Six Discourses on the Miracles of Our Saviour, and Defences of His Discourses
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Title: Six Discourses on the Miracles of Our Saviour, and Defences of His Discourses
Author: Thomas Woolston
Release date: October 27, 2012 [eBook #41203]
Most recently updated: October 23, 2024
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SIX DISCOURSES ON THE MIRACLES OF OUR SAVIOUR, AND DEFENCES OF HIS DISCOURSES ***
Thomas Woolston
SIX DISCOURSES
ON THE MIRACLES
OF OUR SAVIOUR
_and_
DEFENCES
OF HIS DISCOURSES
1727-1730
Garland Publishing, Inc., New York & London
[Illustration]
1979
A
DISCOURSE
ON THE
MIRACLES
OF OUR
_SAVIOUR_,
In VIEW of the Present
Controversy between INFIDELS
and APOSTATES.
--_Nostrum est tantus componere Lites._
The Fifth Edition.
By THO. WOOLSTON, B. D. sometime
Fellow of _Sidney-College_ in _Cambridge_.
_LONDON_:
Printed for the Author, and Sold by him
next door to the _Star_, in _Aldermanbury_,
and by the Booksellers of _London_, and
_Westminster_, 1728.
[Price One Shilling.]
[Illustration]
TO THE
Right Reverend Father in God
~_EDMUND_~,
Lord BISHOP of _London_.
MY LORD,
Upon no other View do I make a Dedication of this Discourse to your
_Lordship_, then to submit it to your acute Judgment, expecting soon
to hear of your Approbation or Dislike of it. If it so happen, that
you highly approve of it, I beg of you to be sparing of your
Commendations, least I should be puff'd up with them.
In my _Moderator_, some Expressions dropt from my Pen about the
Miracles of our Saviour, which, for want of Illustration then, gave
your _Lordship_ some Offence, and brought upon me more Trouble: But,
having now fully and clearly explain'd my self out of the Fathers, I
hope you'll be reconciled to me; and as you are a Lover of Truth,
will, against Interest and Prejudice, yield to the Force of it.
Whether your Prosecution of me, for the _Moderator_, was just and
reasonable, I'll not dispute here, having already expostulated that
Matter with you in several Letters, to which you would not condescend
to give me any Answer. For what Reason you was silent, is best known
to your self. But, in my own Vindication, I hope, I may publish
without Offence, that your taking me for an _Infidel_, was such a
Mistake as I thought no _Scholar_ could have made; and the Injury
done to my Reputation and low Fortunes, by the Prosecution, so
considerable, that the least I expected from your _Lordship_, was a
courteous Excuse, if not an ample Compensation, for it.
As to the Expediency of prosecuting _Infidels_ for their Writings (in
whose Cause I am the farthest of any Man from being engaged) I will here
say nothing. The Argument, _pro_ and _con_, has already, by one or
other, been copiously handled. And I don't know but I might be, with
your _Lordship_, on the persecuting side of the Question; but that it
looks as if a Man was distrustful of the Truth of Christianity, and
conscious of his own Inability to defend it; or he would leave that
_good Cause_ to God himself and the Sword of the Spirit, without
calling upon the _Civil Magistrate_ for his Aid and Assistance.
That scurvy _Writer_ of the _Scheme of literal Prophecy_, &c. which
your _Lordship_ must have heard of, would insinuate, that they are
only atheistical Priests, who, for fear of their Interests in the
Church, set Persecutions on foot: But after your _Lordship_ has
publish'd a strenuous Defence of Christianity to the Purpose of our
present Controversy, I'll have no such Suspicions of you.
Your _Lordship_'s persecuting (or, if you will, prosecuting) Humour,
is reputedly all pure Zeal for God's Glory; and, with all my Heart,
let it be so accounted, whether it be according to Knowledge or not.
Against Popery and Infidelity you are all Ardency! Who does not
commend you? Who can question the Sincerity of the Zeal of a
Protestant _Bishop_, and of a Protestant _Clergy_, when they persecute
the Enemies of their Church, that considers their own Steadiness to
Principles against Interest, under all Changes, since the Reformation;
and their Abhorrence of Extortion upon the People, for the Duties of
their Function, in and about this City. Such Honesty and Constancy in
their Profession, is a Proof of the Integrity of their Hearts, or I
know not where to find one.
But that your _Lordship_'s Zeal for Religion is very remarkable and
successful, I could prove by many Instances; one is, _that_ of your
routing a turbulent Sect of _Peripateticks_ out of St. _Paul_'s
Cathedral; and if you could as effectually clear _Christ_'s Church of
_Infidels_, what a glorious Bishop would you be!
And what Pity is it, that _Infidels_ likewise are not to be quell'd
with your Threats and Terrors! which (without the Weapons of sharp
Reasonings, and thumping Arguments, that others are for the Use of)
would transmit your Fame to Posterity, for a notable Champion for
Christianity, as certainly as, that your judicious Prosecution of the
_Moderator_ for Infidelity is here remember'd by,
[Sidenote: London, _April_ 17, 1727.]
_My_ ~LORD~,
_The Admirer of
Your Zeal
Wisdom and
Conduct,
Thomas Woolston_.
[Illustration]
A
DISCOURSE
ON THE
MIRACLES
OF OUR
_SAVIOUR_, &c.
If ever there was an useful Controversy started, or revived in this
Age of the Church, it is _this_ about the _Messiahship_ of the holy
Jesus, which the _Discourse of the Grounds_, &c. has of late rais'd. I
believe this Controversy will end in the absolute Demonstration of
Jesus's _Messiahship_ from Prophecy, which is the only way to prove
him to be the _Messiah_, that great Prophet expected by the _Jews_,
and promised under the Old Testament. And tho' this way of Proof from
Prophecy seems to labour under many Difficulties at present; and tho'
some _Writers_ against the _Grounds_, being distressed with those
Difficulties, are for seeking Refuge in the Miracles of our Saviour;
yet we must persist in it, till what I have no doubt of, his
_Messiahship_ shall be clearly made out by it.
And the way in Prophesy that I would take for the Proof of _Jesus_'s
_Messiahship_, should be by an allegorical Interpretation, and
Application of the Law and the Prophets to him; the very same way,
that all the Fathers of the Church have gone in; and the very same
way, in which all the ancient _Jews_ say their _Messiah_ was to fulfil
the Law and the Prophets: But this way does not please our
ecclesiastical _Writers_ in this Controversy, neither will they at
present give any Ear to it.
The Way in Prophecy that they are for taking, is by a literal
Interpretation and Application of some Prophecies of the Old Testament
to our _Jesus_, but they are hitherto unsuccessful in this Way. The
Authors of the _Grounds_ and of the _Scheme_, grievously perplex them
with their Objections against this way of Proof, so far as, being
sensible, I say, of almost insuperable Difficulties in it, they are
flying apace to the Miracles of our Saviour, as to their sole and
grand Refuge.
But to show that there's no Sanctuary for them in the Miracles of our
Saviour, I write this Discourse: And this I do, not for the Service of
Infidelity, which has no Place in my Heart, but for the Honour of the
Holy _Jesus_, and to reduce the _Clergy_ to the good old way of
interpreting Prophecies, which the Church has unhappily apostatis'd
from, and which, upon the Testimony of the Fathers, will, one Day, be
the Conversion of _Jews_ and _Gentiles_.
For this Opinion, that there is no Sanctuary in the Miracles of our
Saviour, I chanc'd to say in the _Moderator_,[1] _That Jesus's
Miracles, as they are now-a-days understood, make nothing for his
Authority and Messiahship_. And again,[2] _That I believe, upon good
Authority, some of the Miracles of Jesus, as recorded by the
Evangelists, were never wrought, but are only related as prophetical
and parabolical Narratives of what will be mysteriously and more
wonderfully done by him_: Which Expressions gave Offence to some of
our _Clergy_, and brought upon me their Indignation and Displeasure.
I see no Reason to depart from the said Expressions, or so much as to
palliate and soften them, much less to retract them; but in
Maintenance of my Opinion, to the Honour of our _Messiah_, and the
Defence of Christianity, I write this Treatise on Jesus's Miracles,
and take this Method following.
I. I will show, that the Miracles of healing all manner of bodily
Diseases, which _Jesus_ was justly famed for, are none of the proper
Miracles of the _Messiah_, neither are they so much as a good Proof of
his Divine Authority to found a Religion.
II. That the literal History of many of the Miracles of Jesus, as
recorded by the Evangelists, does imply Absurdities, Improbabilities,
and Incredibilities, consequently they, either in whole or in part,
were never wrought, as they are commonly believed now-a-days, but are
only related as prophetical and parabolical Narratives of what would
be mysteriously and more wonderfully done by him.
III. I shall consider what Jesus means, when he appeals to his
Miracles as to a Testimony and Witness of his Divine Authority, and
show, that he could not properly and ultimately refer to those he
then wrought in the _Flesh_, but to those mystical ones, which he
would do in the _Spirit_; of which those wrought in the Flesh are but
mere Types and Shadows.
In treating on these Heads, I shall not confine my self only to
Reason, but also to the express Authority of the Fathers, those holy,
venerable, and learned Preachers of the Gospel in the first Ages of
the Church, who took our Religion from the Hands of the Apostles, and
of apostolical Men, who dy'd, some of them, and suffer'd for the
Doctrine they taught; who professedly and confessedly were endu'd with
divine and extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit; who consequently can't
be supposed to be Corrupters of Christianity, or Teachers of false
Notions about the Miracles of our Saviour, or so much as mistaken
about the apostolical and evangelical Sense and Nature of them. I know
not how it comes to pass, but I am a profound Admirer, and an almost
implicit Believer of the Authority of the Fathers, whom I look upon as
vast Philosophers, very great Scholars, and most orthodox Divines.
Whatever they concurrently assert, I firmly believe. And tho' they
are, for the most part, mysterious Writers out of the Reach of the
Capacities of many, who slight them; yet I, who have had the Honour
and Happiness of much of their Acquaintance, fancy my self well
apprised of their Meanings. If at any time I read a Passage in them
which I don't presently apprehend, I salute it with Veneration for all
that, till my Understanding is opened to receive the Sense of it. If I
meet with but a single Opinion in any one of them, I pay my Respects
to it; but where there is an Harmony and Agreement of Opinion amongst
them, it is with me, and ought to be with all Christians, of such
Weight, as to bear down all Prejudice, Opposition, and Contradiction
before it; or the Authority of no Man, whether ancient or modern, is
to have any Regard paid to it; and of what ill Consequence to Religion
such an utter Rejection of Authority will be, I need not say.
This I thought fit to premise, concerning the Authority of the
Fathers, to abate of the Prejudice beforehand, which some may conceive
against the following Discourse about the Miracles of _Jesus_. I don't
question, but some may be startled at the foregoing Heads, as if, what
is the farthest of any thing from my Heart, the Service of Infidelity
was in View; but craving the Temper and Patience of such Readers for
a while, and they shall find, that its no other than just Reasoning,
clear Truth, and primitive Doctrine about _Jesus_'s Miracles, that I
advance: Or if it should so happen, that none besides my self should
discern the Reasoning and Truth of the Argument; yet I hope it will
not be thought a Crime to revive primitive Doctrine, which none will
be able to deny it to be, whether they like it or not. If I err, I err
upon Choice with the Fathers, of whose Faith I am. And if any are
offended at what follows about the Miracles of _Christ_, let them turn
their Displeasure and Indignation against the Fathers, for whose
express or implicit Opinions I can be deserving of no Blame.
I am sorry for the Occasion of such a Preface against Offence, which
the Apostacy of the Age, and its Unacquaintedness with the Fathers,
has made necessary. So I enter upon the particular handling of the
Heads foregoing. And,
I. I will show that the Miracles of healing all manner of bodily
Diseases, which _Jesus_ was justly famed for, are none of the proper
Miracles of the Messiah, nor are they so much as a good Proof of
_Jesus_'s divine Authority to found and introduce a Religion into the
World.
And to do this, let us consider, first, in general, what was the Opinion
of the Fathers about the Writings of the _Evangelists_ in which the Life
of _Christ_ is recorded. _Eucherius_ says,[3] _That the Scriptures of
the New as well as Old Testament, are to be interpreted in an
allegorical Sense_. And this his Opinion, is no other than the common
one of the first Ages of the Church, as might be proved by many the like
Expressions of other Fathers. As in such Expressions, they do not except
the Writings of the _Evangelists_; so they must include the History of
_Christ_'s Miracles, which as well as other Parts of the History of his
Life, is to be allegoriz'd for the sake of its true Meaning;
consequently the literal Story of Christ's Miracles proves nothing.
But let's hear particularly their Opinion of the Actions and Miracles
of our Saviour. _Origen_ says, that[4] _Whatsoever Jesus did in the
Flesh, was but typical and symbolical of what he would do in the
Spirit_; and to our Purpose,[5] that _the several bodily Diseases
which he healed, were no other than Figures of the spiritual
Infirmities of the Soul, that are to be cured by him_. St. _Hilary_ is
of the same Mind with _Origen_, as any one may see by the[6]
Expressions referr'd to, and his Commentary on St. _Matthew_. St.
_Augustin_,[7] and St. _John_[8] of _Jerusalem_, both say, that the
Works of _Jesus_ import farther Mysteries; and with them, the rest of
the Fathers agree, making the Miracles that _Jesus_ did then, no more
than the Shadow of some more powerful and mystical Operations to be
done by him, as I could show by more Citations out of them, if it was
needful. But from the foregoing Citations out of the Fathers it is
plain, in their Opinion, that our modern _Divines_ are in the wrong of
it, to lay much Stress on any of the Operations of _Jesus_, which he
did in the Flesh, for the Proof of his divine Authority and
_Messiahship_, which is only to be proved by his more mysterious
Works, of which those done in the Flesh are but Type and Figure.
But to come closer to the Purpose, let's see how indifferently, I had
almost said contemptibly, the Fathers speak of the Miracles of
_Jesus_, and particularly of his Power of healing all bodily Diseases,
which by modern _Writers_ is so much magnified and extoll'd. St.
_Irenæus_ says,[9] that if _we consider only the then temporal Use of
Jesus's Power of Healing, he did nothing grand and wonderful_;
consequently _Irenæus_ could not hold, that _Jesus_'s Miracles then
wrought, were a sufficient Proof of his divine Authority, much less of
his _Messiahship_. _Origen_ says[10] that _tho' many were brought to
believe in Jesus upon the Fame of the Miracles which he did once among
the_ Jews, _yet_ (what implies the Insufficiency of them for the
Conversion of Men) _he intimates that his greater and mystical Works
do prove his Authority_. St. _John_ of _Jerusalem_ says[11] that
_Jesus's Cures performed upon the Blind_, &c. _were indeed
considerable and great, but unless he do daily as mighty Works in his
Church, we ought to forbear our Admiration of him._ St. _Augustin_ not
only says[12] that _if we examine into Jesus's Miracles by human
Reason, we shall find he did nothing great, considering his Almighty
Power, and considering his Goodness, what he did was but little_; but
he tells us also, that[13] _such Works as Jesus did, might be imputed
to, and effected by Magic Art_. And accordingly _Moses_ and our
Saviour himself confess, that false Prophets, and false Christ's, will
do Miracles; and _Anti-Christ_ himself, according to St. _Paul_, will
do them to the Deception of Mankind. Nay, the Fathers[14] say, what I
believe, that _Anti-Christ_ will imitate and equal _Jesus_ in all his
Miracles which he wrought of old. How then can we distinguish the true
Prophet from the false; the true _Christ_ from the _Anti-Christ_ by
Miracles? our _Divines_ will find it hard to do it, if what the
Fathers say of _Anti-christ_ be found true. Moreover History affords
us Instances of Men, such as of _Apollonius Tyanæus_, _Vespasian_, and
of the _Irish Stroaker_, _Greatrex_, who have miraculously cured
Diseases to the Admiration of Mankind, as well as our _Jesus_: But if
any of them, or any other greater Worker of Miracles than they were,
should withall assume to himself the Title of a Prophet, and Author of
a new Religion, I humbly conceive, we ought not to give heed to him.
Neither is there the least Reason that we should; for the Power of
doing Miracles is no certain, nor rational Seal of the Commission and
Authority of a divine Lawgiver. St. _Paul_ says[15] there is a
_Diversity of the Gifts of the Spirit, for to one is given by the
Spirit, the Word of Wisdom; to another the Word of Knowledge; to
another the Gift of Healing; to another the working of Miracles; to
another Prophecy; to another discerning of Spirits; to another divers
Kinds of Tongues; to another the Interpretation of Tongues._ These
Gifts may be given apart and separately. One of them may be conferr'd
on this Man, and another of them on his Neighbour. There is no
Necessity that any two or more of these Gifts should meet in one Man.
To argue then, that a Man, who has one of these Gifts, must have the
other; that is, that he must needs have the Gift of Wisdom, or of
Prophecy, or of discerning of Spirits, or of divers Kinds of Tongues,
because he has the Gift of Healing and of working Miracles, is very
inconclusive, and false Reasoning: And yet this is the Reasoning of
our modern Writers who would prove _Jesus_'s Authority, to found a
Religion, from his Miracles. I don't question but _Jesus_ had all the
foresaid Gifts and Powers of the Spirit in a most superlative Degree;
but then it is unreasonably inferr'd, for all that, that a Man,
because he of Certainty has some of them, must of consequence have the
other. St. _Augustin_[16] cautions us against being deceived into a
good Opinion of a Man's Wisdom, because of his Power to do Miracles.
And I think accordingly, that we may as well say, that the strongest
Man is the wisest; or that a good Physician must needs be a good
Casuist; or that the best Mathematician is the ablest Statesman, as
that _Jesus_, because he was a Worker of Miracles, such as his are,
and a Healer of all manner of Diseases, ought to be received as the
Guide of our Consciencies, the Director of our Understandings, the
Ruler of our Hearts, and the Author of a Religion.
What then will the Writers against the _Grounds_ do to prove _Jesus_'s
Authority and _Messiahship_ from his Miracles? Or how by his Miracles
will they be able to distinguish him from an Impostor, a false
Prophet, and the _Anti-christ_? Why, they will say perhaps,
1. That besides Greatness of Power, there was nothing but Goodness,
Kindness, and Love to Mankind shewn in _Jesus_'s Miracles. As to the
Miracles of false Prophets and Impostors, if they be, many of them, of
a kind and benevolent Aspect, yet the _Devil_'s Foot, if we look well
to it, will discover it self in some ludicrous and mischievous Pranks:
But _Jesus_'s Miracles were all of a beneficent Nature; He went about
doing good, healing all manner of Diseases among the People, and did
no Wrong to any one; which is a good Argument, they say, of his divine
Authority, or God would not have suffer'd, nor the _Devil_ have work'd
such a Testimony in behalf of it. On this Head our _Divines_ are
copious and rhetorical, and many notable and florid Harangues have
they made on it. But
In answer to them, they don't seem to have their Memories at Hand, when
they declaim at this rate. The Fathers, upon whose Authority I write,
will tell such Orators, that _Jesus_, if his Miracles are to be
understood in the literal Sense, did not only as foolish Things as any
Impostor could do, but very injurious ones to Mankind. I shall not here
instance in the seemingly foolish and injurious Things which _Jesus_ did
for Miracles, intending under the next Head to speak to some of them:
But they are such, if literally true, as our _Divines_ do believe, as
are enough to turn our Stomachs against such a Prophet; and enough to
make us take him for a _Conjuror_, a _Sorcerer_, and a _Wizard_, rather
than the _Messiah_ and Prophet of the most High God. But
2. To prove the _Messiahship_ of the Holy _Jesus_ from his Miracles,
our _Divines_ urge the Prophecies of the Old Testament, such as that
of _Isaiah_, _C._ xxxv. _V._ 5, 6. _Then the Eyes of the Blind shall
be opened, and the Ears of the Deaf shall be unstopp'd; then shall the
lame Man leap as the Hart, and the Tongue of the Dumb sing_; and say
that these Prophecies were accurately fulfill'd by our _Jesus_ in the
several specifical Cures of Blindness, Deafness, Lameness, and
Dumbness, which he often perform'd upon one or other; and, inasmuch as
our Saviour seems to appeal to such Prophecies, do conclude this his
Accomplishment of them, to be no less than a Demonstration, that he
was the true _Messiah_, that great Prophet, who was to come into the
World. To which I answer,
_First_, That the Accomplishment of Prophecies that can neither be
given forth by human Foresight, nor fulfill'd in a Counterfeit, are
good Proofs of _Jesus_'s _Messiahship_: But then, what shall we say if
others besides _Jesus_ should do the like Cures and Miracles? It is
said of _Anti-christ_, and I believe it, that he will not only do all
the Miracles that _Jesus_ did, but will appeal to the like Prophecies
too. How then we are to distinguish the _true_ Christ from the _false_
Christ by Miracles and Prophecies in this Case, is the Question, which
I leave with our _Divines_ to consider of an Answer to, against the
Time that it is proved that _Anti-christ_ does all those Miracles,
which _Jesus_ in the Flesh wrought. But
_Secondly_, The foresaid Prophecies and others mentioned in _Isaiah_,
neither were, nor could be Prophecies of the miraculous Cures of
bodily Diseases which _Jesus then_ did. And this may be made appear,
not only from the Context of those Prophecies which received then no
Accomplishment from _Jesus_, who ought to have fulfill'd one Part of
the Prophecy as well as the other, or is not to be taken for the
Fulfiller of either; but from the Opinion of both _Jews_ and
_Fathers_, who adjourn the Accomplishment of those Prophecies to
Christ's spiritual Advent. But
_Thirdly_, The Prophet _Isaiah_, in the Place above cited, speaks not
of bodily Blindness, _&c._ which the _Messiah_ is to heal, but of the
spiritual Distempers of the Soul, metaphorically so called; as may be
easily proved, not only from the Prophecies themselves, but from the
old _Jews_, who were allegorical Interpreters of those Distempers, and
from the antient Fathers,[17] who so understood them. Consequently our
_Jesus_'s healing of those bodily Diseases, was no proper
Accomplishment of those Prophecies. It is true our Saviour, _Matt._
xi. 4, 5. seems to appeal to those Prophecies, and to make his Cure
of corporal Distempers an Accomplishment of them: But he means not in
the literal Sense, that our _Divines_ take him in, as I shall show
hereafter, when I come to consider what _Jesus_ means, by appealing to
his Works and Miracles, as bearing Witness of him.
Our _Divines_ then may admire and adore _Jesus_ as much as they please
for his Miracles of healing bodily Distempers; but I am for the
spiritual _Messiah_ that cures those Distempers of the Soul, that
metaphorically pass under the Names of Blindness, Lameness, Deafness,
_&c._ And the Cure of these spiritual Diseases, is the proper and
miraculous Work of the true _Messiah_; for the sake of which, says[18]
St. _Augustin_, _Jesus_ condescended to do those _little_ Miracles of
healing bodily Distempers, which were but the Type and Shadow of his
more stupendous Miracles of curing spiritual Diseases. The Cure of
spiritual Infirmities is a God-like[19] Work, above the Imitation of
Man or of _Anti-christ_, infinitely more miraculous than the healing
any bodily Distempers can be.
