A SIXTH DISCOURSE ON THE MIRACLES OF OUR SAVIOUR, &c.
[]HERE goes my ſixth and laſt Diſcourſe on Jeſus's Mi⯑racles; the Subject whereof is the literal Story of his own Reſurrection; which, according to the Propoſition in hand, I am to ſhow to conſiſt of Ab⯑ſurditys, Improbabilitys and Incredibilitys. And I hope our Biſhops will quietly per⯑mit the Publication of this Diſcourſe, eſ⯑pecially [2] if I aſſure them, that I mean no⯑thing worſe by it, than to make way for the Underſtanding, what the Fathers write of, the myſtical Reſurrection of Jeſus out of the Grave of the Letter of the Law and the Prophets;, of which myſtical Re⯑ſurrection of our ſpiritual Jeſus, the Evangelical Story of the Reſurrection of a carnal Chriſt is but mere Type and Sha⯑dow.
I am ſo far from deſigning any Service to Infidelity by this Diſcourſe, that I aim at the Accompliſhment of ſome of St. John's Apocalyptical Viſions. The Fa⯑thers ſay that a Church, built on the Letter of the Scriptures, particularly on the Letter of Jeſus's Miracles, is Babylon; and that antiliteral Arguments and myſ⯑tical Interpretations will be the downfal of her. Whether there is any Truth in this Opinion of the Fathers, I am minded to make the Experiment; and tho I ſhould bring the old Houſe of the Church over my Head, and be cruſh'd to Pieces in its Ruins, I can't forbear it: But however, I would adviſe the Clergy to make haſte and come out of Babylon, for fear of the worſt; or they, who upon the Authority of the Fathers are the Merchants of Ba⯑bylon, will weep 1 and mourn upon her [3] Fall, becauſe none will buy their Mer⯑chandize of the Letter any more. Dear Jeſu, that ſuch a Student, as I am, in the Revelations of St. John, and an Inter⯑preter of them too upon the Authority of the Fathers ſhould be charg'd with Blaſ⯑phemy and Infidelity!
So to Work I went; and I had not been long muſing by myſelf, how to ſap this Foundation of the Church, before I was ſenſible of my own Inſufficiency for it. Whereupon I ſent to my old Friend, the Jewiſh Rabbi, for his Thoughts on this grand Miracle of Jeſus's Reſurrection, which he gave me ſome Promiſe of But I deſired him to forbear all Ludicrouſ⯑neſs, Satire and Banter for fear of Offence: For tho our Clergy liked Volumes of Jeſts and Facetiouſneſs, if they were diſcharg'd againſt Jews, Turks, and Infidels; yet when they were levell'd at Miniſters of the Letter the Caſe was alter'd, as quoth Plowden, and they were not to be born with. Therefore he was to remember that decency, ſeriouſneſs and calmneſs of Argument, required by the Biſhop of Lon⯑don 2 or I durſt not print it.
In Compliance with my Deſires he ſent me the following Letter, which, having [4] purg'd it of a few Puns and Cunundrums, becauſe all Appearance of Wit, as of Evil, was to be abſtain'd from, I here publiſh, and it runs thus.
ACcording to your Requeſt, I here ſend you my Thoughts on Jeſus's Reſurrection, in which I ſhall be ſhorter than I would be, becauſe of the cuſtomary Bounds of your Diſcourſe.
The Controverſy between us Jews and you Chriſtians about the Meſſiah has hi⯑therto been of a diffuſive Nature: But as the ſubject of this is the Reſurrection of your Jeſus; ſo by my Conſent, we'll now reduce the Controverſy to a narrow Compaſs, and let it turn entirely on this grand Miracle and Article of your Faith. If your Divines can prove Jeſus's Reſur⯑rection againſt the following Objections, then I will acknowledge him to be the Meſſiab, and will turn Chtiſtian, other⯑wiſe he muſt ſtill paſs with us for an Impoſtor and falſe Prophet.
I have often lamented the Loſs of ſuch Writings, which our Anceſtors unquestio⯑nably diſpers'd againſt Jeſus, becauſe of the cl [...]ar fight they would give us, into the Cheat and Impoſture of his Religion. [5] But I rejoice and thank God, there is lit⯑tle or no want of them, to the Point in Hand. For I had not long meditated on the Story of Jeſus's Reſurrection, as your Evangeliſts have related it, but I plainly diſcern'd it to be the moſt notorious and monſtrous Impoſture, that ever was put upon Mankind. And if you pleaſe to at⯑tend to my following Arguments, which require no depth of Judgment and Capa⯑city to apprehend, I am perſuaded that you and every one diſintereſted, will be of the ſame Mind too.
To overthrow and confute the Story of this monſtrous and incredible Miracle, I was thinking once to premiſe an Argument of the Juſtice of the Sentence denounc'd againſt and executed upon Jeſus, who was ſo far from being the innocent Perſon, you Chriſ⯑tians would make of him, that, as may ea⯑ſily be proved, he was ſo grand a Deceiver, Impoſtor and Malefactor, as no Puniſh⯑ment could be too great for him. But this Argument (which I reſerve againſt a Day of perfect Liberty, to publiſh by itſelf in Defence of the Honour and Juſ⯑tice of our Anceſtors) would be too long for the Compaſs of this Letter; and therefore I paſs it by, tho it would give Force to my following Objections; it be⯑ing hard and even impoſſible to imagine, [6] that God would vouchſafe the Favour of a miraculous Reſurrection to one, who for his Crimes deſervedly ſuffer'd and under⯑went Death.
But waveing, I ſay, that Argument for the preſent, which of itſelf would be enough to prejudice a reaſonable Man againſt the Belief of Jeſus's Reſurrection; I will allow Jeſus to have been a much better Man, than I believe him to have been; or as good a one in Morals as your Divines do ſuppoſe him; and will only conſider the Circumſtances of the Evange⯑lical Story of his Reſurrection; from which, if I don't prove it to have been the moſt bare-fac'd Impoſture that ever was put upon the World, I deſerve for the Va⯑nity of this Attempt a much worſe Pu⯑niſhment than he for his Frauds endu⯑red.
I have ſometimes wonder'd, conſidering the Nature and Heinouſneſs of Jeſus's Faults, for which he dy'd, that our Chief Prieſts and Phariſees had any regard to his Prediction (which was ſo like a Bambou⯑zlement of the Populace) that he was to riſe again the third Day after his Crucifixion. There's no other Nation in the World, which would not have ſlighted ſuch a vain Prognoſtication of a known Impoſtor. Let him foretel with ever ſo much Con⯑fidence [7] his ſpeedy return to Life, I dare ſay, any other Magiſtrates of ordinary Pru⯑dence would have deſpiſed him for a pre⯑ſumptuous Enthuſiaſt: But, when I reflec⯑ted on the Impoſture of Lazarus's Reſur⯑rection, and of what pernicious Conſe⯑quence it had like to have proved to the Peace and Welfare of our Nation, if it had not been happily diſcover'd, my Wonder here ceas'd; and I as much ad⯑mire now the Wiſdom, Caution and Circumſpection of our Chief Prieſts againſt all poſſible Fraud and Deceit in the fore⯑told Reſurrection of Jeſus. Tho Jeſus himſelf, the Head of the Confederacy, and prime Projector of the deſign'd Cheat in the Caſe of Lazarus was cut off, yet his Aſſociates were ſtill numerous; and it was not impoſſible, but they might concert a Project of a counterfeited Reſurrection of him, in Accompliſhment of his Prophecy, that might be of more fatal Conſequence, and tend to ſuch Confuſions and Diſtrac⯑tions among the People, as would not be ſoon quell'd and quieted. Whereupon our Chief Prieſts very prudently conſider of Precautions againſt Cheat here, and wiſely make Application to Pilat the Governor, that proper and effectual Meaſures may be taken againſt a falſe and feign'd Reſurrec⯑tion, for Fear of the ill Effects of it. [8] And one of them, as the Spokeſman of their Company, ſeems, according to Mat⯑thew, Ch. xxvii. to have made the Speech following.
We remember that this De⯑ceiver and Impoſtor Jeſus, who was yeſterday crucified and juſtly ſuffer'd Death for his Blaſphemy and many De⯑luſions of the People (that were of bad Conſequence, and might have been of much worſe, if he had not been timely brought to condign Puniſhment) ſaid repeatedly before, that notwithſtanding the Death he was to undergo, he ſhould riſe again to Life the third Day after. It is not that we are at all apprehenſive of ſuch a wonderful and miraculous Event, which knowing him to have been a falſe Prophet as well as a de⯑ceitful Juggler, we have no Fears nor Belief of. But as it is not long ſince, that the Inhabitants in and about Be⯑thany had like to have been fatally de⯑luded and impoſed on by him, in the pretended Reſuſcitation of Lazarus, one of his Diſciples and Confederates in Ini⯑quity; ſo it is not altogether impoſſible nor improbable bat his Diſciples and Accomplices, who are many, may pro⯑ject a feign'd Reſurrection of Jeſus, (in [9] Accompliſhment of his Prediction) by ſtealing his Body away, and pretend⯑ing he is riſen from the dead. Should ſuch a Sham-Miracle be contrived a⯑mongſt them and cunningly executed it would be [...] (not an Error but) an Impoſture of worſe Conſequence to our Nation and Religion, than the former in Lazarus could have been, if it had never been detected: We crave there⯑fore the Favour of your Excellency, to give Command for the making his Se⯑pulchre ſure, till the third Day is paſt, that neither his dead Body may be ta⯑ken away, and a Reſurrection pretend⯑ed; nor a living one ſlipt into its Place, and a Miracle counterfeited on that Day, when we will be preſent at the opening of the Sepulchre, and give Satisfaction to the People of his being a falſe Pro⯑phet.
