But now I am speaking of the Fitness and Unfitness of deceased Persons to have this grand Miracle wrought on them; it comes into my Head to ask, whyJesusrais'd notJohnthe Baptist to Life again? A Person of greater Merits, and more Worthy of the Favour ofJesusand of this Miracle, could not be. IfJesuscould raise any from the dead he would surely have raised him; and why did he not? This is a reasonable Question and anAnswer should be thought on for it. Was it a Thing out ofJesus's Power? Not so; He was Omnipotent, and could by Force or Persuasion have rescuedJohn's Head out of the Hands of his Enemies; and the tacking it again to his Body, and the infusing new Life into him was no more difficult toJesus, than the Resuscitation of a stinking Carcass. IfJesushad here exerted his Power, and rais'd his dearest Friend and choicest Minister for the Preparation, if not Propagation of the Gospel, none could question his Ability to raise any others, tho' he had rais'd no more. But in as much asJohntheBaptist, one of his singular Merits and Services toChrist, was overlook'd and neglected by him; and three useless and insignificant Persons had this Honour done them, the Facts may reasonably be called into question, and, if the Mysteries don't solve the Difficulty, their litteral Stories may hence be accounted foolish, fictitious and fabulous; especially if we consider,
4. That none of these three rais'd Persons had been long enough dead to amputate all Doubt ofJesus's miraculous Power in their Resurrection. As toJairus's Daughter, she was but newly expired, if at all dead, whenJesusbrought her toLife again.Jesushimself says, she was but asleep. And according toTheophanes Cerameus[289], andTheophilact[290]there is Room to suspect that thisGirlwas only Κατοχοςbeside herself. And it is not impossible, but the passionate Skreams of the Feminine By-standers might fright her into Fits, that bore the Appearance of Death; otherwise why didJesusturn there inordinate Weepers out of the House, before he could bring her to her Senses again? And why did he tell her Parents, that she was only in a sleep, but to Comfort them with the Possibility of his awakening her out of it? Is not this destructive of the Miracle, and making no more of it, than what another Man might do? And is there not some Probability, that here's all of this Story? But supposing she was really dead, yet for the sake of an indisputable Miracle in her Resurrection, it must be granted, that she ought to have been much longer, some Days if not Weeks, dead and buried.
As to the Widow ofNaim's Son, there was somewhat more of the Appearance of Death in him, than inJairus's Daughter. He was carried forth to his Burial, and so may be presumed to be really a deadCorpse. But might not here be Fraud or Mistake in the Case? History and common Fame affords Instances of the mistaken Deaths of Persons, who sometimes have been unfortunately buried alive, and at other Times happily, by one Means or other, restored to Life: And who knows butJesus, upon some Information or other, might suspect this Youth to be in a lethargick State, and had a Mind to try, if by chafeing,&c.he could not do, what successfully he did, bring him to his Senses again: Or might not a Piece of Fraud be here concerted betweenJesus, a subtil Youth, and his Mother and others; and all the Formalities of a Death and Burial contrived, thatJesus, whose Fame for a Worker of Miracles was to be rais'd, might here have an Opportunity to make a shew of a grand one. The Mourning of the Widow, who had her Tears at Command andJesus's casual meeting of the Corpse upon the Road, looks like Contrivance to put the better Face upon the Matter. God forbid, that I should suspect, there was any Fraud of this Kind here; but of the Possibility of it, none can doubt. And where there is a Possibility of Fraud, it is Nonsense, and mere Credulity to talk of a real, certain and stupendous Miracle, especially wherethe Juggler and pretended Worker of Miracles has been detected in some of his other Tricks. All that I have to say here to this Matter, is, that ifJesushad a Mind to raise the Son of this Widow, in Testimony of his divine Power, he should have suffer'd him to have been buried two or three Weeks first; otherwise, if the Mystery don't account forJesus's stopping the Bearers of the Corpse upon the Road, here is too much Room for suspicion of Cheat in the Letter of the Story.
Lazarus's Case seems to be the less exceptionable of the three. He had been buriedfour Days, and supposed to be putrified in the Opinion of his SisterMary, and of modern Christians: And if so, his Resuscitation was a most grand and indisputable Miracle. And I could have wish'd, if I had not loved theMysteryrather than theLetter, that no Cavil and Exception could have been made to it. WhetherLazarus, who wasJesus's Friend and beloved Disciple, would not come into Measures with his Lord, for the Defence of his Honour, and Propagation of his Fame,Infidels, who take Christianity for an Imposture, will not question: And whether he would not consent to be interr'd alive, in a hollow Cave, where there was only a Stone laid at the Mouth of it, as long asa Man could fast, none of them will doubt. Four Days was almost too long for a Man to fast without danger of Health; but if thosefour Daysare number'd according to the Arithmetick of Jesus'sthree Daysin his Grave, they are reducible to two Days and three Nights, which Time, if no Victuals were secretly convey'd with him, a Man might fast inLazarus's Cave. As to thestinkingofLazarus's Carcass: that,Infidelswill say, was but the Assertion of his Sister beforehand, like a Prologue to a Farce. None of the Spectators at his Resurrection say one Word of his stinking. And as to the Weepings and Lamentations ofJesusand ofLazarus's Sisters, they will say that was all Sham and Counterfeit, the better to carry on the Juggle of a feign'd Resurrection. And what's worst of all, they will say, that tho'Jesusdid callLazarusforth with aloud Voice, as if he had been as deaf as a dead Man; yet hisFace was bound about with a Napkin, so that the Spectators could not discern what was of the Essence of the Miracle, the Change of his Countenance from a dead to a live one, which is a plain Sign, that it was all Fraud and Imposture.
God forbid, that I should have the same sense withInfidels, of this Matter; but to be just to their Suggestions and Imaginationshere, I must needs say, there are some other unhappy Circumstances, presently to be consider'd, in this Story, which, if they are not emblematical, make it the most notorious Cheat and Imposture that ever was put upon Mankind. In the mean Time, from what is here argued, it is plain, thatLazaruswas not so long dead and buried, as that there is no Room to doubt of the Miracle of his Resurrection.
