Origen against Celsus translated from the original into English by James Bellamy ...

CHAP. LX.

CELSƲS goes on, neither says he, Do's the Body of God stand in Need of such Food, for its Nourishment, and Support, as that with which yours is supply'd; as if he cou'd shew out of the Four Evangelists, not only that he ate, but also by what Food his frail Nature was maintain'd. But be it so, I grant he ate the Passover with his Disciples, and not only made Use of the following Words, With Desire, * 1.1 I have desir'd to eat this Passover with you; but did actually partake, of what was provided for him. I grant also, that being thirsty, he drank at Jacob's Well. But what is this to the Pur∣pose? 'Tis said expresly, he ate Fish, ev'n after he was risen from the dead. And this agrees very well with what we say, viz. That he assum'd a Real, and not a Phantastical Body, and was conceiv'd in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin.

Then Celsus says, A God had no need of such a Voice, nor such Methods

of Perswasion. But this, I think, is one of the most frivolous Objections, that he cou'd possibly have rais'd a∣gainst us. For I might tell him, that Apollo, one of the Gods of the Greeks, who goes under the Name of Pythian, and Didymae••n, made use of such a Voice, when the Oracle was giv'n by the Pythian Priestess, or the Priestess of Miletum. And yet the Greeks don't take Occasion from hence, to call in Question, much less to deny, the Divi∣nity of Apollo, or any other God, who gave out Oracles, at some convenient Place.

Now how much more, did it con∣duce to the Spiritual Advantage of the World in General, that God shou'd re∣veal his Will in the Person of our Blessed Saviour, who spoke with such Authority, and Power, that he made a secret, but irresistible Impression upon the Minds of Men.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luk. xxii V. 15.