Whether our _Jesus_ be at this Day such a spiritual _Messiah_, I leave
to our _Divines_ to consider, with those spiritual Distempers of the
Church, that seem to want his miraculous Hand and Touch. The Fathers
of the Church said, that _Jesus_ was _in part_ such a spiritual
_Messiah_ in their time, and argued[20] his _Messiahship_, not from
bodily Cures, but from his most miraculous Cures of the Diseases of
the Soul: But there was another and future Time, in which he would be
such a spiritual and glorious _Messiah_ to the greatest Perfection. In
the mean while, no healing of corporal Distempers can prove _Jesus_ to
be the _Messiah_, nor any other of his miraculous Works recorded in
the _Evangelists_: So far from it, that
II. I shall prove that the literal Story of many of _Jesus_'s Miracles,
as they are recorded in the _Evangelists_, and commonly believed by
Christians, does imply Improbabilities and Incredibilities, and the
grossest Absurdities, very dishonourable to the Name of Christ;
consequently, they, in whole, or in part, were never wrought, but are
only related as prophetical and parabolical Narratives of what would be
mysteriously and more wonderfully done by him.
The reading of this Head will, I doubt not, strike with Horror some of
our squeamish _Divines_, who, notwithstanding they will sacrifice almost
any Principles to their Interest, will not bear that our literal
evangelical History of such renown'd Miracles should be thus called in
Question, and contemptuously spoken of. What does this _Author_ mean,
will some say, thus to do Service to Atheism and Infidelity? Away with
him! Our Indignation is moved against him! No Censure and Punishment can
be too severe for such Impiety, Profaneness, and Blasphemy, as is aim'd
at, and imply'd in this Proposition.
To calm therefore the Spirits, and abate the Prejudices of such
Accusers, I must proceed with the greater Caution and with Reason and
Authority well fortify myself before and behind, or I shall feel the
Weight of the Displeasure of our _Divines_, who are prepossess'd of
the Belief of the literal Story of all _Jesus_'s Miracles.
Before then I enter upon the particular Examination of any of his
Miracles, I will premise two or three general Assertions of the
Fathers about them. And first _Origen_[21] says, that in the
historical Part of the Scriptures, _There are some Things inserted as
History, which were never transacted, and which it was impossible
should be transacted; and other Things, again, that might possibly be
done, but were not_. This he asserts of the Writings of the
_Evangelists_, as well as of the Old Testament, and gives many
Instances to this Purpose. St. _Hilary_[22] says, _There are many
historical Passages of the New Testament, that if they are taken
literally, are contrary to Sense and Reason, and therefore there is a
Necessity of a mystical Interpretation_. And St. _Augustin_[23] says,
that _there are hidden Mysteries in the Works and Miracles of our
Saviour, which if we incautiously and literally interpret, we shall
run into Errors, and make grievous Blunders._ Of the same Mind are the
rest of the Fathers, as might be proved by express or implicit
Citations; but, studying Brevity, I think the three Testimonies above,
enough to cool the Rage, and assuage the Prejudices of my Adversaries
against the Proposition before us, which I now come to a particular
Consideration of; that is, to shew that the Story of many of _Jesus_'s
Miracles is literally absurd, improbable, and incredible. And
1. To speak to that Miracle of _Jesus_'s _driving the Buyers and Sellers
out of the Temple_, which all the[24] four Evangelists make mention of.
I have read in some modern Author whose Name does not occur to my
Memory, that this was, in his Opinion, the most stupendous Miracle that
_Jesus_ wrought. And, in truth, it was a most astonishing one, if
literally true, and _Jesus_ must appear more than a Man, he must put on
an awful and most majestick Countenance to effect it. It is hard to
conceive, how any one in the Form of a Man, and of a despised one too,
(and we don't read that _Jesus_ chang'd his human Shape) with a Whip in
his Hand, could execute such a Work upon a great Multitude of People,
who were none of his Disciples, nor had any regard for him. Supposing he
could, by his divine Power, infuse a _panick_ Fear into the People; yet
what was the Reason that he was so _eaten up_ with Zeal against the
Profanation of that House, which he himself came to destroy, and which
he permitted, I may say commanded, to be filthily polluted not long
after. But not to form by my self an Invective against the Letter of
this Story, let's hear what the Fathers say to it,
* * * * *
_Origen_ makes the whole but a[25] Parable. His allegorical Expositions
of it, are frequent, and one time or other he gives us the mystical
Meaning of every Part of it. By the _Temple_, he understands the Church:
By the _Sellers_ in the Temple, he means such _Preachers_ who make
Merchandize of the Gospel, whom the Spirit of Christ, some time or
other, would rid his Church of. He is so far from believing any thing of
the Letter of this Story, that he has form'd a[26] large Argument
against it: The Substance of which is, that if _Jesus_ had attempted any
such thing, the People would have resisted, and executed their Revenge
on him; if he had effected it, the Merchants of the Temple might have
reproach'd him with Damage done to their Wares; and would have justly
accused him of a Riot against Law and Authority. Whether there is not
Reason in this Argument of _Origen_, let any one judge.
St. _Hilary_ is of the same Mind with _Origen_. He says that this
Story is only a[27] Præfiguration of what will be done in Christ's
Church upon another Occasion. And he admonishes[28] us to search into
the profound and mystical Import of every Part of it; particularly he
hints that[29] by _the Seats of those who sell Doves_, may be
understood the Pulpits of Preachers who make Sale of the Gifts of the
Spirit, which is represented by a Dove. As to the Letter of the Story,
he is plain enough, that there was no such[30] Market kept in the
Temple of _Jerusalem_: And if any Historians besides the _Evangelists_
had asserted it, I know of none, who would have been so foolish as to
believe that Oxen and Sheep and Goats were there sold.
St. _Ambrose_ too is for the Mystery, and against the Letter of this
Story, saying[31] what should be the Reason that _Jesus_ should
overturn the Seats of those that sold Doves? This must be, says he, a
figurative Story, and signifies nothing less than the future Ejection
of Priests out of his Church, who shall make Gain and Merchandize of
the Gospel.
St. _Jerome_, as his manner is in other Cases, gives us a literal
Exposition of this Miracle, as far as it will bear it: But then corrects
himself again, saying, there are[32]Absurdities in the Letter; but,
according to its mystical Meaning, _Jesus_ will enter his Temple of the
Church, and cast out of it Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, who make a
Trade of Preaching. And in another Place he tells us of the mystical[33]
Whip, that _Jesus_ will make use of to this Purpose.
St. _Augustin_ also is against the Letter of the Story of this
Miracle, saying,[34] Where could be the great Sin of selling and
buying Things in the Temple, that were for the Use of it, and offer'd
as Sacrifice in it? We must therefore, says he, look for the Mystery
in this[35] figurative Story, and enquire what is meant by the Oxen,
and Sheep, and Doves, and who are the Sellers of them in Christ's
Church; and he is very positive that Ecclesiasticks, who are selfish,
and make worldly Gain of the Gospel, are here meant. And as to the
Expression of _turning the Temple into a Den of Thieves_, he says it
has Respect to the[36]_Clergy_ in Time to come, who would make such a
Den of Christ's Church.
Lastly, with the foregoing Fathers agrees St. _Theophylact_, who is an
Allegorist too upon this Miracle, saying, that those[37] who sell
Doves, are the Priests who sell spiritual Gifts; and that Christ
sometime or other would overturn their Seats, and clear his Church of
them. In another Place he intimates what are meant by Oxen and Sheep,
_viz._ the literal Sense of the Scriptures. And if the literal Sense
be irrational and nonsensical, the Metaphor we must allow to be
proper, inasmuch as now-a-days, dull and foolish and absurd stuff we
call Bulls, Fatlings, and Blunders.
Behold a wonderful Harmony among the Fathers in their Rejection of the
literal, and Espousal of the mystical Sense of this Miracle. It is
said of the Church in her first Ages, that she was inspired; and so
she was, or before an Hire for the Priesthood was established, and
pleaded for, she could never have written in this Fashion. If the
Fathers had lived now, and written thus, we should have thought the
Spirit of _Quakerism_ was gotten amongst them, or they would never
have given such an Exposition of this Story to favour an Enmity to an
_Hireling Priesthood_.
How and when Christ's Power, according to the Figure and Parable
before us, will enter his Church, and drive out of her these
ecclesiastical Merchants, is not the Question. But when ever it does
so effectually, it will be a stupendous Miracle, much greater than the
typical one is supposed to be; and not only a Proof of Christ's divine
Power and Presence in his Church, but an absolute Demonstration of
his _Messiahship_ from his Accomplishment both of the foresaid
Prophecies of the Fathers, and of other remarkable ones of the _Old
Testament_, which will be then clearly understood, and which it is not
my Business here to apply or mention.
* * * * *
Against the aforesaid Exposition of this Miracle, perhaps it may be
objected, that (excepting a little Reasoning against the Letter of it)
this is only the chimerical and whimsical Dream of the Fathers, whose
Notions are obsolete, and who[38] _have adulterated Christianity with
their Cant and Jargon_; and that none of our _Protestant_ and Orthodox
_Divines_ have ever given into their Opinion.
* * * * *
I confess, that none of our Protestant _Divines_, whom I know do
embrace the foresaid Exposition of the Fathers, but it may be nothing
the worse for all that: And tho' their Exposition may be very
disagreeable to the Priesthood of this Age, yet I can tell them of the
greatest Man of these last Ages, and that was _Erasmus_, who,
cautiously expressing himself for fear of giving Offence to the
_Clergy_, is of the same Mind with the Fathers; or he would not say
that[39] _that Work of_ Jesus _did prefigure somewhat else: For_ Jesus
_could not be zealous against the Prophanation of that Temple of the_
Jews, _which was soon to be destroy'd, but meant to shew his Dislike
and Hatred of ecclesiastical Covetousness, which, after the Way of the
Type, he would take his Opportunity to rid the Church of._
Before I dismiss this Miracle, I must observe, that if the Fathers are
right above, then our _Latin_ and _English_ Translations of the Place
in St. _Matthew_ err in a main Point. Instead of reading, _and Jesus
cast out them that sold and bought_, it should be, _those who sold and
preach'd_; that is sold what they preach'd: For the Word [Greek:
agorazein], does more properly signify to _preach_ than to _buy_; and
in this Sense here, according to the Fathers, it should be construed.
Again, I must observe, that our Commentators are a little perplex'd to
know who, and what those [Greek: kollybistôn], _Money-Changers_,
were. The Greek[40] Word does import those who have a Knack to barter
away little base and Brass Money, with the Effigies of an Ox or Bull
on it, in exchange for good Coin. How applicable the Word was to any
Merchants of the old Temple at _Jerusalem_, is hard to conceive. But
it is very agreeable to our ecclesiastical _Collybists_, who, as I may
appeal to Freethinkers, vend their brasen-faced Bulls and Blunders at
an extravagant and great Price. And if [Greek: trapezas], which is
translated _Tables_, does properly signify[41] _Pulpits_, who can help
it?
So much then on the Miracle of _Jesus_'s driving the _Sellers_ and
_Buyers_ out of the Temple. And how I appeal to our _Divines_, whether
it be not an absurd, improbable, and incredible Story according to the
Letter, and whether it be any other than, as the Fathers said of it, a
prophetical and parabolical Narrative of what would be mysteriously
and more wonderfully done by _Jesus_. And so I come to speak to a
2. Second Miracle of Jesus, and that is, that of his[42] _casting the
Devils out of the Madman or Madmen, and permitting them to enter into
the Herd of Swine, which thereupon ran down a Precipice, and were all
choaked in the Sea_.
To exorcise, or cast Devils out of the Possess'd, without considering
the Nature of such a Possession, or the Nature and Power of the Devil,
we'll allow to be not only a kind and beneficent Act, but a great
Miracle. But then, be the Miracle as great as can be imagined, it is no
more than what false Teachers,[43]_Workers of Iniquity_, and even some
Artists amongst the _Jews_, have done before; consequently, such a work
of _Exorcism_ in our Saviour, could be no Proof of his divine Authority.
And if there was no more to be said against this Miracle, this is enough
to set it aside, and to spoil the Argument of _Jesus_'s divine Power
from it. But there are many Circumstances in the Story literally
consider'd, that would induce us to call the Truth of the whole into
question. How came those Madmen to have their Dwelling amongst the Tombs
of a Burying-Ground? Where was the Humanity of the People, that did not
take Care of them, in Pity to them, as well as for the Safety of
others? Or if no Chains, as the Text says, which is hardly credible,
could hold them, it was possible surely, as well as lawful, to dispatch
them, rather than their Neighbours and Passengers should be in Danger
from them. Believe then this Part of the Story who can? But what's
worse, its not credible there was any Herd of _Swine_ in that Country.
If any Historians but the _Evangelists_ had said so, none would have
believed it. The _Jews_ are forbidden to eat Swine's Flesh; what then
should they do with Swine (which are good for nothing till they are
dead) who eat neither _Pig_, _Pork_, nor _Bacon_? Some may say that they
were kept there for the Use of Strangers: but this could not be; because
that after the Time of _Antiochus_, who polluted the Temple with the
Sacrifice of an Hog, the _Jews_[44] forbad, under the Pain of an
_Anathema_, the keeping of any _Swine_ in their Country. Perhaps it may
be said, that the _Gadarens_, so call'd from the Place of their Abode,
were not _Jews_, but neighbouring _Gentiles_, with whom it was lawful to
eat, and keep _Swine_. We will suppose so, tho' it is improbable; but
then its unlikely (without better Reason than at present we are
apprised of) that our Saviour would permit the Devils to enter into a
Herd of them to their Destruction. Where was the Goodness and Justice of
his so doing? Let our _Divines_ account for it if they can. It is
commonly said of our Saviour, and I believe it, that his Life was
entirely innocent, that his Miracles were all useful and beneficial to
Mankind, and that he did no Wrong to any one. But how can this be
rightly said of him, if this Story be literally true? The Proprietors of
the Swine were great Losers and Sufferers; and we don't read that
_Jesus_ made them amends, or that they deserv'd such Usage from him. The
Proprietors of the Swine, it seems upon this Damage done them by
_Jesus_, desire him to depart out of their Coasts, to prevent farther
Mischief; which was gentler Resentment, then we can imagine any others
would have made of the like Injury. I know not what our _Divines_ think
of this Part of the Story, nor wherefore _Jesus_ escaped so well; but if
any _Exorcist_ in this our Age and Nation, had pretended to expel the
Devil out of one possess'd, and permitted him to enter into a Flock of
Sheep, the People would have said that he had bewitch'd both; and our
Laws and Judges too of the last Age, would have made him to swing for
it.
Without Offence, I hope, I have argued against the Letter of this
strange Story of the holy _Jesus_; I should not have dared to have said
so much against it, but upon the Encouragement of _Origen_ and other
Fathers, who say, we ought to expose the Absurdities of the Letter, as
much as may be, to turn Men's Heads to the mystical and true Meaning.
Let's hear then what the Fathers say to this Miracle. _Origen_'s
Commentaries on this Part of St. _Matthew_, and St. _Luke_'s Gospel,
are lost; otherwise unquestionably he would not only have told us,
that he believed no more of the Letter of this Story, than he did of
the Devil's[45]taking our Saviour to the Top of a Mountain, and
shewing him all the Kingdoms of the World; but, as he is an admirable
_Mystist_, would have given us curious Light into the Allegory and
Mystery of it. But without _Origen_, we have enough in the other
Fathers against the Letter of this Story.
St. _Hilary_ reckoning up all the Parts of this Miracle together, says
of it, that it is[46] typical and parabolical, and written for our
Meditation of what would be done hereafter by the holy _Jesus_.
According to him, and other Fathers, the _Madman_ is Mankind; or if
they were two, they were _Jew_ and _Gentile_ at Christ's coming, who
may be said to[47] be _possess'd with Devils_, in as much as they were
under the Rule of diabolical Sins, and subject to the Worship of
[Greek: Daimoniôn], false Deities, which we translate _Devils_. They
were _so fierce_[48] _as no Chains could hold them_, because of their
most furious Rage and Enmity to the Church, whom no Bonds of Reason
could restrain from doing Violence to the Christians. They are said
_to be_[49] _naked_, because they were destitute of the Clothing of
the Spirit, and of Grace. And may be said to be _among the_[50]
_Tombs_; because they were dead in Traspasses and Sins. After that
_Jesus_ had exorcis'd these diabolical Spirits out of the _Gentiles_,
and brought them to their right Senses, which was upon their
Conversion to the Faith; then a _good Way off_, some Ages after, did
the like _Devils_, by divine Permission, enter into a[51] _Herd of
Swine_, i. e. into _Hereticks_ of impure Lives and furious Natures.
What sort of _Hereticks_ are meant, or whether they are not to be
understood of Christians In general, let our _Divines_ consider. But
one would be apt to think that _Ministers of the Letter_ are included,
because the _Letter_ of the Scripture is mystically call'd[52]
_Swines_ Food. I am not obliged to pursue the mystical Interpretation
of this Parable (for so I will call it) thro' all its Parts, nor to
say what is meant by the Sea, that the _Swine_ are to be absorp't in;
but leave our _Divines_ to chew upon this mystical Construction given
them in part, and to consider, whether there's not a Necessity for
such an Interpretation to make the Story credible.
And thus have I given you the Opinion and Exposition of the Fathers
upon this Miracle, which they turn all into Mystery. If our _Divines_
are still far adhering to the Letter of this Story, let them account
for the Difficulties it is involv'd with. To cure Men violently
distracted, and possess'd with _Devils_, is, whether it be miraculous
or not, a good and great Work; but to send the _Devils_, who without
_Jesus_'s Permission could not go into the _Herd of Swine_, was an
Injury done to the Proprietors, and unbecoming of the Goodness of the
holy _Jesus_. Neither is there any other Way to solve the Difficulty,
than by looking upon the whole, with the Fathers, as Type and Figure.
If this miraculous Story had been recorded of _Mahomet_, and not of
_Jesus_, our _Divines_, I dare say, would have work'd it up to a
Confutation of _Mahometanism_. _Mahomet_ should have been, with them,
nothing less than a _Wizard_, an _Enchanter_, a _Dealer_ with familiar
Spirits, a sworn _Slave_ to the Devil; and his _Mussulmen_ would have
been hard put to it to write a good Defence of him.
When our Saviour was brought before _Pilate_ to be arraign'd, try'd,
and condemned, _Pilate_ put this Question to the _Jews_, saying, _What
Evil hath Jesus done?_ If both, or either of the Stories above, had
been literally true of _Jesus_, there had been no need of false
Witnesses against him. The Merchants of the Temple were at hand, who
could have sworn "that he was the Author of an Uproar and Riot, the
like was never seen on their Market-Day; that they were great
Sufferers, and Losers in their Trades; and, whether he or his Party
had stolen any of their Goods or not, yet some were embezzled, and
others damaged; and all thro' the outragious Violence of this unruly
Fellow, against Law and Authority." If such Evidence as this was not
enough to convict him of a capital Crime, then the _Swine-Herds_ of
the _Gadarenes_ might have deposed, "how they believed him to be a
_Wizard_, and had lost two thousand Swine through his Fascinations:
That he bid the Devils to go into our Cattle, is not to be deny'd. And
if he cured one or two of our Countrymen of a violent Possession, yet
in as much as he did us this Injury in our Swine, we justly suspect
him of diabolical Practices upon both."
Upon such Evidence as this, _Pilate_ asks the Opinion of the _Jews_,
saying, _What think you?_ If they all had condemn'd him to be guilty
of Death, it is no wonder, since there is not a _Jury_ in _England_
would have acquitted any one arraign'd and accused in the like Case.
It is well for our literal _Doctors_, that such Accusations were not
brought against _Jesus_; or their Heads would have been sadly puzzled
to vindicate his Innocence, and to prove the Injustice and
Undeservedness of his Death and Sufferings. But for this Reason, if no
other, that no such Crimes were laid to his Charge, I believe little
or nothing of either of the seemingly miraculous Stories before us,
but look upon them both as prophetical and parabolical Narratives of
what would mysteriously and more wonderfully, and consistently with
the Wisdom and Goodness of _Jesus_, be done by him. And so I pass to a
3. Third Miracle of _Jesus_, and that is _his Transfiguration_[53] _on
the Mount_. And this is the darkest and blindest Story of the whole
Gospel, which a Man can make neither Head nor Foot of; and I question
whether the Conceptions of any two thinking _Doctors_ do agree about
it. To say there is nothing in the Letter of this Story, we Believers
must not, because St. _Peter_[54] says he was an Eye-witness of
_Jesus_'s Majesty, saw his Glory on the Mount, and heard the Voice out
of the Cloud. But as Infidels will be prying into the Conduct of
_Jesus_'s Life, and forming their Exceptions to the Credibility or
Probability of this or that part of it, so we Christians should be
ready at an Answer, that might reasonably satisfy them; and not
forcibly bear down their Opposition, which will make no sincere
Converts of them. And I believe they would easily distress us with
Difficulties and Objections to the Letter of this Story.
St. _Augustin_ himself[55] owns, that the whole of it might be
perform'd by Magic Art; and we know, in these our Days, that some
Jugglers are strange Artists at the Imitation of a Voice, and to make
it as if it came from a far off, when it is uttered close by us, and
can cast themselves too into different Forms and Shapes, without a
Miracle, to the Surprise and Admiration of Spectators.
But what, I trow, do our _Divines_ mean by _Jesus_'s
_Transfiguration_. We read that his Countenance did shine like the
Sun, and his Raiment was made as white as Snow, and that's all. And is
this enough can we think, to demonstrate that Transaction, a
miraculous _Transfiguration_? Philosophers will tell us, that the
Reflections of the Light of the Sun will change the Appearance of
Colours, and to none more than Whiteness; and _Sceptics_ will say,
that its no Wonder if the Countenance of _Jesus_ look'd _Rubicund_,
when the Sun might shine on it.
The Word in the Original for _transfigured_, is [Greek: metamorphôthê],
that is, he was metamorphosed, transform'd, or, if you will,
transfigured. And what is to be understood by a _Metamorphosis_, we are
to learn not only from the natural Import of the Word, but from the
ancient Use of it. Accordingly, it signifies nothing less than the
Change or Transformation of a Person into the Forms, Shapes, and
Essences of Creatures and Things of a quite different Species, Size, and
Figure: But _Jesus_, it is conceived, was not so _transfigured_. Our
_Divines_, I suppose, would not have him thought such a _Posture-Master_
for the whole World. If I, or anyone else, should assert, that _Jesus_
upon the Mount transform'd himself into a Calf, a Lyon, a Bear, a Ram, a
Goat, an Hydra, a Stone, a Tree, and into many other Things of the
animate and inanimate World, I dare say there would, among our orthodox
_Divines_, be such Exclamations against me for Blasphemy, as the like
were never heard of. They, to be sure, will not hear of such a
Transfiguration; nor, like good plain believers, will bear any thing
more than that _Jesus_'s _Countenance did shine_ like the Sun, and the
Colour of his Vestments was changed; which whether it comes up to the
Import of a _Metamorphosis_ or not, they don't care.
But to close with our _Divines_, and acknowledge that the glorious
Change of _Jesus_'s Countenance, and of the Colour of his Vestments,
was a true and proper Transfiguration, and that it was as real and
wonderful a Miracle as could be wrought: But then we may, I hope, ask
them, what was the particular Reason and Use of this Miracle? Was it a
Miracle only for the sake of a Miracle? That's an Absurdity in the
Opinion of[56] St. _Augustin_, who says, what is reasonable to think,
that all and every one of _Jesus_'s Miracles had its particular End
and Use; or he who is the Wisdom as well as Power of God, had never
wrought them. And what, I pray, was the life of this Miracle? Of that
the evangelical History is silent, and our _Divines_, with all their
reasoning Faculties, can say nothing to it.
