ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS***


Transcribed from the 1812 J. Smith edition by David Price, email
ccx074@pglaf.org

                              HULSEAN ESSAY
                               _For_ 1811.

                                * * * * *





                                    A
                               DISSERTATION
                                  ON THE
                   BOOKS _of_ ORIGEN _against_ CELSUS,
                               WITH A VIEW
                        TO ILLUSTRATE THE ARGUMENT
                                   AND
                    POINT OUT THE EVIDENCE THEY AFFORD
                                  TO THE
                          TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY.


                                * * * * *

_Published in pursuance of the Will of the Rev._ J. HULSE, _as having
gained the_ ANNUAL PRIZE, _instituted by him in the University of
Cambridge_.

                                * * * * *

                                    BY
                           FRANCIS CUNNINGHAM,
                           OF QUEEN’S COLLEGE.

                                * * * * *

    “Quippe in his (_nimirum Origenis contra Celsum libris_) communem
    Christianorum doctrinam, adversus instructissimum Religionis nostræ
    hostem propugnat: hi summo Auctoris studio maxima eruditione,
    elucubrati fuere.”  _Bull._ _Def._ _Fid._ _Nic._ Cap. ix. Sec. 2.

                                * * * * *

                                CAMBRIDGE:
           PRINTED _by_ J. SMITH, PRINTER _to the_ UNIVERSITY;
       _AND SOLD BY DEIGHTON_, _CAMBRIDGE_; _AND RIVINGTONS_, _AND_
                          _HATCHARD_, _LONDON_.

                                * * * * *

                                  1812.

                                * * * * *

                                  TO THE
                   _Very Rev. the_ DEAN _of_ CARLISLE,
                        PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS,
                              THE PRESIDENT,
                                   AND
                      _To the Reverend and Learned_
                               THE FELLOWS
                          _OF QUEEN’S COLLEGE_,
                                THIS ESSAY
                               IS DEDICATED
                 AS A TRIBUTE OF RESPECT AND GRATITUDE BY
                               THE AUTHOR.

                                * * * * *




CONTENTS.

                                        Page
Introduction                               1
                  CHAP. I.
History and Writings of the Jews           5
                 CHAP. II.
The Scriptures                            12
                 CHAP. III.
History of Christ                         19
                 CHAP. IV.
Miracles                                  24
                  CHAP. V.
Character of the early Christians         33
                 CHAP. VI.
Doctrines of the early Christians         39
                 CHAP. VII.
Conclusion                                49




INTRODUCTION.


THE Book of Celsus, {1a} entitled “The True Discourse,” {1b} is supposed
to have been written during the fifth persecution, {1c} in the reign of
Marcus Antoninus, and in the one hundred and seventieth year of the
Christian era.  Of his history nothing is known, but that he was an
epicurean philosopher, {1d} and a friend of Lucian, who inscribed a book
{1e} to him.  The object of his work was an attack upon Christianity, and
as such, it is one of the most malignant and unreserved upon record.  He
is indebted to his opponents for bringing down any account of his
writings to posterity, for they have otherwise perished.

Origen died in the year of our Lord {2a} two hundred and fifty-four.  He
undertook, at the request of Ambrose, {2b} to answer the work of Celsus,
and “to leave no part without examination.”  His Treatise is divided into
eight books; but this division seems rather to be founded upon caprice,
{2c} than upon any design of methodically discussing the argument.  The
reasonings of Celsus are discussed in the order in which they occur,
which is without method, or connection.  The extracts which are made by
Origen from the works of his adversary are very copious, so much so,
that, considering his object, of fully discussing every part of the
original work, it is probable nothing of importance is omitted.  The
accuracy of the quotations of Origin is guaranteed both by his
acknowledged veracity, {3a} and by the risk of refutation to which he
would otherwise have exposed himself, from opponents who had the original
writing in their hands.  The work of Origen has been considered both by
ancients and moderns, as a master-piece of eloquence and argument.
Eusebius {3b} and Jerome {3c} have given it their highest approbation.
Many of our own writers, {3d} and many more of the French, {3e} both
Catholic and Protestant, have pronounced it to be the completest, and
best written apology for the Christian Religion which has been bequeathed
to us by the ancients.

The want of order, both in the attack of Celsus, and the reply of Origen,
renders it impracticable to follow, precisely in their steps.  Time will
be gained, and perspicuity promoted, by endeavouring to bring their
perplexed argument into a more regular form.  We shall therefore single
out the main topics discussed by each, and by stating the objections of
the one, and the replies of the other, strive to collect the evidence
which each furnishes to the truth of Christianity.  Taking the more
prominent topics therefore, we shall consider in order; the History and
Writings of the Jews—the Scriptures—the History of Christ—the Conduct and
the Principles of the early Christians.  After which it will be useful to
sum up the evidence to Christianity, supplied by the whole argument.




CHAP. I.
HISTORY _and_ WRITINGS _of the_ JEWS.


THE evidence in favour of Christianity, to be deduced from the history
and writings of the Jews, is so important, that it was a primary object
with Celsus, to render it nugatory.  This he endeavours to effect, first,
by disputing the antiquity of Moses; and secondly, by condemning his
narration.  We shall examine his statement on these points, and some
important acknowledgments he makes, of the existence of the prophetic
writings.

He says that “the Jews, {5a} who were originally fugitive slaves from
Egypt, pretended, on the authority of the Books of Moses, to a very
ancient genealogy; {5b} that they lived together in a corner of
Palestine, in profound ignorance; {5c} not having heard of the things
long before celebrated by Hesiod, and many other men divinely inspired.”
He then particularizes much of the history of Genesis, which he calls “an
old woman’s story, full of impiety;” {6a} and asserts that “many of its
facts are taken from the heathens.”  To this Origen {6b} replies by
referring to Josephus {6c} and Tatian {6d} for external proof of the
history of the Jews: He affirms that they have all the evidence of their
existence which other nations have, {6e} that they have records which
others have not; {6f} that other nations are allowed to have existed who
bear testimony to the Jews; {6g} that it would have been impossible for
so small a band, to have opposed itself to the whole power of Egypt; that
it must have changed its language; and that, in changing, it has not
assumed one resembling the neighbouring nations.  He then urges the
wisdom of the Jewish Institutions; infers from their perfect
preservation, the esteem in which they were held; and challenges a
comparison, {7a} as to sublimity of doctrine, and purity of morals, with
any other system, proposed to mankind.

Celsus then notices many of the Old Testament characters: He ridicules
the relation of “the Fall, {7b} the Deluge, Children born of old Persons,
Brothers who kill each other, Mothers who deceive, the Sin of Lot, the
Animosity of Esau, the Deceit of the Sons of Jacob, the History of
Joseph,” &c.  Origen replies that such facts alone are selected by Celsus
from the writings of Moses, as supply a ground of attack; that the
simplicity of his narration proves the integrity of its author; and he
then apologizes for these causes of offence by the necessity of the case,
he contrasts with them the greater profligacy of the heathen, or
fancifully explains them upon the scheme of allegory.

No direct admission of Celsus, relating to Jewish prophecy, is to be
found.  There are however many observations, which prove the coming of
Christ to have been expected by the Jews, and this expectation must have
been the result of prophecy.  The remarks of Celsus, with regard to this
topic, are of this kind.  That the “