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; A

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

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

Celsus in his general mode of argument against the Christians, renders a very important testimony to the truth of their Scriptures: for his charges are not grounded on facts or doctrines, not there recorded; but almost every one of them may be directly traced, to some important and obvious passage of the Bible. He seemed therefore to consider, that he could most effectually destroy Christianity, by overturning the authority of the writings which the Christians believed to have been delivered to

The attack of Celsus, upon the History of Christ, maybe arranged under the three divisions, of his birth; his life; his death. In adverting to the birth of Christ, Celsus introduces a Jew, charging Christ with being privately born [19a] in a little village of Judea, his mother being driven out by the Carpenter, to whom she was betrothed, because convicted of adultery [19b] with a soldier named Panther.  He imputes to him that he was privately educated, and went to earn his livelihood in Egypt. I

The strongest evidence in favour of Christianity is supplied by the Miracles, which accompanied its promulgation.  We shall proceed to consider the light cast by the work before us, on this important topic; and examine, first, the testimony of Origen and Celsus to the miraculous effects that were produced; secondly, the pretensions which these works had to a Divine original. Celsus lived in an age when by the testimony of all history, the Miracles of Christ were objects of notoriety.  The discip

Although the character of an individual, professing a particular faith, is not sufficient of itself either to establish, or condemn his creed, the character of a whole body, professedly living under the influence of the same principles, bears the most convincing testimony, either for, or against them.  Accordingly the mixed indolence, sensuality, and ferocity of the Mahometan character, have always been deemed a sufficient objection, to the principles of the Koran.  And the ancient Christian wri

It would be a material defect in an Essay purporting to state the contents of the reply of Origen to Celsus, and the evidence supplied by it in favour of Christianity, not to notice the doctrines of the early Christians, as they may be collected from the work before us. In the first place then it appears, both from the objections of the one, and the direct assertion of the other, that the Christians of that age admitted in the fullest sense the Divinity of Christ.  “Let them,” says Celsus, “acco

Having thus noticed, in succession, the several topics which are chiefly insisted on in the Work before us; and having endeavoured to deduce from each, the distinct evidence in favour of Christianity, which it seemed to afford, it remains only to sum up the general testimony thus borne to our religion. Let the evidence be first considered, which arises from the concessions and objections of Celsus.  In the first place then he proves the existence of the Scriptures in his own times, he relates so