Now whether these Arguments against these three Miracles, drawn from the Shortness of the Time, in which these Persons lay for dead, have any Force in them, let ourDivinesconsider. If nothing of all this is in their Opinion affecting of the Credit of the Miracles; yet they must allow, thatJesus, if he could raise the dead, might have made Choice of other Instances of Persons, more unquestionably dead, who had lain longer in their Graves, and were in a visible State of Putrefaction. And if this grand Miracle of raising the dead was to be wrought byJesusfor the Manifestation of his Glory, and in Testimony of his Authority; he should have exercised his Power on some such Persons, nominated by the Magistrates of this or that City, who with the People should be present at the miraculous Operation, beholding the putrified Bodies,(without a Napkin before their Faces) and how they were suddenly enliven'd and invigorated with new Flesh, after the Similitude of their pristine Form, when in Health and full Strength. Because thatJesusrais'd not some such Persons to Life, I must take the Stories of the three Miracles before us to be but typical of more mysterious Works; or believe them for the Arguments above to be downright Cheats and Fables. And what is enough to induce a modernDivineto this Opinion. Is
5. The Consideration, that none of these rais'd Persons did or could, after the Return of their Souls to their Bodies, tell any Tales of their separate Existence otherwise the Evangelists had not been silent in this main Point, which is of the Essence of Christianity. Are not ourDivineshere reduced to an unhappyDilemma, either to deny the separate Existence of the Soul, or the precedent Deaths of these rais'd Persons? As Christians, We profess to believe both, which seemingly are incompatiable; or the Evangelists had made such a Relation, as their return'd Souls had given of the other World. Was any Person, in this Age, to be rais'd to Life, that had been any time dead; the first Thingthat his Friends and Acquaintance would enquire of him, would be to know, where his Soul had been; in what Company; and how it had fared with him; and Historians would certainly record his Narrative. The same Curiosity could not but possess People of old, when these Miracles were wrought; and if the rais'd Persons had told any Stories of their separate Existance, the Evangelists no less unquestionally would have reported them, in as much as such a Report would have been, not only a Confirmation of that Doctrine; which is of the Essence of our Religion; but an absolute Confutation of theSadduceesandSceptistsof that Age, and of theMaterialistsof this. But this their Silence in this Case is of bad Consequence, either to the Doctrine of the Soul's Existence in Separation from the Body, or to these Miracles themselves, since we must hereupon almost necessarily hold, that these rais'd Persons were not at all dead, or that their Souls dy'd with them.
The Author of a Sermon, ascrib'd to St.Augustintells us[291]thatLazarusafterhis Resurrection made a large Report ofHell, where he had been: But as this is a mere Fiction of that Author, without the least Authority from Scripture; so I presume it will be accounted aBlunderin him, to suppose the Soul ofLazarus, the Friend and beloved ofJesus, was in Hell. The Soul ofJesusindeed, for Reasons best known to himself, upon his Death, descended into Hell, when some think he should rather have gone, with the penitent Thief, into Paradise. But the Thoughts, that any ofJesus's Friends should go to Hell, I suppose will not be born with; or what will become of the Preachers of this Age, who would be accounted Men or that Denomination. And ifLazarus's Soul had been in Paradise, it was hardly a good Work inJesusto recall it, for thirty Years afterwards, to the Miseries and Troubles of this wicked World. I wish therefore ourDivinescould determine, whereLazarus's Soul was for the four Days of his Burial; because I can't possibly conceive any thing else, than that he was not really dead, or that his Soul dy'd with him, or went to a bad place, otherwise after his Resurrection he had neverabsconded for fear of theJews, as if he was unwilling to die again, and return to the Place from whence he came.
But however it was with the Souls of these rais'd Persons before their Re-union to their Bodies, here is another Difficulty and Objection against these Miracles; and how will ourDivinesget over it? Perhaps they may say, that tho' these rais'd Persons were before really dead; yet their Souls were not as yet gone to their Places prepared of God for them, but continued hovering about their Bodies, like the Flame about the Snuff of a Candle, with desires
——iterumq; revertiCorpora——
——iterumq; revertiCorpora——
to be again rejoin'd to them. And withall my Heart let this Answer pass, if ourDivinesandInfidelscan so agree upon it. As for my own Opinion, it is this, that these Miracles ofJesusare Parables, and that it was beside the Purpose of the Parable, and of theEvangeliststo say any thing of the Place and State of the Soul upon its Separation from the Body; otherwise the Letter of their Stories is manifestly obnoxious to the Objection above, or the Deaths of these pretended rais'd Persons, upon Christian Principles, are questionable. But
6. And lastly, Let us consider the intrinsick Absurdities and Incredibilities of the several Stories of these three Miracles. And such Absurdities shall we find in them, that, if they had been intended as Testimonies ofJesus's divine Power, had never been inserted in their Narratives.
As toJairus's Daughter, and her Resurrection from the dead, St.Hilary[292]hints, that there was no such Person asJairuswhose Name was fictitious, and coin'd with a spiritual Signification for the Use of the Parable; and he gives this Reason, and a good Reason it is, why he thought so, because it is elsewhere[293]intimated in the Gospel, that none of the Rulers of the Synagogues confessedly believed onJesus. Is not here then a stumbling-Block at the Threshold of the Letter of this Story? But why didJesussay, this Girl was but in a Sleep? If he was going to work a Miracle in her Resuscitation, he should not have call'd Death,Sleep; but if others had been of a contrary Opinion, he should first have convinced them of the Certainty of her Death, before he did the great Work on her. And why did he charge the Parents of the Girl not to speak of the Miracle? If he meant it as Testimony of his divine Power, he should rather have exhorted them, in justice to himself to publish it, and make it well known. And why, as St.Ambrose[294]puts the Question, did he turn the People out of the House, before he would raise her? The more Witnesses are present at a Miracle, the better it is attested, and the more readily believed by others; and who should be present at the Miracle rather than those who were incredulous ofJesus's divine Power? Are not all these Circumstances, so manyAbsurdities, which, if they are not to be accounted for in theMystery, are so far destructive of theLetter, as that it is Nonsense and Folly in ourDivinesto talk of a Miracle here, againstJesus's express Word and Prohibition to the contrary.
As to the Story of the Widow ofNaim's Son, excepting what is before observed ofthe shortness of the Time, in which he lay dead, and of the Unfitness of his Person to be rais'd before an Husband and Father of a Family, to the Comfort of his Wife and Children, (which are enough to overthrow the Credulity of the Miracle) I have here no more Fault to find in the Letter of it.
But the long Story ofLazarusis so brimful of Absurdities, that, if the Letter alone is to be regarded; St.John, who was then above a hundred, when he wrote it, had lived beyond his Reason and Senses, or he could not have committed them.
I have not Room here to make Remarks on all these Absurdities, which would be the Work of a Volume; but shall single out three or four of them at present, reserving the rest for another Opportunity, when the whole Story of this Miracle will appear to be such a Contexture of Folly and Fraud in its Contrivance, Execution, and Relation, as is not to be equall'd in all Romantick History; and ourDivineswill find themselves so distress'd upon the Dissection and Display of it, as that they must of Necessity allow this Story to be but a Parable; or, what's most grievous to think on, give up their Religion upon it.
Firstthen, observe thatJesusis said to haveweptandgroan'dfor the Death ofLazarus: But why so, says[295]St.Basil? Was not this anAbsurdityto weep at all for the Death of him, whom he could, and was about to recover to Life again? Another Man may as reasonably grieve for the Absence of his Friend, whose Company and Presence he can retrieve in an Instant, as thatJesusshould shed Tears forLazarusin this Case. IfJesuscould not or would not raise him from the dead, he ought not, as a Philosopher, who knows Man is born to die, to betray so much Weakness as to weep for him. Patience and Resignation unto God upon the Death of our dearest Friends and Relations is what all Philosophers have rightly taught; andJesus, one would think, should have been the most Heroical Example of these Graces; and how came he to fail of it here? A Stoical Apathy had better became him than such childish and effeminate Grief, which not only makes him a mean and poor-spirited Mortal; but is a grossAbsurdityandIncredibilityupon Consideration of his Will and Power to fetchLazarusto Life again. If there be not, according to the Fathers, Mystery in these Tears ofJesus, they are a foolish and unnatural Prelude to a Farce, he was acting in the pretended Resuscitation ofLazarus.