Whether Pilat was at all intent on the Prevention of Fraud in this Caſe, or would not willingly have connived at it, to in⯑creaſe the Diviſions and Diſtractions of our then unhappy Nation, may be queſtion'd: But the Requeſt of our Chief Prieſts was ſo reaſonable, and their Importunitys ſo urgent, that he could not reſiſt them; and therefore order'd them a Watch for the [10] Sepulchre, which they might make as ſure, as they could, againſt Fraud and Impoſture, till the third Day.
Whereupon our Chief Prieſts deliberate, what meaſures were fitteſt to be taken to this Purpoſe. And as I can't, and don't believe any Man elſe can, deviſe any bet⯑ter for the ſecurity of the Sepulchre a⯑gainſt Fraud, than what they took; ſo I admire and applaud their Prudence, Cir⯑cumſpection, and Precaution in the Caſe. They ſeal'd the Stone at the mouth of the Sepulchre, and placed a Guard of Sol⯑diers about it; which were Two ſuch cer⯑tain means for the Prevention or Detec⯑tion of Cheat in a Reſurrection, as are not to be equall'd by any other.
They ſeal'd the Stone of the Sepulchre, which, tho it was no Security at all a⯑gainſt Violence, yet was an abſolute one againſt Fraud. How the Stone which fit⯑ted the Mouth of the Sepulchre, as a Door do's the Entrance into a Room, was ſeal'd, I need not deſcribe. The uſe and man⯑ner of ſealing of Doors of Cloſets, of Cheſts, and of Papers is common; and as it is an obvious Expedient, for the Satisfaction of the Signators, againſt De⯑ceit; ſo it has been an antient as well as a modern Practice. Nebuchadnezzar 3 [11] ſeal'd the Door of the Den of Lions wherein Daniel was caſt, with his own Signet: And wherefore did He ſo? For the Satisfaction of himſelf and of his Cour⯑tiers, when he came again to open and compare the Signature with his Signet, that no Art nor Artifice hid been uſed for the Preſervation of Daniel. So our Chief Prieſts ſeal'd the Stone of Jeſus's Sepul⯑chre, which they deſign'd to be preſent at the opening of, on the third Day, the Time appointed by Jeſus for his Reſur⯑rection, and then give ample Satisfaction to the People, that there was a real or could be no Reſurrection of his Body. Wherefore elſe did they ſeal the Stone of his Sepulchre?
Your Grotius 4 thinks, that Pilat's Seal was affix'd to the Stone of the Sepul⯑chre; but, as I believe, Pilat little con⯑cern'd himſelf about the Prevention of De⯑ceit here; ſo I much queſtion it. It is more reaſonable to think that the Chief Prieſts and other Civil Magiſtrates of Je⯑ruſalem with their ſeveral Seals, which could not be open'd but by themſelves without ſuſpicion of Fraud, ſign'd the [12] Stone, and intended to be preſent, on the Day appointed, at the opening of the Sepulchre; not doubting, what no body could queſtion, but Jeſus would wait their coming, and ariſe to Life if he could, in the ſight of themſelves, and of a vaſt Con⯑courſe of People, that were ſure to at⯑tend on them to behold the Miracle. Such a Reſurrection would have been of Satiſ⯑faction to the whole Nation; and ſuch a Reſurrection, reaſonably ſpeaking, Jeſus would, if he could, have vouchſafed in Accommodation to the ſealing of the Stone.
But, notwithſtanding this Precaution, in ſealing of the Stone, the beſt that could be taken againſt Fraud, Jeſus's Body was privately ſlipt off, early in the Morn⯑ing of the Day before, and a Reſurrection pretended by his Diſciples; and you would have us and our Anceſtors to be⯑lieve, there was no Deceit in the Caſe; tho confeſſedly none of the Sealers of the Sepulchre were preſent: Who can believe it? Was or can there be any Impoſture more againſt: Senſe and Reaſon palm'd upon the Underſtandings of Man⯑kind? If there had been a real Reſurrecti⯑on, the Sealers of the Stone would have [13] been the Openers of the Sepulchre; where⯑fore elſe was the Stone ſeal'd?
A Queſtion, that here ariſes, is, On what Day and what Time of the Day, did our Chief Prieſts, the Sealers of the Stone, expect, what they could not think would ever come to paſs, Jeſus's Reſur⯑rection? Or what was the Extent of the Time meant by Jeſus, when he ſaid that after three Days, or on the third Day after his Paſſion, he ſhould riſe again? if any Impoſtor or Prophet like Jeſus ſhould in this Age ſo predict his Reſurrection, and be executed on a Fryday, the Day for his Reſurrection would be preſumed to be Monday, and not Sunday Morning before Day. And I humbly conceive former Ages and Nations, and our Nation in particular did compute after this Faſhion. Accordingly on Monday our Chief Prieſts, I don't doubt, intended to be preſent at the opening of the Seals of the Sepulchre, and to behold the Miracle: But Jeſus's Body was clandeſtinely moved off early on Sunday, (the Day before that ſignified and predicted for his Reſurrection) to the Laughter more than to the ſurprize of our Anceſtors, at the Notoriety of the Fraud committed, and at the Vanity of a Re⯑ſurrection pretended upon it. And I may [14] appeal, even to your Chief Prieſts of the Church, whether here's not another Note of Cheat and Impoſture; and whether the Diſciples were not afraid to truſt Je⯑ſus's Body, it's full time, in the Grave; becauſe of the greater Difficulty to carry it off afterwards, and pretend a Reſur⯑rection upon it.
But becauſe your Divines (who have ſingular Knacks at making two Nights and a full Day, that Jeſus was buried, to be three Days and three Nights; and whoſe various Ways of Computation I always ſmile at) do aſſert that Sunday was the third Day, on which, in Accompliſhment of Jonah's Prophecy, and of his own Prediction, he was to riſe again; I will ſuppoſe ſo with them, and will, if they pleaſe, grant that our Chief Prieſts, the Sealers of the Sepul⯑chre, expected his Reſurrection on that Day, and intended, for the opening of the Seals, to be preſent at it.
But at what Time of Day were they to come or could be expected at the Se⯑pulchre? Not long before Noon. But Jeſus's Body was gone betimes in the Morning, before our Chief Prieſts could be out of their Beds; and a barefaced In⯑fringment of the Seals of the Sepulchre was made againſt the Laws of Honour and [15] Honeſty, and a Reſurrection confidently talk'd of by the Diſciples; and yet your Chriſtian Prieſthood at this Day would have us to believe, there was no Fraud and Deceit in all this! O moſt mon⯑ſtrous!
If our Chief Prieſts had treſpaſs'd upon Jeſus's Patience, and would not attend at the Sepulchre for the opening of the Seals, on the Day and Time appointed; if they hid been for confining him longer in the Grave than was meet, according to Pro⯑phecy, then his Reſurrection, without their Preſence, had been excuſable and juſtifiable. But this his pretended Riſing to Life, not only a Day before the Chief Prieſts could imagine he would, or earlier in the Morning than he ſhould, for the Sake of their requiſite Preſence, is, together with the Fracture of the Seals againſt the Law of Security, ſuch a manifeſt and indiſpu⯑table Mark and Indication of Fraud, as is not to be equall'd in all or any of the Impoſtures, that ever were attempted to be put upon the World.
In ſhort, by the Sealing of the Stone of the Sepulchre we are to underſtand nothing leſs than a Covenant enterd into, between our Cheif Prieſts and the Apoſtles, by which Jeſus's Veracity, Power and [16] Meſſiahſhip was to be try'd. Tho we read not of the Apoſtles giving their Conſent to the Covenant, yet it was reaſonably pre⯑ſum'd and could not have been refus'd, if ask'd. The Condition of the ſeal'd Cove⯑nant was, that if Jeſus aroſe from the dead in the Preſence of our Cheif Prieſts upon their opening the Seals of the Sepulchre, at the Time appointed; then was he to be acknowledg'd to be the Meſſiah: But if he continued in a corrupt and putrified ſtate of Mortality, then was he to be granted to be an Impoſtor: Very wiſely and right⯑ly agreed! And if the Apoſtles had ſtood to this Covenant, Chriſtianity had been nipt in its Bud, and ſuppreſs'd in its Birth. But they had other Views and another Game to play at all Adventures. The Body was to be removed and a Reſur⯑rection pretended to the Deluſion, it poſ⯑ſibe, of all Mankind, in which they have been more ſucceſsful than could be imagin'd upon a Project that had ſo little Senſe or Reaſon, ſo little Colour of Truth or Arti⯑fice in the Contrivance and Execution of it. Our Cheif Prieſts were apprehenſive at firſt of their ſtealing the Body away, and pretending a Reſurrection: Bat af⯑ter the ſealing of the Stone, thoſe fears vaniſh'd; becauſe upon the ſtealing the [17] Body, away againſt ſuch ſecurity and Pre⯑caution, the Fraud would be felf evident, and want no Demonſtration and Proof of it. Bur, for all this Precaution, I ſay, the Body was in a barefaced Manner taken away, a Reſurrection talk'd of, and to the Amazement of every one, who can think freely, has been beleived thro' all Ages of the Church ſince. Upon the whole then, I think, you may as well ſay, when a ſeal'd Cloſet is broken open, and the Treaſure gone without the Privity of the Signators, that there's no wrong done; as that in the Reſurrection of Jeſus, there was no Fraud. The Caſes are equal and parallel. What then can your Chriſtian, Prieſts ſay to this demonſtrative Argu⯑ment of a manifeſt and bare-faced Cheat in Jeſus's Reſurrection? I have been thinking, what they will or can ſay; and upon the matureſt Consideration I don't find they can make any other than one or more of theſe ſhuffling Anſwers to it, viz.
