GENERAL REFLECTIONS ON THE LIFE OF JESUS.--PREACHING OF THE
APOSTLES.--CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL. ESTABLISHMENT OF
CHRISTIANITY.--PERSECUTIONS IT SUFFERS.--CAUSES OF ITS PROGRESS.
The mere reading of the life of Jesus, as we have represented it
according to documents which Christians consider inspired, must be
sufficient to undeceive every thinking being. But it is the property of
superstition to prevent thinking: it benumbs the soul, confounds the
reason, perverts the judgment, renders doubtful the most obvious truths,
and makes a merit with its slaves of despising inquiry, and of relying
on the word of those who govern them. It is not unseasonable, therefore,
to offer some reflections which may be useful to those who have not
courage to draw out of the preceding inquiry, the consequences which
naturally result from it; and thus aid them in forming rational ideas of
the Jesus they adore, of his disciples whom they revere, and of books
which they are accustomed to regard as sacred.
Our examination of the birth of Jesus ought to render it very
suspicious. We have found the Holy Spirit mistaken on that important
article of Jesus' life; for he inspired two evangelists with two very
different genealogies. Notwithstanding so striking a blunder, and the
consanguinity of Mary and Elizabeth wife of the priest Zacharias, we
shall not cavil on these points. We shall grant that Mary might really
be of the race of David: many examples demonstrate that the branches of
races more illustrious have fallen into misery. Departing also from the
supposition, that Mary, the _immaculate_ wife of Joseph, may have
willingly yielded to the angel; or, simple and devout, may have been
deceived by the angel, there is every reason to believe that she
afterwards taught her son his descent from David, and perhaps, some
marvellous circumstances which, by justifying the mother, might kindle
the enthusiasm of the child. Thus Jesus, at a very early age, might be
really persuaded of his royal extraction, and of the wonders which had
accompanied his birth. These ideas might afterwards inflame his
ambition, and lead him to think that he was destined to play a grand
part in his native country. Prepossessed with these notions, and
intoxicating himself more and more by the perusal of obscure prophecies
and traditions, it is very possible, that our adventurer might believe
himself actually called by the Divinity, and pointed out by the prophets
to be the reformer, the chief, and the messiah of Israel. He was indeed
a visionary, and found people silly enough to be caught by his reveries.
Another cause might likewise contribute to heat the brain of our
missionary. Some learned men have conjectured with much appearance of
truth, that Jesus acquired his morality among a kind of monks or Jewish
Coenobites (friars) called Therapeutes or Essenians. We certainly find a
striking conformity between what Philo tells us of these pious
enthusiasts, and the sublime precepts of Jesus. The Therapeutes
abandoned father and mother, wife, children, and property, in order to
devote themselves to contemplation. They explained the scripture in a
manner purely allegorical; abstained from oaths; lived in common;
suffered with resolution the misfortunes of life, and died with joy. It
is certain, that, in the time of the historian Josephus, three sects
were reckoned in Judea, the pharisees, sadducees, and the Essenians, or
Essenes. From the time of that writer, there is no longer any mention
made of the latter; hence some have concluded that these Essenians, or
Therapeutes, were afterwards confounded or incorporated with the first
Christians, who, according to every evidence, led a manner of life
perfectly similar to theirs. From all which it may be concluded, either
that Jesus had been a Therapeute before his preaching, or that he had
borrowed their doctrines.
Whatever may be in this, in the midst of an ignorant and superstitious
nation, perpetually fed with oracles and pompous promises; miserable at
that time and discontented with the Roman yoke; continually cajoled with
the expectation of a deliverer, who was to restore them with honor, our
enthusiast without difficulty found an audience, and, by degrees,
adherents. Men are naturally disposed to listen to, and believe those
who make them hope for an end to their miseries. Misfortunes render them
timorous and credulous, and lead them to superstition. A fanatic easily
makes conquests among a wretched people. It is not then wonderful that
Jesus should soon acquire partizans, especially among the populace who
in every country are easily seduced.
Our hero knew the weakness of his fellow-citizens. They wanted
prodigies, and he, in their eyes, performed them. A stupid people,
totally strangers to the natural sciences, to medicine, or to the
resources of artifice, easily mistook very simple operations for
miracles, 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 mission. Nothing is more common than the combination of
enthusiasm and imposture; the most sincere devotees, when they intend to
advance what they believe to be the word of God, often countenance
frauds which they style _pious_. There are but few zealots who do not
even think crimes allowable when the interests of religion are
concerned. In religion, as at play, _one begins with being dupe, and
ends with being knave_.
