Six Discourses on the Miracles of our Saviour Part 22

Here's as little Reason in this Answer as in either of the two former.

Who knows not, that many Errors in Philosophy, and as many Frauds in Religion have been sometimes accidentally, sometimes designedly espoused and palm'd upon Mankind, who in Process of Time become so wedded to them thro' Prejudice and Interest, that they will not give themselves Leave to enquire into the Rise and Foundation 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, Propagation 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 superst.i.tious had their Comfort in it; and the wise and considerate, for fear of Persecution, 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 Pharisaical Priesthood, that prompted the Apostles to it, is all one to me. Such bad Principles too often put Men upon desperate Attempts. But however, an Imposture 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 Resurrection had not been real Fact, signifies nothing. Many Cheats and Criminals, besides them, have a.s.serted their Innocencey, and deny'd their Guilt in the utmost Extremity of Death, without the like Views of Honour and Fame. The only Thing that's surprizing and astonis.h.i.+ng 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 successful, having past thro' many Ages and Nations with Reputation and Renown; and might have continued for as many Generations to come, but for the Argument above, that perfectly and clearly overthrows its Credit.

But some may say here, where was the Wisdom and Providence of G.o.d, all this while, to suffer so many Ages and Nations to labour under such a Delusion? Why, I'll tell you; The Providence of G.o.d in it was, "To humble Mankind, in the End, for their vain Ostentation of Wisdom, Learning and _Science falsly so call'd_; "To shame them for their Madness and Wickedness 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 admonish 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 _Jesus_ himself, is the _End of the Law and the Prophets_.

And thus have I spoken to the _Answers_, which your _Christian Priesthood_ may be presumed to make, to the foresaid Argument of Fraud in _Jesus_'s Resurrection, drawn from the Design of our _Chief Priests_ in sealing of the Stone of his Sepulchre. I should not have concern'd my self to speak to these their supposed _Answers_, but to save them the Trouble of making them, and the Imagination of there being some Force in them.

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 Disciples, I am not at all obliged to refute them. If these Appearances had been more frequent, better circ.u.mstanced, and more solemnly averr'd, they would have wanted no Confutation. There's no Doubt on't, but the Disciples, who, for the Argument above, unquestionably stole _Jesus_'s Body away, in order to pretend a Resurrection, would talk much of his appearing to them, and of the Conversation afterwards, they had with him. And if they had told better and more plausible Tales of their Sight of and Conversation with him, it would be nothing to the Purpose; _better_, I say, _and more plausible 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 _Jesus_'s Appearances after his Resurrection, will find himself, not only perplex'd how to make an intelligible, consistent, and sensible Story of it; but must, with _Celsus_[317] 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 Belief of these Stories being banish'd out of Mens Minds, the crafty and vaporous forbear to trump them upon us. There has been so much clear Proof of the Fraud in many of these Stories, that the wise and considerate Part of Mankind has rejected them all, excepting _this_ of _Jesus_, which, to Admiration, has stood its Ground. It's no Wonder indeed, that the _Clergy_, who are more incredulous than other Folks as to Stories 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 readily swallow and digest it, because they live by it; otherwise this Story of _Jesus_'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 the Stories of Apparitions, were they to be collected together; that's more absurd and incredible than _this_ of _Jesus_.

I have not Room here to make any Remarks 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; I can't read the Story without smiling, and there are two or three Pa.s.sages in it, that put me in Mind of _Robinson Cruso_'s filling his Pockets with Biskets, when he had neither Coat, Waste-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 aforesaid _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 as hint at one of these Absurdities, lest I should be unwarily tempted to crack a Jest on it.

