f His resurrection, or the first night following, that
He ascended to heaven; and in the Acts of the Apostles he says that it
was forty days after His resurrection; this certainly does not
correspond. If all the apostles had really seen their Master gloriously
rise to heaven, how could it be possible that Matthew and John, who
would have seen it as well as the others, passed in silence such a
glorious mystery, and which was so advantageous to their Master,
considering that they relate many other circumstances of His life and of
His actions which are much less important than this one? How is it that
Matthew does not mention this ascension? And why does Christ not explain
clearly how He would live with them always, although He left them
visibly to ascend to heaven? It is not easy to comprehend by what secret
He could live with those whom He left.

I pass in silence many other contradictions; what I have said is
sufficient to show that these books are not of Divine Inspiration, nor
even of human wisdom, and, consequently, do not deserve that we should
put any faith in them.

II.--OF MIRACLES.

But by what privilege do these four Gospels, and some other similar
books, pass for Holy and Divine more than several others, which bear no
less the title of Gospels, and which have been published under the name
of some other apostles? If it is said that the reputed Gospels are
falsely attributed to the apostles, we can say the same of the first
ones; if we suppose the first ones to be falsified and changed, we can
think the same of the others. Thus there is no positive proof to make us
discern the one from the other; in spite of the Church, which assumes to
deride the matter, it is not credible.

In regard to the pretended miracles related in the Old Testament, they
could have been performed but to indicate on the part of God an unjust
and odious discrimination between nations and between individuals;
purposely injuring the one in order to especially favor the other. The
vocation and the choice which God made of the Patriarchs, Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, in order to make for Himself of their posterity a
people which He would sanctify and bless above all other peoples of the
earth, is a proof of it. But it will be said God is the absolute master
of His favors and of His benefits; He can grant them to whomsoever He
pleases, without any one having the right to complain or to accuse Him
of injustice. This reason is useless; fo