Thus on considering things attentively, and comparing the different
accounts of the life of Jesus, we must be persuaded that he was a
fanatic, who really thought himself inspired, favored by Heaven, sent to
his nation; in short, that he was the messiah, who, to support his
divine mission, felt no difficulty to employ such deceptions as were
best calculated for a people to whom miracles were absolutely necessary;
and whom, without miracles, the most eloquent harangues, the wisest
precepts, the most intelligent counsels, and the truest principles could
never have convinced. A medley of enthusiasm and juggling constitute the
character of Jesus, and it is that of all spiritual adventurers who
assume the name of Reformers, or become the chiefs of a sect.
We always find Jesus, during his whole mission, preaching the kingdom of
his Father, and supporting his preaching with wonders. At first he spoke
in a very reserved manner of his quality of messiah, son of God, and son
of David. There was prudence in not giving himself out for such. But he
suffered the secret to be revealed by the mouth of the devil, to impose
silence on whom he commonly took great care; not, however, until after
the devil had spoken in a manner sufficiently intelligible to make an
impression on the spectators. So that with the assistance of his
possessed, his proselytes, or his convulsionaries, he procured
testimonies, which from his own mouth would have been very suspicious,
and might have rendered him odious.
Our operator also took care to choose his ground for performing
miracles; he constantly refused to operate before those whom he supposed
inclined to criticise his wonders. If he sometimes performed them in the
synagogues, and in presence of the doctors, it was in the certainty that
the less fastidious populace, who believed in his miracles, would take
his part, and defend him against the evil designs of the more acute
spectators.
The apostles of Jesus appear to have been men of their master's
temper--credulous or misled enthusiasts, dexterous cheats, or often both
together. Jesus, who had skill in men, admitted into his intimate
confidence those only in whom he remarked the most submissive credulity
or the greatest address. On important occasions, such as the miracle of
multiplying the loaves, the transfiguration, &c. we find, as already
noticed, that he used always the ministry of Peter, James, and John.
It is easy to conceive that his disciples were attached to him from
interest or credulity. The most crafty perceived that their fortune
could only be ameliorated under the conduct of a man who knew how to
impose on the vulgar, and to make his followers live at the expence of
charitable devotees. Fishermen, formerly obliged to subsist by painful
and often unsuccessful labour, conceived that it was more advantageous
to attach themselves to one who without trouble made them live
comfortably. The most credulous expected to make a brilliant fortune,
and to fill posts of eminence in the new kingdom their chief intended to
establish. It was evidently from _earthly_ or interested motives, and
not heavenly, that the apostles attached themselves to Jesus. At the
last supper there was a strife amongst them _who should be accounted the
greatest_. "The meanest," as Bishop Parker expressed it, "hoped at least
to have been made lord mayor of Capernaum." And even at his ascension
the only question his disciples asked, was, _Lord, wilt thou at this
time restore again the kingdom of Israel_?
The hopes and comforts of both vanished on the death of Jesus. The
pusillanimous lost courage, but the most able and subtle did not think
it necessary to abandon the party. They therefore contrived, as we have
seen, the tale of the resurrection, by the aid of which the reputation
of their master and their own fortune were secured. It also appears,
that the apostles never sincerely believed their master was a _God_. The
Acts incontestibly demonstrate the contrary. The same Simon Peter, who
had recognized Jesus for the Son of the living God, declared in his
first sermon, that he was man. "Ye know," says he, "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 again," &c. This passage
proves clearly that the chief of the apostles dared not yet hazard, or
was wholly ignorant of the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus, which was
afterwards contrived by the self-interest of the clergy and adopted by
the foolishness of Christians, whose credulity was never startled by the
greatest absurdities. Self-interest and folly have perpetuated this
doctrine until our time. By dint of repeating the same tales for so long
a period, they have succeeded in making people believe the most
ridiculous fables. The religion of the children is always regulated by
the fancy of their fathers.
