,with respect to the     
shaking of the earth1 they suspect that 
the apostles of ,jesus1 agitated with   
fear at the sight of their divine       
master's fate1 were the only persons who
 felt it4 ,in this way indeed the thing 
becomes very probable4 ,if the          
punishment of ,jesus is proved by the   
gospel1 some circumstances may create a 
doubt whether he died immediately4 ,we  
are told1 that they did not1 according  
to custom1 break his legs4 ,his friends 
had the liberty of taking away his body1
 and they might dress his wounds on     
finding that he was not dead1 and in    
this manner bring him back to life1 at  
least for some time4  ,when ,jesus was  
dead1 or believed to be so after an     
incision had been made in his side1 from
 which came blood and a whitish fluid1  
which they took for water1 his body was 
embalmed and deposited in a new tomb4   

,this was done on ,friday evening4 ,he  
had several times intimated that he     
would rise again the third day2 that is1
 at the end of three days and three     
nights4 ,yet on the ,sunday following1  
early in the morning1 the tomb wherein  
he had been laid was found empty4 ,the  
,jews1 always opiniative1 did not admit 
that he was risen again4 ,they held it  
more natural to believe that he had     
failed in his word2 or to suppose that  
his disciples had carried him off4 ,this
 could easily have been executed by     
force2 by bribing the guards1 whom the  
priests and ,pharisees had placed around
 his sepulchre2 or by cunning4 ,as      
,pilate felt but little interest in the 
matter1 he appears not to have punished 
the guards for neglecting to take care  
of what he had confided to them4 ,the   
idolatrous governor1 little acquainted  
with the resources or designs of the    
apostles1 never suspected they could    
persuade any person1 that a man1 whose  
death was well attested1 could return to

 life4 ,it is not surprising that a     
,pagan should doubt the resurrection of 
,jesus2 from the first day of the       
church1 several ,christians have not    
believed it1 perceiving the incongruity 
of supposing that the ,son of ,god could
 die4 ,they have therefore denied the   
death of their divine master4 ,the      
followers of ,basilides affirmed that   
,jesus at the time of his passion       
assumed the appearance of ,simon the    
,cyrenean1 and transferred to him his   
own1 under which the said ,simon was    
crucified in his stead1 while ,jesus1   
who beheld this without being himself   
seen1 laughed at their mistake4 ,the    
,cerinthians1 or disciples of           
,cerinthus1 who was contemporary with   
the apostles2 and the ,carpocratians    
likewise denied that ,jesus could have  
been actually crucified4 ,some have     
maintained1 that the traitor ,judas was 
punished in place of his master4 ,these 
sectaries regarded ,jesus as a mere man1
 and not as a god4 ,thus we find        

,christians contemporary with the       
apostles believing in ,jesus and yet    
doubting his death4 ,it was1 however1 on
 this marvellous notion1 as we shall    
see1 that a sect was afterwards founded1
 powerful enough to subject by degrees  
the ,roman empire and a considerable    
portion of the globe4  ,the punishment  
of our hero must have produced very     
little sensation in the world1 and his  
adventures must have been strangely     
unknown1 since we do not find that any  
historian1 with the exception of the    
evangelists1 makes mention of them4 ,in 
the year #abfc1 a conference was held in
 presence of ,don ,jaques king of       
,arragon1 and the queen his wife1       
between the ,rabbin ,zechial1 and the   
,dominician1 ,friar ,paul1 called       
,cyraic4 ,this conference is very       
memorable4 ,the two champions were well 
versed in the ,hebrew and in antiquity4 
,the ,talmud1 the ,targum1 the archives 
of the ,sanhedrim were on the table4    
,the contested passages were explained  

into ,spanish4 ,zechiel maintained1 that
 ,jesus had been condemned under the    
king ,alexander ,jannaeus1 7and not     
under ,herod the ,tetrarch17 agreeably  
to what is related in the ,toldos       
,jaschut1 and in the ,talmud4 ,your     
gospels1 said he1 were not written till 
towards the beginning of your second    
century1 and are not authentic like our 
,talmud4 ,we could not crucify him you  
speak of in the time of ,herod the      
,tetrarch1 since we had not the power of
 life and death in our hands4 ,we could 
not have crucified him1 because that    
manner of punishment was not in use     
among us4 ,our ,talmud has it1 that he  
who perished in the time of ,jannaeus   
was condemned to be stoned to death4 ,we
 can no more believe your gospels than  
those pretended ,letters of ,pilate1    
which you have forged4--,letters on     
,eminent ,writers1 p4 #abc4 ,the        
illustrious and profound ,freret1       
perpetual ,secretary to the ,academy of 
,belles ,lettres at ,paris1 had no      

hesitation in avowing1 that1 after the  
closest investigation he was clearly of 
opinion1 the account given in the       
,talmud respecting ,jesus1 was the      
correct one4 ,this opinion he supported 
by showing1 that the gospels were not   
written till upwards of #dj years after 
the period fixed for the death of       
,jesus2 that they were composed in      
foreign languages1 at places distant    
from ,jerusalem1 which were full of the 
disciples of ,john1 called ,therapeutae2
 of ,judaites1 and of ,galileans1 all of
 whom had their gospels differing from  
each other1 which they insisted were    
genuine2 that the four gospels now held 
canonical1 were the last written2 that  
there is incontestible proof of this    
fact arising from the circumstance1 that
 the first fathers of the church often  
quote passages which are to be found    
only in the gospel of the ,egyptians or 
in that of ,st4 ,james2 and that ,justin
 is the first who expressly quoted the  
received gospels4 ,justin was not born  

till a century after the commencement of
 our vulgar era4     ,,chapter ,,xvi4   
,,resurrection ,,of ,,jesus--,,his      
,,conduct ,,until ,,his                 
,,ascension--,,examination ,,of ,,the   
,,proofs ,,of ,,the ,,resurrection4     
,the history of the life of an ordinary 
man terminates commonly1 with his death2
 but it is different with a ,man-,god   
who has the power of raising himself    
from the dead1 or whom his adherents    
have the faculty of making rise at will4
 ,this happened to ,jesus3 thanks to his
 apostles or evangelists1 we see him    
still playing a considerable part even  
after his decease4 ,the moment he was   
arrested1 the disciples of ,jesus1 as we
 have seen1 dispersed themselves into   
,jerusalem and the neighborhood1 with   
the exception or ,simon ,peter1 who did 
not lose sight of him during his        
examination at the house of the high    
priest4 ,this apostle was anxious1 for  
his own sake1 to know the result of it4 
,encouraging themselves on finding that 

,jesus had not criminated them in his   
examinations1 the disciples reassembled1
 concerted measures1 and determined1 as 
their master was dead1 or reputed so1 to
 take advantage of the notions which he 
had diffused during his mission4        
,accustomed for so long a period to lead
 a wandering life under his command1 and
 subsist at the expence of the public by
 preaching1 exorcisms1 and miracles1    
they resolved to continue a profession  
more easily exercised1 and incomparably 
more lucrative than their original      
occupations4 ,they had enjoyed an       
opportunity of observing that it was    
better to catch men than fish4 ,but how 
could the disciples of a man who was    
punished as an impostor1 make themselves
 be listened to8 ,it was necessary to   
give out that their master during his   
life having raised others from the dead1
 had1 after his own death1 raised       
himself in virtue of his omnipotence4   
,jesus had predicted it2 it was         
therefore necessary to accomplish the   

prediction4 ,the honor of the master and
 his disciples thereby acquired a new   
lustre2 and the sect1 far from seeing   
itself annihilated or disgraced1 was    
enabled to acquire new partizans in this
 credulous nation4  ,in consequence of  
this reasoning1 the apostles had only to
 make the body of their master1 dead or 
alive1 to disappear2 whereas if it had  
remained in the tomb1 it would have     
borne evidence against them4 ,they did  
not even wait till the three days and   
three nights in the pretended prophecy  
were expired4 ,the dead body disappeared
 on the second day2 and thus the second 
day after his decease1 our hero1        
triumphing over hell and the grave1     
found himself revivified4  ,if ,jesus   
did not die of his punishment1 his      
resurrection had nothing surprising in  
it4 ,if he was actually dead1 the cave  
where his body was deposited1 might have
 secret passages1 through which they    
could enter and return without being    
observed1 or stopt by the enormous stone

 with which they had affected to block  
up its entrance1 and near which the     
guards had been placed4 ,thus the dead  
body might have been carried off either 
by force or by stratagem2 and1 perhaps1 
it had never been deposited in the tomb 
at all4 ,in whatever manner the affair  
was transacted1 a report was circulated 
that ,jesus was risen and his body not  
to be found4  ,nothing is of more       
importance to a ,christian1 than to     
ascertain satisfactorily the            
resurrection of ,jesus4 ,paul tells us1 
that if ,jesus be not risen1 our hope is
 vain4 ,indeed without this miracle of  
,omnipotence1 intended to manifest the  
superiority of ,jesus over other men1   
and the interest ,deity took in his     
success1 he must appear only as an      
adventurer1 or weak fanatic1 punished   
for having given umbrage to the priests 
of his country4 ,it is therefore        
requisite to examine seriously a fact on
 which alone the belief of every        
,christian is founded4 ,in doing this it

 is necessary to satisfy ourselves of   
the quality of the witnesses who attest 
the fact2 whether they were acute1      
disinterested1 intelligent persons2 and 
if they agree in their narratives4      
,these precautions are the more         
necessary1 when it is intended to       
examine supernatural facts1 which1 to be
 believed1 require much stronger proofs 
than ordinary facts4 ,on the unanimous  
testimony of some historians1 we readily
 believe that ,casar made himself master
 of ,gaul4 ,the circumstances of his    
conquest would be less established were 
we to find them related by himself only1
 or his adherents2 but they would appear
 incredible1 if we found in them        
prodigies or facts contrary to the order
 of nature4 ,we should then have reason 
to believe that it was intended to      
impose on us2 or1 if we judged more     
favorably of the authors1 we would      
regard them as enthusiasts and fools4   
,agreeably to these principles of sound 
criticism1 let us consider who are the  

witnesses that attest the marvellous1   
and1 consequently1 the least probable   
fact which history can produce4 ,they   
are apostles--,but who are these        
apostles8 they are adherents of ,jesus4 
,were these apostles enlightened men8   
,every thing proves that they were      
ignorant and rude1 and that an          
indefatigable credulity was the most    
prominent trait in their character4 ,did
 they behold ,jesus rising from the     
dead8--,no3--no one beheld this great   
miracle4 ,the apostles themselves did   
not see their master coming out of the  
grave2 they merely found that his tomb  
was empty2 which by no means proves that
 he had risen4 ,it will1 however1 be    
said1 that the apostles saw him         
afterwards and conversed with him1 and  
that he showed himself to some women who
 knew him very well4 ,but these apostles
 and these women1 did they see          
distinctly8 ,did not their prepossessed 
imaginations make them see what did not 
exist8 ,is it absolutely certain that   

their master was dead before they laid  
him in the tomb8  ,in the second place1 
were these witnesses disinterested8 ,the
 apostles and disciples of ,jesus were1 
doubtless interested in the glory of    
their master4 ,their interests were     
closely connected with those of a man   
who enabled them to subsist without     
toil4 ,several among them expected to be
 recompensed for their attachment1 by   
the favors which he promised to bestow  
on them in the kingdom he was about to  
establish4 ,finding these hopes         
destroyed by the death1 real or         
supposed1 of their chief1 most of the   
apostles1 persuaded that all was over1  
lost courage2 but1 others1 less daunted1
 conceived that it was not necessary to 
give up all hope1 but that they might   
still profit by the impressions which   
the preaching and wonders of ,jesus had 
made on the people4 ,they believed that 
their master might again return1 or1 if 
they supposed him dead1 they could      
assert that he had foretold he would    