Some antient Catholicks, not being apprised of the Mystery, were so offended at these Words,Jesus wept, that, asEpiphanius[296]says, they expung'd them out of their Bibles; and I wonder, they have not, before now, disturb'd the Faith of Ministers of the Letter, to the utter Rejection of the Miracle.
Secondly, Observe thatJohnsays, it was witha loud Voice, thatJesuscall'dLazarusforth out of his Cave. And why, I pray, a louder Voice than ordinary? Was deadLazarusdeafer thanJairus's Daughter, or the Widow's Son? Or was his Soul at so great a Distance from his Body, as he could not hear a still and low Voice? Some such silly Reason asthismust be given for thisloud Voicehere; but how absurd it is according to the Letter, Infidels will judge, till Christians can assign a better. The dead can hear the Whisper of the Almighty, if Power go along with it,as soon as the Sound of a Trumpet. St.Johnthen should not have written of aloud Voice, unless he meant to adapt his Story to the Capacities and Conceptions of the Vulgar, who have no Apprehensions of God's Power, out of sensible and human Representations of it.
Thirdly, Because that a Miracle should be well guarded against all Suspicion of Fraud, I was thinking to make it anAbsurdity, that the Napkin, beforeJesusrais'dLazarus, was not taken from his Face, that the Spectators might behold his mortified Looks, and the miraculous Change of his Countenance from Death unto Life. WhatInfidelsthink of this Circumstance I know not: I hope it is not with them a Token of Fraud and Imposture; tho' I must needs say, that if the Fathers did not let me in to the Mystery of the Napkin aboutLazarus's Face whenJesuscall'd him forth, I should not my self like it.
Fourthly, and lastly, Observe, St.Johnsays, v. 45. thatmany of the Jews, who had seen the Things that Jesus didhere;believed on him; andsome of them, v. 46. who did not believe,went their Ways to the Pharisees and told them what Things Jesus had donein this pretended Miracle,and how the Business was transacted: Whereupon the Chief Priests and Pharisees were so far incens'd as v. 53.from that Day forth they took Council together to put him to Death; and Ch. xii. 10.consulted, that they might putLazarusalso to Death. Jesustherefore(and his Disciples andLazarusfled for it, for they) v. 54.walk'd no more openly among the Jews, butwent thence into a Country near to the Wilderness(a convenient hiding Place)and there continued with his Disciples; otherwise in all Probability they had been all sacrificed.
I dare not argue upon these Circumstances, neither would I, for the Honour ofJesushave mention'd them; but that my old Friend, the JewishRabbi, who help'd me to the Satirical Invective againstJesus's Miracle ofturning Water into Wine, has hence form'd an Objection againstLazarus's Resurrection, and sent me aLetterupon it, desiring me to publish it, and exhort theClergyto answer it; otherwise he would clandestinely hand it about to the Prejudice of our Religion: Whereupon I, rather than Christianity should so suffer, do here publish it, and it is as follows.
"Sr.When we last discours'd onJesus's Miracles, I promised to send you my Thoughts onLazarus's Resurrection, which I look upon as a notorious Imposture,and for the Proof of it, need go no farther, than to the Circumstances of its Story, which yourEvangelisthas related."If there had been an indisputable Miracle wrought inLazarus's Resurrection; why were theChief-PriestsandPhariseesso incens'd upon it, asto take Council to put both JesusandLazarustoDeath for it? Where was the Provocation? I can conceive none. Tho' theJewswere ever so canker'd with Malice and Hatred toJesusbefore; yet such a most stupendous Miracle was enough to stop their Mouths, and turn their Hearts: Or if their Prejudices againstJesuswere insuperable, and they hated him but the more for the Number and Greatness of his Miracles; yet why is poorLazarus, inoffensiveLazarus, upon whom this good and great Work was wrought, an Object of their Hatred too? YourDivinesare to give a credible and probable Account of this Matter, such a one as will comport with Reason and Sense; or we shall conclude, that it wasFraud, detected in this pretended Miracle, which justly provok'd the Indignation of our Ancestors."To say, what is all you can say, that it was downright Inhumanity, Barbarity and Brutality in theJewsto hateLazarusas well asJesus, will not do here. Tho' this may pass with many Christians, who are ready to swallow, without chewing, any evil Reports of our Nation; yet it can't go down with reasonable and unprejudic'd Men, who must have other Conceptions of human Nature in all Ages and Nations, than to think it possible, that a Man, inLazarus's Case, can be hated and persecuted for having had such a good and wonderful Work done on him. And why then was he hated and persecuted? I say, for this, and no other Reason, than because he was a Confederate withJesusin the wicked Imposture, he was putting upon Mankind."But supposing, what is never to be granted, that theJewsof old were so inhuman, brutish, and barbarous as to hate and persecuteLazarusas well asJesusfor this Miracle; yet why didJesusand his Disciples, withLazarus, run away and abscond upon it? for they v. 54.walk'd no more openly among theJews,but went thence into a Country near to the Wilderness, and thereJesuscontinued with his Disciples. Is not here a plain Sign of Guilt and of Fraud? Men, that have God's Cause, Truth and Power on their Side, never want Courage and Resolutionto stand to it. And however your ChristianPriestsmay palliate the cowardly and timerous Conduct ofJesusand his Confederates in this Case; yet with me, it's like Demonstration, that there was a discover'd Cheat in the Miracle, or they would undauntedly have faced their Enemies, without Fears And Apprehensions of Danger from them."Our Ancestors then, who unquestionably detected the Fraud, were in the right on't to prosecute with Severity, the whole Party concern'd in it: And if they had aveng'd the Wickedness of it uponLazarusas well as they did uponJesus, I should have commended them for it. Whether such a monstrous Imposture, as was this pretended Miracle, happily discover'd does not call aloud for Vengeance and most exemplary Punishment; and whether any Nation of the World would suffer the like with Impunity, let any Man judge."For all the Reports of your Gospels, it is unnatural to hate a miraculous Healer of Diseases; and there must be somewhat supprest about the Inveteracy of theJewstoJesus, or his healing Power, if it was so great as is imagined, must have reconciled them to him: But that they should hate not onlyJesusforraising the dead, but the Person rais'd by him, is improbable, incredible, and impossible."If Historians can parallel this Story of the Malignity of theJewstowardsJesusandLazarusupon such a real Miracle, with any Thing equally barbarous and inhuman, in any other Sect or Nation; we will acknowledge the Truth of it against our ancient Nation: Or if such Inhumanity, abstractedly consider'd, be at all agreeable to the Conceptions any one can form of Human Nature in the most uncivilis'd and brutish People, we will allow our Ancestors, in this Case, to have been that People."Was such a real and indisputable Miracle, as this ofLazarusis supposed, to be wrought at this day in Confirmation of Christianity, I dare say, it would bring all usJews, to a Man, into the Belief of it: And I don't think it possible, for any People to be so begotten, byass'd, and prejudiced, as not to be wrought on by it. Or if they would not part with their Interests and Prejudices upon it, they would have more Wit and Temper, than to break forth into a Rage against all or any of the Persons concern'd in it. And, for my Life, I can entertain no worse Thoughts of our old Nation."Supposing God should send an Ambassador at this day, who, to convince Christians of the Mischiefs and Inconvenience of anHireling Priesthood, should work such a Miracle as was this ofLazarus's Resurrection, in the Presence of a multitude of Spectators; how would yourBishopsandClergybehave themselves upon it? Why, they would be as mute as Fishes; or if they did fret and grieve inwardly for the Loss of their Interests; yet they would have more Prudence (ask them else,) than to show their Anger openly, and persecute bothAgentandPatientfor it. Wherefore then are they so censorious and uncharitable as to preach and believe another Notion and Doctrine of our Ancestors?"But if a false Prophet, for the subversion of anHireling