- 1. That it was impoſſible for the Diſ⯑ciples to Steal the Body of Jeſus away, becauſe of the Watchfulneſs of the Guards; and therefore there was a real Reſurrec⯑tion, tho the Cheif Prieſts and Sellers of Sepulchre were not preſent at it.
- [18]2. That tho the Cheif Prieſts and Seal⯑ers of the ſtone of the Sepulchre were not preſenr, as I ſay they ought to have been, to behold the Miracle; yet his Reſurrection was afterwards made as manifeſt to them, as if they had been there preſent.
- 3. That if Jeſus did not really ariſe from the dead, the Beleif of his Reſur⯑rection could never have been ſo propaga⯑ted at firſt, nor would have been retain'd in the World for ſo many Ages ſince.
I can think of no other Anſwers, and believe it impoſſible for your Chriſtian Prieſts to form any other, to the fore⯑ſaid Argument of Fraud in Jeſus's Re⯑ſurrection: But how weak, frivolous and inſufficient they all and every one are, will appear upon a little Examination in⯑to them.
1. Then, againſt the foreſaid demon⯑ſtrative Argument of Fraud, it may be pretended, That it was impoſſible for the Diſciples to ſteal the Body of Jeſus away, becauſe of the Watchfulneſs of the Guards; and therefore there was a real Reſurrec⯑tion, tho the Cheif Prieſts, the Sealers of the Sepulchre were not preſent at it.
[19] To which I reply, and confeſs, that if it was impoſſible to evade the Guards of the Sepulchre, then there was a real Reſur⯑rection; but if there was but a bare Poſ⯑ſibility of evading them, then this Anſwer is of no Force. And I am of Opinion, that the Thing was not only poſſible, but eaſy, feaſſible, and practicable. Tho the Roman Soldiers were of as much Fi⯑delity and Integrity as any of their Pro⯑feſſion; yet it is well known, that ſuch Creatures are ſubject to Bribery and Cor⯑ruption, if the Diſciples had any Money to tempt them with: Or if their Faith⯑fulneſs to their Truſt was untainted; yet it is not improbable, but their Offi⯑cers, at the Direction of Pilat, who found his Account in the Diſtractions of our Nation, might give them the Hint to wink hard, at the Commiſſion of ſuch a Fraud. But not to inſiſt on either of theſe Ways to evade the Watch; our Anceſtors ſaid, what your Evangeliſt has recorded, that the Diſciples, taking the opportunity of the ſleep of the Guards, carry'd the Body of Jeſus off; which was a thing both poſſible and probable.
Of what Number the Watch did conſiſt is uncertain. Your Whitly 5 ſays they [20] were ſixty; but he has no Reaſon nor Au⯑thority to think, they were ſo many. If they had been to be a Guard againſt Vio⯑lence, I ſhould eaſily have believed they were more; but in as much as they were only a Watch againſt Fraud, and againſt any caſual defaceing of the Seals on the Stone, before the Cheif Prieſts came to open the Sepulchre, three or four Soldiers were ſufficient, and I don't think, there were any more ſet to this Purpoſe.
It is not then at all improbable, that ſo few Soldiers ſhould be faſt aſleep at that time of Night, or ſo early in the Morn⯑ing, when the clandeſtine Work was done; eſpecially after keeping ſuch a Gaudy day, as was the Feaſt of the Paſſover, which, like the Feſtivals of other Nations, was celebrated with Exceſs. Foot Soldiers then, you may be ſure, upon the Bounty of one or other did no more want, than they would ſcruple to take their Fill, which like an Opiat lock'd up their Senſes for that Night, when the Diſciples, be⯑ing aware of the lucky opportunity, car⯑ry'd the Body of Jeſus off ſafely.
And where's the Abſurdity to ſuppoſe, that the Diſciples themſelves might con⯑trive the Intoxication of the Guards? Herodotus tells us a Story of a dead-Body's [21] being ſtolen away by ſuch an Artifice. And I don't think the Diſci⯑ples of Jeſus either ſo fooliſh or con⯑ſcientious as not to take the Hint and enterpriſe the like Fraud. Peter, who upon occaſion, could ſwear and curſe like a Trooper, would hardly ſcruple to fuddle a few Foot-Soldiers. But which way ſoever it came to paſs, the Watch were aſleep, which is neither hard to conceive nor believe; and then the Diſciples executed that Fraud, which has been the Deluſion of Nations and Ages ſince.
Your Evangeliſts would hint that the Cheif Prieſts gave Money to the Soldiers to ſay, they were aſleep, when the Diſ⯑ciples ſtole the Body of Jeſus away, as if they were brib'd to a falſe Teſti⯑mony; but there neither was nor could be any ſuch Thing. If there had been a real Reſurrection to their Aſtoniſhment and Amazement, as it is repreſented in your Goſpels, no Money could ſo ſoon have corrupted them to a falſe Witneſs, being under ſuch Fears of God and of Jeſus. I don't doubt but our Cheif Prieſts might reward the Soldiers for ſpeak⯑ing the Truth, and exhort them to per⯑ſiſt in it, with a Promiſe to ſecure them [22] againſt the Anger of Pilat for their ſleep⯑ing and neglect of their Duty.
Here then is no Anſwer to the foreſaid Argument or Objection againſt Jeſus's Reſurrection. It was not at all impoſſible for the Diſciples, who ſtole the Body away, to avoid the Guards, who were and may reaſonably be ſuppoſed to be lull'd aſleep, when the Diſciples did it. Neither is there any more Force in the
2. Second Anſwer to it, viz. That tho the Cheif Prieſts, the ſealers of the Stone of ths Sepulchre, were not preſent, opening the Seals and beholding the Mi⯑racle; yet his Reſurrection was after⯑wards as manifeſt to them, as if they had been there preſent.
Ay, this is ſomewhat like an Anſwer, if there be any Truth in it. A Manifeſtation of Chriſt riſen afterwards to our Cheif Prieſts would have been equivalent to their Pre⯑ſence at, and ſight of the Miracle. But how was his Reſurrection manifeſted to them? did Jeſus ever afterwards appear perſonally to them, to their ſatisfaction, that he was the ſame Perſon, whom they crucified and put to Death for a Deceiver and falſe Prophet? No; this is not once aſſerted by your Evangeliſts or ever inſi⯑nuated by any antient or modern Writer. How then was Jeſus's Reſurrection made [23] manifeſt to our Cheif Prieſts? Why; your Divines ſay, what is all that can be ſaid here, that the Words of the Diſciples, who, being Men of Honeſty, Simplicity and In⯑tegrity, would not Lye, are to be taken for it. Very fine indeed! our Cheif Prieſts are to take the Words of the Diſciples for Jeſus's Reſurrection, and look upon them as Men of Veracity, when they knew and experienc'd them to be grand Cheats, not only in Stealing the Body of Jeſus away, but in the known Impoſture of Lazarus's Reſurrection, or your Evangeliſt had never implicitly called it ſo. When therefore Deceivers will not be Lyers; nor Theives, Diſſemblers of the Fact, they are accuſed of, I will own Jeſus's Reſurrection to have been manifeſt enough to our Cheif Prieſts. There's no Need of more Argument here; He that beſtows more Words on it, loſes Time.
It has been a Conſtant Objection of us Jews againſt the Reſurrection of Jeſus, that he appear'd not perſonally afterwards to our Cheif Prieſts, to Pilat and to others his Crucifiers and Inſultors, to upbraid them with their Infidelity and ill Treat⯑ment of him. Whether Jeſus would not have done ſo, if he really aroſe from the dead; and whether he ought not in Rea⯑ſon, for the Conviction and Converſion of [24] Unbeleivers, to have done ſo, with me is no Queſtion. Celſus of old 6 in the Name of the Jews made the Objection; and Olibio, a late Rabbi 7 has repeated it. But in all my Reading and Converſation with Men or Books I never met with a tolerable Anſwer to it. Origen and Lim⯑borch, the Writers againſt Celſus and Olibio, gently ſlide over the Objection, as if it was too hot or weighty to be touch'd and handled by them. To recite the poor, ſhort and inſufficient Anſwers of thoſe two great Authors, to the Objection, would be the Expoſing of them, and giving ſuch Strength to the Objection, which it don't want. Therefore I will leave the Objection, which Origen 8 owns to be a conſiderable one, to the Meditation of your modern Advocates for Chriſtianity; and when they can prove, that Jeſus after his Reſurrection did per⯑ſonally appear to his Crucifiers, the Cheif [25] Prieſts and Sealers of the Sepulchre, to their Confutation; or that, according to the Law of Reaſon, he ought not to have appeared to them, then I will turn Chriſtian and grant that in the Argu⯑ment above, which proves plain Fraud in the Reſurrection, there's no Force nor Truth. In the mean time Jeſus's Non-Appearance to the Cheif Prieſts is a Con⯑firmation, that he did not ariſe from the Dead, bat that his Body was ſtolen away, or he would have waited in the Grave, the coming of the Sealers of the Stone, and their regular opening of the Sepul⯑chre, to the Conviction and Converſion of all there preſent and Confirmation of the Faith of all Ages and Nations ſince, But,
3. A third Anſwer to the foreſaid Ar⯑gument of Fraud in the Reſurrection of Jeſus, drawn from the Nature, Uſe and Deſign of ſealing the Stone of the Sepul⯑chre, is, that tho the Sealers of the Sepul⯑chre were not preſent, opening the Seals and beholding the Miracle; yet Jeſus did certainly ariſe from the Dead, or the Be⯑lief of his Reſurrecton could never have been at firſt propagated by the Apoſtles, nor would for ſo many Ages of the Church ſince have ſtood its Ground.
