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15 Aug. 1815

Jug True or Not Paul

Ch. 3 Resources

§ Hardness of heart

Faith

Josephus

The other story is a story of Josephus. While Nero Wars of the Jews B. V. Ch. 12. L Estrange translation London 1702 Folio p. 909 was yet alive, and Vespasian, though in great force, had not as yet taken possession of the throne, Josephus who being was then a prisoner of his, obtained an audience, and saluted him by the title of Emperor. For this compliment, Vespasian when Emperor after upon coming to the throne set him at liberty: and presently he and his son Titus took into favour the discerning and ingenious prudent Jew.

In those days it was the fashion to believe in miracles prodigies. Tacitus, the most discerning of all the Roman historians— Tacitus with all his discernment, believed or at any rate pretended to believe in miracles. Josephus possessed or at any rate professed the same credence. In those days times and indeed at all times it was in that country the fashion to believe in miracles. Witness in this propensity, Vespasian having for a long time his eye to the throne, but and with no better other title than that which he derived from conceived the notion, saw that by every incident by which the notion of his being a favourite of the powers above could be produced implanted or confirmed, his chance of success would be improved. deleted textOf these miracles in which in one of which he was sole pretended actor and real relating to the other principal actor, he was probably in both instances the /a/ contriver. But from his being in one of these instances a reporter of a miracle in which he being if not the contriver of imposture at any rate privy to it it was impossible he should could not have been a believer, it follows not but that he may have been a believer in other miracles.
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  • Title: [5 Aug 1815 Jug. True Miracles]
    Description: 5 Aug 1815

    Jug. True

    Miracles

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    What is curious not only this same reign but this same person, furnishes us with another relation of a similar miracle. The relator is not now a Jew Flavius Josephus—but a Roman of not inferior distinction for of superior caste in his nation he could not be | | Cornelius Faustus: the man of all the historians of classical antiquity—Greek and Roman included, whose reputation for sagacity stands at the highest pitch. By Vespasian according to him a blind man was cured of his blindness. Of the miracle of which Josephus speaks he speaks of himself as having been together with the Emperor his family and suite an eye-witness: and by this circumstance he stamps on the face of his narrative the correspondent title to credence. To the miracle of which the Roman historian speaks he affixes no such title: in relation to a circumstance thus material he leaves us in the dark as if not aware of its importance. That he himself was not present is plain enough: and to him, in addition to Vespasian not as yet Emperor the principal actor in the farce, it does not appear necessary to mention any other individual as being present at the exhibition of it.

    If such were his want of discernment we shall the less wonder at it when we consider the remark which after the mention he makes of this miracle he subjoins to it.
  • Title: [15 Aug. 1815 For Jug True or Not Paul]
    Description: 15 Aug. 1815

    For Jug True or Not Paul

    Ch 3 Resources

    Hardness of heart

    Faith

    Josephus

    On the occasion of these two several miracles was

    Vespasian a sincere believer or a contriver of the imposture? Upon the face of this passage

    narrative, had it stood single, the answer might have remained been somewhat in doubt.

    But the doubt cleared is pretty well cleared up by two other stories, related of the same personage, one

    of them by Paistus himself, the other by his cotemporary, Flavius Josephus the Jew. Of the two That which is related by Paistus

    is its with relation to the matter here in question the more instructive. Being at Alexandria in Egypt,

    he repairs to the temple, turns out of it every person whom he finds there, remains alone, looks behind

    him and sees one of the chief men of the county, Basilides by name, who at that very time moment, was at a place

    eighty miles distant. Here then unless the same man was at two places at once, was a lie, and a lie of which this Vespasian who had not as yet made

    himself master of the thronea a Examine whether sowas the author: for, no other person being in the temple, Vespasian, just like any other

    person would have been who remained there by

    himself would have been was at liberty to see without contradiction as many persons there as he pleased.
  • Title: [27 Jan y 1816 Not Paul 1 o]
    Description: 27 Jan y 1816

    Not Paul

    1 o

    Paul’s Vision

    Ch

    4

    But though at no time a story of a vision i.e. a story in which an individual without any corresponding proof asserts himself to have seen a vision can present any rational / reasonable / title to credence, yet that at such a time as that in question stories to this effect should be brought forward and not only be brought forward but obtain extensive credence―in this there is nothing wonderful: in this there is nothing but what is perfectly in unison with / conformable to / the known state of things―in a word the known state of minds―even of the most cultivated minds at that time: and not much, at that time, but at times in a considerable degree posterior to, and therefore more [experienced] MS ‘experience’. / fuller of experience / and mature than the particular time in question.

    For proof of this three / four / anecdotes will be abundantly sufficient: viz one related by Josephus the historian Flavius Josephus (37- c.98). himself as he says being an eye witness of what he relates: the two / three / others related by Tacitus the historian of Vespasian the Emperor. See, for example, Tacitus, Historiae, IV. lxxxiii for an account of a vision seen by Vespasian.

     Go on with these stories from Jug. True.