And what did _Moses_ and _Elias_ on the Mount with _Jesus_? Was it in
their own proper Persons that they appear'd? or were they only some
Spectres and Apparitions in resemblance of them? It is said, that they
were talking with _Jesus_; what then did they talk about? The three
greatest Prophets and Philosophers of the Universe could not possibly
meet and confer together, but on the most sublime, useful, and
edifying Subject. Its strange that the Apostles, who over-heard their
Confabulation, did not make a Report of it, and transmit it to
Posterity for our Edification and Instruction. St. _Luke_, as our
_English_ Translation has it, seems to say that they talk'd together
of _Jesus_'s _Decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem_; but
this can't be the Meaning of St. _Luke_'s[57] Words, which so
interpreted, are no less than a _Barbarism_, and, I appeal to our
Greek _Criticks_, an Improper Expression of such Signification. We
must then look for a more proper Construction of the Phrase in St.
_Luke_, or we must remain in the Dark, as to the Subject, that _Moses_
and _Elias_ talked with _Jesus_ about.
But further, Why could not this Miracle have been wrought in the
Valley as well as upon a Mountain, whither _Jesus_ and his three
Apostles ascended for the Work of it? Naughty _Infidels_ will say, it
was for the Advantage of a Cloud, which often moves and rests on the
Tops of Mountains, to display his Pranks in. And why was it not done
in the Presence of the Multitude, as well as of his three Apostles?
The more Witnesses of a Miracle, the better it is attested, and the
more reasonably credited; and there could not surely be too many
Witnesses of this, any more than of others of _Jesus_'s Miracles, if
real ones. Ought not the unbelieving Multitude, for many Unbelievers
unquestionably were amongst them, to have had a Sight and Hearing of
this Miracle, as well as the Apostles? Who should rather see the
Miracle, than those who wanted Conviction? Were they to take the
Report of the Miracle upon the Word of the Apostles, who were Parties
in the Cause? Our _Divines_ may possibly say they ought: But
_Infidels_ and _Free-Thinkers_ would cry out against them, for
juggling Tricks, and pious Impostures.
These are all Difficulties and hard Questions about the Miracle of
Christ's Transfiguration, which our _Clergy_, who are Admirers of the
Letter of that Story, are obliged to account for; and I believe it
will be long enough before they give a proper and satisfactory Answer
to many of them.
Let's hear then what the Fathers say to this miraculous Story of
_Jesus_'s Transfiguration. And it is agreed amongst them, that the
whole is but a Type,[58] Prefiguration, and[59] ænigmatical
Resemblance of a future and more glorious and real Transfiguration.
And whenever they speak of any Part of the Story, they never explain
to us how the Matter went upon Mount _Tabor_, but tell us of what
_this_ or _that_ Part of it is figurative and emblematical; and how it
is to be understood, and will be fulfill'd in future Time. As thus, by
_the_[60] _six Days_, they understood six Ages of the World, after
which a real and mysterious Transfiguration will be exhibited to our
intellectual Views. By _Moses_ and _Elias_[61] talking with _Jesus_,
they mean the Law and the Prophets, upon an allegorical
Interpretation, bearing Testimony unto Christ as the Fulfiller of
them. By the[62] _Mountain_ on which this future Transfiguration will
be exhibited, they understand the sublime and anagogical Sense of the
Law and the Prophets. By his _Transfiguration_ it self, they mean his
taking upon him, and passing through the Forms of all the Types of him
under the Law, as of a Lamb, a Lion, a Serpent, a Calf, a Rock, a
Stone, and of many others, which he is to fulfil, and which will then
be clearly discern'd by us. By the black Cloud[63] that at present
obstructs this Vision, they understand the Letter of the Old
Testament. By the white[64] Vestments of _Jesus_, they mean the Words
of the Scriptures, which will then shine clear and bright. By the
Voice out of the Cloud, they mean, with St. _Peter_, the Word of
Prophecy, that will sound in the Ears of our Apprehensions. And
lastly, they tell us, that the Way to attain to the Sight of this
glorious Vision, is by ascending (not by local Motion, but by Reason)
to the Tops of the Mountain of the mysterious and sublime Sense of the
Law and the Prophets. If we continue in the Plains and Vallies[65] of
the Letter, like the Multitude under the Mountain, we shall never see
_Jesus_ in his shining Vestments, nor how he was transform'd into the
Types of the Law; nor _Moses_ and _Elias_ talking with him; nor the
Law and the Prophets agreeing harmoniously in a Testimony to him.
After this fashion do the Fathers, one or other of them, copiously
treat on every Part of this Transfiguration of _Jesus_. I could
collect an almost infinite Number of Passages out of their Writings to
this Purpose: But from these few it is plain, they look'd on the
Story of Christ's Transfiguration, but as a Figure and Parable; and
they were certainly in the right on't, in as much as this their Sense
of the Matter, and no other, will solve the Difficulties before
started against the Letter, as any one may discern, if he attentively
review and compare one with the other: As, for instance, this their
Sense and Interpretation lets us into the Reason of _Moses_ and
_Elias_'s appearing on the Mount with _Jesus_; and gives us to
understand what they talk'd about, and that was, not on _Jesus_'s
_Decease which he would accomplish at_ Jerusalem, as our Translation
has it, but on the Prophecy of the Old Testament; particularly, as St.
_Luke_ says, on _Moses_'s Book of _Exodus, and how he would fulfill
it_ at the New Jerusalem.
Whether any, besides my self, does really apprehend, and is willing to
understand this Story of Christ's Transfiguration, as I do, I neither
know nor care. I am not bound to find others Ears, Eyes, and
Capacities. What I have said is enough to shew the Sense of the
Fathers about this Matter. If any dislike their concurrent Opinion of
_Jesus_'s Transfiguration's being an Emblem, an Enigma, and figurative
Representation of a future and most glorious Transfiguration, such a
one as they speak of; let him account for the Difficulties and
Objections which I have before raised against the Letter of this
Story. In the mean time I shall think it, literally, an absurd,
improbable, and incredible one, and no other than a prophetical and
parabolical Narrative of what will be mysteriously and more
wonderfully done by _Jesus_.
And thus I have considered _three_ of the Miracles of our Saviour, and
shewn how they are Absurdities, according to the Letter, consequently
do make nothing for his Authority and _Messiahship_. I can and will do
as much by his other Miracles; for I would not have any one think I am
gotten to the End of my Tedder, but for some Reasons best known to my
self, I publish these Remarks on these three first. After the _Clergy_
have chew'd upon these a while, I will take into Examination some
others of _Jesus_'s Miracles, which for their literal Story are
admired by them. As for Instance,
I will take to task his Miracle[66] _of changing Water into Wine at a
Marriage in Cana of Galilee_; which was the beginning of _Jesus_'s
Miracles, and should by right have been first spoken to; but I am
almost too grave to handle the Letter of this Story as I ought; and if I
had treated it as ludicrously as it deserves, I don't know but at
setting out, I should have put the _Clergy_ quite out of all Temper. I
would not now for the World be so impious and profane, as to believe,
with our _Divines_, what is contain'd and imply'd in the Letter of this
Story. If _Apollonius Tyanæus_, and not _Jesus_, had been the Author of
this Miracle, we should often have reproached his Memory with it. It is
said of _Apollonius Tyanæus_, that a Table was all on a sudden, at his
Command, miraculously spread with Variety of nice Dishes for the
Entertainment of himself and his Guests; which Miracle, our _Divines_
can tell him, makes not at all to his Credit, in as much as it was done
for the Service and Pleasure of luxurious Appetites. But if _Apollonius_
had done, as our _Jesus_ did at this Wedding, they would have said much
worse of him; and that, modestly speaking, he delighted to make his
Friends thoroughly merry, or he would not be at the Pains of a Miracle
to turn so much Water into Wine, after they had before _well drank_. If
the Fathers then don't help us out at the mystical and true Meaning of
this Miracle, such farther Objections may be form'd against the Letter,
as may make our _Divines_ asham'd of it.
I will also take into Examination _Jesus_'s Miracle[67] of _feeding
many Thousands in the Wilderness with a few Loaves and Fishes_; which,
according to the Letter, are most romantick Tales. I don't in the
least question _Jesus_'s Power to magnify or multiply the Loaves, and,
if he pleass'd, to meliorate the Bread: But that many Thousands of
Men, Women, and Children, should follow him into the Wilderness, and
stay with him three Days and Nights too, without eating, is a little
against Sense and Reason. Whether the Wilderness was near to, or far
from the People's Habitations, the Difficulties attending the Story
are equally great. I wonder how _Jesus_ amused them all the while,
that they had the Patience to stay with him without Food; but I much
more wonder, that no Victuallers besides the _Lad_ with his Loaves and
Fishes, of whom, and his Occupation, whether it was that of a _Baker_
or _Fishmonger_; and of his Neglect of his Master's Business here; and
of the Reason that he met with no hungry Chapmen for his Bread before,
we shall make some Enquiry; but particularly why he alone, I say, and
no other Victuallers, no other Retalers of Cakes and Gingerbread
followed the Camp. In short, for all the imaginary Greatness of the
Miracle (which there is a way to reduce and lessen) of _Jesus_'s
feeding his Thousands with a few Loaves, there must be some
Fascination or Enchantment (condemn'd by the Laws of the _Jews_ as
well as of other Nations) in the Matter; or the People if they had
stay'd one Day, would not two, much less three _to faint_, but would,
especially the Women and Children, have been for returning the first
Night home. We must then seek to the Fathers (who say the five Books
of _Moses_ are the _five Barley Loaves_, &c. and the septiform'd
Spirit, the _seven Loaves_, &c.) for a good Notion of this Miracle,
and if they don't make it a Parable; do what our _Divines_ can, it
will turn to the Dishonour of the holy Jesus.
I will also consider the Miracle of _Jesus_'s[68] _curing the Man sick
of the Palsy, for whom the Roof of the House was broken up, to let him
down into the Room where_ Jesus _was, because his Bearers could not
enter in at the Door for the Press of the People_. This literally is
such a _Rodomontado_, that were Men to stretch for a Wager, against
Reason and Truth, none could out-do it. Where was the Humanity of the
People, and wherefore did they so tumultuate against the Door of the
House? Its _strange_ they had not so much Compassion on the
_Paralytick_, as to give way to him: Its _more strange_ that his Bearers
could get to the Top of the House with him and his Bed too, when they
could not get to the Door, nor the Sides of it: Its _yet stranger_, that
the good Man of the House would suffer his House to be broken up, when
it could not be long ere the Tumult of the People would be appeas'd: But
most _strange_, that _Jesus_, who could drive his thousands out at the
Temple before him, and draw as many after him into the Wilderness, did
not, by Force or Persuasion, make the People to retreat, but that such
needless Trouble and Pains must be taken for the miraculous Cure of this
poor Man. Let's think of these Things against the Time, that out of the
Fathers I prove this Story to be a Parable.
I will also take into Consideration the Miracle of _Jesus_'s curing
_the_[69] _blind Man, for whom Eye-Salve was made of Clay and
Spittle_; which Eye-Salve, whether it was balsamick or not, does
equally affect the Credit of the Miracle. If it was naturally
medicinal, there's an End of the Miracle; and if it was not at all
medicinal, it was foolishly and impertinently apply'd, and can be no
otherwise accounted for, than by considering it, with the Fathers, as
a figurative Act in _Jesus_.
I will also take into Consideration the several Stories of _Jesus_'s
raising of the Dead; and, without questioning his actual bringing of
the Dead to Life again, will prove from the Circumstances of those
Stories, that they are parabolical, and are not literally to be
apply'd to the Proof of _Jesus_'s divine Authority and Messiahship;
or, for Instance, _Jesus_, when he raised _Jairus_'s[70] Daughter from
the Dead, would never have turned the People out of the House, who
should have been his best and properest Witnesses.
I will also consider the Miracle of _Jesus_'s[71] _cursing the
Fig-Tree_, for its not bearing Fruit out of Season; which, upon the
bare mention of it, appears to be a foolish, absurd, and ridiculous
Act, if not figurative.
I will also consider the[72] Journey of the Wisemen out of the East,
with their (literally) senseless and ridiculous Presents of
_Frankincense_ and _Myrrhe_, to a new-born Babe. If with their _Gold_,
which could be but little, they had brought their _Dozens_ of Sugar,
Soap, and Candles, which would have been of Use to the Child and his
poor Mother in the Straw, they had acted like wise as well as good
Men. But what, I pray, was the Meaning and Reason of a Star, like a
_Will-a-Whisp_, for their Guide to the Place, where the holy Infant
lay. Could not God, by divine Impulse, in a Vision or in a Dream, as
he ordered their Return home, have sent them on this important Errand;
but that a Star must be taken or made out of Course to this Purpose? I
wonder what Communication passed between these Wisemen and the Star,
or how they came to know one anothers Use and Intention. But the
Fathers shall speak hereafter farther to the Senselessness of this
Story literally, and make out the Mystery and true Meaning of it.
I will also, by the Leave of our _Divines_, take again into
Consideration the miraculous Conception of the Virgin _Mary_, and the
Resurrection of _Jesus_ from the Dead. I do believe, if it may so
please our _Divines_, that _Jesus_ was born of a pure Virgin, and that
he arose from the Dead: But speaking too briefly, in the _Moderator_,
to these two Miracles, they took Offence. I will therefore give them a
Review, and speak home to them; particularly to Christ's Resurrection,
the evangelical Story of which literally, is such a Complication of
Absurdities, Incoherences, and Contradictions, that unless the Fathers
can help us to a better Understanding of the _Evangelists_ than we
have at present, we must of Necessity give up the Belief of it.
These and many[73] other of the historical and miraculous Parts of
_Jesus_'s Life, will I take into Examination, and shew, that none of
them literally do prove his divine Authority: so far from it, that they
are full of Absurdities, Improbabilities, and Incredibilities; but that
his whole Life in the Flesh, is but[74] Type, Figure, and Parable of his
mysterious and spiritual Life and Operations in Mankind.
In the End of this Head, it will be a curious and diverting Subject to
examine the Miracles of _Jesus_ as they are literally understood, by the
Notions which our _Divines_ have advanced about Miracles; and to shew,
that even their Notions compared with Christ's Miracles, are destructive
of his Authority, and subversive of Christianity. This, I say, would be
a most diverting Undertaking, and it will be strange, if some
_Free-Thinker_, that loves Pleasure of this kind, does not take the
Hint, and snatch the Work out of my Hands. If I do it my self, I shall
have especial Regard to the Writers against the _Grounds_, without
passing by Mr. _Chandler_'s _Essay on Miracles_; on which the more
Remarks will be made, if it be but to pay my Respects to the
_Archbishop_'s Judgment, and to shew my Admiration at those extravagant
Praises, which his _Grace_ at _Lambeth_ has bestowed on that Author.
Among other his notable Notions of a Miracle (and the _Archbishop_ says
he has[75] _set the Notion of a Miracle upon a clear and sure
Foundation_) one is,[76] _That Miracles should be Things probable as
well as possible, that they do not carry along with them the Appearance
of Romance and Fable, which would unavoidably prejudice Men against
believing them_. This is certainly a good and right Notion of a divine
Miracle; and I don't doubt, but according to it, Mr. _Chandler_ and the
_Archbishop_ think, they can justify the literal Story of our Saviour's
Miracles, against the Charge of _Fable_ and _Romance_: But whether they
are able to do it or not, I shall go on, in some Discourses hereafter to
be publish'd, to prove that our _Divines_, by espousing the Letter of
Christ's Miracles, have deceived themselves into the Belief of the most
arrant _Quixotism_ that can be devis'd and palm'd upon the
Understandings of Mankind. I say, they have deceived themselves; for
neither the Fathers, nor the Apostles, nor even _Jesus_ himself, means
that his Miracles, as recorded in the _Evangelists_, should be taken in
a literal Sense, but in[77] a mystical, figurative, and parabolical one.
And this should bring me to the
III. Head of my Discourse; that is, to consider what _Jesus_ means, when
he appeals to his Works and Miracles, as to a Witness and Testimony of
his divine Authority; and to shew, that he could not properly and truly
refer to those supposed to be wrought by him in the _Flesh_, but to
those mystical ones he would do in the _Spirit_, of which those
seemingly wrought by him in the Flesh, are but Types and Shadows.
But this Head can't be rightly spoken to, till I have more amply
discuss'd the former, which, by God's Leave, I promise to do: And if
my _courteous Readers_ will be so kind as to trust me till that Time,
I assure them to prove, that no Ignorance and Stupidity can be
greater, than the Imagination that _Jesus_ really appeal'd to his
Miracles, supposed to have been wrought by him in the Flesh, as to a
Witness and Testimony of his divine Authority, and _Messiahship_.
In the mean Time our _Divines_ may go on in their own Way, if they
think fit, and admire _Jesus_ of old, and celebrate his Power and
Praises for healing of bodily Diseases, and doing other notable Feats
according to the Letter of the evangelical Story; but I am for the
spiritual _Jesus_ and _Messiah_, who cures the worse[78] Distempers of
the Soul, and does other mysterious and most miraculous Works, of
which those recorded in the Evangelists, are but Figure and Parable.
This is the primitive and concurrent Opinion about the true _Messiah_,
which the Fathers universally adher'd to. Whether our _Jesus_, at this
Day, be such a spiritual _Messiah_ to his Church, or whether she does
not stand in need of such a one, is the Question that our _Divines_
are to see to. But I will add here, what I believe, and than have
another Opportunity to prove, that God on purpose suffer'd or
empower'd _false_ as well as _true_ Prophets, _bad_ as well as _good_
Men, such as _Apollonius_, _Vespasian_, and many others to cure
Diseases, and to do other mighty Works, equal to what are literally
reported of _Jesus_, not only to defeat us of all distinction between
true and false Miracles, which are the Object of our bodily Senses,
but to raise and keep up our Thoughts to the constant Contemplation of
_Jesus_'s spiritual, mysterious, and most miraculous Works, which are
the Object of our Understandings, and loudly bespeak the Power,
Wisdom, and Goodness of God; and which are to be the absolute
Demonstration of _Jesus_'s divine Authority and _Messiahship_ to the
Conversion of _Jews_ and _Infidels_.
I have no more to do at present, but, like a _Moderator_, to conclude
with a short Address and Exhortation to _Infidels_ and _Apostates_,
the two contending Parties in the present Controversy. And
_First_, To _Apostates_, I mean the Writers against the _Grounds_ and
_Scheme_. Whether you, _grave Sirs_, who account your selves orthodox
_Divines_, tho' there is little but Contradiction and Inconsistency
amongst you, do like the Name of _Apostates_ which is given you, I
much question: But it is the properest, I could think of, for your
Desertion of primitive Doctrine about Prophecy and Miracles. I could,
not improperly have given you a worse _Title_, but I was willing to
compliment you, rather than reproach you with this.
But setting aside the Title of _Apostates_, whether it be, in your
Opinion, opprobrious or not; you may plainly perceive, that I am,
_Sirs_, on your Side, as to the Truth of Christianity; and if you'll
accept of my Assistance for the Proof of _Jesus_'s Messiahship from
Prophecy, upon the Terms of the allegorical Scheme proposed in my
_Moderator_, you shall find me your hearty Abettor. Upon the
allegorical Scheme, I don't doubt but we shall soundly drub and mawl
_Infidels_, and beat them out of the Field of Battle. If you, being
wedded to the literal Scheme, will not accept of my Assistance, you
may go on in your own Way, and see the Event of the Controversy,
which in the End will turn to your Dishonour.
You, _Sirs_, can't but be sensible, how those two great Generals, Mr.
_Grounds_, and Mr. _Scheme_, with their potent Armies of Reasons and
Authorities against your literal Prophecies, have grievously
distress'd and gall'd you; and if you don't make an honourable Retreat
in Time, and seek to _Allegorists_ for Help, will gain a compleat
Victory and Triumph over you.
Instead of the Help of _Allegorists_, you, I find, under the
Disappointment of your literal Scheme, chuse rather to have Recourse to
_Jesus_'s Miracles: But what little Dependence there is upon his
Miracles, in your Sense, I have in _part_ proved in this Discourse; and
this I have done (give me leave repeatedly to declare it) not for the
Service of your unbelieving Adversaries, but to reduce you to the good
old Way of interpreting Oracles, which, upon the Testimony of the
Fathers, will, one Day, be the Conversion of the _Jews_ and _Gentiles_.
Whether you, _Sirs_, will be pleas'd with this short Discourse on
Christ's Miracles, I much question. But before you put your selves
into a Rage against it, I beg of you to read St. _Theophilus_ of
_Antioch_, _Origen_, St. _Hilary_, St. _Augustin_, St. _Ambrose_, St.
_Jerome_, St. _Chrysostom_, St. _John_ of _Jerusalem_, St.
_Theophylact_, and other occasional ancient Pieces on one part or
other of the _Evangelists_; and you'll find how they countenance such
a Discourse as this on Miracles, and will abundantly assist me in the
Prosecution of it.
I expect, _Sirs_, that some of you will be ready to rave against me
for this Discourse; but this is my Comfort, that if your Passion
should arise to another Prosecution of me, you can't possibly separate
any of mine from the Opinions of the Fathers to ground a Prosecution
on: And what Dishonour in the End will redown to Protestant and
pretendedly learned _Divines_ of the Church of _England_, to persecute
again the Fathers for primitive Doctrine, I desire you to think on.
But, as I suppose, you'll have more Wit, _Sirs_, than to prosecute me
again for this Discourse; so I hope you'll have more Ingenuity, than
odiously (after your wonted manner) to represent me to the Populace,
for Profaneness, Blasphemy, and Infidelity. If you dislike the whole,
or any part of this Discourse, appear like Men and Scholars, from the
_Press_ against it. Use me as roughly in Print as you think fit, I'll
not take it ill.
_Veniam petimus, dabimusq; vicissim._
I desire nothing more than to be furiously attack'd from the _Press_,
which, if I am not much mistaken, would give me a long'd for
Opportunity to expose your Ignorance to more Advantage.
Be not longer mistaken, _good Sirs_. The History of _Jesus_'s Life, as
recorded in the _Evangelists_, is an emblematical Representation of
his spiritual Life in the Soul of Man; and his Miracles are Figures of
his mysterious Operations. The four Gospels are in no Part a literal
Story, but a System of mystical Philosophy or Theology.
If you are resolved not to come into this Opinion, I beg of you again,
before you break forth into a Passion, to try to vindicate the literal
Story of the three Miracles spoken to in this Discourse, _viz._ those
of Jesus'_s driving the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple; of his
exorcising the Devil out of the Madman; and of his Transfiguration on
the Mount;_ which if you are able to defend against the Fathers, and
my Objections, I'll give up the Cause to you, and own my self (what I
am far enough from being) an impious Infidel and Blasphemer, and
deserving of the worst Punishment. In the mean time, I make bold again
to assert, that the literal Story of Christ's Life and Miracles, is
an absurd and incredible Romance, full of Contradictions and
Inconsistencies; and that modern Paraphrases are not only a
consequential Reflection on the Intellects of the _Evangelists_, and
their divine Gifts of the Spirit, as if they could not write an
intelligible and coherent Piece of Biography without your Help at this
Distance of Time; but have even darken'd and obscured the seemingly
native Simplicity of the Story of the Life of _Jesus_. So leaving you
to chew upon this, I turn
* * * * *
My Address to _Infidels_, particularly to the two most renown'd Writers
of the Party, Mr. _Grounds_, and Mr. _Scheme_. I should, _Gentlemen_, by
right, salute you with the Title of _Free-Thinkers_, a proper Name for
your philosophical Sect, who are for the free Exercise of your Reason
about divine and speculative Points in Theology. And I had distinguish'd
you by this Title from your apostatical Adversaries, but that I had a
mind to oblige my old Friends the _Clergy_, in giving you a no more
honourable Title than I do them. And I trust you will not be offended at
the Title of _Infidels_, since not only your Writings seem to have a
Tendency to Infidelity; but, if there be any Fault in your Principles,
you know how to charge it on your Adversaries, the pretended Advocates
for Christianity, whose Absurdities, false Reasonings, Inconsistencies,
and foolish Glosses on the Scriptures, have occasioned your Departure
from the Faith in Christ.
