^ -z io Oi at 03 03. >^:^ Q3. ^2- AT PRII^CETON, N. J. ^ U C> >.- --V T X *J >.- t> !•- SAMUEL AGNEW, Oy PHILADELPHIA, PA. Division rj (Ufse c © >S7n7/; ^^^"^"liARfHOlK?-- 4'--" /if>oA% No. y; © • TJ ••••••• 5^ 6-, c Fair State OF THE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN Mr. WOO LSTON A N D H I S ADVERSARIES: CONTAINING The Subftance of what he :i([Qns in his Six Difcourfes againft the Literal Senfe of our Blessed Saviour's MI R AC L E S; AND WHAT Bifliop Gibson, Bifhop Chandler, Bifhop Small BROKE, Bilhop Sherlock, Dr. Pearce, Dr. Rogers, Mr. Stebbing, Mr, Chandler, Mr. Lardner, Mr. Ray, &c. Have Advanced againft him. By the Reverend Mr. Tho. S tackhouse. Author of the Compleat Body ofDiv'wity. LONDON: Printed for Edward S y m o n, over-againft the B^oyd Exchange in CornhilL 1 730. ^ T O T H E Right Reverend Father in God, EDMUND Lord Bishop of LONDON: AND One of the Lords of His Majesty's moft Honourable Privy Council. May it pJeafe Tour Lordfh'tp^ O accept of this my poor Service in the Caufe of Chri- Jiianity, as the only ac- knowledgment, I am able A 2 to IV Dedication. to make, for the many Fa- vours and good Offices, which Your Lordfhip has been pleas'd to beftow up- on me, but, at the fame time, requir'd me to con- ceal, that the Traije thereof might not be of Men, but of God. Strong are the Ties of Gratitude, where with I think my felf bound, upon the Reception of any Kind-? nefs ; but, if I were even free and difengag'd in this refpe6t , common Juftice would oblige me to pay my Debts, and point me out the Perfon, to whom of Right Dedication. Right this Work belongs, which took its Original, from my reading Your Lordlhip's truly Tajioral Letter, and has borrow'd from thence fo many weigh- ty Arguments, and learned Obfervations, in the courfe of its Compofition. For, believe me, myLord,what-' ever the Excellency of your other vafi and laborious Works may be, in this fmall Tra«5l:, You have Jhewn yourfelf (what the great Apoftle oi thtGentiJes requires of every one of your Sacred Order) in all Things a Pattern of good ff^orks, in Doctrine Jheiving micorrupt- A ^-^ nejsj vi Dedication. nefs, gravity^ Jincerity, and found Speech^ which cannot be condemned ; that he, who is of a contrary part, may he ajhamed, Happy is the State and Condition of that Clergy, who Hve under the Care and Obfervation of One, whofe generous and obH- ging Temper charms them into a Comphance with his good Counfel, and the Per- formance of their own Du- ty ; whofe lingular Know- ledge in the Laws and Ca- nons of the Church fecures him from the Danger of any miftake in point of Go- vernment, Dedication. vernment, and whofe Care and Vigilance, in keeping up the good Orders and Difcipline thereof, give a due Lufire and Recom- mendation to its Conflitu- tion ; whofe Eye runs to and fro, in the large and exten- five Sphere, wherein He prefides, to fuperintend all in their feveral Stations, but, in a more peculiar manner, to diftinguifli thofe^ who, by their Learning and In- duftry, have approved them- felves as able Minijiers of the New Tejiament, and ftre- nuous AlTertors of Divine Truths; and whofe Zeal and Courage in the Caufe of God Vll viii Dedication. God and Defence of the Gofpel, not only animates others in their Confiidl: with InfideUty, but engages him- felf ii ke wife to take the Field ; and, having fuftain'd the lirft Onfet, and repell'^1 the main Attack, leaves them, in a manner, nothing to do, but to purfiie a vaoquilli'd Enemy, broken and berea- ved of his boaited Strength. 'Twas a fad Reproach, my Lord, to the Priefthood of old, that all the Beafis of the Field came to devour, yea, all the Beafis of the Forefts; hecapfe the Watchmen were blind, they were all ignorant, they Dedication. ix they were all dumb Dogs, that could not hark\ Jleeping, lying down, loving tojlumher, and looking to their own way, eve- ry one for his Gain, from his Smarter. But even Envy itfeif, Chow forward foever to f peak evil of Dignities^ can fix no fuch Character upon our Spiritual Pafiors and Rulers, when llie beholds their Labour and Ailiduity in the Defence of the great Evidences of Chriftianity : when llie beholds one of them vindicating" the pro- per Application of the Pro- phecies, in the Old Tefia- ment, with an uncommon Compafs of Jewijh Learn- ing, Dedication. ing, and purfuing its Op- pugners through all their Wiles and Subterfuges ; a- nother, aflerting the Truth and literal Senfe of the Mi- racles in the New^ (expos'd to publick Scorn in a daring and petulant manner) from Topicks of Reafon, as well as the Teftimonies cf all Antiquity ; and Your Lord- iliip, (out of your tender Care and Concern for our Welfare) giving us both the Caution, and j^ntidote againft that Poifon, which cf late has been vended from the Prefs ; and interpofing your own Pen, in order to inform the Ignorant, and convince the Dedication. xi the Erroneous, or (in a Stile more T/iJioral) to retrieve the ivanderingj and bring a- gain that which is driven a- way, to Jhrengthen the Sick ^ and bind up that which is broken^ to wait upon the Weak^ and carry the Impotent upon your Shoulders. Great is the Iniquity of the Age, and ftrong is the general propenfion to Infi- delity ; but, from the Influ- ence of Your Lordfhip's Condud:, in the Eminent Station You poflefs, we promife ourfelves to fee the Number of thofe, who have made Shipwreck of their Faith, xii Dedication; Faith, and of thofe, who hold the Truth in Unrigh-^ teoufnejs, diminiili'd ; idle and profane Talkers, who make amock t/^'i;/, and think there can be Wit in Blaf- phemy, excluded from all civil Society ; fuch bufy Favors for Infidelity, as, (in this great and populous Placej are continually run- ning about deceiving and heing deceived , difcoun- tenanc'd ; a true Spirit of Piety, and the Love of our Lord Jefus Chrifl, re- viv'd ; Religion refcu'd from the Infults, that are now made upon it ; and the prevailing puMicl<^ Vices ^ which Dedication. xiii which a very vile Author thinks to pafs upon the World for puhlick Benefits, exploded, and reform'd : 'fe Duce,Jjqtm latent Sceleris vefiigia mjlr'i^ Irrita perpetua Jolvent Fonnidine Terras. That the sreat God of Heaven and Earth, in whofe hand are the Hearts of Kings , may give You fuch Favour in the Sight of his Vicege- rent here below, as may en- able You to accomplifli thofe great and good Defigns, which Your generous and uprightHeart has conceiv'd, for the Advancement of true Religion, the fureStabili- ment of all civil Power and Great- xiv Dedication. Greatnefs ; That his Di- vine Jri evidence may blefs You in your pr h^te, as well as your pu flick Capacity, and take under his watchful Care and Protedion Your moft excellent and beloved Confurt, and all the Bran- ches of Your numerous Fa- mily, thofe Arrows in the Hand of the mighty Man^ wherewith Your Lordlliip's §l^iver is happily/^/// ; and that, for the Comfort of the Friends, and the Confulion of the Enemies of the Crofs of Chrifl, he may, in this Life, reward your Labour of Love with Health and Strength, and length of Days, D E D I C A T I O K. XV Days ; and, when You have fought agoodFight, andfinijh'd Tour Courje^ and kept the Faith ^ give You th^itCrown of RighteouJnefSy which he hath laid up for thofe, that love the appearing of his Sou Jefus Chrtjiy and Ihall be able, at that Day, to give up their Charge with Joy; is the daily and inceffant Prayer of one, who, by all the Ties of Efteem, Duty, and Gratitude, profefles himfelf, My Lord, Tour Lord/hip's moji htimble^ mojl devoted^ and ohlig'd Servant J Tho- Stackhoufe. T O T H E READER. HE Controverfy^ which Mr. Woolfton has occa- pond among us^ has of ' late become Jo famous^ by having three or four Right Reverend Bishops, as well asfome Eminent Di- vines ^/;;2^ Communions, engagdtn i/", lut^ by the frequent Dlgreffjons and AU tercations on both Sides, a Redundancy of Learning, and aUethod of anfwering Para- graph by Paragraph, which mofi oj h'lsAA- verlaries have thought ft topurfue.isgrozvn fovery prolix and tedious ^ that I thought if not improper, by throwing afide what was Superfluous, and retaining only what was Material in the whole Debate, to give the Publick a more clear and eafy View and B Kepra^ To the R E A D E R r Reprefentatwnof'n. Jnd^ iflndohigthis^ by reduc'wg the Objections (which lay not a little loolely in him) into a more com- paft Order ^ I have done fome Service to Mr, Woolfton ; and^ by comprizing the Anfwers in continued Difcourfes^ I have done no Injury to the Senje andjirong Rea- fining of his Jdverfaries ; the Reader, / hope J will hereby be better enabled to judge for himjelfy and ^ to try the Spirits, whether they be of God, becaufe many falfe Prophets are gone out into the World. * I John iv. 1. True STATE OF THE CONTROVERSY. MmmBmmmmmmmmmmm SECT. I. Of the Truth and Authority of the Evangelists. N E great, and very mate- rial difference, between Mr. H Woolfion and his Jdverfx" riesy is, concerning the Truth and Authority of the Evangelical Vrriters. The generahty of Chrijiicins have always looked upon them;, as fo many honefi and undejigjjtvg B 2 Men^ 4 State of the Controverfy hetnveen Men, who have given us a pla'w^ but rational AcQouni of our Saviour's Do- cinne and Miracles ^ and in doing this, were affifted by the Holy Ghoft, the Spirit of Truth y and, confequently, could not run into Errors, much lefs be guilty oi wilful Lyings 2iViA barefaced Im- \AyJVooh poftures : ^' But the Hiftory of JeJtiSy f.ovs Ob- " as it is recorded by the Evangelifts^ jcaion. a ^j^j commonly believed by Chriflians^ " lays Mr. Woolflon^ ^ is fo improbable ^' in itfelf, and, when thoroughly ex- " amin d into, full of fuch Incredibilities ^' and grofs Jbfurdities^ as are quite " difhonourable to the Name of Chrifi. " The Evangel! (Is^ no doubt, ^ were, " on all occafions, liberal enough of " their Mailer's Praife, and apt to fay " more to his Honour, than was ftridly ^' true, but in the matter of his work- ^' ing Miracles^ ^ they leem to endea- " vour to outftretch one another : Mat-- *' thew indeed is a little Iparing and " modeft in his Romance -^ but Luke^ " perceiving the Inllifficiency of his ^^ Tale, devifes a Miracle of a bigger " Size ; and yet this being thought in- '^ lufRcient ftill, St. John, rather than " his Prophet's Honour Ihould fail for " want 'Difc.i.png. 19. 'Dire. 5. p. 51. ! Difc. 5 p. 7, 10, u. Mr. Woolflon and hisAd^verfaries, '' want of his Affiftance, forges a wt;;;- " ftronjly huge one^ as if he were mind- " ed ^ to palm upon his Readers an im- *' probable Tale of Senlelels Gircumftan- " ces, and ^ to bamboiizle Mankind " into a Belief of the groffeft Jbfurdi' " ties. For indeed ^ they do not endea- ^' vour lb much as to lye with a Grace, '' nor take they any pains to make their " Stories hang together, which are ge- " nerally ^ fuch JiUy^ norifenjical^ and ^' unphilo/ophlcal Stuff, as would make " one believe, either^ they forgot them- " fclves, or blunder'd egregioufly, or '^ put a Banter upon us, to try how far " their abfurd Tales would pals upon '' the World with Credit. The Truth " is, the Stories oiChrifi's Miracles^ and ^' other Tranfaftions of his Life, are ^ '^ fo bl'mdly^ and lamely^ and imperfeifly " reported, that ^ Lijidels (if they want- " ed not Liberty) would certainly ex- ^^ pofe them facetioufly ^ as indeed ^ there '^ is no need of much Wit to make them ^^ nauleous and ridiculous to the mean- '' eft Underftandings. The beft that '' can be faid of them, in their literal " Acceptation, is, that "' they are like " GuIUverian Tales of Perlbn.s and B 3 '' Things, ^ Difc. 5. p. 38. ' Ibid. 3. p. 49. ^ Ibid, e Ibid. p, 25. " Jbid. p. 0,6. ' Ibid. 2. p. 5. "^ Ibid, p, 7, ' Ibid. 2. p. 43. "2. ^bid. 5. p. 17. 6 State of the Controverfy hetaveen '^ Things, which, out of the Romance^ ^' never had any Being; and this, add- '^ ed to the df/iance of Time, wherein '^ they are fuppofed to have been writ- *' ten, and the Condition of the Writers, ^' who were all the Friends and Follow^ ^' ers of Je/ris^ is enough to make every ' prudent Reader inquilitive into their ' Juthority^ and very cautious in what ' Senfe it is, he receives them. The Oh- We acknowledge indeed, that, at rcHon ^n- ^\{ys diftauce of Time, we are under to j/tec^fo^^ Dilad vantages to prove the Truth ofiimc. of Matters of FaB^ not only becaule we are forced many times to make ufe of the Teftimony of our own Authors, which may look fufpicious, but be- caufe it is allowed, that, in all Ages, there has been abundance of fi^itious Writers, which may endanger the Credit of the true : But when it is confidered, that, notvvithftanding thefe Impediments, there are feveral Hijiories in the World, which, merely upon their own T'eJiimO" ny^ have obtained a good Repute, and the Faffs ^ related therein, a general Credit and Belief; we cannot but think, that jacred Writers are entitled to the fame privilege^ and that, to deny Mofes and the Evangdijis the Fayour, which we Mr. Wool fton and his Adqjerfaries. 7 we are ib ready to grant to Thucydides^ C^far^ or any other profane Hiftorian, is very partial and unbecoming Treatment. Multitudes of Spurious Books indeed Siitmoui are every where extant in the World, ^Q^^^- but do we therefore/ in other Cafes, labour to perfuade our lelves that there are none Genuine P " Do we fulpeft whether we have any of the true Wri- tings of Cicero J becaufe an Italian coun- terfeited a Book de Conjolatlone in his Name ? Or do we difpute whether G^- Jar's Commentaries were his own, be- caufe it is uncertain who wrote the ^- lexandrian War^ that is annexed to them ? In thefe Inftances we make no Scruple, and why then fhould the facred Writers ftand all the Brunt of the Objeftion ? The Evangelifisy we own, were the Friends and Follozvers of Jefus, but if this muft affed their Credit as HiflortanSy by parity of Realbn, every thing we read in any Roman or Greek Author may come under the fame Fate. We have hitherto indeed believed ^^^j .j^^ them implicitly, and upon their ow^n EvanjrrL. fepimony j but if the Qiieftion were put, ^^l^^^^^^l^ how do we know, whether ever the unnids, Roman Empire prevailed, and extended it felf to the Bounds of the then-known B 4 World, !" V'ld, A Letter to a Deift. Lou. 1^7 7, h i^* Sec. 8 State of the Con trover fy between World, as is pretended ? ^ For was not this related by Perlbns of the fame Country, and for that Reafon bound to aggrandize its Fame ? And may not a thoufand Records be loft,^ which, if they were now extant, would give a quite different turn to the Story ? Car- thage might have the better in the Con- teft, Hannibal overthrow Scip'io^ and the \PerJians quite fubdue the Macedoni- ans^ for any thing we know, fince the the prelent Hiftories were written by Men of the Roman Intereft, in one Cafe, and in the other, all our Accounts ofj/ex- a^der's Expedition were originally from the Greeks : Thefe Authors, it is cer- tain, had the fame biafs of national Jf- fe^ion upon their Minds, but none of them gave the thoufand part of that Evidence for their Fidelity, that the Writers of the Evangelical Hiftory did ; and yet what ftiould we think of a Perfon, whofhould call in Qiieftion the beft Hiftories of all Nations, merely becaufe they were written by thole of the fame Country ? What indeed, but tLat he was going to deftroy all hiftori- cal Faith at once, fince Books of this kind muft not be wrote by Friends and Acquaintance^ ioxizTaoi^artiality^ nor could * A Letter to a Deill:, ;?. 17. Mr, Woolfton and his Acherfaries. s> could they be wrote by Strangers or Enemies, without giving a much greater Umbrage to fulpcd both the Compais of their Knowledge^ and the Strength of their Integrity. The Truth is, no tolerable Reafbn can be affigned, why Credit fhould not be given to facred^ as well as profane Hiftory, unlefs it fhould appear, that there is not the fame Evidence of Credi-* bi/itjy or the fame Marks of hiflorical T^ruth inherent in the one, as may be fuppofed to be found in the other : Which is the Qucftion we are now go- ing to confider. That, in the Reign of fiberius^ there thc pre- lived liich a Perfon as Jefus Chrift^ and ^c"^ State fuffered Death under Pontius Pilate^ the ^ J,Jjl Roman Governour in Jtid^a^ is what Chrijiians in all Countries profels, what yews of all Ages have acknowledged, and what even Heathen Authors, luch P as Suetonius y Tacitus, and ^^liny jun. have recorded. That this ^efus had, from the very firft, a Succeffion of Men to publifh his Dodrines, and to teftify to the World the Hiftory of his Life and Adions ^ and that, in a Ihort fpace of Time, a certain Number of approved Hiftorians recorded them in Writing, to be F Vid. Grot, de vcritate Chrift. Rel. I o State of the Controvcrfy hefween be the Millar and Foundation of all T'ruth^ (as the Ancients call it) is what the ear- lieft Writers in the Chrifttan Church re- late, and our prelent ^ojfejfton of the Books themfelves does imply. That the Books, which have defcended to us, are the fame which thefe Hiftorians indited, ^ the Writers of the very next Age, and every Age fince have aflerted, both "Jews and Heathens^ in their Trads againft Chrifttantty have allowed, and the numerous Paflages cited from them, and in their Names, even to this Day, do evince. And, laftly, that the Con- tents of thefe Books, in their defcent to us, have not fuffered any confiderable Alteration \ but, (excepting fome few Variations, occafioned by the Negligence of i'ranfcrthers^ from the Days of the Jpoflles^ and apoflol'uk Men, to the prelent Age, have always been the lame ; the long Continuance of the Jur- tographa in the Churchy the many Copies and Tranfripts taken from them, and their early T^r an flat ions into various Languages, have, under the Providence of God, been our Security. Since then we have in our Hand au-* thentjck Records of our Saviour's Life and Actions, let us look a little into them, '•■ ^ Bp. Gihfons pa/?oral Letter. Mr. Woolllon and his Adverfaries. i r them, and fee, whether their Authors have been dcfedive in any of the Marks and Charafkrs of true Hijlortans. That the Evangelifls were Perlbns of The e- too much Truth and Honefiy^ to relate ^'J^f-'^^ any wilful Lyes, is evident from thtporlvisl whole Tenor of their Writings, where- ^^^"^ in the ftrideft Precepts about /}'^^k//?g]^l^^l^^l^^ Truth^ and the fevereft Prohibitions of Gziile and Diffinmlatwn^ either in our Words or Aftlons, do every where meet us. Men of Cunning and Jrtifice- have all their fawning and infinuating Ways, to captivate the Weak, and fuch as delight in Flattery ; but, with what ^hinnefs and Simplicity do they go a- bout to perfuade Men to become Chri- Jiians^ when they barely relate the Matters of Faft concerning the Refur- region of Jefus^ faying, that they themfelves were Eye-witneffes of it^ and, upon the Credit of this their Teftimony, expeft that we fhould aifcnt ? Had they been minded to aggrandize their Mafter^ they would have difplayed indeed the wonderfulnefs of his Birth^ the many Miracles he wrought, the De/cent of the holy Ghoji upon him, the Voice from Heaven declaring him to be the Son of God J the Glories of his Refurrecfiony and the Triumph of his Jfcenjron * but by all I z State of the Cont):owQx[y between all means wou'd they have laboured to conceal the Oblcurity of his Birth and Parentage, the low Condition of his Life, and the fliamcful and ignominious Cir- cumftances of his Death. Had they been minded to extol him above meafure, as a great and mighty Worker of Miracles, they would have expatiated upon every one that came in their way, and not com- priz'd Ibme in the Ihort compals of aVerfe or two, and concealed others under a . general Enumeration^ as we find them frequently do. Had they defign'd to fet off themfelves, their Labours, and Perils, and bold Adventures for the fake of the Gofpel they might have defcrib'd in all their pleafing Horror ; but (what is a fmgular Inftance of their T'ruth and Ingenuity) their own mean Extraftion and Employments, their Ignorance and Mi- ftakes, their ambitious Contentions, cow- ardly Defertions, and bafc Denial of ^heir Lord, in the Time of the greateft Exigence and Diftrefs, they themfelves have left upon Record, for all fucceed- ing Ages to purufe and Cenfure : Or had they defign'd any private Profit or Ad- vantage to themfelves, they took the moft improper Method in the World, in publifning what, to the Jews^ they knew, would be a StiimbUn^-^bhcky and to the Gen^ Mr, Wool fton aiid his Ad^verfaries. j j Gentiles^ foolijhmfs'^ and what they could not but fbrelee, would expole both them and their Companions to Scorn and Con- tempt, to Dangers and Hazards, to Po- verty and Want, to Bonds and Impri- Ibnmcnt, and Death itlelf. Now whenPerlbns are both above the Their Views of Secular Intereft, and forward SufHcien- to lay open their own Faults and Fail- ^Hoeine. ings, merely for the Sake of Truth ; 'tis a ftrong Prefumption that they have no Inclination to write Fallhoods, if lb be they are but competent "Judges of what they are about, and have lufficient /;2^^;;i of Information in their Power. And here- in the Evangell (is could not be defeftive, becaufe (even upon the Suppofition of no Divine Affiftance or Infpiration) they had Perlbns enough living, to give them full InftruQions, as to the great Periods and Actions of our Saviour's Life. ' Of his Conception and Blrth^ and other Particulars, preceding his Baptijm^ they might have an Account from Sitneon and Jnna^ and the Parents of John^ as well as from Jofeph and Mary: Of his Bap^ ttfm^ and what thereupon enfu'd, they might have Intelligence from John and his Dilclples : Of his FaJIing and I^emp-- tatmiy from the fame John^ who not un- ' Crew's CofmoJorii Sacra* 1 4 State of the Controverfy het^een unlikely retired with him into the Wil" derneis, (where himlelf had been before) and continued with him until his return j and of the feveral Tranla£tions in his pihlick Miriiflry^ they themfelves, as well as the other Apoftles, w^ere Eye and Ear-witneffes^ and as competent Judges of what they heard and faw, as the greateft Philoibphcrs living. By thele and feveral other Helps, they might be fupply'd with proper Materials for their refpective Hiftories ; and when they had thus compiPd them, (we fpeak ftill up- on theSuppofitionof noI;;//'/r^/'/W) their Fidelity appeared, in their Ipeedy com- mitting them to writing. For, accord- ing to the beft Account oi Jfitiquity^ St. Matthew wrote his Gofpel about eighty St. Mark about /^;^, St. Luke Wwhm fifteen^ and St. Johny not much above two and thirtyYcMs after our Saviour's Afcenfion ; left any thing delerving the Notice, or neceffary to the Salvation of Pofterity, might efcape their Memories, by reafon of too long a delay. The Con- And indeed, if we look into the Con- their G^yi^^^^^iof the Hjftorks^ as well as the Cha- pis. rapiers of the H'ljior'ums^ we fhall foon perceive fuch a Simplicity.^ as well as Majefly in their Narrations^ fuch Puri- ty in their Precept Sy and fuch Suhlmity in their Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfaries. 1 5 their Dofirines^ as plainly denote them to be a Divine Revelation, Men of quick Parts and Ingenuity, 'tis true, may tell us cunmngly-^evijed Fables^ and amule their Readers with T'ales and Romances^ that had never any Founda- tion in Nature ^ but, to frame fuch an excellent Syjlem of Morality^ as is con- tained in the Gofpeb ^ to give fuch an ex- traordinary Account of the Satisfaction for Sin, and of the Nature and Office of a Mediator'^ to feign the Life andAdions of a Mefjiah^ which fhouid agree io exaftly \viththe/^r^'^///?/^;;i of the"^r6^^^d'^j-,and the fypes ^uAPreJigurations of the Mojaic Law ^^ and to make the Rewards andPuni/bments of another Life fo agreeable to humane Reafon, and 16 worthy of Divine Maje- fty ; this was a Scheme^ which thele poor illtterate Men were no more able to m- vent^ than they were to create a World : And yet, nocwithftanding the great va- riety ar " difficulty of this Province, 'tis wonderful to obferve, how all the four Evangelifts, who wrote at different Times, and in diftant Places, agree, not only in the main T'optcks^ but Ibmetimes in the molt minute Circumftances, in ib mu' h that, whenever they feem to diiP- ag- (which chiefly arifes from their not w's Cofmohgia Sacr.j, p. 304. 1 6 State of the Controverfy hetnveen not confining themfelves to the Jame Words ^ or the fame Order ofl'ime^ and, with a little critical Oblervation, may eafily be reconciled) whenever they dis- agree, 1 fay, it looks as if the Spirit of God defign'd on purpofe that it Ihould be io^ not only that they might be di" flin^ Witnefles of the fame Things, but that all liicceeding Ages of the Chriftian World might fee with their Eyes, that they neither tranfcrihed from one ano- ther, nor comhifidor complotted toge- ther, like crafty Knaves. I might here produce the Teftimony which God gave to the Truth of the Gofpel, * by Sights and Wonders^ and by diverje Miracles^ and Gifts of the Holy Ghojt : And what a mighty Proof the Evangelifts themfelves gave of their Fi- delity in compofing thole Writings, which they, and Thoufands more, were not afraid to feal with their Blood : But becaufe an Agreement with otherAuthors is always reputed a good Token oiHiJio" rical Probity, I Ihall rather take notice of Ibme few Fafts, wheieby the pro- . feffed Enemies oiChrlffianity^ both Jezvs and PaganSy have confirm'd the Autho- rity of thefe Sacred Penmen. sThc * Heb. ii. 4. Mr. Wool /ton and his Ad^erfaries, i 7 ^ The coming of a King out of the £j/;, who fliould do great and mighty ^,,J,;^ ^r Adions, was a conftant Report (found- o'^ier Au- ed onxhQ S'lhylline Pro^he/ies) which pre- ^^°^'^- vaird about the Time of our Saviour's Birth, and Tacttus^ (as a great Politician and Statefmav^ will needs have it ful- filled in Vefpajian and T'itus^ becaule they were called out of Jud^a to the Empire of Rome, The Appearance of a wonderful Star^ at the Time of his Na-- t'tvtty^ is mentioned by Pl'my in his M^- tural Hifiory^ under the Name of a bright Comet. The Murther of the Babes oi Bethlehem is mentioned by Dion in his Life of Oiiavius C<^far^ and Macrohiiis^ (who relates theThingmore atlarge)tells us, that Herod ^ upon the account of the fame Jealoufy, ordered his own Son to be flain. The Miracles that Jefus did, when he enter'd upon his Miniftry • the Title he laid claim to, of being the Mejfiasy or a divine Perfon fcnt from Heaven to Redeem Mankind ; and the Dodrines which he preach'd, as they are recorded in the Goffels^ are acknow- leg'd and confefs'd by Celjus^ Jtdicin^ and \Porphyry^ as x leveral of the Ancient Fa- C thers ^ Edward *i Truth and Authority of the H. Scrip- ture. ° L. z. & 15. ' Saturaal L. z. c. 4. "f O/iom cont. Celfunu Cvril contr, Ji.luui : & Augiift. clvr Pei L. 21. c. 18. 1 8 State of the ControveiTy hetnveen thers afTure us. The Death of our blcfled Saviour, and the manner of his Suffering under 'Pontius ^ilate^ and in the Reign of Tiberius^ is mentioned (as we faid) both by T^adttis and Luc tan. The unlverfal Echpfe^ which happen'd at the Time of his PaffJon^ is mentioned ^ by D'lonyftus^ before he was converted to the Faith. The terrible Earthquake which was at the fame time, is related by Dion^ ^lin)\ and Suetonius \ and the rending of the Veil of the temple ^ (men- tioned by three Evayigdifts^ is teftify'd by the yewijh Hiftorian Jofephus^ who, among other Paffages, has given us this memorable one concerning our Saviour Chrift. " At this time there was one " y^fi^f ^ ^^'^^ Man, if I may call him " a Man, for he did moft wonderful '' Works, and was a Teacher of thofe, " who received the Truth with Delight: *' he brought many to his Perfuafion, " both of the Jews and Gentiles, This ^^ was Chrift : and tho' he was, by the ^' Inftigation of ibme of our Nation, and by ^Pilate's Sentence, hung on the Cro/sy yet thole, who loved him at ^' firft, did not ceafe to do fo ; for he '' came to Life again the third Day, and '' ap- * Anna/. L. i8. c. 44. ''■•"^ a Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfaries. i ^ " appeared to them ; the Divine Pro- " phets having foretold thefe, and in- " finite other Wonders of him : And to " this Day there remains a Sed of Men, " who have from him the Name of " Chrijiiam. " A PafTage, which (as * a learned French Author has prov'd) is far from being an Interpolation. Upon a Review of what has been faid then, with Relation to the Evange- rena from ///?r, viz. That they were hojieft and^hewhcU. undejrgning Men, recording Things ^fc*;;- /v, and without any artful Infinuations, and io free and impartial in their Ac- counts, as neither to conceal their Ma- iler's mean Condition, nor their own Faults and Failings ^ that they had fuf- ficient means of Information in what they were to Record, and no vifible In- tereft in the leaft, to fway them againft their Knowledge ; that they ventured to publifh their Gofpels in a fhort Time after their Lord's Afcenfion, though they knew, that Shame, and Perlecuti- on, and Death itfelf (which they under- w^ent with the utmoft Bravery) would be the refult of fo doing : That their Gofpels, when made publick, appeared to be far above their Skill and Capacity to invent, fingly confider'd, and, when compar d together, llifEciently uniform C 2 and * Mr. Martin. 20 State of the Controverfy hetiueen and confiftent ; and (what is no mean Confideration) that their greateft Ene- mies have, in their own Writings, either aflerted or acknowledged the moll mate- rial Parts of their Narrations : It muft needs follow, that, according to thcge- miine Marks of a true Hiftorian, wc have greater Security, than any humane Hiftory can pretend to, of the Faithful- nefs of the Evangelifts^ and of the Cer- tainty of every thing contained in their Writings : That Perlbns, fituated in their Circumftances, even confider'd as com" mon Hiftorians, would not have deluded us with a falfe Reprefentation of Things, but then, confider'd in the Capacity of Infpird Hiftorians, (which Chriftians in all Ages have efteem'd them) they could mt (without making God acceflary to the Fraud) have banter'd our Credulity, and imposed upon us falfe and roman- tick Fables; and, confequently, that . the many Faults and Abfurdities, com- plained of by fome, cannot be in the Writings themfelvcs, but is too proba- bly in the Hearts of the Complainers : for, if our Go/pel^ /. e, the Beauty and Excellency of our Gofpel be hid^ fays the Apoftle, it is hid to thetn that are lofi, in whom the God oj this World hath blinded the Minds of them which be-- lieve 1 Mr. Woolfton and his Aduerfaries. 1 1 Ueve not^ leji the Light of the gloriotu Go/pel of Chrtji (who is the Image of God) jhould jhine unto them. SECT. 11. 0/ M 1 R A c L E s in general. MIRACLES, I think, have al- ways been accounted one of the great Evidences of the Chrifiian Religioti ; j^^ ^^^^_ " But the Miracles of Jefus, fays * Mr. ijon's ob- " Woolfton^ arc no /r6?/er Miracles of thci^^i^n. ^' Mefjiah^ nor fo much as a good Proof " of his Divine Authority to found a *' New Religion. Had the true Ser- " vants and Meflengers of God indeed " been the only Perlbns entrufted with " this extraordinary Gift, much ftrcls " might have then been laid upon it ; " but fince Mofes has informed us, that " it may be in the Power of a falfe ^ro^ " fhet ^ to give a Sign^ or a Wonder^ that " may come to pcifs:^ fince our Saviour *^ has foretold us, that ^ there pall arife " fafe Chrifis^ and falfe Prophets^ who " foallfhew great Signs and JVonders^ e- G 3 '' nough Difc. from p. 7. to p, 19. ^ 'Dcitt. xiii. i' ! Matth» xxiv. 24. 