[26] Here's as little Reaſon in this Anſwer as in either of the two former. Who knows not, that many Errors in Philoſo⯑phy, and as many Frauds in Religion have been ſometimes accidentally, ſometimes deſignedly eſpous'd and palm'd upon Man⯑kind, who in Proceſs of Time become ſo wedded [...] them thro' Prejudice and In⯑tereſt, that they will not give themſelves Leave to enquire into the Riſe and Foun⯑dation of them. Falſe Miracles have been common Things among Chriſtians; and as the Reſurrection of Jeſus is their grand and fundamental one, ſo it is not at all difficult to account for the Riſe, Propa⯑gation and Continuance of the Belief of it.
Why it has been believed thro' theſe latter Ages of the Church, is no Wonder at all. The Prieſts had their Intereſt in it; the ignorant and ſuperſtitious had their Comfort in it; and the wiſe and considerate, for Fear of Perſection, durſt not enquire into the Grounds of it.
The only difficulty here is to know, upon what Principle, the Project and Story of Jeſus's Reſurrection was at firſt deviſed. And whether it was Ambition or Revenge upon our ancient and phari⯑ſaical Prieſthood, that prompted the Apo⯑ſtles to it, is all one to me. Such bad [27] Principles too often put Men upon deſ⯑perate Attempts. But however, an Im⯑poſture it was, for the Argument above. To ſay, the Apoſtles and Confederates in the Fraud would not have ſtood to it, and have dy'd for it, if the Reſurrec⯑tion had not been real Fact, ſignifies nothing. Many Cheats and Criminals, beſides them, have aſſerted their Inno⯑cency, and deny'd their Guilt in the ut⯑moſt exrremity of Death, without the like Views of Honour and Fame. The only Thing, that's ſurpriſing and aſtoniſhing in this Sham-Miracle, is that, tho it was the moſt manifeſt, the moſt bare⯑faced, and the moſt ſelf evident Impoſture that ever was put upon the World; yet it has been the moſt fortunate and ſuc⯑ceſsful, having paſt thro' many Ages and Nations with Reputation and Renown; and might have continued for as many Generations to come, but for the Argu⯑ment above, that perfectly and clearly o⯑verthrows its Credit.
But, ſome may ſay here, where was the Wiſdom and Providence of God, all this while, to ſuffer ſo many Ages and Nations to labour under ſuch a Delu⯑ſion? Why, I'll tell you; The Provi⯑dence of God in it was, "To humble Mankind, in the End, for their vain [28] Oſtentation of Wiſdom, Learning and Science falſly ſo call'd; "To ſhame them for their Madneſs and Wicked⯑neſs to perſecute one another for different Opinions in that Religion, whoſe very Foundation is falſe and groundleſs; "To caution them againſt a blind and implicit Faith for the future; againſt believing any thing out of the ſight and reach of their Underſtandings; "To ad⯑moniſh them of the neceſſity of Liberty to think, ſpeak and write freely about Religion, for the Correction of Errors and Diſcovery of Truth; and laſtly, "To reduce the World when it ſhould be ripe for it, to the golden Religion of Nature, which upon the Teſtimony of our old Cabaliſtical Doctors, and of your Je⯑ſus himſelf, is the End of the Law and the Prophets.
And thus have I ſpoken to the An⯑ſwers, which your Chriſtian Prieſthood may be preſumed to make, to the foreſaid Argument of Fraud in Jeſus's Reſur⯑rection, drawn from the Deſign of our Cheif Prieſts in ſealing of the Stone of his Sepulchre. I ſhould not have con⯑cern'd myſelf to ſpeak to theſe their ſuppoſed Anſwers, but to ſave them the Trouble of making; them, and the Imagi⯑nation of there being ſome Force in them.
[29] As to the Stories, in your Evangeliſts, of Jeſus's ſeveral Appearances after his pretended Reſurrection, ſometimes to the Women, and at other Times to his Diſ⯑ciples, I am not at all obliged to refute them. If theſe Appearances had been more frequent, better circumſtanced, and more ſolemnly averr'd, they would have wanted no Confutation. There's no doubt on't, but the Diſciples, who, for the Ar⯑gument above, unqueſtionably ſtole Je⯑ſus's Body away, in order to pretend a Reſurrection, would talk much of his appearing to them, and of the Conver⯑ſation afterwards, they had with him. And if they had told better and more plau⯑ſible Tales of their fight of, and Conver⯑ſition with him, it would be nothing to the Purpoſe; better, I ſay, and more plau⯑ſible Tales than thoſe upon Record, which for Abſurdity, Nonſenſe and Incoherence carry their own Confutation along with them.
Whoever blends together the various Hiſtory of the four Evangeliſts, as to Je⯑ſus's Appearances after his Reſurrection, will find himſelf, not only perplex'd how to make an intelligible, conſiſtent, and ſen⯑ſible Story of it; but muſt; with Celſus 9, [30] needs think it, if he cloſely think on't, like ſome of the confuſed and incredible womaniſh Fables of the Apparitions of the Ghoſts of deceaſed Perſons, which the Chriſtian World in particular has in former Ages abounded with. The Ghoſts of the Dead in this preſent Age, and eſpecially in this Proteſtant Country have ceas'd to appear; and we now-a-days hardly ever hear of ſuch an Apparition: And what is the Reaſon of it? Why, the Beleif of theſe Storys being baniſh'd out of Men's Minds, the crafty and vaporous forbear to trump them upon us. There has been ſo much clear Proof of Fraud in many of theſe Storys, that the wiſe and conſiderate Part of Mankind has rejected them all, except⯑ing this of Jeſus, which to Admiration has ſtood its Ground. It's no wonder in⯑deed, that the Clergy, who are more in⯑credulous than other Folks as to Storys of Apparitions, do ſtick to this of Jeſus, the only one excepted out of all others. It is a ſweet morſel of Faith, and they rea⯑dily ſwallow and digeſt it, becauſe they live by it; otherwiſe this Story of Je⯑ſus's Appearances after Death had hardly eſcaped the Fate of other Apparitions; nay, would have been rejected, one of the firſt of them; there being hardly one, I dare ſay it, among all [...] Storys of [31] Apparitions, were they to be collected to⯑gether; that's more abſurd and incredible than this of Jeſus.
I have not here Room to make any Re⯑marks on your Evangelical Story of Jeſus's Apparitions after his Death; and if I had, I durſt not do it, for fear of an offenſive Ludicrouſneſs, and of tranſgreſſing the Rules of Decency, Sobriety and Sedateneſs of Argument, you have confined me to. But however, 1 can't read the Story with⯑out ſmiling, and there are two or three Paſſages in it, that put me in mind of Robinſon Cruſo's filling his Pockets with Biskets, when he had neither Coat, Waſt⯑coat nor Breeches on. Sometimes I think your Evangeliſts wanted Wit to adapt their Tale to Senſe, and to accommodate the Tranſaction to Nature; and ſometimes I think them crafty, and were minded, like Daniel de Foe in his foreſaid Romance, to put the Banter upon the Credulity of Mankind, with ſome diſguiſed and latent Abſurdities, that, in the Concluſion and Diſcovery, they might be heartily laugh'd at for the Belief of them, I dare not, I ſay, ſo much a hint at one of theſe Abſurdities, leaſt I ſhould be unwarily tempted to crack a Jeſt on it. But the Time, I hope, is coining, when I ſhall uſe more Freedom. And ſhould your [32] Prieſthood, in Proof of Jeſus's Reſut⯑rection, urge any of theſe Storys of his corporal Preſence and Appearance after it, then I truſt, they'll permit me to to make as merry Deſcants on them, as your Biſhops, when Academical Jeſters, uſed to do on other Men's Bulls and Blunders.