I thank Mr. _Scheme_ for the noble Present of his Book, which I
received and read with Pleasure. But instead of one, he should have
sent me a _Dozen_ for the Use of Friends and Borrowers, who are very
curious and importunate for the Perusal of it. For what Reason he
envies the _Booksellers_ the publick Sale of his Work, chusing rather
to give it away _gratis_, than that they should reap any Profit by it,
I know not. Surely it is not to bring an _Odium_ on the _Clergy_ for
Persecutors, as if such an useful and philosophical Piece might not
appear publickly without Danger from them: If so, I hope the _Clergy_
will resent the Indignity, and invite him to a Publication of his
Book, with a Promise of Impunity, which would wipe off the Reproach,
which this clandestine Method of disposing of it has cast on them.
I once almost despair'd, _Sirs_, of seeing such another Piece from
your Quarter. I was afraid the Prosecution of the _Moderator_, would
have deterr'd you from the Press, whereby our excellent Controversy on
Foot must have been dropt: But the sudden and unexpected Appearance of
Mr. _Scheme_, has revived me, and rejoiced the Cockles of my Heart.
Go on then, _great Sirs_, in this Controversy, which Mr. _Grounds_
happily commenc'd; and if you are deny'd the Liberty of the Press, and
publick Sale of your Books, I hope you'll, for all that, as occasion
offers it self, oblige the Learned and Curious with some more of your
bright Lucubrations, tho' you print them, and dispose of them in this
clancular and subtil Method.
It is not that I wish well to your Cause of Infidelity, that I thus
encourage you. You have more Sense and Reason than to suspect me tainted
with unbelieving Principles. Christianity will stand its Ground against
your battering Armour; and the Church of Christ will be the more firmly
establish'd on a Rock of Wisdom, for that Opposition you make to it.
Tho' you will entirely vanquish the literal _Schemists_, and ride in
Triumph over them, yet other Defenders of the Faith, call'd
_Allegorists_, will arise to your Confutation and final Overthrow.
If I am not mistaken, _Sirs_, your Adversaries, the literal
_Schemists_, whom I call _Apostates_, are about making a Retreat, and
yielding the Field of Battle to you. The _Bishop_ of _Litchfield_, the
greatest General on their Side, will not only find it hard to levy
any more Forces in Defence of his _twelve_ literal Prophecies; but he
knows that, if he draws his Sword any more against you, he must attack
too the Authority of the Fathers for the allegorical Interpretation of
some of those Prophecies, already urg'd in my _Supplements_ to the
_Moderator_; or, if the Fathers are neglected by him; they and I,
keeping out of the Reach of his _Bug-Bear_, will treat him with such
familiar Language, as never was given to one of his Order.
Mr. _Scheme_ seems to promise us a Discourse on the Miracles in the
Scriptures; I hope he'll be as good as his Word, and ere long publish
it. This Discourse of mine can't possibly supersede his. As I question
not but his Thoughts and Remarks on Miracles will be very considerable;
so I shall be a little impatient till I see them. But be his Discourse
on Miracles of what Kind soever, I believe it will hardly be an
Obstruction to my Undertaking in Hand, which I intend, by God's Leave,
to go on with, to the Honour of the holy _Jesus_, our spiritual
_Messiah_, to whom be Glory and Praise for ever and ever. _Amen._
~_FINIS._~
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Page 44.
[2] Page 53.
[3] Universam porro Sacram Scripturam tam Novi quam Veteris Testamenti
ad allegoricum sensum esse sumendam, admonet nos vel illud, Aperiam os
meum in Parabolis. _In Prasat. ad Form. Spirit. Intell._
[4] Si quidem Symbola quædam erant quæ tunc gerebantur eorum, quæ Jesu
virtute semper perficiuntur. _In Mat._ C. xv.
[5] Omnis languor & omnis Infirmitas quam sanavit salvator tunc in
Populo referuntur ad Infirmitates spirituales Animarum, _&c._ _In_
Mat. _C._ xvii.
[6] Christi Gesta aliud portendunt. _In_ Mat. _C._ xii. Evangelicis
gestis est interior Sensus, _C._ xiv. Hæc licet in præsens gesta sunt,
quid tamen in futurum significent contuendum est, _C._ x. Peragunt
formam futuri gesta præsentia, _C._ xxi.
[7] Quæ a Jesu facta sunt, alicujus significantia erant. _Serm._ 77.
[8] Omne quod fecit Jesus, Sacramenta sunt. _Homil._ 31. _in_ Marc. 9.
[9] Si enim temporalis erat ab eo Utilitas, nihil grande præstitit
iis, qui ab eo curati sunt, _L. V._ C. 12. _S._ 6.
[10] Contra Celsum, _L._ 11.
[11] Coecum curavit, magnum quidem est, quod fecit, sed nisi quotidie
fiat, quod olim factum, nobis quidem magnum esse cessavit. _Homil._
30. _in_ Marc. 9.
[12] Si humano captu & ingenio consideremus Jesum facientem, & quod ad
potestatem non magnum aliquid fecit, & quod ad benignitatem, parvum
fecit. _In_ Johan. _Cap._ v. _Tract._ 17.
[13] Etsi attestabantur Miracula, non defuissent (sicut & nunc
mussitant) qui magicæ potentiæ cuncta illa tribuerent. _Cont. Faust._
_L._ XII. _C._ 45.
[14] _Vid._ Sanctum _Augustinum_ de _Anti-christo_.
[15] 1 _Cor._ C. xii.
[16] Atque illud ad Rem maxime partineat, ne decipiamur tendentes ad
Contemplationem Veritatis----Arbitrantes ibi esse invisibilem
sapientiam, ubi Miraculum visibile viderimus. _In Serm. Dom. in
monte_, _Lib._ 2. _Sect._ 84.
[17] Interim completur & Isaiæ Prophetia non tantum in corporalibus,
verum etiam in spiritualibus, _Origen_. _In Matt. Cap._ xv. Aperientur
igitur Oculi cæcorum, aures surdorum audient, nam qui quondam divinis
sermonibus rejectis mysticam Sanctorum Institutionem recipere non
studuerunt, libenter eam admittent. St. _Cyril in_ Loc. Is. _Vide &
Sanctum Hieronymum in_ Loc. Isai.
[18] Et nunc majores sanitates operatur, propter quas non est
dedignatus tunc exhibere illas minores. _In Serm._ 88.
[19] In quibus Spiritualibus maxime Christi Persona eminet. _August.
Quest. 2. in Lucan._
[20] Modo Caro cæca non aperit oculos miraculo Domini, sed cor cæcum
aperit oculos Sermoni Domini. Modo non resurgit mortale cadaver, sed
resurgit anima quæ mortua jucebat in vivo Cadavere, _&c. August.
Serm._ 88. _S._ 3.
[21] Historia Scripturæ interdum interferit quædam vel minus gesta,
vel quæ omnino geri non possunt, interdum quæ possunt geri, nec tamen
gesta sunt. _De Principiis_, Lib. 4.
[22] Multa sunt, quæ non sinunt nos simplici sensu dicta evangelica
suscipere. Interpositis enim non nullis Rebus quæ ex Natura humani
sensus sibi contraria sunt; Rationem quærere cælestis Intelligentiæ
admonemur. _In Matt. L._ xx. _S._ 2.
[23] Evangelica Sacramenta in Christi factis signata omnibus non
patent, & ea nonnulli minus diligenter interpretando asserunt
plerumque pro salute Perniciem, & pro Cognitione Veritatis Errorem,
_&c._ _De Quæst. Divers. Quest._ 84.
[24] _Matt._ xxi. _Mark_ xi. _Luke_ xix. _John_ ii.
[25] In Comment. in _Matth._ xxi.
[26] Porro cui curæ est accuratior Inquisitio considerabit, an juxta
dignitatem præsentis Vitæ erat, ut Jesus rem talem auderet facere,
extrudere videlicet Mercatorum Multitudinem, qui ad Diem festum
ascenderant, distributuri boves ditioribus, & tanto populo oves
mactandas per domos familiarium, quæ multorum millium complerent
numerum; atque eos qui in rebus talibus gloriantes producturi erant in
medio Columbas, quas multi emptori erant, ceu in Conventu celeberrimo
convivaturi. Considerabit hic etiam, an Nummulariorum erat non
accusare Jesum contumeliose propter suas ipsorum effusas pecunias &
mensas subversas. Quis autem flagello e funiculis verberatus &
expulsus ab eo qui penes eos habebatur vilis, hunc adortus non
inclamasset totis viribus sese ulciscens? Cum præsertim haberet tantam
multitudinem eorum, qui sibi æque contumeliam fieri credebant,
faventem sibi adversum Jesum? Insuper consideremus, Dei filium
funiculos sumentem; sibique flagellum tenentem ad extrudendum e
templo, annon repræsentet Præter audaciam & temeritatem, inordinatum
etiam quiddam? In _Johan._ Tom. XI.
[27] Præfiguratio futurorum dictis præsentibus continetur. _In Matt._
xxi.
[28] Admomemur altius Verborum Virtutes in istius modi
significationibus contuendas, _ibid._
[29] In Cathedra est sacerdotii sedes; & eorum qui Spiritus sancti
Donum venale habent, Cathedras evertet, _ibid._
[30] Non habebant Judæi quod venire possent, neque erat quod emere
quis posset, _ibid._
[31] Cathedra autem Vendentium Columbas cur everterit? Secundum
Litteram non intelligo. Admonet Typo ejectorum de Templo hujusmodi
Mercatorum, in Ecclesia Dei Consortium eos habere non posse, qui
sancti Spiritus Gratiam nundinentur. _In Loc. Luc._
[32] Juxta simplicem Intelligentiam--quod ponitus absurdum--cæterum
secundum Mysticos In tellectus Jesus ingreditur Templum Patris &
ejicit omnes Episcopos, Presbyteros, & Diaconos, _&c. In Loc. Mat._
[33] Faciet Dominus Flagellum de Scripturarum Textuum Testimoniis. _In
Zechar._ C. xiv.
[34] Non magnum Peccatum, si hoc vendebant in Templo, quod emebatur,
ut offerretur in Templo. _In Loc. Johan._
[35] Qui sunt tamen qui boves vendunt? ut in figura quæramus Mysterium
facti, qui sunt qui Oves vendunt Columbas? ipsi sunt qui sua quærunt
in Ecclesia, non quæ Jesu Christi. _Ibid._
[36] Vos enim fecistis Domum meum, Domum Negotiationis & speluncam
Latronum, significant futuros in Ecclesia. _L._ II. _Evang. Quæst.
Quast._ 48.
[37] [Greek: Didaskalos ôn, ou katangellei logon, ei mê kerdos echei,
kai toutou tên trapezan anatrepei o Kyeios]. _In Johan._ C. ii.
[38] _Chandler's_ Vindication, _&c._ p. 145.
[39] Hoc facto longe aliud significabat Jesus, nec enim illum
tantopere commovebat Templum illud mercimoniis Boum, Ovium, Hircorum &
Columbarum profanatum; sed ostendere voluit Avaritiam & Quæstum sore
capitalem Pestem Ecclesiæ, quam Templum, cujus Religio mox erat
abolenda, figurabat--In nullum Hominum Genus acrius sæviit Jesus, sed
hos ipse sibi servavit ejiciendos, cum videbitur. _In Loc. Matt._ xxi.
[40] _Vid._ Suicerum in [Greek: Kollubustês].
[41] [Greek: Trapeza], apud Aristophanem est Pulpitum. _Vid._ Scapulam.
[42] _Matt._ viii. _Mark_ v. _Luke_ viii.
[43] _Luke_ xiii. v. 27.
[44] _Spencer_ de Legibus Hebræ, _p._ 117.
[45] _Lib._ IV. De Principiis.
[46] Hanc habeant Causam, ut esset in rebus gerendis futuri plena
meditatio. _In Loc. Matt._ In hoc Typica ratio servata est. _Ibid._
[47] Significatæ sunt gentes quæ multis dæmonibus serviebant.
_Augustin in Luc. Quest._ 13.
[48] Humanum genus ad Adventum Domini vexabatur furore dementi,
rumpens vincula rationis. St. _Amb. in Loc. Luc._
[49] Nudus quicunque tegumentum Naturæ suæ & Virtutis amisit. _Amb.
Ibid._
[50] In tumulis Sepulchrorum; quid enim aliud sunt Corpora perfidorum,
nisi quædam defunctorum Sepulchra in quibus Dei verbum non habitat.
_Ibid._
[51] Videntes Dæmones non sibi jam locum in gentibus derelinqui, ut
patiatur habitare se in Hæreticis deprecantur. _Hilar. in Loc. Matt._
[52] Litera est Palea, & frequenter evenit, ut homines hujus soeculi
mystica nescientes, simplici Scripturarum Lectione pascuntur. _Hieron.
in_ Isa. xi.
[53] _Matt._ xvii. _Mark_ ix. _Luke_ ix.
[54] 2 _Pet._ i. 16, 17, 18.
[55] Possunt infideles istam Vocem delatam de Cælo, per conjecturas
humanas & illicitas Curiositates ad magicas Artes reserte. _In Serm._
xliii. _Sect._ 5.
[56] Neque enim Miracula propter Miracula faciebat, sed ut illa quæ
faciebat, mira essent videntibus, vera essent intelligentibus. _In
Serm._ xcviii. _Sect._ 3.
[57] [Greek: Helegon tên exodon autou ên emelle plêroun], C. ix. V. 31.
[58] Regni coelestis Honor prefiguratur. St. _Hilar. in Loc. Matt._ In
Transfiguratione futura Regni Præmeditatio & Gloria demonstrata est.
St. _Hierom. in Loc. Matt._
[59] [Greek: Ainigmatôdês parodeixis tês Basileias], Anast. in Transfig.
Dom. [Greek: Ypodeigma tês doxês ekeinês.] St. _Chrysost. in Loc. Matt._
[60] Sex millium scilicet Annorum Temporibus evolutis. St. _Hilar. in
Loc. Matt._ Sic post Sex ætates Dominus a perfectis Famulis
conspicietur. _Dionys. Alex. apud Damascen. in Orat. de Transfig._
[61] Et Moses & Elias apparuerunt in Gloria, cum Jesu colloquentes, in
quo ostenditur Legem & Prophetas, cum Evangeliis consonare & in eadem
Gloria spiritualis intelligentiæ refulgere. _Origen. in Epist. ad
Rom._ c. 1.
[62] Montem ascendit ut te doceat, ne quæras eum nisi in Legis &
Prophetarum montibus. _Origen in Cantic. Cantic. Hom._ 3.
[63] Per nubem tetram intellige opacitatem Legis. _Damascen. in Orat.
de Transfigur._
[64] Vestimenta candida Jesu sunt Sermones & Scripta Evangeliorum.
_Origen in Loc. Matt._
[65] Si quis Litteram sequitur, & deorsum est totus, hic non potest
videre Jesum in veste candida; qui autem sequitur Sermonem Dei & ad
montana, id est, excelsa Legis conscendit, isti Jesus commutatur----
Quamdiu Litteram sequimur occidentem, Moses & Elias cum Jesu non
loquuntur; sin spiritualiter intelligimus, statim Moses & Elias
veniunt, id est Lex & Prophetæ & colloquuatur cum Evangelio. _Johan.
Hieros. Hom._ 32.
[66] _John_ ii.
[67] _Matt._ C. xiv. and xv. _&c._
[68] _Mark_ ii. _Luke_ v.
[69] _John_ ix.
[70] _Mark_ v.
[71] _Matt._ xxi. _Mark_ xi.
[72] _Matt._ ii.
[73] Alia quam plurima his similia in Evangeliis inveniet, quicunque
attentius legerit. _Origen. de Principiis_, lib. iv.
[74] Quæ Enarratio erit Evangelii sensibilis, nisi accommodetur ad
intelligible & spirituale? Nulla sane, _Origen. is Præfat. ad Johan.
Evang._
[75] _See Archbishop_ Wake's _Manuscript Letter to Mr._ Chandler,
_which is handed about Town and Country_.
[76] Chandler's _Vindication_, &c. p. 81.
[77] Dominus noster ea quæ faciebat corporaliter, etiam spiritualiter
volebat intelligi, _&c. August. Serm._ xcviii. _Sect._ 3.
[78] Quos in corporibus morbos sanavit Christus, hi in animabus
existunt, & supernam ejus opem requirunt. _Johan. Nepos. Hieros._ Hom.
LXI.
A SECOND
DISCOURSE
ON THE
MIRACLES
OF OUR
_SAVIOUR_,
In VIEW of the present Controversy
between INFIDELS and
APOSTATES.
_Audendum est, ut illustrata Veritas pateat,
multique ab Errore liberentur._ Lactant.
By THOMAS WOOLSTON, sometime
Fellow of _Sidney-College_ in _Cambridge_.
_LONDON_:
Printed for the Author, Sold by him in _Bell-Alley_,
_Coleman-Street_, and by the Booksellers of
_London_ and _Westminster_. 1727.
[Price One Shilling.]
[Illustration]
TO THE
Right Reverend Father in God
_EDWARD_,
Lord BISHOP of _Lichfield_.
MY LORD,
Your Fame for that celebrated Book, call'd the _Defence of
Christianity_, is the Occasion of this Dedication. I need not tell you,
what vast Reputation you have acquired by it: You have been not only
often applauded from the Press, but have met with large Compliments and
Thanks from your Clergy for it. And tho' Mr. _Scheme_ has very
untowardly written against you, yet this is _still_ your Honour, that
you are an _Author_, not unworthy of his Regard and Notice.
I am, in Opinion with the Fathers, against an establish'd Hire for
the Priesthood, thinking it of disservice to true Religion: But when
I consider'd the Usefulness of your Lordship's Episcopal Riches and
Honours to this Controversy, I almost chang'd my Mind. Your exalted
Station in the Church, has given Credit and Authority to your Work,
which, if it had came from the Hands of a poor Priest, had never been
so much admir'd; neither would Mr. _Scheme_, I believe, nor my self,
have paid so many Respects to it.
For this Reason, I wish some more of your _Order_ would appear in this
Controversy, that the World might see what famous Men are our
_Bishops_, and of what Use their _Hundreds_ and _Thousands_ a Year are
to the Defence of Christianity; which, if such able Hands were not
amply hired to its Support, might be in Danger, as certainly as, that
Men of low Fortunes must needs be Men of poor Parts, little Learning,
and slender Capacities to write in Vindication of it.
Some have conceiv'd Hopes that the great _Bishop_ of _London_, from
his last Charge to his _Clergy_, will second you in this Controversy;
if so, there's no doubt on't, but his Performance will be commensurate
to his State and Revenues. Of his Zeal in the Controversy, he has
already given a notable Instance, when he prosecuted the _Moderator_;
and I dare say, he'll vouchsafe us a more remarkable Specimen of his
Knowledge in it, as soon as he can spare Time for't; and then (Oh my
Fears!) he'll pay me off for my Objection against Christ's
Resurrection, which he would have persuaded the Civil Magistrate to
have done for him.
But whether the _Bishop_ of _London_ seconds you or not, it's Time,
_my Lord_, to expect another Volume from you, in Answer to Mr.
_Scheme_, which, for all the Reports that are spread of your intended
Silence, I hope soon to see publish'd. What will the People say, if
that _Philisthin_ goes off, giving you the last Blow in the
Controversy? Nothing less than that he has gotten the better of the
Learned _Bishop_ of _Lichfield_, and has refuted Christianity to the
Conviction of the Bishop himself, who would renounce it too, but for
the temporal Advantages he enjoys by it.
Think, _my Lord_, on the Dishonour of such Reflections, and resume
Courage against the Adversary. I look upon you as a more sturdy
Gladiator than for one Cut on the Pate, to quit the Stage of Battle.
Tho' Mr. _Scheme_ has unluckily hit you on a soft Place, and weaken'd
your Intellectuals for a while; yet he is a generous Combatant, and
gives you Time to recover your wonted Strength of Reason. At him again
then, _my Lord_, and fear not, in your Turn, to give him such a
Home-Thrust, as will pierce his unbelieving Heart.
And when your _Lordship_ engages him again from the _Press_, I hope
you'll be more explicite for Liberty of Debate. Through godly Zeal for
_Church_, you unhappily made a Slip, in your _Dedication_ to the _King_,
on the persecuting Side of the Question, which had lik'd to have sully'd
the Glory of your whole Work. Such a grand Philosopher, as you are,
should trust alone to the Goodness of your Cause, and the Strength of
your Reasonings, in Defence of it: Such a potent Champion for
Christianity, as you are, should disdain the Assistance of any, but of
God, to fight for you. The Use of the Civil Sword on your Side, is not
only a Disparagement to your Parts, but a Disgrace to our Religion.
I know not what your _Lordship_ may think on't, but the Prosecution of
the _Moderator_ was, in the Judgment of others, more than of my self,
some Reproach to you: Because of a few slender Animadversions, I made
on your renown'd Book, some think I suffer'd a Prosecution, which you,
in Honour, should have discourag'd. I am willing to acquit you as much
as may be; and would, if I could, impute it to your Forgetfulness,
rather than your Malice, that you step'd not between me and Danger.
Whether this Discourse will be acceptable to your Lordship, is
somewhat uncertain; I am afraid it will be a little disgustful to
your nice and delicate Taste in Theology, which relishes nothing
better than the plain and ordinary Food of the Letter of _Christ_'s
Miracles: But however, you will readily interpret this _Dedication_ to
your Honour, and if you should make me a large present of Gold for it,
I sincerely assure your _Lordship_, it will be more than I aim'd at;
neither do I desire any other Return for it, than to be endulg'd the
Liberty and Pleasure to pay my customary Respects to your Writings;
and upon proper Occasions to testify to the World, how much I am,
[Sidenote: London, _October_ 13^{th} 1727.]
MY LORD,
The Admirer of
Your Wit, Learning
and Orthodoxy,
_Thomas Woolston_.
[Illustration]
A SECOND
DISCOURSE
ON THE
MIRACLES
OF OUR
_SAVIOUR_, &c.
I here publish another _Discourse_ on our Saviour's Miracles, which I
am not only oblig'd to, by the Promise I made in my former; but am
encouraged to it by the Reception which _that_ met with. If any of our
_Clergy_ were, and besides them, few or none could be offended at my
former _Discourse_, they should have printed their Exceptions to it,
and, if possible, their Confutation of it, which might perhaps have
prevented me the giving them any more Trouble of this Kind.
In my former _Discourse_ I fairly declar'd, that if the _Clergy_ could
disprove my Arguments against the _Letter_, and for the _Spirit_ of
the Miracles I there took to task, I would not only desist from the
Prosecution of my Design, but own my self an impious _Infidel_ and
_Blasphemer_, and deserving of the worst Punishment: But since they
are all mute and silent, even in this Cause, which in Honour and
Interest they should have spoken out to, they ought not to be angry,
if I proceed in it. I have given them time enough to make a Reply, if
they had been of Ability to do it: What must I think then upon their
Silence? Nothing less than that my Cause is impregnable, and my
Arguments and Authorities in Defence of it irrefragable; and though
they don't professedly yield to the Force of them; yet they have
nothing to say in Abatement of their Strength, or it had certainly
seen the Light before now.