1 z State of the Controverfy hetnveen " nough fif It wen foffibk) to deceive "' the very Ek£i ^ fince his Apoftle has " ajQTur'd us, that ^ the coming of Jntl- " chrift is after the working of Satan^ ^ ' with all 'Tower J and Signs, and lying " JVonders:^ and, laftly, fince Hiftory " makes mention of Icveral, fuch as A- '' folloniiis T'yanneus, Vefpajjan^ and the " Irifh Stroker Greatracky who miracu- ^' loLifly cur'd Difeafes, as well as Jefus ; ^' either we mull have the Art of diftin- " guifliing true from falje Prophets, or " we can never account Miracles alone " a fufficient Teftimony for fuch, as " pretend to a Commillion from God. " Our Saviour indeed appeals to hisMi- " racks, and our Divines may imagine " that the Words of the Prophet ^ fther2 *' /hall the Eyes of the blind be opend^ and '' the Ears of the Deaf unjlopfd^ then " fhall the lame Man leap as the Harty " and the T'ongue of the Dumb fhall Jing) " in the Cures that he wrought, received " their full accomplifhment : But that " this Prophefy is to be underftood, not " in a literal, but in a figurative Senie, " not to denote the outward Maladies of " the Body, but the inivard Diftempers ^' of the Soul, is apparent from that *' whole Context. Both the preceding " and * i T^rjf, ii, 9. ' ///r. XXXV. 5. grr. Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfaries, i j " and fubfeqiient Pajfages^ are certainly ** Metaphorical, and therefore, to make ^' the whole confiftcnt and uniform, the *^ intermediate Expreflions ought, in the " fame Manner to be interpreted, and ^' from hence we may conclude, that ^^ when Jefus feems to appeal to JJalah^ " and to make the Cure of corporeal Di^- " eafes an Indication of his being the " true Mejftah^ his purpofe is to denote ^* the fundry Paffions and Diforders of " the Mind, which are reprefentcd un- ^ *^ der the Metaphors of BJimhiefs and " hajyienefs^ and Deafnefs^ &c. The " Cure of thefe is a godlike Work, far ^^ above the Imitation of Man, or J^iti^ '' Chr'jji^ and infinitely more miraculous, " than healing any bodily Diftempers. " Let others then admire and adore *' y^fi-^y ^5 much as they pleafe, for " his wonderful Cures of bodily Dif- " eafes, I am for the fpj ritual Mejjiah^ ^' that remedies the Diftempers of the " Soul, and performs all thofe myftkal " Operations, whereof the Cure of cor- " foral Infirmities are but a T'ype and ^' Figure. This is the full force of Mr. Woolfloih Anfwci general Argument againft the Validity of ^^• our Saviour's Miracles : And to give it C 4 a fair . 2 4 State oj the Controverfy hetiveen a fair Solution, it may not be amifs to enquire a little into the Nature and Ufe Thnttvucof r^^/ Miracles. Now ^ a true Miracle, uVihAicies is properly fuch an Operation, as ,ex- do^e^y c^^^s the ordinary courfe of Things, Ood ony and is repugnant to the known Laws of Nature, cither as to its fuhje& Matter y or the Manner of its Performance. For though we readily acknowledge that there are Beings in the fpiritual World, which are able to perform Things far exceeding the power of Men, and there- fore apt to beget Wonder and Amaze- ment in us ; yet, thai any created Be- ings, and conlequently Agents of a //- mtted Power, are capable of working fuch Miracles as our Saviour did ; are capable of controlling the courle of Na- ture, of fupplying Men's natural De- fers, of giving Sight to the Blind, Speech to the Dumb, and Life to the Dead (which are Miracles relating to the fiih]efi Matter') or of doing any of thole Things in an Inftant, by a Touch, by a Word, at a Diftance, and without any kind of outward Means (which are Miracles regarding the Manner of their PcrforfJiance) is a Thing impoflible ; un- lefs wc can luppofe that limited^ inferi- orj and created Beings, have an equal Power ti> •• Bp. Smallhvookes Vindic p lo. Mr. Wool fton ofid his Adverfaries. % ^ Power of creathjg^ controllings and re- Jioring with almighty God : which is Contradltiton enough in all Confcience. It was upon this Pcrfuafion therefore, q,. p^^. v'tz. ^ That true Miracles are the Jok Ope-^ Tons jem rations of God^ that the World has all^^ ^^''"• along agreed to acknowledge and ac- cept of Miracles, as an authentick and indifputable Teftiniony, that the Perlbns entrufted with fuch Power, were cer- tainly fent and commiffioned by God. To this purpofe we find Pharaoh's Ma^ gicians confeffing, that the Miracles which Mojes and Aaron exhibited, were ^ the Finger of God ; and, in the Controverfy between Elijah and the Priefts of Baal^ it was readily accepted, as a fair Propolal, that he, ^ who an-- fwered by Fire from Heaven, ftiould be unanimoufly ferved, and worftiipped as God. The lefs Reafon, have we then to wonder, that we hear a learned Kti-- ler of the Jews accofting our Lord in thele Words, ^ Rabbi, we know that thoa art a Treacher fent from God^ for no Man can do thsfe Miracles^ that thou dofts except God he with him ; or that a mean Man, who had been born Blind, fhould confront the whole Aflembly of the ' Stanhope's Epift. & Gofp. vol. z, p. 6^, "^ Exod, viii. 19. '1 Kings xviii. 24, t^u "" John iii. 2« 2 6 State of the Controvcrfy het'ween the ^hanfees with this one Argument, ^ fince the H^^orld hegan^ was it not heard ^ that any Man opened the Eyes of one^ that was born Blind ^ if this Man were not of Godj he could do nothing ; or that our bleffed Saviour himlelf fhould io frequently appeal to the Miracles he wrought, as proper Teftimonies of his divine Mijfion^ ^ the Works^ which my Father hath given me to fnifh^ p the Works which I do in my Father s Nanie^ the fame hear Wit^iefs of me^ that the Father hath fent me : "^ If I do not the Works of my Father^ believe me not ; hut if I do^ though ye believe not me^ believe the Works^ that ye 7nay know and believe ^ that the Father is in me^ and I in him. Wnvoiu- And indeed, confidering the Defign Saviour Qf Q^ij- Saviour's Miffion, that he was a vovk Mi- Treacher fent from God ^ to abolifh a Form of Worihip, which had inconteftibly been eftablifhed by the Power of Mi- racles in MofeSy and to inftitute a new Religion, repugnant to the PVifdom of the World, in many myfterious Doctrines, and abhorrent to the vicious Inclinations of Men, in all its righteous Laws and Precepts , that he was appointed, in fliort, " jo\7 It. 52, 55. " Joh;7 V. 55. ^ John X- li. "^ John^. 57. i StilIir{?Jl:et's Oi-jg. Sacrac, :■• i 7 i- v/as to yf.ovk 1 raclcs. Mr. Woolllon and his Ad'verfaries. 1 7 fhort, to deftroy the Kingdom of the Devil, and, upon its Ruins, to ered a Ktngdotn of Righteoufnejs ; there was an ablblute Neceflity for him to be in- vefted with a power of working Mira- cles : Otherwile, his Pretenfions to this high Charafter had been ridiculous, and the Jews^ with good Reafon, might haye demanded of him, Majier^ ^ we would fee a Sign from thee^ what Sign therefore doeft thou doj that we may fee and believe ? iVhat doeji thou IVork ? But this Demand is effedually filenced, by our Saviour's being able to make the Reply, ' If I had not done among them the fForksy which none other Man didj they had not had Swy but now they have both feen and hatedy both me and my Fa- ther. And well may our Lord appeal to The the greatnefs of his Miracles, as a pro- ^^l^^^^l^, per Teftimony of his being lent from God, when, in every Aftion of this Kind, he exercifed a Power and Au- thority, not inferiour to that of God ; " when, by the lame Powder, where- with he created all Things at firft, he multiplied a few Loaves and two Fifties, into a fufRciency to feed five Thouland ; when, ^ John v\, ?o. ' John XV. 24. " Bp. Chard* ler\ Defence, ;». 41 5. 2. 8 State of the Controverfy hetiueen when, at his Command, the Wind and the Sea grew ft ill, and unclean Spirits departed from Men's Bodies, confefling him to be tbe Son of God ; when acute Difeales and chronical Griefs, fuch as no length of Time, no Skill, no Re- medies, no Expence could affwage, wert equally cured with a Touch, nay, with a Touch of his Garment, with a Word, nay, with a Word, that opera- ted effedually upon the abfent, and at a diftance ; when Perlbns at Death's Door, nay, adually dead, and dead for fometime, were commanded back to Life and Health, and himfelf, when flain by the JewSy and committed to the Grave, was, according to his own Prediftion, raifed from the Dead by the fame divine Spirit, whereby he qiackneth and enliveneth all Things. , „ - Thefe, and many more Actions of A Proof , ,., ' T 1 • 1 ^ /- 7 of his ^;- the liKe nature, recorded m the GoJpelSy I'ir.e Mf' are plain Demonftracions of a dhine ^'^' Power refiding in cur bieffed Saviour ; And if they were afiefted by a divine Power, we have all the certainty ima- ginable of his being a true '^Prophet fent from God. ^ Of all the great Attributes of God, none fhine brighter, and more amiably in our Eyes , than T'ruth and * Si^/J.'c^^^'s Ep. & Gofp, vol. z. li/tr. Woolfton ami his Ad^verfaries. %^ and GoochieJ] ; the jormer cannot at- teft a Lye, nor the latter feduce Men into dangerous and deftrudl ve Miftakes : And yet, if God fhou'd communicate any part of his Power to an Impoflor^ to enable him to work Miracles, in confir- mation of his Pretences, what would be- come of thefe two Sacred Attributes ? To fufpecl, I fay, that Almighty God is capable of employing his infinite Power, and of difturbing the Courfe of Nature, with a defign to miflead and delude Mankind, in what relates to their Eternal Concerns, is to dcftroy and fub- vert his very Nature, and leave our- felves no Notion at all of fuch a Being. Nay, for him to permit the fame Evi- dences to be produc'd for Errors, as for Truth, is, in effed, to cancel his own Credentials^ and make Miracles of no Significance at all : And therefore we may conclude, that, how artfully Ibever Ibmc Impofrors may contrive their Delu^ fjonsj yet, upon a ftricl Examination, there are always to be found Ibme Marks and Charafiers^ whereby to dtjlingmjh them from real Miracles. Whether ever a real Miracle was'^^^^^^''^"'*^ wrought by ^ny falfe and Idolatrous Pro- '//ff/^g'/"^ phct, in Confirmation of his Pretenfions, concern^ is a Matter that may well admit of de- '''^J;'^^' J , Prophets, bate. Dettt. xiii. 3 o State of the Con trover/y hetiveen bate. '^ Itiscertan, that, from the gi- ving of the Lciw, we do not meet with any, that were ever wrought under fuch Circumftanccs ^ and therefore we may reafonably luppofe, that the Caution, which Mojes gives the JewSy y 720t to hearken to any Prophet ^ who Jhould give a Sign for following other Gods^ is not i^o much a ^redi^iion of what fhould come to pals, as a form of vehement Dehor- tation ; that it does not fb much imply a poffibility of their worki72gfuch Signs y as it earneftly forbids the being led a- way by them, upon the faireft Preten- fions ^ that it is, in ftiort, a manner of Speech, not unlike that of St. Paul to the GalatianSy ^ though we^ or an Jngel from Heaven preach any other Gofpel, than that, which we have preached^ let him be accurfed : Where he does not fup- pofe, that either the Apoftles, or good Angels, would ever be induced to preach a Doftrine contrary to Chriftianity, but only puts the moil extraordinary Cafe^ and filch a one, as would never happen, in order to Ihew, that, upon no account whatever, they were to recede from the Truth of the Gofpel ' Bp. Chandler's Defence, p. 4.21. >' Deut. xiii« * Gah i. 8. But Mr. Wool fton afid his Adverfaries. j x But be that as it will, this is apparent from the very Paffage now under Con- fideration, that the holy Penman gives us a Sign, whereby we may difcover the Prophet, here fpoken of, to be no other than an Imfo/Ior^ and that is, his tempt- ing the .People to go after other Gods: From whence we may gather, that, if Miracles have in themlelves an Evil End and Tendency ; if they be wrought to introduce the Worfhip of other Gods, befides him, whom Realbn, as well as Scripture, affures us to be the only true God ; if they be done to feduce Men to immoral Doctrines or Practices, or to contradid a Religion, already eftablifh'd by Miracles, that are inconteftibly true ; they can, by no means, proceed from the Finger of God^ but are the EfFeds, either of humane Fallacy and Delufion, or of a wicked and Diabolical Interpofi- tion. When therefore our bleffed Saviour ^i J of foretels, that * /./^ Chrifis, and falfe'^f^^^-^^""- ^rofhetsfloould arffe^ andjhew great Signs f.: if ecinjis and tfonders^ he plainly intimates, at^^^*''- H- the lame time, that, by fome means or "'^* other, thefe Wonders would be deteft- ed, and found to be fa Had or/ Sy fince they would not, with all their fj^ecioiijnejs^ have • Math xxiv. :4. 3 1 State of the Controverfy bet-ween have efficacy enough to deceive the EkB : ^ For the Phrafe, if it be pcffihle^ (tho* it Ihews the grcatnels of the Jrtijices em- ployed to deceive) very ftrongly implies an Impoffibility, that good and confide- rate People fliould be deceived by them j and confequently evinces, that thele falfe Miracles of Pretenders would be diftingiiifhable from fuch, as were per- formed by God, or any Agents com- miflion'd by him. How great foever then the Power of Antichrijl may be fuppos'd to be, yet the Apoftle has ta- ken care to inform us, that all his Ope- rations would be but ^ lying Wonders^ and that thole, who Ihould be deceived by them, would be fuch, as did not believe thel^Yiith^ hut had pleafure in unnghteouj^ nefs'^ and fuch, as God would fend a ftrong Delujion upon^ that they floould believe a Lye^ as a Punifliment for their Infidelity, and abandoned Wickednels. But fmce, in this account oi Antichrijl^ he no where intimates, that good and faithful Chri- ftians fliould be thus deluded by him, but rather implies the very contrary ; we have fufficient realbn to conclude, that there are certain Notes of Diftindion ei- ther reipeding \Jl the Works them- felvesj and their manner of being done ; or J Bp. Sm.mroh's Vind. p. 8. ^2 Thejf, il 10. Qfr, Mr. Woolfton and his Adruerfaries, 5 5 or idfyy the Perfons themfelves, and the Ways to Ends, for which they do them: where- '^'^t"'" « *■ r«^i ii-1 t^ A rx guilh true by a Man of fober and ledate R^edion from Uife may difcern the difference between /-^j/ Miracles. Miracles, and lying Wonders. Fir/iy In relation to the Works them- Fi©m the lelves, it is required, * that they be^'""^'^ pojftble^ fince no Power whatever canfdves. effed that which is ftridly impojjible ^ that they be probable^ fince the divine Power will hardly concern itielf in what favours oi Fable ?ind Romance -^ that they be not below the Majefiy ofGod^ as he is the Ruler and Govefnour of the World ^ nor mco7i(iJltnt with his Charader, as he is a good and gracious Being ; that they be done openly y before a fufEcient Num- ber of competent Witneffes ; readily^ without any previous Forms or Ceremo- nies, which may make them look like Incantation y and upon all proper and m^ portant Occajtofis^ to denote the perma- nency of that divine Power, by which they are done. Secondly y In relation to the ^e^fon^ pre- ^^^^ th^ tending to a Divine MiJJion^ it is requi- Verfom fite, that he be a Man Osgood Report for ^^^J"^ his unblameable Converfation ; in the ferfeii Exercife of his Reafon and Scn- D fes ) * Chandler on Miracle/, J 4 State of the Controverfy hetioeen lies; and con fi ant and uniform in theMef- fas:c be delivers; and that the Do^rine^ vvhich.he endeavours to eftablilh by his Miracles, be confiftent with the Princi- ple's of true Reajon and natural Religion ; confiftent with right 'Notions and Wor-^ filp of God ; confiftent with xht former Revelations^ hQh^iXh. made of his Will; of a ^Tendency to deftroy the Devil's Power in the World, to recover Men from their Ignorance, to reform them from their Vices, to lead them into the Pradice of Virtue and true Gcdlinefs by proper Motives and Arguments; and, in Ihort, to advance the general Vi^clfare of Societies J as well as every Man's par- ticular Ha ppinefs in this Life, and in his preparation for a Better. And now to obferve a little, how all thele CharafUrs meet in the BlefTed Jeitis. The cht' That J ejus of Nazareth was a Perlbn raa.^r of of great Virtue and Goodnefs, in full Je us. poileffion of his Reafon and Senles, and conftant and uniform in the Meffage he dciivered to Mankind, not only the whole Tenor of his Condu^^ as it is re- ccrdcd b^^ the Evangellfisj but the Na- ture of bis DoBriney and Excellency of his Prerepts^ the manner of his Dtfcour" Jes to the People, and the Wildom of his Replies to the infidious Queftions of his Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfaries. ; 5 his Advcrlaries, are a plain Demonftra- tion. That this Jefus ^ was a Man ap- proved of God by Mi racks y Wonders^ and Signs y zvhich God did by htm in the midji of all the Peophy is manifeft, not only from the Teftimony of his Friends and Dilciples, but ^from the Conceffion of Heathen Hijiorians^ as well as the Tra- ditions of the Jewlfj l^almud^ wherein the Memory of them is prefer v'd. Thefe Miracles indeed were above the The ;v,t- Skill of Menor Ane-els to effed, but ^^''7^^,^^' they were not therefore impoffibiey be- caufe fubjed to the Power of Almighty God. s For the fame Agent who form'd the Eye, could reftore the Blind to fight ; he, who wrought the whole Frame of our Bodies, could as eafily cure the Maimed, or heal the Difeafed ; and he, who caufes the Rain to dcfcend, and s to water the Earth, that it may mnifler Bread to the Eater ^ and Seed to the Sozver^ could be at no lofs to change Water in- j to Wine, or to multiply the Loaves and jj Filhes, for the Relief of the Hungry. i Thefe Miracles again, being Ads of ;j Mercy J as well as ^ower^ were not con- I D 2 fiftent j • A£ls ii. 2. f Vid. Bp.C/v?»^/t'r's Defence, where I he proves .V-ij, as well as the Traditions of tiie 'Talmud, by fevcial Inftanccs, p. 429. * Ifa. Iv. ic. » 'Chandler on Miracles. 3 C State of the Controverfy het^een fiftent with the Charader of an Impojlor^ or the Agency of any wicked Spirit; but, that God Ihould have Compaflion on his Creatures, and exercife his tender Mercies over the Works of his own Hands; that he ftiould give Bread to the Hungry, and Limbs to the Maimed, and Releafe to fuch, as were under the Captivity of Satan, is no improbable Thing at all. Thefe were Aftions fuit- able to his Majefty, and highly com- porting with his Wiidom and Goodneis, fince they naturally tended both to be- get Reverence in the Minds of Men to- wards his Meffenger^ and to reconcile them to the Belief and Obedience of his Heavenly WilL TV^man- Thcfc Miraclcs our Saviour did Ofen- "''/ri- h^ ^ in the Temple, in the Svna- doing gogues, and on the hejtivals^ when them. the Concourfe of People was grcateft, and when the Dodors of the Law, who came on purpole to enfnare him, wxre fitting by, and beholding what was done, ihefe he did readtly^ and with a Word's fpeaking : for ^ peace be Jiilly queird the raging of the Winds and Waves; ^ T^otmg Man^ ^r//?, revived the Widow's Son ; ^ Ephatha^ be open'dy gave the « Bp. Chardlers Defence, p. 4^5. " Mark iv. 35'» 'LhU vii. 14. I Mark vii. 54, 55. Mt. Woolfton and his Ad^verfaries. j 7 the deaf Man Hearing ; and ^ Laza^ ms^ come forth raifed him from the Grave, who had been four Days dead. T'hefe he did frequently^ and upon all f roper occaftons : For, after the Time I that he entered upon his Miniftry, fcarcc : a Day paffed without Ibme frefh Inltan- ! ces of his Power and Goodnels, infomuch I that, if all his Adions of this kind had I been particularly recorded, ^ the World I itfelf^ as the Apoftle fays, (but by way - of Hyperbole) would not contain the Books , which fbould be written ; and (what I crowns all) thefe he did with a defign to eftablifh a Religion, ° whofe bufinels it \ is to give Men the moft exalted Thoughts of God and his Providence, and the greateft Certainty of future Rewards i and Punilhments ; to oblige them, by the ftrongeft Motives, to obferve and praftice whatfoever Things are true^ and honejij and jujl, and pure^ and lovely^ and of good Report \ to perfwade them to mortify every inordinate Af- fection, and to attain thole excellent ; Difpofitions of Mind, which will make them refemble God, and belt prepare i them for future Happinels. In a word, to eftablilh the Pradice of thefe two D 3 great \ ya7;wxi, 43, 44.. " jfohnxxl 25. " Ch.wdlcr on Miracles. 5 8 State of the Controverfy hetuoeen great Virtues, the Love of God, and the Love of our Neighbour^ upon thefe two excellent Principles of Faith in God, as the Rewarder of thole, that leek him, and Faith in Jefns Chrijl, as the Savi- our and Judge of Mankind. "^^^alht ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ Nature and End of Chrift's pretend- Miraclcs, and in this Manner were they ed Mira- performed : But where now (if we may be ^'^l^f^^'^'2Xio\scdtozs\C)\s the great Similitude between what JpoUonius is faid to have done, and them ? ° The Hiftory of JpoU lonius (as it is recorded by ^hilojirattts) has no other Voucher^ than his Servant Bamisy a weak and ignorant Perlbn, (as the Hiftorian himfelf confefles,) and confequently very capable of being im- pofed upon by the artful Juggles of his Matter. But, befides the weaknels of fuch Authority, the pretended Miracles of Jpollonius are, for the moft part, ri- dictilotis, unw^orthy the Charafter of a Prophet, and (as the learned ^hotius i-f^2iks) fullof Follies and monftrous ^iles. In the higheft Inftance of his mimcu- lous Power, his raijing a dead Woman to Life cgMv, P the Hiftorian fulpects (as he lays the Company did) that there was Ibmc Confederacy and Collufion in «» Bp. Smallhrooks% Vind. p. 1 5. f Vid. Vii. ApL L. 4. c. \6. the Mr. Woolllon and his Ad'verfaries. 3 ^ the Muter ; but, if even it were not lb, the Docinnes he taught, and the Zeal he profefTed for the ^Pagan Idolatry^ to- gether with his exceffive Pride, Ambi- tion, and vain Affeftacion of divine Honours, are a plain Indication, that his Miracles were falfe, and his moll furprizing Performances, either the Ef- fects of Magicky or down-right Cheat and Impofture. T'acitus indeed, tells of two Cures, of k^/?^- one of a Blinds and the other of a Laincfi^^- Perfon, which Vefpajian pretended to work at Alexandria : *5 But whoever re- fleds on the Situation of his Affairs at that Time, will perceive Ibme Realbn to fufpeft a CoUufion. He was now in a difpute with himfelf what to do, whether to alTume the Roman Empire, or reftore the ancient Form of Government, a Common-wealth : The Reftoration of the latter was what D'wn^ and EuphrateSy two eminent Philofophers, adviled ^ but jipollonius (whom he like wife confulted upon this Occafion) with great vehe- mence, perfuaded the contrary, and (being himfelf accuftomcd to fuch Arti- fices) might, not improbably, fuggeft to Vefpajian the Nccellity of ibme Mi- racle or other, in order to recommend D 4 him I Bp. Smallhrooh's Vind. f. lo. 4 o State of the Contro vcr fy hetween him to the People, as a Per/on highly favoured by the Gods, And indeed, if we confider, what an ohfcure Perfon, and of what mean Ori- ginal Vefpaftan was, there feems to be the greater Reafon, why ApollontuSy and others of that Party, Ihould think of fome expedient or other, to raife him a Reputation in the World, anfwerable to the new Station of Life, they had ad- vifed him to accept : And whoever con- fiders farther, ^ what various Artifices were, about this Time ufed, to procure an Opinion of Divinity in the Empe- rors^ will not much wonder that fuch Reports Ihould be fpread of them, or that certain Perfons fliould be fuborned to feign fuch Diftempers, and then give themfelves out to be cured by them. But allowing the Cures to be real, yet, fince they were Things exceeding the Power of any created Being, they could not be afifcfted by Seraph^ the falfe God or Dijernon^ who is faid to prefcribe them : They mull be the Work of an Omnipotent Hand, and might perhaps be providentially intended, to give fome dignity and fuperior Charader to Vefpa- fany as a Perlbn, who, in Conjunftion with his Son T^itus^ was appointed by God I StiUiK^ feet's Orig. Sacrx. p* 171. Mr. Woolfton and his Ada)erfanes. 4 1 God to be a fignal Inftrument of the divine Vengeance on the JewtJIj Na- tion. But however this be, and whether thele Cures were true or falfe ^ fince, in Confequence of them, Veffajian never pretended to any divtne Comnnjjion^ nor to eftablifh any new Worfliip or Do- ftrine \ fince, the only ufe he made of them was purely foUtkal^ and to recom- mend himfelf, with greater Advantage, to the Favour of the People : The Cafe is very plain, that they can never come up to any Refemblance of our Saviour's rntractilous Works, which were perform- ed on purpofe to eftablifh his Authority, and to evince him a Prophet fent from God; to which Charader the Roman Emperor (however fome Sycophant Jews might endeavour to flatter him with it) never of himfelf made the leaft Preten- fion. And, if what the Roman Emperor And did (even upon the beft Suppofition) ^*'^'''*''*'^' falls infinitely fhort of what is recorded of our Saviour ; the Competition is fo very little between the Stroker Great- rack^ and him, that nothing, but either grofs Ignorance, or Malice, could have formed fo unjuft a Comparifon. In his own 4 1 State of the Controverfy het^ween own ^ Original Letter, which is ftill preferved in the Bodlean Library, Great- rack thinks more modeftiy of himfelf, he makes no mention of his healing all kinds of Difeales, much lefs of rejiorlng any decays of Nature, The Kings-evil^ and feme few Diftempers more, he pre- tended to Cure by a divine Impulfe ; but, failing Ibmetimes herein (as * a juft Examiner of his Pretenfions tells us) he was obliged to fly to the Affiftance of ^hyjick^ and Chlrurgery^ to ufe Pla- fters and proper Medicines, and that, frequently too without Succels. His ufual Method was, to chafe^ and ruhy with fome Violence, the part affecled, and, in fome Cafes, to pinch the Ulcers very feverely, by which means he might perhaps remove Ibme few IndiJP pofitions from one part into another, or even quite out of the Body, by infenji-' hie Perjpration ; " but what is all this, when compared with the numerous and lifting Effefts of one powerful Word of our Lord, either prelent or abfent ; of his immediately healing the moft inve- terate and incurable Diftempers, and reftoring, ^ Thi."; Letref was fcnt to Di*. H-t//, Bifhop of C/v/?(?v, An. 1 555. "■ Dav'id TJoyt^y in his Book cn~ titic(^, Wcndevi no Ad'iracks^ An. i€66, " Bifhop Mr. Woolflon and his Adverfaries, 4 5 reftoring, not only the greateft decays of Nature, but even Life it felf ? No- thing at all : and therefore to fum up the Argument thus far purfued : Since true Miracles can only be per- The fum formed by the power of God, and, ■('^'^/•^'•'^ when performed by any Man, are al- g J^'^mr ways received as an authentich Proof of his divim Miffion ; fince the Defign of our Saviour's coming was to eftabiilh a new Religion, to abolifti one form of Worfhip, and inftitute another, and to fet up a Kingdom in Oppofition to that of Satan ; and (to bear him through in this Defign) a neceffity there was for his being invefted with a Power of working Miracles ; fince this power of working Miracles in Chrift was fo vaftly great, that it can be fuppofed to pro- ceed from no other Caufe, than a Com- munication from God, and yet, to ima- gine that God would commanicate any part of his Power, to give Sanftion and Countenance to an Impojior^ is a Thing repugnant to his facred Attributes; fince God has not left us without means, either from the JVorks themfelves, and the Manner of doing them, or from the Perfbns themfelves, and the End for which they do them, to diftinguifh be- tween the true Prophet and the Im- poftor. 44 State of the Contxovcxfy het'ween poftor, the real Miracles of the one, and the ly'mg Wonders of the other ^ and, laftly, fince all the Signs and Charafters of true Miracles concur in the Works of Jefus, but, on the contrary, violent Sufpicions of Trick and Artifice, at leaft, an Inferiority^ that will admit of no manner of Comparifbn, in fuch as are named in competition with him : It muft needs follow, that the Miracles of our Blefled Saviour were not only a good Proof of his Divine Authority ; but (what is to be farther i^xoY'A)fuch very Miracles in Klnd^ as the Mejftah (when- ever he came into the World) was pre- ordained to do. The ^^th Chapter of Ifaiah's Pro-? Chapter p'^^fy? C^i^ generally agreed) relates to, of ifaiah the Mejfiah^ and that his coming, hi^ confider- Performances, and the Progrefs of his Kingdom are there defcrib'd in pretty lively Colours. The Prophet indeed has cmploy'd a variety of Stile in its Com- pofition : he begins with the Figurative^ * Let theWildernefs and thefolitary ^lace he glad '^ let the Defart rejoyce^ andhlojfom MS a Rofe^ &c. then he defcends to the Plamy and literal, y fay to them^ that are of a fearful hearty bejlrong, fear noty behold your God will come with Vengeance y even I Ver. r. >; Ver. 7. Mr. Wool (ton and his Adverfaries. 4 j even God with a Reco/nfence^ he will come^ he will come^ and Save you ^ for the Eyes of the blind Jhall be open* d^ &c. and thenhe rifes again in his ufual Metaphors and Alliifions, * In the Wildemefs [hall waters break out^ and Jlr earns in the jOf- fart^ and the parched Ground Jhall be- co?ne a ^Vool^ and the thirfiy Land Springs ofPVciter^ 8Cc. But whoever confiders the nature of Prophetical WxitingSy how various they are in their Matter ^ how bold in their Figures^ and how very un- certain in their Tran/itionSj cannot be under any Surprize, ^ that the Characters of the MeJJiah ftiould be fometimes more cxprefs and literal^ Ibmetimes wrapt up in high Oriental Figures, and Enigmatic Ci^/ Allufions, and Ibmetimes intermixed with the Affairs of the leveral Ages, in which their Authors wrote ; but fliould rather be induc'd to think, that a conti- nued and uniform Narrative^ without any Intermixture of this kind, would be 2i Solcecifm m Prophetical Compoficions, and expofe them to the like Objeftions, that Porphery once made again ft thole of Daniel^ for being too plain and too literal, viz. That they were an Hi^ Jiorical Account rather of Things paji^ than any '^redi^ions offhings to come. Tho^ 4 ^ State of the Con tro verfy het'voeen In which Tho' therefore the variety of Stile, 7m?took ^^^ mixture of Matter, and other Gaufes it. of Oblcurity, were much greater, than is pretended ; yet, that thefe Confide- r at ions ought not to exclude the literal Senfe of thofe Paflages, which relate to the Works of the Mejftah , is plain from the Opinion of the ancient Jews^ who very frequently tell us, that ^ when the Mefjtdh cometh^ he will open the Eyes of the blind^ and that <= all forts of LeprO" (ies foall be healed in his Days • is plain from the Notions of the 'Jews in our Sa- viour's Time, who, upon feeing him do fuch Miracles, as Ifaiah here foretold, ^ glorified the God of Ifrael^ mdfaid^ this is of a 'Truth the^rophet that jhould come into theWorld\ and(whatis more) is plain from the ufe and application, that our Lord himfelf makes of them : For how much Ic- ever other Interpreters may difagree in the Acceptation of any Paffage, relating to the Mejfiah^ ^ all ambiguity ought certainly to ceale, after it hath been de- termined to one Senfe, by the Authori- ty of a Perlbn, working liich Miracles, as could proceed from no lels a '^rinci- pky than the Spirit of God. Let us then ^ Targum on Ifa* xiii, I, 5, 7. ^Vajikra Pah, on Lev. xiv. 2. ** Mitth, XV. 2j. * jVm vi. 14. 'Bp. Cbaudler's Def. p. 413. Mr. Woolfton and his Adwrfaries. 47 then confidcr a little what the Occafion of our Saviour's Application, was. s Upon the Report of our Lord's Mi- in what racks, which had now over-lpread all ^^"|? '^"^ Judcea^ John the Baptifi, being then in phed iu' Prilbn, lent two of his Dilciples to know whether he was the fro?nis'd Chrifi. John^ who had fo often given an ample Teftimony of our Saviour, could not be ignorant of his Divine Million ; and therefore the Meaning of his lending, was, not to inform hiralelf, but to give his Diiciples an Opportunity of being fatisfied from his own Mouth and Adi- ons. Jt that Hour (as the Hiftorian in- forms us) ^ yefus had cur d many of their Infirmities^ and ^laguesj and to many^ that zvere hlind^ had given Sight ^ when the Difciples of Ji?