rise again4 ,they therefore agreed to   
circulate the report of his             
resurrection1 and to say that they had  
seen him after he had triumphantly come 
out of the tomb4 ,this would appear very
 credible in the case of a personage who
 had proved himself capable of raising  
others from the dead4 ,knowing the      
imbecility of those they had to deal    
with1 they presumed that the people were
 prepared long beforehand to believe the
 marvellous wonder which they intended  
to announce4 ,they conceived that it was
 necessary in order to subsist1 to      
continue preaching doctrines which would
 not attract an audience if it had not  
been taken for granted that their author
 was risen again4 ,they felt that it was
 necessary to preach the resurrection of
 ,jesus1 or perish with hunger4 ,they   
foresaw1 moreover1 that it was requisite
 to brave chastisement and even death1  
rather than renounce an opinion on which
 their daily subsistence and welfare    
absolutely depended4 ,hence unbelievers 

conclude1 that the witnesses of the     
resurrection were any thing but         
disinterested1 and were spurred on by   
the principle1 that he who risks        
nothing1 gains nothing4  ,in the third  
place1 are the witnesses of the         
resurrection unanimous in their         
evidence8 ,much more1 are they          
consistent with themselves in their     
narratives8 ,we find neither the one nor
 the other4 ,though ,jesus1 according to
 some of the evangelists1 had foretold  
in the most positive manner1 that he    
would rise again1 ,john makes no mention
 of this prediction1 but expressly      
declares1 that the disciples of ,jesus  
knew not that he must rise again from   
the dead4 ,this denotes in them a total 
ignorance of that great event1 said1    
however1 to have been announced by their
 master2 and creates a suspicion that   
these predictions were piously invented 
afterwards4 ,yet nothing can be more    
positive than the manner in which       
,matthew speaks of the prediction3 he   

supposes it so well known to the public1
 that he affirms the priests and        
pharisees went to ,pilate and told him1 
,we remember this deceiver said while he
 was yet alive1 that after three days he
 would rise again4 ,we do not1 however1 
find in any of the evangelists a passage
 where this resurrection is foretold in 
so public and decided a manner4 ,matthew
 himself relates only the answer of     
,jesus to those who demanded a sign2 it 
consisted1 as we have elsewhere         
remarked1 in referring them to ,jonas1  
who was three days and three nights in  
the belly of the whale2 so1 said he1    
shall the ,son of man be three days and 
three nights in the heart of the earth4 
,now ,jesus1 having died on ,friday1 at 
the ninth hour1 or three o'clock in the 
afternoon1 and risen again the second   
day early in the morning1 was not three 
days and three nights in the heart of   
the earth4 ,besides1 the obscure manner 
in which ,jesus expressed himself in    
this pretended prediction1 could not    

enable the priests and pharisees to     
conclude that he must die and rise      
again1 or excite their alarm2 unless it 
is pretended1 that on this occasion     
these enemies of ,jesus received the    
interpretation of the mysterious        
prediction by a particular revelation4  
,john tells us1 that when ,jesus was    
taken down from the cross by ,joseph of 
,arimathea1 ,nicodemus brought a mixture
 of aloes and myrrh1 weighing about a   
hundred pounds1 to embalm him1 and that 
he afterwards took the body1 wrapped it 
in a clean linen cloth1 applied the     
spices according to the practice of the 
,jews in their funeral ceremonies1 and  
laid it in the tomb4 ,thus was ,jesus   
embalmed1 carried away1 and buried4 ,on 
the other hand1 ,matthew and ,luke tell 
us that this sepulchre and embalming    
were performed in presence of ,mary     
,magdalane and ,mary the mother of      
,jesus1 who consequently must have known
 what ,nicodemus had done2 yet ,mark1   
forgetting all this1 tells us that these

 same women brought sweet spices        
7aromatics7 in order to embalm his body1
 and came for that purpose early in the 
morning of the day subsequent to the    
,sabbath4 ,luke has no better memory3 he
 informs us that these ladies came also 
to embalm a dead body1 which1 according 
to ,john1 had already received a hundred
 pounds weight of aromatics1 and was    
inclosed in a sepulchre1 the entrance of
 which was blocked up by a massy stone  
that embarrassed the women as much at   
finding it as the incredulous are with  
these contradictions of our evangelists4
  ,the ladies1 however1 who felt        
interrupted by the stone1 had no dread  
of the guard which ,matthew placed at   
the entrance of the tomb4 ,but if these 
women knew that ,jesus was to rise again
 at the end of three days1 why were they
 so careful in embalming his            
body8--unless indeed we suppose that    
,jesus made a secret to his mother and  
the tender ,magdalane1 of an event1     
which1 it is asserted1 was publicly     

predicted1 and perfectly well known not 
only to his disciples1 but to the       
priests and pharisees4 ,according to    
,matthew1 the precautions used were     
founded on the fear the priests         
entertained that the disciples should   
come and carry away the body1 and       
afterwards say unto the people1 that    
,jesus had risen from the dead2 an      
error1 which1 in their opinion1 would be
 more dangerous than the first4         
,nevertheless1 we find several women and
 disciples continually roaming about the
 tomb1 going and coming freely1 and     
offering to embalm the same dead body   
twice4 ,it must be acknowledged1 that   
all this surpasses human understanding4 
,it is not more easy to conceive the    
conduct of the guards placed near the   
tomb at the solicitation of the priests1
 or that of the priests themselves4     
,according to ,matthew1 these guards1   
terrified at the resurrection of ,jesus1
 ran to ,jerusalem to tell the priests1 
that the angel of the ,lord had         

descended from heaven1 and taken away   
the stone which blocked up the tomb2 and
 that at the sight of him they had      
nearly expired through fear4 ,on this   
the priests1 not at all doubting the    
truth of the relation of the guards1    
enjoined them to say publicly that the  
disciples of ,jesus had carried away his
 body during the night1 and while they  
were asleep4 ,they also gave the        
soldiers money to speak in this manner1 
and promised to pacify the governor if  
he intended to punish them for their    
negligence4  ,the guards1 it will be    
observed1 did not say they had seen     
,jesus rise2 they pretended merely to   
have seen the angel of the ,lord        
descending from heaven1 and rolling away
 the stone which was at the entrance of 
the tomb4 ,thus this history announces  
an apparition only1 and not a           
resurrection4 ,we might explain it in a 
manner natural enough by supposing that 
during the night1 while the guards were 
asleep1 the adherents of ,jesus came by 

the light of flambeaus1 with an armed   
force to open the tomb and intimidate   
the soldiers1 who1 in the alarm imagined
 they had seen their prey taken out of  
their hands by a supernatural power2 and
 that they afterwards affirmed all this 
in order to justify themselves4  ,the   
most singular circumstance is the       
conduct of the priests1 who believed the
 story of the guards1 and consequently  
gave credit to a miracle strong enough  
to convince them of the power of ,jesus4
 ,but far from being convinced by the   
prodigy which they thus believed1 they  
gave money to the soldiers to engage    
them to tell1 not the incident as it    
occurred1 but that the disciples of     
,jesus came by night to take away the   
body of their master4 ,on the other     
hand1 the guards1 who must have been    
more dead than alive through terror at  
the spectacle they had witnessed1       
accepted money for publishing a         
falsehood2 a conduct for which the angel
 of the ,lord might very properly have  

punished them4 ,far1 however1 from      
dreading punishment1 these soldiers for 
a sum of money consented to betray their
 consciences4 ,but could the ,jewish    
priests1 however base we may suppose    
them1 be silly enough to imagine that   
these men1 after having witnessed so    
striking a miracle1 would be very       
faithful in preserving the secret8 ,it  
must have been an insignificant miracle 
indeed which could make no impression   
either on the soldiers who had seen it1 
or on the priests who believed it on the
 relation of these soldiers4 ,if the    
priests were convinced of the reality of
 the miracle1 was it not natural that   
they should recognize ,jesus for the    
messiah1 and that they should unite with
 him in laboring to deliver their       
country from the yoke of idolaters8  ,on
 this occasion1 indeed1 the angel of the
 ,lord seems to have bungled the affair1
 by so terrifying the soldiers that they
 fled without having time to see ,jesus 
rising from the dead2 whose             

resurrection1 however1 was the object of
 all this pompous preparation4 ,very far
 from allowing it to be seen by any one1
 this awkward angel chased away the     
guards who ought to have been the       
witnesses of the mighty wonder4 ,it     
appears1 in fact1 that the transaction  
or ,jesus' resurrection was seen by     
nobody4 ,his disciples did not see it2  
the soldiers1 who guarded his tomb1 did 
not see it2 and the priests and ,jews   
did not hold this fact to be so         
memorable as some persons who beheld no 
part of it4 ,it was only after his      
resurrection that ,jesus showed himself4
 ,but to whom did he show himself8 ,to  
disciples1 interested in saying that he 
was risen again2 to women1 who to the   
same interest joined also weak minds and
 ardent imaginations1 disposed to form  
phantoms and chimeras4  ,these remarks  
will enable us to judge of all the      
pretended appearances of ,jesus after   
his resurrection4 ,besides1 the         
evangelists are not unanimous as to     

these appearances4 ,matthew relates1    
that ,jesus showed himself to ,mary     
,magdalane and the other ,mary2 ,john   
makes mention of ,mary ,magdalane       
singly4 ,matthew tells us1 that ,jesus  
showed himself to the two ,marys on the 
road whilst returning from the sepulchre
 on purpose to apprize the disciples of 
what they had seen4 ,john informs us1   
that ,mary ,magdalane1 after visiting   
the sepulchre1 carried the news to the  
disciples1 and thereafter returned to   
this same sepulchre1 where she beheld   
,jesus in the company of angels4        
,matthew affirms1 that the two ,marys   
embraced the feet of ,jesus4 ,john says1
 ,jesus forbade ,mary ,magdalane to     
touch him4 ,matthew informs us1 that    
,jesus bade the two ,marys tell his     
disciples that he was going into        
,galilee4 ,john says1 ,jesus ordered    
,mary to acquaint his disciples1 that he
 was going to his ,father2 that is1 to  
heaven4 ,but it is more singular still1 
that1 according to ,mark1 the disciples 

themselves were not inclined to credit  
the apparition of ,jesus to ,magdalane4 
,agreeably to ,luke1 they treated all   
that she told them of angels1 as        
reveries4 ,according to ,john1          
,magdalane herself did not at first     
believe that she had seen her adorable  
lover1 whom she took for the gardener4  
,there is no greater certainty in the   
apparition of ,jesus to ,peter and      
,john4 ,these two apostles went to the  
sepulchre1 but they did not find their  
dear master4 ,according to ,john1 he    
himself saw neither ,jesus nor his      
angels4 ,from ,luke it appears1 that    
these apostles arrived after the angels 
were gone2 and from ,john1 before the   
angels had arrived4 ,the witnesses are1 
indeed1 very little unanimous as to     
these angels1 who seem to have been seen
 only by the good ladies1 whom they     
charged to announce to the disciples the
 resurrection of ,jesus4 ,matthew makes 
mention of one angel only1 whom ,mark   
calls a young man4  ,john affirms that  

there were two4  ,it is said that ,jesus
 showed himself again to two disciples  
of ,emaus1 called ,simon and ,cleophas2 
but they did not recognize him1 though  
they had lived familiarly with him4     
,they proceeded a long while in his     
company without suspecting who he was--a
 circumstance which1 undoubtedly1       
evinced a very strange failure of       
memory4 ,it is true1 ,luke tells us that
 their eyes were as if shut4 ,is it not 
very singular that ,jesus should show   
himself in order not to be known again8 
,they1 however1 recognized him          
afterwards2 but immediately dreading1 as
 it would seem1 to be seen too nearly1  
the phantom disappeared4 ,the two       
disciples went immediately and announced
 the news to their brethren assembled at
 ,jerusalem1 where ,jesus arrived fully 
as soon as they4  ,matthew1 ,mark1 and  
,luke1 agree in telling us1 that when   
the disciples were informed of the      
resurrection of ,jesus1 they saw him for
 the first and last time4 ,but the      