I go on then in my undertaking to write against the literal Story of
our Saviour's Miracles, and against the Use that is commonly made of
them to prove his divine Authority and Messiahship: And this I do, I
solemnly again declare it, not for the Service of Infidelity, but for
the Honour of the Holy Jesus, and to reduce the _Clergy_ to the good
_old Way_, and the _only Way_ of proving his Messiahship, and that is,
by the allegorical Interpretation of the Law and the Prophets.
Therefore, without any more Preamble, I resume again the Consideration
of the three Heads of Discourse, before proposed to be treated on to
this Purpose. And they are,
I. To shew, That the Miracles of healing all manner of Bodily
Diseases, which _Jesus_ was justly fam'd for, are none of the proper
Miracles of the _Messiah_, neither are they so much as a good Proof of
his divine Authority to found a Religion.
II. That the literal History of many of the Miracles of _Jesus_, as
recorded by the _Evangelists_, does imply Absurdities, Improbabilities,
and Incredibilities; consequently they, either in whole or in part, were
never wrought, as they are commonly believed now-a-days, but are only
related as prophetical and parabolical Narratives of what would be
mysteriously, and more wonderfully done by him.
III. To consider, what _Jesus_ means, when he appeals to his Miracles,
as to a Testimony and Witness of his divine Authority; and to shew
that he could not properly and ultimately refer to those, he then
wrought in the _Flesh_, but to those mystical ones, which he would do
in the _Spirit_, of which those wrought in the Flesh are but mere
Types and Shadows.
I have already spoken, what I then thought sufficient to the first of
these Heads; and though I could now much enlarge my Reasons, and
multiply Authorities upon it to the same Purpose; yet I shall not do
it; but only, by Way of Introduction to my following _Discourse_, say,
that if it had been intended by our Saviour, that any rational
Argument for his divine Authority and _Messiahship_ should be urged
from his miraculous healing Power; the Diseases which he cured, would
have been accurately described, and his Manner of Operation so
cautiously express'd, as that we might have been sure the Work was
supernatural, and out of the Power of Art and Nature to perform: But
the _Evangelists_ have taken no such Care in their Narrations of
Christ's Miracles. As for Instance, _Jesus_ is supposed often
miraculously to cure _Lameness_; but there is no Account of the nature
and degree of Lameness he cured; nor are we certain, whether the Skill
of a _Surgeon_, or Nature it self, could not have done the Work
without his Help. If the _Evangelists_ had told us of Men, that wanted
one or both their Legs, (and such miserable Objects of Christ's Power
and Compassion, were undoubtedly in those Days as well as in ours) and
how _Jesus_ commanded Nature to extend itself to the entire Reparation
of such Defects; here would have been stupendous Miracles indeed,
which no Scepticism, nor Infidelity itself could have cavill'd at; nor
could I, nor the Fathers themselves have told how to allegorize, and
make Parables of them. But there is no _such_ Miracle recorded of
Christ, nor any thing equal to it; so far from it, that the best and
greatest Miracles of _Jesus_, which must confessedly be those related
at large, (for no Body can suppose he did greater than those more
particularly specify'd) are liable to exception, being so blindly, and
lamely, and imperfectly reported, as that, by Reasonings upon the
Letter of the Stories of them, they may be dwindled away, and reduced
to no Wonders, which brings me to treat again on the
II. Second Head of my Discourse, and that is, to shew, that the
literal History of the Miracles of _Jesus_, as recorded in the
_Evangelists_, does imply Absurdities, Improbabilities and
Incredibilities; consequently they, in whole or in part, were never
wrought, but are only related as parabolical Narratives of what would
be mysteriously, and more wonderfully done by him.
To this Purpose I, in my former Discourse, took into Examination
_three_ of the Miracles of Jesus, _viz._ those, of _his driving the
Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple_; Of _his exorcising the Devils
out of the Madmen, and sending them into the Herd of Swine;_ and _Of
his Transfiguration on the Mount_. How well I perform'd on these
Miracles which have been admired for their literal Story, let others
judge and say.
I now will take into Consideration three others of _Jesus_'s Miracles,
_viz._ those, Of _his healing a Woman that was afflicted with an Issue
of Blood, twelve Years_; Of _his curing the Woman that labour'd under
a Spirit of Infirmity, eighteen Years_; and Of _his telling the_
Samaritan _Woman her Fortune of having had five husbands, and living
then in Adultery with another Man_: Which are, all three, reputedly
most miraculous and admired Stories. The two former, they say, are
Arguments of _Jesus_'s mighty Power; and the latter, of his immense
Knowledge: But how little of certain Power and Knowledge there is in
any of them, according to the Letter, will be seen in the sequel of
this Discourse. Infidels, I dare say, if they had not wanted Liberty,
would e'er now have facetiously exposed those Stories. If I snatch
that Work out of their Hands, our _Clergy_ ought to be glad, because
what I do in it, is to the Honour of the Holy _Jesus_, and to turn
those pretendedly miraculous Stories into divine Mysteries.
In my former Discourse I gave my _Readers_ some Reason to expect, that
in _this_ I would treat on some of _Jesus_'s Miracles, which I there
mentioned, _viz._ _On his turning Water into Wine at a Marriage in_
Cana _of_ Galilee; and _On his feeding of Thousands with a few Loaves
and Fishes in the Wilderness_; and _On his Cure of the Paralytick, for
whom the Roof of the House was broken up to let him down into the Room
where_ Jesus _was_, &c. And I then really did design to speak to these
Miracles, but upon Consideration, finding them most ludicrous Subjects
according to the Letter, I forbear it at present, having no
Inclination to put the _Clergy_ quite out of all Temper. If any should
say, this is Fear and Cowardice in me, I can't help it: But, for all
that, now I have the _Clergy_ in a tolerable good Humour for Liberty,
I'll endeavour to keep them in it, and not disturb them by an hasty
and unnecessary Provocation of them. Who knows not, that the _Clergy_,
like an untamed _Colt_, that I have a mind to ride, may be apt to
winch and kick, and may give me a Fall before I come at the end of my
Journey, to the Disappointment of my Readers? They shall therefore be
gently handled and stroak'd, till they are a little more inur'd to the
Bit and Saddle: And for their Sakes will I postpone such Miracles as
are most obnoxious to Ridicule, and at present chuse the aforesaid
_three_, that of almost any in the Gospel may be most inoffensively
treated on. I begin then,
1. To speak to that Miracle of _Jesus_'s[79] healing a _Woman diseased
with an Issue of Blood, twelve Years_. To please our _Divines_, I will
allow as much of the Truth of the Letter of this Story, as they can
desire. The Fathers themselves, who are for turning the whole History
of _Jesus_'s Life into Allegory and Mystery, don't deny that a Woman
was cured of an _Hæmorrhage_, after the Manner that is here described
by the Evangelists. St. _Augustin_ says[80] of this Miracle, _that it
was done, as it is related_; and I have a greater Veneration for his
Authority, than to gainsay it. But for all that, _Infidels_ may and
will take into Examination the nature of this Miracle, and if possible
make little or nothing of it. And if I do this for them, it is not to
do Service to Infidelity, but to turn Mens Heads to the mystical Use
of it, for which it is recorded.
As there is a particular Narration of this Miracle, among the few
others, that are specified; so Reason should tell us, that if the
Letter of the Story of _Christ_'s Miracles, as our _Divines_ hold, is
only to be regarded, this is one of the greatest that Jesus wrought,
or it would not be related by itself, but thrown into the Lump of all
manner of Diseases, which He heal'd. And how then shall we come to the
Knowledge of the greatness of this Miracle? Why, there are but two
Ways to it, and they are,
_First_, By considering the nature of the Disease, or the lamentable
Condition of the Patient before Cure. And
_Secondly_, By considering the Manner or Means by which the Cure was
performed.
If one or both of these Considerations don't manifest the Certainty of
a Miracle, _Infidels_ may conclude there was none in it.
_First_, As to the nature of the Disease of this Woman, we are much in
the Dark about it, and very uncertain of what Kind and Degree it was.
St. _Matthew_ writing of it, says the Woman was [Greek: aimorroousa],
that is, _obnoxious to bleeding_; St. _Mark_ and St. _Luke_ say of her,
that [Greek: ousa en reumate aimatos], she was in an efflux or running
of Blood. But neither one nor the other of the _Evangelists_ signify of
what Degree her _Hæmorrhage_ was, nor from what part of her Body it
proceeded, nor how often or seldom she was addicted to it. It might be,
for ought we know, only a little bleeding at the Nose, that now and then
she was subject to: Or it might be an obnoxiousness to an Evacuation of
Blood by Siege or Urine: Or it was, not improbably, of the menstruous
Kind. Any of these might be the Case of this Woman for what's written;
and I don't find that any of our _Divines_ have determined of what sort
it was. But a great Miracle is wrought, they think, in her Cure, without
knowing the Disease; which _Infidels_ will say is asserted at Random and
without Reason, in as much as it is necessary to know the nature of the
Distemper, or none truly and properly can say, there was a great, much
less a miraculous Cure wrought.
But supposing this _Hæmorrhage_ proceeded from what Part of the Body
our _Divines_ think fit; How will they make a grievous Distemper of it
in order to a Miracle? The Woman subsisted too long under her Issue of
Blood, and bore it too well, for any to make her Case very grievous.
_Beza_[81] will have it, that is was a constant and incessant Effusion
of Blood that the Woman labour'd with. But this could not be, nor was
it possible, as I suppose _Physicians_ will agree, for Nature to
endure it so long, or the Woman to live twelve Days, much less twelve
Years under it.
No more then, than some slight Indisposition can reasonably and
naturally be made of this Woman's Distemper. And it would be well, if
Infidels would rest here with their Objections against it. But what if
they should say, that this _Hæmorrhage_ was rather of Advantage to the
Health of the Patient, than of Danger to her, and that the Woman was
more _nice_ than _wise_, or she would never have sought so much for
Help and Cure of it? Some _Hæmorrhages_ are better kept open than
stop'd and dry'd up; and if _Infidels_ should say, that _this_ was a
Preservative of the Life of the Woman, like an _Issue_, at which
Nature discharges itself of bad Humours, Who can contradict them? Nay,
if they should say that _Jesus_'s Cure of this Woman's _Hæmorrhage_
was a Precipitation of her Death, for she died some time after it,
rather than a Prolongation of her Life, for she lived twelve Years
under it, and was of good Strength, when she applied to our Saviour
for Cure, or she could never have born the press of the People to come
at him; Who can gainsay them? It is true she was very sollicitous for
a Cure, and uneasy under her Distemper, or she would never have spent
all she had on _Physicians_; which is a Sign, some may say, that her
Disease was grievous, irksome, and dangerous, as well as incurable by
Art. But _Infidels_ will say, not so; for there are some slight
cutaneous Distempers, sometimes issuing with a little purulent and
bloody Matter, that nice Women will be at a great Expence for Relief,
and are always tampering, and often advising about them, though to no
Purpose: And if they should say that this was the worth of the Case of
this Woman, Who can disprove it?
In short then here is an uncertain Distemper both in Nature and
Degree; how then can there be any Certainty of a Miracle in the Cure
of it? Mr. _Moore_, the _Apothecary_, accurately describes the
Diseases he pretends to have cured; and he is in the right on't so to
do, or he could not recommend his Art, and aggrandize his own Fame. So
the Bodily Disease of this Woman should have been clearly and fully
represented to our Understanding, or we can form no Conception of
Christ's Power in the Cure of it. And I can't but think that the
_Evangelists_, especially St. _Luke_ the _Physician_, had made a
better Story of this Woman's Case, if Christ's Authority and Power had
been to be urg'd from the Letter of it. It's enough to make us think,
Christ cured no extraordinary and grievous Maladies, or the
_Evangelists_ would never have instanced in this, that so much
Exception is to be made to. As then, reasonably speaking, there was no
extraordinary Disease in this Woman cured, and consequently no great
Miracle wrought; so let us now,
_Secondly_, Consider the Manner of the Cure, and whether any Miracle
is to be thence proved. _The Woman said within her self,[82] that if
she could but touch the Hem of Jesus's Garment, she should be made
whole._ And I can't but commend her, at this distance of Time, for the
Power of her Faith, Persuasion, or Imagination in the Case, which was
a good Preparative for Relief, and without which, it's certain, she
had continued under her Disease. The Power of Imagination, it's well
known, will work Wonders, see Visions, produce Monsters, and heal
Diseases, as Experience and History doth testify. There being many
Instances to be given of Cures performed by frivolous Applications,
Charms, and Spells, which are unaccountable any other Way, than by the
Imagination of the Patient. Against the Reason and Judgment of a
_Physician_, sometimes the diseased will take his own Medicines and
Benefit. And I don't doubt, but Stories may be told of Cures wrought,
the Imagination of the Patient helping, by as mean a Trifle, as the
Touch of Christ's Garments, and no Miracle talk'd on for it. Even in
the ordinary, natural, and rational Use of Physick, it is requisite,
that the Patient have a good Opinion of his _Physician_ and of his
Medicines. A good Heart in the Sick, tends not only to his Support,
but helps the Operation of Prescriptions. As despair and dejection of
Mind sometimes kills, where otherwise reasonably speaking, proper
Medicines would cure; so a good Conceit in the Patient at other times,
whether the Medicines be pertinent or not, is almost all in all. And
if Infidels should say that this was the Case of this Woman in the
Gospel; if they should say as St. _John of Jerusalem_[83] did, _that
her own Imagination cured herself_; and should urge the Probability of
it, because _Jesus_ could do no Cures and[84] Miracles against
Unbelief, Who can help it? In this Case our _Divines_ must prove, that
this Woman's _Hæmorrhage_ was of that kind, that no Faith nor Fancy
in herself could help her without the Divine Power; but this is
impossible for them to do, unless there had been a more certain
Description of her Disease, than the _Evangelists_ have given of it.
Our _Divines_ will indeed tell us, what I believe, that it was the
Divine Power co-operating with the Faith and Imagination of the Woman
that cured her; because Jesus says _that Virtue had gone out of him_
to the healing of her: And I wish _Infidels_ would acquiesce here, and
not say, that _Jesus_'s Virtue hung very loose on him, or the Woman's
Faith, like a Fascination, could never have extracted it against his
Will and Knowledge: But what if they should say, that _Jesus_, being
secretly appriz'd of the Woman's Faith, and Touch of him, took the
Hint; and to comfort and confirm her in her Conceit, and to help the
Cure forward, said, _Virtue was gone out of him?_ This would be an
untoward Suggestion, which if Infidels should make, our Divines must
look for a Reply to it.
It is said of the _Pope_, when he was last at _Benevento_, that he
wrought three Miracles, which our Protestant _Clergy_, I dare say,
believe nothing at all of. But, for all that, it is not improbable, but
that some diseased People, considering their superstitious Veneration
for the _Pope_, and their Opinion of the Sanctity of the _Present_,
might be persuaded of his Gift of Miracles, and desirous of his Exercise
of it; and if they fancyfully or actually received Benefit by his Touch,
I don't wonder, without a Miracle. And what if we had been told of the
_Popes_ curing an _Hæmorrhage_ like this before us? What would
_Protestants_ have said to it? Why, "that a foolish, credulous, and
superstitious Woman had fancy'd herself cured of some slight
Indisposition; and the crafty _Pope_ and his Adherents, aspiring after
popular Applause, magnified the presumed Cure into a Miracle. If they
would have us _Protestants_ to believe the Miracle, they should have
given us an exacter Description of her Disease, and then we could better
have judg'd of it". The Application of such a supposed Story of a
Miracle wrought by the _Pope_, is easy; and if _Infidels_, _Jews_, and
_Mahometans_ who have no better Opinion of _Jesus_, than we have of the
_Pope_, should make it, there's no Help for it.
And thus have I made my Descants on this supposed Miracle before us
and argued, as much as I could, against the Miraculousness of it, both
from the _Nature_ of the Disease, and the _Manner_ of the Cure of it.
Whether any one shall think I have said any thing to the Purpose or
not, is all one to me. My Design in what I have done, is not to do
Service to Infidelity, but, upon the Command and Encouragement of the
Fathers, to turn Mens Thoughts to the mystical Meaning of the said
Miracle, which I come now to give an Account of.
None of the Fathers (excepting St. _Chrysostom_[85], who writes here
more like an _Orator_ than a _Physician_) ever trouble themselves, when
they speak of this Miracle, about the Nature of the Disease, literally,
in this Woman, or the greatness of the Cure of it; but alone bend their
Studies to the mystical Interpretation, for the sake of which, this
Evangelical Story was written, and originally transacted.
Accordingly, they tell us that this Woman is a Type[86] of the Church of
the _Gentiles_ in after Times. And as to her _Hæmorrhage_ or _Issue of
Blood_, they understand it of the[87] Impurity and Corruption of the
Church by ill Principles and bad Morals, that the would _flow with_.
Some of the Fathers, as[88] _Gregory Nazianzen_, and[89] _Eusebius
Gallicanus_, will have the _Issue of Blood_ to be a Type of the scarlet
Sin of Blood-guiltiness in the Church: If so, we must understand it of
the Effusion of Christian Blood by War and Persecution.
The _twelve Years_ of the Woman's Affliction with her _Hæmorrhage_ is
a typical Number of the Church's impure State for above _twelve
Hundred Years_. And whether some of the primitive Church did not, by
the said _twelve Years_ of the Woman, understand _twelve Ages_, I
appeal to[90] _Irenæus_, to whom I refer my Readers, Accordingly this
typify'd Woman of the Church, should be the same with the Woman[91] in
the Wilderness, that, as St. _John_ says, was twelve Hundred and sixty
Days or Years there sustained; and by whom many Protestants, as well
as the Fathers, understand the Church universal. When the said twelve
Hundred and sixty Days or Years of the Church's being in the
Wilderness, did commence or will end, is none of my Business to
enquire or ascertain. But as this Woman in the Gospel is said after
_twelve Years_ Affliction, to be cured of her Disease by _Jesus_; so
it is the Opinion of the Fathers, that the Church universal, after
_twelve Hundred Years_ of her Wilderness State, will be purified and
sanctified by the Gifts of the Spirit of Christ, and enter upon a more
holy, peaceable, and happy Condition, absolutely freed from her _Issue
of Blood_, which, through Persecution and War, she has for many Ages
labour'd under. It is not my Concern to collect all the Authorities of
the Fathers to this Purpose; but only say, that if at the End of
twelve Hundred and sixty Days or Years, the Church, like the Woman, be
not cur'd of her _Hæmorrhage_ and mystical _Wounds_ and _Sores_; if
her present impure and unsound State be not chang'd into an holy,
healthy, and peaceable one; many good _Protestants_, as well as the
Fathers, are mistaken, and abundance of Prophecies of the Old and New
Testament, that have been hereunto urged, will lose their Credit.
But who are meant by the _Physicians_ of the Woman, that have had the
mystical _Hæmorrhage_ and Diseases of the Church Under Cure all this
while? Who should, but pretended Ministers, of the Gospel? Ministers
of the Gospel are not only by the Fathers call'd metaphorically[92]
spiritual _Physicians_; but our _Divines_ and Preachers of all
Denominations like the Metaphor, and think themselves able
_Physicians_ at the Diseases of the Church, which they are forward to
prescribe and apply Medicines to, whenever, in their Opinion, she
stands in need of them. Whether our _Divines_ like to be accounted the
_Physicians_ of the Text before us, I much question; but it is certain
that[93] _Eusebius Gallicanus_ expressly says, that our _Divines_ and
pretended Philosophers are meant by them; and venerable _Bede_[94]
upon the Place is of the same Mind too.
The Woman of the Gospel is said[95] to _suffer many Things of many
Physicians, and was nothing better'd, but rather grew worse_; that is,
she grew worse not in time only, but through the Use of her
_Physicians_, who were her[96] Tormentors. So the Diseases of the
Church in time have increased, for all the Use she has made of her
spiritual Physicians, _the Clergy_. In every Age has the Church been
degenerating in Morals and Principles, as any one knows, that is able
to make an Estimate of Religion in times past; and all along have her
ecclesiastical _Quack Doctors_ contributed to her ill State of Health.
As many Physicians with their different Applications tormented the
poor Woman; so our many _Empericks_ in Theology with their different
_Schemes_ of Church Government and various _Systems_ of Divinity,
like so many Prescriptions for Cure, have increased the Divisions,
widen'd the Wounds, and inflamed the Sores of the Church. And if the
Woman's _Issue of Blood_ be, according to the Fathers, a particular
Type of the Blood of the Church, that is shed in Persecution and War;
our Theological Pretenders to Physick, have been so far from providing
and prescribing a good _Stiptic_ in this Case that they have been the
Occasion of the Effusion of much Christian Blood; there having been
many a War and Persecution, that these _Incision_ Doctors, who should
be all _Balsam_, have been the Cause of.
The Woman _spent all her Living_, all her yearly Income, upon her
Physicians, and as it seems to a bad Purpose; so very great and large
Revenues of the Church, are expended on her ecclesiastical Doctors in
spiritual Physick: And to what End and Purpose? Why, to open and widen
the bleeding Wounds of the Church, which they should heal and salve
up. It is now about _twelve Hundred Years_, like the _twelve Years_ of
the Woman, that the _Clergy_, our Practitioners in Theological
Physick, have received of the Church vast Fees, Stipends and
Gratuities (for before that time her _Doctors_ prescrib'd freely) to
take care of her Health and Welfare; but unless God provide in due
time a Medicine of his own, she is likely to continue in a diseased
and sorrowful Condition for all them.
One would think that the Woman of the Gospel might have had more Wit
than to lay out all she was worth upon _Physicians_ to no good
Purpose; one would think that after some Experience of their
Insufficiency to cure her, she might have forborn seeing them, and
reserved the Remains of her Estate for better Uses: So the Fees and
Revenues of the Church, after due Experience of the Inability of her
spiritual Doctors to heal her Sores, might have been in my Opinion
better employ'd, and the Church of Christ more out of Danger of Wounds
and Sickness, by Sin and Error. Certain it is, that many an _Issue of
Blood_, through Persecution and War, had been prevented; if such
barbarous and blood thirsty Doctors of Ecclesiastical Physick, had
never been so fee'd and hired to take care of the Welfare of the
Church, which, for all their Spiritual Medicines, will continue in a
languishing Condition, till heal'd by the Virtue and Graces of the
Spirit of Christ in his foresaid appointed Time.
So much then to the mystical Interpretation of the Story of the Cure
of the _Issue of Blood_ in this Woman. Every minute Circumstance of
it is thus to be allegorized, if need was. Whether the _Clergy_ will
like this parabolical Explication of it, I neither know nor care. They
have their Liberty with _Atheists_ and _Infidels_ to believe as little
of it as they think fit; and I hope they'll give me leave with the
Fathers of the Church to believe as much of it as I please. But
whether they approve of this allegorical Interpretation of this
supposed Miracle or not; they must own, that if the Church, after the
foresaid _twelve Ages_, should be purified and sanctified; if her
Errors and Corruptions, of which the Woman's _Uncleanness_ is a Type,
should be heal'd; if War and Persecution, typified by her _Issue of
Blood_, should then entirely cease; if all Christians should then be
united in Principle, Heart and Affection, and made to walk in a
peaceable and quiet State, as the Woman was[97] _bid to go in Peace_;
if the Church should then _come behind_ Jesus (which[98] is a Figure
of future Time) and rightly touch by Faith, and apprehend his[99]
Garments or Words of Prophecy, about which Christians have hitherto
been _pressing_ and urgent; and if the Gifts of the Spirit, like
_Virtue on the Woman_, should then be poured forth upon the Church to
the absolute Cure of her present Diseases, we must, I say, allow the
Story of this Woman to be an admirable Emblem and typical
Representation; and the Accomplishment of it most miraculous and
stupendous; and not only an indisputable Proof of the Power and
Presence of Christ with his Church, but a Demonstration of his
_Messiahship_, in as much as an almost infinite Number of Prophecies
of the Old Testament, will thereupon receive that Accomplishment,
which hitherto, by no shadow of Reason, can be pretended to.