It appears however, that the apostles of Jesus, deprived of the counsels
of their master, could not have succeeded if they had not received
powerful aid after his death, and selected associates, men more active
than themselves, and better calculated for the business. They
deliberated together on their common interests; it was then the Holy
Spirit descended on them; that is, they considered on the means of
earning a subsistence, gaining proselytes, and increasing the number of
their adherents, in order to secure themselves against the enterprizes
of the priests and grandees of the nation, whom the new sect might have
very much displeased. Not satisfied with having put Jesus to death, they
had the impudence to persecute his disciples. They engaged Herod to
destroy James the brother of Jesus; finally they caused Stephen to be
stoned. These priests and doctors did not perceive that persecution is
the surest method of spreading fanaticism, and that it always gives
importance to the party persecuted.
Accordingly this persecuting spirit, inherent in the clergy, created new
partisans to the persecuted sect. Hard treatment, and imprisonment
always render sectaries more obstinate, and interesting objects to those
who witness their sufferings. Tortures excite our pity in behalf of the
person who endures them. Every fanatic that is punished is certain of
finding credulous friends to aid him, because they persuade themselves
it is for truth he is persecuted.
The proceedings instigated by the priests, convinced the new sectaries
that it was of the utmost importance to unite their interests. They felt
it necessary to avoid quarrels, and every thing which could create
division; they in consequence lived in concord and peace.
The apostles, now become heads of the sect, did not neglect their own
interests. One of the first faculties with which the Holy Spirit
inspired them, was to profit by devout souls, and engage them to place
all their property in common. The apostles were the depositaries of
these goods, and had under their orders ministers or servants, known by
the name of deacons, charged with the distribution of alms. These great
saints, it is to be presumed, did not forget themselves in these
distributions. It appears also, that the law for this communion of
goods, was observed with rigor, as we find, in the Acts of the Apostles,
Ananias and Saphira struck dead, on the prayer of Peter, for having had
the temerity to retain a portion of their own property: a conduct which
would appear as unjust, as barbarous in any other person but an apostle
of Jesus. It must however be acknowledged, that the law, which obliged
the rich to place their property in common, was very important, not only
to the apostles, but for increasing the sect. The poor undoubtedly must
have been eager to join a party where the rich engaged to _lay the
cloth_. Hence it is easy to perceive, how this institution might augment
the number of the faithful without a miracle.
Of all the adherents the new-born sect acquired, there was none superior
to Saul, afterwards known by the name of Paul. The actions and writings
ascribed to this Apostle exhibit him as an ambitious, active, intrepid,
and opiniative man, full of enthusiasm, and capable of inspiring others
with it. Engaged at first in the profession of a tent-maker, he
afterwards attached himself to Gamaliel, a doctor of the law and
rendered services to the priests in their persecutions against
Christians. Perceiving the utility which a man of Saul's character might
be of to the party, the apostles profited by some disgust he had taken
to draw him over to their sect. He consented readily conceiving that by
his superior talents he might easily succeed in making himself the head
of a party, to which he also knew the means of rendering himself
necessary. He pretended, therefore, that his conversion was the effect
of a miracle, and that God himself had called him. He was baptised at
Damascus, joined the apostles at Jerusalem, was admitted a member of
their college, and soon gave them proofs of his talents. He commenced
preaching Jesus and his resurrection, and labored in gaining souls. His
vehement zeal hurried him, without fear or hesitation, into quarrels
with the priests, always indignant at the conduct of the apostles; but
his persecutions rendered him dearer to his party, of which he became
from that time the prime mover.
Often maltreated by the Jews, Paul conjectured that it would be
beneficial not to confine himself to them, but that conquests might be
made among the heathen. He no doubt knew that mankind resemble each
other in all superstitions; that they are every where curious about the
marvellous; susceptible of fanaticism, lovers of novelties, and easily
deceived. He therefore, sometimes preached to Jews, and sometimes to
Gentiles, among whom he succeeded in enlisting a considerable number of
recruits.