author of the ,acts of the ,apostles1   
,john and ,paul contradict this         
assertion1 for they speak of several    
other appearances which afterwards      
occurred4 ,matthew and ,mark inform us1 
that the disciples received orders to go
 and join ,jesus in ,galilee2 but ,luke 
and the author of the ,acts 7i4e4 the   
same ,luke7 says1 that the disciples    
were ordered not to go out of           
,jerusalem4 ,as to this last apparition1
 ,matthew places it on a mountain in    
,galilee1 where ,jesus had fixed the    
rendezvous for the evening of the day of
 his resurrection2 whilst ,luke informs 
us that it was at ,jerusalem1 and tells 
us that immediately thereafter ,jesus   
ascended into heaven1 and disappeared   
forever4 ,yet the author of the ,acts of
 the ,apostles is not of this opinion3  
he maintains1 against himself1 that     
,jesus tarried still forty days with his
 disciples in order to instruct them4   
,there still remain to be considered two
 appearances of ,jesus to his apostles1 

the one at which ,thomas was not        
present1 and refused to believe those   
who assured him of their having seen    
their master1 and the other when ,thomas
 recognized his master1 who shewed him  
his wounds4 ,to render one of these     
apparitions more marvellous1 they assure
 us that ,jesus was seen in the midst of
 his disciples whilst the doors were    
shut4 ,but this will not appear         
surprizing to those who know that ,jesus
 after his resurrection1 had an         
immaterial or incorporeal body1 which   
could make itself a passage through the 
smallest orifices4 ,his disciples took  
him for a spirit3 yet this spirit had   
wounds1 was palpable1 and took food4    
,but1 perhaps1 all this was only        
chimerical1 and those apparitions mere  
illusions4 ,indeed1 how could the       
apostles be assured of the reality of   
what they saw8 ,a being who has the     
power of changing the course of nature1 
can destroy all the rules by which we   
judge of certainty3 how then could they 

ever be certain of having seen ,jesus   
after his resurrection8  ,john speaks of
 several appearances of ,jesus to his   
disciples1 of which no mention is made  
by the other evangelists3 hence we see  
that his testimony destroys theirs1 or  
that theirs destroy his4 ,as to the     
apparitions of ,jesus which ,paul       
mentions1 he was not a witness of them1 
and knew them only by hearsay2 we find  
him accordingly speaking of them in a   
manner not very exact4 ,he says that    
,jesus showed himself to the twelve1    
while it is evident that1 by the death  
of ,judas1 the apostolic college was    
reduced to eleven4 ,we are surprized to 
see these inaccuracies in an inspired   
author2 they may render suspicious what 
he likewise says of the apparition of   
,jesus to five hundred of the brethren  
at once4 ,as to himself we know1 that he
 never saw his master but in a vision2  
and considering the testimonies on which
 the resurrection of ,jesus is founded1 
perhaps we may say as much of the other 

apostles and disciples4 ,they were      
,jews1 enthusiasts1 and prophets2 and   
consequently subject to dreaming even   
while awake4 ,the incredulous consider  
this to be the most favorable opinion   
they can form of witnesses who attest   
the resurrection of the ,saviour1 on    
which however the ,christian religion is
 solely established4  ,it appears1      
indeed1 most certain from the nature of 
the testimonies we have examined1 that  
providence has in a singular manner     
neglected to give to an event so        
memorable and of such great importance1 
the authenticity it seemed to require4  
,laying aside faith1 which never        
experiences any difficulty about proofs1
 no man can believe facts1 even the most
 natural1 from vouchers so faulty1      
proofs so weak1 relations so            
contradictory1 and testimonies so       
suspicious as those which the           
evangelists furnish us on the most      
incredible and marvellous occurrence    
that was ever related4 ,independent of  

the visible interest these historians   
had in establishing the belief of the   
resurrection of their master1 and which 
ought to put us on our guard against    
them1 they seem to have written merely  
to contradict one another1 and          
reciprocally weaken their evidence4 ,to 
adopt relations in which we have only a 
tissue of contradictions1 improbable    
facts1 and absurdities1 calculated to   
destroy all confidence in history1      
requires indeed grace from above4 ,yet  
,christians do not for a moment doubt   
the resurrection2 and their belief in   
this respect is founded on a rock2 that 
is on prejudices they have never        
examined1 and to which from early       
infancy their spiritual guides have     
prudently attached the greatest         
importance4 ,they teach them to immolate
 reason1 judgment1 and good sense1 on   
the altar of faith4 ,after this         
sacrifice1 it is no longer difficult to 
make them acknowledge1 without enquiry1 
the most palpable absurdities for       

truths1 on which it is not permitted    
even to be sceptical4  ,it is in vain   
that people of sense demonstrate the    
falsity of these pretended truths2 it is
 in vain that an intelligent critic     
stands up against interested            
testimonies1 visibly suggested by       
enthusiasm and imposture2 it is in vain1
 that humanity exclaims against wars1   
massacres1 and horrors without number1  
which absurd disputes on absurd dogmas  
have occasioned4 ,they silence the      
credulous by saying1 that it is written1
 ,i will destroy the wisdom of the wise1
 and will bring to nought the           
understanding of the prudent4--,where is
 the wise8 ,where are the scribes8 7the 
doctors of the law74 ,hath not ,god made
 foolish the wisdom of this world by    
causing the foolishness of the gospel to
 be preached8 ,it is by such            
declamations against reason and wisdom  
that fanatics and impostors have almost 
banished good sense from the earth1 and 
formed slaves who make a merit of       

rejecting reason1 of extinguishing a    
sacred torch which would conduct them   
with certainty1 on purpose to lead them 
astray in the darkness which these      
interested guides know how to infuse    
into minds4  ,the dogma of the          
resurrection of ,jesus is only attested 
by men whose subsistence depended on    
that absurd romance2 and as roguery     
continually belies itself1 these        
witnesses could not agree among         
themselves in their evidence4 ,they tell
 us1 that ,jesus had publicly predicted 
his own resurrection4 ,he ought         
therefore to have risen publicly2 he    
ought to have shewn himself1 not in     
secret to his disciples1 but openly to  
priests1 pharisees1 doctors1 and men of 
understanding1 especially after having  
intimated1 that it was the only sign    
which would be given them4 ,was it not  
acknowledging the falsehood of his      
mission1 to refuse the sign by which he 
had solemnly promised to prove the truth
 of that mission8 ,was it reasonable to 

require the ,jews to believe1 on the    
word of his disciples1 a fact which he  
could have demonstrated before their own
 eyes8 ,how is it possible for rational 
persons of the present age to believe1  
after the lapse of eighteen hundred     
years1 on the discordant testimonies of 
four interested evangelists1 fanatics1  
or fabulists1 a story which they could  
not make be believed in their own time2 
except by a small number of imbecile    
people1 incapable of reasoning1 fond of 
the marvellous1 and of too limited      
understandings to escape the snares laid
 for their simplicity4 ,a ,roman        
governor1 a tetrarch1 a ,jewish high    
priest1 converted by the apparition of  
,jesus1 would have made a greater       
impression on a man of sense than a     
hundred secret apparitions to his chosen
 disciples4 ,the conversion of the      
,sanhedrim at ,jerusalem to the faith1  
would have been of greater weight than  
all the obscure rabble which the        
apostles prevailed on to believe their  

improbable marvels1 and persuaded that  
they had seen ,jesus alive after his    
death4  ,if the apparitions of ,jesus to
 his apostles were not obviously fables 
invented by roguery1 or adopted through 
enthusiasm and ignorance1 the motive of 
these clandestine visits cannot be      
divined4 ,become incapable of suffering1
 and re-established in his divine       
omnipotence1 was he still afraid of the 
,jews8 ,could he dread being put to     
death a second time8 ,by again showing  
himself1 had he not better reason to    
calculate on converting them than he    
derived from all his sermons and        
miracles8  ,but it is said that the     
,jews by their opposition deserved to be
 rejected2 that the views of providence 
were changed2 and that ,god no longer   
wished his chosen people should be      
converted4 ,these answers are so many   
insults to the ,divinity4 ,how is it    
possible for men to withstand ,god8 ,is 
it not to deny the ,divine ,omnipotence 
to pretend that man can oppose its will8

 ,man1 it is asserted1 is free2 but must
 not a ,god who knew every thing1 have  
foreseen that the ,jews would abuse     
their liberty by resisting his will8 ,in
 that case why send them his ,son8 ,why 
make him suffer to no purpose an        
infamous and cruel death8 ,why not send 
him at once to creatures disposed to    
hear him1 and render him homage8 ,to    
pretend that the views of providence    
were changed1 is it not to attack the   
divine immutability8 ,unless indeed it  
be said1 that ,deity had from all       
eternity resolved on this change2 which1
 however1 will not shelter that         
immutability4  ,thus1 in whatever point 
of view we contemplate the matter1 it   
will remain a decided fact1 that the    
resurrection of ,jesus1 far from being  
founded on solid proofs1 unexceptionable
 testimony1 and respectable authority1  
is obviously established on falsehood   
and knavery1 which pervade every page of
 the discordant relations of those who  
have pretended to vouch it4  ,after     

having made their hero revive and show  
himself1 we know not how often1 to his  
trusty disciples1 it was necessary in   
the end to make him disappear           
altogether--to send him back to heaven1 
in order to conclude the romance4 ,but  
our story-tellers are not more in union 
on his disappearance than on other      
things4 ,they agree neither as to the   
time nor the place of ,jesus' ascension4
 ,mark and ,luke inform us1 that ,jesus 
after having shown himself to the eleven
 apostles while they were at table1 and 
spoken to them1 ascended into heaven4   
,luke adds1 that he conducted them as   
far as ,bethany2 lifted up his hands and
 blessed them1 and was afterwards       
carried up to heaven4 ,mark contradicts 
,luke1 and makes ,jesus ascend to heaven
 from ,galilee3 and as if he had seen   
what passed on high1 places him on the  
right hand of ,god1 who on this occasion
 yielded to him the place of honor4     
,matthew and ,john do not speak of this 
ascension4 ,if we leave it to them1 we  

must say1 that ,jesus is still on earth 
according to the first of these         
evangelists1 his last words to his      
disciples gave them to understand1 that 
he would remain with them until the end 
of the world4 ,to fix our ideas on this 
subject1 ,luke tells us1 as we have     
seen1 that ,jesus ascended into heaven  
the very evening of the day of the      
resurrection4 ,but he afterwards informs
 us1 that ,jesus tarried forty days     
after his resurrection with his         
disciples4 ,faith only can extricate us 
from this embarrassment4 ,john advances 
nothing in the matter2 but leaves us in 
uncertainty as to the time which ,jesus 
passed on earth after his resurrection4 
,some unbelievers on observing the      
romantic style of the gospel of this    
apostle1 have concluded from the manner 
in which he finishes his history1 that  
he meant to give free course to the     
fables which might afterwards be        
published about ,jesus4 ,he terminates  
his narrative with these words2 ,jesus  

did also many other things1 and if they 
should be written every one1 ,i suppose1
 that even the world itself could not   
contain the books that should be        
written3 and with this hyperbole1 the   
well-beloved apostle finishes the       
,platonic romance which he made about   
his master4     ,,chapter ,,xvii4       
,,general ,,reflections ,,on ,,the      
,,life ,,of ,,jesus4--,,preaching ,,of  
,,the ,,apostles4--,,conversion ,,of    
,,st4 ,,paul4 ,,establishment ,,of      
,,christianity4--,,persecutions ,,it    
,,suffers4--,,causes ,,of ,,its         
,,progress4   ,the mere reading of the  
life of ,jesus1 as we have represented  
it according to documents which         
,christians consider inspired1 must be  
sufficient to undeceive every thinking  
being4 ,but it is the property of       
superstition to prevent thinking3 it    
benumbs the soul1 confounds the reason1 
perverts the judgment1 renders doubtful 
the most obvious truths1 and makes a    
merit with its slaves of despising      

inquiry1 and of relying on the word of  
those who govern them4 ,it is not       
unseasonable1 therefore1 to offer some  
reflections which may be useful to those
 who have not courage to draw out of the
 preceding inquiry1 the consequences    
which naturally result from it2 and thus
 aid them in forming rational ideas of  
the ,jesus they adore1 of his disciples 
whom they revere1 and of books which    
they are accustomed to regard as sacred4
  ,our examination of the birth of      
,jesus ought to render it very          
suspicious4 ,we have found the ,holy    
,spirit mistaken on that important      
article of ,jesus' life2 for he inspired
 two evangelists with two very different
 genealogies4 ,notwithstanding so       
striking a blunder1 and the             
consanguinity of ,mary and ,elizabeth   
wife of the priest ,zacharias1 we shall 
not cavil on these points4 ,we shall    
grant that ,mary might really be of the 
race of ,david3 many examples           
demonstrate that the branches of races  