After such a mystical Healing of the _Hæmorrhage_ of the Church, there's
no doubt on't, but the Story of this Woman in the Gospel will be allow'd
to be typical and emblematical. In the mean time, without making a
Parable of the Story of her, I assert, there is little or nothing of a
Miracle to be made of her Cure, unless we were at a greater Certainty
about the Nature of her Disease, and the Manner, rationally speaking,
of _Jesus_'s healing of it. And so I pass to the Consideration of
2. Another Story of a miraculous Cure perform'd by _Jesus_ on another
Woman, and that is on her, who[100] _had a Spirit of Infirmity, eighteen
Years, and was bow'd together, and could in no wise lift up
herself----being bound of Satan_, &c. This too, as I suppose, is with
our _Divines_ a great Miracle, and one of the greatest that _Jesus_
wrought, or it had not been specify'd, but cast indiscriminately into
the Number of all manner of Diseases, which he heal'd. And for the sake
of the Letter, and to please our _Divines_, whom I would not offend
wilfully, I will allow, that _Jesus_ might lay his Hands on, and speak
comfortably to such a drooping, stooping, and vaporous Woman, full of
Fancies of the _Devil_'s Temptation and Power over her; and she might
thereupon recover, and be afterwards of a more cheerful Heart, and erect
Countenance, freed from the whimsical Imagination of being
_Satan-ridden_: And what of all that? Where's the Miracle? If the Story
of such a Miracle had been related of any _Impostor_ in Religion, of an
_Arch-Heretick_, or _Popish Exorcist_, our _Divines_ would have flouted
at it; they would have told us, there was nothing supernatural and
uncommon in the Event, nor any thing at all to be wonder'd at in it.
Taking the _Devil_ out of this Story, and there's no more in it, than
what's common for a simple, melancholy, and drooping Woman, to be
chear'd and elated upon the comfortable Advice and Admonition of a
reputedly wise and good Man. And the putting the _Devil_ into the Story,
in another Case, our _Divines_ would have said was only the Fancy of the
Woman, or the Device of the _Miracle-Monger_, to magnify his own Art and
Power. And if _Infidels_, _Jews_, and _Mahometans_, should say so of
this Story of _Jesus_, they would be no more unreasonable in their
Conjectures and Solutions of this Miracle, than we should have been in
another and parallel Case.
The _Pope_, when last at _Benevento_, is said to have exorciz'd a
_Dæmon_ out of a young Maid, which our _Divines_ no more believe than
_Infidels_ do. But it is not at all impossible or improbable, that a
young Woman might be troubled with Vapours, and go droopingly upon it,
whom the holy Father, of whose Prayers and Sanctity she had a good
Opinion, might relieve with his Talk, and give another Turn to her
Thoughts and Temper: And if she fancy'd herself before possess'd with a
_Dæmon_, or rather, if the _Pope_'s Partizans persuaded her so, it's not
unlikely to make a Miracle on't. Just so may _Infidels_, with their
Descants on this Miracle before us, reduce and lessen it: And what must
we Believers do then? Why, we must find out a Way to ascertain the Truth
and Greatness of the Miracle, or give it up. We must determine certainly
what was the Woman's Distemper, and how the Cure of it by ordinary Means
was impossible, or make no more Words about it.
And how can we come at the Knowledge of this Woman's Disease, but by the
original Words of the _Evangelist_. St. _Luke_ says, she was one [Greek:
pneuma echousa astheneias], _that had a Spirit of Weakness_, that is,
was poor-Spirited and pusilanimous; and if she was [Greek: synkyptousa],
_bow'd down_ upon't, its no more than might be expected of a
disconsolate, melancholy and dejected Person. Here then is the Disease
of the Woman: If it had been worse, St. _Luke_, the Physician, if he was
of Sufficiency in his Art, should better have express'd himself; so as
to give us another Conception of it. And if _Satan_ had not been
brought into the Tale, whom it is easy, by reasoning as above, to
exorcise out of it, here is a no more grievous Distemper, than what upon
the comfortable Exhortations of a wise Man may be cured. And do what our
Divines can, they can make literally no more of this Story.
It is said, that for _eighteen Years_ the Woman labour'd under this
Disease. And she might be _hippish_ and _drooping_ for a longer time,
and be no less easily at last cured. It's pity the _Evangelist_ had
not told us how old this Woman was, when the Distemper first seiz'd
her; then we could have made better Conjectures about the Nature and
Cure of it. If there was any room to suppose, either from the Words of
Scripture or extra-scriptural History, that she was about _fifty_ or
_sixty_, when she first began to droop and the _Devil_ got upon her
Back; here had been Scope for a most stupendous Miracle; and our
_Divines_ might have asserted, what no Body could have contradicted,
that _Jesus_ had made an old Woman, who was _bow'd down_, not only
under the Weight of _Satan_, but under the Burthen of seventy or
eighty Years, young again; and had restored her to the Health, Vigor,
and Beauty of one of fifteen. Here would have been a mighty Miracle
indeed. And I don't doubt, but our _Divines_ would willingly get into
such a Notion of this Miracle, and would heartily espouse it, but for
the Offence they must needs give to decrepid old Women, who may be out
of Conceit with themselves upon it, as if they carried the _Devil_ on
their Shoulders, as the Cause of their Decripedness and Incurvity. And
such an Offence would be of ill Consequence.
Reasonably then speaking, there was not much in the Disease and Cure
of this Woman. Excepting that Part, which _Satan_ bears, in the Story,
there is nothing wonderful in it. And supposing _Jesus_ might exorcise
the _Devil_ out of this Woman, or dismount him from off her Shoulders;
yet even this makes nothing for his Divine Power and Authority, in as
much as many _Exorcists_ among the _Jews_ and even among _Papists_, if
Protestants had not more Wit than to believe it, could do as much. And
after all, I don't believe the _Evangelist_ intended, that our Saviour
should be had in Admiration for the Letter of this Miracle, or St.
_Luke_ would accurately have described the Disease, so as to put it
out of the Power of Nature and Art to heal it, and of the Wit of
_Infidels_ to cavil at the miraculous Cure of it. Neither do I find
that the Fathers of the Church ever trouble themselves about the
Letter of this Story, which is some Argument, that no great Heed is to
be given to it; but are only curious about the Mystery, for which this
Miracle was related, and which I come now to give an Account of.
As the Fathers said of the Woman with her _Issue of Blood_, that she
was a Type of the Church; so they say of this Woman with her _Spirit
of Infirmity_, that she is a[101] Figure of the Church too.
As the Woman was _bow'd together_; so the Church, as the Fathers do
interpret, may be said to be[102] _bow'd down_ to the Earth, when she
is _prone_ and _bent_ to, and _intent on_ the literal or earthly
Interpretations of the Scriptures; and _can in no wise lift up her
self_, like the Woman, _that is_, can't raise her Thoughts to the
Contemplation of the cælestial, spiritual, and sublime Sense of them.
Hence we see the Propriety of the Name of the Woman's Disease, call'd
[Greek: pneuma astheneias], a _Spirit of Weakness_, which is not
properly significative of any bodily Distemper, but succinctly is very
expressive of the Church's _Weakness_ at the _Spirit_ of Prophecy,
which at this Day she labours under.
As it was _eighteen Years_ that the Woman was griev'd with her _Spirit
of Infirmity_, for so long had her Distemper been growing on her; so it
is almost eighteen (hundred) Years, or the eighteenth Century of Years,
that this _Infirmity_ of the Church at the _Spirit_ of Prophecy has been
coming on her: And she is now so _bent_ to the Earth of the Letter, that
nothing less than the Hand and Power of Jesus, that erected the Woman,
can raise her to mystical, divine, and sublime Contemplations on the Law
and Prophets. St. _Augustin_[103] will have these _eighteen Years_ of
the Woman's _Infirmity_, as she is a Type of the Church, to be
synchronical with the[104] _three Years_ of the Fig-Tree's
Unfruitfulness. I don't rightly apprehend his mystical Arithmetic. But
this is certain, upon the Authority of the Fathers, that those two
Numbers, with the _twelve Years_ of the Woman's _Issue of Blood_, are
all conterminous and will end together: Consequently at the same time,
that the Woman of the Church will be cured of her _Issue of Blood_, she
will be heal'd of her _Infirmity_ at the _Spirit_ of Prophecy; _that
is_, at the Conclusion of certain grand Periods of Time she will enter
upon a blessed State of _Peace_ and _Vision_; which is the concurrent
Doctrine of the Fathers, as any one may discern, that has dip'd into
them, and is a good Confirmation of our present Exposition, and mystical
Application of the miraculous Story before us.
St. _Luke_ says, that the Woman could not lift up herself [Greek: eis
to panteles], _v._ 11. which, without animadverting on our _English_
Translation, should be rendered, _until all was perfected_, or until
the _Perfection of Time_, which, the Apostle[105] and the Fathers
agree, is the Time for the Church to be cured of her _Weakness_, and
to be endu'd with _Power_ at the Spirit of Prophecy.
As the Woman was heal'd by _Jesus_ on the Sabbath-Day; so the Church,
upon the ample Authorities of the Fathers, which Men of Reading will
excuse me the Production of, is certainly to be heal'd of her _spiritual
Infirmity_, at the Understanding of Prophecy against the mystical
and[106] grand Sabbath, which, according to the Fathers, commences at
the Expiration of her eighteen (hundred) Years _Weakness_.
But the _Ruler of the Synagogue is said to be moved with Indignation,
v._ 14. at this charitable Work of _Jesus_, in healing of the Woman,
because it was done on the Sabbath-Day; which in my Opinion can't be
literally true: Though I am willing enough, to please our _Divines_,
to allow as much as may be of the Letter of this Story, yet I except
against this Part of it. _Origen_ says, there are some things of the
Gospel related as Facts, which were not done; and I believe this of
the Ruler of the Synagogue to be one of them. Human Nature, I think,
is not capable of such base and unnatural Resentment. Works of
Necessity, and requisite Offices of Kindness and Charity to Man and
Beast, were allow'd by the Law, and practised by the _Jews_ on the
Sabbath: And the Cure of this Woman, though on the Sabbath-Day, was
such an Act of Beneficence and Compassion in the Holy _Jesus_, that I
can't but think _bad_, as well as _good_ Men, would rather glorify
God, that had given such Power unto Man, than find fault with it. But
in the Mystery of this Part of the Story, there is clear Sense and
Truth. Who then is this _Archisynagogus_, or Ruler of the Synagogue,
that will be full of Indignation at the healing of the Church of her
foresaid _Infirmity_ at the _Spirit_ of Prophecy? _Origen_ says that
the[107] right Interpretation of the Names of Persons and Places in
Scripture is of good Use to the mystical Application. Accordingly
_Archisynagogus_ does signify the _Chiefs of our Congregations_: And
who should they be then but the Clergy? And if this ben't enough to
fix this Name and Character upon them, then let _Theophanes Cerameus_
speak here, who says, that the _Archisynagogus_, is a[108] _Type of
all Priests_, who will be against the foresaid miraculous healing of
the Church. And why will the _Clergy_ be mov'd 'with Indignation at
the curing the Church of her _Infirm_, and restoring her to a _sound_
Spirit of Prophecy? Because as St. _Augustin_ says,[109] they are not
only _bow'd down_ to the Letter themselves; but because this
_Infirmity_ of the Church will be a Reproach to them, in as much as it
is a Proof of their Apostacy and Insufficiency at Prophecy; and the
Cure of it will be attended with such Consequences, as affect their
Reputation and Interests. Who can question but the _Clergy_, who are
the _Archisynagogus_ of the Text, and who are for the Church's
_bending_ and _stooping_ to the low Sense of the Letter of the
Scripture, will be averse to her being rais'd, _lifted up_, and
erected to the Contemplation of the sublime, anagogical, and heavenly
Sense of it? Such an Healing and Erection of the Church will vex them
at the Heart, as it will bring _Shame_ and loss of Interest along with
it; and they will undoubtedly be _Adversaries_ to this good Work of
_Christ_, which, upon the Testimony of all Antiquity, is to be done on
or against the Evangelical and great Sabbath.
Our Saviour is supposed to reprove the _Ruler_ of the _Synagogue_, for
his _Indignation_ at the Cure of the Woman on the Sabbath-Day, saying,
_v._ 15. _Thou Hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath
loose his Ox or his Ass from the Stall, and lead him away to Watering?
And ought not this Woman to be loos'd from this Bond on the
Sabbath-Day?_ There is Force in this Argument according to the Letter:
And the _Ruler_ of the _Synagogue_, and other _Jesus_'s Adversaries
hereupon, might well be _asham'd_ for finding Fault with such a
merciful and beneficent Work done on the _Sabbath_; when they
themselves did Works on the _Sabbath_ of much less Consequence. But
to[110] the Mystery. What may be said to our Ministers of the Letter,
of whom the _Archisynagogus_ is a Type, for their Averseness to the
healing of the Church in like manner? Why, that they are _Hypocrites_,
that is, superficial Criticks on the Scriptures, and don't consider
that _the Law is spiritual_, and how against the Evangelical Sabbath
every Man is to be released from his Bondage and Servility to
irrational Principles (for which he has been like an _Ox_ and an
_Ass_) and to be conducted to drink of the Waters of Divine Wisdom:
For this grand Sabbath will be a Day of absolute Liberty, perfect
_Rest_, immense Knowledge, real Vision and Contemplation on God and
his Providence, as the antient _Jews_ and Fathers so copiously
declare, that they who are ignorant herein, may be _ashamed_;
consequently they might know, that the Church is to be cured of her
_Spirit of Weakness_ at Prophecy on that Day.
But _Satan_ is said to have _v._ 16. _bound_, and, as is supposed,
_bow'd down_ this Woman; the literal Truth of which I much question:
But how then has _Satan bound and bow'd down_ the Church? This,
seemingly, is the great Difficulty in the mystical Application of this
Story, and must be the great Curiosity of my Readers to know how I
will account for it. If the Fathers don't help me out at this dead
Lift, and that clearly and intelligibly too, I shall abate of my
Veneration for them. If they don't tell me, and make me to apprehend,
what this _Satan_ is, that for many Ages has _bound_ and oppress'd the
Church after the supposed Manner of the typical Woman, I had better
have held my Peace, and said nothing to this parabolical Miracle.
The Writings of the _Evangelists_ so abound with Stories of _Satan_,
_Belzebub_, the _Devil_, and of greater and less Number of _Devils_,
and of _Dæmons_ and of _unclean Spirits_, more than any Histories
before, as one would think, if these Stories were literally to be
understood, that was the Age in which Christ came, that _Hell_ first
broke loose, and then primarily infested Mankind; and that upon the
Destruction of _Judæa_ and Propagation of the Gospel, the _Devils_
accompanied the _Jews_ in their Dispersion, or the _Apostles_ in their
Travels, and have been the Tempters, Seducers, and Tormentors of
other Nations ever since.
_Arnobius_[111] says, _That before Christ, Devils were things unknown
to the World_; by which _Arnobius_ must mean, either that they were
hardly talk'd of before, or that their Nature was not understood, till
Christ inform'd us of it. In both these Senses, I believe, _Arnobius_
may be taken, _viz._ that there was not only little Talk of _Satan_
and the _Devil_, but less of his Nature apprehended, before _Christ_
by his Parables and parabolical Miracles, rightly interpreted,
instructed us in it. And if after Ages have departed from the true and
original Doctrine of _Devils_, making a literal Story of that, which
is only mystical and cabalistical; and have formed to themselves
_Ideas_ of hideous and horrible Fiends, _Mormos_ and _Hobgoblins_, it
shall not disturb me.
As to the Place and State of _Hell_, many are the Notions of _Divines_
of several Ages past, as well as of the present. I shall not recount
them all here, much less refute any of them. But there is an antient,
rational, and cabalistical Notion of Hell, which I have learned of the
Fathers, who signify, that the babylonish and bewilder'd State of
Christ's Church may be call'd _Hell_, because, as the Word [Greek:
adês] does import, it is a State _without Vision_. Hence _Origen_
says,[112] that whoever can form to himself an _Idea_ of the Church in
time to come, when she will be dignified with the Title of the _New
Jerusalem_, for her Peace and Vision may understand what is meant by
_Hell_, and all that is written of it.
As then the Fathers had a cabalistical Notion of _Hell_, which modern
_Divines_ are Strangers to; so they had of _Satan_, and the _Devil_
and his Angels. I own myself at a Loss for an express Testimony out of
the Fathers about _Satan_ in the Text before us; but according to
their Explications of _Satan_ in other Places, nothing more is meant
by him here than, "That furious Principle and Temper in Man that is
not only averse to Liberty in Religion, but for binding, restraining,
and tying down the Church and Christian People to certain Opinions and
Ways of Worship." In such a State of Bondage has the Woman of the
Church been kept, by such a _Satan_, in one Order of Men or other,
for all Ages past. And that this is a right and primitive Notion of
_Satan_, I could prove by Authorities enough. _Origen_ tells us[113]
of the Names of Kings in prophetical Scripture, which would be Enemies
to Christ's Church; but such Kings never did, nor would personally
exist; their Names, according to Interpretation, standing only for so
many Sins and Vices, reigning in Mankind. To the same Purpose he
says[114] _human Vices are Devils_: And _Satan_ himself, (as the Word
signifies _Adversary_) is with him[115] and the antient _Jews_ too, no
other than an _Aversness_ in Man to the Will of God. I could quote
other Fathers to this Purpose; but being sparing of my Pains at
present, I refer my Readers to my former[116] _Discourse_, in which
they will see the Opinion of the Fathers about the _Devils_ in the
Madman, and afterwards in the Herd of Swine; from which let them
judge, whether the Fathers could have any other Notion of _Satan_
here, than what I have represented. It is certain, and may be easily
prov'd, that by _Satan_, the _Dragon_ and the _Devil_, mentioned in
the _Revelations_, nothing more is to be understood, than a furious,
persecuting, satanical, and diabolical Temper in Man; and if what St.
_John_ writes of _Satan_ be cabalistical and allegorical; the other
Assertions of the Evangelists and Apostles about _him_ will of Course
come under that Denomination; or the primitive Rule of Interpretation
of Scripture according to the natural Signification of the Names of
Persons and Places is not good.
As then the _Woman_ of the Gospel was, as is supposed, _v._ 16. _bound
by Satan, loe, for eighteen Years_: So the foresaid furious Principle
in Man, which is a mystical _Satan_, an _Adversary_ to Liberty, has
bound the Church, _loe_, to the _eighteenth_ Century of Years: But she
is to be entirely released from this spiritual Bondage, and set
at[117] _perfect Liberty_ against the acceptable and Evangelical
Sabbath. And here it is to be noted out of St. _Augustin_, and most
worthy of Observation it is, that at the[118] same time, in which the
Church will be loosed from her Bondage; _Satan_ himself will[119] be
_bound_ and _chain'd_ for a[120] _thousand Years_, the time of the
evangelical Sabbath, that is, says _Ephræm Syrus_[121] for ever. And
how will our mystical _Satan_ or the _Dragon_ be bound and chain'd?
Not with Chains or Links of Iron or other Metal; but _Vinculis
Rationis_, with the Chains of Reasons and Arguments for Christian
Liberty, which will restrain the _Adversary_, _Satan_, from any more
Impositions and Persecutions of the Church. And I can't here but
applaud the great Mr. _Grounds_ and Mr. _Scheme_, for their Work and
Labour of Love to Mankind, in making _Chains_ of Argumentations for
Liberty, which I hope will prove of sufficient Strength to bind
_Satan_ and restrain him (in Dr. _Rogers_, Bishop _G--bs--n_, and
others his Angels) from giving any more Molestation to Christian
Philosophers in their Enquiries after, and Lucubrations on Divine
Truth. All the Honour that I aim at in that Work is, by the Help of
the Fathers, to point out that anti-Christian Principle or Temper in
the _Clergy_[122] which, for its _Averseness_ to Liberty, is called
_Satan_; for its _Calumnies_, is called the _Devil_; for its
_Furiousness_, is called the _Dragon_; and for its _Unreasonableness_,
is called the _Beast_, to the intellectual Views of Mankind, and to
direct them how to apprehend and lay hold on it.
Our Saviour, according to _Origen_, had never call'd _Peter_,[123]
_Satan_, if _Satan_ had been any Thing else than _Man-averse_ to the
Will of God.
And thus have I spoken to the Miracle of _Jesus_'s healing the _Woman
of her Spirit of Infirmity, whom Satan had bound and bow'd down_,
which, according to the Letter, is no Miracle at all; and some Parts
of the Story are improbable and incredible; but the mystical
Completion of it will be most prodigious, and a Demonstration not only
of Christ's Power and Presence in his Church, but of his
_Messiahship_, in as much as a vast Number of Prophecies of the _Old
Testament_, more than can soon be collated to this Purpose, will
thereupon receive their Accomplishment. And so I come to a
3. _Third_ miraculous Story of _Jesus_'s, that is of his telling
(_John_ iv.) the Woman of _Samaria_ her Fortune, _of having had five
Husbands, and being then an Adulteress_, &c. in which there is a
notable Miracle display'd, in the Opinion of our _Divines_, that
proves _Jesus_'s Omniscience, or he could not so have search'd into
the Heart of this Woman, and told her such Occurrences, that concern'd
her Life past. I thought once of transcribing here entirely this
Story; and so I would, but that it is a long one, and might have set
some Readers, who are by this time awaken'd to pry into the
Absurdities of the Letter, a laughing, before I had time my self
regularly to animadvert on it.
Whether there was any Truth at all in the Letter of this Story, I
should much have questioned, but that some Fathers write of it, as if
they believed it literally, tho' they make a mystical and allegorical
Explication of the whole and every part of it. And I, having a sincere
Veneration for the Fathers, will not contradict them, (and I hope this
Concession will please the _Clergy_) but, for all that, can't like any
part of this Story literally, but could almost wish, that the Fathers,
for the Honour of _Jesus_, had made the whole no other than a Parable.
It's strange that no _Jews_ or _Infidels_ have as yet ludicrously
treated this Story to the, almost, Confutation of our Religion. If
their Tongues had not been ty'd by the aforesaid _Satan_ or
_Adversary_ to Liberty, I can't think but they must have made some
pleasant Animadversions upon it before now. If such a broken,
elliptical, and absurd Tale had been told of any other Impostor in
Religion; the Wits of our _Clergy_ had been at Work to expose it
plentifully; and indeed there's no need of much Wit to make this Tale
nauseous and ridiculous to vulgar Understandings.