Priesthood, should, in spite to theClergy, counterfeit such a Miracle, and be detected in the Operation; how then would Priests and People, Magistrates and Subjects behave upon it? Why, they would be full of Indignation, andfrom that day forth would take Council to putthe Impostor and his Confederate to Death, of which they would be most deserving; and if they did not abscond and fly for it, likeJesuand his Disciplesto a Wilderness in the Countryto hide themselves, the Rage of the Populace would hardly wait the Leisure of Justice to dispatch and make terrible Examples of them. Was not this exactly the Case ofJesus's Imposture in the Resurrection ofLazarus; and of the Punishment he was threaten'd with, and afterwards most justly underwent for it?"Mankind may be in some Cases very obdurate, and so hard of Belief, as to stand it out against Sense, Reason and Demonstration: But I will not think worse of our Ancestors than of the rest of Mankind; or that they any more than others would have withstood a clear and indisputable Miracle inLazarus's Resuscitation. Such a manifest Miracle, let it be wrought for what End and Purpose, we can possibly imagine, would strike Men with Awe and Reverence; and none could hate and persecute the Author of the Miracle; least He who could raise the dead, should exert his Power against themselves, and either wound or smite them dead with it. For which Reason, the Resurrection ofLazarus, on the certain Knowledge of our Ancestors, was all Fraud, or they would have reverenc'd and adored the Power of him, that did it."It may be true, whatJohnsays, thatmany of the Jews, who had seen the Things that Jesus did, believed on him, that is, believed that he had wrought here a great Miracle: But who were these? the ignorant and credulous, whom a much lessjugglerthan Mr.Fawkescould easily impos'd on. But on the other hand, it is certain, according toChristian Commentators, thatsome of themdid not believe the Miracle, butwent their ways to the Pharisees and told them what Things Jesus had done, that is, told them, after what manner the Intrigue was managed; and complain'd of the Fraud in it. How they came to suspect and discover the Fraud, was notJohn's Business to relate; and for want of other ancient Memorials, we can only guess at it. Perhaps they discern'd some motion inLazarus's Body, before the Word of Command, tocome forth, was given; perhaps they discover'd some Fragments of the Food, that forfour daysin the Cave, he had subsisted on. But however this was, they could not but take Notice of theNapkin about his Faceall the while; whichJesus, to prevent all suspicion of Cheat, should have first order'd to be taken off, that his mortify'd Countenance might be view'd,before the miraculous Change of it to Life was wrought. This neglect inJesus(which I wonderJohnhad no more Wit than to hint at) will be a lasting Objection to the Miracle.Jesuswas wiser, than not to be aware of the Objection, which he would have obviated, if he durst, by a Removal of the Napkin, to the satisfaction of all Spectators there present. Because this was not done, weJewsnow deny, there was any Miracle wrought; and, whether our Unbelief upon this Circumstance be not well grounded, we appeal to Christian Priests themselves, who must own, that if there was a Miracle here, the Matter was ill conducted byJesus, or foolishly related by hisEvangelist.""It is a sad Misfortune, that attends our modern enquiry after Truth, that there are no other Memorials extant of the Life and Miracles ofJesus, than what are written by his own Disciples. Not only old Time has devour'd, but Christians themselves, (which in the Opinion of the impartial makes for us) when they got Power into their Hands, wilfully destroy'd many Writings of our Ancestors, as well as ofCelsusandPorphiryand others, which they could not answer;otherwise I doubt not but they would have given us clear Light into a the Imposture ofLazarus's Resurrection: But ifJesus, according to his ownEvangelists, was arraign'd for aDeceiverandBlasphemer, in pretending to the Sonship and Power of God by his Miracles; in all Probability this Piece of Fraud inLazaruswas one Article of the Indictment against him; and what makes it very likely, is that theChief PriestsandPharisees, from the Date of this pretended Miracle,took Council together to put him to Death, not clandestinely or tumultuously to murder him, but judicially to punish him with Death, which, if they proved their Indictment by credible and sufficient Witnesses, he was most worthy of."As it is plain from the Story inJohn, that there was a Dispute among the By-standers atLazarus's Resurrection, whether it was a real Miracle or not; so it is the Opinion of usJews, which is of the Nature of a Tradition, that theChief-Priestsand civil Magistrates ofBethany, for the better Determination of the Dispute and quieting of the Minds of the People, requir'd thatJesusshould re-act the Miracle upon another Person, there lately dead and buried. ButJesusdeclining this Test of his Power, the whole Multitude of Believers as well as of Unbelievers before, question'd the Resurrection ofLazarus; and were highly incens'd against both him andJesusfor the Deceit in it. And this wasoneReason among others of that vehement and Universal Outcry and Demand, atJesus's Tryal, for his Crucifixion. I'll not answer for the Certainty of this Tradition or Opinion, but as the Expedient was obvious, so it has the Face of Truth and Credibility; and for the Proof of it, I need only appeal to ChristianPriestsandMagistrates; whether, under a Dispute of a Miracle of that Consequence, they would not require, for full Satisfaction, it should be acted over again; and, if theJugglerrefused, whether there would not be a general Clamour of People of all Ranks for hisExecution."Matthew,MarkandLuke, who knew as much of this Sham-Miracle asJohn, had not the Confidence to report it; because, when they wrote, many Eye-Witnesses of the Fraud were alive to disprove and contradict them; therefore they confined their Narratives toJesus's less juggling Tricks, that had pass'd more current: But after theJewishStatewas dissolved, their judicial Records were destroy'd, and every Body dead that could confute him,Johnventures abroad the Story of this Miracle; and if the good Providence of God had not infatuated him, in the Insertion of the Circumstances here observed, it might have pass'd through all Generations to come, as well as it has done for many past, for a grand Miracle."Thus,Sir, have you a few of my Thoughts on the pretended Miracle ofLazarus's Resurrection. I have more to bestow on it, but that I would not be tedious. There's no need to argue against the other two Resurrection-Stories. You knowomne majus includit minus, and if the greatest of the three Miracles be an Imposture, the two less ones of Consequence are Artifice and Fraud. And rather than the Miracle ofLazarusshall stand its Ground, I'll have t'other Bout at it from some other Circumstances; the Consideration of which will make it as foolish and wicked an Imposture, as ever was contrived and transacted in the World; such awicked Impostureof most pernicious Consequence to the Welfare of the Publick, that it is no Wonder, the People, by an unanimous Voice, call'd for the ReleasementofBarabbas, a Robber and Murderer, beforeJesus. I don't suppose these Arguments against this Miracle will be convincing of your ChristianClergy, who are hired to the Belief of it. But however, aBishopof manythousandsa Year to believe, can't in Conscience deny, that the Arguments above are a sufficient Justification of ourJewishDisbelief of it."If you, Sir, should write a Discourse gainst the Letter of the Story ofJesus's Resurrection, I beg of you to accept of a few of my Conceptions on that Head, which, I promise you, shall be out of the common Road of thinking. YourDivinesthink they have exhausted that Subject, and absolutely confuted all Objections that can be made against it, but are much mistaken. Sometimes weJewsdip into their Writings on this Head, and always smile with Indignation at their foolish Invectives against the Blindness of the Eyes, and Hardness of the Hearts of our Ancestors. If they would but favour us with a Liberty to write for our selves, a reasonable Liberty, which in this Philosophical Age we don't despair of, especially under so wise just and good a Civil Administration, as this Nation is happily bless'd with, wewould cut them out some more Work, which they are not aware of. In the mean Time I am your assured Friend,"N.N.