But the Time, I hope, is coming, when I shall use more Freedom. And should your Priesthood, in Proof of _Jesus_'s Resurrection, urge any of these Stories of his corporal Presence and Appearance after it, then I trust, they'll permit me 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 Argument of Fraud in this grand Miracle, which I found on the Nature and Design 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 People about his Grave in vain to behold the Miracle, as there would have been about _Jesus_'s Sepulchre, if he had lain in it, his full Time. But supposing in this Case, that the Magistrates and Priesthood of this City, to prevent a Cheat and Delusion of the People, had interr'd the _Doctor_ in a Church-Vault, and seal'd the Door of it against the Day appointed for his Resurrection, commanding a _Night-Watch_ to look to the Vault, that no Violence 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 _Jesus_'s Disciples, to bambouzle the People and Priesthood, had, some of them drawn the Watch aside to a _Gin-shop_, whilst others carry'd the Body off, pretending a Resurrection? What would all reasonable Men have said here? That it was an impudent and bare-fac'd 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 Stories 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 Angel 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_, but by his Talk on Scripture Prophecy, which was his usual Cant before his 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 another 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 pristine one, but they were sure it was _He_ by his Exposition of the Scripture. At another Time, when they were a.s.sembled together and the Doors were lock'd, _for fear of the Clergy_, the _Doctor_ slipt unexpectedly into their Company, either from behind a Curtain, or miraculously enter'd at the Key-hole. 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 G.o.d, 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 Stories of _Doctor Emms_'s Resurrection and of his Appearances to them; what would your Priests and all other wise Men have said to it? Why, that it was all idle Tales, manifest Lyes, Sham, and Imposture; and that if the _Doctor_, in Confutation of the Errors of our Priests, had risen to Life, G.o.d would have kept him in his Sepulchre, his full time, and have rais'd him in the Presence 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 miraculous Favour G.o.d had done him, in his Resurrection from the Dead; and that he would never have skulk'd about, and absconded himself for _forty Days_ together, before he was pretendedly translated; and therefore there was nothing but notorious 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 engage in such a Fraud, as is the supposed Case of Dr. _Emms_ above, is a Mistake. Many Thousands for their Diversion would enterprise it; and the Stories of the Apparitions of Ghosts, which are almost all the Frauds of the Crafty to delude the Ignorant, do prove it. I my self would be forward to concert such an Intrigue, if it were but to put the Banter upon the _Clergy_, to ruffle their Tempers, and secretly to laugh at them. Nothing would deter me from it, but Fears of the Civil Magistrate, which was not the Danger of the Disciples of _Jesus_, because _Pilate_, for the Sake of Rule over the _Jews_, was a Countenancer of every Faction amongst them; and particularly[318] _Tiberius_, upon _Pilate_'s Representation of the Matter, soon commanded that the Disciples of _Jesus_ should not be molested, 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 Mult.i.tudes into the Belief of it: Which Belief must have continued thro' all Generations to come, but for my Argument of Fraud, before urg'd and argued.

Here, Sir, before I conclude this Letter, I think it my Duty however to give you my Opinion of the Religion, that _Jesus_ and his Disciples were for introducing into the World. Tho' I believe, what I have proved, his Resurrection, to be a Piece of Fraud, and his other Miracles to have been all Artifice; and tho' our _Chief Priests_ and ancient Nation are justifiable in the Sentence, that was pa.s.s'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, useful and popular, being no other than the Law and Religion of Nature, which, all Nations being wearied with their own Superst.i.tions, and sick of the Burthen of their Priests, ran apace into. Accordingly one[319] 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 primitive Religion of _Jesus_; if they had not built their systematical Divinity upon him, and brought strange Inventions of Men into his Wors.h.i.+p; if, lastly, they had not again subjugated and entangled themselves with another and worse Yoke of Bondage, to an intolerable and tyrannical Priesthood of the Church, the World might have enjoy'd great Happiness under _Jesus_'s Religion, even _that Happiness_ which is now only to be expected upon a Disproof of his miraculous Resurrection, that has been the Foundation of a most confused Superstructure of wild Doctrines and Opinions: Or more truely 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 Advent, upon the Tradition of our _Cabalists_, will be towards the latter End of the _Sixth_ grand Age of the Creation, to remove from our Faces and our Hearts the Veil of the Letter; and in the mean while I adhere to the umbratical Rites, Ceremonies and way of Wors.h.i.+p, derived from our Forefathers.

Thus, Sir, have I finish'd my _Letter_ on _Jesus_'s Resurrection; and whether I have not said enough to justify our _Jewish_ Disbelief of that Miracle, let your _Chief Priests_ judge. I don't expect my Argument 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.