I shall not myself here make all the Remarks I can to the Disadvantage
of this Story: I am not as yet so disposed to make Scoffers and
_Infidels_ laugh at the _Clergy_ for their Adherence to the Letter of
it. All I shall do now, is to make my Observations on the two Uses,
that the Clergy very seriously put this Story to, and they are,
_First_, to prove the Expectation that there was amongst the
_Samaritans_, of a _Messiah_ to come; And
_Secondly_, to prove _Jesus_'s Omniscience, or he could not have entered
into the Heart of the Woman, and told her, that she had had five
Husbands, and was then an Adulteress. To these two Purposes, I find this
Story urged by our _Divines_, and I must needs say, as to the
_First_ of them; it is rightly from hence asserted by the[124]
_Bishop_ of _Lichfield_ and others, that the _Samaritans_ had an
Expectation of a _Messiah_: But why then did not the _Bishop_ and
others, who are now in Quest after Arguments of _Jesus_'s Messiahship,
prove him hence to be the _Messiah_, because he told the _Samaritan_
woman her Fortune? If this was a real and substantial Argument to her
of _Jesus_'s _Messiahship_, it ought to be urg'd by the Clergy at this
Day. The Controversy about _Jesus_'s Messiahship is now on foot; Why
do the Advocates for it overlook this Proof of it? Why, because, as I
suppose, they are aware, that _Infidels_ would make sport with it. But
if _Jesus_'s telling the Woman her Fortune was no real and conclusive
Argument of his being the _Messiah_; St. _John_ has told us an
impertinent Tale of a simple Woman, upon whose Credulity and false
Notions _Jesus_ palm'd himself as the true _Messiah_; and whether he
did not ill thus to banter and deceive the Woman, let any one judge.
But let us here behold the Difference amongst the _Jews_ and
_Samaritans_, as to the Expectation of a _Messiah_. Some of the old
_Jews_, like the Apostles, expected the _Messiah_ would be a temporal
Prince, a great Warriour and Conqueror of the World. Others[125] of
them, like the Fathers, expected he would be a Prophet like _Moses_ in
all Things, and deliver his People out of another _Egypt_: But here the
_Samaritans_ expected he would be a _Conjurer_ and _Fortune-Teller_; or
there is no Sense in what the Woman said to the Men of the City, _v._
29. _Come and see a Man that has told me all that I have done_,
particularly my Fortune of having had five Husbands, and being now an
Adulteress, _Is not this the Christ?_ What could she mean, but that the
_Messiah_ would be a strolling _Fortune-Teller_, to inform People of the
Events of their Lives past and to come? And _Jesus_ to humour the Woman
in her Conception of himself and of the _Messiah_, says to her, _v._ 26.
_I that speak unto thee, am He._ Whether our _Divines_ like _Jesus_ the
better for this Story of him literally, I can't tell; but I am sure they
dislike the Fortune-telling Trade at this Day in others, and believe it
to be all Fraud, and are for punishing strolling _Gypsys_ for Cheats,
who practice it; and in the last Age were intent on the[126] Prosecution
of judicial Astrologers, who pretended to it: And if antient History had
furnish'd us with an Instance of the Punishment of a pretended
_Fortune-Teller_ in the Reign of _Tiberius_, they could not have found
Fault with it. Whether any Accusations were laid against _Jesus_ for
such his Delusions of the People, we know not. Evangelical History is
silent, or the _Evangelists_ have prudently suppressed it. But I much
wonder, that our _Gypsys_, from this Story, don't account themselves the
genuine Disciples of _Jesus_, being endu'd with the like Gifts and
exercising no worse Arts, than he himself practised.
If the _Samaritans_ did not expect the _Messiah_ would be a
_Fortune-Teller_; how came the Thought into the Woman's Head, that
_Jesus_ was the _Messiah_, because he had told her, her Fortune? What
can our _Divines_ say to it? Why, they must either say, that his
telling the Woman her Fortune was a real Proof of his _Messiahship_;
or that the Woman was foolish and credulous, and drew a false
Conclusion; and if she had not been an impudent and graceless Whore,
would have gone away blushing, and never have divulg'd, as the Text
supposes she did, her Shame to the Men of _Sychar_, who too had but
little Wit, or they had never stir'd from their Homes, to see such a
Fortune-Teller upon the Report of a poor Whore.
But the Men of the City had their Fortunes too told them by _Jesus_,
and they concluded him to be the _Messiah_ upon it; or there is no
Sense in what they _v._ 42. _said to the Woman, Now we believe not
because of thy Saying, for we have heard him ourselves, and know that
this is indeed the Christ_: What could they hear, but their Fortunes,
as the Woman had before? And if _Jesus_, whose Ability at all fair
Questions in the magic Art I don't question, did tell them their
Fortunes; I hope he had more Prudence than to talk to them in common
of their Fornications and Adulteries, which might occasion domestick
Jarrs, and the Breach of good Neighbourhood amongst them; but if he
directed any of them to find their lost Cattle, and help'd them again
to their stolen Goods, he did well, and they alone did amiss, to
conclude thereupon, _that he was indeed the Christ_. Let our _Divines_
now judge whether I have not made a natural and excellent Comment on
this part of the Story, which relates to the Expectation and Opinion,
which the _Samaritans_ had of a _Messiah_ to come. But,
_Secondly_, From this Story literally our _Divines_ prove _Jesus_'s[127]
Omniscience; and _Cardiognostick_ Power to tell what was in the Hearts
and Thoughts of Man. But how so? Is it because he told a Woman, that she
was an Adulteress, and had had five Husbands? Where's the Consequence?
_Duncan Campbel_, and other _Moorfields_-judicial-Astrologers have done
greater Feats at Conjuration than _this_, and never were thought to be
Omniscient. And for any Thing appears in this Story of our Saviour, it
might be all Cheat and Fraud in him. If _Infidels_ should assert it, our
_Divines_ could not disprove it. If they should say, it was possible for
_Jesus_ to get Intimations of these and other Circumstances of the
Woman's Life, before he attempted to tell her, her Fortune; we can't
say, that this is an impious and unreasonable Suggestion, since it is
the common Subtilty of delusive Fortune-Tellers, to get what
Intelligence they can by Insinuations and Informations, before they
utter their Oracles, and ambiguous Responses to simple poor Folks. And
there is one Circumstance in this Story, that looks very ill upon
_Jesus_, and is enough to make him suspected for a Cheat in his
pretended Art, and that is, he seems to draw the Woman in by a[128]
_Wile_ to hear her Fortune, saying to her, _v._ 16. _Woman go, call thy
Husband_; upon whose denying she had any Husband, Jesus was forward,
very forward to surprize her with his Knowledge of her having had five
Husbands, and living then in Adultery; which raising the silly Woman's
Admiration of his prophetick and soothsaying Talent, he closes with her
Conceptions, and what upon other Occasions, before wiser People, he
was[129] backward to own, says to her, _that he was the Messiah_; and so
he pass'd for the _Messiah_ with her and the Men of _Sychar_, who had no
more Wit than to receive him for such, upon such Proof, and gave him
Entertainment for no less than _v._ 40. _two Days_. I am glad we hear of
no Money, he squeez'd out of them for the exercise of his prophetick
Art, which our _Divines_ would have made an Argument of their Divine
Right to Tythes, Fees, and Stipends for their Divinations.
But no more of this silly Story according to the Letter. To point at
it is enough to expose it to the considerate and unprejudiced. I could
not help saying so much as I have; because it is necessary to form
some Invective against the Letter, to make way for the Reception of
the mystical and allegorical Interpretation of it, which I am now to
speak to.
Tho' the Fathers, against whose Authority I dare not write, or I should
be tempted to it in this Case, acknowledge the Letter of this Story,
suspecting only some[130] particular Passages of it; yet they look upon
the whole, for all that, as a[131] typical Narration, and endeavour at
the mystical Construction of all and every part of it. St. _Augustin_,
as if he was afraid some Christians of after Times should espouse, as
our Divines do, only the Letter, prefaces his Exposition of this Story
with these Words, saying,[132] _There are mysteries in all the Sayings
and Actions of our Saviour, particularly in the Story of the Woman of_
Samaria, _and whoever carelesly and imprudently_ (meaning literally)
_interprets it, will advance erroneous and pernicious Doctrine_; which,
if modern Commentators had any Regard for the Authority of St.
_Augustin_, is enough to deter them from their literal Expositions. The
most literal Interpreter among the Fathers, whom I know of, is St.
_Cyril_, and he says[133] there is a Type and Parable in this Story. But
to descend to Particulars.
By the _Woman of Samaria_ is to be understood an[134] Heretical and
Adulterous Church, which Jesus, _being wearied_ with her[135] corrupt
State, will meet with in _the sixth Hour_, that is in[136] the _sixth
grand Age_ of the World. So, by the By, according to the Fathers,
_Jesus_ will come to, and meet with the _Samaritan_ Church to her
Edification, at the same time, that he cures the Church of her _Issue
of Blood_ and _Spirit of Infirmity_.
And where did _Jesus_ meet with the Woman of _Samaria_? At _Jacob_'s
_Well_, where she was for Water to quench Thirst: So at the[137]
_Well_ of the Holy Scriptures, whose Sense lies deep as in a Well, and
flows with Knowledge as with Water, will Christ then find his Church,
drawing and drinking of the[138] Waters of the Letter, which could not
quench the Thirst of the Soul hitherto: But in the Perfection of Time,
signified by the _sixth Hour_, will Christ, according to the Fathers,
enable her to draw out of this _Well_ of the Profundity of the
Scriptures, spiritual Waters of Divine Knowledge, which will daily
more and more, like the Fountains of the Waters of Life, arise and
flow in upon the Soul, and constantly recreate and refresh her with
Wisdom, to her Delight and Satisfaction; so as she may be said never
to thirst more, after the Manner she does now.
And Jesus _then_ told the Woman of _Samaria_, _all that she had done_:
So will Christ in the _sixth Hour_, that is, towards the latter End of
the _sixth Age_ of the World, give the Woman of the Church to
understand _all that she has done_, according to the Writings of
_Moses_ and the Prophets, who, upon the Testimony of the Fathers, have
written a prophetical History of her, in Types, Symbols and Parables;
which Understanding of the Things that have been prophecy'd of her,
will enable her, of Consequence, to prove and declare to the World,
with Joy and Pleasure, that _Jesus_ is the true Messiah, the Christ,
and Fulfiller of the Law and the Prophets.
But particularly, as _Jesus_ then told the Woman that _she had had
five Husbands, and was then an Adulteress_ with one who was not her
true Husband: So the Church will be made to apprehend, according
to[139] _Origen_ and[140] St. _Augustin_, and others, how she has had
five Husbands of the five bodily Senses, that is, metaphorically
speaking, has been _wedded_ not only to sensual Pleasures, but to the
sensible Things of the Letter of the five Books of _Moses_; and that
at present, consequently, she lives in Adultery[141] with Anti-Christ,
whom the Fathers call the Devil, instead of the Spirit of Christ, the
Spirit of the Law, who should be her true Spouse, whom she should
_call_ for, and believe in.
And not only the Woman of _Samaria_, but the Men of the City,
_Sychar_, believ'd _Jesus_ to be the Messiah, _v._ 42, upon what he
said to themselves as well as to her: So the Ministers of the Letter,
who are _Sycharites_, according to _Origen_ and _Theophanes Cerameus_,
will be clearly convinced, and be able to convince others, that _Jesus
is the Christ or Messiah_, when they shall hear, learn and apprehend
from the Spirit of the Law and the Prophets, that the Church and all
she has been doing, was foretold and prophecy'd of.
Lastly, _Jesus_'s Disciples, _v._ 27. are said _to Marvel that he
talk'd with the Woman_. What in the Name of Wonder, literally, could
be the Meaning of this? Did they _Marvel_ at _Jesus_'s Condescention
to speak to a Woman, as if the Sex was beneath his Care? Or did they
_Marvel_ that he who was very bashful, had Courage to speak to one? Or
did they _Marvel_ at his Conversation with a Whore, for fear of his
being tempted by her? Some one or other of these must be the _Marvel_
of the Disciples; but how absurd and ridiculous they all are,
according to the Letter, let a reasonable Man judge. But mystically,
the true Disciples of our Lord, who understand the Mysteries of the
Kingdom of Heaven, will, when they are apprized of _Jesus_'s spiritual
Conversation with his Church, and of all the Things that she has done
according to Prophecy, _Marvel_ with rapturous Astonishment at the
Wisdom and Power of God in the Accomplishment of the Scriptures.
After such a Mystical and Allegorical Manner, is every minute
Circumstance of this Story of the _Samaritan_ Woman to be apply'd.
St. _Augustin_[142] says there are so many great Mysteries contain'd
in it, that they require much Time to go through them all. I find it
so, and that no less than a Volume might be written of them, out of
the Fathers. But what I have briefly here touch'd on, is enough to
convince any one of the Absurdities of the Letter of this Miracle,
which consisted in the telling a Woman her Fortune, and such a
Fortune, as _Jesus_ by Craft might come to the Knowledge of.
Therefore, for the Honour of _Jesus_, let us look upon the whole Story
as a typical and parabolical Representation of what would be
mysteriously and more wonderfully done by him.
And thus I have spoken to the three Miracles, proposed to be treated
on in this Discourse. Before I enter upon my third general Head, which
is, _to consider what Jesus means when he appeals to his Miracles as
to a Witness of his Divine Authority_; I must take to Task some more
of his pretended Miracles even till I have not left him a good,
credible and substantial Miracle, according to the Letter, to appeal
to. The Consequence of which will be, that his mysterious Operations
are to prove his Authority and Messiahship, or we must give up him and
his Religion for a Piece of Fraud and Imposture.
What Miracles will be the Subject of my next Discourse, I can't
certainly foretell, but there are many Historical as well as
miraculous Parts of _Jesus_'s Life, that according to the Letter, are
to be call'd into Question; such as
The History of his riding on an Ass to _Jerusalem_. I have given some
Offence on this Point already in my _Moderator_, and ought to excuse
or justify my self, by calling the Fathers to Account for laughing at
the Letter of that Story. It was an untoward saying of St. _Jerome_,
that I there cited, and suffered a Prosecution for: But it is a worse
Intimation of St. _John_ of _Jerusalem_, who, if there was any literal
Truth in the Peoples pulling off their Garments, and Branches of
Trees, and strewing them in the Way of _Jesus_, will needs have it not
respectfully but mischievously done, to make the Colt stumble, and so
dismount his Rider. And according to him it may be questioned, whether
the _Hosannahs_ of the People were of any more Respect to _Jesus_,
than the _Huzzahs_ of a _Mob_ would be to the Bishop of _L----n_, if
to shew his Meekness and Lowlyness, he should ride upon an Ass, in his
_Pontificalibus_ through this City. But I have here a momentous
Controversy to decide about the Beast _Jesus_ rode on. St. _Matthew_
seems to say, he rode upon both _Ass_ and _Colt_ together. St. _Mark_
and St. _Luke_ say, he rode upon the _Colt, on which Man never before
sat_. The Bishop of _Lichfield_ says, he rode upon the _Ass_ (on which
Man had before sat) and the _Colt_ ambled after. St. _Cyril_ and St.
_Chrysostom_ say, he rode upon the _Colt_, and the _She-Ass_ trotted
after. St. _John_ the _Evangelist_ says he rode upon a _Mule_, or an
[Greek: onarion] Ass-like Creature of the neuter Gender. The _Jewish
Cabalists_ say, their _Messiah_ was to ride on a great huge _Ass_, big
enough to carry him and all true Israelites, and that the Ministers of
_Antichrist_ would then hang an _A-ss_. So do the great Doctors of the
World differ! To whom I shall decree the Prize of Orthodoxy, I shan't
foretell; but am inclined to favour the Opinion of the _Cabalists_.
However, I shall be very grave as well as learned on this Head: And if
I can, I will, to oblige Dr. _Sherlock_, hook in a Digression about
_Shilo_'s _binding his Fole to the Vine, and his Asses Colt to the
choice Vine_: The Accomplishment of which _literal_ Prophecy seems to
have been drop'd in the Providence of God, or the _Dean_ of
_Chichester_[143] had never stopt at it. I will endeavour to look it
up, in some Corner of History, if it be but to merit the Praises of
the _Master_ of the _Temple_.
I must also sometime take into Consideration the Story of _Jesus_'s
Abode in the Wilderness, forty Days, in Company of the _Devil_, who
tempted him. This literally, as our _Divines_ understand it, is a
Scandalous Story. The _Jews_, in our Saviour's Time, said, that
through _Belzebub_, he cast out _Devils_; and their Posterity have
asserted, that he learn'd the Magick Art of a _Dæmon_. This Story
gives too much Grounds for such a Suspicion. Our _Divines_, who should
know best, talk of abundance of Mischief, the _Devil_ has been
permitted to do in the World ever since; I hope it was not by Compact
and Agreement between them; but it would have been of some
Satisfaction to the Contrary, if the _Evangelist_ had told us expresly
upon what Terms they mett and parted. As Fables go, it is said to the
Honour of St. _Dunstan_, that he took the _Devil_ by the Nose, when he
tempted him; and if _Jesus_ had taken him by the _Collar_, and thrust
him into his _Dungeon_, and there chain'd him, and shut _Hell-Gates_
upon him; I appeal to honest plain Christians, whether such an
_Herculean_ Labour would not have pleased them well. Ever since I read
of _Martin Luther_'s Conversation with the _Devil_, I have had but
indifferent Thoughts of his _Protestantism_; and unless the Fathers
turn this Story before us into Mystery, Allegory and Cabalism, I shall
think ill of Christianity.
I should also take into Examination the Story of an Angel's appearing
to the Shepherds, and saying to them; _Behold I bring you Tidings of
great Joy_, &c. If there was any Truth literally in _this_ Story, and
in _that_ of a Star's appearing to the wise Men, there must be a great
Mistake in the Report of both of them. St. _Matthew_ and St. _Luke_
have both blunder'd. It was the Star that appear'd to the Shepherds by
Night; and the Angel (I speak upon Reason and Authority) that was sent
to the wise Men. What then to do with these two Stories, and to salve
the Credit of the _Evangelists_, I knew not, till the Fathers directed
me to the Use of a mythological _Metamorphosis_: And then I presently
learn'd the Trick on't, to transform Stars into Angels, and Shepherds
too, or Pastors of Christ's Flock (which was the Difficulty) into
wise Men; and so I made one Moral or Mistery of the two Fables.
I must also some Time take to task the Story of the _many dead Bodies of
the Saints, that upon Christs Resurrection, came out of their Graves,
and appear'd unto many_; which is too imperfectly related to merit
Credit. The _Evangelist_, if he would have a reasonable Man believe his
Story, should have told us, who those Saints were, and what Numbers of
them; and whether they appear'd to the converted or unconverted _Jews_;
whether they were some of the Patriarchs and Prophets of old, or some
lately departed Disciples, who, for all _Jesus_'s healing Power, died in
the Time of his Ministry; and whether there were any Women among those
Saints; and whether they appear'd naked (as _Jesus_ modestly did to
_Mary Magdalen_, unless he flip'd himself by _Stealth_ into the Cloths
of the Gardener, which might be the Reason of her Mistake, for she
suppos'd she saw the Gardener) and whether they return'd again to
Corruption, or ascended into Heaven. For want of these specifical
Circumstances, the _Evangelist_ has told us a Tale, that has neither
Head nor Foot to it: and unless the Fathers mystically answer, to
Satisfaction, every one of the aforesaid _Queries_, I'll reject this
Story for mere Romance and Imposture.
These and many other historical and seemingly miraculous Stories of
the Gospel, are some time to be taken into Consideration; for I will
not give this Work over, till I have demonstrated beyond all
Contradiction, that the evangelical Writings are but the Shadow of
Divine Mysteries; and that literal Interpreters, whom[144] _Origen_
calls _vulgar Capacities_, are under a Mistake, if they think, they
understand any Thing, as they ought, of the four Gospels.
I should conclude now, as it becomes a _Moderator_, with an Address to
_Infidels_ and _Apostates_, the great Combatants in this Controversy.
But I have not Room to be as large, as I would, in my Exhortations to
them distinctly, so I can only desire them to continue the Controversy
with Zeal and Vigour, not doubting but it will end to the Honour of
Jesus, the Good of his Church, and the Happiness of Mankind. The blessed
Fruits of this Controversy are already seen and felt in the almost Cure
of a most malignant Distemper, call'd _Bigottry_, which has been the
Bane of human Society, and in Times past more destructive of the World
than either War or Pestilence. Go on then, _Great_ and _Good Sirs_, till
the Cure is perfected. And as you merit Praises and Rewards for your
several Labours; So I hope you'll meet with them. The _Nobility_ and
_Gentry_, of the Kingdom, as I learn, are sensibly touch'd with the
Usefulness of this Controversy; whereupon it is to be hoped the
_Legislative Authority_ will soon give Thanks to the great Mr. _Grounds_
and Mr. _Scheme_ for their Pains in it; and not forget to do Justice to
the _Bishops_ and _Clergy_ according to their Merits. But I can't stay
here to talk more on this Head, being obliged to make an Epistolary
* * * * *
_P. S._ To Mr. _T. Ray_, the Author of a _Discourse_, call'd _Our
Saviour's Miracles vindicated_, &c. As I, _Sir_, enter'd the _Press_,
you came forth, or I might possibly have paid more of my Respects to
you another Way. But upon mature Consideration, I found a properer
Reply could not be made to you, than is the foregoing Discourse;
which, if you are not sick of your former Performance, will find you
some more Work. And that you may write more pertinently against this
Discourse, than you did against my other, I'll give you some
Instructions, _viz._ if you think of writing to the Purpose, you must
prove these two Things; _First_, that the Fathers did not hold the
Stories of _Jesus_'s Miracles to be typical and figurative; and
_Secondly_, that _Jesus_'s Miracles neither will nor can receive a
mysterious and more wonderful Accomplishment. But you have not said
one Syllable to either of these Points; consequently have written
nothing to the Purpose against me. As for Instance; In the Miracle of
_Jesus_'s _driving the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple_: You
should prove, _First_ that the Fathers don't hold that Miracle to be
typical of the future Ejection of _Bishops_, _Priests_, and _Deacons_
out of the Church, that make Merchandize of the Gospel: And
_Secondly_, that it was impossible that the Miracle should receive
such an Accomplishment. But you have done nothing of this. So, if you
should attempt again to write against this Discourse, as for Instance,
against my Explication of the Miracle of _Jesus_'s healing the Woman,
that _had an Issue of Blood_; you must prove that _that_ Story neither
was in the Opinion of the Fathers Typical, nor could receive a
mystical Accomplishment; or you may as well hold your Peace. And
after all, whether your Reasonings for the Letter of Christ's
Miracles, are equal to mine against it, let our Readers judge, who
will easily discern, that you jump over my choicest Invectives against
the Letter, as if you was afraid of being touch'd by them.
As to your charging me falsly in one or two Places, with
Misrepresentations of the Fathers, I'll expostulate that Matter with
you, when I hear that the _Bishop_ of _London_ gives your Performance,
the Reputation of a solid, and substantial one, by a Change of your
_Cloak_ into a _Gown_, which you seem to aim at; or you had never so
besmear'd the _Bishop_ with your Compliments, nor had been so
mealy-mouth'd as to the Point of Liberty.
But what need you, _Sir_, have told the World, that you take me for an
_Unbeliever of the Scriptures_. If the _Bishop_'s wise Prosecution of
me for an _Infidel_ had not given you the Hint, you could never of
your self have made that Discovery. And why did you not join the
Fathers with me in Unbelief? I thought I had been of the same Faith
with them. A Man of your Penetration into another's Principles, will,
I suppose, from this present going Discourse, conclude me to be a
downright _Atheist_. And what must I do then to clear my self!
If you write any more, _Sir_, I desire you, without making more Haste
than good Speed, to be as expeditious as you can; or you will not
prevent my Publication of another Discourse, like these two, to the
Honour of _Jesus_, to whom be Glory for ever and ever. _Amen._
~_FINIS._~
FOOTNOTES:
[79] _Matt. Ch._ ix. _Luke Ch._ viii. _Mark Ch._ v.
[80] Factum quidum est, &, ita ut narratur, impletum. _In Serm._
lxxvii. _Sect._ 7.