"Sr.When we last discours'd onJesus's Miracles, I promised to send you my Thoughts onLazarus's Resurrection, which I look upon as a notorious Imposture,and for the Proof of it, need go no farther, than to the Circumstances of its Story, which yourEvangelisthas related.
"If there had been an indisputable Miracle wrought inLazarus's Resurrection; why were theChief-PriestsandPhariseesso incens'd upon it, asto take Council to put both JesusandLazarustoDeath for it? Where was the Provocation? I can conceive none. Tho' theJewswere ever so canker'd with Malice and Hatred toJesusbefore; yet such a most stupendous Miracle was enough to stop their Mouths, and turn their Hearts: Or if their Prejudices againstJesuswere insuperable, and they hated him but the more for the Number and Greatness of his Miracles; yet why is poorLazarus, inoffensiveLazarus, upon whom this good and great Work was wrought, an Object of their Hatred too? YourDivinesare to give a credible and probable Account of this Matter, such a one as will comport with Reason and Sense; or we shall conclude, that it wasFraud, detected in this pretended Miracle, which justly provok'd the Indignation of our Ancestors.
"To say, what is all you can say, that it was downright Inhumanity, Barbarity and Brutality in theJewsto hateLazarusas well asJesus, will not do here. Tho' this may pass with many Christians, who are ready to swallow, without chewing, any evil Reports of our Nation; yet it can't go down with reasonable and unprejudic'd Men, who must have other Conceptions of human Nature in all Ages and Nations, than to think it possible, that a Man, inLazarus's Case, can be hated and persecuted for having had such a good and wonderful Work done on him. And why then was he hated and persecuted? I say, for this, and no other Reason, than because he was a Confederate withJesusin the wicked Imposture, he was putting upon Mankind.
"But supposing, what is never to be granted, that theJewsof old were so inhuman, brutish, and barbarous as to hate and persecuteLazarusas well asJesusfor this Miracle; yet why didJesusand his Disciples, withLazarus, run away and abscond upon it? for they v. 54.walk'd no more openly among theJews,but went thence into a Country near to the Wilderness, and thereJesuscontinued with his Disciples. Is not here a plain Sign of Guilt and of Fraud? Men, that have God's Cause, Truth and Power on their Side, never want Courage and Resolutionto stand to it. And however your ChristianPriestsmay palliate the cowardly and timerous Conduct ofJesusand his Confederates in this Case; yet with me, it's like Demonstration, that there was a discover'd Cheat in the Miracle, or they would undauntedly have faced their Enemies, without Fears And Apprehensions of Danger from them.
"Our Ancestors then, who unquestionably detected the Fraud, were in the right on't to prosecute with Severity, the whole Party concern'd in it: And if they had aveng'd the Wickedness of it uponLazarusas well as they did uponJesus, I should have commended them for it. Whether such a monstrous Imposture, as was this pretended Miracle, happily discover'd does not call aloud for Vengeance and most exemplary Punishment; and whether any Nation of the World would suffer the like with Impunity, let any Man judge.
"For all the Reports of your Gospels, it is unnatural to hate a miraculous Healer of Diseases; and there must be somewhat supprest about the Inveteracy of theJewstoJesus, or his healing Power, if it was so great as is imagined, must have reconciled them to him: But that they should hate not onlyJesusforraising the dead, but the Person rais'd by him, is improbable, incredible, and impossible.
"If Historians can parallel this Story of the Malignity of theJewstowardsJesusandLazarusupon such a real Miracle, with any Thing equally barbarous and inhuman, in any other Sect or Nation; we will acknowledge the Truth of it against our ancient Nation: Or if such Inhumanity, abstractedly consider'd, be at all agreeable to the Conceptions any one can form of Human Nature in the most uncivilis'd and brutish People, we will allow our Ancestors, in this Case, to have been that People.
"Was such a real and indisputable Miracle, as this ofLazarusis supposed, to be wrought at this day in Confirmation of Christianity, I dare say, it would bring all usJews, to a Man, into the Belief of it: And I don't think it possible, for any People to be so begotten, byass'd, and prejudiced, as not to be wrought on by it. Or if they would not part with their Interests and Prejudices upon it, they would have more Wit and Temper, than to break forth into a Rage against all or any of the Persons concern'd in it. And, for my Life, I can entertain no worse Thoughts of our old Nation.
"Supposing God should send an Ambassador at this day, who, to convince Christians of the Mischiefs and Inconvenience of anHireling Priesthood, should work such a Miracle as was this ofLazarus's Resurrection, in the Presence of a multitude of Spectators; how would yourBishopsandClergybehave themselves upon it? Why, they would be as mute as Fishes; or if they did fret and grieve inwardly for the Loss of their Interests; yet they would have more Prudence (ask them else,) than to show their Anger openly, and persecute bothAgentandPatientfor it. Wherefore then are they so censorious and uncharitable as to preach and believe another Notion and Doctrine of our Ancestors?
"But if a false Prophet, for the subversion of anHireling Priesthood, should, in spite to theClergy, counterfeit such a Miracle, and be detected in the Operation; how then would Priests and People, Magistrates and Subjects behave upon it? Why, they would be full of Indignation, andfrom that day forth would take Council to putthe Impostor and his Confederate to Death, of which they would be most deserving; and if they did not abscond and fly for it, likeJesuand his Disciplesto a Wilderness in the Countryto hide themselves, the Rage of the Populace would hardly wait the Leisure of Justice to dispatch and make terrible Examples of them. Was not this exactly the Case ofJesus's Imposture in the Resurrection ofLazarus; and of the Punishment he was threaten'd with, and afterwards most justly underwent for it?