Jesus, born in the bosom of Judaism, and knowing the attachment of his
fellow-citizens to the law of Moses, had always openly declared, that he
was come to "accomplish, and not to destroy it." His first apostles were
Jews, and showed much attachment to the rites of their religion. They
were displeased that Paul their brother would not subject his Gentile
proselytes to Judaical usuages. Filled with views more vast than those
entertained by the other apostles, he did not wish to disgust his new
converts with inconvenient ceremonies, such as circumcision and
abstinence from certain meats. The better to attain his ends, he
neglected these usuages, which he considered as trifles, while his
brethren regarded them as most essential. The first proselytes or the
apostles as we have said, were called _Nazarenes_ or Ebionites, who
believed in Jesus without forsaking the law of Moses. They of course
regarded Paul as an heretic or apostate. This fact, attested by Origen,
Eusebius, and Epiphanius, is important in giving us a distinct idea of
primitive Christianity, which we see divided into two sects almost as
soon as Paul had embraced it. This new apostle very soon indeed
separated from his brethren to preach a doctrine different from theirs,
and openly undermined the Judaism which Peter, James, and the other
heads of the church persisted in respecting. But as Paul was successful
among the Gentiles, his party prevailed: Judaism was entirely
proscribed, and Christianity became quite a new religion, of which
Judaism had been only the figure. Thus Paul wholly changed the religious
system of Jesus, who had merely proposed to reform Judaism. The
principal apostles followed the conduct of their master, and showed
themselves much attached to the law and usages of their fathers. Paul
notwithstanding their protestations, took a different course; he
displayed a contempt or indifference for the legal ordinances, to which
through policy, however, he sometimes subjected himself. Thus we find he
circumcised Timothy, and performed Jewish ceremonies in the temple of
Jerusalem.
Not content with decrying the law of Moses, Paul, by his own confession,
preached a gospel of his own. He says positively, in his epistle to the
Galatians, "That the gospel which I preach is not after men," and that
he had received it by a particular revelation of Jesus. He speaks
likewise of his quarrels with the other heads of the sect; but his
disciple Luke passes over these very slightly in the Acts, which are
much more the _Acts of Paul_ than the Acts of the Apostles. It appears
evident, that he embroiled himself with his brethren, the partisans of
the circumcision, and the founders of the Nazarenes or Ebionites, who
had a gospel different from that of Paul, as they combined the law of
Jesus with that of Moses. Irenaeus, Justin, Epiphanius, Eusebius,
Theodoret, and Augustine, agree in telling us, that these Ebionites, or
converted Jews, regarded Jesus as a "mere man, son of Joseph and Mary,
to whom they gave the name of _Son of God_ only on account of his
virtues." From this it is evident, that it was Paul who _deified_ Jesus
and abolished Judaism. The Paulites, become the strongest, prevailed
over the Ebionites, or disciples of the apostles, and regarded them as
heretics. Hence we see that it is the religion of Paul, and not of
Jesus, which at present subsists.
This altercation of Paul and the apostles of Jesus produced a real
schism. Paul left the preaching of the Judaical gospel or circumcision
to his brethren whilst he preached his own in Asia Minor and in Greece,
sometimes to the Hellenistic Jews, whom he found established there, and
sometimes to the idolatrous Greeks, whose language, though unknown to
the other apostles, Paul was acquainted with. The success of his mission
far surpassed that of his brethren; and if we refer to the Acts of the
Apostles, we shall perceive in this new preacher an activity, a warmth,
a vehemence, and an enthusiasm well adapted to communicate itself. The
missionaries he formed, spread his doctrine to a great distance. The
gospel of the apostle of the gentiles prevailed over the gospel of the
Judaizing apostles; and in a short time there were a great number of
Christians in all the provinces of the Roman empire.
To a miserable people, crushed by tyrants and oppressors of every kind,
the principles of the new sect had powerful attractions. Its maxims,
which tended to introduce equality and a community of goods, were
calculated to entice the unfortunate. Its promises flattered miserable
fanatics, to whom was announced the end of a perverse world, the
approaching arrival of Jesus, and a kingdom wherein abundance and
happiness would reign. To be admitted there, they merely required of the
proselytes "to believe in Jesus and be baptized." As for the austere
maxims of the sect, they were not of a nature to disgust miserables,
accustomed to suffering, and the want of the conveniences of life. Its
dogmas, few in the beginning, were readily adopted by ignorant men, fond
of wonders, whom their own mythology disposed to receive the fables of
Christians. Besides, their own priests wrought miracles, which rendered
those said to have been performed by Jesus no way improbable in their
estimation. Different missionaries, 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 revered, and to interest the
veneration of the faithful. In this manner the different collections,
known by the name of Gospels, were framed, wherein, along with very
simple facts which might have really occurred, we find numerous
statements that appear credible only to enthusiasts and fools. These
histories, composed from traditions by different hands, and by authors
of very different characters, are not in harmony. Hence the want of
conformity in the relations of our evangelists, which has been
frequently noticed in the course of this work. There were, as we have
before remarked, a vast number of gospels in the first ages of the
church; and out of these the council of Nice chose only four, to which
they gave the divine sanction.
