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Φησιν ο Κέλσος, Ει μεν δη θελήσεσιν αποκρίνεσθαι μοι ως 8 διαπεια
ρωμένω, παντα γαρ οίδα, αλλ' ως εξ ισε παντων κηδομένω ευ αν εχοι.”
Δοκεί δε μοι τοιέτόν τι πεποιηκεναι, ως ει τις τη Αιγυπτω επιδημησας, ενθα οι
μεν Αιγυπτιων σοφοι, κατα τα πάτρια γραμματα, πολλα φιλοσοφεσι περι των
παρ' αυτοις νενομισμένων θείων, οι δε ιδιωται μυθες τινας ακέσαντες ων της
λογες εκ επισανται, μέγα επ' αυτοις φρονεσιν· ωετο παντα τα Αιγυπτιων εγνω-
κεναι, τοις ιδιωταις αυτων μαθητευσας, και μηδενι των ιερέων συμμίξας, μηδ'
από τινος αυτών τα Αιγυπτιων απορρητα μαθών. Orig. cont. Cels. L. i.

LONDON:

PUBLISHED BY W. SIMPKIN AND R. MARSHALL,
STATIONERS' HALL COURT, LUDGATE STREET.

35480

911

PREFACE.

So numerous are the works which have been produced in vindication of the divine authority of the Scriptures and of the truth of the Christian Religion, so high the reputation of many of them, and so unquestionably great their merit, that it might almost appear like presumption in any one again to handle this argument. Certainly, however, while fresh attacks upon the foundations of the Christian Religion are continually being made, it is ne. cessary that fresh works should be composed in its defence; even though they added no more that is new to the vindication of Revelation, than the renewed ranks of its assailants produce against it.

But laudable and useful as the production of works of this class is, he who now solicits the attention of the Public would never have appeared as an Author, merely to add to their number. He has long been impressed with a serious conviction, that fully to meet the difficulties wbich infidel writers have raised, it were necessary to put the controversy on a different ground from that which has been taken by the most popular of the Christian advocates. He is of opinion, that the ablest of their works are more adapted to silence, than to satisfy, even an ingenuous inquirer. The former effect is or ought to be produced, when such circumstances and considerations are al