/?;; addrels themfelves to him in Words, taken from the Pro- phet Ifaiah, ^ Art than he that Jfjould come^ or look we for another Saviour^ To which our Lord (pointing very proba- bly to the Objeds he had healed) re- plies in the very next Words of the f rophet, Go your way^ and tell John what Things you have feen and heardy how the blind fee^ the lame walk^ the Lepers are cleanfed ^ the deaf hear^ the dead are raijedy the poor have the Go/pel ! Luks vii. 16, zT'c. ** Bp. Chandlers Defence, p. 436. I If^ XXXV. 4. j^S State of the Controver/y het^een Gofpel preached unto them^ and blejpd h he^ whojbever Jhall not he offended in 77ie. Can any thing be more plain, than that our Saviour intended the Difciples Ihould underftand him in a literal Senfe ? Any- thing more incongruous, than that he Ihould refer them to certain Spiritual and Jlkgorlcal Cures for Conviftion, and r«rwly^of difmifs them at laft with fome liich A^- a rowfr^ry^/V^// Harangue as this. Senfe. u ^p^^ Baptl/iy I find, has fent you *' to enquire of me, whether I am the '« true MeJJiahy and many Proofs of my *^ Power you have feen in the Objeifs^ " that at prefent ftand before you ; but *^ let not theie feeming Miracles deceive '^ you. That blind Man, whofe Sight " I have reftored, that Lame^ that Le- " per^ that dead Perfbn, to whom I have " given Soundnefs, and Limbs, and *' Life itlelf, are not really and a^ually " cur'd : whatever I do of this kind, is " only by way of Figure and Allegory ^ " to denote my much greater Perform- " anccs, ^ in curing Mens Errors^ and *• Ignorance^ and want of IntelkBual *^ Knowledge of God ^ and his Providence y " by adhering to the Letter of the Scrip-- ** tures'^ in curing the Lamenels and In- " firmitics of their Minds, the unclean- " nefs * Wooip9n% Dif. 4. p. i^. Mr. Woolfton and his Adverfaries. 45) " nels of their Hearts and AfFedions, " and in ^ raifing them^ in fliort, fro?n ^' the Death of Stn^ untp a Life of Righ^ *' teoujhejs. Thefe are Performances " that do truly denote the Mefjiah^ but *^ thcfe I Ihall not attempt to do, until " my "* Second and Spiritual Jdventy un- " til the Time of " the Evangelical Sah^ ^' bath : and therefore go and tell your *' Matter, 'tis to that time I refer him '' for a proper and authentick Proof of " my Mijfton. After fuch a ftrange and unaccounta- ble Speech as this, what Notions, I pray, muft the Difciples of John have of our Saviour's IntelkBs ? And yet this, and no other is the Senfe of his Reply, up- on the Suppofition, that his Miracles are to be qnderftood not in a literaly but myjiical Senfe only \ whereas, upon a contrary Suppofition, the Reply will be rational, fatisfadory, and convincing; * ® Ye come to enquire, whether I be * the Mejftah^ or Saviour of the World, * whom the Prophet Ifaiah writes of ; * yc fee me do the fame Miracles, which ^ Ifaiah foretold the Mejftah flipuld do \ * and therefore, upon the Evidence and E ^Con- 'Difc. 5' ""Ibid. I. p .17. " Ibid. 2. p. 4:. • Bp. Clandler'fi Defence, p. 437. 5 o State of the ControveiTy hetiveen ' Conviction of thele, ye may return ^ affured that I am he. Extern ri The Qiicllion then is not, whether Miracles Jpodil}' OX fpiritiid Cures are the more tile Nklli- wonderful and godlike Operations, but, ah. whether real and external Miracles, or fuch as zxt fpmtual and allegorical only, were, at this time, proper for our Sa- viour to exhibit, in order to prove him- felf to be the promifed MeJJiah. Myji- cal Miracles, and the Cure of Dileafes that are purely fpiritual^ are perceiva- ble only by an omnifcient Eye ; they are mere Non-etitHies to a common Spedator, and affed him no more, than if they were none at all ; but p a real Miracle pierces quite through the Soul, ftrikes all the Faculties at once, and by offering it felf to our bodily Senfes, becomes an Argument for the meaneft Cap?xity to judge of Without difputing then the Point of Preference betv^^een internal and external Operati- ons, the plain Cafe is, that, fince our Saviour's Bufinels was to convince the People of his divine Miflion, there could be no poflibility of doing this, without exhibiting Ibme Sign or other, that was external and vijible : He might have talked of his myjlical and allegorical P Stanhope's Ep. & Golp. vol. z,p. 6^, Cures Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^uerfaries. 5 i Cures to Eternity, and yet not made one Profelyte ; the Qiieftion^ the unto- ward Qaeftion would have ftill returned upon him, Matter, ^ f'f^loat Sign JJjeweJi thotiy that we. may fee^ and believe? " Thele refined and airy Notions of " ffi^'^ttial Dijeafes and myfiical Cures^ ^' we are not at all acquainted with ; " they are not the proper Evidences, " whereby the Prophets of Old proved " their divine Million j Our Fathers did " eat Manna in the WiJdernefs^ and " many were the Wonders, which Mo- " fes wrought in the Sight of all the '^eople\ " what we want therefore of thee, is ocu" ^' lar Demonftration, and to be con- ^^ vinced immediately by Ibme real and " fubftantial Miracle, not by thofe di- ^' ftant and vifionary Things, which *^ will not happen until thy fecond and ^^ fpiyittialJdventj that thou art in reali- " ty a Mejfenger fent from God, And indeed, if we confider the Ef-Theyi/>- feds of our Saviour's Miracles, and^''"^'''"'^^ the many immediate ConviBions they f^jj,.yS.ip- occafioned, we muft needs be afhamed pofuion. of this allegorical Notion. For can we fuppofe, ^ that, when the People were amazed to fee the ftupcndious Things E 2 he ' John vi, 30. \ Bp. Gibfoyi'^ paftoral Letter, ^ 33. State of the Controvcrfy het^ween he did, they were really amazed at no- thing? That, when they asked one another, whether the Mejfmh^ -when he came^ would do greater Works than thefe^ they did not mean reak but only imagi- nary Works ? That, when the Multi- tudes came to be healed, upon feeing the marvellous Cures he wrought on others, they had really leen nothing to encourage them to come ? That, when the Leper came to thank him for his Mercies in healing him, he was not real- ly healed, but came to return Thanks for nothing ? Or that when the Jews^ fearing the Succefs of his Miracles, called a Council, in order to prevent it, they were afraid of Shadows only, and pro- perly conlulted about nothing ? ^ Thcfe and many more Conclufions, which fol- low upon the wild Notion of Miracles wholly myfiical ^nd allegorical^ without any literal Meaning, are fuch grofs and fhocking Abfurdities, that nothing, one would think, but ' either great JVeaknefs of Under /landings or great Dijvrder of JSndj ftrong Affeftation of Singularity^ or very ftrong ^^rejudices againft the Chrifiian Religion, could lead a Man into ; and therefore to fum up the ottier Branch of this Argument. Since ^ Page 35. 'Pagesz. Mr. Woo] fton avdhis Ad'verfaries, 5 ) Since the 35/^ Chapter of i/SE/^^'sThernm Prophecy is fuppofed, by all Interpre- ;;;^;J;;^;f ters, to relate to the MeJJtah^ and, not- the \rgu- withftanding Ibme jigurattve PafTages"^*^"'* in it (a Thing very common in prophet tck Writings) was, both by the Tradition of the ancient Jews^ the Senje of the Jews in our Saviour's Time, and the UJe which our Saviour himfelf makes of it, thought to denote, in a true and literal Senfe, the Aftions and Miracles of the Mejjtah : Since many of our Saviour's Miracles were of the fame Kind and Charac.cr, with what the Prophet as- cribes to the MeJJiah^ and, being out- ward and vifiblc W'orks, were the only proper Evidences of his divine Commil- fion and Authoricr : Since the Notion of myftical and invifible Miracles (befides the ftrange and r^/;;2&f Mounts IS '^ an Image and Exhibi- ^' tion of our future and celeftial Glory ; ^' and his c a fling the Buyers and Sellers " out of the Temple^ ^ a Figure and Re- " lemblance of his future ejection of " fuch Selfifh Ecclefiafiicks out of the " Church, as make Gain and Merchan-^ " dize 'Difc. 4. p. (^4- ^ Ibia. 2. p. 15, &» ?2. " lb. 4. p. 49. i Ibid, I. p. 46. J^ Ibid. p» $0. Mr. Woolfton and his Adverfaries. 5 7 " dize of the Word of" God. In fliort, " if we will adhere to the Senfe of the " Fathers^ we muft be oblig'd to lay, " ^ That the four Golpels are, in no ^' part, a literal Story, but a Syftem of " my ft teal Philofophy, or Theology ^ " that the Hiftory of Jefus's Life, as re- *^ corded by the Evangelifts, is an Em- *^ blematkal Reprefentation of his 5/;- " ritual Life in the Soul of Man, and his ^' outward y\AX2iQ\cs^ Figures of his more myjlerious Operations. u It can never be denied indeed, but The Re- that great Refped and Veneration is due = P^^ ^"^ to the Authority of the Fathers^ ^^d[i"ers,ana that thofe efpecially, who lived in the-^'^> earlicft Ages of Chriftianity^ are highly beneficial to us in many Relpeds. ^ They arc proper Witnejfes of the Truth of tlie Miracles of Jefus, after the ftrideft En- quiries made about them, and of the Au- thority of thofe Books J which the Church received as Sacred^ and wherein the Ac- count of thofe Fafts was recorded. They are proper WitneJJes of the Miracles wrought in the Church, and of the G//?i of the Spirit^ which (as they inform us) continued in the .S'^f^w^Centviry. They inftruft us in feveral UJageSy not 16 plainly ! Difc. p. 65. "^ Bp. SmMro9h\ Vind. p. 123. 5 8 State of the Con trover fy hetiveeu plainly exprefs'd in Scripture ; the Ob- lervation of the Lord's Day^ the three Orders of the Ckrgy^ the Government of the Church by Eijhops^ &c. And they give us an Account of the Books, fuc- ceflively received into the C^;;^;; of Scrip- ture, and by what means they have been prelerv'd uncorrupt y and tranlhiitted pure to future Ages. Nay, they are likewile of great ufe to us in relation to the Doctrines of the Church, for they acquaint us what the Syjiem of the Ca^ tholick Faith then was ; and, in regard to the Expojitlon of Scripture, muft be al- lowed to have no fmall Advantage, in that they were nearer the Fountain it- felf : But the Fathers, we muft know, came but late to the Expofition of the Scripture, for except the imperfed Co7nmentaries of Origen^ very little was wrote, at ieaft, very little has defcend- ed to us^ that was wrote before the fourth Century, when ^falfe tajie^ and the Influence of Ibme great Examples, drew many more into the modiJJ:? (which was then the allegorical J way of Wri- ting. The Ori' n Oylgen was the firft that dlftinguifli'd feao^rLf' himfelf this way, for which reafon he is interpre- not unjuftly ftifd T^he Father of myjiical tations. Inter^ » Bp. Smallbrooh's Vind. p. 16. Mr. Woolfton and his Ad/^/forDircourfes, but ofjuft and Ibber Reafonings) he direftly argues from them in Defence of Chriftianity. Thus, in anfwer to Celfus's Boaftings of the Precepts and Difcipline of the Greeks, he urges, that Chriftianity has a more divine Demonftration, which the Jpojile calls the Demonftration of the Spirit and of^ower\ and he explains Poz£;^r to be the Miracles of Chrift, which, fays he, ^ we believ'd to have been wrought, as from * Bp. Gil'fon's Paft. Lettcf, p. ip. >; L. i. p. 5. lidic. Speac' Mr. Woolfton and his Adn^erfavies. c 5 from many other Arguments, fo parti- cularly from this, that the Footfteps of the fame Power do ftill appear. To this purpofe y he takes Notice, that both Mofes and Jefus did wonderful Works, and fuch as exceeded humane Power, and then expoftulates with the yews^ for believing the Things which Mojes wrought, though recorded fingly by himfelf, and rejefting the Miracles of Chriji^ upon the Teftimony of his Dilciples. In like Manner, ^ Ipeaking of Mofes and Chr'tft^ he oblerves, that Chrift was to overthrow the Cuftoms, in which the People had been Educated, and to deal with a Nation, that had been taught to require Signs and Won- ders, and therefore had at leaft as great heed to fhew them in order to gain Be- lief, as Mofes^ who had not thofe Diffi- culties to overcome : And laftly, * to prove that yefus was the Son of God, he urges his healing the Lame, and the Blind, according to the Prophecy con- cerning him ; he ftiews the reality of what the Evangelijis relate, of his raifing Per- Ibns from the dead, and why he railed no more, and then adds, that his Mira- cles were intended not only to be F/- gures y L. 1. p. 34. I L. 2. p. 91, 92. ^ L. 1. ^ 87, 88. ^4 S^^f^ ^f ^^^ Controverfy het^een gures and Symbols^ but alfo the Means of converting Multitudes to the Chrljiian Faith ; whereby he plainly acknow- ledges the literal^ as well as the allegoric cal meaning of them. Nay, had I Leifare to gratify the Curious, I might ftiew out of his other Works, that are not written with the lik^ Exaftnefs (his Commentaries I mean, which are of undoubted Credit, and ^ ought only to be quoted in this Contro-* verfy) that, in talking of our Saviour's Miracles, he adheres to their literal^ as well as figurative Meaning : " For, ^ *' if all the forts of Difeales, fays he, *^ which our Saviour cured among the " People, bear any Relation and Ana-? ^' logy to the various Dileafes of the " Soul ; it is very reafonable to appre- " hend, that, by the Paralytkks in the " Gofpel, thole Perfons are intimated, " who have a moral fort of Palfy in their " Souls " : and therefore he affirms, " that, ^ whatever Cures Jefus is faid ^' tQ ^ Bifhop Sr)u%nbrooke has obferved, that }Ar.Wool- ftcn has iieglc£i:cd Orlgens CommenUrieSy publifhcd in the original Greek by Huetiusy which are ccr- i3im\Y (renu'iney ^"^ made life ouly oi Wis HomiliPi in the Latin Traiillation, that have been adultera^ ced by Ru-^nus and others: which looks a little odd and difingennous, f» 52. ' Orig. Comn;iem. in Math* c. 17* ^ Ibid in Matth, c. 15. . ncai. Mr. Wool flon and his Ad^erfaries. c 5 *' to perform among the People,eIpeciaI- ^' ly thole, that are mentioned by the £- " vangelJfts^wQXC then wrought,that thole " Perlbns might believe in him, who '^ had not othervvile believed, unlels ^^ they had feen his Signs and Wonders. <= After all, it mull be acknowledged, p„t is that Origej]y and Ibme others, indulged blamed themlelves farther in the alko-oncrJWa.y, ^^^ ^,f"" 1 n n • 1 /^ 1 r^ J ^ too all eg ^'^ than was conliltent with lober Reafon- ing, or authorized by any Example in Scripture. St. 9atd indeed in his Epi- ftles, has allegorized feveral Paffages of the ^ewijlo Law and Pliftory, ^ but it muft be confidered, that llich an Jccom- inodation was not only very agreeable to the "Jevjs and other Oriental Nations, but receives like wile great Weight and Authority from the fuppoled Influence of the (^ne Spirit, which didated it at iirft. If St. Pcuily indeed, was inlpired (as is juftly believed by all Chrifl'iuns) with the Knowledge of what, in the Old ^eflament^ was originally intended to be Significative and Emhlemattcal of Ibme things future,and accordingly expounded them-great regard is certainly due to what he delivered in thisManner to theChurch : But, the like deference is not to be paid F to * Bp. Cr-ilfcn^ Paft. L?ct. /. 3Ti \ Bp. Smallh-.^olio Vind. p. 10% 6 6 State of the Con tro verfy letween to the myftical Interpretations of others, who have not the lame divine Inlpira- tion, yet pretend to allegorize in Matters, that cannot require it. ^ "The Law of Mojes^ indeed, (as the Apoftle tells us) hid a Shadow of good Things to come^ and was entirely typical of the Gofpel ; but the Gofpel is ftyled ^ the Truth^ or Completion of Things under the Law, whofe Eody^ or Suhjiance^ is Chrift : And therefore we cannot but think it a de- rogation to the Perfeftion of the Gofpel, and inconfiftent with its being the Com- pletion of the Law, that it Ihould ftill be thought capable of being allegorized a new, and equallyyS with the Law. Thisallc- It is a falfe and injurious Commenda- ry to '^s^ in no party a literal Story ^ hut a Sy- Sctip- Iie77i ofmyftical^hilojophy orWth^o/ogy, ^p^^^^ Apoftle, I am fure, gives us k dif- ^/ic^ofthe ferent Character of it, when he tells the Apoillcs. Corinthians^ ^ that, after the IVorJd by JVifdom knew not God^ it pleafed God^ by the ¥ooli(lo72ejs of Preaching, to fave them^ that believe ; and therefore he declares to them his own Practice : ^Jndl^ Brethren^ when I came unto you^ came not with Excellency of Speech^ or of JVifdo?n^ de- claring - 7'V^. ii. I. '' Jolif i. 17. ' I Cor. i. 21. ^ l cr. Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfaries. 6 7 chring unto you the IVtplom of God-^ for I determined not to know any 'fhing a- mongyouy five y ejus Chrijlandhim cruci- fied: And my Speech andmy freachingwas^ not with enticing Words ofMajis JVifdom, hut in Demonji ration of the Spirit and of ^ower ; that your Faith foould not he in the iVifdom of Men^ but in the '^ower of God, ^ For I delivered unto you^ Jirft of all^ {that which I alfo received,^ hozv that Chrifi died for our SinSy according to the Scriptures^ and that he was huried^ and that he rofe again the third Day^ accord- ding to the Scriptures^ and that he was feen of Cephas, then of the twelve ; after this he was feen of above five hundred Brethren at once^ of whom the greater part remain unto the prefent^ hut fome are fallen ajleep : after that^ he was feen of James, then of all the Jpoflles^ and la ft of all he was feen of me aljby as of one born out of T'ime. ^" Where is the Wife^ where is the Scribe, zvhere is the difputer of the World to unriddle all this to us ? For, according to the prelent Scheme, this is all Figure and Jllegory ; a parabolical Narrative^ and emblemati- cal Keprefentation of the fpiritual Life in the Soul of Man : and what pity it was, that the great Apoftle of the Gentiles F 2 ftiould ' J Cor. XV. 3, e^;. ^ lb, \, V. 20, 6 8 State of the Controverfy het^een fhoiild be lb faulty in his Office, as not to let us into the Knowledge of all this. And of On the contrary, he, like an hardy J-iiigc- j>^^j jg j^Qj. afhamed to iuftify himfelf ; fcquencc. lor, " According to the i^race^ whtch is given to me^ fays he, as a wife Builder^ I have laid the Fonndation^ and another huildeth thereon ; but let every Man take heed how Be btiildeth thereupon. Ano- ther Foundation can no Man lay^ than that is laid^ which is Jefus Chriji, NoWy if any Man build upon this Foundation j Goldy Silvery precious Stones^ Woody Hayy Stubbky 1. e. Notions and Inventions of his own, how grols, or how refined io^ ever they be, his iVorkjhall he manifefy and, ij himfeljbefavedy it fhall be but upon a narrow efcape, it fhall he y Jo as hy Fire, So that according to the Senfe of St. ^Pauly this humour o^ building upon the Scripture, or of fixing foreign Meanings to the plain hiforical Fads of the Gol- pel, is neither lb innocent y nor i:^ fafe a Thing, as fome may imagine. It is, at the beft, deftroying the proper Signifi- cation of Things, and giving a Licence to every wild and extravagant Fancy, to make the Word of God Ipeak juft what it pleafes : And if this unluckily fhould be found to he preaching of ano- ther ■ i Car. c. iii. Y, lO, ^t\ Mr. Wool fton and his Adverfaries. C 9 ther Gofpel (as by this Way of Pro- cedure, any thing may be to charged, as to lofe every Feature it once had) what is the Sentence, that this Apoftle pronounces againft the Promoters of it ? "" If my Man or Angel ^ preach any other Gofpel unto yoa^ than what ye have re- ceived^ let him he accurfecL It is not then the Authority of great How the Names, that can juftify us in what is P^'thcrs unwarrantable in itfelf. If the Fa- f^,!^J^^^^j^'^ thers have gone too far in their way of and mifap- allegorizing, inftead of being imitated, ^'^'^^ J they ought to be blamed and cenilired^^;;*. by us, as freely, p as they were by fomc of their Contemporaries. But the Truth is, few, very few of the great Names of Antiquity have, as yet, appeared in , this Gontroverfy ^ not one, except Or/- gen^ of the firft three hundred Years af- ter Chrift, but a long Roll of Fathers and Writers {Spurious and Genuine to- gether) of the ^thy $thy and following Centuries^ far from ^ having our Religion from the Hands of the Apoflles^ and apo^ floltch Meny or from being endued with a7iy divine and extraordimiry Gifts of the Spirit. And yet, as weak Authorities as they are, what uncommon Pains and F 3 Artifice » Gal, i. 8, 9. P Vid. Hu'f. Oi-igcnliua, ;». I 70, ^c, \ Bp. G'ih[Qn\ Paft. Lett. ^. 28. 7 o State of the Controverfy let^een Artifice has been us'd, by falfe Quotati- ons, falle Tranflations, and Interpola- tions of Words, by foifting in Ibme Books, citing others as Ge^ru'ine that are known to be Spurious^ and, almoft in every Paffage, either perverting, or fuppreffing the true Senfe and Meaning of the Author, to make them come in to the Scheme, but all to no purpofe ; the Fathers are obftinate, and will not comply: They avow the literal Senie of the Scriptures, and declare unani- moufly, that, without the Suppofition ' of its Reality, their Allegories would be mere Caftles in the Jir^ and have no Foundation at all. The ?ium Since then this Cuftom oi Allegorizing ^!'^^(^Qjj^"f Scripture, owes, its Original to xh^'Jews this Ar- and Gentiles^ (no great Friends to the gumcnt. chrijiian Caule) and was afterwards in- dulged to gratify, in ibme meafure, a depraved Taite, and extravagant Ima- gination ; fince no Authority can be pro- duced for it in Scripture, but many Paf- iages, cut of St. P^^//'s Writings, to fhew the danger and bold Prelum ption of it, as well as the neceflary Duty of our ad- hering to the Plainnefs and Simplicity of the Golpel ; fince no Arguments, in its Vindication, can be drawn from the Writings of the ancient Fathers, foraf- much a t Mr. Woolfton and his Ad'verfaries, 7 1 much as the grcateft Maftcrs and admi- rers of it, have always acknowledg'd a literal SQuiCj and fiich as are produced to the contrary, upon a proper Exami- nation, have been found to do the fame ; " Remember, Reader, once for all, (as T'ertuU'jan exprefTes it) that when we admit of any fuch Scriptural /^/Z?^t?ri^j', the true literal Senfe of the Scripture " is not altered, tho* the Circumftances, ^' or State of the Cafe, receive a new " Turn, and have a Rhetorical Appli- " cation given to them. SECT. IV. O/'ChrIst's dri'vifig the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple '' "D U T how can we help recurring to Mi-. vAcI- a xJ ^Y\Q myjlical Senfe, 'fays IslixJons ob- " IVoolflon^ ^ when the literal account of j"-'^^^*^"* many of Jefus's Miracles, implies fuch *' Improbabilities, Incredibilities, and " grofs Abfurditics, as are very difho- " nourable to the Name of Chrift. The " Miracle, for inftance, of his driving F 4 " the ' L. 3. §, 5. 6cL. 5. §. 4. ^ [Vool^oni Dlfc. i- p. 19. (C 7 1 State of the Contro verfy hetnveen " the Buyers and Sellers out of the T'em- " fle^ (as great an Exploit as fome may ^^ think it) is certainly a very abfurd '^ and improbable Story : For * admit- " ting there really was a Market kept " in the Temple, (which our Divines, " I believe, will find fome DifEculty to " prove) yet "what great Sin and Profa- " nation could it be, to buy and fell " fuch Things in it, as were brought on '' purpofe to be ofTer'd to God in Sacri- " fice ? But then, ^^ How any one, in '"^ the Form of a Man, and that a defpi- ^' fed Man too, fhould be able, with nc- ^' thing but a Whip in his Hand, to ^' execute fuch an herokk Work, upon *^ a great Multitude of People, who *' were none of them his Difciples, nor *' had any regard to him j who had, " fome of them, been injured, and fuf- ^' fer'd Damage in their /lares, and " confequently muft be fuppos'd in a ^' Difpofition to refill him, is a thing " incredible. But put the Cafe it were *' not lb • for what End and Purpofe he " fliould now be ib Zealous againft the ^* Profanation of the Temple, when he " himfelf, in a fliort time after, by the '^ Hands of the Romans^ ordered it to *' be deftroy'd and polluted, is ibme- *' thing * Difc p. 25. " p. 17. ]" p. 22. 7 Mr. WooUloii and his Adwrfarles. 7 3 ^^ thing fo very tmonjifient ; that there is '^ no way of accounting for it, but by " "^ fuppofing it a ^Prophetical and Para-- " hoVtcal Narrative of fomewhat to be " done hereafter, more Myfierwu/fyy and " more H^'onderfully^ by him. A vulgar Reader indeed may think rheCouvti it very ftrange, that a Market fhould be o[ the kept in a Churchy or that //^^ "tables ^^dcV^.-bU Money-changers^ and the Seats oj thoje that foU Doves ^ Ihould be permitted in the Temple : But we miftake the Mat- ter much, if we fuppofe, that the Tem- ple of yernfalem was made like one of our Churches, y It did not confift of one fingle Edefice only, but had feveral Courts and Buildings belonging to it. The firft and moft outward Court, which went by the Name of the Mount of the T'emple^ was a Square of 500 Cubits e- very way, containing leveral Buildings for different ufes, and furrounded with Cloyfters, fupported by Marble Pillars. Next to this was the Court of the Gen- t'tles^ rang'd round with Cloyfters, and feparated from the other Courts with Stone Baluftrades three Cubits high, with Pillars at certain Diftances, upon which were engraven, Exhortations to Purity and * Difc. T. p. SI. I Vid, Lamy Qp B^vtfobve'a Iiitr. 74 State of the Controvert letnveen and Holineis, and a Prohibition to all the Gentiles^ and to fuch, as were un^ chan^ to advance beyond them : Then followed the Court of the Women ; after that the great Court ^ which was divided into two Parts, the IJraelites Court, and the Court of the Prtejisy contiguous to which flood the Temple itfelf. This was the Order of the Building, but the whole went under the general Name of the T'emple, ThePlace ^j^^ j^^^ j^^^j ^jj ^^ ^^ ^^^ Avheretne J . i ^ r t^ -i Mavht lame Sanctity m the Court of the Genttles^ ^vaskcpr. as in other Parts of the Temple, and therefore it is lels wonder that they per- mitted it to be employed to Purpofes, that our Saviour condemned. '^ They found it almoft neceflary, that llich, as liv'd at a confiderable Diftance from Je^ rufakmy inftead of bringing living Crea- tures, ftiould only bring Money with them, in order to purchafe Sacrifices and Oblations there ; and for the Con- venience of this (as =» a great Matter of Jcwijh Learning tells us) there was al- ways a conftant Market in the Temple, in the Place which was called the Shops ; where every day was fold Wine, Salt, Oil, and other Requifites to Sacrifices, as * Wh'itly oil Matth. x^i. 12. * Llghtfoot Oil Mai ^ Xxi. 12. Vol, 2. p. 224. Mr. \S^ool fton a7jd his Ad^verfaries. y ^ as Oxen and Sheep, in the fpacious Court of the Gentiles : and that the lame Pra- dice was in life, in the Time of our Sa- viour's Miniftry, we have the Teftimo- ! ny of the ancient Jews themfelves. For, fince in the Baby loniJ]:f7^cihnud it is decla- red, ^ that forty I ears hejore the 7'ej7ipk was dejirofd^ the great Council removed j from the Place ^ where they usd to affemhle |. in the inner Court of the T'emple^ and fate I among the Shops ; ^ counting back jorty I Tears from the Deftruftion of the Tem- ! pie, we fliall find, that this removal of j the Sanhedri?n was about three or four I Years before this Adion of our Saviour's ! happened : and, confequently, that in i his Time there was a Place, called the I Shops ^ which, according to the Delcrip- j tion that the Jews give of them, were an open fpacious Place ^ where Goods were Sold^ and Money Exchanged, But how convenient foever this il4&r-Tliis a ihandife might be for the Ufe of ^^\^^!,^;^ Temple-Service, it was certainly a grofschcTcm- Profanation of the Place itfelf. For fince p'^* the Court of the Gentiles was the only Place, wherein the Profelytesofthe Gate (who came up to the Temple in great Num- •' See VEmpereto' on the Codex Madifoth. p. 48, <,r9. "^ Dr. ?carc:'s Miracles Vindicated, part. z„ p, 10, e^.-. 7 6 Stat£ of the Controverfy het'ween Numbers, elpecially at the Time of the ^Ojffbver) were permitted to vvorlhip the God of IJraely it can hardly be imagined, but that the Droves of Cattle, which were brought in there to be Sold, would not only crowd and incommode the Place, (which is a great Indecency,) but that, in the midft of the Heatings of the Sheep, the lowingsof theOxen, and the hurry and buftle, neceffarily occafion'd by the other fort of Merchandife, the ^rojelytes would be fure to meet with no fmall Difturbance in their Devotions. ^ Nor wants there Ibme Realbn to prefume, that, the Captains of the T^emple^ and o- thers, who had the Care and Direftion of it, having let out part of the Court of the Gentiles for Profit and Advantage^ and perhaps at exceffive Rents ; the SeU lerjj to make themfelves amends for what they paid for their Shops and Stalls, infilled upon unjuft and exorbitant Gains, for which we find them charged by our Saviour, as having made the Houje ofGod^ not a Place of Merchandife only, but ^ a Den of Thieves^ Why *vj- Now if the Permifljon of fuch Abufes jirr foronr may be allowed to be a Profanation of ^^/'"^/P the Temple, whoever confiders what redrejs \i, ^ ^ great * Pe.rr<;e*s Miracles Vindicated, p, 13. ! Maith, il 13.' Mr. Woolfton and hisAd^erfaries. 77 great Reverence was conftantly paid to it, and what Titles of Honour and Re- aped are given it by God himfelf • how, under the old Teftament, it is ftiled ^ his Sancitiary^ his Dwellings his Courts^ and Palace^ his Holy Mountain^ and the ^Placc ivhjch he had chofen out of all the Earthy to Jet his Name there ; and how the A- poftle, under the new^ declares it to have been ^ the Figure of the Heavens j and of that Seat, mt made with Hands^ where the glorious Majefty of God more peculiarly refides : whoever confiders this, I fay, gan, by no means, be induced to think, that a Reformation of fuch Abufes was any Inftance of an intem- perate Zeal in our Saviour, or that the Thing was lels prudent, or lels neceffa- ry to be done, becaufe the Temple was \Totwith- fhortly to be deftroy'd, ^ fince every ftanding Place, which is fet apart for Divine Wor- l^'^ ^^if"" flnp^ ought to be kept Sacred^ and fitftJuaion. for that Ufe, as long as it is fubfifting. In fuch a Cafe, we are to confider what Things are now^ not What they are to be hereafter ; for what would have been a Profanation of the Temple, had it been always to laft, was equally a Profana- tion •"P/r/. Ixxxi v. T, TO. 7/"rf. Ivi. 7. iCho^i. xx. 9. "Deut. xvi. i5. 2 H^h,\^, ^l Dr. Pf4>v^, Part :.. p. i(). 7 S State of the Controvcrfy hetiveen tlon of it, tho' it was ftiortly to be de- ftroy'd : The Adion is the fame under both Events, nor is it in the leaft altered by the Fate of the Place, where it hap- pens to be done. ^ As well therefore may we enquire, why Jefus conformed to the legal Service of the Temple, which, tho' as yet eftablifh'd, was loon to be abolilh'd, viz, by the more perfed Sa- crifice of himlelf^ as why he vindicated the Honour of God, that was profan'd in his own Hou/e, tho' that Holife was, after Ibme time, to be finally abandoned and deftroy'd. ^ Our Saviour, indeed, out of his Di- vine Knowledge, foretold the Deftrudi- on of yerujalem^ and, that the Time fhould come, when ^ the abo?nination of Defolatton , (/. e. the Roman Army, which having for their Enfign the Em- peror's Image, and coming with intent to lay wafte their Country, could not but be deteftable to the Jeivs) Jianding in the Holy ^lace: But by this flandtrig In the Holy Place^ from a parallel PalTage in II St. Luke^ is fuppos'd by ^ moft In- terpreters, to be meant no more, than the ' ^ Army's encompafjing the Holy City. If we refer it however to the Deflrudion of the * Bp. SnmUhvoD^''*^ Vint^. p. 148. ^ Mark xiii. 14. II Luke xxi. 20. * Vid. Hammond and Whitby In lo' cum, \ Dr. Pf4rtc, p. 14. Mr. Wooifton and his Ad^erfaries. 7 p the Temple, the Predi£i:ion of the Event does not nece(jitate its coming to pals \ nor is our Saviour any more chargeable with the Coniequencc of it, than the Pro- vidence of God is with all the Slaughter, and Havock, and Devaftation, which a Vidorious Army makes in an Enemy's Country. The Dettrudion of the 'Jew-- ijlj Nation was determined indeed in the Divine Counfel, but, according to the Account of their own ij: Hi/lortan, they themlelves were the Authors of their own Calamity ; and, in the parti- cular Inftance of the Burning of the Temple, not only themfelves let fire to the Galleries thereof firft, but even, w^hen T'jtus had left them in quiet, and ordered his Guards to extinguifh the Fire, they fallied out upon them, and hindered them \ andyS (as the Hiftorian tells us) wrought the jind DeflriiBwn of the Holy 'lace with their own Hands. But be that as it will, fince the T'em- ^^' fie was, as yet, to ftand full forty Years, ^^YJ%^ and upwards, there could be no Incon- gruity in our Saviour's endeavouring to corred this Abule of it ^ and, confider- ing the prcfcnt Situation of Things, no Impoffibility in him to effed it. For wc muft remember, that he was juft now come ^ Jo[, de Bell, jfud, L. 8. c. 5. 