We shall not here examine whether these gospels really belong to the
authors to whom they are ascribed. The opinion which attributes them to
to their putative writers, might have been founded at first on some
tradition, true or false, which existed in the time of the council of
Nice, or which the fathers of that council had an interest in
sanctioning. It is difficult to persuade ourselves without faith, that
the gospel of John, filled with Platonic notions could be composed by
the son of Zebedee; by a poor fisherman, who, perhaps, incapable of
writing, and even reading, could not be acquainted with the philosophy
of Plato. From the commencement of christianity there have been many who
have denied the authenticity of the gospels. _Marcias_ accused them of
being filled with falsehoods. The Alloges and Theodocians rejected the
gospel of John, which they regarded as a tissue of lies. Augustin says,
that he found in the Platonists the whole beginning of the gospel of
John. Origen below informs us, that Celsus reproached Jesus with having
taken from Plato his finest maxims, and among others the one which says,
that "it is more easy for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,
than for a rich man to be saved."
Whatever opinion may be formed as to this, we find the mystical and
marvellous philosophy of Plato introduced very early into Christianity,
which agreed in several respects with the tenets held by the followers
of that eminent philosopher; while his perplexed philosophy must also
have easily amalgamated with the principles of the new sect. This was
the source of _Spirituality_, _Trinity_, and the _Logos_, or _Word_,
besides a multitude of magical and theurgical ceremonies, which in the
hands of the priests of Christianity have become _mysteries_ or
_sacraments_. On reading Porphyry, Jamblichus, and particularly
Plotinus, we are surprised to hear them speaking so frequently in the
same style as our theologists. These marks of resemblance drew several
Platonists over to the faith, who figured among the doctors of the
church. Of this number were Clement of Alexandria, Irenaeus, Justin
Martyr, Origen, &c. Platonism may indeed be regarded as the source of
the principal dogmas and mysteries of the Christian religion.
Those who doubt the truth of this assertion have only to read the works
of the disciples of Plato, who were all superstitious persons and
Theurgists, whose ideas were analogous to those of Christians. We find,
indeed, these writings filled with receipts to make the gods and good
genii descend, and to drive away the bad. Tertullian reproaches the
heretics of his time with having wandered astray in order to introduce
Platonism, Stoicism, and Dialects into Christianity. It was evidently
the mixture of the unintelligible doctrine of Plato, with the Dialectics
of Aristotle, which rendered theology so senseless, disputable, and
fraught with subtleties. The cardinal Pallavicini acknowledges, that
"without Aristotle the Christians would have wanted a great number of
articles of faith."
The austere and fanatical lives of Christians must also have favorably
disposed a great number of Stoics, who were accustomed to make a merit
of despising objects desirable to other men, depriving themselves of the
comforts of life, and braving affliction and death. We accordingly find
among the early Christians a great number of enthusiasts tinctured with
these maxims. This fanatical way of thinking was necessary to console
the first Christians in the midst of persecutions which they suffered at
first from the Jews, and thereafter from the emperors and grandees,
incited by the heathen priests. The latter, according to the custom of
the priesthood in all countries, made war on a sect which attacked their
Gods, and menaced their temples with a general desertion. The universe
was weary of the impostures and exactions of these priests, their costly
sacrifices and lying oracles. Their knaveries had been frequently
unveiled, and the new religion tendered to mankind a worship less
expensive and, which, without being addressed so much to the eyes as the
worship of idols, was better adapted than its rival to seize the
imagination, and to excite enthusiasm.