more illustrious have fallen into       
misery4 ,departing also from the        
supposition1 that ,mary1 the immaculate 
wife of ,joseph1 may have willingly     
yielded to the angel2 or1 simple and    
devout1 may have been deceived by the   
angel1 there is every reason to believe 
that she afterwards taught her son his  
descent from ,david1 and perhaps1 some  
marvellous circumstances which1 by      
justifying the mother1 might kindle the 
enthusiasm of the child4 ,thus ,jesus1  
at a very early age1 might be really    
persuaded of his royal extraction1 and  
of the wonders which had accompanied his
 birth4 ,these ideas might afterwards   
inflame his ambition1 and lead him to   
think that he was destined to play a    
grand part in his native country4       
,prepossessed with these notions1 and   
intoxicating himself more and more by   
the perusal of obscure prophecies and   
traditions1 it is very possible1 that   
our adventurer might believe himself    
actually called by the ,divinity1 and   

pointed out by the prophets to be the   
reformer1 the chief1 and the messiah of 
,israel4 ,he was indeed a visionary1 and
 found people silly enough to be caught 
by his reveries4  ,another cause might  
likewise contribute to heat the brain of
 our missionary4 ,some learned men have 
conjectured with much appearance of     
truth1 that ,jesus acquired his morality
 among a kind of monks or ,jewish       
,coenobites 7friars7 called ,therapeutes
 or ,essenians4 ,we certainly find a    
striking conformity between what ,philo 
tells us of these pious enthusiasts1 and
 the sublime precepts of ,jesus4 ,the   
,therapeutes abandoned father and       
mother1 wife1 children1 and property1 in
 order to devote themselves to          
contemplation4 ,they explained the      
scripture in a manner purely            
allegorical2 abstained from oaths2 lived
 in common2 suffered with resolution the
 misfortunes of life1 and died with joy4
 ,it is certain1 that1 in the time of   
the historian ,josephus1 three sects    

were reckoned in ,judea1 the pharisees1 
sadducees1 and the ,essenians1 or       
,essenes4 ,from the time of that writer1
 there is no longer any mention made of 
the latter2 hence some have concluded   
that these ,essenians1 or ,therapeutes1 
were afterwards confounded or           
incorporated with the first ,christians1
 who1 according to every evidence1 led a
 manner of life perfectly similar to    
theirs4 ,from all which it may be       
concluded1 either that ,jesus had been a
 ,therapeute before his preaching1 or   
that he had borrowed their doctrines4   
,whatever may be in this1 in the midst  
of an ignorant and superstitious nation1
 perpetually fed with oracles and       
pompous promises2 miserable at that time
 and discontented with the ,roman yoke2 
continually cajoled with the expectation
 of a deliverer1 who was to restore them
 with honor1 our enthusiast without     
difficulty found an audience1 and1 by   
degrees1 adherents4 ,men are naturally  
disposed to listen to1 and believe those

 who make them hope for an end to their 
miseries4 ,misfortunes render them      
timorous and credulous1 and lead them to
 superstition4 ,a fanatic easily makes  
conquests among a wretched people4 ,it  
is not then wonderful that ,jesus should
 soon acquire partizans1 especially     
among the populace who in every country 
are easily seduced4  ,our hero knew the 
weakness of his fellow-citizens4 ,they  
wanted prodigies1 and he1 in their eyes1
 performed them4 ,a stupid people1      
totally strangers to the natural        
sciences1 to medicine1 or to the        
resources of artifice1 easily mistook   
very simple operations for miracles1 and
 attributed effects to the finger of    
,god which might be owing to the        
knowledge ,jesus had acquired during the
 long interval that preceded his        
mission4 ,nothing is more common than   
the combination of enthusiasm and       
imposture2 the most sincere devotees1   
when they intend to advance what they   
believe to be the word of ,god1 often   

countenance frauds which they style     
pious4 ,there are but few zealots who do
 not even think crimes allowable when   
the interests of religion are concerned4
 ,in religion1 as at play1 one begins   
with being dupe1 and ends with being    
knave4  ,thus on considering things     
attentively1 and comparing the different
 accounts of the life of ,jesus1 we must
 be persuaded that he was a fanatic1 who
 really thought himself inspired1       
favored by ,heaven1 sent to his nation2 
in short1 that he was the messiah1 who1 
to support his divine mission1 felt no  
difficulty to employ such deceptions as 
were best calculated for a people to    
whom miracles were absolutely necessary2
 and whom1 without miracles1 the most   
eloquent harangues1 the wisest precepts1
 the most intelligent counsels1 and the 
truest principles could never have      
convinced4 ,a medley of enthusiasm and  
juggling constitute the character of    
,jesus1 and it is that of all spiritual 
adventurers who assume the name of      

,reformers1 or become the chiefs of a   
sect4  ,we always find ,jesus1 during   
his whole mission1 preaching the kingdom
 of his ,father1 and supporting his     
preaching with wonders4 ,at first he    
spoke in a very reserved manner of his  
quality of messiah1 son of ,god1 and son
 of ,david4 ,there was prudence in not  
giving himself out for such4 ,but he    
suffered the secret to be revealed by   
the mouth of the devil1 to impose       
silence on whom he commonly took great  
care2 not1 however1 until after the     
devil had spoken in a manner            
sufficiently intelligible to make an    
impression on the spectators4 ,so that  
with the assistance of his possessed1   
his proselytes1 or his convulsionaries1 
he procured testimonies1 which from his 
own mouth would have been very          
suspicious1 and might have rendered him 
odious4  ,our operator also took care to
 choose his ground for performing       
miracles2 he constantly refused to      
operate before those whom he supposed   

inclined to criticise his wonders4 ,if  
he sometimes performed them in the      
synagogues1 and in presence of the      
doctors1 it was in the certainty that   
the less fastidious populace1 who       
believed in his miracles1 would take his
 part1 and defend him against the evil  
designs of the more acute spectators4   
,the apostles of ,jesus appear to have  
been men of their master's              
temper--credulous or misled enthusiasts1
 dexterous cheats1 or often both        
together4 ,jesus1 who had skill in men1 
admitted into his intimate confidence   
those only in whom he remarked the most 
submissive credulity or the greatest    
address4 ,on important occasions1 such  
as the miracle of multiplying the       
loaves1 the transfiguration1 c4 we find1
 as already noticed1 that he used always
 the ministry of ,peter1 ,james1 and    
,john4  ,it is easy to conceive that his
 disciples were attached to him from    
interest or credulity4 ,the most crafty 
perceived that their fortune could only 

be ameliorated under the conduct of a   
man who knew how to impose on the       
vulgar1 and to make his followers live  
at the expence of charitable devotees4  
,fishermen1 formerly obliged to subsist 
by painful and often unsuccessful       
labour1 conceived that it was more      
advantageous to attach themselves to one
 who without trouble made them live     
comfortably4 ,the most credulous        
expected to make a brilliant fortune1   
and to fill posts of eminence in the new
 kingdom their chief intended to        
establish4 ,it was evidently from       
earthly or interested motives1 and not  
heavenly1 that the apostles attached    
themselves to ,jesus4 ,at the last      
supper there was a strife amongst them  
who should be accounted the greatest4   
,the meanest1 as ,bishop ,parker        
expressed it1 hoped at least to have    
been made lord mayor of ,capernaum4 ,and
 even at his ascension the only question
 his disciples asked1 was1 ,lord1 wilt  
thou at this time restore again the     

kingdom of ,israel8  ,the hopes and     
comforts of both vanished on the death  
of ,jesus4 ,the pusillanimous lost      
courage1 but the most able and subtle   
did not think it necessary to abandon   
the party4 ,they therefore contrived1 as
 we have seen1 the tale of the          
resurrection1 by the aid of which the   
reputation of their master and their own
 fortune were secured4 ,it also appears1
 that the apostles never sincerely      
believed their master was a ,god4 ,the  
,acts incontestibly demonstrate the     
contrary4 ,the same ,simon ,peter1 who  
had recognized ,jesus for the ,son of   
the living ,god1 declared in his first  
sermon1 that he was man4 ,ye know1 says 
he1 that ,jesus of ,nazareth was a      
sc,,man_/sc whom ,god hath rendered     
famous among you--,yet ye have crucified
 him--but ,god hath raised him up again1
 c4 ,this passage proves clearly that   
the chief of the apostles dared not yet 
hazard1 or was wholly ignorant of the   
doctrine of the divinity of ,jesus1     

which was afterwards contrived by the   
self-interest of the clergy and adopted 
by the foolishness of ,christians1 whose
 credulity was never startled by the    
greatest absurdities4 ,self-interest and
 folly have perpetuated this doctrine   
until our time4 ,by dint of repeating   
the same tales for so long a period1    
they have succeeded in making people    
believe the most ridiculous fables4 ,the
 religion of the children is always     
regulated by the fancy of their fathers4
  ,it appears however1 that the apostles
 of ,jesus1 deprived of the counsels of 
their master1 could not have succeeded  
if they had not received powerful aid   
after his death1 and selected           
associates1 men more active than        
themselves1 and better calculated for   
the business4 ,they deliberated together
 on their common interests2 it was then 
the ,holy ,spirit descended on them2    
that is1 they considered on the means of
 earning a subsistence1 gaining         
proselytes1 and increasing the number of

 their adherents1 in order to secure    
themselves against the enterprizes of   
the priests and grandees of the nation1 
whom the new sect might have very much  
displeased4 ,not satisfied with having  
put ,jesus to death1 they had the       
impudence to persecute his disciples4   
,they engaged ,herod to destroy ,james  
the brother of ,jesus2 finally they     
caused ,stephen to be stoned4 ,these    
priests and doctors did not perceive    
that persecution is the surest method of
 spreading fanaticism1 and that it      
always gives importance to the party    
persecuted4  ,accordingly this          
persecuting spirit1 inherent in the     
clergy1 created new partisans to the    
persecuted sect4 ,hard treatment1 and   
imprisonment always render sectaries    
more obstinate1 and interesting objects 
to those who witness their sufferings4  
,tortures excite our pity in behalf of  
the person who endures them4 ,every     
fanatic that is punished is certain of  
finding credulous friends to aid him1   

because they persuade themselves it is  
for truth he is persecuted4  ,the       
proceedings instigated by the priests1  
convinced the new sectaries that it was 
of the utmost importance to unite their 
interests4 ,they felt it necessary to   
avoid quarrels1 and every thing which   
could create division2 they in          
consequence lived in concord and peace4 
,the apostles1 now become heads of the  
sect1 did not neglect their own         
interests4 ,one of the first faculties  
with which the ,holy ,spirit inspired   
them1 was to profit by devout souls1 and
 engage them to place all their property
 in common4 ,the apostles were the      
depositaries of these goods1 and had    
under their orders ministers or         
servants1 known by the name of deacons1 
charged with the distribution of alms4  
,these great saints1 it is to be        
presumed1 did not forget themselves in  
these distributions4 ,it appears also1  
that the law for this communion of      
goods1 was observed with rigor1 as we   

find1 in the ,acts of the ,apostles1    
,ananias and ,saphira struck dead1 on   
the prayer of ,peter1 for having had the
 temerity to retain a portion of their  
own property3 a conduct which would     
appear as unjust1 as barbarous in any   
other person but an apostle of ,jesus4  
,it must however be acknowledged1 that  
the law1 which obliged the rich to place
 their property in common1 was very     
important1 not only to the apostles1 but
 for increasing the sect4 ,the poor     
undoubtedly must have been eager to join
 a party where the rich engaged to lay  
the cloth4 ,hence it is easy to         
perceive1 how this institution might    
augment the number of the faithful      
without a miracle4  ,of all the         
adherents the new-born sect acquired1   
there was none superior to ,saul1       
afterwards known by the name of ,paul4  
,the actions and writings ascribed to   
this ,apostle exhibit him as an         
ambitious1 active1 intrepid1 and        
opiniative man1 full of enthusiasm1 and 