9. 8 o State of the Controverfy hetiveen come up from Bethany to Jenifalemj in a Ibit of Royal and Triumphant Pro- ceffion y that he was attended on the Road, and into the City, with "* a very great Multitude^ nay, ivith Multitudes^ that we ^2 1 before y and followed after -^ that thefe all wxnt along with him into the Temple, and proclaimed (as they had done on the Road) Hojanna the Son of David '^ and that the Concourfe, in fhort, was fo great, that » all the City was movedy and even the chief Priefts were afraid of him, and of the People too, becauie they took him for a ^rophet^ and were very attentive to hear him. Now it is no hard thing to imagine, that the People, feeing our Saviour proceed to the Temple in this triumphant Manner, might happily call to Mind the Predi- d:ion of the Prophet Malachi^ ° I'he Lord^ whom ye Jeek^ fhall J'uddenly come to his T'emple^ even the MeJJenger oj the Cove- nant^ in whom ye delight^ and he jh all pu- rify the Sons 6^ Levi, that they 7nay offer to the Lord an Offering oj Right eon fnefs ; and that from the Remembrance of this ^rophejjy they might be encouraged to abet his Reformation of the Temple : P nor is it to be doubted, but that a Con- Icioufiiefi " Mxfh. xxi. 8, 9. " V. 4^. Mark xi. 18. Luke x'lx. 48. " AUlAVu lyUo. ^Bp.SmaHbrockt'sWnd.f^ iJi, would have fcarcely fix'd upon this Pe- riod for their Standard. And if the Laws in HyrcoMis's Time were binding, then was the keeping of Swine a plain Vio- lation of their Conftitution, and juftly punifhable by our Saviour : becaufe it was a received Maxim among the JewSy that any Perfon, inverted with the Cha- radler of a Prophet ^ or afting by the Spirit of God, might, without the AC- fiftance of a Magijlrate^ put the Laws in Execution againft Offenders. What Phineas did to Zimriy and Elijah to the Priefts of Baal^ was by them look'd up- on as Precedents in this Cafe ; and there- fore we, who acknowledge our Jelus to have been more than a Prophet ^ can ne- ver be at a Lofs to account for his exer- cifmg an Authority among the yewsy which (according to their own Confeffi- on) was allowable, even in the loweft of that Order. But if the Heathens of Gadara were the Owners of the Swine, y 'tis very fup- pofable, that they were guilty of Ibme great Sin, which occafion'd the Lois of them ; and the Conjecture is not amils, that it was inflifted in order to cure them of their Ido/citro^/s Woxfhlp of Demons, and to induce them to embrace the Goli 'jio State of the Controverfy het^een pel, by an Argument peculiarly adapt- ed to them. For, when they faw our Saviour's Power over liich a Multitude of Devils, exemplified in their pofTeffion of the Swine, (had they made a right Application of the Miracle) they cou'd not but perceive the Truth of the GoC- pel, and the Madnefs of their own wor- Ihipping fuch impure Spirits, as were both call out of Men at Jefus's Command, and could riot enter into the Swine without his Permiffion. Nay, even in this Gale too, fuppo- fing yefus to have been a ^rofhet^ and, in Conlequence hereof, to have aded by Commijjion from God, he could not be guilty of any Injuftice in this Aftion ; ^ becaufe, upon this Suppofition, the Ad will come to be conlider'd, not as his Act, but as an Ad of Providence. If Jefus had no Right to deftroy the People's Swine, yet God, who is the fupreme Proprietor of the whole Earth, moft certainly had ; and fhall we then complain of him for fuch a Puniflimen;: as this, when every Day we fee more furprizing Inftanccs before our Eyes ? When we fee him laying whole Nations wafte with Peftilence, with Famine, anvj . ■*• Defence of Scripture, Hift, pait i. p. 26. Mr. Woolfton and his Adverfaries. s> i and with Earthquakes, fliall we con- fefs his Sovereign Authority in thele Cafes ; and yet, upon the Lois of two Thoufand Sw'we^ cry out, and lay, Why haft thou done thus ? The Heathens themfelves (upon the Suppofition of a Providence) will acknowledge this to be unrealbnable ; nor can our Saviour (as adingby a Divine Commiflion) ever be juflly blam'd, becaufc he once or twice did the fame thing, which God does every Day. The Truth is, whether the Pro- prietors were "Jews or Gentiles^ '^ the Words in the Text do not imply, that our Saviour was either Principal^ or Ac- cejfory in the Deftruction of the Swine. St. Marh indeed tells us that he gave the Devils leave ^ and St. Luhe^ that he Juf- fe/d them to enter into the Swine, but by this is meant no more, than that he did not prevent them ; that he did not interpofe his Divine Power in order to hinder them from entering : But if this made our Saviour a fharer in the De- ftruftion of the Swine, by a parity of Reafon, it will make God (becaufe he permits it) anfvverable for all the Evil, that's done under the Sun j which were mod * Dr. Vearce, Parr 2. p. 28. f}z State of th ControvcvCy het^'een moft Impious to think, and moft BlaC- phemous to fay. The Sum Since therefore there were, at Gadaraj AnfVer '^^'^^^^ ^^P^ ^Y ^^^ Heathens no doubt, and not improbably by the Jews like- wife ; whether we fuppofe the Jews or Heathens Owners of this Herd, our Sa- viour's permitting the Devils to enter into them, made him not acceffory to their Deftrudion ; or if it be faid that he did it with a ^twitlve Intent, it was to make the Jezvs fuffer for the }3reach of their Law, or the Heathens for their obftiriate Idolatry, which his Character of a Prophet y and the Teftimony of his being the Son of the moji High^ without all Controverly, Authorifed him to do. And now to confider the Merits of the Miracle icfelf. Whether the Practice of Exorcilinz Few or . 'J <-* no E%oY- Devils was really in ufe among ^ht'Jezvs ufnii a- before our Saviour's Time, is a Matter ^g^,^ ^ ^^ of fome Debate among the Learned. Our Saviour indeed, in anfwer to the Objeftion of a Diabolical Confederacy in what he did, puts a C^ieftion to the "^ews '^ If I by Beelzebub cafl out Devils^ by whom do yov.r Children cafl them out ? * But ty the Children of the "Jews^ ibme Interpreters will only undcrftand thole Sons ' £)p. Smallhrccli^ Viud. p. 191. Mr. Wool fton and his Adverfaries. 9 j Sons of theirs, who were become our Saviour's Difciples, and more particu- larly the Seventy y to whom he had given a Commiffion to cajl out Devils^ and from whom all fuch, as were diffident of the Matter, might receive full Convidion, if they pleas'd to enquire : tho' other Expofitors think proper to refer the Words to the Jews at large, who, on fome certain Occafions, (as they fuppofe) >^ere enabled to difpoffefs Devils, by a Iblemn and Religious Invocation of the God of Abraham^ the God of Ifdac^ and the God of 'Jacob, However this be, that the DifpofTeffion of Devils was no cuftomary Thing among the JewSy be- fore our Saviour's Miniftry, is very evi- dent from the great Surprize and Amaze- ment they exprefs'd, whenever they be- held fuch an Inftance of his Power. For when, on any fuch Occafion ^ th& Multitudes marvelled^ fiy^^K') ^^ '^^•^ ^^^"• verjb feen in Ifrael ; ^ the ^People were a- mazdy and Jlud^ is not this the Son of David ? The Spectators began to que- ftion among themfelves^ fiy^^^Kt '^hat . 'Thing is this P H'hat new Dobrine is this ? For with Authority commandeth he even the unclean Spirits^ and they obey him • this is a plain Argument, that the * Mutth ix. 53. ^ Ibid, xli. !3. 5>4 State of the Contwvcxfy hetnveen the Authority, which our Saviour then exercis'd over the Pozvers of Darhiefs^ was a Thing unknown in Jud^ea^ and a diftinguifhing Character of his being the Mejfiahy the Son of David. If any, But we wiU allow for once, that, in they were fbme rare Inftances, the Jews^ before li^Zno^ Chrift, were known to exorctfe Devils ; Chrifh yet it wiU not therefore follow, that our Saviour's difpoflefTions of them were m ^Proofs of his Divine Authority : So far from this, that the Jewip Exorciftns were rather a Confirmation of it. For, if fuch Difpoffeffions were really made among the "Jews^ by the Invocation of the Name of the God of IJrael., our blel^ fed Saviour, who not only did this with greater Efficacy, and in many more In- ftances, than was ever known before ; but communicated to his Followers, fike- wife an Abifity to do the fame in his own Name, muft thereby declare to the World, that his Power was derived from the fame Original : or, (more properly ipeaking,) fince his Name had the fame efficacy with his Father's, that he and his Father were one. And herein lies the Strength of his Reafoning with the JewSy ^ If I by Beelzebub cajl out Devils^ by whom do your Children caji them out? '' Your ? Matth. xii. 27, 1%. Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfarks, $ r ^' Your Children, you fay, cxorcife De- ^' vils, by Virtue of the Name of the true <^ God, and thereupon you conclude^ *' that they are in no Confederacy with " Satan ; you fee me daily do the lame, " nay, do it in a greater Degree than '' they can y and yet yc will not have " the fame good Opinion of me. Lef " them therefore be your yudges^ and if *^ they are confcious to themielves that, " in doing of this, they have no Cr/wi- " 72al\ Correfpondence, they certainly " will acquit me, and own that, if I by " the Spirit of God not only caf out " Devils my felf, but comrntjjton others " to do the like in my Name, then " doubtlels the Kingdom of God is come ^' unto you. '* Whether therefore we fuppofe that the Jews did^ or did not cx- orcife Devils, before the coming of our Saviour Chrift, his divine Authority, in exerting that miraculous Power, is e- qually the iame, or rather receives a greater Sanftion and Confirmation from what they did ; and fo to proceed to his transfiguration on the Mount, SECT, ^ C State of the Controverfy het^een SECT. VL 0/ fo'x T R A N S P I G U R A T I O N On the Mount. Uy.WooI-<'(' "DUT, what do you mean by his jeaion? '" T'ransfguration^ fays Mr. JVool" " fiojij prefently ; the Word, in its Orl" " ginal^ fignifies nothing lels, than the " Change^ or Transformation of a Per- " fon into the Forms^ Shapes^ and Ef ^' fences of other Things and Creatures, " of a different Species, Size, and Fi- *' gure. But, not to infift too rigidly on *' Words, we will fuppofe that the *-' Change of his Raiment ^ and the Bright- *' nefs of his Countenance^ was all that *^ is intended by the Transfguration • " yet, ftill we may be allowed to ask, *' for what End and Purpofe did Jefus ^' exhibit this ? As he was the Wifdomy " as well as the -Pozver of God^ all his " Adions, one would think, Ihould " have been ^guided by Realbn and *^ Dilcretion at Icaft ; but, where is the " Senle of his appearing, at this time, " in more Luftre than ordinarily ? Where " the ;; Difc. I. f. 4;, &c. Mr. Woolfton and his Acherfarkf. p 7 '' the Senfe of his making a Mountain^ " rather than a Valley^ the Scene ; and " his Apofiles^ rather than the Multitude^ " the WitneJlfes^ of this his Majejly, His *' Jpojiles^ we know, were attached to " his Party^ and, to aggrandize their *^ Mailer's Glory, might relate many ^' wonderful Things of him ^ but, among '' the Multitude there were doubtleis ** many Unbelievers^ and for their Con-* *' viftion it would have been proper^ ^^ that themfelves Ihould have had the " Sight of this Miracle, rather than been << obliged to take the Report of it only " from fuch, as might juftly htfifpe^^ ^' edoi^artiality^ or (in the Fright and *' Confternation that feized them) might *^ poflibly mijidke one thing for another. ^« Nor is it left ftrange and unaccounta- ^^ ble, that the true Mofes and Elias (not *' any Spedres or Apparitions in their ^^ Likenefs) ftiould be prefent with Je-^ *' fus on the Mount, and the Apoftlc^ ^^ over-hear them Difcourfe together, *' and yet make no Report of it ^ nor *' tranfmit one Word to Poflerity of " what thefe three greateft Prophets " and Philofophers of the Univerfe might " then confabulate^ for our Inftruction " and Edification. H To 5)8 State of the Controverfy het'voeen The Efjd To know the true End and Defign "^r^llfi-^^ of our Saviour's Irans-figurat'wny ^ it may guration. not be improper to look back a little in- to the Context ; where we find, that, af- j ter Peter's confefling him to be ^ the Chrlft^ the Son of the living God., from thai time began he to fhew unto his Dif cifles^ hoiv that he mtiji go unto Jerula- lem, and fuffer many 'things of the £/- ders., and chief ^riejis^ and Scribes., and he killed., and be raifed again the third Day. Nor was this all, for he foretold them, that they like wife were to llifFer many grievous Perfecutions for his Name's Sale., and therefore he recommended to them the unpleafant Doftrines of "- Self- denial J and taking up the Crofs^ and foU lowing him \ but with this great (though diftant) Encouragement, that ^ when the Son of Man fhould come in the Glory of his Father J with his Jngels., he jhoidd then reward every one according to his Pf'^orkJ, Thefe Predictions, Dodrines, and Pro- mifes, were io contrary to the Expefta- tions of his Difciples, who hoped, in him, to have a temporal Prince and De- liverer, a Rejiorer of the decayed State of Ifrael., and Promoter of themfelves to great Honours and Employments ; that our * Bp. Sm.tIlhyooke\ Viiid. c. 4. ^ Math xvi. 2 1 , Qrc, : V. 24. t V. 27. Mr. Woo] ft on a?id his Ad^ve^faries. ^ n our Saviour thought proper, (not many- Days after) in order to revive their Faith and Truft in him, and « to fortify their Minds againft what was likely to enfue, to take as many with him, into the Mount, as made up a legal Evidence^ and there to give them an ocular Con- viiSion of what he had promifed, in recompence of what they were to fuffer, by afluming, for a while, the Luftre * and Appearance of a glorified Body; which fo railed their drooping Hearts, that we find St. Peter immedi- ately declaring, ^ Lordy it is good for us to be here^ and^ if thou wilt^ let us make here three tabernacles^ one for thee^ and one for Mofes, and one for Elias : For the Defign of thefc Words is, not only H 2 to * Xoung% Serm. vol. r. p 5 do. * This is the proper Meaning of the Word ^6- 7flt//op^«0»r, Which Mr. WoolJfo?i raifes a very cri- fling Argument from : for f^op^H, both in the Old and Ne'/(: xvi. 11.] for which Ke.iioiU the Word, which is derived from ir, can eYrendi)o farther, than to a Change of the outwa'd F\ 'James, and yohn^ and not the whole Multitude^ were allow'd to be Spectators of it, we have feveral Rea- Ibns to alledge. For, befides that this was a vouch- ^^hy the fafement, fit only to be communicated ^z^^, and to llich, as were of his more immediate not the Confdence, and flood in the higheft De- ^^j^^^f/^^^' gree of his Efteem ; to fuch, as, for to it. their Zeal and Affeftion to him, were honoured and diftinguilh'd * with a f^- ctillar Title^ and, after his Refurredion, appointed by Providence to be the great Pillars of his Church : And befides, that it would have look'd like Vanity and Oftentation in him, to have taken the Multitude into the Mount, and there made a publick Sight of his Miracles, which was the Thing he always care- fully declin'd : Befides this, I fay, there feems to be Ibmething in the T'ramfigw ration itfelf, which might have been of dangerous Gonfequence for the Multi- tude to have been admitted to. St. ^eter^ who himfelf was one of The Na- thofe, who were with him on the holy ^"'^^ ^^""' Mount ^ gives us this account of it. ^ Jfe H 3 have * Vid. Matth.vii. 17. " 2 P*^ i. l5, Qpi\ I Qi State of the ControvciTy letween have not followed cunningly devlfed Fables^ fays he, when zve made known unto you the 'Tower and Co?ning of our Lord J ejus Chrtji^ hut were Eye-wltnejps of his Ma- jefty ; for he received from God the Fa- ther Honour^ and Glory ^ when there came fuch a Voice to him from the Excellent Glory, this is my beloved Son^ in whom I am well plea/ed. Now by his Majejiyy in this Place, moft properly is to be un- derftood that Luftre and Radiency, wherein he appeared, when his Face, (loons as the Sun^ and his Garments (pier- ced through with the Beams, that were darted from his Body) became as white as JLight : ' For to Jhine as the Sun^ is a Phrafe expreffing Ibmething ^ belonging to celeftial Majefty 5 and white and JflendidGd.vmcnts^ are proper for Kings, and ^ Royal Minifters of the Heavenly Court. And, in like manner, by the Excellent Glory J from whence the Voice proceeded, can be meant nothing, but the bright and fhining Cloud, that then ^ppear'd, which the Jews call the Sher chinah^ and is made up (as moft ima- gine) of an i:fo/? (?/^^;;^e/i, the conftant Symbol of the Divine Prefence ; and how great and magnificent this Symbol is, we may, * yU.'Whiihy^ X^et'u $. J* Maith xiii. 43. ' Rev-_ Mr. Wool ftoii and his Ad^ erf arte s. i o j may, in Ibme meafure, learn from the Vifion of the Prophet Darnel : ^ fhe Ancient of Days did fit ^ whofe Garment was white as SnoWj and the Hair of his Head like the pure Wool : his T'hrone was like the fiery Flame ^ and his Wheels as burning Fire: a fiery Stream did iffuc from before him ; T'houfinds of^hoiifmds mini fired unto him^ and ten ^houfand times ten Thotfands flood before him. Suppofing then that this was the man- ner of our Saviour's I'rans figuration ^ that noc only, in his own Perlbn, he was array 'd with all this Glory and Luftre, but had likewile an Angelick Hoft fur- rounding him, two of the greateft Pro- pliets of ancient Ages attending him, and a Voice from Heaven declaring him to be the welUbeloved Son ofGod^ while the Multitude flood by, and faw and heard all this ; it would have been almoft un* avoidable, but that, upon fuch Con- viftion of his being the Mefjiah^ ° they would have taken him by Force and made him a King. But fmce (as our Saviour tells us) his Kingdom was not of this Worldy nor to come with the ^omp and Ob/irvatioMy which the Jews expefted ; and fince one of his great Concerns was, that no difturbance of the Civil Govern- H 4 mcnt * D^n. vii. 9, 10. ■ Johnvu 15. °M0Uhxw\\,$, J 04 State of the Controverfy het'ween ^ment fhculd be occafion'd by him, or laid to his Charge • he wifely made choice of three only, (but thefe tho, prin- cipal of his Apoftles) to whom he exhi- bited a Specimen of his future Glory : Why And, as he came down from the Mount, ^ni't'd ^^ charged them that they (loouU tell the his %0' V'ijton to no Man^ till ajter his Refur^ flies lo rection^ p becauie, before that moft cotjcea iiiyftj-ious Inftancc of his Power , this Glorifcation of him (which was not very fuitable to his mean outward Cir^- cumftances) would fcarce have been cre-p dited by the Jews : but, after his Rc- furredion, and when he was actually to enter into that glorious State, of \vhich this Transfiguration was Emble- matical^ the Teftimonies of three com- petent Witneflesw^ould be received with greater conviftion \ efpecially confider- ?*ng, (what makes their Teftimony of more avail, than that of ten Thoufand others) ^ that they could prove the Truth of what they teftified, and con^ vince Mankind, that there was no Fraud or Impoftprc, * by any fuppos'd Ma-f yiagement of a Cloud in any affignable Situation of it, hy the Gifts qf the Holy Ghofi, P Bp SmallhYoohe"^ Vind. Ch. 4. ^ M'lJ^eL Sterol ^ Vol. ?. p. 77. ♦ Vid. jyoolp?i*s Difc. J, p.4Si Mr. Woolrton and his Ad^erfaries. 105 . Ghof}^ which they having received from him, after his Refurredioii, both exer- cifed themlelves and imparted to Be- lievers. Wc cannot but imagine indeed, that The Apo. fo fplendid and fo aweful an Appea- l]yl^j^^ ranee muft needs have affefted the A- in it. poftles with Wonder and Amazement ; and * the EvangeUjis tells us, that they fell into an Ecftacy, ^ as being unable, at prefent, to liiftain the Sight of that Majejiy and Ghry^ which they them- lelves, in due time, were to put on : but, as we may obferve, from our Sa- viour's injoining them Silence, that, in their Return from the Mount, their Converfation turn'd upon the Subjeft; we cannot but fuppofe, that their Curio" Jity would naturally lead them to ask: many Queftions concerning the Circum- ftances of this wonderful Tranladion, which our Saviour, out of his great Goodnels and Humanity, would not fail to refolve : io that whatever Defeft might be occafioned by their Aftonifli- ment or Confternation at the Sight, might amply be fupplied by their Ma- iler's kind Information of what had paC- fed. Matth. xvii, ^, 7, J X9ung% Serm. Vol. 2, p. 35o. ■« -\ ■ Their I o C State of the Con tr overfy let'ween ThatA/^- Their Mafler (as we faid) in his •^'^^^^"^^.^' coming down from the Mountain, p»rfc.y,rMy charged them that they Ihould tell no there. j^j^^ what they had leen ; and from the Word opxjuLx, which we render Ti- f/uf2^ Ibme , have fuppofed, that Mojes and E/ias were not there in their proper Pcrfons, but that the Apoftles, in their Fancy and Imagination, had only a ftrong Idea, or Impreflion of them, or at mofl:,that their Spe^res^ or fome fhadowy Refemblances of them ®nly were there. Since the Evangeltji'sj however, fpeafc of them in a pcrfonal Charafter and Ca- pacity ; fince they reprefent them, as talking with Chrtft^ and /peaking of his Deceafe^ which he was to accomplifh at Jerulalem , fince, they tell us, that, when they were come out of the Ec- ftacy, into which this Vifion had caft them, they faw two Men Jlanding with him^ or two Men appearing in Glory \ it is much more probable to think, that Mofes and Elias were really there, ancl that God had, fome where or other, from the time of their Depar- ture out of this World, preierved both their Bodies to this End. The Scrip- tures, indeed, are exprels as to £//- /7jj that he was tranflated into Heaveny by Mr. Woolfton an J his Ad^verfaries, 107 by the Miniftry of Angels, refembling '^ ^ Chariot of Fire^ andHorfesofFrre-^ and it is a pretty general Opinion, ^both among JewiJIj and Chrlftian Authors, taken (as is fuppoled) from fome apocryphall^ooky that Mojes did not die, but was trani^ lated into Heaven, or fome terreftrial Paradili, in the fame Manner as were Efioch and Elias, There is a Paflage in St. Jnde^ where ' Michael the Archangel is faid to contend with the Devil^ and difptite about the Body of Moies, which (if taken in a literal Senfe) will greatly favour this Opinion : For, if we can but fuppole, " that, the Conteft between this good and evil Angel, concerning Mojes's Body, related not to its Burial (as Ibme will have it) but its JJJumpti^ on into Heaven, or fome other Place of Happinefs, which the Devil might op^ pofe, and urge the Obligation of his dy- ing the common Death of all Men, for this Realbn more efpecially, becauie he had once taken away the Life of an Egyptian : If we can but fuppofe, I fay, that the Conteft arofe upon this Subjed, then may we eafily conceive, both how Mofes might fubfift in a feparate State^ from • 1 K'lno^iW. IT. '^Vid. Diflert. de Calmer fur la Mort il la Sepulture de Moyfe, vol. 3. ' Ju^\* y. 9. ;^ Vid, iY^:lh'} in Locum^ 1 o 8 State of the Controverfy hetnveen from the Time of his JJptmption^ and how he, together with Elias^ might be difpatched from thence, upon this Occa- fion, to fct off the Luftre of our Lord's "fransjiguratwn^ by their appearing, at the fame time, in their refplendent Robes of Glory. And what And, indeed, if this was the purpofe Subjcas of their Errand^ what Subjed can we cou^fcd" ftippofc fo proper, and lb well becoming on. the Convcrlation of three liich illuftrious Peribns, as the Redemption of Mankind, by the Death and Paffion of the Son of God. What thefe two ancient Prophets had, in their Times, imperfedly reveal- ed ; nay, what the Angeh of Heaven defire at all times, to look into^ viz. the ' Harmony of the divine Attributes, in this ftupendous Work, ^^ the depth of the Riches, both of the Wlfdom and Know- ledge of God^ and ^ the breadth, and lengthy and depth., and height of the Love of OxvA., which paffeth Knowledge:, My- jleriesj which have been hid from Jges^ and from Generations ^ but are now made manifefi to the Saints : thefe were the iiiblime Subjects (for all thefe are impli- ed in y their fpeaking of Chrift*s De^ ceafi) of their Converlation at this Inter- view J * Row. xi. 33. ^ £fi\ iii. 18, 19, ^ L//L' Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfaries. 1 09 veiw ; and, in Comparilbn of thcfe, how jejune and worthlefs are all the wiie Sayings of Philolbphers, or Compofiti- ons of humane Wit ? With good Realbn, therefore might the great Apoftle of the Gentilesy (who himlelf was no mean Proficient in what the World falfely calls Knowledge^) inftead of the ^ ExceU lency of Speech and Wifdorn^ determine to know nothing among his Corinthians hut yefus Chriji and him crucified : for ^ we f reach Chrifl crucijied^ lays he, unto the Jews a Stumbling-block^ and unto the Greeks Foolijhnejs ; but unto them which are called^ both Jews a?2d Greeks, Chriji the Power of God^ and the PVifdom of God ; for ^ of God he is made unto tis Wijdom^ and Right eoufnefs^ and Santiiji^ cation^ and Redemption, And now, looking back upon w^hat The ^nm has been faid, viz. that the proper Ufe ^^^^'^"^ and Defign of our Saviour's ^'ransfgu- Aniwer, ration was, to fortify his Apoflles againft what would fhortly come upon both their Matter, and themlelves 5 t{iat, as to the place, where the Transjiguratioj} was wrought, fome Analogy might be had to what befel Mofes on Mount St- nai^ but no Umbrage cou'd be given for any Sufpicion of the kaft Fraud or Im- pofture y f I Qq^' ii 1, 2> M C.3^ i 25. ''Vci:, go 1 1 o State of the Controverfy hetnjoeen pofture; that theTeftimony oUhreecom^c- tent WitnefTes were fufficient for the pur-* pole, and IbmeDifturbance might poffibly have accrued to the State, if the whole Multitude had been admitted to the Sight of it ; and laftly, that, at this T'ransfgurationj there is great Reafon to prefume, that Mofes and Elias were both prefent in their proper Perfons, and diC- courfed with Chrift on the great Argu- ment of Man's Redemption, by his Me- ritorious Death and Paffion ; we have anfwer'd, I think, the Challenge that was made us, and given proper and Sa- tisfactory Solutions to the leveral Diffi- culties and hard Qiieftions, concerning the Miracle of our SAyioux^s^ransfigura-^ tton ; and are therefore at Liberty now to proceed to that of his healwg the Wo^ 7nan of her IJJue of Blood, SECT* VIL 0/ /^/V H E A L I N G the Woman of her Iffue oj Blood, Mr. Wool- " "O U T had his Power of healing Dif- felw^"" ^^^^^^' ' fays Mr. ^^W/?^;;, been '* ever defign'd as an Argument of his " Divine I Vid. Difc. 4. p. 4. to p* 1 7» Mr. Woolfton and his Ad-verjaries, " Divine Jnthority^ the Dileafes, which " he cur'd, and the manner of his ope- " ration therein, would have been fo accurately delcrib'd by the Evange^ lijis^ (which we find they have not done) as that we might have been lure that the Work w^s Supernatural-^ whereas, in the Cafe now before us, they have left us ignorant, both as to the Nature^ and Degree of this Wo- man's Diflemper. If however we may be allow'd to conjecture by what thele imperfed Hiflorians have told *^ us, viz. That the Woman lubfifled under her Malady for the Ipace of twelve Tears^ and was of Strength iiifficient to hc3,r the ^rejs of the Peo- ple, when fhe applied to Jefus for Cure ; 'tis highly probable, that her Diflemper was but fbme flight Indif- pofition, a little Bleeding at the Nole now and then, (for the Word dijuo^- foSax may lignify tbat^ as well as any thing elfe) or fome fuch fmall Eva- cuation, as might have been a means, (had fhe not been more nice than wijej to prolong J rather than Jhorten her Life. The Woman however, ha- ving, upon fbme account or other, en- tertained a good Conceit of Jefis^ (as *^ Conceit in thefe Cafes is all in ail) '' and I I I 112. State of the Controverfy hetnjoeen " and yefusy upon Ibme hint or other, " taking occafion to encourage that *' Conceit, her Cure is imputed to the *^ ^ouch of the hem of his Garment^ when " it was in reality the pure effed of a " ftrong bmgimtion. Theman- ^^ ^^ ^^^ peculiar Excellency of the ntxoUhQ GofpeUHiftory^ that as it was intended m]7t\2i for theUfeandlnftrudion ofall, fo is tino- it adapted, in the Plainnels and Simplici- chrift's ty of its Compofition, to every one's Ca- Cures. pacity. The Evangelifis pretend to do no more, than to give us an eafie and familiar Account of our Saviour's Life and Tranlaftions \ and 'twould be put- ting them out of Chara^er^ when their Province is to write as Hijionans^ ^ to expcd that they Ihould defcribe, with the Accuracy of profefs'd ^hyjictans and Ch'inirgeons^ the Nature and Symptoms of the fcveral Difeafes, which Jefus cur'd, and they, as the Writers of his Memoirs^ were oblig'd to record. What leems to be required of them, in this Cafe, is that they Ihould fo far relate the Circumftances of each Dileafe, as to make them fufBcient to convince all ra- tional and unprejudiced Perlbns, that the Power, whereby the Cures were effed- ed;^ ^ Bp. SfnafJhyoch\ Viiivi. p. 272, Mr. Wooldon and his ^d'verfaries. 1 1 j ed, was certainly Supernatural. But, be- caule this is one of the firft ^^.^i^Gures^that falls under our Confideration, let us en- quire a little, whether, in the general, there be any juft Reafon (as is fuggeft- ed) to liifped their Fidelity in relating them. The Evangelijis indeed had no Skill Their H- in Dileales, "^ nor is it at all neceflary to ^''^^l the fupport of the Credit of their Rela- tions that they ftiould have had any: But Eyes and Underftanding they cer- tainly had, in virtue of which they were Judges, (as all other Men are,) of the common Appearances of Diftempers, fuch as Blindnefsy Lametiefs^ Crooked^ nefs^ and the like. If therefore they falfified in their Account of thefe Mat- ters, it mull be out of a Confederacy with their Mafter, and fuch a Confederal cyj as was leyeU'd againft the whole fezvijh Nation, and threatened nothing iefs, than the fubverfion of their Religi- on, and the utter Abolition of the Law of Mo/eSy to which they wxre addi£led even to Super /I it ion. But now what Me- thod do they take to carry on this Cheat? Why, in the very Country, where the w hole Scheme of the Tranfaftion was to lie^ they extol Jefus as a Prophet, as one, I who * Defence o^ Script, Hifi Part 2. 1 1 4 State of the Controverfy hetijueen who prov'd his Divine MiJJion by fuch ; Miraculous Cures, as were never heard i of before ; and in their Account of this, not only fpecify the Difeafes, and the manner of their Cure, but the very Pla- ces (with other particular Circumftances) where the Perfons liv'd, upon whom \ thefe Cures were wrought. At Jerufa" km for inftance, they tell us, that, on the Feaft of the ^affbver^ he cur'd a , Man, who had been lame eight and thirty \ Tears^ by bidding him arile and walk ; that in Galilee^ in one of their Synagogues, on the Sabbath Day, he reftor'd a Man that had a withered Hand, by bidding him fir etch it forth ; and that at Caperna- \ um^ he healed a Centurions Servant, who was fick of the Palfy, only by Ipeaking a Word. Thele, and many more In- ' fiances of the like nature, are reported j of Jefus, irt confequence of which, he, * and his Difciples^ gained Credit every Day among the People, who came over | in great Numbers to their Party. But | now, luppofing any Man, at this time | of day, Ihould pretend a Commiflion \ from God, to let up a new Religion in oppofition to Chriftianity^ and, to coun- tenance his Pretenfions, ftiould have his | Followers give out, that, 2X London^ he cur'd an Jldermans Son of Fits j at St. ,^\ Mr. Woolfton andhis Ad^erfaries. 1 1 5 Alhcm'^^ a Gentleman's Servant of a broken Leg j at Dover ^ reftor'd a blind Man to his Sight, and fo on \ is it pofli- ble that ever fuch a Pretender as this fhould gain Credit ? Would not every one think himfelf concerned to make ftrid Enquiry, whether thele Things were {o^ or not ? Would not the People, in every Place, to whom Appeal was made, teftify that no fuch Things were ever leen or heard among them ? And, in confequence of this, would not the hnpoftor^ inftead of gaining ^rofelites^ be exposed, and grow contemptible in the Eyes of the People ? But fince the very reverfe of this happened to our blel^ fed Lord, and his Pretenfions ; it is an Argument, next to a Demonftration, that there was no Cheat in the Cures which he wrought, nor any Falfificati- on in the Evangeltjis manner of relating them : And io we turn to the Cure, which , at piefent, lies before our View. Now thtEvangeliJis tell us, that, while The ^tj-t^ our Saviour, atttended with a great «f' ^^-^^ number of People, was going along with ^f^""^' ^ a certain Ruhr of the Synagogue^ in or- der to cure his Daughter, juft then at the pint of Death ; this Woman, who I 2 had * Maith, ix. Adarl v. Lp U T this Cure, according to the Mi-. Wooi- " -L> Letter, ^ {kysUT. ^Foo/fion, was^?