"Mankind may be in some Cases very obdurate, and so hard of Belief, as to stand it out against Sense, Reason and Demonstration: But I will not think worse of our Ancestors than of the rest of Mankind; or that they any more than others would have withstood a clear and indisputable Miracle inLazarus's Resuscitation. Such a manifest Miracle, let it be wrought for what End and Purpose, we can possibly imagine, would strike Men with Awe and Reverence; and none could hate and persecute the Author of the Miracle; least He who could raise the dead, should exert his Power against themselves, and either wound or smite them dead with it. For which Reason, the Resurrection ofLazarus, on the certain Knowledge of our Ancestors, was all Fraud, or they would have reverenc'd and adored the Power of him, that did it.
"It may be true, whatJohnsays, thatmany of the Jews, who had seen the Things that Jesus did, believed on him, that is, believed that he had wrought here a great Miracle: But who were these? the ignorant and credulous, whom a much lessjugglerthan Mr.Fawkescould easily impos'd on. But on the other hand, it is certain, according toChristian Commentators, thatsome of themdid not believe the Miracle, butwent their ways to the Pharisees and told them what Things Jesus had done, that is, told them, after what manner the Intrigue was managed; and complain'd of the Fraud in it. How they came to suspect and discover the Fraud, was notJohn's Business to relate; and for want of other ancient Memorials, we can only guess at it. Perhaps they discern'd some motion inLazarus's Body, before the Word of Command, tocome forth, was given; perhaps they discover'd some Fragments of the Food, that forfour daysin the Cave, he had subsisted on. But however this was, they could not but take Notice of theNapkin about his Faceall the while; whichJesus, to prevent all suspicion of Cheat, should have first order'd to be taken off, that his mortify'd Countenance might be view'd,before the miraculous Change of it to Life was wrought. This neglect inJesus(which I wonderJohnhad no more Wit than to hint at) will be a lasting Objection to the Miracle.Jesuswas wiser, than not to be aware of the Objection, which he would have obviated, if he durst, by a Removal of the Napkin, to the satisfaction of all Spectators there present. Because this was not done, weJewsnow deny, there was any Miracle wrought; and, whether our Unbelief upon this Circumstance be not well grounded, we appeal to Christian Priests themselves, who must own, that if there was a Miracle here, the Matter was ill conducted byJesus, or foolishly related by hisEvangelist."
"It is a sad Misfortune, that attends our modern enquiry after Truth, that there are no other Memorials extant of the Life and Miracles ofJesus, than what are written by his own Disciples. Not only old Time has devour'd, but Christians themselves, (which in the Opinion of the impartial makes for us) when they got Power into their Hands, wilfully destroy'd many Writings of our Ancestors, as well as ofCelsusandPorphiryand others, which they could not answer;otherwise I doubt not but they would have given us clear Light into a the Imposture ofLazarus's Resurrection: But ifJesus, according to his ownEvangelists, was arraign'd for aDeceiverandBlasphemer, in pretending to the Sonship and Power of God by his Miracles; in all Probability this Piece of Fraud inLazaruswas one Article of the Indictment against him; and what makes it very likely, is that theChief PriestsandPharisees, from the Date of this pretended Miracle,took Council together to put him to Death, not clandestinely or tumultuously to murder him, but judicially to punish him with Death, which, if they proved their Indictment by credible and sufficient Witnesses, he was most worthy of.
"As it is plain from the Story inJohn, that there was a Dispute among the By-standers atLazarus's Resurrection, whether it was a real Miracle or not; so it is the Opinion of usJews, which is of the Nature of a Tradition, that theChief-Priestsand civil Magistrates ofBethany, for the better Determination of the Dispute and quieting of the Minds of the People, requir'd thatJesusshould re-act the Miracle upon another Person, there lately dead and buried. ButJesusdeclining this Test of his Power, the whole Multitude of Believers as well as of Unbelievers before, question'd the Resurrection ofLazarus; and were highly incens'd against both him andJesusfor the Deceit in it. And this wasoneReason among others of that vehement and Universal Outcry and Demand, atJesus's Tryal, for his Crucifixion. I'll not answer for the Certainty of this Tradition or Opinion, but as the Expedient was obvious, so it has the Face of Truth and Credibility; and for the Proof of it, I need only appeal to ChristianPriestsandMagistrates; whether, under a Dispute of a Miracle of that Consequence, they would not require, for full Satisfaction, it should be acted over again; and, if theJugglerrefused, whether there would not be a general Clamour of People of all Ranks for hisExecution.
"Matthew,MarkandLuke, who knew as much of this Sham-Miracle asJohn, had not the Confidence to report it; because, when they wrote, many Eye-Witnesses of the Fraud were alive to disprove and contradict them; therefore they confined their Narratives toJesus's less juggling Tricks, that had pass'd more current: But after theJewishStatewas dissolved, their judicial Records were destroy'd, and every Body dead that could confute him,Johnventures abroad the Story of this Miracle; and if the good Providence of God had not infatuated him, in the Insertion of the Circumstances here observed, it might have pass'd through all Generations to come, as well as it has done for many past, for a grand Miracle.
"Thus,Sir, have you a few of my Thoughts on the pretended Miracle ofLazarus's Resurrection. I have more to bestow on it, but that I would not be tedious. There's no need to argue against the other two Resurrection-Stories. You knowomne majus includit minus, and if the greatest of the three Miracles be an Imposture, the two less ones of Consequence are Artifice and Fraud. And rather than the Miracle ofLazarusshall stand its Ground, I'll have t'other Bout at it from some other Circumstances; the Consideration of which will make it as foolish and wicked an Imposture, as ever was contrived and transacted in the World; such awicked Impostureof most pernicious Consequence to the Welfare of the Publick, that it is no Wonder, the People, by an unanimous Voice, call'd for the ReleasementofBarabbas, a Robber and Murderer, beforeJesus. I don't suppose these Arguments against this Miracle will be convincing of your ChristianClergy, who are hired to the Belief of it. But however, aBishopof manythousandsa Year to believe, can't in Conscience deny, that the Arguments above are a sufficient Justification of ourJewishDisbelief of it.
"If you, Sir, should write a Discourse gainst the Letter of the Story ofJesus's Resurrection, I beg of you to accept of a few of my Conceptions on that Head, which, I promise you, shall be out of the common Road of thinking. YourDivinesthink they have exhausted that Subject, and absolutely confuted all Objections that can be made against it, but are much mistaken. Sometimes weJewsdip into their Writings on this Head, and always smile with Indignation at their foolish Invectives against the Blindness of the Eyes, and Hardness of the Hearts of our Ancestors. If they would but favour us with a Liberty to write for our selves, a reasonable Liberty, which in this Philosophical Age we don't despair of, especially under so wise just and good a Civil Administration, as this Nation is happily bless'd with, wewould cut them out some more Work, which they are not aware of. In the mean Time I am your assured Friend,"
N.N.