capable of inspiring others with it4    
,engaged at first in the profession of a
 tent-maker1 he afterwards attached     
himself to ,gamaliel1 a doctor of the   
law and rendered services to the priests
 in their persecutions against          
,christians4 ,perceiving the utility    
which a man of ,saul's character might  
be of to the party1 the apostles        
profited by some disgust he had taken to
 draw him over to their sect4 ,he       
consented readily conceiving that by his
 superior talents he might easily       
succeed in making himself the head of a 
party1 to which he also knew the means  
of rendering himself necessary4 ,he     
pretended1 therefore1 that his          
conversion was the effect of a miracle1 
and that ,god himself had called him4   
,he was baptised at ,damascus1 joined   
the apostles at ,jerusalem1 was admitted
 a member of their college1 and soon    
gave them proofs of his talents4 ,he    
commenced preaching ,jesus and his      
resurrection1 and labored in gaining    

souls4 ,his vehement zeal hurried him1  
without fear or hesitation1 into        
quarrels with the priests1 always       
indignant at the conduct of the         
apostles2 but his persecutions rendered 
him dearer to his party1 of which he    
became from that time the prime mover4  
,often maltreated by the ,jews1 ,paul   
conjectured that it would be beneficial 
not to confine himself to them1 but that
 conquests might be made among the      
heathen4 ,he no doubt knew that mankind 
resemble each other in all              
superstitions2 that they are every where
 curious about the marvellous2          
susceptible of fanaticism1 lovers of    
novelties1 and easily deceived4 ,he     
therefore1 sometimes preached to ,jews1 
and sometimes to ,gentiles1 among whom  
he succeeded in enlisting a considerable
 number of recruits4  ,jesus1 born in   
the bosom of ,judaism1 and knowing the  
attachment of his fellow-citizens to the
 law of ,moses1 had always openly       
declared1 that he was come to           

accomplish1 and not to destroy it4 ,his 
first apostles were ,jews1 and showed   
much attachment to the rites of their   
religion4 ,they were displeased that    
,paul their brother would not subject   
his ,gentile proselytes to ,judaical    
usuages4 ,filled with views more vast   
than those entertained by the other     
apostles1 he did not wish to disgust his
 new converts with inconvenient         
ceremonies1 such as circumcision and    
abstinence from certain meats4 ,the     
better to attain his ends1 he neglected 
these usuages1 which he considered as   
trifles1 while his brethren regarded    
them as most essential4 ,the first      
proselytes or the apostles as we have   
said1 were called ,nazarenes or         
,ebionites1 who believed in ,jesus      
without forsaking the law of ,moses4    
,they of course regarded ,paul as an    
heretic or apostate4 ,this fact1        
attested by ,origen1 ,eusebius1 and     
,epiphanius1 is important in giving us a
 distinct idea of primitive             

,christianity1 which we see divided into
 two sects almost as soon as ,paul had  
embraced it4 ,this new apostle very soon
 indeed separated from his brethren to  
preach a doctrine different from theirs1
 and openly undermined the ,judaism     
which ,peter1 ,james1 and the other     
heads of the church persisted in        
respecting4 ,but as ,paul was successful
 among the ,gentiles1 his party         
prevailed3 ,judaism was entirely        
proscribed1 and ,christianity became    
quite a new religion1 of which ,judaism 
had been only the figure4 ,thus ,paul   
wholly changed the religious system of  
,jesus1 who had merely proposed to      
reform ,judaism4 ,the principal apostles
 followed the conduct of their master1  
and showed themselves much attached to  
the law and usages of their fathers4    
,paul notwithstanding their             
protestations1 took a different course2 
he displayed a contempt or indifference 
for the legal ordinances1 to which      
through policy1 however1 he sometimes   

subjected himself4 ,thus we find he     
circumcised ,timothy1 and performed     
,jewish ceremonies in the temple of     
,jerusalem4  ,not content with decrying 
the law of ,moses1 ,paul1 by his own    
confession1 preached a gospel of his    
own4 ,he says positively1 in his epistle
 to the ,galatians1 ,that the gospel    
which ,i preach is not after men1 and   
that he had received it by a particular 
revelation of ,jesus4 ,he speaks        
likewise of his quarrels with the other 
heads of the sect2 but his disciple     
,luke passes over these very slightly in
 the ,acts1 which are much more the     
,acts of ,paul than the ,acts of the    
,apostles4 ,it appears evident1 that he 
embroiled himself with his brethren1 the
 partisans of the circumcision1 and the 
founders of the ,nazarenes or           
,ebionites1 who had a gospel different  
from that of ,paul1 as they combined the
 law of ,jesus with that of ,moses4     
,irenaeus1 ,justin1 ,epiphanius1        
,eusebius1 ,theodoret1 and ,augustine1  

agree in telling us1 that these         
,ebionites1 or converted ,jews1 regarded
 ,jesus as a mere man1 son of ,joseph   
and ,mary1 to whom they gave the name of
 ,son of ,god only on account of his    
virtues4 ,from this it is evident1 that 
it was ,paul who deified ,jesus and     
abolished ,judaism4 ,the ,paulites1     
become the strongest1 prevailed over the
 ,ebionites1 or disciples of the        
apostles1 and regarded them as heretics4
 ,hence we see that it is the religion  
of ,paul1 and not of ,jesus1 which at   
present subsists4  ,this altercation of 
,paul and the apostles of ,jesus        
produced a real schism4 ,paul left the  
preaching of the ,judaical gospel or    
circumcision to his brethren whilst he  
preached his own in ,asia ,minor and in 
,greece1 sometimes to the ,hellenistic  
,jews1 whom he found established there1 
and sometimes to the idolatrous ,greeks1
 whose language1 though unknown to the  
other apostles1 ,paul was acquainted    
with4 ,the success of his mission far   

surpassed that of his brethren2 and if  
we refer to the ,acts of the ,apostles1 
we shall perceive in this new preacher  
an activity1 a warmth1 a vehemence1 and 
an enthusiasm well adapted to           
communicate itself4 ,the missionaries he
 formed1 spread his doctrine to a great 
distance4 ,the gospel of the apostle of 
the gentiles prevailed over the gospel  
of the ,judaizing apostles2 and in a    
short time there were a great number of 
,christians in all the provinces of the 
,roman empire4  ,to a miserable people1 
crushed by tyrants and oppressors of    
every kind1 the principles of the new   
sect had powerful attractions4 ,its     
maxims1 which tended to introduce       
equality and a community of goods1 were 
calculated to entice the unfortunate4   
,its promises flattered miserable       
fanatics1 to whom was announced the end 
of a perverse world1 the approaching    
arrival of ,jesus1 and a kingdom wherein
 abundance and happiness would reign4   
,to be admitted there1 they merely      

required of the proselytes to believe in
 ,jesus and be baptized4 ,as for the    
austere maxims of the sect1 they were   
not of a nature to disgust miserables1  
accustomed to suffering1 and the want of
 the conveniences of life4 ,its dogmas1 
few in the beginning1 were readily      
adopted by ignorant men1 fond of        
wonders1 whom their own mythology       
disposed to receive the fables of       
,christians4 ,besides1 their own priests
 wrought miracles1 which rendered those 
said to have been performed by ,jesus no
 way improbable in their estimation4    
,different missionaries1 in emulation of
 one another composed romances or       
histories of ,jesus in which they       
related a number of prodigies calculated
 to make their hero be revered1 and to  
interest the veneration of the faithful4
 ,in this manner the different          
collections1 known by the name of       
,gospels1 were framed1 wherein1 along   
with very simple facts which might have 
really occurred1 we find numerous       

statements that appear credible only to 
enthusiasts and fools4 ,these histories1
 composed from traditions by different  
hands1 and by authors of very different 
characters1 are not in harmony4 ,hence  
the want of conformity in the relations 
of our evangelists1 which has been      
frequently noticed in the course of this
 work4 ,there were1 as we have before   
remarked1 a vast number of gospels in   
the first ages of the church2 and out of
 these the council of ,nice chose only  
four1 to which they gave the divine     
sanction4  ,we shall not here examine   
whether these gospels really belong to  
the authors to whom they are ascribed4  
,the opinion which attributes them to to
 their putative writers1 might have been
 founded at first on some tradition1    
true or false1 which existed in the time
 of the council of ,nice1 or which the  
fathers of that council had an interest 
in sanctioning4 ,it is difficult to     
persuade ourselves without faith1 that  
the gospel of ,john1 filled with        

,platonic notions could be composed by  
the son of ,zebedee2 by a poor          
fisherman1 who1 perhaps1 incapable of   
writing1 and even reading1 could not be 
acquainted with the philosophy of       
,plato4 ,from the commencement of       
christianity there have been many who   
have denied the authenticity of the     
gospels4 ,marcias accused them of being 
filled with falsehoods4 ,the ,alloges   
and ,theodocians rejected the gospel of 
,john1 which they regarded as a tissue  
of lies4 ,augustin says1 that he found  
in the ,platonists the whole beginning  
of the gospel of ,john4 ,origen below   
informs us1 that ,celsus reproached     
,jesus with having taken from ,plato his
 finest maxims1 and among others the one
 which says1 that it is more easy for a 
camel to go through the eye of a needle1
 than for a rich man to be saved4       
,whatever opinion may be formed as to   
this1 we find the mystical and          
marvellous philosophy of ,plato         
introduced very early into              

,christianity1 which agreed in several  
respects with the tenets held by the    
followers of that eminent philosopher2  
while his perplexed philosophy must also
 have easily amalgamated with the       
principles of the new sect4 ,this was   
the source of ,spirituality1 ,trinity1  
and the ,logos1 or ,word1 besides a     
multitude of magical and theurgical     
ceremonies1 which in the hands of the   
priests of ,christianity have become    
mysteries or sacraments4 ,on reading    
,porphyry1 ,jamblichus1 and particularly
 ,plotinus1 we are surprised to hear    
them speaking so frequently in the same 
style as our theologists4 ,these marks  
of resemblance drew several ,platonists 
over to the faith1 who figured among the
 doctors of the church4 ,of this number 
were ,clement of ,alexandria1 ,irenaeus1
 ,justin ,martyr1 ,origen1 c4 ,platonism
 may indeed be regarded as the source of
 the principal dogmas and mysteries of  
the ,christian religion4  ,those who    
doubt the truth of this assertion have  

only to read the works of the disciples 
of ,plato1 who were all superstitious   
persons and ,theurgists1 whose ideas    
were analogous to those of ,christians4 
,we find1 indeed1 these writings filled 
with receipts to make the gods and good 
genii descend1 and to drive away the    
bad4 ,tertullian reproaches the heretics
 of his time with having wandered astray
 in order to introduce ,platonism1      
,stoicism1 and ,dialects into           
,christianity4 ,it was evidently the    
mixture of the unintelligible doctrine  
of ,plato1 with the ,dialectics of      
,aristotle1 which rendered theology so  
senseless1 disputable1 and fraught with 
subtleties4 ,the cardinal ,pallavicini  
acknowledges1 that without ,aristotle   
the ,christians would have wanted a     
great number of articles of faith4  ,the
 austere and fanatical lives of         
,christians must also have favorably    
disposed a great number of ,stoics1 who 
were accustomed to make a merit of      
despising objects desirable to other    

men1 depriving themselves of the        
comforts of life1 and braving affliction
 and death4 ,we accordingly find among  
the early ,christians a great number of 
enthusiasts tinctured with these maxims4
 ,this fanatical way of thinking was    
necessary to console the first          
,christians in the midst of persecutions
 which they suffered at first from the  
,jews1 and thereafter from the emperors 
and grandees1 incited by the heathen    
priests4 ,the latter1 according to the  
custom of the priesthood in all         
countries1 made war on a sect which     
attacked their ,gods1 and menaced their 
temples with a general desertion4 ,the  
universe was weary of the impostures and
 exactions of these priests1 their      
costly sacrifices and lying oracles4    
,their knaveries had been frequently    
unveiled1 and the new religion tendered 
to mankind a worship less expensive and1
 which1 without being addressed so much 
to the eyes as the worship of idols1 was
 better adapted than its rival to seize 