In the mean time I depend on the foregoing ſingle, ſober and ſedate Argu⯑ment of Fraud in this grand Miracle, which I found on the Nature and De⯑ſign of ſealing the Sepulchre; and for Confirmation of my Opinion and Proof of Fraud in it, will conclude this Letter with a parallel Caſe and Story, Not many Years ſince, one Dr. Emms, of the Society of the French Prophets, who in their Inſpirations were, like Jeſus and his Diſciples of old, Declaimers againſt the Phariſaical Prieſthood of this Age, did by himſelf, or ſome of his Fraternity did for him, predict his Reſurrection on a certain Day, when there was a Concourſe of Peo⯑ple about his Grave in vain to behold the Miracle, as there would have been a⯑bout Jeſus's Sepulchre, if he had lain in it, his full Time. But ſuppoſing in this Caſe, that the Magiſtrates and Prieſt⯑hood of this City, to prevent a Cheat and Deluſion of the People, had interred the [33] Doctor in a Chnrch-Vault, and ſeal'd the Door of it againſt the Day appointed for his Reſurrection, commanding a Night-Watch to look to the Vault the no Vio⯑lence or Deceit be uſed: This would have been a wiſe Precaution againſt Fraud, as was in the Caſe of Jeſus. But what if his Fraternity, having a Mind, like Je⯑ſus's Diſciples to bambouzle the People and Prieſthood, had, ſome of them drawn the Watch aſide to a Gin-ſhop, whilſt o⯑thers carry'd the Body off, pretending a Reſurrection? What would all reaſonable Men have ſaid here? That it was an impudent and bare-faced Impoſture. But to carry on the Farce; ſuppoſing, the Doctor's Fraternity had afterwards averr'd that they had ſeen and convers'd with him alive, ſeveral Times, as before his Death; and had told particular Storys of their Converſation with him; as firſt of all, how he appear'd to ſome of their Women (who were admoniſh'd of the Certainty of his Reſurrection by a Youth or an An⯑gel or two, they could not tell whether, but they were as like to Angels, which they never ſaw before in their Lives, as Youths could be) who knew him, not by his Countenance, for their Eyes were holden, as by his Talk on Scripture-Prophecy, which was his uſual Cant before his [34] Death. And at another Time he appear'd to his old Acquaintance, who knew him, not by the Features of his Face, but by an habitual Motion and Action of his Hand in breaking of Bread. And at ano⯑ther Time he was corporally preſent, but they thought, they ſaw a Spirit. About eight Days after that, he appear'd among more of his old Friends, but for all their former Intimacy with him, ſome of them doubted whether it was the Doctor or not. At another Time he came to them in another Form and Shape, unlike to his priſtin one, but they were ſure it was He by his Expoſition of the Scripture. At another Time, when they were aſſembled together and the Doors were lock'd for fear of the Clergy, the Doctor ſlipt unex⯑pectedly into their Company, either from behind a Curtain, or miraculouſly en⯑ter'd at the Key-hold. And the laſt Time he appear'd, there was one of his intimate Friends had not known him, but by a Sore in his Breaſt, which the Power of God in his Reſurrection did not heal: After which, they ſaid, he vaniſh'd away, was taken up into Heaven, and they ſaw him no more. Suppoſing, I ſay, the French Prophets had told ſuch like Sto⯑rys of Doctor Emms's Reſurrection, and of his Appearances to them; what would [35] your Prieſts and all other wiſe Men have ſaid to it? Why, that it was all idle Tales, manifeſt Lyes, Sham, and lmpoſ⯑ture; and that if the Doctor, in Confu⯑tation of the Errors of your Prieſts, had riſen to Life, God would have kept him in his Sepulchre, his full time, and have rais'd him in the Preſenee of Prieſts, Magiſtrates and People; and that he would have walk'd afterwards publickly in the Streets without Danger, to the Satisfaction of all, who knew him, that he was the ſame Emms who died and was bury'd: Without Danger, I ſay, from the Populace, who would have been ſo far from affronting him, that they would have almoſt adored him for the miracu⯑lous Favour, God had done him in his Reſurrection from the dead; and that he would never have skulk'd about and abſconded himſelf for forty Days toge⯑ther, before he was pretendedly tranſlated; and therefore there was nothing but no⯑torious Deceit and Impoſture in all theſe Pretences.
I need not make the Application of this Caſe and Story, which your Prieſts know how to do for me. To ſay here, that there's none would be ſo deſperate to en⯑gage in ſuch a Fraud, as is the ſuppoſed Caſe of Dr. Emms above, is a miſtake. [36] Many Thouſands for their Diverſion would enterpriſe it; and the Storys of the Apparitions of Ghoſts, which are almoſt all the Frauds of the Crafty to delude the ignorant, do prove it. I my felf would be forward to concert ſuch an Intrigue, if it was but to put the Ban⯑ter upon the Clergy, to ruffle their Tem⯑pers, and ſecretly to laugh at them. No⯑thing would deter me from it, but fears of the Civil Magiſtrate, which was not the Danger of the Diſciples of Jeſus; be⯑cauſe Pilat, for the ſake of Rule over the Jews, was a Countenancer of every Faction amongſt them; and particularly 10 Tiberius, upon Pilat's Repreſenta⯑tion of the matter, ſoon commanded that the Diſciples of Jeſus ſhould not be mo⯑leſted, nor call'd into Queſtion: So the Diſciples ſtood to the Fraud, told the Story of Jeſus riſen ſo often, till they believed it themſelves, and drew Multi⯑tudes into the Belief of it: Which Belief muſt have continued thro' all Genera⯑tions to come, but for my Argument of Fraud, before urg'd and argued.
Here, Sir, before I conclude this Let⯑ter, I think it my Duty however to give [37] you may Opinion of the Religion, that Jeſus and his Diſciples were for intro⯑ducing into the World. Tho I beleive, what I have proved, his Reſurrection to be a Piece of Fraud, and his other Mira⯑cles to have been all Artifice; and tho our Cheif Prieſts and ancient Nation are juſtifiable in the Sentence, that was paſs'd and executed upon Jeſus; yet I muſt do him and his Diſciples the Juſtice, to own, that the Doctrine they taught was for the moſt Part of it, good, ufeful and popular, being no other than the Law and Religion of Nature, which, all Na⯑tions being wearied with their own Super⯑ſtitions, and ſick of the Burthen of their Prieſts, ran apace into. Accordingly one 11 of your ancient Fathers ſays, that they who lived according to the Law of Nature, were true Chriſtians. And I muſt needs ſay, that if Chriſtians, in Proceſs of Time, had not ſophiſticated this primi⯑tive Religion of Jeſus; If they had not built their ſyſtematical Divinity upon him, and brought ſtrange Inventions of Men into his Worſhip; If laſtly, they had not again ſubjugated and entangled them⯑ſelves with another and worſe Yoke of Bondage to an intolerable and tyrannical [38] Prieſthood of the Church, the World might have enjoy'd great Happineſs un⯑der Jeſus's Religion, even that Happi⯑neſs which is now only to be expected upon a Diſproof of his miraculous Reſur⯑rection, that has been the Foundation of a moſt confuſed Superſtructure of wild Doctrines and Opinions: Or more true⯑ly ſpeaking, That Happineſs of the ſtate of Nature, Religion and Liberty, which may be look'd for upon the coming of our Meſſiah, the allegorical Accompliſher of the Law and the Prophets; whoſe Ad⯑vent, upon the Tradition of our Cabaliſts, will be toward the latter End of the Sixth grand Age of the Creation, to re⯑move from our Faces and our Hearts the Vail of the Letter; and in the mean while I adhere to the umbratical Rites, Ceremonies and way of Worſhip, derived from our Forefathers.
Thus, Sir, have I finiſh'd my Letter on Jeſus's Reſurrection; and whether I hive not ſaid enough to juſtify our Jewiſh Disbeleif of that Miracle, let your Cheif Prieſts judge. I don't expect my Argu⯑ment againſt it will be convincing of any of your Preachers. They have a potent Reaſon for their Faith, which we Jews can't come at; or I don't know, but we might believe with them.
[39] I truſt you'll meet with no Moleſtati⯑on for the Publication of this Letter; neither do I think, it was any thing of mine, inſerted in your Diſcourſes, that at any time brought Trouble on you. It was your own Imprudence to rave, as you do, againſt Eccleſiaſticks. What need had you to talk of the Miſcheifs and Inconveniences of an Hireling Prieſt⯑hood? What occaſion had you to call them Eccleſiaſtical Virmin, and to ſpeak of the Happineſs of Mankind upon their Extinction? Theſe things are very pro⯑voking. And here's the true Sourſe, in my Opinion, of all your Troubles!
Tho I have here ſhewn, that Chriſt is not riſen, yet I have more Wit than to make the Inference of Paul, that their Preaching is vain. Their Oratory is ſtill uſeful, if it be but to tickle the Ears and amuſe the Underſtandings of the Peo⯑ple about Doctrines they underſtand not, whether true or falſe. And ſuch an order of Men, as are your Prieſtood, are, by their Habit of long Robes, an Orna⯑ment to Society; and it is an Honour to the Country to have them well fed and clad. Had I Room for it, I could write a curious Encomium in Priſe of them, and tell the World of what Uſe and Advan⯑tage, they have been, in all Ages. O [40] what Wars and Perſecutions might have been rais'd in the World, but for their pacifick Tempers! How would Sin and Immorality have broke in upon Man⯑kind, like a Deluge, but for the Goodneſs of their Lives and the Excellency of their Precepts! How has the Increaſe and Mul⯑titude of their warm Sermons been the Ruin of Satan's hot and divided Kingdom of Darkneſs and Error! Its owing to their Pains and Labours, that every Age, for many paſt, has been improving in Vir⯑tue, till the preſent, which for Piety and good Morals is that Perfection of Time, which is not to be meliorated but by the Reſtitution of the golden Age.
So could I enlarge in Praiſe of your Clergy; and ſo ſhould you have done; and then you might have diſputed, as you do, againſt any Doctrines, Miracles and Articles of Faith, without Moleſta⯑tion. Try, if you can't correct that fun⯑damental Error, you have committed. Aſſert ſtill, if you can, with Dr. Rogers the Neceſſity of an eſtabliſh'd Prieſthood, well paid, for the Service of the King and the Country, under all Changes of Reli⯑gion; which may be a means to retrieve their Favour, and will beget in me a better opinion of your Prudence, than at [41] preſent is entertain'd by your Aſſured Friend
So ends the Letter of my Friend, the Jewiſh Rabbi, in which to my Comfort, he has conform'd himſelf to the Rules of Sedateneſs, Decency and Sobriety of Argu⯑ment, preſcrib'd by the two great Biſhops of London and St. Davids. If the weight and ſolidity of his Argument don't grieve the Clergy, I am in no Pain for the Levity and Ludicrouſneſs of if. And whether the weight and nature of his Argument againſt Jeſus's Reſurrection will at all ſtartle and ſurpriſe them, I know not; but I profeſs for my ſelf, that I might have ſtudy'd long enough for ſuch an Argument againſt it, as this Rabbi, with his great gray Beard, has preſently hit off. He told me beforehand, that his Thoughts on Jeſus's Reſurrection ſhould be out of the common Road of thinking; and I muſt needs ſay, he has been as good as his Word, or no Man ever kept his Pro⯑miſe.