So ends the Letter of my Friend, theJewish Rabbi, which consists ofcalmandsedateReasoning, or I would not have publish'd it; for I am resolv'd he shall no more impose upon me with his ludicrous and bantering Stuff, like his Satirical Invective againstJesus's Miracle ofturning Water into Wine, so offensive to our GodlyBishops. And because it consists ofcalmandsedateReasoning, whichBishop Smalbrokeallows of, I hope hisLordshipwill take it into Consideration, and write an Answer to it, which I, without the Help of the Mystery, can't do.
If the foresaidLetterbe offensive to ourClergy, who don't judge it meet that theJewsshould take this Liberty to write against the Miracles of our Saviour, and in Vindication of their own disbelief of Christianity, I beg of them, for the Love ofJesus, not to let their Displeasure be visibly seen; because theJewswill then laugh in their Sleeves, and perhaps openly insult and triumph upon it: But if they will privately acquaint me with their Displeasureat it, I'll promise them to hold no more Correspondence with suchJewish Rabbies; neither will I ever hereafter publish any other Objections againstChrist's Religion and Miracles, than what come from theHotentotsandPawawers: and then it will be strange, if our dignifiedClergy, of most grave and demure Looks, can't solidly confute the worst, that such ignorant and illiterate People can urge against them.
And thus have I done with my Objections against the Letter of these three Miracles. If ourDivinesshall think there is little or nothing of Force in them; then an Answer, which I should be glad to see, may the more easily be made to them. As for my part, without being conceited of the Acuteness and Strength of any of the Objections, I think it impossible satisfactorily to reply to them, without having Recourse to the Opinions of the Fathers, that these three Miracles, whether they were ever litterally transacted or not, are now but emblematical Representations of mysterious and more wonderful Operations to be perform'd byJesus.
To the Fathers then let us go for their mystical Interpretation of these Miracles. St.Augustin, in his Introduction to a Sermon on the Widow ofNaim's Son, says[297]thus, "There are some so silly as to stand amazed at the corporal Miracles ofJesus, and have no Consideration of his greater and spiritual Miracles, signified by them: but others who are wiser can hear of the Things thatJesusdid on Men's Bodys, without being astonish'd at them, chusing rather to contemplate with Admiration his more wonderful Works on Men's Souls; after the similitude of bodily Miracles. And these are the Christians that conform their Studies to the Will of our Lord; who would have his corporal Miracles, spiritually interpreted: For He wrought not Miracles in the Flesh, for the sake of such Miracles abstractedly consider'd; butthat, if they were surprising to some Mens Senses, they should be more astonishing to the Understanding of others, who apprehend the spiritual Meaning of them. And they who by Contemplation can attain to the mystical Signification ofJesus's Miracles, are the best Scholars and most learn'd Disciples in his Church and School. And, (speaking of the Absurdity of Jesus's cursing the Figtree according to the Letter) presently after says, that this he observ'd, that he might persuade his Hearers to think, that our LordJesustherefore wrought Miracles, that he might signify somewhat by them, which he would have his Disciples to learn and consider of. Come now,says he, and let us see what we are mistically and spiritually to understand by the Stories of the three Persons rais'd from the dead."
There are two Ways, that the Fathers took in the moral and mystical Interpretation of these Miracles: One was from the Numberthree, and their Difference in Magnitude. According to which they said with St.Augustin[298]that these threesorts of dead Persons, so rais'd to Life, are Figures of three sorts of Sinners, whomJesusraiseth from the death of Sin to the Life of Righteousness. They who have conceiv'd Sin in their Hearts, and have not brought it forth into Act; are figured byJairus's Daughter, who lay dead in the House of her Father, and was not taken forth to her Burial. Others, who after Cogitation and Consent, pass into actual Sin are figured by the Young Man, carried towards his Grave. But those Sinners, who are habituated and long accustom'd to Sin, are likeLazarusbury'd, and in a stinking Condition under the Corruptionof it; whomJesus, for all that, with theloud Voiceof the Prædication of his Gospel, will call forth out of the Death and Grave of their Sins to a new Life. So does St.Augustinmake these three dead Persons and their Resurrections, Emblems of the said three Sorts of Sinners, who are dead in Trespasses and Sins, and by the Power ofJesusquicken'd to a Life of Righteousness. And to this Opinion of St.Augustin, do St.Ambrose,Eusebius Gallicanus, and VenerableBedeagree. And according to this Notion of these Miracles they descend to a particular Explication of the several Parts of their Stories. As to give you two or three Instances.
The People who were turn'd out of the House, upon the raising ofJairus's Daughter, which is anAbsurdityaccording to theLetterare, says[299]Bede, a Multitude of wordly and wicked Thoughts, which, except they are excluded from the Secrets of the Heart, are a Hindrance of the Resurrection of a Sinner to a new Life.
The Bearers of the Young Man[300]to his Burial are Vices, evil Spirits, Hæreticks, and Seducers; and theWidow, his Mother, to whom he was restored, is theChurch, who mourns for the Death of such Sinners, as are typified by that Young Man.
Jesus'sweepingfor deadLazarus, which is anAbsurdityaccording to theLetter, is a Sign[301]of the deplorable State, that habitual Sinners are in, enough to excite the Sorrows and Mournings of good Christians, who have the Spirit ofChrist, for them. And the Stone that lay at the Grave ofLazarus, is[302]a figure of the Hardness of the Heart of such a Sinnerwhich must be taken away beforeJesuswill call him to a new Life. So do the Fathers moralise and allegorise every Minute Circumstance of these three Miracles, as any one, who will consult them, may find, and save me the Trouble of a tedious Recital of their Authorities.
But the other mystical Way of interpreting these three Miracles is by making them Types of three great Events at the Time ofChrist's spiritual Advent. Accordingly the raising ofJairus's Daughter is a Type of the Conversion of theJewsat that Day, asEusebius Gallicanus[303]and venerableBede[304]and others expound it. ByJairus, the Ruler of aSynagogue; is meantMoses[305]; and by his Daughter is to be understood theJewish Church, which, being at present in a State of Spiritual Death, will be revived and converted in the Perfection of Time. And to the mystical Resurrection or Restitution of theJewish Synagogue, call'dJairus'sDaughter, willJesuscome[306]at the same Time he heals the Woman of the Church of her Issue of Blood. And this is the Reason that the Stories of these two Miracles are blended together by theEvangelists, with their synchronical Numbers of the Age of theGirland of the Disease of the Woman; because they are Types of that blessed Scene of Affairs at the Conversion of theJews, when the Fulness of theGentilesis come in. Concerning which blessed state of the Church,Origen[307]says,Jesuswrought many Miracles, by Way of Type and Figure.