the imagination1 and to excite          
enthusiasm4  ,christianity was moreover 
flattering and consolatory to the       
wretched1 while it placed all men on the
 same level1 and thus humbled the rich1 
it was announced as destined for the    
poor through preference4 ,among the     
,romans1 slaves were in some measure    
excluded from religion2 and it might    
have been said that the gods did not    
concern themselves with the homage of   
these degraded beings4 ,the poor1       
besides1 had not wherewith to satisfy   
the rapacity of ,pagan priests1 who1    
like ours1 did nothing without money4   
,thus slaves and miserable persons must 
have been strongly attached to a system1
 which taught that all men are equal in 
the eyes of the ,divinity1 and that the 
wretched have better right to the favors
 of a suffering and contemned ,god than 
those who are temporally happy4 ,the    
priests of ,paganism became uneasy at   
the rapid progress of the sect4 ,the    
government was alarmed at the           

clandestine assemblies which the        
,christians held4 ,they were believed to
 be the enemies of the emperors1 because
 they refused to offer sacrifices to the
 gods of the country for their          
prosperity4 ,even the people1 ever      
zealous1 believed them enemies of their 
gods because they would not join in     
their worship4 ,they treated the        
,christians as ,atheists and impious    
persons1 because they did not conceive  
what could be the objects of their      
adoration2 and because they took offence
 at the mysteries1 which they saw them  
celebrating in the greatest secrecy4    
,the ,christians1 thus loaded with the  
public hatred1 very soon became its     
victims2 they were persecuted2 and      
persecution1 as it always happens1      
rendered them more opiniative4          
,enthusiasm inflamed their souls2 they  
considered it a glory to resist the     
efforts of tyrants2 they even went so   
far as to brave their punishments1 and  
concluded with believing that the       

greatest happiness was to perish under  
their severities4 ,in this they         
flattered themselves with resembling the
 ,son of ,god1 and were persuaded1 that 
by dying for his cause they were certain
 of reigning with him in heaven4  ,in   
consequence of these fanatical ideas1 so
 flattering to vanity1 martyrdom became 
an object of ambition to ,christians4   
,independent of the heavenly rewards1   
which they believed assured to those who
 suffered with constancy1 and perished  
for religion1 they saw them esteemed1   
revered1 and carefully attended to      
during their lives1 while honors almost 
divine were decreed them after death4   
,on the contrary1 those of the          
,christian community who had the        
weakness to shrink from tortures1 and   
renounce their religion1 were scoffed   
at1 despised1 and regarded as infamous4 
,so many circumstances combined         
contributed to warm the imaginations of 
the faithful1 already sufficiently      
agitated by notions of the approaching  

end of the world1 the coming of ,jesus1 
and his happy reign4 ,they submitted    
cheerfully to punishment1 and gloried in
 their chains3 they courted martyrdom as
 a favor1 and often1 through a blind    
zeal1 provoked the rage of their        
persecutors4 ,the magistrates1 by their 
proscriptions and tortures1 caused the  
enthusiasm of the ,christians to kindle 
more and more4 ,their courage was       
besides supported by the heads of their 
sect1 who constantly displayed the      
heavens opening to the heroes who       
consented to suffer and perish for their
 cause1 which they took care to make the
 poor fanatics regard as the cause of   
,god himself4 ,a martyr1 at all times1  
is merely the victim of the enthusiastic
 or knavish priest who has been able to 
seduce him4  ,men are always disgusted  
with those who use violence2 they       
conclude that they are wrong1 and that  
those against whom they commit violence 
have reason on their side4 ,persecution 
will always make partisans to the cause 

persecuted2 and those to which we       
allude1 tended the more to confirm      
,christians in their religion4 ,the     
spectators of their sufferings were     
interested for them4 ,they were curious 
to know the principles of a sect which  
drew on itself such cruel treatment1 and
 infused into its adherents a courage   
believed to be supernatural4 ,they      
imagined that such a religion could be  
no other than the work of ,god2 its     
partisans appeared extraordinary men1   
and their enthusiasm became contagious4 
,violence served only to spread it the  
more1 and1 according to the language of 
a ,christian doctor1 the blood of the   
martyrs became the seed of the church4  
,the clergy would fain make the         
propagation of ,christianity pass for a 
miracle of divine omnipotence2 while it 
was owing solely to natural causes      
inherent in the human mind1 which always
 adheres strenuously to its own way of  
thinking2 hardens itself against        
violence2 applauds itself for its       

pertinacity2 admires courage in others2 
feels an interest for those who display 
it2 and suffers itself to be gained by  
their enthusiasm4 ,the learned ,dodwell 
has written two copious dissertations on
 the martyrs3 the one to prove that they
 were not so numerous as is commonly    
imagined2 and the other to demonstrate  
that their constancy originated in      
natural causes4 ,the frenzy of martyrdom
 was in fact an epidemical disease among
 the first ,christians1 to which their  
spiritual physicians were obliged to    
apply remedies1 as these wretched beings
 were guilty of suicide4 ,many of the   
primitive ,christians1 says ,fleury1    
instead of flying as the gospel directs1
 not only ran voluntarily to execution1 
but provoked their judges to do them    
that favor4 ,under ,trajan1 all the     
,christians in a city of ,asia came in a
 body to the proconsul1 and offered     
themselves to the slaughter1 which made 
him cry1 ,o6 ye unhappy people1 if ye   
have a mind to die1 have ye not halters 

and precipices enough to end your lives1
 but ye must come here for executioners4
 ,marcus ,antoninus severely reflected  
on the obstinacy of the ,christians in  
thus running headlong to death2 and     
,cyprian labored hard to comfort those  
who were so unhappy as to escape the    
crown of martyrdom4 ,even the enemies of
 ,julian1 called the apostate by        
fanatics1 admit that the ,christians of 
his time did every thing they could to  
provoke that emperor to put them to     
death4 ,dr4 ,hickes1 a celebrated       
protestant divine1 says that the        
,christians were not illegally          
persecuted by ,julian4 ,pride1 vanity1  
prejudice1 love1 patriotism1 and even   
vice itself1 produce martyrs--a contempt
 of every kind of danger4 ,is it then   
surprising that enthusiasm and          
fanaticism1 the strongest of passions1  
have so often enabled men to face the   
greatest dangers and despise death8     
,besides1 if ,christians can boast a    
catalogue of martyrs1 ,jews can do the  

same4 ,the unfortunate ,jews1 condemned 
to the flames by the inquisition1 were  
martyrs to their religion2 and their    
fortitude proves as much in their favor 
as that of the ,christians4 ,if martyrs 
demonstrate the truth of a religion or  
sect1 where are we to look for the true 
one8  ,it is thus obvious that the      
obstinacy of the martyrs1 far from being
 a sign of the divine protection or of  
the goodness of their cause1 was the    
effect of blindness1 occasioned by the  
reiterated lessons of their fanatical or
 deceitful priests4 ,what conduct more  
extravagant than that of a sovereign    
able and without effusion of blood to   
extend his power1 who should prefer to  
do it by the massacre of the most       
faithful of his subjects8 ,is it not    
annihilating the divine wisdom and      
goodness to assert1 that a ,god to whom 
every thing is possible1 among so many  
ways which he could have chosen to      
establish his religion1 wished to follow
 that only of making its dearest friends

 fall a sacrifice to the fury of its    
cruellest enemies8 ,such are the notions
 which ,christianity presents2 and it is
 easy to perceive that they are the     
necessary consequences of a fundamental 
absurdity on which that religion is     
established4 ,it maintains1 that a just 
,god had no wish to redeem guilty men1  
than by making his dear innocent son be 
put to death4 ,according to such        
principles1 it can excite no surprise   
that so unreasonable a ,god should wish 
to convert the heathen1 his enemies1 by 
the murder of ,christians1 his children4
 ,though these absurdities are believed1
 such as do not possess the holy        
blindness of faith cannot comprehend why
 the ,son of ,god1 having already shed  
his blood for the redemption of men1 was
 not a sufficient sacrifice8 and why1 to
 effect the conversion of the world1    
there was still a necessity for the     
blood of an immense number of martyrs1  
whose merits must have been undoubtedly 
much less than those of ,jesus8 ,to     

resolve these difficulties1 theologians 
refer us to the eternal decrees1 the    
wisdom of which we are not permitted to 
criticise4 ,this is sending us far back 
indeed2 yet notwithstanding the solidity
 of the answer1 the incredulous persist 
in saying1 that their limited           
understandings can neither find justice1
 nor wisdom1 nor goodness1 in eternal   
decrees which could in so preposterous a
 manner effect the salvation of the     
human race4  ,persecutions were not the 
only means by which ,christianity was   
propagated4 ,the preachers1 zealous for 
the salvation of souls1 or rather       
desirous to extend their own power over 
the minds of men1 and strengthen their  
party1 inherited from the ,jews the     
passion of making proselytes4 ,this     
passion suited presumptuous fanatics1   
who were persuaded1 that they alone     
possessed the divine favor4 ,it was     
unknown to the heathen1 who permitted   
every one to adore his gods1 providing  
that his worship did not disturb the    

public tranquillity4 ,prompted by zeal1 
the ,christian missionaries1            
notwithstanding persecutions and        
dangers1 spread themselves with an      
ardour unparalleled wherever they could 
penetrate1 in order to convert idolators
 and bring back strayed sheep to the    
fold of ,jesus4 ,this activity merited  
the recompense of great success4 ,men1  
whom their idolatrous priests neglected1
 were flattered at being courted1 and   
becoming the objects of the cares of    
those who1 through pure                 
disinterestedness1 came from afar1 and  
through the greatest perils to bring    
them consolation4 ,they listened        
favourably to them2 they shewed kindness
 to men so obliging1 and were enchanted 
with their doctrine4 ,many adopted their
 lessons2 placed themselves under their 
guidance1 and soon became persuaded that
 their ,god and dogmas were superior to 
those which had preceded them4  ,thus by
 degrees1 and without a miracle1        
,christianity planted colonies1 more or 

less considerable1 in every part of the 
,roman empire4 ,they were directed1 and 
governed by inspectors1 overseers1 or   
bishops1 who1 in spite of the dangers   
with which they were menaced1 labored   
obstinately1 and without intermission in
 augmenting the number of their         
disciples that is1 of slaves devoted to 
their holy will4 ,empire over opinions  
was always the most unbounded4 ,as      
nothing has greater power over the minds
 of the vulgar than religion1           
,christians every where displayed an    
unlimited submission to their spiritual 
sovereign1 on whose laws they believed  
their eternal happiness depended4 ,thus 
our missionaries1 converted into        
bishops1 exercised a spiritual          
magistracy and sacred jurisdiction1     
which in the end placed them not only   
above other priests1 but made them      
respected by1 and necessary to1 the     
temporal power4 ,princes have always    
employed religion and its ministers in  
crushing the people1 and keeping them   

under the yoke4 ,impostures and         
delusions are of no use to sovereigns   
who govern1 but they are very useful to 
those who tyrannize4     ,,chapter      
,,xviii4  ,,account ,,of ,,christianity 
,,from ,,constantine ,,to ,,the         
,,present ,,time4   ,at the end of three
 centuries we find ,christianity1       
advanced by all these means1 become a   
formidable party in the ,roman empire4  
,the sovereign power acknowledged the   
impossibility of stifling it2 and       
,christians1 scattered in great numbers 
through all the provinces1 formed an    
imposing combination4 ,ambitious chiefs 
incessantly wrested from one another the
 right of reigning over the wrecks of an
 enslaved republic3 each sought to      
encrease his own strength1 and acquire  
an advantage over his rivals4 ,it was in
 these circumstances that ,constantine1 
to strengthen himself first against     
,maxentius1 and thereafter against      
,licinius1 thought it his interest1 by a
 stroke of policy1 to draw over all the 