I trust you'll meet with no Molestation 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 Mischiefs and Inconveniences of an Hireling Priesthood? What Occasion had you to call them Ecclesiastical Vermin, and to speak of the Happiness of Mankind upon their Extinction? These things are very provoking. And here's the true Source, 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 St. _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 People about Doctrines they underhand not, whether true or false. And such an Order of Men, as are your Priesthood, are, by their Habit of long Robes, an Ornament 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 Praise of them, and tell the World of what Use and Advantage they have been, in all Ages. O 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 Mankind, like a Deluge, but for the Goodness of their Lives, and the Excellency of their Precepts! How has the Increase and Mult.i.tude of their warm Sermons been the Ruin of _Satan_'s hot and divided Kingdom of Darkness and Error! It's owing to their Pains and Labours, that every Age, for many past, has been improving in Virtue, till the present, which for Piety and good Morals is that perfection of Time, which is not to be meliorated but by the Rest.i.tution 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 Molestation. Try, if you can't correct that fundamental Error, you have committed. a.s.sert 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 Religion; which may be a Means to retrieve their Favour, and will beget in me a better Opinion of your Prudence, than at present is entertain'd by your _a.s.sured Friend_ N. N.

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 Argument, prescrib'd by the two great _Bishops_ of _London_ and St. _David_'s. If the Weight and Solidity of his Argument don't grieve the _Clergy_, I am in no Pain for the Levity and Ludicrousness of it. And whether the Weight and Nature of his Argument against _Jesus_'s Resurrection will at all startle and surprize 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 grey Beard, has presently hit of. 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 Promise.

There are two Things very remarkable 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 Application of these Words, _the last Error_ (or as he reads Deceit or Imposture) _will be worse than the first_ or former, in which he makes the _Chief Priests_ in their Speech to _Pilate_, to refer to _Lazarus_'s Resurrection 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 _Commentators_ 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 _Chief Priests_ must have spoil'd and knock'd out of Joint.

Being then under great Trouble 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 Interpretation 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, that _Easter_ drew nigh, when it was usual for our _Divines_ in their Pulpits, to insist on the Proof of _Jesus_'s Resurrection; and therefore I hasten'd the Publication of this _Discourse_, 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 aches a little for our _Divines_, and I almost despair of their clean Solutions of the foresaid two Difficulties. What must they do then? Why, they must give up their _Religion_ as well as their _Church_, or go along with me to the Fathers for their mystical Interpretation of the whole Story of _Jesus_'s Resurrection.

That the Fathers, without questioning their Belief of _Jesus_'s corporal Resurrection universally interpreted the Story and every Part of it mystically, is most certain. St. _Hilary_[320] enumerates many Particulars of the Story, and intimates what they are typical and figurative of, as any one may see by the Citation referr'd to, which I have not Room to translate and ill.u.s.trate.

St. _Augustin_[321] says, that _Jesus_'s Resurrection from the Dead at that time, was to exhibit an Image and Resemblance of his future and mystical Resurrection. And elsewhere says[322] that it's 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 Mult.i.tude of his Testimonies might be produced to this Purpose, but I shall mention only one[323], wherein he a.s.serts, that by the Sepulchre of _Jesus_ is to be understood the _Letter_ of the Scriptures, in which, as in a Rock, he is reposited.

St. _John_ of _Jerusalem_[324] by the Crucifiers of _Jesus_ understands false Teachers, meaning _Ministers_ of the _Letter_ to be sure, because he himself was a great Allegorist.

St. _Hilary_ says that[325] _Barabbas_ is a Type of _Antichrist_; and by _Antichrist_, as I have elsewhere shewn out of the Fathers, is meant the _Letter_ of the Scriptures, which modern Commentators and Crucifiers of _Jesus_ would prefer to the Spirit. For these are the two, _Letter_ and Spirit, the _Christ_ and _Antichrist_, that are contrary one to another.

