[273:2] See Monumental Christianity, p. 402, and Hist. of Our Lord, vol. i. p. 16. [273:3] Monumental Christianity, pp. 403-405. [273:4] Middleton's Works, vol. i. p. 19. [273:5] See Taylor's Diegesis, p. 59. [274:1] Gibbon's Rome, vol. i. p. 588. An eminent heathen challenged his Christian friend Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, a champion of the Gospel, to show him but one person who had been raised from the dead, on the condition of turning Christian himself upon it. _The Christian bishop was unable to give him that satisfaction._ (See Gibbon's Rome, vol. i. p. 541, and Middleton's Works, vol. i. p. 60.) [274:2] Middleton's Works, vol. i. pp. 20, 21. [274:3] Ibid. p. 62. The Christian Fathers are noted for their frauds. Their writings are full of falsehoods and deceit. [275:1] Contra Celsus, bk. 1, ch. ix. x. [275:2] See Middleton's Works, pp. 62, 63, 64. [275:3] On The Flesh of Christ, ch. v. [276:1] I. Corinthians, i. 22, 23. [276:2] Matt. xii. 29. [276:3] See for example, Joel, ii. 10, 31; iii. 15; Matt. xxiv. 29, 30; Acts, ii. 19, 20; Revelations, vi. 12, 13; xvi. 18, _et seq._ [277:1] The writers of the Gospels were "I know not what sort of _half_ Jews, not even agreeing with themselves." (Bishop Faustus.) CHAPTER XXVIII. CHRIST CRISHNA AND CHRIST JESUS COMPARED. Believing and affirming, that the _mythological portion_ of the history of Jesus of Nazareth, contained in the books forming the Canon of the New Testament, is nothing more or less than a copy of the mythological histories of the Hindoo Saviour _Crishna_, and the Buddhist Saviour _Buddha_,[278:1] with a mixture of mythology borrowed from the Persians and other nations, we shall in this and the chapter following, compare the histories of these _Christs_, side by side with that of Christ Jesus, the Christian Saviour. In comparing the history of Crishna with that of Jesus, we have the following remarkable parallels: 1. "Crishna was born of a chaste virgin, called Devaki, who was selected by the Lord for this purpose on account of her purity."[278:2] 1. Jesus was born of a chaste virgin, called Mary, who was selected by the Lord for this purpose, on account of her purity.[278:3] 2. A chorus of Devatas celebrated with song the praise of Devaki, exclaiming: "In the delivery of this favored woman all nature shall have cause to exult."[278:4] 2. The angel of the Lord saluted Mary, and said: "Hail Mary! the Lord is with you, you are blessed above all women, . . . for thou hast found favor with the Lord."[278:5] 3. The birth of Crishna was announced in the heavens by _his star_.[278:6] 3. The birth of Jesus was announced in the heavens by _his star_.[278:7] 4. On the morn of Crishna's birth, "the quarters of the horizon were irradiate with joy, as if moonlight was diffused over the whole earth;" "the spirits and nymphs of heaven danced and sang," and "the clouds emitted low pleasing sounds."[279:1]