at Rome, where he was engaged with Philofophers, and in a particular manner with Crefcens the Cynic, who could eafily have detected, and would not fail to have expofed him, had he quoted a Record not in being, or made any false citation out of it. Would the great Apologist have challenged Crefcens to difpute the caufe of Christianity with him before the Roman Senate, had he forged fuch an evidence? Or would Crefcens have refufed the challenge, could he have triumphed over him in the detection of fuch a forgery? To which we must add, that the Apology, which appeals to this Record, was prefented to a learned Emperor, and to the whole body of the Roman Senate. This Father in his apology, fpeaking of the death and fuffering of our Saviour, refers the Emperor for the truth of what he fays, to the acts of Pontius Pilate, which I have here mentioned. Tertullian, who wrote his Apology about fifty years after Justin, doubtless referred to the fame Record, when he tells the Governor of Rome, that the Emperor Tiberius having received an account out of Palestine in Syria of the Divine Perfon who had appeared in that country,

paid him a particular regard, and threatned to punish any who fhould accuse the Chriftians; nay, that the Emperor would have adopted him among the Deities whom they worshipped, had not the Senate refused to come into his propofal. Tertullian, who gives us this hiftory, was not only one of the most learned men of his age, but what adds a greater weight to his Authority in this cafe, was eminently skilful and well read, in the laws of the Roman Empire. Nor can it be faid that Tertullian grounded his quotation upon the authority of Justin Martyr, because we find he mixes it with matters of fact which are not related by that Author.__Eufebius mentions the fame ancient Record, but as it was not extant in his time, I fhall not infift upon his authority in this point. If it be objected that this particular is not mentioned in any Roman Hiftorian, I shall use the fame argument in a parallel cafe, and fee whether it will carry any force with it. Ulpian the great Roman Lawyer gathered together all the Imperial Edicts, that had been made against the Chriftians. But did any one ever fay that there had been no fuch Edicts, because they were not mentioned

in

in the hiftories of thofe Emperors? Befides, who knows but this circumftance of Tiberius was mentioned in other hiftorians that have been loft, though not to be found in any ftill extant? Has not Suetonius many particulars of this Emperor omitted by Tacitus, and Herodian many that are not fo much as hinted at by either?. As for the fpurious Acts of Pilate, now extant, we know the occafion and time of their writing, and had there not been a true and authentic Record of this nature, they would never have been forged.

VIII. The ftory of Agbarus King of Edessa, relating to the letter which he sent to our Saviour, and to that which he received from him, is a Record of great authority; and though I will not infift upon it, may venture to say, that had we fuch an evidence for any fact in Pagan history, an Author would be thought very unreafonable who fhould reject it. I believe you will be of my opinion, if you will perufe, with other Authors, who have appeared in vindication of these letters as genuine, the additional arguments which have been made ufe of by the late famous and learned Dr. Grabe, in the fecond volume of his Spicilegium.

SEC

SECTION II.

I. What facts in the biflory of our Saviour might be taken notice of by Pagan Authors.

II. What particular facts are taken notice of, and by what Pagan Authors.

III. How Celfus reprefented our Saviour's miracles.

IV. The fame reprefentation made of them by other unbelievers, and proved unreaSonable.

V. What facts in our Saviour's history not to be expected from Pagan writers.

I.

WE

E now come to confider what undoubted authorities are extant among Pagan writers; and here we must premife, that fome parts of our Saviour's history may be reasonably expected from Pagans. I mean fuch parts as might be known to thofe who lived at a distance from Judæa, as well as to those who were the followers and eye-witnesses of Chrift.

II. Such

II. Such particulars are most of thefe which follow, and which are all attested by fome one or other of those heathen Authors, who lived in or near the age of our Saviour and his difciples. That Auguftus Cæfar bad ordered the whole empire to be cenfed or taxed, which brought our Saviour's reputed parents to Bethlebem: This is mentioned by feveral Roman historians, as Tacitus, Suetonius, and Dion. That a great light, or a new star appeared in the eaft, which directed the wife men to our Saviour: This is recorded by Chalcidius. That Herod, the King of Paleftine, so often mentioned in the Roman biftory, made a great flaughter of innocent children, being fo jealous of his fucceffor, that he put to death his own sons on that account: This character of him is given by feveral hiftorians, and this cruel, fact mentioned by Macrobius, a heathen Author, who tells it as a known thing, without any mark or doubt upon it. That our Saviour had been in Egypt: This Celfus, though he raises a monstrous ftory upon it, is fo far from denying, that he tells us our Saviour learned the arts of magic in that country. That Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judæa, That our Sa