Christianity was moreover flattering and consolatory to the wretched,
while it placed all men on the same level, and thus humbled the rich, it
was announced as destined for the poor through preference. Among the
Romans, slaves were in some measure excluded from religion; and it might
have been said that the gods did not concern themselves with the homage
of these degraded beings. The poor, besides, had not wherewith to
satisfy the rapacity of Pagan priests, who, like ours, did nothing
without money. Thus slaves and miserable persons must have been strongly
attached to a system, which taught that all men are equal in the eyes of
the Divinity, and that the wretched have better right to the favors of a
suffering and contemned God than those who are temporally happy. The
priests of Paganism became uneasy at the rapid progress of the sect. The
government was alarmed at the clandestine assemblies which the
Christians held. They were believed to be the enemies of the emperors,
because they refused to offer sacrifices to the gods of the country for
their prosperity. Even the people, ever zealous, believed them enemies
of their gods because they would not join in their worship. They treated
the Christians as Atheists and impious persons, because they did not
conceive what could be the objects of their adoration; and because they
took offence at the mysteries, which they saw them celebrating in the
greatest secrecy. The Christians, thus loaded with the public hatred,
very soon became its victims; they were persecuted; and persecution, as
it always happens, rendered them more opiniative. Enthusiasm inflamed
their souls; they considered it a glory to resist the efforts of
tyrants; they even went so far as to brave their punishments, and
concluded with believing that the greatest happiness was to perish under
their severities. In this they flattered themselves with resembling the
Son of God, and were persuaded, that by dying for his cause they were
certain of reigning with him in heaven.
In consequence of these fanatical ideas, so flattering to vanity,
martyrdom became an object of ambition to Christians. Independent of the
heavenly rewards, which they believed assured to those who suffered with
constancy, and perished for religion, they saw them esteemed, revered,
and carefully attended to during their lives, while honors almost divine
were decreed them after death. On the contrary, those of the Christian
community who had the weakness to shrink from tortures, and renounce
their religion, were scoffed at, despised, and regarded as infamous. So
many circumstances combined contributed to warm the imaginations of the
faithful, already sufficiently agitated by notions of the approaching
end of the world, the coming of Jesus, and his happy reign. They
submitted cheerfully to punishment, and gloried in their chains: they
courted martyrdom as a favor, and often, through a blind zeal, provoked
the rage of their persecutors. The magistrates, by their proscriptions
and tortures, caused the enthusiasm of the Christians to kindle more and
more. Their courage was besides supported by the heads of their sect,
who constantly displayed the heavens opening to the heroes who consented
to suffer and perish for their cause, which they took care to make the
poor fanatics regard as the cause of God himself. A martyr, at all
times, is merely the victim of the enthusiastic or knavish priest who
has been able to seduce him.
Men are always disgusted with those who use violence; they conclude that
they are wrong, and that those against whom they commit violence have
reason on their side. Persecution will always make partisans to the
cause persecuted; and those to which we allude, tended the more to
confirm Christians in their religion. The spectators of their sufferings
were interested for them. They were curious to know the principles of a
sect which drew on itself such cruel treatment, and infused into its
adherents a courage believed to be supernatural. They imagined that such
a religion could be no other than the work of God; its partisans
appeared extraordinary men, and their enthusiasm became contagious.
Violence served only to spread it the more, and, according to the
language of a Christian doctor, "the blood of the martyrs became the
seed of the church."
The clergy would fain make the propagation of Christianity pass for a
miracle of divine omnipotence; while it was owing solely to natural
causes inherent in the human mind, which always adheres strenuously to
its own way of thinking; hardens itself against violence; applauds
itself for its pertinacity; admires courage in others; feels an interest
for those who display it; and suffers itself to be gained by their
enthusiasm. The learned Dodwell has written two copious dissertations on
the martyrs: the one to prove that they were not so numerous as is
commonly imagined; and the other to demonstrate that their constancy
originated in natural causes. The frenzy of martyrdom was in fact an
epidemical disease among the first Christians, to which their spiritual
physicians were obliged to apply remedies, as these wretched beings were
guilty of suicide. Many of the primitive Christians, says Fleury,
instead of _flying_ as the gospel directs, not only ran voluntarily to
execution, but provoked their judges to do them that favor. Under
Trajan, all the Christians in a city of Asia came in a body to the
proconsul, and offered themselves to the slaughter, which made him cry,
"O! ye unhappy people, if ye have a mind to die, have ye not halters and
precipices enough to end your lives, but ye must come here for
executioners." Marcus Antoninus severely reflected on the obstinacy of
the Christians in thus running headlong to death; and Cyprian labored
hard to comfort those who were so unhappy as to _escape_ the crown of
martyrdom. Even the enemies of Julian, called the apostate by fanatics,
admit that the Christians of his time did every thing they could to
provoke that emperor to put them to death. Dr. Hickes, a celebrated
protestant divine, says that the Christians "were _not_ illegally
persecuted by Julian." Pride, vanity, prejudice, love, patriotism, and
even vice itself, produce martyrs--a contempt of every kind of danger.