/ «b- " no Miracle at all, and, m lome' " Parts of the Story, incredible. The " EvarigeUfi^ who himfelf was a Phyfi-' '^ daf7y and (if he had fufficient KnoW- " ledge of his Profeffion) would have " doubtlefs told us the worft of the Cafe,^ " fays no more, than that the Woman " had a Spirit of weaknefs^ i. e. was a *' poor-fpirited and vapourifli Creature, " full of Fancies, (perhaps of the De- '' vil'sTemptations and Power over her) " and this, refting upon her for the " fpace of eighteen Tears^ might well " fink and bow down a Perfon of her *' difconfolate and dejeded Temper. " This is the whole of the Diftemper : ^^ And the Cure of it could be nothing " elfe, but Jefus's coming to her, and " giving her fome comfortable Advice " and * Vid. Difc. i. from p. Hilo p. 44' ii 1 14 State of the ContwvetCy between " and Admonition ; whereupon ftie, ha- ^< ving an high Opinion of his Wifdom '' and Goodnels, might recover, and be ^' afterwards of a more chearful Heart " and ered Countenance. So that (ta- king the Devil out of the Story) I fee nothing wonderful, either in the Dif- • ^' eafe, or Cure : And that the Devil ^' ought to be tciken out of the Story ^ is ^' plain for this Realbn, becaule, in the ^^ Writings of the Evcwgelifisy we have " fuch frequent Accounts of Satan^ *^ Beelzebub^ and other unclean Spirits, *' in comparilbn to what we have in ^^ preceding Hiftories, that, if thefe *' I'hings were literally to be underftood, " one would be tempted to think, that " the Age, in which Chr'ift came, was *' that wherein Hell fr ft broke loofe^ and *' infefted Mankind. And yet 'tis certain, ^^ that thefe Stories have no other Mean- ^^ ing, than what is Caballjilcal ; nor '•'• docs Satan^ and all his Train of De- ^^ vilsy fignify any. thing more, than the ^' wicked and outrageous Papons of Man-? ^' kind. 'iiic State ^^* ^'^'•^^ ^^ ^ Phyjfciariy and no doubt y^xihcWo- merely becaufe he was one^ (as ^ a late man's learned Mafter of that Science has well ob- • Dr. Tyiey.aM\hi\... ofPbyfick, p. 222, &=€. Mr. Wool (Ion atid his Ad-verjarks. i z ^ oblerv'd) when there is occafion to ffeak of DifiemperSj or the Cure of them^ makes life oj Words 7nore (imple^ more corretfy as well as ?nore Phyjlcal^ than the other Evangelijis ; and 'twas his reading Greek Juthorsy while he Jiadied '^^yjick^ that made his Language in this rejpe^ better. Let us then ice in what manner he dc- fcribes the Diftcmper now before us. He tells us, P I'hat while our Saviour was teaching in one of the Synagogues^ on the Sabbath Day^ he chanc'd to elpy a Wo- man, who, for eighteen TearSy had been lb infirm, that her Body was contracted, and bound together^ and that to fuch a degree, that -ftie could in no wife lift up herfelf i. e. could not ib much as raile her Head, and look upwards. For, that this is the true Meaning of the Paflage, appears moft evidently from the Phrales being bound^ and then loojedy which lat- ter Word is literally interpreted by the ^^///z^^i5f;;/-Expreffion,ofher ^i being made flrait by Jefus. Thus it appears, that the Woman's lufljaed Condition was Conviilsd^ and convuls'd by the by a tenfion of the Mufcles, which bend ^''^'^* the Body forwards; and the immediate Caule of this her Malady, the Evangeliji acquaints us, was a Spirit of Infirmity. By f Liikt xiii. 10, £f^f. ^ Ycr. 13. 1 16 State of the Controverfy between By this Sfirit of hi-firmity we might in- deed underftand the Difeafe itfelf agree- ably to the Jewifi way of fpeaking ; but fiiice afterwards, our Saviour him- felf plainly tells us, that this Evil was ^ infixed hy Satan, " It is the better " way (fays ' a learned Annotator) to " take this matter in the fame Senfe, ^^ wherein ^ St. Mark ufes the Expreffi- *' on, nviv/Lict aXaXovy a dumb Spirit ^ *^ as meaning thereby an evil Spirit ^thzX. *' obftrudled the Power of Speaking. " For it was an ancient Opinion of the " yews^ that many Difeafes were occa- *' fion'd in Mankind by evil Spirits, ^^ without any regard to natural Czufcs ; ^' as it appears in the Cafe of Jobj and " Saul^ as well as feveral Inftances in ^' theNewTeftament". » So that, up- on very competent Authority, we may pronounce, that this Woman's Diftem- per was ib far from being the mere Ef- fed of Vapours and MelanchoUyy that it was a real and inveterate Dileafe, of a very long Handing, and occafion'd by the Influence of an Evil Spirit, The %- "^^^^ there are Spirits of this kind, the iftence^o^ holy ScHpturcs have taken fuch care to Devils he- 2,0-^ fore Ch'iji. * Luke xiii, \6. ' Grotius in Luc. 13. '^ «. 9, V. 1 7- ! Bp. Snu%llbrooh\ Vind. p. 322. iWr. Woolfton andhis Ad^oerfarkj. acquaint us " with their Origin and Fall, their Names and ^ Numbers, their '^ Go- vernment and y Orders, their "^ malici- ous Defigns, and Employments, &c\ that no one can doubt of their Exift- ence, who believes thefe holy Oracles to be true ; nor can any endeavour to dil- poflefs his Mind of this Perfuafion, with- out tempting God to give him up to a Jirong Delufion^ that he may believe a Lye. That, ^ both among the Jews and Gentiles y before our Saviour's Time, Men were polTefs'd with thele evil Spirits, is manifeft from the Teftimony of Jofe-^ fhus^ who tells us of a very powerful Form of £^^/T///?2, which defcended from Solomon^ who learnt it from God ; and from the Teftimony of Plutarch^ who acquaints us, that the Magi ci a /n of moft Nations advifed thofe, that were pot- fefs'd, to repeat the Ephejtan Letters. That thefe Evil Spirits were diftind Suh-^ Jjjiences^ and neither the Saffians nor DiJ^ eafes of Mankind, is plain, from the Circumftances of their Ejeftion ; from their expoftulating hereupon with Chrift, H%it have we to do with thee ? art thou come to dejlroy us ? art thou come to tor- ment " John viii. 44 &: 2 Vet. 2. 4. "^ Matth. iv. 8, ■ Matth. xii. 26. '' Eph.vi. 12. ^ 1 Te\ v. 6, ! Vid, }Vhitl)\ Gen. Pref. before the lipift. p. 4>- ^^7 1 1 8 ^ State of the Controvcrfy hetnxjeen meut us before the Time P And from h is commanding them fometimes to hejiknt^ and Ibmetimes to conie out oj the Man^ and enter into him no more^ &c. by nm e The Tiuth is, thefe apoftate Spirits l^me ^'' ^^^ g^"^^ ^^ ^^^ Poffeffion of the World, that they began to rival God in his Wor- fhip ; and therefore one End of his Son's Incarnation is faid to be this, ^ that he might dtfiroy the Works of the Devil^ and ^ overcome the firong one^ and divide his Spoils. And this, by the way, may fug- ged a Reaibn, why at, or about the Time of our Saviour' Advent, God might permit the Devil to exert himfelf in an unufual manner, in order to be the more fignally triumphed over by the Saviour of the World, and thole, that were delegated by him to convert Man- kind to his Religion. That ^Tis true indeed, that the Devil has no^wlth- ^^^ aded, in io open and undifguis'd a out Pow- manner , fince the Eftablilhment of cr e'uen Chriflianitj^ which has mightily impair'd his Power ^ but tho' we do not know the Laws of the invijlble World ^ and un- der what Regulation evil Spirits may be now reftrain'd, or how^ and for \vhat Realbns, they may have varied the out- ward * yohn\\\.%, ^ LukeKi. 2 J, 2 2. ^ Bp. SiJulf- hrff(ike*s Vind. p. 349. neu; Mr. Wooi/ion afid his Ad^verfaries. up ward Appearances of their former Con- duft in their Tranfaftions with Mankind, yet there is too much Realbn to appre- hend, from the prodigious growth of all forts of Vice and Impiety, that evil Spirits are, even now, more concerned with the Spiritual Affairs of Men, than is generally imagined, tho' they may carry on their Commerce in a more art- ful and clandeftine manner, than in for- mer Times. To return then to the Woman. If The Wo- fuch was her unhappy Condition, that, cme^M- for eighteen Tears^ ftie had been fubjed:- racukus, cd to the Bondage of one of thefe evil Spirits, and reduc'd, at laft, to fuch a degree of Crookednefs^ that fhe could by no means lift up her Head; how can we fiippoie, that a little good Advice and comfortable Difoourfe fhould difpoflels the Fiend, and make her firait^ and ftand upright in a Moment ? In the fe- quel of the Story, '^ we read, that the Woman glorified God for her happy Recovery ; that the Ruler of the Syna- gogue exprefs'd his Malice and Indigna- tion at it ; that our Saviour wifely jufti- fied the Action he had done ; and that all the People rejoyc'd and were exceed- ingly glad for what they had feen ; ^ but, K if \ I^uke xiii. i-^yQpc, { i?^/« Vind. Part 2. p. 5 <^. 130 State of the Controvcrfy hetiueen if the Woman's Difeafe was only Vapours^ and a little lownefs of Spirit, her Gra- titude was too frodigal^ becaufe her Diftemper was but a trife^ and all the Favour, fhe had received from Jefus, was only that of a few Words '^ the Ruler was outrageous for nothing, for no Cure had been done in breach of the Sabbath-day^ and the People's Joy was only Noife and Nonfcnfe, becaufe they hadjcen no glo- rious Thing ferjorrdd. But enough has been faid in Confutation of this idle Dream j and therefore proceed we next to our Lord's Prophetical Con^erfation with the Samaritan Woman. SECT. IX. Of his Prophetical Con^verfation ivith the Samaritan Woman. M'-. J4^'ooJ-. " "D U T inftead of any thing ^rophe^ "va/on^' " ^^^-^/in it, s fays Mr. Wooljion^ it a jg ^jj j^^jp^ Fortiine'telling. So far in- " deed as one can gather iVom the Wo- ■" man's Dilcourfc, the Expedation of ^^ the Satfiaritans was, that the Mejjiah " ihould * Wooljfoih Dif. 2, fromj&. 45) to 55. I Mr. Woolllon and his Adverfaries. 131 "• flionld be ricithcxd. Prince nor a ^^ro- *' phet^ but a Conjurer only ; and lor " what appears in the Story, (inftcad of ^^ any 1 okens of Omnijaen.ce in it) the ^' whole thingmight b& aCheat and Ar- *' tifice. By Ibme private Intimations *^ or other^ (as the Praclice of Fortune^ '' tellers is) Jcllis might get Intelligence " of Ibme, Circiimftances gf this Wo- ^' man's Life; and, by thehelp of thefe, " firft raile her Admiration, and then " poflTels her with the Notion of his " being the promised Mf^i?^, \yhich we " find him more ready to declare to her^ ^' than ever he was to zi^^e'^jP.eopIe. ' ^ The Samaritans originally were the X^.^ ^' - Catheans, and fuch other of the Ea/iern ^J^^^^^^"^^^, Nations, as Efurhaddad^ upon the D.e- ritans. portation of the Ifraelttes^ planted in Samaria ; but after the Temple upon Mount Gerezim was built by SanhaUat^ and Samaria became a common Refuge 2ii\A jljylum to all refractory yd-zyj, this mixture of Inhabitants, \n a jhort time, produced a Change in Religion* For^ whereas theie Samaritans had, hitherto, worlhipped the God of Ifrael., in con- jundion with the Gods of the £^/?, from whence they came, when once the K 2 ' Jewip 'i Fiiiieaux'i Connepcicn, Fart i. L. 6. 3 1 State of the Controverfy hetnveen Jew'S Worfhip came to be fettled, and the Book of the Law of Mojes to be read publickly, they conformed them- felves wholly to the Worfhip of the true God, and, in the Performance of it, were as exaft, as the Jews themfelvcs : But herein they differed from the JfzvSy that they rejefted all Traditions^ and received no other Scriptures, but the five Books of MoJes, TheirEx- In thefe Books however, they had the peBat'mj exprcfs Promifc of MoJes himfelf, that l[/e£iik ' G(?^ would rai/i up to them a Prophet ^ to who?n they were to hearken ; and from the Prediftion of Jacob might perceive, that, now ^ the Sceptre was departing from Judah, the Time of Shiloh's coming was drawing near. From thefe Prophe- fies they might gather, that the Mejjiah was to come in the Charafter of a King and a Prophet both : and 'tis not to be doubted, but that the general Ex- peflation of the Jews at this Junfture,^ their near Neighbourhood, and the Fame of many wonderfulWorksofJ^/j done elfewherc, might awaken in the Samaritans fome Attention. Prophets It is no great Matter of Wit to give <^"g'^f a Burlefque Name to the moft ferious cabled Thing in Nature- ^di, becaufe the Bu- *' ^*^' ^DMi^ xviii. 15. * Gen. ylix. 10. Mr. Wool ft on and his Ad^erfaries, 155 finels of a Prophet extends to the Dil- covery of Things paft, as well as the Prediftion of what is to come, therefore to repute him a Fortt/f/e^Telkr : ^ But, by the lame kind of Treatment, may moft of the great Prophets of old be Nick" namd, Daniel^ for Inllance, muft be a Fortune-T'eller^ becaufe he not only foretold future Things, but likewifc made Difcoveries of paft Secrets, and, particularly, that of the Dream of Ne^ huchadnezzar ; nay, Mofes himfclf muft not efcape without being called a do;;- jurer, who (befides his many Prophe- fies of future Events) revealed paft Tranladions, relating to the Creation it feif, the firft Fall of Man, the Deluge, the Difperfion of Mankind, together with the Reafons and Ends of thele, and many other Matters, that happened before his own Time. And muft thefe great Prophets be rank'd among (o vile a fet of People, as Conjurers and Sooth^ fryers ? Or rather muft '^ro^hefy it lelf, which, in its greateft Latitude, compre- hends the Difcovery both of paft and future Things, and, in both Relpefts, is derived from the lame Divine Origin nal^ be expofcd to Contempt under fuch a Charafter of Ridicule ? K 3 The ! Bp. SmaIlbroake*s Viiad./». 371. i;.j.4^ Sme oj the ContxovQX^y hetiueen Oiii-Sivi- "fhe Samaritan- Woman, 'tis certain, ro pixvi- 1^^^^ a different Opinion,- both of our ons Saviour, and his Off/C'^'^ when fhe found Know- ^-^^ brcakino; in upon her Secre-ts, and ledge C)[ -r?- - ' r rr^l • 1 this \vo making a Dilcovery ot Things, that man. were carefully concealed from the Eye of the World : for 'tis highly probable, that the infamous Courie of her Life had not, as -yety been detefted, fince. Upon our Saviour's reminding her of it, fhe fcems lb very much aftonifhed. ^ Come fed 'H '-Many Ybat told 7ne all Things^ that everTdfdj,h an Expreffion fo full of Wonder and Amazement, of Confu- fibn of Mind, and Convidion of Con- ftience, as nothing, but an Eye, to which the moft fccret Receffes of the Heart lie naked ■ and expofed, could have extorted. For we are to remem- ber, that this was the firft Intervievv that Chrift ever had with this Woman ; that his Conference with her w^as purely V/f- n dental^ in his Journey out oijudc^a in- to Galilee ; and that he was fo far from having any previous hitelligence of her private Circumftances, that he was not io much as known to any of her Neigh- bours, and her Neighbours perhaps were as great Strangers, as any, to Ibme Bo- ibm-Secrets, that he had unfolded. Cheats * J^m iv. 29. Mr. Woolilon and his Ad^erfaries. 155 Cheats and Impofiors do feldoni make "is Dif- it their Bufincfs to reform the World ^^hMier but our Saviour in his Converfation with inconfif- this Woman, endeavours to inftruft her ^^^"^ ^'^^^ in the moft fublime Truths, " in the ipi- ^p.p^^ ritual Nature of God ^ the ipiritual Worfliip, that is acceptable to him ; the Imperfection, and fpeedy Abolilhment both of the Jewiflj and Samaritan Wor- fliip ; the Gift of the Spirit, as commu- nicable by him, and the Confequence of imparting it, namely, everlafting Life. All thele great and inftrudive Points (which but badly comport with the Charafter of an Impojlor) were, in one occafional Dilcourfe, taught this Wo- man ; befides her Inftruction, in order to Reformation, from the Difcovery of the Secrets of her fhameful Life. So that, what with the Excellence of his Do£lrine, and a Conicioufneis of his Omnifcience, not only Ihc, but ^ many j^^^, ^^^ Samaritans in the City likewife were in- daring duced to bellrje on him^ and to acknow- ^''^^ ^^ ledge him to be indeed the Chriji^ the ^^ p^}p^^. Saviour of the World. Oc-.ijionu Our Saviour, 'tis true, was lb far from making any unneceflary Declara- tions of himfelf,that, on fome Occafions, K 4 we " Bp. SmAU'jyoohis Viiid. p. 374. ° John iv. 39, &c. 1 3 c State of the Controverfy het'ween we find him labouring to conceal his Di- vine Charai^er, and, both ? upon St. Peter's confefling him to be the Chriji^ and ^ after his Transfiguration, wherein he was declared to be the Son of Gody charging his Difciples to fay nothing of this, until his Refurredion : and the Reafon hereof is plain, becaufe *^ their Teflimony in thefe Points might not only look like a Matter concerted be- tween him and them, but becaufe in- deed they were not qualified to be his Witnefles of thefe Things, until they had received ^owerfrom on high^ by the coming down of the Ho/y Ghoji. 'Tis to be obferved however, that, when ever our Lord is himfelf fairly called upon, and efpecially by Perlbns invefted with Authority, he never once conceals his Divine Nature and Commiffion. When the Jews ^ came round him in Solomon'j Porch ^ and faid unto hm^ how long dofi thou make us doubt F If thou he the Chriji^ tell us plaln^ his anfwer is exprels, I told yoH^ and ye believed noty the Works that I do in my Father s Name^ they bear Wit-- nefs ofme^ for I and my Father are one. When he flood before \ht Judgment- Seat^ and the high Prieft demanded of him J *" MAY]i viii. 30. *" Matt. vii. 9. [ yybiiby on Matt, jx. $0. ; jTobn X. 24, &c. Mr. Woolfton and his Adverfarks, 1 3 7 him ; ^ I adjure thee by the living God^ that thou tell us^ whether thou be the Chriji^ the Son of God^ his anfwer is, thou haji fatd^ or as St. Marh exprcffes it, "J am\ and ye Jljall fee the Son oj Manjitting on the Kight-hand of Pozver^ and coming in the Chads of Heaven. Nay, there are Ibme Inftanees, wherein, of his own accord, and without any de- mand of this kind, he freely difcoyers who he was : For, having cured the Man, that was born Blind, and after- wards meeting him accidentally, dofi thou believe on the Son of God ^ fays he; whereupon the Man asking, who is the Son of God^ that I may believe on him ? Our Saviour replies, thou haft both feen him, and it is he^ that talketh with thee. And therefore we need left wonder, why he that, when this Samaritan Woman had ^f^^^^' firft of all confefTed him to be a Prophet ^ feif to and (as her Words leem to imply) was this Wo* a little dubious, whether he was not the "^^"' Meffiah^ our Saviour fhould prevent her Enquiry, and tell her voluntarily^ that he was : efpecially confidering, ^^ that fuch a Declaration might be a Means to prepare her, and the reft of the Sama- ritans, whenever his Jfofiles Ihould come * Matt, xxvi. 6}y 64. "t Mark Jfiv. 61, Z fYlnthy ill Locum.. 138 State of the Controverfy letiveen come and preach the Gofpel unto them, to receive their Teftimony. And ib we proceed to h'/s Miracle upon the barren Fig-Tree. SEC T. X. Oj his curfing the F i g«T r e e. Mr Wool- " 13 UT of all the Miracles of Jefus, fons Ob- c4 13 fays Mr. Woolflon^ commend me 3«- ^0"- a ^Q a })\^ curjing the Fig-Jree^ for not " hearing Fruit out of Seafon ^ which, at " the fir ft naming it, appears to be fuch '^ an ahfurd^ and ridiculous^ if not ma^ " llcious and llUnatur'd Aft, as can " hardly be equalled in any Inftance ^' of the Life of a reputed wife Man. " The Evangelljis have reprelented the • " Matter in thefe Words. ^ Jefus^ he- * Ing hungry^ and feeing a Ftg-'Tree ^- *' /^^ ^ having Leaves^ he came^ if *' haply he might fnd any thing thereon ; " and when he came to It^ he found no^ " thing but Leaves^ for the time of Figs " was not yet. And hefild unto ity let ^' no Fruit grow on thee henceforward for '^ every • Woo'flofj's Dif. 3. f . 4, Ore. t Matt. xxi. 19, 6cc, M^rk xi. 13' Mr. Woolfton and his Adverfaries, i j c^ '' ever J and frefently the Fig-Tree wi- ^' ther'd away. Now how inconfiftent " is it with the Charafter of J-^/us, a " worker of Miracles, and who had " Angels to mtnifler to hhn'whtn he '' plealed, that he fliould be driven to '' luch an Extremity of Hunger, as to ^' make him Paflionate, and out of Hu- ^' mour ? How inconfiftent with his " Omntjaence^ that when he iaw this ^' Fig-Tree at a Diftance, he fhould " not know, that it had no Fruit on it, " and lb fave himlelf the Trouble of " going to it ? But, above all, how in- ^' confiftent with common Prudence, to ^^ expeft Fruit at an unfeafonable Time, ^' and then relent an unavoidable Diiap- '^ pointment, at lb violent and outragi- " ous a Rate ? But, put the Cafe, that, " coming up to the Fig-Tree, he had " haply found Fruit thereon ; yet, ftill *^ we may be allowed to ask, what le- " gal Right he had to it, and how could " he in Confcience, without asking Leave " of the Proprietors^ have pulled and '^ eaten it ? And much more then may " we ask, what Right and Authority '' he had to Curie it ; and where his " Wifdom, or Juftice,or Honefty lay, in " dcftroying, hy x^\y^ KQi.Qi Execration^ " another: Man's harmlels and inoffcn- " five 1 40 State of the Controverfy hetnveen '^ five Tree ? There is fome Reafon, *'' however, to fuppofc, that this Aft of ^' Execration did not do the Work a- " lone, but that, being minded to put " a Trick upon his Dilciples and Fol- '' lowers, he might take an Opportuni- '' ty to flip from them, and give it fuch *^' a private and imperceptible cut, as " would make it wither away. But be '' that as it will, the Miracle is certain- ^' ly repugnant to what our Divines " would have us believe of Jefus, and *^ the beneficent Nature of his Perform- *^ ances. Inftead of curfing this Tree, " had he made a dead and withered one ^^ immediately bud, and flourifh, and " revive, this had been fuch an In- " ftance of his Power, as muft have ^' pafs'd for an indifputable Miracle ; *' fuch an inftance, as (like his Mira- ^' cles of healing Difeafes) carried Good- " nefs along with it ; and from the one " with the other, we might have juftly " inferred, that both were the Operations ** of a good God : but this one Inftance ^^ of his curfing the Fig-Trce, in fiich " a rafh extravagant manner, ipoils the ^' Credit, and fuUies the Glory of all his '• other Works. It Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfaries. 141^ It cannot be denied indeed, but that The State * our Lord Jefus Chriji, who, thd he ^^^j^tnTf rich (as the Apoftle expreffes it) by Na- chuf^ tare, as being Lord and Heir of all^^^*^' Things, yet for our fakes ^ became foory that we through his Poverty might become rkhy was frequently deftitute of the Convcniencies of Life, and fubjed, at all times, to the innocent Infirmities of human Nature^ yet we do not find that they gave any perturbation to his Mind. ^ Foxes have holes ^ and the Birds of the Air have nefs^ but the Son of Man hath mt^ of his own, where to lay his Heady is the Defcription he makes of his own Circumftanccs ; ^ but what he wanted of this kind was occafionally fupplied by feveral of his more wealthy Followers, who are recorded, as making Provifion for him, out of their own Subftance, and entertaining him from time to time at their Houfes. And tho', upon any e- mergent Neceffity, it was in his Power to fupply himlelf in the fame miraculous manner, as he oft provided for others, yet where human Means could be us'd, it was more confiftent with his Wildom, to referve his Miracles fqra more impor'- tant Occafion. Tho' therefore (as ^ the Apoftle * I Cor. viii. 9. * ^^ith, viii. 20. ^ Bp. Snmll- irookg\ Viud. p. 4^0. * H«b, ii. 5. 142. State of the Controyerfy hetiveen Apoftle fpeaks) God hath put in Suh- jedi'ion to hhn the Powers of the World to come^ and, on fome extraordinary Gon- iunftures, (fuch as his long Temptation in the Wildernels, and bitter Agony in the Garden,) did, even in this Life, lend down theje mini firing Spirits to mnifler unto him ; yet that it was neither ne- ceffary in itlelf, or compatible with the Scheme of his humiliation^ for them to do the fame upon the common returns of Appetite, no one, 1 think, can ima- gine. His going A Tree there was in the way, which up to the might have fupply'd his Wants upon the \^~^hiot prefent occafion, had it not been barren; upon his and, (befides the acquiefcence of his Di- Omnifci' c^lfjlfy^ which may very well be admit- ^"^'' ted in the common Anions of his Life) it is but fuppofing, that this Tree flood in the Road'fjde^ and that our Saviour, going that way, (whether he found Fruit on it, or no) intended all along to work a Miracle upon it, and, by its ipeedy withering away, emblematically to Ihew his Difciples the near approach- ing Ruin and Delblation of the yews ; and then all the luppofed trouble of go- ing up to it, and disappointment after- wards, which leem to caft an Liiputati- on Mr. Woolfton atid his Ad^erfanes. 143 on upon his Oimnjctence^ vanifh into no- thing. There feems to be mere difficulty in- ox- wif- deed, in clearing our Saviour from the ^'"^• other Imputation, that of the breach of common^rudence, in cafe he liadThoughts of finding Fruit upon the Fig-TVec^before the proper Seaibn was come. But, to fee this Matter in a true Light, we Ihall en- deavour to ftievv, F/V//, ^ That, at the Time, when our Saviour went up to this F"ig-Tree,it was a Seaibn proper to cxpeft to find Figs m'Jiidcea'^ and, Secondly y That the Words of St. Mark may be lb underftood, as to comport very well with this Circumftance. Whoever confiders the Series of Hi- q^hat ftory, and the ftrict connexion of the fub- there fequent Adions and Difcourfes of Jelus, J^^'^'tjjf^ as they are recorded both by St. Matthew at this and St. Mark^ will foon be convinced, '^ ^"^f? that this Miracle on the Fig-Tree hap- ^'^^ * pen'd about the eleventh Day of the Jewjjh Month, Nijan^ on Tuejday^ very probably, before the ^ajjbver. For the PafTover, we know, was kept by the yews on the fourteenth Day of iVi/j;;, which anfvvers to the latter end of our March : So that our bufinels is to flievv, that at this Time oj the Tear there were Figs [ Dr. Fearce, Part 3. p- d. 144 ^^^^^ ^f ^^^ Controverfy hetiueen F'igs in Judea^ ripe, and lit for eat- ing. From Sa- ^ When Mojes fent away the Spies to crsd fearch the Land of Canaan^ it was, we are told, ^ in the Time of the fr/i ripe Grapes^ and, that ^ they returned from fear- chlng the Land after forty DaySy and brought from thence ^ Pomegranates^ and FigSy as well as Clufiers of Grapes. Now the LXX Verfionfays, That it was in the Spring when the Spies fet forward ; and ^Philoy in his Life of Mofes^ feems to be of the fame Opinion : for he in- troduces him, as dlfmtffing the Spies, and telling them, that the Seafon was then the fttejifor difcovering thegoodnejs of the Country y becaufe it was Springs and, as charging them not to returny till Summer was come^ that they might bring of the Fruits of the Land for a Sample, Sup- pofing then, that it was about the middle of the Spring ^ (which began in Judaea about the middle of f-anuary ) that the Spies fet out, and that they were gone forty Days ; it will follow, that they re- turned fome few days before the ^ajfo^ ver\ andiftheF/>i, which they brought, as well as the Grapes^ were ripe, and fuU grown, then were there ripe Figs in « Dr. Vearcey part 3. p. 8. " Numb. xiii. 20. I Ver. 25. *[ Ver. 15. \ Vid,'Bearcey part 5. p. *]. Mr. ^^ooldon andhisAd^verfaries, 14 j in Jndcea at the very fame time, that pur Saviour is here faid to look for them. But this is not all. Solomon^ in his Book of Canticles^ gives us a lively Defcription of the Spring, and,among other Signs of its being come^ makes mention of this, that ^^ the Fig- 'Tree futteth forth her green Figs^ atid the V'wes^ with the tender Grape^ give a good fmell'^ or (as it mcly more literally be rendered) ^he Ftg-T'ree hath begun to give a flavour to her young Figs^ and the Vines a good fmell to the tender Grapes Now, if, in the middle of our 'January ^ the Figs were lb forward, as then to give a flavour, it is reafonable to think^. that, in lb warm and fruitful a Cli- mate, there might be ripe ones, about the latter end oi March ^ which is the pre- cife time when our Saviour fought for them upon this Fig-T'ree. Our Saviour indeed inftances in the " tends rnefs of the Branch of theFlg-'free^ and in its putting forth Leaves^ as the natural fign of the near approach of the Summer \ but 'tis of the ordinary or Garden Fig-Tree, that he makes this Obfervation, which , ( according tof the T'almudifts , cited by our Learned Lightfoot) brought not its Fruit to ma^ L ^ t^ricyj, » Cli, ii. i>. " Mark niiu la* ' 1 4<> State of the Controverfy het^^een turity, till about five Months after the ekvi h't b d:iy oi Ni/hi^ i. e. much about the latter end of our Jugiiji. and ^ro '^^^ Truth is, ° there were in Jud^a jam An- Fig-Trees of different kinds ; and, be- thors. fi(}es the onlivary Ibrt, which our Savi- our here fpeaks of, the Jewjfi Writers make particular mention of one early kind, called Banoth Shuach^ which never wanted Leaves, and very feldom Fruit. Nay, Pliny tells us of Ibme fort of Fig-Trees in Syria^ (under which Name he frequently comprehends yudcea) p that ha4 always heaves^ and when the Fruit of the preceding Tear was gathered J the new Fruit began immediate- ly^ and was growing all the Winter long. And therefore we need lels wonder at what the Emperor "Julian aflerts, ^ That in DamafcuSj in Syria^ there is a fort of Fig-T'ree^ whofe Fruity both old and youngs grows together^ and lafs beyond the Tear \ or at what a very eminent Traveller, and great Naturalift afllires us, "" " That fome fort of Figs grow in *' the ^r^^i/^J^^t? in Winter, Spring, and *' Summer, but that the Garden Fig is " not ripe there, till the end of Jugufiy "or ° Bp. SmaJihroohe's Vind. p. 405 . P Nat. Hift. L. 15. c. 8. *> JiiU Ep, 24. [ ToHrjjefoYi^a Voyages to cbe Levant* Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfaries. 1 47 ''^ or the beginning of &// 12. 'Ibid. p. 13. * Vid. Kul- der^ DemonSi Pitit ^ p. 38, 39, where, by {q\'c\-'\ paralU* 1 4 8 State of the Controvafy let^een or time, when Figs were wont to be gathcr'djc^vrj wtyet come ; and ib, keeping the Parenthefis, as before, in the middle of the Sentence, the Words will account for onr Saviour's gojjig to the Fig-Tree^ if hij'Iy he might Jin d any thing tke7''con. The only difficulty is to prove, that the T'ime of Figs may lignify the Tifne oj ga- thering them ^ but for this they pro- duce leveral Authorities, and, among others, one in St. Matthew^ who, in the Parable, t^lls us, that when the Lord of the Vinyardfent his Servants to the HuJ- band-men^ that they might receive the Fruits ofit^ it was when the T'ime of the Fruit drew near^ i. e. when the Time of gathering it was at hand. For, if it is not luppofcable, that the Servants were lent more early, than there w^as occafi- on, the T^ime of rife Grapes might then be come, tho' the Time of gathering them drew but near* Taking the 7'ime of Figs then for the Time oi gathering them^ we muft obierve farther, that, on ihQ JecondD^^y o^un- leavened Bread, /. e, about five or fix Days after our Saviour's thus coming to this Tree, the firft Fruits of all that was then parallel, Iiiftances he fhews, both that this may be the Scire of the Word ncju^li^ and that a Fare?2tbc^ JJiy in this place, is ncccirary. Mr, Woolflou and his Adverfaries. 149 then ripe were folemnly prefented iii the Temple, nor were the Owners of any Trees permitted to gdthcr in their Fruity but oblig'd to let it hang (how ripe Ibever it w^as) until that day was come ; and, confequently, if no fruit Trees were as yet gathered, ^ur Saviour was fir from ading a ridiculous part, in expecting to find Ibmething upon a Fig-Tree, thatlook'd ^o promifing.at a diftance. But the cleareft Solution feems to be that, which arifes from what has been obferv'd concerning the different kinds of Fig-Trees, which grew in Jticl^a^ and the different Times of their Fruit's coming to maturity. " For, if there were two forts of Fig-Trees in Jtid^a^ the one much earlier than the other, and thence two Seafons of ripe Figs, the one much later than the other, and (as 'tis natural to fuppofe) the later much more common and plentiful than the former ; the later was properly called the Time of Figs^ and the EvangeUJi might very tru- ly fay, that, at the Time of the PafTo- ver, it was not yet come ^ i. e. the com- mon and ordinary Seajon for Figs was not come. '^ Some Trees, 'tis true, might ^' have Fruit at that time, and the Tree, L 3 '■' which •^ Dr. Scarce, p. 14. 