There are two Things very remark⯑able in his Argument: The One is, the Uſe and Deſign of ſealing the Stone of Jeſus's Sepulchre, which he lays great ſtreſs on, to the Proof of Fraud in his Reſurrection; and the other is, his Appli⯑cation of theſe Words, the laſt Error (or [42] as he reads Deceit or Impoſture) will be worſt than the firſt or former, in which he makes the Cheif Prieſts in their Speech to Pilat, to refer to Lazarus's Reſurrec⯑rection as the former known Impoſture. If his Application be juſt and true, the Conſequence is that the Reſurrections of Jeſus and Lazarus are both Impoſtures. It grieves me to the Heart to think of this Conſequence, which our Divines are to ſee to, and evade, if they can. No ſooner did I read his Application of the foreſaid Words, but I run to our Commen⯑tators for another and better Expoſition of them: But alas! to my Sorrow, they made nothing of them, but a ſort of a proverbial Expreſſion, which the Cheif Prieſts muſt have ſpoil'd and knock'd out of Joint. Being then under great Trou⯑ble for the Truth of Chriſtianity and the Certainty of theſe two grand Miracles, I refer the matter to our Learned Clergy, deſiring them to be as ſpeedy as they can in another and more proper Inter⯑pretation of the foreſaid Words, or Jews and Infidels will run away with them in the Rabbi's Senſe, to the Confutation of our holy Religion.
I conſider'd lately, tint Eaſter drew nigh, when it was uſual for our Divines [43] in their Pulpits, to inſiſt on the Proof of Jeſus's Reſurrection; and therefore I I haſten'd the Publication of this Diſ⯑courſe, that they might have theſe two peculiar Texts, viz. of ſealing the Stone of the Sepulchre, and of the laſt Error or Impoſture will be worſe than the firſt, to treat on. He that produces a Sermon or Sermons, wreſting the foreſaid Texts out of the Hands of my Rabbi, and putting another Senſe on them, to the Credit of Jeſus's and Lazarus's Reſurrection, ‘Erit mihi magnus Apollo’ and by my Conſent ſhall be the next Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury.
But my Heart akes a little for our Di⯑vines, and I almoſt deſpair of their clean Solutions of the foreſaid two Difficultys. What muſt they do then? Why, they muſt give up their Religion as well as their Church, or go along with me to Fathers for their myſtical Interpretation of the whole Story of Jeſus's Reſurrec⯑tion.
That the Fathers, without queſtioning their Belief of Jeſus's corporal Reſur⯑rection, univerſally interpreted the Sto⯑ry and every part of it myſtically, is [44] moſt certain. St. Hilary 12 enume⯑rates many Particulars of the Story, and intimates what they are typical and figu⯑rative of, as any one may ſee by the Ci⯑tation referr'd to, which I have not Room to tranſlate and illuſtrate.
St. Auguſtin 13 ſays, that Jeſus's Re⯑ſurrection from the dead at that Time, was [45] to exhibit an Image and Reſemblance of his future and myſtical Reſurrection. And elſewhere ſays 14 that its a holy Pleaſure to conſider and ſearch for the things ſignified by the Story of it.
That Origen is of the ſame Opinion, no body need queſtion. A multitude of his Teſtimonies might be produced to this Purpoſe, but I ſhall mention only one 15, wherein he aſſerts, that by the Se⯑pulchre of Jeſus, is to be underſtood the Letter of the Scriptures, in which, as in a Rock, he is repoſited.
St. John of Jercſalem 16 by the Cru⯑cifiers of Jeſus underſtands falſe Teachers, meaning Miniſters of the Letter to be ſure, becauſe he himſelf was a great Allegoriſt.
[46] St. Hilary ſays that 17 Barabbas is a Type of Anti-Chriſt; and by Anti-Chriſt, as I have elſewhere ſhewn but of the Fa⯑thers, is meant the Letter of the Scrip⯑tures, which modern Commentators and Crucifiers of Jeſus would prefer to the Spirit. For theſe are the two, Letter and Spirit, the Chriſt and Anti-Chriſt, that are contrary one to another.
St. Jerome 18 ſays, that by the Vail of the Temple, rent at Jeſus's Reſurrection, is to be underſtood the opening the Vail of the Letter of the Law and the Prophets for the Manifeſtation of the divine Myſ⯑terys contain'd in them. And by the rend⯑ing of the Rocks according 19 to him is to be underſtood the Apertion of the Ora⯑cles of God, that were before as hard as a Rock, till his ſpiritual Reſurrection for the Illuſtration of them. And by the Earth⯑quake, [47] He 20 ſays is meant the Shakeing of the Hearts of Men, and preparing them, by a Dereliction of their old Errors, for the ſuſception of the true Knowledge of God.
As to the Time that Jeſus was dead and bury'd, which modern Divines call three Days and three Nights, St. Auguſtin ſays 21 that according to the Scripture he was not ſo long dead and buried. Many, ſays 22 he, have put various Conſtructions on the Time of Chriſt's burial, endea⯑vouring to make three Days of it: But we without ſlighting any of their opi⯑nions, are for a myſtical Interpretation, and ſuppoſe, that by the three Days are to be underſtood three Ages of the World.
The Day would fail me to collect all the Paſſages out of the Fathers, in Inter⯑pretation of one or other of the Parts [48] of the ſtory of Jeſus's Reſurrection, but what I have here ſaid in a few Citations, is enough to ſhow, that they look'd upon the whole Story, as emblematical of his ſpiritual Reſurrection out of the Grave of the Letter of the Scriptures, in which he has been bury'd about three Days and three Nights, according to that myſtical Interpretation of prophetical Numbers which I have learn'd of them.
And thus have I done with the Mira⯑cle of Jeſus's Reſurrection, which, by the help of my Friend the Jewiſh Rabbi, I have ſhown, according to the Letter, to conſiſt of the greateſt Incredibilitys. And with this I conclude my Diſcourſes on his Miracles, intending to treat on no more of them, unleſs I am invited or pro⯑voked to it. I had once an Inclination to make another Diſcourſe on Jeſus's miraculous Conception, and on his feeding his Thouſands, in the Wilderneſs with a few Loaves and Fiſhes; but upon a little Conſideration on the Letter of thoſe two Storys, I found myſelf too grave for the Work; and my Rabbi's Thoughts are too gay and wonton; therefore it muſt be omitted, till the Clergy importune me to it, and ſignify their Curioſity to ſee it perform'd by me.
[49] My Diſcourſes hereafter, if God ſpare me Life and Liberty, which under his Providence I don't deſpair of, to pub⯑liſh another Volume, ſhall treat on ſome hiſtorical Paſſages of the New Teſtament, ſuch as, "On the Storys of Jeſus's Birth; and the Appearances of Angels to the Shepherds keeping Watch over their Flocks by Night; "The Journey and Preſents of the Wiſe Men to Jeſus; The Slaughter of the Innocents at Bethlehem, and of Herods Cruelty; "The Travels of Joſeph with the Child Jeſus and his Mother in⯑to Egypt; "The Diſputation of Jeſus with the Doctors in the Temple, and his Elopement from his Parents; "His riding on an Aſs to Jeruſalem; and on other ſuch like Paſſages of his Life. For I am reſolv'd to give the Letter of the Scripture no Reſt, ſo long as God gives me Life and Abilities to attack it. Origen 23 ſays that when we diſpute againſt Miniſters of the Letter, we muſt ſelect ſome hiſtorical Parts of Scripture, which they underſtand litterally, and ſhew that according to the Letter, they can't ſtand [50] their Ground, but imply Abſurditys and Nonſence. And how then is ſuch a Work to be perform'd to beſt Advantage? is it to be done in a grave, ſedate, and ſerious Manner? No, I think Ridicule ſhould here take Place of ſober Reaſoning, as the more proper and effectual means to cure Men of their fooliſh Faith and ab⯑ſurd Notions. As no wiſe Man hardly ever reprehends a Blunderbuſs for his Bull, any other way, than by laughing at him; ſo the Aſſerters of nonſenſical Notions in Theology ſhould, if poſſible, be ſatiriſed and jeſted upon, or they'll never be put out of Countenance for, nor deſert their abſurd Doctrines. And there never was a Polemical Divine, that, if he hid an opportunity and Advantage over the Weakneſs of his Adverſary, did not take ſuch a ludicrous and merry Courſe with him.
But on ſuch hiſtorical Paſſages of the Goſpel as before mention'd, do I truſt to publiſh another Volume of Diſcourſes, like to theſe on Jeſus's Miracles; and at pre⯑ſent paſs to my third general Head, at firſt propoſed to be ſpoken to, and that is,
III. To conſider, what Jeſus means, when he appeals to his Works and Miracles, [51] as to a Teſtimony and witneſs of his Au⯑thority; and to ſhow that he did not pro⯑perly and ultimately refer to thoſe done in the Fleſh, but to thoſe myſtical ones he would do in the Spirit, of which thoſe done in the Fleſh are but mere Types and Sha⯑dows.