,christians to his party4 ,for this     
purpose he openly favored them1 and     
thereby reinforced his army with all the
 soldiers of that numerous sect4 ,in    
gratitude for the advantages they       
procured him1 he concluded with         
embracing their religion1 now become so 
powerful4 ,he honored1 distinguished1   
and enriched the ,christian bishops1    
well assured of attaching them to       
himself by his liberality to their      
pastors and the favor he shewed them4   
,aided by their succors1 he flattered   
himself with the disposal of the flock4 
,by this political revolution1 so       
favorable to the clergy1 the bashful    
chiefs of the ,christians1 who hitherto 
had reigned only in secret and without  
eclat1 sprung out of the dust1 and      
became men of importance4 ,seconded by a
 despotical emperor1 whose interests    
were linked with theirs1 they soon used 
their influence to avenge their         
injuries1 and return to their enemies1  
with usury1 the evils which they had    

received4 ,the unexpected change in the 
fortune of the ,christians made them    
forget the mild and tolerating maxims of
 their legislator4 ,they conceived1 that
 these maxims1 made for wretches        
destitute of power1 could no longer suit
 men supported by sovereigns2 they      
attacked the temples and gods of        
paganism2 their worshipers were excluded
 from places of trust1 and the master   
lavished his favors on those only who   
consented to think like him1 and justify
 his change by imitating it4 ,thus1     
without any miracle1 the court became   
,christian1 or at least feigned to be   
so1 and the descendants of hypocritical 
courtiers were ,christians in reality4  
,even before the time of ,constantine1  
,christianity had been rent by disputes1
 heresies1 schisms1 and animosities     
between the ,christian chiefs4 ,the     
adherents of the different doctors had  
reviled1 anathematised1 and maltreated  
each other without their quarrels making
 any noise4 ,the subtleties of ,grecian 

metaphysics introduced into the         
,christian religion1 had hatched an     
infinity of disputes1 which had not     
hitherto been attended with any         
remarkable occurrence4 ,all these       
quarrels burst forth in the reign of    
,constantine4 ,the bishops and champions
 of different parties caballed to draw  
over the emperor to their side1 and thus
 aid them in crushing their adversaries4
 ,at the same time a considerable party 
under the priest ,arius1 denied the     
divinity of ,jesus4 ,little versed in   
the principles of the religion that     
party had embraced1 but wishing to      
decide the question1 ,constantine       
referred it to the judgment of the      
bishops4 ,he convened them in the city  
of ,nice1 and the plurality of suffrages
 regulated definitively the symbol of   
faith--,jesus became a ,god             
consubstantial with his father2 the     
,holy ,ghost was likewise a ,god1       
proceeding from the two others2 finally1
 these three ,gods combined made only   

one ,god6  ,tumultuous clamors carried  
this unintelligible decision1 and       
converted it into a sacred dogma        
notwithstanding the reclamations of     
opponents1 who were silenced by         
denouncing them blasphemers and         
heretics4 ,the priests who had the      
strongest lungs1 declared themselves    
orthodox4 ,the emperor1 little          
acquainted with the nature of the       
quarrel1 ranged himself for the time on 
their side1 and quitted it afterwards   
according as he thought proper to lend  
an ear sometimes to the bishops of one  
party1 and sometimes to those of        
another4 ,the history of the church     
informs us1 that ,constantine1 whom we  
here see adhering to the decision of the
 council of ,nice1 made the orthodox and
 the heretics alternately experience his
 severities4  ,after many years1 and    
even ages of disputes1 the bishops of   
,christendom have agreed in regarding   
,jesus as a true ,god4 ,they felt that  
it was important for them to have a ,god

 for their founder1 as this could not   
fail to render their own claims more    
respected4 ,they maintained1 that their 
authority was derived from the apostles1
 who held theirs directly from ,christ2 
that is1 from ,god himself4 ,it would   
now-a-days be criminal to doubt the     
truth of this opinion1 though many      
,christians are not yet convinced of it1
 and venture to appeal to the decision  
of the universal church4 ,except the    
,english1 all ,protestant ,christians   
reject ,episcopacy1 and regard it as an 
usurped power4 ,among the ,catholics1   
the ,jansenists think the same1 which is
 the true cause of the enmity the ,pope 
and ,bishops display against them4 ,it  
appears ,st4 ,jerome was1 on this point1
 of the opinion of the ,jansenists4 ,yet
 we see ,paul at first much occupied in 
advancing the ,episcopal dignity4       
,ignatius of ,antioch1 disciple of the  
apostles1 insinuates in his epistles1   
the high opinion which the ,christians  
ought to have of a bishop2 and the very 

ancient author of the ,apostolic        
,constitutions1 openly declares1 that a 
bishop is a ,god on earth1 destined to  
rule over all men1 priests1 kings1 and  
magistrates4 ,though these              
,constitutions are reputed ,apocryphal1 
the bishops have conformed their conduct
 to them more than to the canonical     
gospel1 wherein ,jesus1 far from        
assigning prerogatives to bishops1      
declares1 that in his kingdom there will
 be neither first nor last4  ,the       
bishops assembled at ,nice1 decided     
also1 as we have related1 on the        
authenticity of the gospels and books   
ordained to serve as a rule to          
,christians4 ,it is then to these       
doctors1 as has been already remarked1  
that ,christians owe their faith2 which1
 however1 was afterwards frequently     
shaken by disputes1 heresies1 and wars1 
and even by assemblies of bishops1 who  
often annulled what other assemblies of 
bishops had decreed in the most solemn  
manner4 ,from ,constantine to our time1 

the interest of the heads of the church 
dictated every decree1 and established  
doctrines wholly unknown to the founders
 of their religion4 ,the universe became
 the arena of the passions1 the         
disputes1 intrigues1 and cruelties of   
these holy gladiators1 who treated each 
other with the utmost barbarity4 ,kings1
 united in interest with spiritual      
chiefs1 or blinded by them1 thought     
themselves at all times obliged to      
partake of their fury4 ,princes seemed  
to hold the sword for the sole purpose  
of cutting the throats of victims       
pointed out by the priests4 ,these      
blinded rulers believed they served     
,god1 or promote the welfare of their   
kingdoms by espousing all the passions  
of the priests who were become the most 
arrogant1 the most vindictive1 the most 
covetous1 and the most flagitious of    
men4  ,we shall not enter into a detail 
of all the quarrels which the ,christian
 religion has produced4 ,we shall merely
 observe1 that they were continual1 and 

have frequently been attended with      
consequences so deplorable that nations 
have had reason more than a hundred     
times every century to regret the       
peaceful paganism1 and tolerating       
idolatry of their ancestors4 ,the       
gospel1 or the glad tidings1 constantly 
gave the signal for the commission of   
crimes4 ,the ,cross was the ,banner     
under which madmen assembled to glut the
 earth with blood4 ,the will of heaven  
was understood by nobody3 and the clergy
 disputed without end on the manner of  
explaining oracles1 which the ,deity had
 himself come to reveal to mortals4 ,it 
was always indispensable to take a side 
in the most unintelligible quarrels3    
neutrality was regarded as impiety4 ,the
 party for which the prince declared1   
was always orthodox1 and on that        
account1 believed it had a right to     
exterminate all others3 the orthodox in 
the church were those who had the power 
to exile1 imprison1 and destroy their   
adversaries4 ,lucifer ,calaritanus1 a   

most orthodox bishop1 in several        
discourses addressed to the son of      
,constantine1 did not scruple to tell   
the emperor himself that it was the duty
 of the orthodox to kill ,constantius on
 account of his ,arianism1 which he     
called ,idolatry2 and for this he quoted
 ,deut4 xiii4 #f41 and ,i ,maccab4 i4   
#dc1 to v4 #bi of c4 ii4  ,the bishops1 
whom the puissance of an emperor had    
raised from the dust1 soon became       
rebellious subjects2 and1 under pretence
 of maintaining their spiritual power1  
laboured to be independent of the       
sovereign1 and even the laws of society4
 ,they maintained that princes          
themselves1 being subjects of ,christ1  
ought to be subjected to the            
jurisdiction of his representatives on  
earth4 ,thus the pretended successors of
 some fishermen of ,judea1 whom         
,constantine had raised from obscurity  
arrogated to themselves the right of    
reigning over kings2 and in this way the
 kingdom of heaven served to conquer the

 kingdoms of the earth4  ,hitherto the  
,christians had been governed by bishops
 or chiefs independent of each other1   
and perfectly equal as to jurisdiction4 
,this made the church an aristocratical 
republic2 but its government soon became
 monarchial1 and even despotical4 ,the  
respect which was always entertained for
 ,rome the capital of the world1 seemed 
to give a kind of superiority to the    
bishop or spiritual head of the         
,christians established there4 ,his     
brethren1 therefore frequently showed a 
deference to him1 and occasionally      
consulted him4 ,nothing more was wanting
 to the ambition of the bishops of      
,rome1 to advance the right they        
arrogated of dictating to their         
brethren1 and to declare themselves the 
monarchs of the ,christian church4 ,a   
very apocryphal tradition had made      
,peter travel to ,rome1 and had also    
made this chief of the apostles         
establish his see in that city4 ,the    
,roman bishop therefore1 pretended to   

have succeeded to the rights of ,simon  
,peter1 to whom ,jesus in the gospel had
 entrusted more particularly the care of
 feeding his sheep4 ,he accordingly     
assumed the pompous titles of ,successor
 of ,st4 ,peter1 ,universal ,bishop1 and
 ,vicar of ,jesus ,christ4 ,it is true1 
these titles were often contested with  
him by the oriental bishops1 too proud  
to bow under the yoke of their brother4 
,but by degrees1 through artifice1      
intrigue1 and frequently violence1 those
 who enjoyed the ,see of ,rome1 and     
prosecuting their project with ardor1   
succeeded in getting themselves         
acknowledged in the west as the heads of
 the ,christian church4  ,pliant and    
submissive at first to sovereigns1 whose
 power they dreaded1 they soon mounted  
on their shoulders2 and trampled them   
under their feet when they were certain 
of their power over the minds of        
devotees rendered frantic by            
superstition4 ,then indeed they threw   
off the mask1 gave to nations the signal

 of revolt1 incited ,christians to their
 mutual destruction1 and precipitated   
kings from their thrones4 ,to support   
their pride1 they shed oceans of blood3 
they made weak princes the vile sport of
 their passions1 sometimes their victims
 and sometimes their executioners4      
,sovereigns1 become their vassals1      
executed with fear and trembling the    
decrees ,heaven pronounced against the  
enemies of the holy see which had       
created itself the arbiter of faith4 ,in
 fact1 these inhuman pontiffs immolated 
to their ,god a thousand times more     
human victims than paganism had         
sacrificed to all its divinities4       
,after having succeeded in subduing the 
bishops1 the head of the church1 with a 
view to establish and preserve his      
empire inundated the states of the      
princes attached to the sect with a     
multitude of sabaltern priests and      
monks1 who acted as his spies1 his      
emissaries1 and the organs which he     
employed in making known his will at a  

distance4 ,thus nations were deluged    
with men useless or dangerous4 ,some1   
under pretext of attaining ,christian   
perfection1 astonished the vulgar with a
 frantic life1 denied themselves the    
pleasures of existence1 renounced the   
world1 and languished in the recesses of
 a cloister awaiting the death which    
their disagreeable pursuits must have   
rendered desirable4 ,they imagined to   
please ,god by occupying themselves     
solely with prayers1 and sterile and    
extravagant meditations2 thus rendering 
themselves the victims of a destructive 
fanaticism4 ,these1 fools1 whom         
,christianity esteems1 may be considered
 as the victims and martyrs of the      
higher clergy1 who take care never to   
imitate them4  ,few however felt        
themselves inclined to aspire to this   
sublime perfection4 ,most of the monks1 
more indulgent1 were content with       
renouncing the world1 vegetating in     
solitude1 languishing in sloth1 and     
living in absolute idleness at the      