1 5 o State of the Controverfy hetnveen " which our Saviour faw at a Diftance, '' by the fhew of its LeaveSjpromifed no *' lefs.' In the early kind, he knew, ^'^ Leaves came later than the Fruit, and ^' therefore Leaves, at this time, he took '^ for a good Sign of its being one of '' thofe ; but a ftrong and vigorous Plant ^' (though it was of the later fort) might *^ Ibmetimes put out its Leaves, before ^' it had Fruit : and therefore he came, " not with Affurance, but with Ibme ^' degree of Doubt fulnels, if ha fly he ^' might fnd any 7hing thereon ; and, '* when he came to it, he perceived, ^' that, it being of the later fort, had ^' nothing but Leaves, for the common " and ordinary Seafon, for fuch Trees to ^' bear Fruit, was not yet come. His Thus, whether the Paffage in St. Mark Words j-,^ underfiocd by way of Nezation. or uith Interrogated ; or whether the Ttmey chrift's mentioned therein, relates to the Time ^^^^^''pj' , of ri/e;;i;/^, or ^^//?i?w;^ the Figs, there can be no Folly or Ablurdity in our Sa- viour's expefting Fruit on the Tree, he faw in the Way ; fince it is evident, from fo many Teftimonies, that in "Jw diea there were certain Fig-Trees, which, at this very Seafon of the Year, bore ripe Fruit, though the particular Tree, which our Saviour went to at thi? Time, Mr. Woolfton and his Aduerfaries. 151 Time, might not happen to be of that Species. It is to be remembered however, that ^^^-^^'^ this Tree (of what kind Ibever it was) ^l^!^^^ flood ^ by the iVay^ i. e. ^ was a Tree 1 vcc nci- of common Right, which s;rew in a com-^'^*:'* 3" mon Field, and was diftind from fuch, ' as were planted in Gardens and Orchards j and had their proper Owners ; lb that the Fruit, which our Saviour expcfted to have had from it, would have been no other, than that of an uncultivated Tree, in a mere Hedge-RoWy ufually as common, and as plentiful, as Apples growing by the Highway in Hereford- (hire. But, even if the Tree had flood in enclosed Ground, and been never fo much the Property of any one Man, yet had our Saviour a right, and a legal right too, both to pull and eat of the Fruit of it, even in Virtue of the LaWy that he then liv'd under : for thus we read, y When thou comefi into thy Neigh-- hours Vhieyardy then thou niayejt eat Grapes to thy filly at thine own ^leafure ; hut thou jh alt not put any in thy Vejfel : And when thou comeji into the Jiaiiding Corn of thy Neighbours y then thou mayejt pluck the Ears with thine Handy but thoujhalt L 4. not " Math. xxi. f 9. * Bp. SmallbrooJie's Vind. p. 418. I Deut. xxiii. 24, 25. 152. State of the Controverfy hetween not move a Sick/e into thy Neighbours jianding Corn, This Law the JewiJJ^ Doftors extended (as indeed the Reaibii of the Law extends itlelf ) not only to Grapes and Corn^ but to OUveSy Figs^ Dates y and all other common eatable Fruits ; and Jojephus tells us, * that the Benefit of this Indulgence reached not only to Jewsy but to all travellers upon the Highway in "Judcea^ whether they vyere Natives or not. So that had our Saviour found Figs on the Tree ; and eat never fo plentifully of them, he could have done no Injury to any Pror prietor, becaufe he only made ufe of the Privilege, which the common Law of the Counfry gave him. Nor pf. But, fuppofing this Tree to have no ^tonate. Proprietor, and as it was in itfelf a bar- ren Tree, ufelefs and contemptible even to a Proverb, I fee no Realbn, why it might not (without Offence to any Man) be hlajied as well as cut dowuy fince it was a manifeft Incumbrance to the Ground, and capable of occafioning the farther Delufion of other Travellers, by the Spacloufnefs of its Leaves. Nor can I conceive, why our Saviour fhould be deem'd to be in a Paffion^ when he did this, any more than a Farmer may be thought I Antiq, Jud. L. 4. C. Si Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^verfaries. 15} thought to be lb, when he orders his Servants to cut down a barren and ufe- lels Tree. But then, if our Saviour had an higher View in doing this, and, 3 if the blading of this Tree ferved lb great an End, as to be ^ 7ype of the ap- But high« proaching Deftrudtion of the Jewlp Na- ly/«/>«- tion, on Suppofition of their want of '^^' Repentance, and perlifting in their wick- ed Defign to deftroy Jeftis himfelf , (and that this was our Saviour's Intent in do- ing it, the two fevere Parables which he fpake to the Jews about that Time, and which, both St. Matthew and St. Mark adjoin to the Account of this A6li- on, are a plain Indication ^) if the De- ftrudion of the Tree, I fay, anfwered this Purpofe, it was juftly facrific'd to the publick Good, as a warning to the yewsy to avoid the like Fate, by the Maledidion of God, and his holy Pro- phet ^^^^j. ^ When, therefore the warn- ing given, by this ACtion, to the whole Nation of the JewSj was lb very Chari- table and Kind, it is mere Perverlenefs to cavil at the Miracle, becaufe it w^s a deftru^iive one to the Tree. The number of Chrift's Miracles, And tmiy which are of a vin^liiive Kind, are but '''';;^5^'^^«^ thrce/^^'°"- ' Bp. Smallhrooys Vind. p. 419. J Dr. ^earce^ Parr 5. p. 15. IJ4 ^^^^^ of the Controverfy letiueen three, his driving the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple, his permitting the Devils to enter into the Herd of Swine, and, here, his deftroying the Tree, that had nothing on it but Leaves ; the reft of his Works (in great Variety) are all of a beneficial Nature : But why fhould thefe be thought clearer and more in- conteftible Miracles, than the other, when they are both equally fupernatu- ral Acls, and require an Almighty Agent to effed them ? Inftead of drying up a flourifhing Tree then, we will fuppolc, that our Saviour had made a dry and dead one revive and flourifti ; yet "^ might not yews and hifidels^ with the iame Colour pretend, that a Tree, which is fuppofed to revive and flourifh, was ne- ver really dead, but retained a latent Principle of Life, which afterwards, on Ibme incidental Occafion, exerted itielf ? Or might not a boundlels Scept'ictfm fug- geft, that a living Tree was arUjicially lubftituted in the room of the dead one ? In fhort, if our Saviour's other Miracles of a hen'ign Nature, fuch as curing, with a Word, the moft delperate Difeales, heal- ing the Impotent, and reviving the very dead themlelves, could not then, and cannot now, overcome the unreafonable Prejudice^ f Bp. SmtiUhmkt^s Vind. p. 427. Mr. Woolfton and bis AdverfaYies. 1 5 j Prejudices of Infidels^ the miraculous fiourifhing of a dead Tree would no more have been confider*d, as a fiipernatnral Aft, than the caufing of a fiourifhing Tree to wither immediately, and die with one omnipotent Word : For when Men have once imbibed ftrong ^Prejudi^ c^s^ and are obftinately bent againft Con^ vidion, whether the Work, defigned for their Cure, be of a merciful^ or vin-' d'liilve Nature, it makes very little Alte- ration in the Gale ^ fince the miraculous BloJJoms and Fruit o^ Jar on s Rod (to ufe a Comparifon fuitable to our prelene Subject) did no more prevent the mur^ mu rings and difohedience of the Ifraelitesy than the miraculous H?// and F/Vv, which fmote the Vines and Fig-Trees of the Egyptians^ cured their King and People of their hardnefs of Heart. And now, to take a Reveiw of what A Turn of has been faid on this Subjeft : fince our Ani^/er!'' bleffed Saviour, who * took not on him the Nature of Angels^ hut the Seed of Abraham, was^ in all mngs^ made lihs unto his Brethren^ and Subjeft to the innocent Infirmities of humane Nature, which he, neverthelels, thought not pro- per, by any miraculous means, to re-* niedy, or to exert his Divinity upon every '^. Beb. ii. i^, 17, 1 5 6" State of the Controverfy het'ween every little Occurrence of Life : Since, beyond Difpute it has been prov'd, that there were in Jud^a Fig-Trees, of a very early kind, which had Fruit in full Matnrity before the time of the Paffo^ very or at the time, when our Saviour, in his Return to Bethany, went to find Fruit on this ; nor are the Words of St. Mark incompatible with this Circum- ftance : Since this Tree, barren as it was, was neverthelcfs intended to be the Subject of a Miracle, and by its hafty withering away, at our Saviour's Exe- cratioUy a Type and Figure of the Ipeedy Deftrudion of the 'Jewip Nation : Since, had it born Fruit, its Handing m the Way made it of common Right, or^ had it been enchfedy a particular Law, piGvid- ed for that purpole, fubmitted it to the Ufe of every Traveller, that was minded to gather of it : And, laftly, fince a Miracle of this kind, lerved to fuch ex- cellent Ules, was at thi^ time more ne- cefTary, and in all reipe(Ss as convincing, as if it had been of a ?nerctjul and ^hene^- Jicia/ NaIuxc j there is certainly no Ap- pearance either of Folly, or Ignorance, orlnjuftice, or Paflion, or Ill-nature, in our Saviour's doing it, as is pretended : And that he could not poffibly imj^oje en his ^ Bp. $ma!Jhyo{}h' s Vind. p. 450. iWr, Wool fton and his Adverfaries. i j y his Difciples in this liiftance, lb, as to make them believe what never was done, is manifeft from the Scripture-ac- count of their Attendance on him, and being prefent at this whole Tranladion ; namely, at his Imprecation of the Fig- Tree, and its fublequent withering a- way. Thus « St. Mark informs us, thatNoFalla- when the Everifide was come^ Jefus went cy in this out into Betha72y \^\\h the Twelve^ and ^^^^^' that on the Morrow, when they were come from Bethany^ he was hungry* Now it is plain, that when he curled the Tree, ^ the Difciples heard it ; that they came to Jerufalem with him ; that with him they returned the next Even- ing to Bethany^ and that, in the next Morning, as they paffed by, namely, in their return to yerufakm^ they law the Fig'Trcc dry' d tip from theRootSy where- upon, we are told, that ^eter^ and (as s St. Matthew adds) the other DtfcipieSy that ftill attended Jefus, took Notice of that wonderful Event, and faid unto him, howfoon is the Fig^Tree^ which thou curjed'ji^ wither d away P So that, from this whole Deduftion, it is evident, that the twelve Difciples did ferjbnally accompa- ny * MaYli. xi. 1 1, i2. ^ Vei*. 14, 15, 19, 20. com- pared together. f Math, xxi. io. 158 State of the Controverfy het-vjeeU ny Jefus, from the very beginning, to the end of this marvellous Tran faction ^ that they were Eye-wit f^effes of the whole Miracle, wherein there was no poffibili- ty from them to be impos'd on ; and confequently, no Reaibn for the hlafphe- fnous Suggefiion^ of * his taking a Jkret Opportunity before-handy to lay his Car-- pnters Ax to the Root of this Tree, SECT. XI Of his Healing the Impotent Man at the Pool of BethefHa. y^^-'Wooi-a T>UT, whatever may be faid in jcaioD. Vmdication 01 Jelus s curjrng the " Fig'T'reey * fays Mr. Woolflon^ his " Cure of the Impotent Man at the Pool " of Bethefda is a Tale lb blindly, fo *^ imperfedly, and with fuch mon- *^ ftroufly incredible Circumftances, re* " lated, as ought to be rejected with " Scorn and Indignation. For, except- " ing Su Johz's Gofpel, where do we '^ find the leaft mention of this Pool of '' Be^ * y{6,}Vo(lJions Difc. 3* p. 15. » Ibid. p. 34, and 55. Mr. Wool (Ion aTid his Ad^verfaries. 1 5 9 *^ Bethefda P Jofephus has profcffedly *^ written an Hiftory of the Jevj'ijh Na- *' tiOD, and would doubtlels have omit- ^' ted nothing, that tended to the Ho- " noLir of his Country, or the Manifefta- *^ tion of the Providence of God over *' it \ and yet we neither find him, nor *^ any other JewiJJj Author, giving any ^' account of this miraculous Pool ; tho* '^ it is very prefumable, that, had the ^' Story been true, they would have ^' boafted, not a little, of this fingular ^' Inftance of God's diftinguifhing Care '^ over his peculiar People. But, al- '* lowing the filence of other Writers to " be no Argument againft St. "John^ yet, " to give his Story a better air of Cre- *^ dibility, he Ihould have told us a lit- " tie more minutely the true Occafion ^' of the Angel's delcent into this Pool, " how oft in the Week,thc Month, or the " Year he condefcended to do it ; why " one difealed Perlbn 07ily received the *^ Benefit of it at once ; and why no " better Care was taken, by the Provi- " dence of God, or the Civil Magiftrates " of Jerufalem^ in the difpofal of that *' Benefit, lb as to give the Preference *' to thofe, that delerv'd it bell, and *^ not to thofe, that could beft ftruggle *' fork, 'bwi/ii Si. John is defeftive *^ in i6o State of the Controverfy hetnjoeeH " in thele material Circum fiances, he is " abliird and ridiculous in his relation ^' of others. For, of all other impotent *' Folic, thofe whom he fpecifieSj^'/^.the ^' halty the blind ^ and the -wither d^ were *•* the moft improper Perlbns in the " World to lie at this Pool, expecting *' the trouhliiigofthe pf^ater. Andthere- *^ fore, whatever may be faid in com- " mendation of this impotent Man's Pa- ^' tience^ his Under (iandhig muft be un- ^' der Ibme Sufpicion, for attending b " long, in Expeftaiice of a Cure, which ^' it was morally impoffible for him to '* attain. Nor can we fee what Care '' the EvangeUfi has taken of his Matter's " Honour, when he tells us, that he cur'd " but one Man at this Pool ^ and yet, at *' the iame time, afllires us, that there '^ was 2i great Multitude of miferable Ob- " jefts lying in the torches. For if there " were ^o many, why did not he cure " them all? If he could not, there's an ^* end of his Almighty Power ; and if " he would not, an Imputation falls up- *' on his Mercy and Compaffion ; and " which way Ibever we confider it, his *^ Condud is not only blameable, but ^' makes his Power of Healing difputa- ble, and giv^cs us fome Realbn to que- ftion^ whether, in curing this one " Maa Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfaries. i c i " Man only, he really wrought any '' Miracle at all. For, tho' the Man's Dil- " eafe was of a long continuance, no " Ids than eight and thirty Tears ; yet " many Inftances may be given of In- '' firmities of human Nature, which, in '' time, (efpecially in old Age,) are " known to wear off: and, if this was " the Cafe of the Impotent Man before ^' us, where is the wonder, if Jefus, ob- '' ferving fuch Sympoms in him, bad '^ him take up his Couch and begone, " for he would foon be made whole ? " Had he indeed healed the whole MnU " tttude of impotent Folk^ this Sulpicion ^' had been removed ; but, fince, of ib ^' many, he chofe only to cure this one ^' Man, it affords Matter of Speculation, " whether he was the moji, or the leafi " difeafed amongflthem, and whether '' a naturaly or miraculous Gaufe effeft- " ed his Cure. Now, in anfwer to all this, it may not The be improper to premife in general, ^ that, ^"^ p^^/^ tho' it fhould be luppos'd, that there arcandof the fome difficulties in this Account of St. /^'^^^'^^ John^ relating to the State and Circum- jij^j^j^^^ fiances of the Pool of Bethejda^ which, i hings, at this diftance of Time^ conlidering the M Si- ■ ' * Bp. Synalhrioki'i Viud. p. 590. 1 6 % State of the Controvcrfy het^een Silence of other ancieut kxxihoxs^ and the ufual Brevity oi the Evcwgeli/ly as well as our Ignorance of many Jewt/h CuHomSj and peculiar ways of fpcaking, may not poflibly be explained to a critical SatijP fadion ; yet will it not therefore folio w, either that St. Johus whole Account of this Pool ofBethefda is an incredible jRch* mance;^ or that our Saviour's Cure of the Impotent Man, at that Place, was not a real Miracle. "" 'Tis true indeed, Place ^ as well as T'ime^ is a Circumftance unavoidably at- tending Matters of Fa£} ; biit, in the Account of Matters of Fad, the Cir- cumftance of the particular Place may oftentimes be indifferent^ and injignifi" cant\ t. e. when it adds no new Confir- mation, or Illuftration to the Tranladion itlelf Nay, a narrative of Tranfafti- ons may be really truty when the Scene of them is miftaken, mifcalled, or even quite forgotten. However, ^tis certain, that the Account of fuch a mere Circum- ftance is no farther material^ nor does it properly affed the Story itfelf, but only as it ferves to give fome new Light or corroberating Evidence to it. ' Ray\ Viiid. of our Saviour's Miracles, in An* fwcr to Mr. JVooIJlo72's 5 h& Difconrfes, p. 96. * We Mr. Woolfton and his Aduerfaries, i c 3 * We muft obferve then^ that, in this Narration of St. Johri^ there are two di- ftind Miracles to be fcparately confi- der'd , that which was wrought by the ^ool^ after its Water was troubled^ and that, which our Saviour wrought upon the hnpotejit Man. The Miracle upon the Impotent Man is what St. John prt^ marily intended to relate • and his men- tion of the Pool of Bethefda is only in- troduftory to it. To fliew indeed how this Man became the Objeft of our Sa- viour's Notice and Compaffion, he fpeaks of him, as among a Multitude of People, that were difeafed ; and to fhew^ for what Realbn fuch a Multitude of dif- eafed People were met together, he makes mention of the Sanative Virtue of the Pool : But the Pool was not his prin- cipal SubjeQ: : It is only mentioned for the fiike of fomething that follows ; nor is the Miracle, he w^as concerned to eftablifli, that of the Pool, but that of our Saviour's curing the Man, without any ufe of the Pool at all : and there- fore whatever Difficulties attend our ac- counting for the Miracles of the Pool, the Cure of the Man ftands good, nor is it al! affeded by them. * Dr. Veane^ Viud. part. 4= p. 5, M 2 But 1 64- State of the Con tr overly hePween Some Ac- But inftcad of evading, let us fee 7""p ^[ ^vhat account may be given of this Pool. 1 116 00 . ^ ^^ yer^ijakmy not far from the Place called the Sheep-Market ^ (or rather ^ the Sheep-Gate) there was a Bath^ (for lb the Word KoA!;y./S%a, fignifies) built for the ufe of liich of the common People, as lov'd tofwim, and bathe themfelves in the Water, which, in thole warm aimatcs, was both apleafant and health- ful Exercifc. Around this Bath were built five ^^orchesy or rather Portico's (for fo the Word g-oal fignifies) which were defign'd, as Places for the People to walk in, under covert, in the heat of the Day, if they had no mind to bathe • and for the Conveniency of drefiing and un- drefiing in the fhade^ for thole that had : for which Rcafon, both the Bath and V^ortico's were called by the Name of Bethefchiy i. c. the Houje of Mercy or Kind- f\efsy becanfe the erecting them was a great Aft of Kindnefs to the Common People, whofe Indifpofitions in hot Countries requir'd frequent Bathing - tho' others fuppofe that the Pool re- ceiv'd that Name from the Miraculous Cures, which were performed there. • Dr. P.'^»vt'i Vind rare 4.. p. 7. ? Nek xxxi. Qp xu. 39. At Mr. Wool lion and his Ad^verfaries. i6$ At this Bath, about the Time of the Feap^ (moft probably the Feaft of the ^ajjdver)a great miduttide ofimpotentFolky of blind ^ halt^ and wither d^ lay in the Porticos^ waiting j or the moving of the Waters, For, (as St. John Uiys) an Angel went downKarcc Kai^ovjat theSeafon (i. e. of the Paffover) and trotihled the_ Water ^ and whofoever then fir ft ^ after the trouhVmg of the Water ^ Jiepj^ed in^ was made whole of whatfoever dtfeafe he" had. This is St. Johns account of the Matter : and from hence it does not ap- pear, that Waters of this Pool or Bath^ had ever received this miraculoully healing Virtue, before the 7)me of this Feaji. Now it is well known, that the Feaft when \is of the Paffover lafted eight or nine Days,^^"^^'ve including the Days oi unleavened Bread^r „^^^^^ and poffibly this miraculous Quality of how long the Bath might have begun on the^'^ ^''^''^' firft day, or perhaps Ibme few days be- fore ; but how it came to be difcover'd at firft, we have no Intelligence from Scripture ; only we may fuppofe, that Ibme Jew\ of an Infirm^ or other wile difeafed Conftitution, bathing one day for his Pleafure and Recreation, might find himlelf furprizingly cur'd, upon a preternatural Motion of the Water, and M 3 that iC(j State of the Coiitroverfy hetnveen that other infirm People, hearing there- of, might likevvife repair to the Pool in hopes of finding the lame Benefit, and ib by degrees the Place be crowded with Multitudes, expefting the T'rouhUng of the PVater, Why, at the Time of this F'eaft only, the Waters of this Bath had a fanative Quality imparted to them, the learned and ingenious Author, from whom I have borrowed this Account, has this not im- frohable Conjedure.- That our Savi- our, having gone through all the Cities of Galilee^ and moft of the other Parts of the Country of Judcea^ preaching and healing Difeafes, came up to yerii^ falem at this TaJJover (which was the Jecondj fince the Commencement of his publick Miniftry) with an Intent to fix his Abode there ^ and that, to prepare the Way before him, God might give this Pool an healing Quality, thereby to fhew the Jews^ that the divine Power in Jefus w^as coming among them, and, what they law miraculoufly done by its Waters, was but an Earneji and Emblem of what this great Meflenger of the Co- venant was going to do for them ; but that they, inftead of giving him a kind Reception, took Council together how to td:e away his Life^ which made him with^ Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^uerfaries. 1 67 withdraw himfelf from them^ and there- upon the miraculous Virtue of the Wa- ter ceas'd. However this be, 'tis certain that the preceding Account has this Advantage in it, that it clears the Story from feve- ral Difficulties, and efpecially from what may be fuppos'd to arile from the Silence of Jewip Writers. For if this Miracle was but of a Week or ten Days Continuance, 'tis no Wonder it came to be forgotten fo loon, when, (in ib ftiort a time) its Credibility was hardly well eftablifh'd. Taking the Story however in a lels advantageous View, and fup- pofing (as the Crowd of Commentators do) that this miraculous Virtue of the Pool lafted for Ibme Term of Years among the Jews ; yet, even in this Cafe, I cannot perceive any thing, that may not be fairly accounted for. It may feem a little ftrange indeed, Jofe^hud that the Jew\Jh Hiftorian, Jofephus.flll'^^^^^ ftiould give us no Account of this Pool, counted efpecially when the fanative Virtue of ^<^^- its Waters, occafioned by lb extraor- dinary a Means, could not but redound to the Honour of his Country. But when it is confidered, ^ that the like Omiffions have been frequently made by M 4 other ^ Bp. SmaUhrook/s Vind. p. 4^8, I ^8 State of the Controverfy hetnveen other Hiftorians, who have neglected to iniert, in their Writings, feveral confi- derable Matters of Antiquity, merely be- caufc they were lb familiar and well known to them : when it is confidered, that Jofephus is filent on feveral other Occaiions, that bear fome Relation to J ejus ; that he does not fo much as in*- timate the Slaughter of the Infants^ at Bethlehem J mentioned by * St. Matthew ; gives no clear Account of the Roman Cenjics or I'axatton^ that is recorded by ^ St. hulie ; and none at all of the GaU- ■leans J whofe Blood Pilate had mingled with their Sacrifices^ as related by s the fame Bvatigelifi : When it is confidered, that, the miraculous Virtue of the Pool of Be^ thejda^ and the miraculous Cure of the Impotent Man by Jefus, had fo vifible a Connexion, that he could not, in de- cency, give an Account of the one, with- out making fgme mention of the other, and therefore chofe rather to decline the Hiftory of both : And laftly, when it is confidered (what is told us by 'ferttdli'- an) " That this Pool oi Bethejda^ which '^ cured Dileales till the coming of Chrift, *' and. Ibme time after, ceas'd to be be- ^^ ncficial to xhQ Jews ^ upon their fi- ^^ nalPerfeveranceinBlafphemyandlnfi- delity *Math, ii. )6. [Luke ii. i, 2. ^Luhey.iil, i, : Mr. Wool fton and his Ad'verfaries. 1 6 p " delity againflChrift ; " there is no won- der at all, that 'Jofephus^ who was ib very defective in other Matters, fliould omit giving us an Account of a Pool, whole fanative Virtue was extinct and gone, when iirft he wrote his Jnttqultks^ and which he could not well mention, with- out giving an implicit Honour to Chrift. * It may be oblerved farther, that, as Jofephns wrote his Hiftory for the In- formation of the Greeks and learned Ro^ mans^ who were Heathens • i:^ he feems very tender of dwelling too much upon Miracles. Nay, he has omitted the mention of Ibme, and endeavoured, by natural Caulcs, to Account for others, which he undoubtedly did both believe, and teach too, as he was a Jewtfh Prieft. Thus, in the Ifraelites paffing over the Red-Sea^ he makes it a doubt, whether the parting of the Waters was occafioned by the Command of God ^ or by the natu- ral Courfe of T'hmgs ; and refers his Rea- der (as a parallel Event) to what befel Alexander and his Army, at th'^^^amphy- lian Sea. But, after all, t is no improbable Con- He pro- jedure of ^ Ibme great Crittcks^ that Jo- ^^^'y fephus did not entirely negled to takeNo- j^'^X' • • tice '^^^^^^'?»" * Dr. P farcers VinH. Part 4. p. 19. •■ Vid. P. Liimj de Tabeniac. & Templo. L. 4. C. 5. jyo State of the Con trover fy hetiveen tlce of this Pool, though he did it under a different Name ^ for he tells us of two Pools at Jerujakmy the one named $-p8- idiovy and the other diuLvy^aXov^ which ccjuvy^aMv (upon a Imall Variation of the Original) fignifies great and eminentj and is therefore thought to be the fame, with that of Bethefda in St. "John^ as ha- ving that Sur-name from its miraculous Cures. However this be, it is certain, that ^ St, y^r<9;^^, who himfelf had] been at Jerujalemj makes mention of two Lakes, the one filled with the Rains, that came down in the Winter, and the other with Water Ibrprizingly Red, as if it were Blood, which, by evident Signs y declares and te/irfies, fays he, the IVorh that was anciently done in It : ^ Nor has a modern Traveller omitted to tell us, which he law, yet remaining, what is re- puted to be the Place of this ancient Pool, and to give us the particular Di- menfions of its length, breadth, and depth. Thus it is plain, that near to '^erufa^ Jem^ there was fuch a Place as the Pool of Bethefda ; but how its Waters came by ' %\, B'lCYon, Op. Tom. 2. in Lib. dc Situ. & uominibiis Locorum Hcbi^jornm, p. 422, ^ MiMindrel'i Travels, pa 107. Mr. Woolfton and his Adverfaries. iji by their lanativc Quality, Opinions, in v/hence Ibme mealbre, have been divided. Our )^' ^^''^' learned Hafn7nond (who Ibmetimes affe6i:s tuc, dife- a Singularity of Interpretation) fup poles, ^'entOpini- * that the Waters became Medicinal^ by ^"^* being impregnated with an healing warmth from the Blood and Entrails of the facrificed Beafts, that were walhed there ; and that the Jngel, in the ^ Text, is not to be underftood of any of thofe celefiial Beings, that are uliially diftin- guifhed by that Name, but is a more general Appellation for a Mejenger^ an Officer y or Servant of the Prieji, fent by him, at a proper Seafon, to ftir the Water of the Pool. The learned ^" BarthoVtne fuppoles, that thele Waters were naturally Medi- cinal, and that their Commotion was oc- cafioned by an extraordinary Fermenta- tion of Ibme Mi/^^r^^/ in them 3 and there- fore he makes the Jngel no more, than a divine ^ower^ which originally gave them this Efficacy, though it was exert- ed in a natural Way. " But befides, that the Word iyyiXo^; feldom occurs in the former^ and never in this Senfe, in any hiftorical Narrative in Scripture, there * Ra\''s Vind. p. 99. *Vid. Annot. on %th Ch. of St. Jo'n, •" De FaralyHcis N. Teih « Bp. S?.\.xI/6rocki's Vind. p. 507, ^c. 1 7 1 State of the Controverfy letnveen there are thefe plain Objections againft both Hy potheics, viz, that, be the Waters impregnated with what Ingredient we pleafe, (had their Operation been ikfef^j- nical) they mull neceflarily have cur'd more than one Perfon, at every Com- motion or Fermentation ; and yet they never can be fiippos'd of Efficacy e- nough to cure all mariner of Difeajes^ m an Inftant, and at one lingle Immerfion, as the Waters of Bethefda are reprelent- ed to do. And therefore, waving all fuch Suppofitions, we may be allow'd to fet the Authority of an ancient Fa- Moftpro-ther of the Church againft thefe modern hubiy ^ Names, and fay, " ° That the Angel, *(aion of '' which delcended at a certain Seafon, ,in M^ei. '' gave the Water its medicinal Virtue ; ** for the Nature of the Water was not " Sanative in itfelf, (if it had, Cures " would have always happened) but " the whole depended on the Virtue '' communicated to it by the JngeL That God has frequently employed the Mlniftry of Angels in Affairs of this kind ; and that Angels, thus employed, by their natural Powers and Faculties, are qualified to execute his Will; that they are ftrong, quick, and penetrating, as the Wind, as Lightning, as a flame of ! \id,T.jecphyhH. in C. 5. ^ohart. Evang* Mr. Wool fton a7jd his Adverfaries. 173 of Fire, and are therefore oft in Scrip- ture exprefs'd by thele Metaphors • and that, by means imperceptible to us, they can dilpofe the Temperature of the Air, and order the Influence of all other Ele- ments iby as to produce EfTeds, either hurtful or Sanative to human Bodies, is evident from a great variety of Inftan- ces, that might be produced, both out of the old and /^^-zf Teftament. But why God, at this Time more elpecially^ vouchlafed the yews fuch an Jngehck Favour and Difpenfation, as this at the Pool of Bethefday is not fo eafie a matter to refblve. The Jewsy we know, had been God's whyGoJ peculiar People, and honoured with ma- at tUs ny fienal Tokens of his divine Prefence ^''^^^^"^f amcng them ; p but now thele were nofcj thh more. All Prophecy, the Urim and ^^^'om-ro 'Thnmmimy and the miraculous Fire from ^ ^ -^^"^^' Heaven were entirely ceas'd ; and there- fore it may be luppos'd, that, in Ibme mea- fure to fupply the want of thele, in order to keep up a lively Senie of God's Provi- dence among them, and to ftiew, that he had not abfolutely defcrted hisPeople,this miraculous Delcent of an Angel, at certain Seafons, or oflbme Power equivalent to it, was vouchfafed them. But there is not the lilcc ojice 174 State of the ControveiTy hetiveen like Reafon for any fuch Miracle mzVy when God *i hathfpoken to us by his Sofiy and by him given us a compleat and final Revelation of his Will. Wh it ^^ however the End of this AngeVtcal cur'd but Defcent was to keep up the Senle of a one at divine Providence among the "Jews^ then was this End better anfwer'd, by the Cure of one Perlbn only, at every com- motion of the Water, than by the Cure of Multitudes at once : And the Reafon is, becauie the Cure of one Perfon only, at one time, evinc'd that the Effeft was miraculous ; whereas, upon Suppofition that many Per ions had been cur*d at once, thefe Cures might have been im- puted to the natural Virtue of the Wa- ter, either as it was impregnated with Ibme fort of Mineral, or as the warm En- trails and Blood of the Jew'tfi Sacrifices might give it a Balfa77ikk and healing Quality. * Had Numbers been cur'd at once, I fay, the Sceptick then might have ask'd, " Where is the Wonder of this ? Do " not many Medicinal Baths cure various " kinds of Difeafes, and Multitudes of " fuch, as labour under each Difeale, " provided their Cafe be curable ? Had ^' one only indeed been cur'd, the firft '^ that could get in, after the trouhling ''of \ Eeh. I, 2, *Df. Vearce^ Part 4- p- 14- Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfaries, 175 " of the iVater^ there would have been *^ then a great and real Miracle ? But " now the Numbers make the Fad ful- " picious : It feems to have been a na- " tural Quality in the Waters, becaule " it is fo univerfal. To make it ap- " pear a Miracle, its EfFeds fhould *' have been confined and limited to par- *^ ticular Times, and Perlbns, or o- ^' therwife ^o circumftantiated, as that *^ the ^ower of God, and not of blind " 'Nature^ might have been apparent in " it. '' But all this Language is efTedu- ally filenc'd by the Method, which the wile Providence of God took in this Cafe. What the ftated Times of the Angefs ^^ ^^\^c defcent were, in order to confer a Cure i^pp^^^^j^ on fome f articular Perlbn ; or what Care the Magijlrates of Jerufalcra took, in order to diftribute the Cures, according to every one's Merit or Exi- gence, the Evangelift has not thought fit to acquaint us ; becaule thefe are Cir- cumftances no ways affeding our Savi- our's Cure of the Impotent Man, which was his chief Concern to relate. ' He tells us however, that there was a Place of Reception for the Sick and Impotent folk, very convenient for their ftepping down ' Bp. S}vallbroGh*s Vind. p. 513, Qr-c, i-jC State of the Con troverfy between down into the Water, upon its commo- tion ; And, 'tis generally conjedur'd, that this commotion happened once eve- ry Year, and, probably, about the Time of the Paffbver^ when Jcfus performed this Cure upon the Impotent Man. N o felly ^^^ ^ven fuppofing the Impotent Man in the im- to Icnow all this, viz. That the Angel M^i"^ delcendcd but once a Year ; that, upon fuch deicent, one only Perlbn was to be healed ; and that he himlelf flood in no fair competition for that Benefit ; yet, fmce his Cafe was defperate, and his for 'wdit- Malady incurable by Phyfick, he had ^'^^Z^/''^^^. nothing indeed elfe to do, but to wait at the Pool, in hopes of Ibme Succels at laft. His Profpect, at prefent, was not very promifing ^ but who could tell, but that, in Time, he might prevail w^ith Ibme kind Friend or other to help and affift him into the Pool, at the proper mi- nute of Commotion ? And accordingly, ^Ibme have obferv'd, that, by his An- fwer to our Saviour's Queftion,[/f'/// thou he made whole f''\ S'lr^ I have no Man, ivhen the Water Is trouhledj to put me into the ^ool^ he means no more, than modeftly to defire him (whom at that time he did not know) to fupply his want of an A(^ ' fiftant *" Vid. lheo^hylaB\ hi Le^, ^ Er^ffmi Ta.:ifh. in Loc, Mr. Wooldon andhisAdverfaries. 