Among all the Miracles thatJesuswrought, and are recorded by theEvangelists, I think, as far as I have had Occasion to observe, the Fathers are most scanty in their Interpretations of that of theWidow ofNaim's Son: Excepting what is before noted of his being a figure of a Sinner dead in actual, tho' not habitual Sin, I find very little. But ifOrigen's Comments on this Miracle had been extant, I dare say he would have given us this following Interpretation of it. This Widow, he would have call'd the Church; and heronly Sonor masculine Offspring, he would have call'd theSpiritual Senseof the Scriptures, which is now dead, and that theMinistersof theLetter, who are his Bearers, are for interring him within theEarthof theLetter: ButJesus, upon his Spiritual Advent will put a stop to the Intention of such Bearers, by reviving theSpiritual Senseof the Scriptures; and by restoring it, like aquicken'd Son, to the Comfort of his Mother, the Church; who has been in a sorrowful and lamentable Condition upon the Death and Want of it: This, I am sure, would beOrigen's Interpretation of this Miracle, which, if I had Room here, by a little Circumlocution, I could prove.
As toLazarus's Resurrection, it is in the Opinion of the Fathers[308]a Type of thegeneral and mystical Resurrection of Mankind in the Perfection of Time. But this is a most copious Subject; and unless I could here throughly handle it, I had much better say nothing.
And thus have I done with the three Resurrection Stories. If theConvocation, next Session, would determine by an Orthodox Vote, whetherJesusrais'd any more, than the said three Persons, from the dead or not; I would present them with a new and more entertaining Chain of Thoughts against these Miracles; such a Chain of Thoughts, as, upon the Conclusion, let them hold which Side of the Question, they please, will necessarily induce us to hold the mystical Meaning of these Miracles, or to grant thatJesusrais'd none from the dead at all.
My next and lastDiscourseonJesus's Miracles shall be against the Letter of the Story of his own Resurrection, in which, if ourBishopswill keep their Temper and Patience, till I publish it, I'll cut out such a Piece of Work for ourBoyleanLectures, as shall hold them tug, so long as theMinistryof theLetterand anHireling Priesthoodshall last. IfChrist be not risen, then, according to the Inference of St.Paul,is their Preaching vain; and why should the People be any longer charg'd with the Maintenance of an ignorant and idle Order of Men, to no Use and Purpose?
If I had not had Experience of it, I could never have believed that, for all the ludicrous Nature of theseDiscourses, ourdignified Clergycould have been so foolish or malicious as to prosecute me for anInfidelandBlasphemerupon them. How a Man may be mistaken in himself! I took my self for a real Advocate for the Truth of Christianity; and was so vain as to imagine these Discourses tended to a Demonstration ofJesus's Messiahship: And tho' theBishopofLondonmay be of a contrary Opinion, yet I am still so conceited of my Ability to defend our Religion, that I'll stake my Life against hisBishoprick, which I'll not be troubled with, if I win it, that he can't form an Objection against Christianity, which I can't solidly confute, and make our Readers merry too, with his Weakness and Impertinence in it. But perhaps it may be unbecoming of his Lordship's Character, and against theGrain, to make an Objection to that Religion, which he finds muchtemporal, as well as somespiritualComfort in the Profession of; I will therefore descend to another Proposal,viz.If he'll but publish an Answer to theJewish Rabbi's Letter in this Discourse, and vouchsafe me the pleasure of a Reply to him; then (to save the Civil Magistrate's Trouble) I will suffer any Punishment that in his Clemency he shall think fit to inflict on me, for what's past. Oh, what a Hazard do I here run of Life or Liberty!
Some Christians, in my Case, would think it a sad Misfortune to be odiously represented as anInfidelandBlasphemer; but I, in Temper and Principle, despise such Obloquies, Slanders and Defamations; and would not give a Rush to remove them, so long as I had the Answer of a good Conscience that I was undeserving of them: But considering, that it is the Duty of a Christian to seek the Peace and Friendship of all about him, and especially of our goodBishops, who, in Compassion to the Danger they think my Soul is in, have taken zealous and laudable Pains with theCivil Magistratefor my Conviction and Conversion; I do here, for the sake of a Reconciliation with theirLordshipsand other good People, make a formaland solemn Confession of my Christian Faith, which tho' I don't express in the Words of theApostical,NiceneorAthanasianCreeds; yet will do it in such Terms as will be a Demonstration that at the Bottom I am found as aRoch. Be it known then to all Christian People, that
Imprimis, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that the Ministry of the Letter of theOldandNewTestament is downrightAntichristianism.
Item, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that the Miracles ofJesus, as they are recorded by the Evangelists,litterallyunderstood, are thelying Wondersof Antichrist.
Item, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that all opposition and Contradiction to spiritual and allegorical Interpretations of the Scripture, is the Sin ofBlasphemyagainst the Holy Ghost.
Item, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that theMinistryof theSpiritsor allegorical Interpretations of the Law and the Prophets will be the Conversion ofJewsandGentiles.
Item, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that theMinistryof theLetter, and an Hireling-Priesthood have been the Cause of the Infidelity and Apostacy of these latter Times.
Item, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that the Spirit and Power ofJesuswill soon enter the Church and expel Hireling-Priests, who make Merchandise of the Gospel, out of her, after the manner he is suppos'd to have driven theBuyersandSellersout of the Temple.
These are a few Articles of that Faith, once deliver'd to theSaintsof the primitive Church, which I firmly believe, and will earnestly contend for. Now I appeal to the Christian World, whether a Man of such a Faith, like Heart of Oak, can be an Infidel or Blasphemer. Upon this ingenuous Confession of my Faith, which I make by way of Atonement for my past supposed Errors and Offences, I hope theBishopsand all good Christian People will be reconciled to me.
St.Jamessays, thatFaith without Works is dead, and how a Man ought to show his Faith by his Works, withoutwhich Faith is an empty and airy Nothing. Accordingly I am making what haste I can to show the Sincerity of my Faith by these myWorksandDiscoursesof this Kind. And by the Grace of God, I hope our Bishops will find me as unmoveable as a Rock in the said Faith.
According to the foresaid Articles of this my Faith, I am so fully convinced, not only of the Error of theMinistryof theLetter, but of the Mischiefs and Inconveniences of anHireling-Priesthood, that, having set my Shoulders to the Work, I am resolv'd, by the Help of God, to endeavour to givebotha Lift out of this World. This is fair and generous Warning to ourClergyto sit fast, and look to their own Safety, or they may find me a stronger Man than they may be aware of. And tho' I don't expect long to survive the Accomplishment of so great and glorious a Work; yet I am delightfully ravish'd and transported with the Forethought and Contemplation of the Happiness of Mankind, upon the Extinction of EcclesiasticalVermin, out of God's House; when the World will return to itsPrimogenialandParadisaicalState of Nature, Religion and Liberty; in which we shall beall taught of God, andhave no needof a foolish and contentious Priest, hired to harangueus with his Noise and Nonsense. Which blessed State of the World God of his infinite Mercy hasten, for the sake of our Spiritual Messiah, Mediator and RedeemerJesus Christ. To whom be Glory for ever,Amen.