And on this Head I ſhall be ſhort, there being no Occaſion of many Words on it. The Biſhop of London 24 has collected, many Sayings of Jeſus wherein he ſeems to appeal to the Works he then did and had done in Fleſh, as to a witneſs of him. But why might not Jeſus then Propheſy, and mean the ſpiritual Works which He-in-us would do? It is the known Way of the Prophets to ſpeak of Things to come, as if they were already paſt, becauſe ſuch Pro⯑phecys are not to be underſtood, till their Accompliſhment: Even ſo did Jeſus Pro⯑pheſy, when he appeal'd to his Works as I could prove from the Nature and Man⯑ner of his Expreſſions, but that the Argu⯑ment would be dry and tedious; And there⯑fore I refer the Matter entirely to the Fa⯑thers, who aſſerted that Jeſus propheſied in his Miracles as well as in his Parables, and that the Works, he then did in the Fleſh were but Types of his myſterious Operati⯑ons, [52] that would be the Demonſtration of his Authority and Meſſiahſhip. Hence it is that Origen 25 ſays that Jeſus's firſt coming was but Type and Shadow of his Spiritual Advent; and that his 26 true Miracles, by which his Authority is to be proved, are Spiritual: Hence it is that St. Hilary repeatedly ſays 27 that Jeſus's Works were ſignificative and predictive of myſterious Operations, which we were eſ⯑pecially to look to. And Hence it is that all the other Fathers interpreted the Mira⯑cles of Jeſus in a myſtical and allegorical Senſe.
The Queſtion then is, to what Miracles did Jeſus truly and properly appeal, in the Opinion of the Fathers, for his Autho⯑rity and Meſſiahſhip? Was it to his Typi⯑cal or Antitypal Works? was it to the ſha⯑dow or to the ſubſiſtance of his Operations? [53] To his ſubſtantial Operations, to be ſure, which are and will be his ſpiritual ones upon the Soul that are greater than thoſe once done on Men's Bodys, and which will be a proper Proof of his divine Power. And to declare my Opinion freely I am, only for ſuch a ſpiritual Meſſiah, who will cure the Errors call'd the Diſeaſes of Man⯑kind, which Jeſus of Nazareth has not as yet done.
But not to diſpute this Point with Bi⯑ſhop Gibſon, I will leave him in the Enjoy⯑ment of his Opinion of his literal Meſſiah and miraculous Operator on Men's Bodys; if he'll but indulge me in the Belief of my ſpiritual Meſſiah to come for the healing of modern Diſtempers call'd the Sins and Er⯑rors of Mankind. And in the mean time let us draw the Compariſon between his litteral and my ſpiritual Jeſus; and let the World judge, to whom the Preference is to be given for Power and Authority,
Biſhop Gibſon is for Jeſus of Naza⯑reth's Meſſiahſhip, becauſe he cured the bodily blindneſs of many miraculouſly; And a good Work it was: But I am for the Meſſiahſhip of a ſpiritual Jeſus to come, who will open the blind Eyes of pur Underſtandings to diſcern Truth from Error, which will be a moſt glorious [54] Operation; that his Jeſus of Nazareth has not as yet done.
Biſhop Gibſon is for Jeſus's Meſſiahſhip, who once cured bodily Deafneſs in many, which was indeed well done of him: But I am for the Meſſiahſhip of a ſpiritual Jeſus to come, to heal the Deafneſs of our Souls or their Dulneſs in Apprehen⯑ſion of ſublime Myſterys, which will be a divine Work, that his Jeſus has not as yet done.
Biſhop Gibſon is for Jeſus's Meſſiahſhip, becauſe he cured Men's bodily Lameneſs, for which I do praiſe him: But I am for a ſpiritual Jeſus's Meſſiahſhip, who will heal Mankind of their Halting between two and more Opinions; a more Bleſſed Work, that Jeſus of Nazareth has not as yet done for us !
And ſo, comparing all other Diſeaſes of Body and Soul together, I am for the Jeſus, who will heal the Diſeaſes of the Soul; and have a much leſs Regard for Biſhop Gibſon's Jeſus who cured the Di⯑ſeaſes of a few Men's Bodys; but, for all that, am not angry with the Biſhop for his high Veneration of his Jeſus, neither would I by any Means have him proſe⯑ſecuted and puniſh'd for not being of the ſame Mind with me.
[55] But, becauſe the Biſhop ſuſpects me of Infidelity, in that I have ludicrouſly treat⯑ed ſome of the Miracles of his Jeſus, which, by the by, he has not vindicated from the Abſurditys and Incredibilitys I charged them with; I will humour the Biſhop, and, ſuppoſing Jeſus wrought li⯑terally thoſe Miracles which are allegori⯑cally interpreted by me, will in thoſe ve⯑ry Miracles compare his litteral and my ſpiritual Jeſus together; and appeal to all Men of Conſideration, which is the moſt worthy of the Title and Honour of the true Meſſiah.
Biſhop Gibſon is for his Jeſus's Meſſi⯑ahſhip, who miraculouſly drove the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple, juſt as if a Man, was God to inveſt him with Power, ſhould furiouſly drive the Butchers and Graſiers with their Cattle, to the Confuſion of their ſeveral Propertys, out of Smithfield: A notable Miracle That! But I am for the ſpiritual Jeſus's Meſſiah⯑ſhip who according to the Form of that typical Story, will at his Coming expel Ec⯑cleſiaſtical Merchants out of his Church, who make Merchandiſe of the Goſpel, Selling their Bulls and Beaſts and fat⯑lings of the Letter: A moſt glorious and Beneficial Work to Mankind will this [56] be ! And to prepare Men's Souls for the ſuſception of ſuch a ſpiritual Jeſus, I intend to publiſh a Diſcourſe of the Miſ⯑chiefs and Inconveniencies of an Hire⯑ling-Prieſthood, wherein it ſhall be proved, that Mankind can't be either good, wiſe or happy under the Kingdom of this Meſſiah to come, without an Abolition and Extirpation of them.
Biſhop Gibſon is for the Meſſiahſhip of his Jeſus, who caſt the Devils out of the Madmen, aud permitted them to enter into the Herd of Swine, that ran violently down a Precipice and were choak'd in the Sea: How great a Miracle it was thus to cure the Madmen, the Biſhop may know beſt, being perhaps better acquainted with the Devil than I am; but was it not for Pity to the Swineherds for their Loſſes, I could even now laugh at the Thoughts of the Hogs running and tumb⯑ling down-hill, as if the Devil drove them: But leaving the Biſhop calmly, decently and ſeriouſly to admire the Wiſ⯑dom and Juſtice of his Jeſus in that Act, I am for the ſpiritual Jeſus, who accord⯑ing to the typical form of that Story, exorcis'd the furious and diabolical Tem⯑pers out of the Jews and Gentiles of old, whom no Chains of Reaſon could hold from doing Violence to the Chriſtians, [57] till they were converted; and tho He per⯑mitted the like perſecuting and diabolical. Spirits to enter into Eccleſiaſtical Swine; yet will they be precipitated into the Sea of the Knowledge of God, wherein they will be abſorpt with divine Diviſions and Contemplations. O moſt glorious Work, that beſpeaks the Wiſdom, Power and Goodneſs of our ſpiritual Jeſus from be⯑ginning to the End of it.
Biſhop Gibſon admires his Jeſus, for his Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, tho neither He nor any body elſe can tell, wherein lay the Miracle, nor into what various Figures and Shapes Jeſus was transform'd: But I am for the ſpiritual Jeſus, whoſe glorious Transfiguration, af⯑ter ſix grand Days of the Creation, will be conſpicuous, when with the Eyes of our Underſtanding we ſhall behold him metamorphoſed into the Forms of all the Types of him under the Law. I am now raviſh'd with the intellectual View of this Transfiguration; and believe, was I to ſet a⯑bout it, I could give others (except the Biſhop) an Idea and Conception of it to their Aſtoniſhment at the Glory of Jeſus in it.
Biſhop Gibſon is for the Meſſiahſhip of Jeſus of Nazareth, becauſe he cured a Woman of an Iſſue of Blood, after ſhe had [58] ſpent all ſhe had upon Phyſicians to no purpoſe; which might be, or might not be a Miracle, for any Thing he can argue upon it: But I am for the ſpiritual Je⯑ſus's Meſſiahſhip, who at his Coming will, according to that Typical Story, cure the Woman of the Church of her Iſſue of Blood, that is ſhed in Perſecution and War, which her Eccleſiaſtical Phy⯑ſicians of the Clergy have not been able to ſtop tho they have receiv'd large Fees and Stipends of the Church to that Purpoſe. Will not this be a deſirable and beneficial Work to all Nations? And who knows not, (excepting the Biſhop) that it is of the Office of the true Meſſiah, to give abundance of Peace to Mankind, to make the Lion to lye down with the Lamb; and to induce Men to break their Swords into Plow-ſhares, and their Spears into Pruning-hooks; and to make Wars to ceaſe in all the World. Which Prophecys are ſo far from being fulfill'd by Jeſus of Na⯑zareth, that there has been nothing but wrangling and jangling and ſcolding and fighting about him ever ſince. I wonder the want of the Accompliſhment of the foreſaid Prophecys has not long before now occaſion'd the Rejection of Jeſus's Meſſiah⯑ſhip, or of the Authority of the Prophets.