177 fiftant, by putting him into the Pool himfelf, at a proper Sealbn. And this, by the way, fuggefls a good Reafon, why, out of the Multitude of infirm People, that lay at this Pool, our Saviour made choice of this Man only, namely, becaule he was peculiarly un-* qualify'd for a Cure by the Waters, on account, both of his own natural Inca'- facity to Jiep injirfl hhnfelf\ and of his Poverty ^ in having none to affift him in ftepping into the Pool, upon its firft com- motion. ^ He was, in ftioi t, an Objcft moft to be compailionated of any in the Place ; and more efpecially lb, as he had been now a very long time ia this Condition, and yet ftill depended upon the good Providence of God for an Opportunity to be cur'd, at one time or other \ for which realbn our Saviour might very juftly fingle out him, and leave the reft to the flandtng Miracle. To cure whole Multitudes at once in-^ ^^^^ deed, founds more popular^ and carries Chrift the Face of more extenfive Goodnels : ^"^'^ ^"i But, befides that our Saviour might ve- (b^many. ry probably, in this Cafe, conform to the Rule of Cure, eftablilh'd/r^z;/^^;^?//-. ally at Bethefda^ which was to heal hut one Perfon at one Time \ his great De- N fjgn, \ Bp. SohiUbrocWs Vind. p. 525. 1 7 8 State of the Controverfy hetiveen fign, in every Adion of this kind, we know, was to prove hisCharaftcr and Commillion from God, to which End, one fingle and unconteftible Mira- cle was as fufficient an Evidence, as a Thoufand. I'he Truth is, as he was a free Agent, he had certainly a Liberty to beftow his Favours as he pleas'd,and tochule fuch particular Objeds of Cure, as he, at any time,lhould think fit, confift- ently with the great End and Defign of all his miraculous Cures,which was to give a clear Atteftation of his Divine Autho- rity. And that the Cure, now before us, was fuch an Atteftation, will beft ap- pear by confidering a little the Nature of the Diftemper itfelf. The Word d^iv^a^ which we render lin-^ofwn i^lfi^^^'^'^ty^ or Weaknefs, is indeed a ge- Difcafc, neral Name for almoft all Diftempers ; and Its f^m- ^^^^ jj. jg j[q limited in its Significa- /wr^/Mf; e- ^.^^^ ^^ ^^^ Circumftances mentioned in the Context, that it can properly denote no other Difeale, than what we call a confirm'd ^aljj. " For do the Symp- toms of any other Diftemper lb exadly a- gree with the Defcription given of this In- firmity, both in point of lb long continu- ance, and fuch extreme Weaknels at the fame time? Does not the Word " Bp, SmaUkooh\ VI ad . p , 5 5 3 , Mr. WooI/lon and his /idverfaries. 1 7 ^ JVeaknefsy in its moft obvious Senfe, ex- a<9:ly anlwer to fuch a Relaxation of the nervous Syftem^ or fome part of it, as made the Man uncapable of ftepping quick enough from the Place^ where he lay^ into the adjacent Pool, upon its com- motion ? And (what is no mean Circum- ftance) does not our Saviour make ufe of ^ the fame Form and Method of Cure to this very Man, that he applies to o- thQT^ara/yticksy rtfe^ take up thy Bed^ and walk ; a Form very proper to Perlbns thus diftemper'd, both to exprefs theWeakneft of their paft Condition, and the Com- pleatnels of their prefent Cure ? Thefe Symptoms, and concurring Cir- cumftances, (as I take them) are a fuffi- cient Proof, that the Diftemper, here under debate, was the Paljy: And that a confirmed ^aljy^ of thirty and eight Years continuance^ is paft the Power of Art, (much more the Power of Imagi- nation) to remedy, and only curable by a Miracle, no Phyfician, I think, can doubt : And therefore, to look back upon what has been faid. The Miracle of the Pool of Bethefda^ The Su-m^ being a diftinft thing from our Saviour's Y'l^^^t Cure of the Impotent Man, that he found ^i^^ '^"i"^^^ N 2 ther^ ^ AnfNscr, "^Mati, ix. 6. Mark u ?.. Luh v- >4- 7^'^^ 1 8 o State of the Controverfy het'vjeen there ; tho' we arc not ftridly account- able for every difficulty occurring in that Story, yet fince, whether we fup- poie that the Sanative Virtue of its Wa- ters was o^2.Jhort or long continuance a- mong the j^ 25. ad p. 43. 88 State of the Conttovcrfyhetiveen ^^ to the Tune di feventeen or eighteen " FirkiriSy for the ufe of thofc, that had " {frank enough, if not too much be- " fore, (as the Text icems to imply) is ^' quite deftroying his moral Charafter, " and giving an untoward Umbrage of " Sufpicion, that himfclf was not right- ^' ly fober, w^hen he gave fuch a blunt, *^ furly, and undutiful Anfwer to his " Mother. The only way then to make " all thefe Inconfiftences meet, is to re- *' nounce the Miracle at once ; and to give into the Glo/s, which the Gentiles of old, by way of Objeftion put up- on it, viz, ^ 'That the Company^ hal- ving exhaujied the Bridegrooms Stock of ff%e^ and being in Expe^ation of *' more ; rather than that the Bride- " groom Jhould he put to the Bliijh^ Je- *' fus undertook^ by a Trick of Art^ to *' meliorate Water into what they called *' Wine*^ i. e. having feme ffirituotis Li- ^' quors at Handy he mingled them with *^ a ^lantity of Water ^ and ^Oy by the *' Help of the Governour of the Feafi^ " {who vouched it to be incomparably good " Wine^) falmUl a falfe Miracle upon the '' Guejis. Our * Apud St. Chvyfop, in Locnm Johan, Afr. Woolfton and his Adverfaries. i 8 j> Our blcfled Saviour, indeed, was a Chrift's Perfon of a very grave and ferious De- 7-7^',^"'* portnient, inlomucn, that, whatever In- ponment, fiances may be found of his Pity and Companion to ManJdnd, of his grieving, and being troubled, and even wxeping upon Ibme Occafions ; we can meet with none of his laughing^ nor any Token of a Mirth or Joy extraordinary, in the whole Hiftory of his Life. But we muft not from hence infer, that he was of a fallen, or unfoclahle Temper, or, in any degree, an Enemy to fuch Forms of Ci- vility and good Manners, as were then in Ufe. If therefore we can but fup- pole at prefent (what hereafter will be evinced) that this Marriage of Cana hi Galilee was between Perfons of his own Kindred or Acquaintance, and that, by the very Rules of celebrating fuch Fefti- vals among the "Jews^ all Excels or In- temperance were excluded ^ then will it follow, that it could be no Difparage- ment to our Saviour's Charafter to ac- cept of the Invitation, and be prelent at fuch a meeting. Among us indeed, efpecially among The Ze- the Vulgar Ibrt, there are Ibmetimes, on '-^^o, «^- thefe Occafions, Liberties taken, that ^j^^Jn^ are not lb very Juftificable ^ but, among Man lagc the fews^ there was always the greateft ^ eaih. Decency I po State of the Controverfy hetnxjcen Decency and Sobriety imaginable ob- ferv'd, in the Celebration of their Mar- riages. '^ To this purpofe a Governour of the Feafi (and, as Ibme fay, of the Sa- cerdotal Race) was always chofen, whofe Office it was to have the Snperintend- ency of the Difhes and the V/ine, and to oblige the Gaefts to obferve all the Decorums^ that Religion required: And, not only fo, but other Perlbns, at this time, were likewile appointed to break glafs Vejjels^ as a common fignal^ to give the Company notice, that they had already drank enough, and were not permitted to run to excels. Under this Regulation^ 'tis Icarce imaginable, that the Guefts at a yezvijh Marriage could be guilty of any Intem.perance^ and leaft of all at this in Galilee^ where our Saviour's Prefence and Obfervation, the gravity of his Behaviour, and the Sealbnableneis of his Difcourfe, may well be prefum'd to heighten the deconwi^ and to keep all the Company under a proper Reftraint. The ^ What therefore the Governour of nicamng ^^^ Feaft fays to the Bridegroom, in re- Men hr^e\'X'i\oxi to the Water, that was turned in- r'MWan'k, to Wine, ^ every Man^ at the hegrnmng^ >--^^-^^- • dotk .1 Leu-is'^ Antic|. of the Hck Rep. Vol. 3. p. ;o:c t Vr.Feuras Viiid, Part 3. p. 26. ^ y^ohi ii. 10, Adr. Woolfton and his Adverfaries. i ^ i doth fet forth good Wine, and when Men have well dkk^yl^ then that ivhich IS worje^ is to be underftood only as a general Reprelentation of a Cuftom, ufual at other Feftivals^ which was, to bring the beft Wine at firft, and towards the Conclufion, that which was worle ; which Cuftom, (as the Governour tells him) was not oblerved here ; for the dif- ference between this Entertainment and others is, that thou haji kept the good IFine until now. So that the Phrafe, when Men have well dranh^ is only a Circum- ftance thrown in to illiiftrate the Com- parifon, or defcribe the latter end of a Feaft, and has no manner of Reference to the Condition of the Company then prefent. But, allowing the Words drav fjLi%c^ai to be a defcription of the Con- dition the Company was then in, yet will it by no means follow, that they had proceeded to any Intemperance, be- caufe the Words are equally capable of an innocent^ as well as vicious Meaning. ^ MiUvQ^v indeed, in its primitive Sig-* nification, means no more than drinking after the Sacrifice : and, as there is no- thing in the Etymology^ that determines this to be done to any Excels, or beyond the proper Bounds of Joy in a Fcftiyal ^ [ Dr. 'Bearce, pait 3. p. 27, 1 5) 2 State of the Controverfy het'ween lb there are ftveral Inftances in Scrip*, ture wherein it was certainly done ac- cording to the Rules of Sobriety and Moderation. Thus (to mention one out of many) in the LXX Verfion of Gene^ (is^ where it is faid, that 'Jofeph's Bre^ thrcn g drarik and were merry with hirriy the Words are 6/>6e9:Ja3?/G-ap ^er'aWh; and yet the Circumftances of the Feaft plain- ly fhew that no Excefs, or the leaft ap- proach to it, is intended by theExpreffion. For they knew him not then to be any other than the Govermur ofjEgypt ; nay, it is faid ^ that they were. afraid^ as tho' h.^ fought occafion againft them^ to fall upon them^ and take them for Bondmen : And therefore we may well prefume, that they were too much upon their guard, and Ibllicitous about their own Safety, to give any way to Intemperance in his Prefence. And if the Expreffion here^ and in ^ feveral other Paffages, may be taken in a virtuous Senle, (unlefs we can imagine that St. John dcfign'd to expole his Matter's Behaviour on this Occafion) Chrift ^^'^ cannot but conclude, that he intend- miglu/>j- ed we fhould underlland him in the moft vocerMy favourable manner. Marriage ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ for oncc fuppofe the worft ; and why vJz, That notwithllanding thele wile ^^^ ''''' Orders conceru d to go. e G:77. xliii. 34. " Whithy'^ Annor. /,; T.c-:. Mr. Woolfton afiJhis Adnjerfaries. i ^ j Orders and Inftitutions, in theCelebration of Matnmonial Fcz&s among the^^^j-, Ibme would be ftill apt to run Counter, and indulge their Appetites to Excels ; * yet it will not therefore follow, that our Lord could be any Partner in the Guilt. In publick AfTemblies of Men of promifcuous Tempers, we fee daily, that, though the vicious Part may pol- lute and debauch themlelves by Intem- perance, Perlbns of a contrary Difpoli- tion do innocently partake of all regu- lar and lawful Refrefhments, without any Stain to their Virtue and Charader, And though a good Man would not de- light in fuch Societies, nor a prudent Man ralhly and heedlefsly frequent them ^ yet fince our Saviour, who by the un- fpotted Purity of his Nature, was fe- cured againft every bad Impreffion, came not to call the Righteous ^ but Siw mrs to Repentance^ and for this Pur- pofe, muft be fuppofed to take all pro- per Occafions of meeting and converfing with them ; fince now he was about to open his ComrntJJion^ and had here a fair Opportunity of working his firft Mi- racle in the Prefence, and for the Con- viftion of numerous Spectators ; and, laftly, fince the Invitation, in all Proba- O bihty, * B.aj\ Vindicat. of oar Sav. Mir. P^irt 2. p. 13. 1 5? 4 State of the Controver{y let^een bility, came from his own Kindred , for Tradition tells us, that the Perfons, whole Wedding was then celebrated, were Alfhxus or Cleo^as^ and her, v\ ho, in Scripture, is called, Mary, the Sifter of our Lord's Mother^ (as it feems not unlikely, from his Mothers being fo fol- licitous for the fupply of Wine, and taking upon her to direft the Servants of the Houfe, that they were either her Relations J or very intimate jic quaint ance^) fince our Saviour, I fay, was in this Si- tuation, it was highly expedient, both in difcharge of his prophetick Office, and the Obligations of Friendlhip or Con- fanguinity, for him to vouchlafe his Prelence at this Wedding, when he was invited. That he Had he indeed, when he w^s there, encoii- given Encouragement to Intemperance Ex^cers"^ among the Guefts, (even though it had there, been by an Ad of Generofity,) much then might have been faid in Diminu- tion of his Character : But, fince the fupply of Wine, wherewith he miracu- louflyfurnilhedthem, will, upon Enqui- ry, appear, neither Ho large in itsQuantity, nor ib fuperfluous in its V^Qy as is pre- tended, all Suggeftions of this horrid Nature, that our Saviour adminifter'd to their Exceffes, and was himfelf a little intoxicatedy Ihould forever be filenced, and Mr. Woo\i[on andhisAd'verfaries. i It much lower, than a btrkm. The fo very LXX Tranflators ^ ufe it for the Bath l^^'S'^- of the j-ewsy and the Bath of the Jews (according to Calmet) contains left than 30 French Pints, which are not ib much, as fix Gallons of our Mealiire ; but Lamy lets it ftill lower, and makes it hold very little more than 20 French Pints, /. e. under^c^^r Gallons of our Meafure^ Nay, Le ClerCy and others mentioned by Calmety lay, that the jutlpyirh^ held about twenty-five French Pounds of Water, which falls Ihort of three Gallons of our Meafure ; and the learned Bilhop Cufn^ herland (iuppofing the jLti1py]rk oi Syria to be here intended) computes it to have held lefs than one Engllfh Gallon, fo that according to this reckoning, the whole Jix JVater-Pots might not contain more than zhout fourteen or fifteen Gallons of EngltfJj Meafure. But not to reduce the Meafure fo low, Jv^^oVe- we will fuppofe, at prefent, that the flecikn O 2 Quantity "^po-i^j"^' *Dr. Tearut Vind. Part 3. p. 35. '2 Qh^on. iv% 5. IOC* State of the Controverfy hetnjoeen Qiiantity of Wine made by our Saviour at this Feaft, was as large as our Tran- flation reprefents it ; yet, whoever con- fiders the nature of Jewijb Marriages, «*how they were celebrated,withFeafting and Rejoycings, not only on the Day of Solemnity (as it is with us) but for fix or feven Days after ; and that, at thefe Feafts, not only all their Relations, Neighbours^and Acquaintance were invi- ted, but that it was well taken likewifeif any others (tho'not invited) would come to partake of the Entertainment, and bear a fhare in the Joy : Whoever con- fiders this, I fay, cannot but imagine, that a very large Qiiantity of Wine muft needs be requifite, at fuch a Time, and that, if the refort of a greater Com- pany, than was expefted (as it is not improbable that many more, than were expefted, would come, on purpofe to fee Ghrift and his Difciples) had occafioned a Deficiency herein, the Wine, which our Saviour miraculoufly produced, was to be a fupply, not for that Day only, but for all the fucceeding Days, until the Time of Feafting was expir'd. but ra- -^^Y' ^^^" luppofing that our Lord, thcr Co/;;. upon this Occafion, did not confine him- niendation fgif to a prccilc Quantity, proportionate T Dtt Yearns Viad. Pait J% p. 28. f Mr. Woolfton and his Ad'verfaries. 1 5? 7 to the Company, or Period of the Ft?/?/- vah^ and (what is more) " that Ibme of the Company might abufe his Liberality by their Intemperance (which is a Con- ceflion, that cannot be gathered from the 7'ext)yct can't he therefore be charged with miniftring to tha)t Excefs, by making fuch an ample Provifion, any more, than we can charge the Providence of Gqd with being inftrumental to all the Gluttony^ and Drunkennefs^ which is committed in the World, merely be- caule it affords that Meat and Drink, which Men of inordinate Appe- tites abufe to Excels. The Truth is, as it is an high Commendation of Provi- dence, that it crowns us with Plenty (whatever ule we make of it) and be- llows upon us all Things ° richly to en^ joy ; io was it not unbecoming a Perfbn, invefted with a div'tne Commiffion, to give, on this Occafion, an eminent In- ftance of hisjlowlng Liberality, and, by his generous Provifion for the Family, to leave a grateful Memorial of his Be- nevolent Regard to two Perlbns, tha; were his Relations, and had juft enter'd into the honourable State of Matrimor O 3 ny; ■ WJ.Hthy in T«' w ii. to. " Ra)*s Demon. Pa.t i. p. 134. 1 5) 8 State of the Con troverfy between ny ; efpecially, ^vhen he did it at his Mother's Defire and SoUicitation. Why he j^ jg to be obfervcd, however, that /wwrj;L.-in working this Miracle our Saviour /; \vork (contrary to his ufual Practice) ftood up- thisMira-^j^ the Rcferve, and did not immediately gratify his Mother. In the following part of his Miniftry, wx find him frequently complying %vith the People's firft Re- quefts ; but his Circumftances then and now were different. ? When his Fame had been fpread abroad through all the Regions round about, and every Tongue fet forth his noble Afts, it better became him, as Occafions offer'd, readily to ex- ert his Power : but, at prefent, he was not known to the World ; his Difciples were but few and frefh comers, and even his moft intimate Acquaintance had not any due Apprehenfions concerning him. Now he, who made the Glory of God, and the good of Souls, his principal Aim, was obliged to fet out warily^ and to flop, as much as might be, the Mouth of Prejudice and Cavil : And nothing could go farther towards fixing him a general Reputation, than Modejty. To put himfelf forward of his own Accord, or to yield to a Mother's firft Motions, Blight look like an Eagernels to catch at •• Stanhope's Epift. & Gofp. vol, 2. p. ?(!. Mr. Woolftoii and his Ad^erfaries. i p ^ at Admiration and Applaufe, to fall ia with an intemperate Zeal for advancing his own Honour, and a flievving what he cou/d do^ rather than difcerning what wasjft for him to do. And therefore when his Mother came, and acquainted him, that her Friends were in danger of wanting Wine for the Company, he re- turned her an Aniwer, in Terms ib leem- ingly rough, that Interpreters have been at Ibme trouble about their Meaning ; WomaUy what have I to do with thee P my hour is not yet come. We miftake the Matter much how- His An- ever, if we think, that the Word ^j^r/J),/^^** to which we render Woman^ was any Title [)Je,.^x- of difrefped or indifference; (as it leems plain'd. to be in our Tranflation) *i for it is fre- quently us'd by the beft Authors, when the higheft Marks of Efteem are intend- ed. The polite Xemphon himfelf puts it in the Mouth of one of the Perjtan Chiefs^ when he was addreffing himlelf to a Captive Lady, and comforting her under her unfortunate Circumftances^. And certainly a Time there was, that our Lord calFd his Mother by this Apel- lation, when he was fac from beingy?/;- ly or undutlful to her, when he was hanging on the Crofi, and recommend- O 4 ing I Dr. Pc. Afr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfarief. 107 of that Place were affefted^ the Time that our Saviour was there before. They tell us, that, when he taught them in the Synagogue on the Sabbath Day, all the People were aftonijhed at his Do- Ifrhie^ fvr he taught as 07ie that had Ju^ thority^ and his Word ivas with Power, They tell us, that, when, in their Sight, he caft out an unclean Spirit j crying out for fear, and declaring him to be the holy one of God, they were all amaz*dy andfpake among themfelves^ fij^^gy '^^hat a Word is this P fVhat new Do^rine is this ? for with Power and Authority he co?7if7iandeth the unclean Spirits j and they obey him. They tell us, that, while he was in Simons Houie, all the City was gathered together at the Door y and, that, upon their feeing him do ^o many won- derful Works, heal the Sick of divers Difeafes, and caft out many Devils, his Fame immediately fpread abroad through all the Regions round about Galilee. What Wonder then, if, when he re- turned to the lame City again, not only the Inhabitants of the Place, but the Peo- ple of every adjacent Country fhould run together in great Numbers, both to hear his heavenly Doftrine, and fee his amazing Works. But leaft of all is it Why fccH to be wondered, that any Perfon in f^^^^^-«" ' / 1 • ^o come thlSarChria 2o8 State of the Controverfy hetiveen this ^ar^I)'tic}isCd.iCyOv anyFriends of his, that were follicitous for his Cure, fhould be ib eager and impatient to gain Admit- tance to his Prefence. They perceiv'd, that oftentimes it was no eafy Matter for him to difengage himfelf from the impor- tunate Attendance of the People : They remembered, that, the laft time he was among them, the Crowd continued about the Door till Night, and that, early next Morning, ** a great while before it was Da)\ he left the City, and departed into a foUtary ^lace : They faw that ^ the Day was declining, and ^ the Sun very nigh Sett, nor could they tell, but, that as foon as he had done preaching, and the Crowd a little dilpers'd, he would retreat and retire, as he had done before ; and therefore they thought it highly concerned them, to make all the hafte they could^ and not run the Ha- zard of lofing lb precious an Opportu- nity. Away therefore they carry the Impotent Man, but when s they came to the Court- Yard (for ib we may render rx 7rpo<; rhv ^vp was no larger than to hold one (as we faid before) it might commodioufly enough be ht or iV.,r/em/i Order of Time, fays Mr. ^' Ifoolfion^ in which thefe Miracles are ^' Recorded by the Evangelijis^ is enough " to bring them under the fufpicion of " Fable and Forgery. For thcfe three *' Miracles, you mull know, are not e- *^ qually great, but differ in degrees. " The greateft is that of Lazarus ; next *^ to it, is that of the Widow oi Nairn's " Son, and the lead of all is that of " yarm*s Daughter. What then can " be the Reafon, that Matthew^ Mark^ " and ! WcolpneDik, 5, from p. 4, to p. j?5. Mr. Woolfton an J his Acherfaries. z 1 5 ^' and Luke (who all wrote their Gof- " pels before John J fhould forget to re- ^' cord this remarkable and moil illuftri- " ous Miracle of Lazarus ? To aggran- ^^ dife the Fame of their Matter for a ^' worker of Miracks^ was the Defign of all the Evangelifts ; and, if it was not neceflary that all of them Ihonld let down every Miracle of this kind, ftill it is abfiird and unnatural to lap- pofe, that any of them (eipecially the firft Writers) ihould omit the greateft of all, and only take notice of the " leaft. If Matthew indeed had record- " ed only the Story of Lazarus^ Luke " had added that of the Widow's Son, " and Joh/^j laftly, had remembrcd us ^' of the Ru/ers Daughter, which the o-* " ther Evangelijis (for brevity's fake) *' had omitted ; all then had been wel], and no Objeftion lain againft their Authority. But, as the Cafe now ftands, it will always be objeftion e- nough againft this Miracle, that it was never once mentioned by ih.tjir/i Hiftorians* nor indeed invented by the " lafi^ until he was above an Hundred *' Years old, and every Body ^lead, that ^' fhould have confuted him. " But, befides this fufpicious Circum- ftance, fince Jefus thought proper to P 4. '' laik (c If z 1 6 State of the Controverfy let'ween " raife no more than three Perfons, why " he fhould prefer an infignificant Boy, " and Girl, and the obfcure Lazarus, " to thofe of a more publick and de- ^' fcrving Charader, to the ufeful Ma- *' giftrate, or induftrious Merchant, *•' vvhofe Life is a common Bleffing, and '' Death a publick Lois ; why no Hi- *' ftory jihould give us any Account " what became of thefe three Perfons, ^^ after their Refurredion, how long " they liv'd, and of what Ufe and Ad- " vantage their reftor'd Lives was to " Mankind ; and why there is not the " leaft hint of any Difcourfe they had *' with their Friends concerning their " *S'^^^r^/e Exiftence, where their Souls ^' had been, in what Company, and in' *' what Condition (tho* a Narrative of " this kind would have been of excel - ^* lent Service to Religion) is a Thing " unaccountable. " We have therefore abundant Reafbn " to prefume, that there was either Ibme " Miftake or Ibme Collufion in thefe pre- " tended Miracles : That the Ruler's " Daughter was only in a F//, or rather a- " 7?^^/?, as Jefus tells the Company, and as *' his Charge to her Parents, to conceal "the Miracle, feems to imply j That *^ the Widow's Son was in a Letharghk " State, Mr. Woolfton and his Ad'verfaries. 117 ^^ State, or rather, that his pretended " Death was a concerted thing between " him, his Mother, and Jejiis^ as his " meeting the Corpfe upon the Road, " juft at the nick of time, leems to de- ^^ note ; and that Lazarus was in the " like Contritance, both from Jefus's ^^ weeping and groaning, and calling lb *^ loud at the Sepulchre, which looks " like a^lng a ^art ; and from the o- " ther's coming out thence with a Nap- " kin hound about his Face^ which gives *' no finall fufpicion of Fraud. " And indeed, had there not been " Ibme apparent Signs of a Fraud and " Fallacy in this Cafe, it is not concei- *' vable, why the Chief ^riefis and Pha-- " rifees fliould be fo far incens'd againft " Jefus, for working ^o fignal a Miracle, " and againft Lazarus too, for being " the Subjed of it, as to conipire to- ^' gether to take away their Lives. Up- " on the Suppofition that the Miracle '' was true, no Inftance in Hiftory can " parallel this Barbarity. But it feems " as if there were a deteftion of Fraud, " on the one Side, and a Gonfcioufhels of '' Guilt, on the other^ when we read '' that the Chief Aftor in it, ^ walked no " more openly among the Jews^ (foi fear " of ? Jcln xi. 54. z I 8 State of the ContiovQt[y hetnjocen " of Apprehenfion) hut went thence inta " a Country^ near the Wildernefs (a con- •* vciiient hiding Place) and there contt^ " mid with his Dtfctples. No one AllMiracles,intheveryNotionofthem, Mii-^cle are Supernatural EfFefts or Produdions ^ ^f""^'** and, however we may ufe the Terms than a- ' 7 /- • i i nother. greater or lejs with regard to common Operations, yet, when we come to ap- ply them to Things, which tranfcend the reach of Nature, they are not fo Juftificable. In Effects, that are pro- duced by human Power, we are apt to fay indeed, that fome of them are^r^^/- er than others ; /. e, that they require more and greater Degrees of Power for the Produftion of them, and make a nearer approach to the utmoft Bounda- ries of our Capacities : But this Diftincli- on vanifhes in our Confideration of the Supreme Being, fince his Power is not to be meafur'd, like ours, by degrees, nor limited to any certain Extent. The greateft Effed, we can imagine, is no mealiire of his Omnipotence, but is, e- qually with the fmalleft, within the Compafs of his Power. And therefore, fince all the Miracles which our Saviour did, were the undoubted EfTcfts of a divine ! Z?.T/sViiid. Pai-t i p. 155. Mr. Woolfton and his Acherfaries, 1 1 9 divine Power, his raifing any Perlbn to Life again (if adually dead) tho' dead but for an Hour, is as great a Miracle, as if the Perfon had been dead twenty Years, fince between dead and dead there can be no diftercnce : and confequently, tho* we could not give a fatisfadory Ac- count why the three frji Evangelifts have made no mention 01 Lazarus' s Re- furredion^ yet fince Lazarus^ Refur- reftion, is, in reality, no greater Mira- cle, than that of the Ruler's Daughter, or the mdow's Son, the matter fecms to be indifferent, and entirely left to his Choice, which of thele three Miracles each Hiftorian fhould think proper to record. The EvLingeViJls^ no doubt, recorded The E- the Miracles of Jelus Chrift for the fame'-^"p¥^ Reafon, that he wrought them, namely, Jfy/ ^ " to ftiew that he was a Prophet fent fro?n God 'j but fo far are they from Vanity and Oftentation in what they wrote, lb far from expatiating upon this copious Subjcd, that, after a recital of Ibme Par- ticulars, we find them frequently men- tioning the reft in a fummary way. Thus ^ St. Matthew^ having let down the mi- raculous Cures of a Leper ^ of the Cent a- r}on*s Servant, and of Meters Wife's Mo-^ t Defenceof Scrip. Hifto»y,p. 57. ' Ch. viii. 210 State of the Controverfy hetnveen Mother, relates no more, but only lays in general : that, ^ wben the Even was comey they brought unto him many that were fojpjpd with Devils^ and he caji out the Sprits with his Word^ and healed all^ that werejjck ; and, in like manner, St. Lukey having related a Cure or two, one done in the Synagogue, and the other in a private Houlc, concludes what he had more to lay upon the Subjed in this Compendious manner ; s Now when the Sun was fettingy all they >^ which had any Sick with dlverje Dljeajes^ brought them unto hlm^ and he laid his Hands on every one of themy and healed them. ^ Nay, luch is the Modefty of the Evangelljisy in regard to our Saviour's Miracles, that we have Ibme Reafon to prefume, they certainly knew of more Perlbns by him reftor'd to Life again, than they have particularly named : For, when St. Matthew relates his Anfwcr to Johns Dilciples, who were fent to enquire con- cerning him, ^ the blind receive their jighty the lame walky and the dead are raljedy 'tis ^plain, that, by mentioning the dead in the flural Number, he had the Knowledge of more than one, tho' he has given us a particular Hiftory of the ' Ver. \6. 2 ch. iv. v. 40. ?