[81] _On Mat. Chap._ ix.
[82] _Matt. Ch._ ix. _v._ 21.
[83] Non autem Fimbria Jesu, sed ejus Cogitatio eam salvam fecit. _In
Loc. Marci._
[84] _Matt. Ch._ xiii. _v._ 58.
[85] In Locum _Matt._
[86] Illa vero Mulier quæ Fluxum Sanguinis patiebatur, Ecclesiam
figurabat ex Gentibus. St. _August. in Serm._ lxxvii. _Sect._ 8.
Præparatur igitur Mulier, in cujus Typo universalis Ecclesia sub
specie designetur. _Paschas. Ratbert. in Loc. Matt._
[87] Hæc Mulier, i. e. Sancta Ecclesia de Gentibus congregata quæ
lapsu Criminum deperibat Sancti _Ambrosii in Loc. Luc._ Ut Mulier, quæ
fluxum sanguinis patiebatur, &c. ita omnis Anima percussa incurabili
Vulnere Peccati, habens fontem pravarum Cogitationum, &c. _Macarii
Ægypt. in Hom._ xx.
[88] [Greek: Epigazes gar tên phoinikên amartian]. _In Orat._ XL.
[89] Quæ est enim hæc Mulier nisi Ecclesia Gentium--Fluxum Sanguinis
patiebatur, quia in suorum Peccatorum Sanguine versabatur; quia
Sanguinum Rapina & Occisione nutriebatur. _In Dominic._ xxiv.
[90] Adversus Hæreses. _Lib._ I. _Cap._ iii.
[91] _Revel. Chap._ xii. _v._ 6.
[92] Excellentes Verbi Prædicatores tanquam magni Medici.--_Sancti
August. in Psal._ LXXXVII. _Sect._ 10.
[93] Per hos enim Medicos, Ariolos & Philosophos intelligere possumus,
quorum persuasionibus cæteri credentes a fidei Veritate aberrantes ad
Animæ Sanitatem attingere non valebant. _In Dominic._ xxiv.
[94] Per Medicos intellige falsos Theologos. _In Loc. Marci._
[95] _Mark Ch._ v. _v._ 26.
[96] Medici Molestiam potius quam Sanitatem ægrotanti præbentes.
_Ephræm. Syri._ p. 63.
[97] _Mark Ch._ v. _v._ 34.
[98] Dei Posteriora sunt novissima tempora. _Origen in Psal._ xxxvi.
[99] Vestimenta Jesu sunt Sermones & Scripta Evangeliorum. _Origen in
Matt. Ch._ xvii.
[100] _Luke Ch._ xiii.
[101] In Muliere infirma est Figura Ecclesiæ. _Theoph. Antioch. in
Loc. Lucæ._ Unde intelligitur illa Mulier in Typo Ecclesiæ a Domino
sanata & erecta, quam curvaverat Infirmitas, alligante Satana, _Sancti
August. de Trinit. Lib._ iv. _Sect._ 7. In Typo Ecclesiæ fæminam
salvat. _Sancti Ambros. in Loc. Lucæ._
[102] Totum Genus humanum tanquam ista Mulier curvatum est ad
terram,--Diabolus & Angeli ejus Animas hominum curvaverunt ad terras,
id est, ut pronæ in ea quæ terrena, superna non quærerent. _Sancti.
August. in Serm._ cccxcii. Qui occidentem sequuntur Literam terrena
sapiunt. _Sancti Hieron. in Lib. Amos, Ch._ i.
[103] Quid illa Mulier octo decem Annos habens in Infirmitate. Sex
Diebus Deus perfecit opera sua. Ter seni decem & octo faciunt. Quod
ergo significavit triennium in Arbore, hoc octo decem Anni in illa
Muliere. _In. Serm._ cx.
[104] _Luke Ch._ xiii. 7.
[105] 1 _Cor. Ch._ xiii. 9, 10.
[106] Ut Deus sex Dies in tantis Rebus fabricandis laboravit; ita &
Religio ejus & Veritas in his sex millibus Annorum laboret, necesse est,
malitia dominante & prevalente. Et rursus, quoniam perfectis operibus
requievit Die septimo, eumque benedixit; necesse est, ut in sine sexti
millessimi Anni Malitia omnis aboleatur e terra & regnet per Annos mille
justitia; sitq; tranquilltas & requies a Laboribus, quos Mundus jamdiu
perpessus est. _In Lanctant. Instit. Lib._ VII. _Ch._ xiv. Dies septimus
etiam nos ipsi erimus quando (Christi) Benedictione & sanctificatione
fuerimus pleni & refecti; ibi vacantes videbimus, quoniam ipse est Deus.
_Sancti August. de Civit. Dei. Lib._ XXII. _Ch._ xxx.
[107] Contemnenda non est accurata circa Nomina Diligentia ei qui
volucrit prole intelligere sacras Literas. _In Johan. Evang. Tom._ 8.
[108] Jam Archi-Synagogus adumbrat omnes Sacerdotes, &c. _In. Hom._ xii.
[109] Caluminabantur autem erigenti, qui, nisi curvi? _In Serm._
cccxcii.
[110] Sed nesciebat Archi-Synagogus vel hoc vel illud multo
excellentius sacramentum, quod Sabbato curando Dominus intimabat, quia
scilicet post sex hujus seculi Ætates perpetuæ Vitæ immortalis erat
gaudia daturus. _Venerab. Bed. in Loc._
[111] Ante Christum in cogniti & a solo sciente detecti. _In Lib._ II.
_adv. Gentes_.
[112] Consequens autem est ei, qui cognoscit quæ sit Hierusalem in
divisione veræ Hæreditatis filiorum Isræl, ut intelligat Sermonem de
Gehenna. _In Matt. Ch._ xxiii.
[113] Ego puto quod nomina hæc Scriptura divina non pro Historia
narraverit sed pro Causis & Rebus,--non enim tam Regum quam Vitiorum
Nomina, quæ regnant in hominibus referuntur. _In Numer. Ch._ xxxi.
[114] Quid ergo mirum videtur, si per singula genera Peccatorum
singuli Dæmones ascribuntur. _In Lib. Josu. Ch._ xi.
[115] Sed in alio quodam Libello, qui apellatur Testamentum duodecem
Patriarcharum, talem quendam sensum invenimus, quod per singulos
peccantes, singuli Satanæ intelligi debeant. Evidentius autem & ipsa
Nominis ejus interpretatio hoc idem significare videtur; _Satanas_
namq; Adversarius dicitur. Omnes ergo qui adversantur dei voluntati,
Satanæ possunt dici. _Ibid._
[116] On Miracles, _p._ 36.
[117] Quamdiu vera Pax veniat, & Sabbatismus, & Septem decadarum
Numerus.--Ecclesia non plenam recipiat Libertatem. _Sancti. Hieron. in
Zechar. Ch._ i.
[118] Illa Mulier curvata intelligitur figurare Ecclesiam, quam _in
Sexta Mundi Ætate_ a Captivitate Diaboli Jesus liberabit. _In Quæst._
25. _Dialog._ LXV _Quæst._
[119] Vidi Angelum habentem Clarem & Catenam ad ligandum
draconem.--_In Sexto Annorum Millenario_ hæc Res agitur. _De Civit.
Dei. L._ XX. _Ch._ vii.
[120] _Revel. Ch._ xx. _v._ 2.
[121] Propter Infinitatem Annorum Mille Annos dixit. _In Serm. de
Pænitentia._
[122] Diaboli Forman assumimus--Leonis Personam induimus &
Draconis,--quando crudeles & callidi sumus. _Origen. in Luc. Hom._ viii.
[123] _Mark Ch._ viii. _v._ 33.
[124] Defence of Christianity, _p._ 8.
[125] Doctioribus inter Judæos notissimum est,--quod Moses qui primus
fuit Salvator Isrælis etiam in omni Vita & Operibus suis fuerit Typus
& Figura ultimi Redemptoris. _Christian. Meyer de Gen. Christi_, p.
145. Judæi Veteres expectabant similem Ægyptiacæ Liberationem, ut
scilicet Pharaoh & omnis ejus Exercitus qui per 430 Annos Populum Dei
Captivum tenuit, in Mari Rubro submersus est; sic etiam Romani qui
eodem Annorum Numero Judæos possessuri, Ultione Domini deleantur.
_Sancti Hieron. in Joel. Ch._ v.
[126] See the Life of _William Lilly_.
[127] See Dr. _Hammond_ on the Place.
[128] Percontando de Viro, Occasionem cepit occulta revelandi. _Sancti
Cyril. Alex. in Loc._
[129] _John Ch._ x. _v._ 24.
[130] Fortasse verum non erat, _Judæos cum Samaritanis Commmercium non
habere_,--ac ne illud quidem verum, _neque Haustorium habes, & Puteus
altus est_,--fortasse etiam neque illud, _quod Jacob ex Puteo biberit,
& filii ejus, & Pecora_ ejus. _Origen. in Loc._
[131] Plena Mysteriis & gravida Sacramentis. _Sancti August. in Johan.
Ch._ iv.
[132] Evangelica Sacramenta in Domini nostri Jesu Christi dictis
factisque signata non omnibus patent, & ea nonnulli minus diligenter,
minusque sobrie interpretando, afferunt plerumque pro salute
Perniciem, & pro Cognitione Veritatis Errorem, inter quæ illud est
Sacramentum quod Scriptum est de hac Samaritana, _&c._ _In Quæst._ 63,
_de_ Lxxxiii. _Quest._
[133] [Greek: Ôs en typô palin êmin kai di ainigmatos ypodeikneus.]
_In Loc. Johan._
[134] Illa Mulier Typum gerebat Ecclesiæ, quæ ventura erat ex
Gentibus--Ecclesiæ non justificatæ, sed justificandæ. _Sancti. August.
in Loc. Johan._
[135] Tunc fatigatur Christus, quando nullam Virtutem in Populo suo
recognoscit. _Sancti August. in Serm._ xciii. _Appen._
[136] Hora sexta id est, sexta Ætate Generis Humani. _Sancti August.
in Quæst._ 64. lxxxiii. _Quæst._
[137] Puteus est Divina Scriptura, scientia scatens, ut aqua, Cujus
putei Profunditas sunt plena Mysteriis Symbola. _In Theoph. Ceram
Homil._ xxxviii. _de Samaritana_.
[138] Lex secundum Literam est aqua amara. _Hieronym. in Ezekiel. Ch._
xlvii. Qui bibit ex hac aqua sitiet rursus, id est, qui participat
profunditatem humanæ sapientiæ, prudentesque Rationes, receptis
Intelligentiis judicio suo inventis, tamen rursus secundo cogitans,
denuo dubitabit de his in quibus requieverat. _Origen. in Loc. Johan._
[139] _In Locum Johan. Evang._
[140] Quinque enim Viros habuisti, & nunc quem habes _non est Vir
tuus_. Sed non sunt hæc carnabiter accipienda, ne huic ipsi Mulieri
Samaritanæ similes videamur,--Per quinque Viros, quinque Libros Mosis
Nonnulli accipiunt--sed quinque Viri intelliguntur quinque Corporis
sensus. Et quia naturales sunt ipsi Sensus, qui ætatem primam regunt,
recte dicuntur Mariti. _In Quæst._ 64. _de_ lxxxiii. _Quæst._
[141] _Et nunc quem habes non est Vir tuus_; Quia non est in te
(Ecclesia) Spiritus qui intelligat Deum, cum quo legitimum potes
habere conjugium; sed Error Diaboli potius dominatur, qui te
adulterina Contaminatione corrumpit. _Venerab. Bedæ in Locum._
[142] Magna quidem acta sunt Sacramenta, sed augustum Tempus est, ut
omnia pertractentur. _In Serm._ xci. _Sect._ 2.
[143] _In his Dissertation on the Blessing of_ Judah.
[144] Ut Lex Umbram continet futurorum bonorum, quæ declarantur ab ea
Lege; sic etiam Evangelium, quod vel a quibusque vulgaribus intelligi
existimatur, Umbram docet Mysteriorum Christi. _In Præfat. ad Johan.
Evang._
A THIRD
DISCOURSE
ON THE
MIRACLES
OF OUR
_SAVIOUR_,
In VIEW of the Present
Controversy between INFIDELS
and APOSTATES.
_Litteratos gravissimo Somno stertere convincam_,
HIERON.
The Third Edition.
By THO. WOOLSTON, B.D. sometime
Fellow of _Sidney-College_ in _Cambridge_.
_LONDON_:
Printed for the Author, and Sold by him
next door to the _Star_, in _Aldermanbury_,
and by the Booksellers of _London_, and
_Westminster_. 1728.
[Price One Shilling.]
[Illustration]
TO THE
Right Reverend Father in GOD
_RICHARD_,
Lord Bishop of St. DAVID'S.
MY LORD,
_In your_ Sermon _before the_ Societies _for Reformation of Manners,
you are pleased to give a Character of my former_ Discourses on
Christ's Miracles; _which, tho' I don't at all like, yet I thank you
for the Favour of taking Notice of them; a_ Favour _that I have long'd
for from a considerable_ Clergyman; _but could not flatter myself
with the Hopes of receiving it from so great a_ Prelate.
_Some of the inferior_ Clergy, _whom I despise for their Ignorance and
Malice, have before in their Conversation represented me as an_
impious _and_ blasphemous Infidel; _and I have met with Affronts for
it: But I never imagin'd that any, much less your_ Lordship, _would
have ventur'd such a Character of me from the_ Press, _for fear of a
Resentment, which would not be agreeable. Surely your_ Lordship _has
not read my_ Discourses, _but has taken a Report of them upon Trust,
from some Ecclesiastical_ Noodle; _or you could never have been so
much mistaken about my Design in them_.
_I took myself to be a_ Christian _of the same Faith with the Fathers
of the Church; and, without Vanity, think, I have publish'd some
Tracts, in Defence of Christianity, equal, if not superior to any
Thing this Age has produced. I repeatedly also in my_ Discourses on
Miracles, _to obviate the Prejudices of an ignorant_ Clergy, _made
solemn Protestations of the Sincerity of my Design, not to do Service
to Infidelity, but to make Way for the Demonstration of_ Jesus_'s
Messiahship from Prophecy: But all these Asseverations of the
Integrity of my Heart, it seems, stand for nothing (and I don't wonder
at it) with the_ Clergy, _who in their Principles, their Oaths, and
Subscriptions are so accustom'd to prevaricate with God and Man. I
shall make no more serious Protestations of my Faith, but expect your_
Lordship _should soon publish a Defence of your foul_ Charge _against
me, that I may see what Skill you have in the impious and blasphemous
Writings of an_ Infidel.
_And if your railing_ Accusation _be not soon followed with a
Dissertation of more Reason, I shall insist on a publick Reparation of
the Injury done to my Reputation by your_ vile _and_ slanderous _Sermon;
and appeal to the worshipful_ Societies _for Reformation of Manners,
whether it be not just and reasonable, you should do one or the other_.
_Now I have laid hold on your_ Lordship, _than whom I could not have
wish'd for an_ Adversary, _that will do me more Honour to overcome, I
will hold you fast; and you must expect to be teaz'd and insulted from
the_ Press, _if you enter not the Lists against me_.
_A clear Stage_, my Lord, _and no Favour. If you have the Sword of the
Spirit in your Hand, cut as sharply as you can with it. I had
conceiv'd a great Opinion of your Learning, and should have been a
little apprehensive of the Power of it; if you had not in your_ Sermon
_betray'd as great Weakness and Ignorance, as could be in a poor_
Curat; _or you had never asserted that the_ Greek _Commentators
adher'd more strictly, to the litteral Sense of the Holy Scriptures;
as if you knew not, that St_. Theophilus _of_ Antioch, _and even_
Origen _himself and others, the greatest_ Allegorists, _if a
Comparison may be made, were_ Commentators _of the_ Greek _Church_.
_The sooner your_ Lordship _appears from the_ Press, _the better, in as
much as you may possibly prevent my Publication of more_ Discourses _of
this Kind. And that it may not be long first, I will accept of a
Dissertation from you, on any two or three of the Miracles, I have
handled, as sufficient for all. Take your Choice of them: but don't I
beseech you, touch the Miracle of_ Jesus_'s driving the_ Buyers _and_
Sellers _out of the Temple, because it is a_ hot _one, and may possibly
burn your Fingers. The Miracles, that I have most ludicrously and, of
consequence, most offensively handled, are the_ two _of this present
Discourse. If you please_, my Lord, _let them be the easy and short Task
imposed on you. If you can defend the Letter of the Stories of these_
two _Miracles, I'll quietly give up the Rest to you._
_So heartily thanking your_ Lordship _for the Favour done me, in
taking Notice of my_ Discourses on Miracles, _which shall be turn'd to
good Use and Advantage, I subscribe myself_,
[Sidenote: _Feb. 26. 1728_]
_My LORD_,
_Your most obliged_
_Humble Servant_,
Tho. Woolston.
[Illustration]
A THIRD
DISCOURSE
ON THE
MIRACLES
OF OUR
_SAVIOUR_, &c.
My two former Discourses having met with a favourable Reception, I am
encourag'd to go on and publish another; which, without any more
Preface, I enter upon, by a Repetition of three general Heads, at
first proposed to be spoken to, and they were,
I. To show that the Miracles of healing all Manner of bodily Diseases,
which _Jesus_ was justly famed for, are none of the proper Miracles of
the _Messiah_, neither are they so much as a good Proof of his divine
Authority, to found a Religion.
II. To prove, that the literal History of many of the Miracles of
_Jesus_, as recorded by the _Evangelists_, does imply Absurdities,
Improbabilities, and Incredibilities; consequently they, either in
whole or in part, were never wrought, as they are commonly believed
now-a-days, but are only related as prophetical and Parabolical
Narratives of what would be mysteriously and more wonderfully done by
him.
III. To consider, what _Jesus_ means, when he appeals to his Miracles,
as to a Testimony and a Witness of his divine Authority; and to show
that he could not properly and ultimately refer to those he then
wrought in the _Flesh_, but to those Mystical ones, that he would do
in the _Spirit_, of which those wrought in the Flesh are but mere
Types and Shadows.
Tho' I have already, spoken what may be thought sufficient, to the
first of these Heads; yet I have several Things still, both from
Reason and Authority, to add to it; but having not here a convenient
Place for that purpose, I defer it to a better Opportunity; and so
pass immediately to the Resumption of my
II. Second general Head, and that is, to prove, that the literal
History of many of the Miracles of _Jesus_, as recorded by the
_Evangelists_, does imply Absurdities, Improbabilities and
Incredibilities; consequently they, either in whole or in part were
never wrought, as it is commonly believed now-a-days, but are only
related, as Prophetical and parabolical Narratives of what would be
mysteriously and more wonderfully done by him.
To this Purpose I have taken into Examination six of the Miracles of
_Jesus_, _viz._ those.
1. Of his driving the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple.
2. Of his exorcising the _Devils_ out of the Mad-men, and sending them
into the Herd of Swine.
3. Of his Transfiguration on the Mount.
4. Of his healing a Woman, that had an Issue of Blood, twelve Years.
5. Of his curing a Woman that had a Spirit of Infirmity, eighteen
Years, and
6. Of his telling the _Samaritan_ Woman her Fortune of having had five
Husbands, and being then an Adulteress with another Man.
Whether I have not prov'd the Storys of these Miracles, either in
whole or in part, to consist of Absurdities, Improbabilities, and
incredibilities, according to the Proposition before us, I leave my
_Readers_ to judge; and now will take in Hand
7. A Seventh Miracle of _Jesus_; _viz._ that[145] _of his cursing the
Figtree, for not bearing Fruit out of Season_; which Miracle, upon the
bare mention of it, appears to be such an absurd, foolish, and
ridiculous, if not malicious and ill-natured Act in _Jesus_, that I
question, whether, for Folly and Absurdity, it can be equalled in any
Instance of the Life of a reputed wise Man. The Fathers, such as
_Origen_, St. _Augustin_, St. _John of Jerusalem_, and others, have
all said as smart Things, as the wittiest Infidels can, against the
Letter of this Story. St. _Augustin_[146] very plainly says, that
_this Fact in Jesus_, upon Supposition that it was done, was _a
foolish one_. If therefore I treat this Story a little more
ludicrously than ordinary, and expose the Folly of the Fact as well as
of the modern Belief of it, I hope their Authority and Example will
plead my Excuse for it.
_Jesus_ was hungry, it seems, and being disappointed of Figs, to the
Satisfaction of his Appetite, cursed the Figtree. Why so peevish and
impatient? Our _Divines_, when they please, make _Jesus_ the most
patient, resign'd and easy under Sufferings, Troubles and
Disappointments, of any Man. If he really was so, he could hardly have
been so much out of Humour, for want of a few Figs, to the Allay of
his Hunger. But to curse the Figtree upon it, was as foolishly and
passionately done, as for another Man to throw the Chairs and Stools
about the House; because his Dinner is not ready at a critical Time,
or before it could be got ready for him.
But _Jesus_ was hungry, some will say, and the Disappointment provoked
him. What if he was hungry? He should, as he knew the Return of his
Appetite, have made a better and more certain Provision for it. Where
was _Judas_ his Steward and Caterer with his Bag of Victuals as well
as Money? Poor Forecast, and Management amongst them, or _Jesus_ had
never trusted to the uncertain Fruits of a Figtree, which he espy'd at
a Distance, for his Breakfast.
And if _Jesus_ was frustrated of a long'd-for Meal of Figs, what need he
have so reveng'd the Disappointment on the[147] senseless and faultless
Tree? Was it, because he was forc'd to fast longer than usual and
expedient? not so, I hope neither: Could not Angels, if he was in a
desert Place, have administered unto him? Or could not he miraculously
have created Bread for himself and his Company, as he multiplied or
increased the Loaves for his Thousands in the Wilderness? What Occasion
then for his being out of Humour for want of Food? If he was of Power to
provide Bread for others on a sudden, he might sure have supply'd his
own Necessities, and so have kept his Temper, without breaking into a
violent Fit of Passion, upon present Want and Disappointment.
But what is yet worse, _the Time of Figs was not yet_, when Jesus
look'd and long'd for them. Did ever any one hear or read of any
thing more[148] unreasonable than for a Man to expect Fruit out of
Season? _Jesus_ could not but know this before he came to the Tree,
and if he had had any Consideration, he would not have expected Figs
on it, much less, if he had regarded his own Reputation, as a wise
Man, would he have so resented the Want of them. What, if a _Yeoman_
of _Kent_ should go to look for _Pipins_ in his Orchard at _Easter_,
(the supposed Time[149] that _Jesus_ sought for these Figs) and,
because of a Disappointment, cut down all his Trees; What then would
his Neighbours make of him; Nothing less, than a _Laughing-stock_; and
if the Story got into our publick News, he would be the Jest and
Ridicule of Mankind. How _Jesus_ salv'd his Credit upon this his wild
Prank; and prevented the Laughter of the _Scribes_ and _Pharisees_
upon it, I know not; but I cannot think of this Part of the Letter of
this Story, without smiling at it at this Day; and wonder our
_Divines_ are not laugh'd out of Countenance for reading it gravely,
and having _Jesus_ in Admiration for it.
Again, I would gladly know, whose Figtree this was, and whether
_Jesus_ had any legal Right to the Fruit, if haply he had found any on
it, or any Leave or Authority to smite it with a Curse for its
Unfruitfulness? As to the Tree's being _Jesus_'s Property, that could
not be. For he was so far from being either Landlord or Tenant, that
it's said he had not where to lay his Head. During the Time of his
Ministry, he was but a Wanderer, like a Mendicant Fryar, or an
itinerant Preach
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