St. _Jerom_[326] 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 Mysteries contain'd in them. And by the rending of the Rocks according[327] to him is to be understood the Apertion of the Oracles of G.o.d, that were before as hard as a Rock, till his spiritual Resurrection for the Ill.u.s.tration of them. And by the Earthquake, He says is meant the Shaking of the[328] Hearts of Men, and preparing them, by a Dereliction of their old Errors, for the Susception of the true Knowledge of G.o.d.

As to the Time that _Jesus_ was dead and bury'd, which modern _Divines_ call _three Days_ and _three Nights_, St. _Augustin_ says[329] that according to the Scripture he was not so long dead and buried. Many, says[330] he, have put various Constructions on the Time of _Christ_'s Burial, endeavouring to make three Days of it: But we, without slighting any of their Opinions, 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 Pa.s.sages out of the Fathers, in Interpretation of one or other of the Parts 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 buried 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 Miracle of _Jesus_'s Resurrection, which, by the Help of my Friend the Jewish _Rabbi_, I have shewn, according to the Letter, to consist of the greatest Incredibilities.

And with this I conclude my _Discourses_ on his Miracles, intending to treat on no more of them, unless I am invited or provoked 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 Stories, I found myself too grave for the Work; and my _Rabbi_'s Thoughts are too gay and wanton; therefore it must be omitted, till the _Clergy_ importune me to it, and signify their Curiosity to see it perform'd by me.

My Discourses hereafter, if G.o.d spare me Life and Liberty, which under his Providence I don't despair of, to publish another Volume, shall treat on some historical Pa.s.sages of the New Testament, such as, "On the Stories 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 _Herod_'s Cruelty: "The Travels of _Joseph_ with the Child _Jesus_ and his Mother into _Egypt_: "The Disputation of _Jesus_ with the _Doctors_ in the Temple, and his Elopement from his Parents: "His riding on an a.s.s to _Jerusalem_; and on other such like Pa.s.sages of his Life. For I am resolv'd to give the Letter of the Scripture no Rest, so long as G.o.d gives me Life and Abilities to attack it. _Origen_[331] _says_, that _when we dispute against Ministers of the Letter, we must select some historical Parts of Scripture, which they understand literally, and shew that according to the Letter, they can't stand their Ground, but imply Absurdities and Nonsense_. 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 absurd Notions. As no wise Man hardly ever reprehends a Blunderbuss for his Bull, any other way, than by laughing at him; so the a.s.serters of nonsensical Notions in Theology should, if possible, be satirized and jetted 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 had 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 Pa.s.sages 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 present pa.s.s 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, as to a Testimony and Witness of his Authority; and to show that he did not properly and ultimately refer to these 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 Shadows.

And on this Head I shall be short, there being no Occasion of many Words on it. The _Bishop_ of _London_[332] 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 Prophecies are not to be understood, till their Accomplishment: Even so did _Jesus_ prophesy, when he appeal'd to his Works, as I could prove from the Nature and Manner of his Expressions, but that the Argument would be dry and tedious: And therefore I refer the Matter entirely to the Fathers, who a.s.serted 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 Operations, that would be the Demonstration of his Authority and Messiahs.h.i.+p. Hence it is that _Origen_[333] says that _Jesus_'s first coming was but a Type and Shadow of his spiritual Advent and that his[334] true Miracles, by which his Authority is to be proved, are spiritual: Hence it is that St. _Hilary_ repeatedly says[335] that _Jesus_'s Works were significative and predictive of mysterious Operations, which we were especially to look to. And Hence it is that all the other Fathers interpreted the Miracles 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 Authority and Messiahs.h.i.+p? Was it to the Typical or Ant.i.typal Works? was it to the _Shadow_ or to the _Substance_ of his Operations? 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 Bodies, 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 Mankind, which _Jesus_ of _Nazareth_ has not as yet done.

But not to dispute this Point with _Bishop Gibson_, I will leave him in the Enjoyment of his Opinion of his literal _Messiah_, and miraculous Operator on Men's Bodies; 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 Errors of Mankind. And in the mean time let us draw the Comparison between his _literal_ 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 _Nazareth_'s Messiahs.h.i.+p, because he cured the _bodily Blindness_ of many miraculously; And a good Work it was: But I am for the Messiahs.h.i.+p of a spiritual _Jesus_ to come, who will open the _blind Eyes_ of our Understandings to discern Truth from Error, which will be a most glorious Operation, that his _Jesus_ of _Nazareth_ has not as yet done.