[59] Biſhop Gibſon is for his Jeſus's being the Meſſiah, becauſe he cured an old Woman of a Spirit of, no body knows what, Infirmity; conſequently little or nothing is to be ſaid for the Greatneſs of that Miracle. But I am for the ſpiritual Jeſus's Meſſiahſhip, who, according to the figure of that litteral Story, is to heal the Woman of the Church of her Infirmity of the Spirit of Prophecy, which Jeſus of Nazareth has not done for her, or there would not be ſo many Diſputes about Prophecys and their Interpretations, ſo far, as there is hardly one Prophecy that Chriſ⯑tians are agreed about the Senſe of. It is the grand Characteriſtick of the true Meſſiah, that he's to reſtore Prophecy and the Way of Interpretation of the Prophets, upon the allegorical Scheme too. I ſpeak this, not only upon the Authority of the Prophets themſelves, but upon an almoſt infinite number of Teſtimonys of ancient Jews and Fathers; accordingly I expect the Advent of a ſpiritual Meſſiah, who alone can do it, to heal the Church of her preſent Infirmity, and to reſtore the Art and Gift of Prophecy.
Biſhop Gibſon is an Admirer of Jeſus of Nazareth, becauſe he told a poor Whore of Samaria, her Fortune of having had five Husbands, and being then an [60] Adultereſs with another Man; which ac⯑cording to the Letter is ſuch a poor ſort of a Miracle, that I can hardly think of it without bluſhing: But I am an Adorer beforehand of the ſpiritual Jeſus who, according to that Type, will out of the Law and the Prophets, allegorically inter⯑preted, tell the preſent heretical and adul⯑terous Woman of the Church all that ſhe has done. and how ſhe has been wedded to the ſenſible Things of the five Books of Moſes, and is now an Adultereſs with the Anti-Chriſt of the Letter. Such an In⯑formation of the Church will be a moſt ſtupendous and miraculous Work, and a Demonſtration of our Jeſus's Meſſiahſhip beyond Contradiction, in as much as it will be agreeable to the Opinion, that all Antiquity entertain'd of the true Meſſiah, viz. that he was to let us into the Sight, Knowledge and Underſtanding of the Wiſdom and Beauty of Providence thro' all Ages of the World.
Biſhop Gibſon admires Jeſus of Naza⯑reth for his curſing the Figtree; for not bearing Fruit out of Seaſon: Shame on that Miracle, according to the Letter, and on all Admirers of it! But I am for the ſpiritual Jeſus who at his Coming to the Figtree of his Church will make its pre⯑ſent unfruitful State to wither away, and [61] cauſe it to produce the Fruits of the Spi⯑rit, and allegorical Interpretations of the Scriptures, that are compared ſo ſweet and ripe Figs. For ſuch his Advent to this miraculous and beneficial Purpoſe I daily pray and ſay too, Bleſſed are all thoſe who love his Appearance!
After this Faſhion could I go thro' the other Miracles, I have treated on in theſe Diſcourſes; and Upon the Compariſon ſet plainly before the Eyes of my Readers the Difference between the litteral Miracles of Biſhop Gibſon's carnal Jeſus and the alle⯑gorical ones of my ſpiritual Jeſus, as to Stupendouſneſs, Uſe and Excellency: But, what I have here done in the ſeven Inſtances above, is enough to induce us to believe, with the Fathers, that Jeſus's firſt Coming in the Fleſh was but Type and Shadow of his ſecond Advent in the Spirit; and that Jeſus of old when he appeal'd to his Works then done, as to a Witneſs of his Authority, did only Propheſy, and re er⯑ultimately to his myſtical Operations, that are alone the Proof of his Godlike and divine Power. Biſhop Gibſon ſays 28 of me, that pretending to raiſe the Ac⯑tions and Miracles of our Saviour to a more exalted and ſpiritual Meaning, I [62] have labour'd to take away the Reality of them, and by that to deſtroy one of the principal Evidences of Chriſtianity. But I preſume now, he'll be ſenſible of the Raſhneſs and Incogitancy of that Accu⯑ſation. If he be not, I ſhall ſay of him, in Caſe he write any more for Jeſus's litteral Miracles in Oppoſition to his allegorical ones, that he's like the Dog in the Fable (the Biſhop will excuſe the Coarſneſs of the Compariſon) that let go the Subſtance of his Mutton, and catch'd at the Shadow, and ſo, like a fooliſh Cur as he was, loſt both.
And thus have I done with the Three general Heads at firſt propoſed to be hand⯑led in theſe Diſcourſes Now whether I am, upon the whole, an Infidel or Be⯑leiver of Chriſtianity, the World is to judge. I'll make no more ſolemn Decla⯑rations of my Belief of it, much leſs at this Juncture of Time, when I am under Proſecution for Infidelity; becauſe it would be a ſneaking, tame and cowardly Act in me, and ſuch an Argument of that meanneſs of Spirit, as I abhor and deteſt. My Works ſhall ſpeak for me, in which being, conſcious of the Innocency of my Intentions, and of the Uſefulneſs of my Deſign, I mean to proceed; not doubting but ſome of our Clergy, upon [63] two or three more Diſcourſes againſt the Letter of the New Teſtament, will find me out, what I am, and whether I am not a true Profeſſor of the Religion of the ſpiritual and holy Jeſus.
In the mean Time, I'll not compound the Difference depending between Biſhop Gibſon and myſelf, upon any other Terms, than his making me ample Satisfaction for the Injurys done to my Reputation and low Fortunes. Tho he may thirſt after my Life, or at leaſt, my Liberty; yet under the Providence of God I fear not the Loſs of either. God be prais'd, this Kingdom is bleſs'd with ſuch a Civil Adminiſtration for Wiſdom, Juſtice and Mercy as no Nation of the World can equal. Our Magiſtrates are all Phi⯑loſophers, Lovers of Truth, and of an Enquiry into it; and ſo tender of the religious as well as of the civil Rights of the Subject, that I have nothing to dread from them.
There is ſomewhat popular indeed, tho nothing true nor rational, in the Clamour and Accuſations of the Clergy againſt me. Biſhop Gibſon would inſinuate 29 that my Diſcourſes on Miracles ſtrike at the Foundation of civil Society; but by an un⯑natural [64] Conſequence of his own making. I confeſs, it is an heinous Crime to write any Thing, that tends to the Subverſion or Prejudice of the civil Society: But how will the Biſhop make me guilty of it? If the Clergy will not be Diſturbers of the Peace of the publick upon my Diſcourſes; it's certain, that the Quiet of the World, which I wiſh and aim at, will be inviolably kept and preſerv'd for all me. My Fol⯑lowers indeed, when I walk the Streets of this City, are numerous; and if any of them ſhould break the Peace, what ſerves my Lord Mayor's Power for, but to chaſtiſe them for it? As for my ſelf and my Adhe⯑rents at home which as yet are without Number, we are all Quietiſts and ſhould act againſt our Conſciences and Religion, if we ſhould injure any Man in his Perſon and Property. But I ſmile to ſee a Clergyman all on a ſudden, like the Biſhop, ſo tender of the Welfare of the Publick, when Eccle⯑ſiaſticks, in all Ages paſt, have been the Bane of Society and the Peſt of Mankind, as appears from the Wars and Perſecu⯑tions, they have rais'd in the World; and from that Strife, Variance and Diſcords, they have occaſion'd in Citys and Familys. And with Submiſſion to the Biſhop, who I hope will not be angry for my ſaying it, I am ſure, the Clergy at this Juncture, [65] 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 Ad⯑verſarys, but that I had a Mind to ob⯑lige 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 Ten⯑dency to Infidelity; but, if there be any Fault in your Principles, you know how to charge it on your Adverſarys, the pre⯑tended Advocates for Chriſtianity, whoſe Abſurditys, falſe Reaſonings. Inconſiſten⯑cys, and fooliſh Gloſſes on the Scriptures have occaſion'd your departure from the Faith in Chriſt.
I thank Mr. Scheme for the noble Pre⯑ſent of his Book, which I received and read with Pleaſure. But inſtead of one, [66] he ſhould have ſent me a Dozen for the Uſe of Friends and Borrowers, who are very curious and importunate for the Per⯑uſal of it. For what Reaſon He envys 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 clan⯑deſtine 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 drop't: 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 Li⯑berty of the Preſs, and publick Sale of your Books, I hope you'll, for all that, as occaſi⯑on [67] offers it ſelf, oblige the Learned and Cu⯑rious with ſome more of your bright Lucu⯑brations, tho' you Print them, and diſpoſe of them in this clancular and ſubtile Me⯑thod.
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 Prin⯑ciples. 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 litteral Schemiſts, and ride in Triumph over them; yet o⯑ther Defenders of the Faith, call'd Allego⯑riſts, will ariſe to your Confutation and final overthrow.
If I am not miſtaken, Sirs, your Ad⯑verſarys, the litteral Schemiſts, whom I call Apoſtates, are about making a Retreat, and yeilding the Field of Battle to you. The Biſhop of Lichfield, the greateſt Ge⯑neral on their Side, will not only find it hard to levy any more Forces in Defence of his twelve litteral Prophecys; but he knows, that, if he draw his Sword any more againſt you, he muſt attack too the Authority of the Fathers for the allego⯑rical Interpretation of ſome of thoſe Pro⯑phecys, [68] 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-Pear, will treat him with ſuch familiar Language, as never was given to one of his Order.
Mr. Scheme ſeems to promiſe us a Diſ⯑courſe 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 Re⯑marks on Miracles will be very conſide⯑rable; ſo I ſhall be a little impatient till I ſee them. But be his Diſcourſe on Mi⯑racles of what Kind ſoever, I believe it will hardly be an Obſtruction to my Un⯑dertaking in Hand, which I intend, by Gods Leave, to go on with, to the Ho⯑nour of the Holy Jeſus, our Spiritual Me⯑ſiah, to whom be Glory and Praiſe for ever and ever. Amen.