Is it then surprising that enthusiasm and fanaticism, the strongest of
passions, have so often enabled men to face the greatest dangers and
despise death? Besides, if Christians can boast a catalogue of martyrs,
Jews can do the same. The unfortunate Jews, condemned to the flames by
the inquisition, were martyrs to their religion; and their fortitude
proves as much in their favor as that of the Christians. If martyrs
demonstrate the truth of a religion or sect, where are we to look for
the true one?
It is thus obvious that the obstinacy of the martyrs, far from being a
sign of the divine protection or of the goodness of their cause, was the
effect of blindness, occasioned by the reiterated lessons of their
fanatical or deceitful priests. What conduct more extravagant than that
of a sovereign able and without effusion of blood to extend his power,
who should prefer to do it by the massacre of the most faithful of his
subjects? Is it not annihilating the divine wisdom and goodness to
assert, that a God to whom every thing is possible, among so many ways
which he could have chosen to establish his religion, wished to follow
that only of making its dearest friends fall a sacrifice to the fury of
its cruellest enemies? Such are the notions which Christianity presents;
and it is easy to perceive that they are the necessary consequences of a
fundamental absurdity on which that religion is established. It
maintains, that a just God had no wish to redeem guilty men, than by
making his dear innocent son be put to death. According to such
principles, it can excite no surprise that so unreasonable a God should
wish to convert the heathen, his enemies, by the murder of Christians,
his children. Though these absurdities are believed, such as do not
possess the holy blindness of faith cannot comprehend why the Son of
God, having already shed his blood for the redemption of men, was not a
sufficient sacrifice? and why, to effect the conversion of the world,
there was still a necessity for the blood of an immense number of
martyrs, whose merits must have been undoubtedly much less than those of
Jesus? To resolve these difficulties, theologians refer us to the
eternal decrees, the wisdom of which we are not permitted to criticise.
This is sending us far back indeed; yet notwithstanding the solidity of
the answer, the incredulous persist in saying, that their limited
understandings can neither find justice, nor wisdom, nor goodness, in
eternal decrees which could in so preposterous a manner effect the
salvation of the human race.
Persecutions were not the only means by which Christianity was
propagated. The preachers, zealous for the salvation of souls, or rather
desirous to extend their own power over the minds of men, and strengthen
their party, inherited from the Jews the passion of making proselytes.
This passion suited presumptuous fanatics, who were persuaded, that they
alone possessed the divine favor. It was unknown to the heathen, who
permitted every one to adore his gods, providing that his worship did
not disturb the public tranquillity. Prompted by zeal, the Christian
missionaries, notwithstanding persecutions and dangers, spread
themselves with an ardour unparalleled wherever they could penetrate, in
order to convert idolators and bring back strayed sheep to the fold of
Jesus. This activity merited the recompense of great success. Men, whom
their idolatrous priests neglected, were flattered at being courted, and
becoming the objects of the cares of those who, through pure
disinterestedness, came from afar, and through the greatest perils to
bring them consolation. They listened favourably to them; they shewed
kindness to men so obliging, and were enchanted with their doctrine.
Many adopted their lessons; placed themselves under their guidance, and
soon became persuaded that their God and dogmas were superior to those
which had preceded them.
Thus by degrees, and without a miracle, Christianity planted colonies,
more or less considerable, in every part of the Roman empire. They were
directed, and governed by _inspectors_, _overseers_, or _bishops_, who,
in spite of the dangers with which they were menaced, labored
obstinately, and without intermission in augmenting the number of their
disciples that is, of slaves devoted to their holy will. Empire over
opinions was always the most unbounded. As nothing has greater power
over the minds of the vulgar than religion, Christians every where
displayed an unlimited submission to their spiritual sovereign, on whose
laws they believed their eternal happiness depended. Thus our
missionaries, converted into bishops, exercised a spiritual magistracy
and sacred jurisdiction, which in the end placed them not only above
other priests, but made them respected by, and necessary to, the
temporal power. Princes have always employed religion and its ministers
in crushing the people, and keeping them under the yoke. Impostures and
delusions are of no use to sovereigns who govern, but they are very
useful to those who _tyrannize_.