expence of nations who toil4 ,if some   
among them were devoted to study1 it was
 only with the vain subtleties of an    
unintelligible theology calculated to   
incite disturbances in society4 ,others 
more active spread themselves over the  
globe2 and1 under pretence of preaching 
the gospel1 preached up themselves1 the 
interests of the clergy1 and especially 
the submission due to the ,roman        
pontiff1 who was always their true      
sovereign4 ,these emissaries1 indeed1   
never had any other country than the    
church1 any other master than its head1 
or any other interest than that of      
disturbing the state1 in order to       
advance the divine rights of the clergy4
 ,faithful in following the example of  
,jesus1 they brought the sword1 sowed   
discord1 and kindled wars1 seditions1   
persecutions1 and crusades4 ,they       
sounded the tocsin of revolt against all
 princes who were disagreeable or       
rebellious to the haughty tyrant of the 
church2 they frequently employed the    

sacrificing knife of fanaticism1 and    
plunged it in the hearts of kings2 and1 
to make the cause of ,god prosper1 they 
justified the most horrible crimes1 and 
threw the whole earth into              
consternation4  ,such1 especially in    
latter times1 were the maxims and       
conduct of an order of monks1 who1      
pretending to walk in the footsteps of  
,jesus1 assumed the name of his         
,society4 ,solely and blindly devoted to
 the interests of the ,roman pontiff1   
they seemed to have come into the world 
for the purpose of bringing the universe
 under his chains4 ,they corrupted the  
youth1 the education of whom they wished
 exclusively to engross2 they strove to 
restore barbarism1 knowing well that    
want of knowledge is the greatest prop  
of superstition2 they extolled ignorance
 and blind submission2 they depraved    
morals for which they substituted vain  
usages and superstitions1 compatible    
with every vice1 and calculated to      
suppress the remorse which crime        

occasions4 ,they preached up slavery and
 unbounded submission to princes1 who   
themselves were their slaves1 and who   
consented to become the instruments of  
their vengeance4 ,they preached         
rebellion and regicide against the      
princes who refused to bend under the   
odious yoke of the successor of ,st4    
,peter1 whom they had the effrontery to 
declare infallible1 and whose decisions 
they preferred above those of the       
universal church4 ,by their assistance  
the pope became not only the despot1 but
 even the true ,god of the ,christians4 
,there were some however1 who ventured  
to protest against the violences1       
extortions1 and usurpations of this     
spiritual tyrant4 ,there were sovereigns
 who ventured to struggle with him2 but 
in times of ignorance1 the contest is   
always unequal between the temporal and 
spiritual power4 ,at last preachers     
discontented with the ,roman pontiff1   
opened the eyes of many2 they preached  
reformation1 and destroyed some abuses  

and dogmas which appeared to them that  
the most disgusting4 ,some princes      
seized this opportunity to break the    
chains wherewith they had been so long  
oppressed4 ,without renouncing          
,christianity1 which they always        
regarded as a divine religion1 they     
renounced ,romish ,christianity1 which  
they considered a superstition corrupted
 through the avarice1 influence1 and    
passions of the clergy4 ,content with   
merely loping off some branches of a    
poisoned tree1 which its bitter fruits  
should have discovered1 our reformers   
did not perceive that even the          
principles of a religion1 founded on    
fanaticism and imposture1 must of       
necessity produce fanatics and knaves4  
,they did not observe1 that religion1   
which pretends to enjoy exclusively the 
approbation of the ,most ,high1 must be 
from its essence arrogant and proud1 and
 become at last tyrannical1 intolerant1 
and sanguinary4 ,they did not perceive  
that the mania of proselytism1 the      

pretended zeal for the salvation of     
souls1 the passion of the priests for   
dominion over consciences1 must1 sooner 
or later1 create devastation4           
,christianity reformed1 pretending to   
resemble the pure ,christianity of the  
first days of the church1 produced fiery
 preachers1 persons illuminated1 and    
public incendiaries1 who under pretence 
of establishing the kingdom of ,christ  
excited endless troubles1 massacres1 and
 revolts4 ,christian ,princes of every  
sect thought themselves obliged to      
support the decisions of their doctors4 
,they regarded as infallible opinions   
which they themselves had adopted2 they 
enforced them by fire and sword2 and    
were every where in confederacy with    
their priests to make war on all who did
 not think like them4  ,we see1         
especially1 the intolerant and          
persecuting spirit reigning in countries
 which continue subject to the ,roman   
pontiff4 ,it was there that priests1    
nurtured in the maxims of a spiritual   

despotism1 dared with most insolence to 
tyrannize over minds4 ,they had the     
effrontery to maintain1 that the prince 
could not without impiety dispense with 
entering into their quarrels1 share     
their frenzy1 and shed the blood of     
their enemies4 ,contrary to the express 
orders of ,jesus1 the emissaries of his 
vicar preached openly in his name       
persecution1 revenge1 hatred1 and       
massacre4 ,their clamors imposed on     
sovereigns2 and the least credulous     
trembled at sight of their power1 which 
they dared not curb4 ,a superstitious   
and cowardly policy made them believe1  
that it was the interest of the throne  
to unite itself for ever with these     
inhuman and boisterous madmen4 ,thus    
princes1 submissive to the clergy1 and  
making common cause with them1 became   
the ministers of their vengeance1 and   
the executors of their will4 ,these     
blind rulers were obliged to support a  
power the rival of their own2 but they  
did not perceive1 that they injured     

their own authority by delivering up    
their subjects to the tyranny and       
extortions of a swarm of men1 whose     
interest it was to plunge them into     
ignorance1 incite their fanaticism1     
control their minds1 domineer over their
 consciences1 make them fit instruments 
to serve their pride1 avarice1 and      
revenge4 ,by this worthless policy1 the 
liberty of thinking was proscribed with 
fury1 activity was repressed1 science   
was punished1 and industry crushed1     
while morals were neglected1 and their  
place supplied by traditional           
observances4 ,nations vegetated in      
inactivity2 men cultivated only monastic
 virtues1 grievous to themselves and    
useless to society4 ,they had no other  
impulse than what their fanaticism      
afforded1 and no other science than an  
obscure jargon of theology4 ,their      
understandings were constantly occupied 
with puerile disputes on mysterious     
subtleties1 unworthy of rational beings4
 ,those futile occupations engrossed the

 attention of the most profound genius1 
whose labors would have been useful if  
they had been directed to objects really
 interesting4  ,under the despotism of  
priestcraft1 nations were impoverished  
to foster1 in abundance1 in luxury1 and 
often in drunkenness1 legions of monks1 
priests1 and pontiffs1 from whom they   
derived no real benefit4 ,under pretence
 of supporting the intercessors with    
,god1 they richly endowed a multitude of
 drones1 whose prayers and reveries     
procured only misery and dissensions4   
,education1 entrusted throughout        
,christendom1 to base or ignorant       
priests1 formed superstitious persons   
only1 destitute of the qualities        
necessary to make useful citizens4 ,the 
instructions they gave to ,christians   
were confined to dogmas and mysteries   
which they could never comprehend2 they 
incessantly preached evangelical        
morality2 but that sublime morality     
which all the world applauds1 and which 
so few practise1 because it is          

compatible with the nature and wants of 
man1 did not restrain the passions1 or  
check their irregularities4 ,when that  
,stoical morality was attempted to be   
practised1 it was only by imbecile      
fanatics or fiery enthusiasts1 whom the 
ardour of their zeal rendered dangerous 
to society4 ,the saints of ,christianity
 were either the most useless or most   
flagitious of men4  ,princes1 the great1
 the rich1 and even the heads of the    
church1 considered themselves excused   
from the literal practice of precepts   
and counsels1 which a ,god himself had  
come to communicate4 ,they left         
,christian perfection to some miserable 
monks1 for whom alone it seemed         
originally destined4 ,complaisant guides
 smoothed for others the to ,paradise1  
and1 without bridling the passions1     
persuaded their votaries that it was    
sufficient to come at stated times to   
confess their faults to them1 humble    
themselves at their feet1 undergo the   
penances and ceremonies which they      

should impose1 and especially make      
donations to the church1 in order to    
obtain from ,god remission of the       
outrages they committed on his          
creatures4 ,by these means1 in most     
,christian countries1 people and princes
 openly united devotion with the most   
hideous depravity of manners1 and often 
with the blackest crimes4 ,there were   
devout tyrants and adulterers1          
oppressors and iniquitous ministers1    
courtiers without morals1 and public    
depredators--all very devout4 ,there    
were knaves of every kind displaying the
 greatest zeal for a religion1 the      
ministers of which imposed easy         
expiations even on those who violated   
its most express precepts4 ,thus1 by the
 cares of the spiritual guides of       
,christians1 concord was banished from  
states2 princes sunk into bondage2 the  
people were blinded2 science was        
stifled2 nations were impoverished2 true
 morality was unknown2 and the most     
devout ,christians were devoid of those 

talents and virtues which are           
indispensably necessary for the support 
of society4  ,such are the immense      
advantages which the religion of ,jesus 
has procured to the world6 ,such are the
 effects we see resulting from the      
gospel1 or the glad tidings which the   
,son of ,god came in person to announce6
 ,to judge of it by its fruits2 that is1
 according to the rule which the messiah
 himself has given1 the incredulous find
 that ,christianity was allegorically   
represented by the fig tree accursed4   
,but those who have faith assure us1    
that in the other world this tree will  
produce delicious fruits4 ,we must      
therefore wait for them in patience1 for
 every thing evinces that the great     
benefits promised by this religion are  
very little perceptible in the present  
world4  ,there are1 however1 some who   
carry incredulity so far as to think1   
that if there exists a ,god really      
jealous of his rights1 he will confer no
 reward on those who are so impious as  

to associate with him a man1 a ,jew1 and
 a ,charlatan2 and to pay him honors    
which are due only to the divinity4     
,indeed1 in supposing that ,god is      
offended with the actions of his        
creatures1 and concerns himself with    
their behaviour1 he must be irritated at
 the odious conduct of many ,christians1
 who1 under pretence of devotion and    
zeal1 believe themselves permitted to   
violate the most sacred duties of nature
 of which they make the ,deity the      
author4  ,it is1 add our unbelievers1   
very difficult to calculate the duration
 of human extravagancies2 but they      
flatter themselves that the reign of    
falsehood and error will terminate at   
some period1 and give place to reason   
and truth4 ,they hope1 the nations and  
their chiefs will one day perceive the  
danger resulting from their prejudices2 
that they will blush at having          
prostituted their praises on objects    
deserving sovereign contempt2 that they 
will regret the blood and treasure which

 baneful fables and reveries have cost  
them2 and that they will be at last     
ashamed of having been the dupes and    
victims of a mass of romances1 destitute
 of probability1 at never possessing a  
more solid foundation than the          
astonishing credulity of men1 and the   
astonishing impudence of those who      
preach them4 ,these unbelievers venture 
at least a glimpse at a time when men1  
become more sensible of their own       
interest1 will acknowledge the truly    
barbarous folly of hating and tormenting
 themselves1 and cutting one another's  
throats for obscure dogmas1 puerile     
opinions1 and ceremonially unworthy of  
rational beings1 and on which it is     
impossible to be ever unanimous4 ,they  
even have the temerity to maintain1 that
 it is very possible sovereigns and     
subjects may one day loathe a religion  
burdensome to the people1 and producing 
real advantages only to the priests of a
 beggarly and crucified ,god4 ,they     
think1 that the profane laity1 if       

undeceived1 could easily bring their    
priests back to the frugal life of the  
apostles or of ,jesus whom they ought to
 regard as a model at least1 these      
unbelievers imagine that the ministers  
of the ,god of peace would be obliged to
 live more peaceably1 and follow some   
occupation more honest than that of     
deceiving1 and tearing to pieces the    
society which fosters them4  ,if it is  
demanded of us what can be substituted  
for a religion which at all times has   
produced effects pernicious to the      
happiness of the human race1 we will bid
 men cultivate the reason1 which1 much  
better than absurd and deceptive        
systems1 will advance their welfare1 and
 make them sensible to the value of     
virtue4 ,finally1 we will tell them with
 ,tertullian1 ,why pain yourselves in   
seeking for a divine law1 when you have 
that which is common to mankind1 and    
engraven on the tablets of ,,nature4