the devil himself had the greatest interest to conceal it. It was therefore contrary to his own interest, and the will of the Almighty, that the devil made known the quality of Christ. Besides, if Jesus really did not wish that the devil should discover him, why delay imposing silence on him until he had spoken?

The conduct of the Messiah in these particulars has made it be believed, that not daring to endanger himself by publicly assuming the quality of Christ, or Son of God, he was not sincerely displeased with the devils, who were at his command, for divulging his secret, and sparing him the trouble of speaking. It was moreover eliciting a very important confession out of the mouth of enemies.

Jesus was not ignorant, that to retain his influence over the minds of men, it was necessary to prevent satiety. Accordingly, on the day following that on which so many miracles had been wrought in Capernaum, he departed before day-break, and withdrew into a desert. All legislators have loved retirement; it is there they have had divine inspirations, and it is on emerging from these mysterious asylums, they have performed miracles calculated to deceive the eyes of the astonished vulgar. Solitary recollection is besides at times necessary, in order to investigate the state of our affairs.

Meanwhile the disciples of Jesus, notwithstanding his flight, did not lose sight of their master; they repaired to him at the moment he thought himself alone, and informed him that they had been every where in search of him. In fact, there were still many sick and possessed persons in the country; yet this consideration did not induce Jesus to return to Capernaum; on which account many resorted to him in his retreat.

To get rid of them, he again traversed Galilee, where he continued to cure the sick, and cast out devils: this is all the gospel mentions. It appears he tarried little or none at all on his road, and preached as he went along; for in a very short time he had advanced a considerable way on the shore of the sea of Galilee. As the multitude which followed him augmented continually, by supplies of idle and curious people that every village produced, our preacher, finding himself pressed down by the crowd, gave orders to his disciples to convey him to the other side, on the territory of the Gerasenes.

When he was landed, a doctor of the law repaired to him, and offered to become his follower: but Jesus very readily conceived that a doctor could not suit him; he would have cut a bad figure in a company composed of fishermen and clowns, such as those of whom the Messiah had formed his court. He gave the doctor to understand, that he would repent of this step: that this kind of life would not agree with him; the Son of man, said he to the doctor, hath no where to lay his head.

Christ would not permit his disciples to ramble too far in the territory of the Gerasenes; for amongst them were some of that country. One asked his permission to go and perform the last duties to his father, another wanted to go and embrace his family; but Jesus harshly refused their requests. The one received for answer, that he ought to "let the dead bury their dead." The other, that "whoever having laid his hand to the plough, and looks back, is not fit for the kingdom of heaven." The incredulous think they perceive in these answers a proof of the rough habit, repulsive and despotical spirit of Jesus, who, under pretext of the kingdom of heaven, obliged his disciples

to neglect the most sacred duties of morality. But Christians, docile to the lessons of their divine master, which they dare not examine, have made perfection consist in a total abandonment of those objects which nature has rendered dearest to man. Christianity seems intended only to create discord, detach men from every thing on earth, and break the ties which ought to unite them. There is, according to Christ's maxims, but one thing needful, namely, to be attached to him exclusively: a maxim very useful, in meriting heaven, but calculated to destroy every society in the world.*

After our missionary had spent some time in the country of the Gerasenes, where it appears he kept incog, one day towards the evening he passed over to the other side of the lake, having previously dismissed the people, who had come that day on purpose to hear him; but he did not preach. Jesus, fatigued, fell asleep on the passage, whilst a furious tempest overtook the ship. His affrighted disciples, impressed with the

* Notwithstanding the eulogies lavished by Christians on the precepts of their divine master, some of them are wholly contrary to equity and right reason. When Jesus says, "Make to yourselves friends in heaven of the mammon of unrighteousness,” does he not plainly insinuate, that we may take from others wherewithal to give to the Church? Divines will say, that he spoke in parables; these parables, however, are easily unfolded. In the mean while, this precept is but too well followed. Many Christians cheat and swindle during all their lives, to have the pleasure of making donations, at their death, to churches, monasteries, &c. The Messiah at another time treated his mother extremely ill, when she was seeking him with the most parental solicitude. He commanded his disciples to steal an ass; he drowned a herd of swine, &c. It must be confessed that these things do not agree extremely well with good morality. Christianity Unveiled, p. 147-S.

idea of their master being more powerful when awake than when asleep, acquainted him with the danger. This conduct drew on them reproaches for their want of faith, while it probably gave time to the tempest to subside. Then Jesus, in the tone of a master, commanded the sea to be still, and immediately the order was obeyed. Yet, in spite of this prodigy, the faith of the disciples was still for a long time wavering. Jesus on this returned immediately to the country of the Gerasenes, without having either preached or performed miracles on the other side.

CHAPTER VII.

JESUS CURES TWO PERSONS POSSESSED WITH DEVILSMIRACLE OF THE SWINE-WONDERS PERFORMED

BY CHRIST TILL THE END OF THE FIRST

YEAR OF HIS MISSION.

JESUS, landed again in the country of the Gerasenes, took a route by which no person had for some time passed. Two demoniacs, inhabiting the tombs in the neighbourhood, rendered this passage dangerous. Scarcely had Christ shewn himself, when these two madmen ran to meet him. As he was a connoisseur in matters of possession, he no sooner perceived them than he began to exorcise, in order to make the unclean spirit come out of them. Notwithstanding his divine skill, he acquitted himself very imperfectly on this occasion. It was not with one devil, but with a legion of devils he had to deal. One of them, laughing at the mistake of the Son of God who asked him his name,. answered, I am called Legion. On this Jesus changed his batteries, and was proceeding to dislodge them, when the devils, obstinate in continuing in the country, or very little desirous of returning to hell, proposed a capitulation. One of the articles bore, that, on leaving the body of the possessed, they should enter into a herd of swine, which fed hard by on the declivity of a bill. Jesus readily agreed, for once, to grant something on the prayer of the devils, and not use his