Bishop _Gibson_ is for _Jesus_'s Messiahs.h.i.+p, who once cured _bodily Deafness_ in many, which was indeed well done of him: But I am for the Messiahs.h.i.+p of a spiritual _Jesus_ to come, to heal the _Deafness_ of our Souls, or their _Dulness_ in Apprehension of sublime Mysteries, which will be a divine Work, that his _Jesus_ has not as yet done.

Bishop _Gibson_ is for _Jesus_'s Messiahs.h.i.+p, because he cured Men's bodily _Lameness_, for which I do praise him: But I am for a spiritual _Jesus_'s Messiahs.h.i.+p, 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 Diseases of a few Men's Bodies; 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 prosecuted and punish'd for not being of the same Mind with me.

But, because the _Bishop_ suspects me of Infidelity, in that I have ludicrously treated some of the Miracles of his _Jesus_, which by the by he has not vindicated from the Absurdities and Incredibilities I charged them with; I will humour the _Bishop_, and supposing _Jesus_ wrought literally those Miracles which are allegorically interpreted by me, will in those very Miracles compare his _literal_ and my _spiritual_ Jesus together; and appeal to all Men of Consideration, which is the most worthy of the t.i.tle and Honour of the true _Messiah_.

Bishop _Gibson_ is for his _Jesus_'s Messiahs.h.i.+p, who miraculously drove the _Buyers_ and _Sellers_ out of the Temple, just as if a Man, was G.o.d to invest him with Power, should furiously drive the _Butchers_ and _Grasiers_ with their Cattle, to the Confusion of their several Properties, out of _Smithfield_: A notable Miracle That! But I am for the spiritual _Jesus_'s Messiahs.h.i.+p, who according to the Form of that typical Story, will at his Coming expel Ecclesiastical Merchants out of his Church, who make Merchandise of the Gospel, selling their _Bulls_ and _Beasts_, and _Fatlings_ of the Letter: A most glorious and beneficial Work to Mankind will this be! And to prepare Mens Souls for the Susception of such a spiritual _Jesus_, I intend to publish a _Discourse_ of the Mischiefs and Inconveniencies of an _Hireling 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 Messiahs.h.i.+p of his _Jesus_, who _cast the Devils out of the Madmen, and 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 Hoggs running and tumbling down-hill, as if the _Devil_ drove them: But leaving the Bishop _calmly_, _decently_, and _seriously_ to admire the Wisdom and Justice of his _Jesus_ in that Act, I am for the spiritual _Jesus_, who, according to the typical Form of that Story, exorcis'd the furious and diabolical Tempers out of the _Jews_ and _Gentiles_ of old, whom no Chains of Reason could hold from doing Violence to the Christians, till they were converted; and tho' He permitted the like persecuting and diabolical Spirits to enter into Ecclesiastical Swine; yet will they be precipitated into the _Sea_ of the Knowledge of G.o.d, wherein they will be absorpt with divine Visions and Contemplations. O most glorious Work! that bespeaks the Wisdom, Power and Goodness of our spiritual _Jesus_, from the Beginning 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, after _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 about it, I could give others (except the Bishop) an Idea and Conception or it to their Astonishment at the Glory of _Jesus_ in it.

Bishop _Gibson_ is for the Messiahs.h.i.+p of _Jesus_ of _Nazareth_, because he cured a _Woman of an Issue of Blood_, after she had 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 _Jesus_'s Messiahs.h.i.+p, 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 Physicians 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 Plough-shares_, and _their Spears into Pruning-hooks_; and to _make Wars to cease_ in all the World. Which Prophecies are so far from being fulfill'd by _Jesus_ of _Nazareth_, 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 Prophecies has not long before now occasion'd the Rejection of _Jesus_'s Messiahs.h.i.+p, or of the Authority of the Prophets.