•» Larcfncr's Viud. of 3 Miracles, p. 7* ! Math. xi. 5. \ Mr. Woolfton and his Adn^erfaries. i 1 1 the Ruler of the Synagogue's Daughter only. And indeed, confidering the vaft Ex- For what ienf of their Subjed, and intended Bre- ^efdoi^. v/ty of their Books, in order to make them more ufeful to People of all Ranks and Capacities, it was abfolutely necet- lary for them to omit feveral Things, which muft have occurred to their Re- membrance. The whole four Gofpels, bound together, make not a large Vo- lume, but each fingly is a very linall Book ; and yet, befides the Miracles of our Saviour, attended, as they are, with the Circ:umftances of Place and Time, the Names of the Perlbns, and the Oc- . cafions of their being wrought ;, they have, in theie fhort Pieces, inferted an Account of the wonderful Manner of our Saviour's Birth, the Dangers of his In- fancy, the miraculous Appearances of divine Providence in his Favour, and his Removals, and Journeyings from one Place and Country to another. They have recorded the Subftance of his Do- ftrine in plain Terms ; have let down many Parables fpoken by him, together with his Explanations ; and given us a full Account of the Million of his twelve Apoftles, and the other leventy Difci- ples. * Lar^mrs Vind, of 3 Miracles, p^ i^. ^zt State of the Controverfy hetnveen pies. The Cavils and Queftions of the '•Pbari/eeSj SaddticeeSy and the Herodiam, together with his Anfvvers and Solutions, the Obfervations and Reflections of the People, his publick Difcoui fes before all, and his private Inftruftions to his Dilci- ples, his Predidions of his own Suffer- ings, of the Deftruftion of Jenifalem^ and many other Events ; a long and particular Account of his Perfecution, Condemnation, and Crucifixion, as alio of his Refurreftion, and Afcenfion, not to mention the Hiftory of the JBirth, Preaching, Baptifm, and Sufferings of yohn iho, B apt iji^ his Forerunner, arc all compriz'd in one ftiort Volume : and therefore, having fuch plenty of Matter jbefore them, they were oblig'd to be fi- lent, as to fome Matters, after they had lelated others of the like Nature, in or- der to relerve Room for fuch important Events, ^s were effential Parts of their Hiftory ; left they fliould proceed to fuch a length and prolixity, as they had determined to avoid. And hence it is eafy to fuppole, in behalf of the three foi'mcx Evangelijlsy that when they came to a certain '^Period in their Hiftory of the Miniftry of Je/^is^ and obferv'd they had given alufficient Account of his podrine and Miracles, being to refer ve a Space (•«i. Mr. Wool ft on and his Adverfaries. 1 1 j' a Space for his laft Sufferings, and Re- fur reft ion, they thought proper to pals over in Silence what ever happened be- tween that Period, and the Time of his laft Journey to Jenijalem. Now, whoever looks into ^ thefe thr^e wi^y the Evangel] fls with any due attention, wilP^'^^f f'f find, that, from the Time when our Sa-,XV/r viour returned into the Coajis of Jud^a to Laza- beyond Jordan^ which (as ^ St. John tells ' us) was loon after the Feafi of the Dedi- cation^ (and that was always obferv'd in Winter) to the Time of his laft going up to Jerufalemj a little before Eafier^ they make no mention at all of any Journeys, or Movings from thence \ and yet from this Country (according to St. John's Account) it was, that Jefus afterwards came up to Bethany, and raifed LazaruSy and then ^went into the Country near the Wildernefs^ into a City called Ephrahn^ and there continud with his Difciples. And therefore, fince thefe Evangelijis^ for the avoidance of Prolixity, thought not proper to take notice of what pafs^d in this Interval of Time, they could not, with any Juftnels or Propriety, introduce into their Gofpels an Account of the Refurreftion of Lazarus, But ' Compare Matth, Ch. xix. ver. i, 2. with vcr. 17. dnd Mark x. ver. I. with ver. 32. ^ Job?} x. zz, ° JohtJ xi. 5^. 2 Z4 ^^^^^ ^f ^^^ Controverfy hetiveen But there is a farther Reafon, which • fome learned Men have given us, for their Silence in this refpeft. They tell us, That (according to an ancient Tra- dition) Lazarus liv'd thirty Years after his being raijedfrora the dead^ and that, the lateft of thefe Evangelifisy writing but fifteen Years after our Lord's Afcen- fion, they might think it a needlefs mat- ter, to mention a Miracle concerning a Perfon, living io near yerufakm^ when the Fame of it was fo great, and io ma- fiy Witnefles living to atteft it : nor can they fuppofe, but that, in point of Prudence, the Evangellfis declined men- tioning this Story, for fear of exalpera-^ ting the Jewsj and giving their Rage and Malice a frelh Provocation to cut off Lazarus. However this be, 'tis not improbable (what the generality of Com- mentators tell us) that St. "^ohn^ obfer- ving the Method of the former Evange- Jifls^ and in what Particulars they had made an Omiflion, might, at the re- queft of the JJtan Biftiops, undertake to fupply their Defeds. IThishxio And indeed who ever will give him- objeai- f^if |.j^^ trouble to compare his Hiftory S^.^^&r/ ^'ith that of the other Evangelifis^ will find this Notion in a great meafure ve- rifyy I Qrot/ui Qp lYhithy on yohn xii. Mr, Woolfton and his Ad^erfarics, 225 rify'd. For, (not to mention any other Particulars of this Ibrt) p the Miracles of our Saviour, (recorded by St. John) an- tecedent to his Refurredion, are in all but eight. I. His turning If^'ater into JVlne at the Marriage in Cana of Galilee. 2. His telling the ,S'^/;2^?r//-^;; Woman the Secrets of her Life. 3. His healing the Nobleman's Son at Capernaum, 4. His curing the lame Man at the Pool of Be-^ thejda, 5. His feeding five Thouland Men with five Barly-Loaves and two Fifties* 6. His walking upon the Wa- ter, and calming a Storm at Sea. 7. His giving Sight to the blind Man by A- nointing his Eyes with Clay : And, 8, laftly, His railing Lazarus from the Dead : all which Miracles are omitted by the former Evangelifts, except the ^th^ and the dth^ and thele two St* yohn leems to have Recorded, chiefly to introduce a moral Difcourfe, which our Saviour took occafion to make to the People, and whereof the former Evan^^ gelijis had taken no notice : And there- fore the Silence of the former Evange^ lljis is not a ftronger Objedion againfl the Hiftory o? Lazarus, than it is againft many other Fads, Recorded by St. Jobfi ; or (to Ipeak more properly) than it is Q^ againft I Defence of Script. Hi ft. p. 6^. zi6 State of the Controverfy het^een againft his whole Gofpel. His Gofpel indeed he wrote in an advanced Age, but, ^according to the Account of ibme, not many Years after the Death of Laza^ rusj at the moft, when a wholeGeneration was alive, who muft frequently have ikcn LazaruSy and been acquainted with the Story of his Refurreftion, had it been true ^ and able to Ihame and confute the Hlfionan^ had it he^nfal/e. The Truth is, ^all the Evangelijis have omitted many Things, which the others, one or more of them, have recorded ; even St. "John himfelf ^ confefTes, that his own Gofpel, though it liipplied the Defcfts of the former Evangelijis in ma- ny Refpefts, left the Hiftory of yeftis ftill unfinifh'd. It was fubmitted indeed to their own Judgement and Difcretion, out of the infinite Variety of Miracles, which Jefus wrought, to choole, each of them, fuch, as feem'd to them the moft Material : And if, upon the whole, the good Providence of God has io or- dered the Matter, that there is enough recorded to lay the Foundation of a r^^- jbnahJe Faith, we ought to be contented, and not bufy ourielves in enquring mi- nutely, why this Miracle was Recorded, or this Pericn made the Subjed of it, rather than another ? The ' Vid. Wh'ithy in John Q. x\. *" Defence of Sc;ip. Hid. p. 6<^. ' John XX. 30. iWr.Woolfton and his Advjerfar/es. iij " The Defi2:n of a Miracle is, not fo ^'^'^^v much for the Profit of him, on whom it |:.|||-^Jf is performed, or of his Friends and Re-thcicPcr- lations, who are interefted in his Wei- 'onsmore fare, as it is to atteft the divine MilTion'''^"''''^^'^* of him, who works it, and to give Au- thority to the Meflage and Doctrine, which he delivers • and, to this purpolc, the raifing a Day-Labourer, is as con- ducive as raifing a Prince, and opening the Eyes of a b///hi Beggar by the Way- fide, as curing a powerful Mcigijirate^ or a wealthy Merchant, ^^ "Jarus however, whofe Daughter was rais'd, was, both by Character and Office, a Perlbn of Eminence among the Jews ; and, confidering the Perverfe- nels and Obfi:inacy of many other Ru- lers of the Synagogue, this might be a Motive with Jefus to diflinguilh him by lb divine a Favour. Lazarus^ we know, was his peculiar Friend ; and, as his Af- fection, no doubt, was defervedly plac'd on him, the fame Realbns, that engaged his Love, might prevail with him to ex- prefs it in fo w^onderful a Manner : And as to the Cafe of the Widow of Na'ins Son, this the Scripture has let off in fuch moving Colours, as defer vc a more par- Q 2 ticular ■ Lardim-\ Vind. p. ^6. w Ra^s V'lnL 174. State of the Controverfy between tlcalar Obfcrvation. ^ The parting with a beloved Child, is, at any Time an Afflidlion, which, in tender Mother's, ftiis a very lenfible Concern • but when Time and Acquaintance have endear'd their Converiation, when we have not only enjoy'd the Diverfions of their Childhood, but the Promiles of their Youth, and begin to conceive juft Hopes of their Attainments and Profperity, this adds a confiderable Weight to the Blow. But that, which here drove it deeper, is, that this y young Man was the only Son ofh'is Mother ; no Remnant left behind to mitigate, or to fupply the Lois ; no Remembrance of her Travail, but that moft uncomfortable one, of Fears and Pangs undergone to encreafe the Number of the Dead. And yet the moft melancholy Aggravation is ftill be- hind, th^tfbe was a IVidow ; a State, of all others, the moft Friefidlejs and i-br- lornj and, for this Realbn, frequently mention'd in Scripture, as that, which God receives into his more immediate Protedion. Such then, being the Con- dition of this mournful Woman, be- reaved of her Husband, bereav'd of her Son, in the Bloom and Vigour of Youth, when juft at a Condition to re- pair * Sianho^^es £pift. 6c Gofp. vol. 3* \ Luke vii. 12. Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfarles, 225) pair a Mother's paft Tcnderncfs and Trouble, by becoming the Hay and liip- port of her Age and approaching Infir- mities ; it is not at all to be wonder'd at, if this CA)mphcat'wn of Mifery mov'd Compaflion in the merciful Jcfus, to ex- ert his divine Power, in order to turn her Sorrow and Lamentation into Joy. What became of thefe Icvcral Perlbns, why wc after they were rais'd from the Dead, '^^^'^ '''' we have indeed no Account tranfmittcd of thci!-'^ to us ; but the Reafon hereof is ^hiin^fnif^qucnt * bccaufe the Evangeltfis^ writing the ^^'''^'^' Hiftory of Chrift only, had Occafion to take Notice of them fo far as Chrift was concerned with them, but were under no Obligation to enter into their particu- lar Story. To prove the Miracles to be true, the Evangellfts particularly relate the Circumftances of the Perfons Death, and particularly alio the Circumftances of their being rais'd to Life again ; and what more can be expefted than this ? If we had the minuteft Account of their Affairs afterwards, the Miracle would ftand juft as it does, neither impaired nor confirmed by the Hiftory : But then, to expeft that the Gofpel, which was in- tended to inftruft the World in Religi- on, fhould be filfd with Men's private CL 3 Advent : Defence of Sc.ip. Hifl, p. S. 230 State of the Con trover fy between Adventures, or that the Evangelijis fhould be obliged to write every Perfons Life, on whom Chrift wrought a Cure, is a Thing highly ablurd and unreaibn- able : If however, we may be allow'd to Conjeci:ure, ^ it feems not improbable, from the fpeedy Progrcfs of the Gofpel, that many of thele Perlbns, by modeft and humble Acknowledgments of the Benefits, they had receiv 'd, by fatisfying ihtlnqtu/rtive^ and convincing the Doubt- ful, might, according to their Stations, help forward the Work of the Apoftles, and others engaged in fpreading the Dodrine of Chrift. Nor any Whether the tbreey whom our Savi- LittUi- Q^j. ^y^5 pieas'd to raife, after their re- them ofa^^^^*^ to Lile agam, gave any Tidmgs fepnr.ite conccming the Circumftances of their le- parate Exiftence, is what we cannot fo much as Conjetture, unlefs we had fome Knowledge, ^ whether the Soul might not exift, and yet be under a Sufpejijioii of its Operations, at leaft without an Acceffion of any new Ideas j for as long a Time, as they were out of the Body ; or, if mw Ideas were communicated in their feparate State^ whether they re- tained them, after the Re-union^ or were permitted to divulge them, or capable indeed ' Lardre/s Viud. p. 30. '' Ray's Viud. p. 182 = St rue Mr. Woolfton and his Adverfaries, 1 5 indeed of exprefling them by the com- mon Forms of Speech^ which are only- adapted to viatenal and Jenfihk Things. ^ Our Saviour himfelf, who was from a^ hove^ who was in the Bolbm of the Fa- ther, and came to teach us all Things neceflary to Religion, has not thought fit to give us any diftinft and particular Account of the other World. ^^ St. Paul^ who had^Z'//;;^^;^r6' of Revelations ^who was caught up into the third Heaven^ and into Paradife^ has not attempted any fuch Thing ; but declares only, that what he heard there, were things unffcakahky and what it was not lazvjul for a Man to utter* The Gofpel, in the Main, has made known unto us the Certainty of the Refurredion of the Juft and Unjuft, their final Judgment, and the different Awards of everlafling Punffhment to the Wicked, and eternal Life to the Righte- ous. W^hat they fay of thefe Matters is great and awful, and fufficient to af- fed the Minds of all, that read and believe them ; inlbmuch, that thofe, who will not be convinced by thefe general De- clarations, would not he perfuaded^ though one rofe from the Dead, and told them never lb many Particulars concerning the State of a feparate Exiftence. Up- l; Lardrjer*s Vind. p. 48. •* 2 Cor. xii. 2, 7. 1^1 State of the Controverfy het'ween on the whole therefore, we may be al- lowed to fay, that a Silence "of thefe Par- ticulars, inftead of diljparaging, tends to the Honour of the Evangelijis j who, when they wrote the Hiftory of the Preaching and Miracles of Jefus, have not recorded Dreams, and Vifions, and abftrufe Theories of a future State, for the J77iufe?ne}it of Mankind, but certain and important Truths taught by him for their Ed'ijicatmu No CoWu- Hitherto it appears that there is no ^''''^^•^^''^' Incongruity in the leveral Storiesy^s they tbtfe Mi- are related by the Evangeli/is ^ and, that rAcles. there can be no Sufpicion of Fallacy in the Miracles themfelves, is what we fliall now endeavour to evince. ^ That the leveral Perlbns, whom our Saviour rai- fcd to Life, were aftually dead, or at leaft were all of them treated as dead Perfons by their Friends and Relations, is evident and inconteftible. For, when our Lord came to Jarus's Houie, he found the Mmjireh there, and, the Peo- ple making great Lamentation ; the Wir dow's Son was carrying to his Grave ; and Lazarus had been actually buried feveral Days. But 'tis nonlenfe to be- lieve, that thofc about the ilf//^/sDaugh- ter would have calfd in the mufical Inr JlrumentSy * Defence of Sci ij). Hift, p. i J, } Mr. Woolftoii and his Adverfaries. 2. 5 5 Jiruments^ ^ as the manner of Funerals among the Jews was ; or that the Wi- dow would have fuffer'd her only Son to be carried forth as a Gorpfe ; or Mar- tha and Mary their Brother to be lb long buried ; had there not been, in thcle feveral Cafes, all the Evidence of Death that Realbn and Senfe could give. 'Tis confefs'd indeed, that commof^ The CaCo Fame affords hijiances of the mifiaken^^ _ ^^^ Deaths of ^erjons^ who have fojnetimes ^^^l^^ been ruifortnnately buried alive^ and at 0- ther times happily refiord to Life ; and therefore, for Argument's fake, let us fuppofe for once, that this Widow's Son of Nain^ might poflibly be in a Lethar- gick State ; yet fincc all about him con- cluded him to be dead, and accordingly were carrying him to his Funeral, how could Jefos (fuppofing him to be an Im- foflorj know, or lb much as fulpefl:, that he was only in a Lethargy^ or if he fufpected that, how could he tell far- ther, at what precife Time the Man would wake out of it ? ^ What then are we to believe in this Cafe ? W'hy, that Jefus needlefly oflFer'd himfelf to a pub- lick Trial, without the leaft Profped of Succefs. The company met him acci- dentally *• Vid. Lezvis's Antiq. oF the Heb. Rep. Vol. 3. p. 371. * Defence of Scnp. Hift. p. i6. 1 J 4 State of the Controvcvfy hetijueen dentally upon the Road, but no-body asked or challeng d him to raile this Man to Life. It was entirely his own offer ; and thereupon he either did, or did not, fuppofe him to be dead. If he fuppos'd him to be dead (as he had a- bundant Reafon) he muft needs know (upon the foot we are now arguing) that it was not in his Power to raiie him. If he did not fuppole him dead, hut hop'd that there might be Ibme miftake in the Matter, the hazard of being dif- appointed, in prefuming upon a Caie, which fcarce happens once in a Century^ added to this farther hazard, that (even prefuming this to be the Cafe) the Man might not poffibly awake upon his touching the Bier, and calling upon him , to arife, makes the Chance againft him to out-run all reckoning, ^pv *g The like is to be laid in the Cafeof y^- Ddughtcr rtis's Daughter. ^Here a Perfon of Note rcquefts of him to go and heal his Child, which was at the point of Death : before he could get to the Houfe, a Meflenger comes and acquaints the Father, that Jhe was aftually dead. Upon this change in the Cafe, Jefus is lb far from excu- fing himfelf, (as he had a fair Oppor- tunity) that he offers, of his own accord, to t Defence of Sa*ipt. Hifl, p. 17. Mr, Woolfton and his Ad^erfaries. i j c to go forward, and tells the Father that he would raile her ^ ' he not afraid^ lays he, only believe^ and Jhe Jhcdl he made whole. Whatever the Cafe of the Child was in reality, 'tis certain, both by the Meflage of the Servant, and the Appear- ance of Things, when he came to the Houfe, that Jelhs had all the realbn in the World to believe her dead. Here then is an Impoftor making a bold and delperate Pu/h^ which muft either ruin him at once, or eftablilh his Reputation for ever. He undertakes to raile a Per- Ibn to Life, who, he was affur'd, was dead. If fhe was dead in good earncft, he was undone ; his only Hopes reftcd upon a bare Poffibility, that there might be Ibme miftake in the Cafe : Upon thele Hopes he goes, and when he comes to the Houfe, luckily finds that there was a miftake, and more luckily ftill, that himlelf was the only one that pcrceiv'd it. What now does he do ? w hy, in- ftead of improving this extraordinary ac- cident to his own Advantage, he takes away (as much as in him lies) all poffiblc Pretence for a Miracle, by declaring plainly, that the Perlbn was not really dead, as they fuppofed, but q/Icep^ and wanted only to be awakened. Here cer- * Luke viii. 50. x^ij State of the Controverfy hetnveen certainly is fuch a bundle of Abfurdities, as no Man of common Senfe can ever be juppos'd to incur. Had Jefus been an Impo/ior^ or had the Hiftory, we are now examining, been a Forgery ^ inftead of thcfe modeft Expreffions, give placcy for the Maid is not dead^ hutjleepeth^ we had had fome fuch vaunting Speech as this ; " Ay ! the young Woman is real- *' ly dead, and your Lamentations are " well grounded^ but let me only look ^^ upon her, and fay a few Words over " her, and depend upon it, you will " fee her alive again, and as well as e- *' ver. " Whereas our Saviour, in what he lays, is io far from boafting of his divine Power, that he feems rather de- firous to conceal it ; and, for that Rea- ibn, makes uie of a Word of a Ibfter Signification, (as he does elfewere^ in the Cafe oi Lazarus J to denote that Death, which he came to remove, with the fame facility, as another Perfon might be a- wakerfd out of Jleep, Why And indeed 'twas owing, in a great ^'^"!^^"'meafure, to the humility and modefty Parents of Jcfus, that, inftead of ordering Men to Silence, proclaim his Works, we find him fo fre- quently defiring them to conceal them. In the prefent Gale however, he might have ! John xi. 4, &u Mr. Woolfton and his Ad^erfaries. % 1 7 have fome Regard to the Charader of yarusy as Ruler of the Synagogue, and, by this Advice of Silence, difpenle with his Ipeaking publickly of a Miracle, which might poffibly draw the Malice of the Scribes and Pharifees upon him, as well as upon himfelf. In the Gale of his Railing Lazarus^ we find, that ^ hecanfe hy reafon of him ?nany of the Jews went away and believed on Jefis^ the Chief Priejts confultedy not only how to de- ftroy Jefus, but to fat Lazarus likewije to Death ; and much of the fame Defign might have been expefted (which our Saviour by this kind Caution endea- voured to prevent) if it once came to their Knowledge, that lb great a Man, as a Governour of the Synagogue, by the miraculous Recovery of his Daughter, had forfaken the Religion of his Ance- ftors, and was become a Convert to the Chriftian Faith. But to proceed. When Lazarus fell fick, s the Evan^ The Cafe gelifi informs us, that Jefus was not with ^^^ ^''^'*" him, nor did he lee any of the Family, until he had been buried fome Days ^ that vben Martha and Mary met him, then- Cwhaviour was fuch, as might na- turaliv be expcftcd from Perfons, under the nioft fenfible Concern for the Lois of ^ John xii. lo, ir. * John xi, i 3 8 State of the Controverfy hetiveen of fo near a Friend ; that when he favv their Sorrow and Concern, and the Peo- ple, that came to comfort them, la- menting their Lofs with Tears, himfelf was likewife mov'd with Compaffion, and wept j that when he came to the Grave fit was a Cave^ aijd a Stone laid upon it) and ordered the Stone to be taken away, Martha interposed, as knowing her Brother to have been too long dead, to be fit to be feen ; but that, after a fhort Prayer to God, he called upon Lazarus with a loud Voice^ where- upon hCy that was dead^ came jorth^ hound hand and foot with Grave^Cloths^ and his Face was bound about with a Nap- kin. In this light have the Evangelijis reprefented the whole Tranfaftion, and wherein I pray is the leaft Ihadow of Fraud or Collufion ? Why If our Saviour's compaflionating the Chrift Circumftances of his Friends, and weep- ^Ucdhim ing upon lb fad an Occafion, fliould be with a accounted an Adion not comporting loud Voice, ^j^j^ j^jg charader, it ftiould be confi- der'd, ^ that " There is fomething inhu- " man Nature, refulting from our very " Make and Gonftitution, while it re- " tains its genuine Form, and is not al- '^ ter'd by vicious Habits, or opprels'd « by * Religion of Nat. "Delin, SqOc. 6. p. 1 39. Afr, Woolflon and his Ad^erfaries. 235; ^' by ftupidity, which renders us ob- ^' noxious to the Pains of others ; caules ^' us to Sympathize with them, and al- *' moft comprehends us in their Cafe. *'' This Companion appears eminently in *' thole, who, upon other Accounts, arc " juftly reckoned among the befi ofMefj. " They, who, of all Writers, undertake " to imitate Nature moft, often intro- " duce even their Heroes weeping. The " Tears of Men are, in Truth, verydif- " ferent from the Cries and Ejaculations " of Children: They are filent Streams, " and flow from other Caufes, common- " ly fome tender^ and perhaps fhilo^ '^ Jbphical Reflexions'': And in the Cafe now before us, there might be other Confiderations, befides the Lois of Lazarus^ that might draw from our Sa- viour thefe Tears of CompaflSon. He might, at that Time be affefted with the Thought of the many Afflidions, to which human Nature is liable, in this imperfeft State, and his Groans and in- ward Grief might proceed from the want of Faith, oblervable in the Sifters, and Company attending, and a diffidence of his Ability to raife the Dead, notwith- ftanding they had feen fo frequent Ma- nifeftations of a divine and omnipotent Power reliding in him. If 140 ^^^^^ of the Contiroverry between If his Crying to Lazarus with a had Voice is thought a Gircumftance of fome Sufpicion, it Ihould be remembered, that, when a Miracle is wrought for the Proof of the Character, or divine MifEon of any Perlbn, it ought always to appear to be done by him, that it may not be repu- ted a cafual Event. ^ For this Reafon it is, that we find the Prophets, and o- ther extraordinary Mcffengcrs of God, at the fame Time that they performed any Miracle, always making uie of fome external Adion, though that Aftion was in itfelf of no real Virtue. Thus when the Red'Sea was to be open'd, to give a PalTage to the Children of I/rae/y God faid unto Mo/es, "' lift up thy Rody m:d Jiretch thine Hand over the Sea^ and di- vide it. ^he ftretchlng the Hand^ it is plain, did not divide the Sea, but the divine Power, that accompanied that Adion J and yet that Adion was of great ufe to convince the People, that the di- viding and returning of the Waters (which immediately followed thereupon) was not a cafual natural Event, but a plain Indication of God's abetting the Pretenfions of their Leader Mo/es, And, in like Manner, the Tone of our Savi- oin*'s Voice, whether Z^z^;, or AW, avail- ed ' Ijjm'w.'A Viud. p. 65, "" Exoci. xiv. 16. Mr. Woolfton and Im Ad^uerfaries, 1 4 1 ed notihing to the dead Man's " Refur- redion, but fince the Hiftory alTures us that a great Number otjews^ and, among thefe, Foes as well as Friends, were come to condole with the two Sifters upon this Ibrrowful Event, common Realbn will inform us, that it was highly pros- per, that all, who were prefent, fliould be equally Witncfles of the whole Pro-^ cefs ; and, confequently, that an eleva- ted Voice was more luitable to this Oc- cafion, than when the like Miracle was done, either in a private Room, or be- fore a fmaller Number of People. If the Napkifi^ which Lazarus came The at?;- out of the Grave with, is thought to give ^'''^^" ''i*^ any lulpicious Umbrage, it may not be„o'f^j|;^^ improper to obferve, that the Text fays, c cms cii- that ° Lazarus' s Face was hound about n"^" with a Napkhr^ but it does not fay, that it was covered with it, lb that the Spcfta- tors could not behold his Countenance. P The fame Evangeliji^ fpeaking of our Lord's Refurredion, ufes the lame Ex- preffion, and tells us of the (r^^picv^ Kv iiTi rm Jtc^ssA^^ ai;T«, the iSapktn^ that was uj^on his Head^ by which it Ihould feem that the Sudariuju. was part of the Burial'drefs^ bound about the Head, R and " Rafs Vind. P;ut 2. p. 189. * John xi. 44, P Defence of Scrip. Hiftory, p. 29. X^i State of the Controverfy hetnveen and covering only the upper part of the Face or Forehead, like a Night-Cap ; and if fo, this Circumftance can be no Proof that his Face was not open to the view of the Company. But allowing t:hat his whole Face was covered with this Nafkhjy yet, fince, among all civi- liz'd Nations, the Cuftom is reputed de- f:ent, to cover the Face of the Corpfe with fomething or other : as this was a Proof that Lazarus was fuppos'd by his Friends to be Dead, when they buried him ; ib^ inftead of any Bodies going in- to the Tomb to occafion the leaft Sulpi- cion of any clandeftine Practices, the proper Demonftration was to fee him come forth fairly alive, in the prelence of the numerous Spedators, without any Change or Alteration cf his Funeral Ha- bit, but what was made before the Peo- ple thcmfelves, by our Saviour's faying, looje him, a?id let him go. That fome or other in the Company was ready enough, upon this OccaCon, to obey our Lord'*^ Command, can hardly be doubted ; and therefore it is very wonderful, that (had there been any Fraud or Collufion in this Refurredion) among fo great a Multi- t:ude, no one Ihould have Sagacity e- fiough to find it out. But the Truth of the Matter ^r.Woolfton andhisAd^erfaries. 245 Matter is, ^ they none of them fufped- ed any fuch Thing ; they none of them thought, that, when a Man had been four Days buried, there wanted any Proof of his being Dead ; they none of them thought that Chrift was only a pretended worker of Miracles, for, how unwilling foever they were to own him for their MeJJtas, by long Experience they were convinced, that he was a Per- fon niighty in fVord and Deed, Some few of the Company (as the Hiftory tells us) who were not convinced, even by this Miracle, went to the Chief ^riejis and ^harijees ; but what was it that they told them ? " That they had de- " tefted Jefus in an Impofture, and found " out how the whole Bufinels of this prc- ^' tended Refurredion was tranfafted " ? Quite otherwile, as appears from what themfelves faid, when, in Gonfequence of this Information, they were affembled in Council, "^ What do we do^ for this Man doth many Miracles ; if we let him thus alone ^ all Men will believe on him^ and the 'Kom2ins fh all come and take away both &ur ^lace and Nation^ and thereup- on they refolve that both he and ^ L^- ^arus fhould be put to Death. R 2 ^'he ^ Defence of Scrip. Hift. p. 28. [ John xi. 2 44 ^^^^^ ^f ^^^^ Controverfy hetaveen Why the The Komzns Pjal/ come^ and take away vei^e To ^^'^^ ^Jace and Nation^ was the fiihllck tnr.tp*,^ a- and fpecious Rcafon given for the fan- ?f j."^ guinary Meafures taken againft our Sa- viour, but it was far from being the true one. The Jezvs^ indeed, were very im- patient of the Roman Yoke, and, upon all Occafions, prone enough to Rebelli- on : But, fo far was our Saviour, either by Example or Precept, from giving any Difturbance to the Civil Govern- ment ; fo far from affecting any Secular Dominion among them, that we find him, very frequently, ftridly charging the very People, that he cur'd, not to divulge the Miracles he had wrought, ' on purpofe to difcourage the pernicious Conceit, which had then obtained among the yews^ that their Mejjiah was to be a temporal Prince. Here then was the true Caule, that rais'd their Malice and Indignation againft him, viz, a Defeat given to their Expeftations, in a Do- "ctrine abhorrent to their corrupt Notions. ^ For it was a fad Difappointment and Mortification to them, after the fond Conceits, they had ^o long cherilh'd, of a temporal Deliverer, in the Peribn of the expected Mefftah^ to be put off with one, ' Vid. Whithy in Mali. 'ix. 50. " Ray's Vind. part 2. p. 104. Mr. Woolfton and his Aciverfarles. 1 4 5 one, who made lb little Figure in the World himfelf, and who, inftead of rai- fing his Followers to any Eminence of earthly Honour and Dignities, made it his Bufinefs to beget in their Minds a juft Contempt of the World, and all the fading and perifhable Glories of it. And whoever confiders the prodigious Force of worldly Intereft upon the greateft part of Mankind, how much they are under the Influence and Impreffion of temporal Motives ; what Regret and Im- patience they dilcover, when they meet with any Thing, that controuls their un- governable Lufts and Pallions ^ will not wonder, that a Doftrine of lb much Pu- rity and Simplicity, as our Saviour came to eftabliih, ihould meet with fo much Oppofition from fuch a corrupt Genera- tion of Men, as the Jewi/h Rulers were. "^ Had he indeed taught no Doctrine at all, or no Dodrine contrary to the Opi- nions commonly received, his healing the Sick, and railing the Dead to Life, would queftionlels have every where gained him a great Efteem, and a general Con- fent, that the Power, by which he was enabled to do fuch Miracles, was Divide : But when the Cafe was fo, that they could not acknowledge the Hand R 3 of Z Defence of Scrip. Hift. p. 35. 1^6 State of the ControvciTy hetween of God in thele Things, without ac- knowledging, at the lame Time, the Truth of a Doctrine, to which they had an irreconcileable Averfion ^ it is eafy enough to conceive, how this might have the effect, which we find it had, of blind- ing their Eyes againft Conviction, and of putting them upon contriving the De- struction, both of Jejiis himfelf, and of every one elfe, who was inftrumcntal in fupporting his Authority among the People. Why he And if fuch was the Rage and Ma- r'r hcir^'S^^^y of the y^z^;//?? Rulers againft him, M^iiicc. who can think it ftrange, that an inno- cent Perfbn Ihould endeavour to take care of his own Life and Safety, and prudently avoid (as much as was con- liftent with Juftice and Honour) the bloody Defigns of wicked and outrageous Men. '^ A time there was indeed (and that near approaching) appointed in the Decrees of God, when he was to be of- fered up on the Crols for the Sins of the World ; but till that Time was fully ac- complifti'd, he was to be prelerv'd, not by any miraculous Interpofition, but by the ordinary Methods of Providence* Had he fummon'd his Legiom from Hea- ven^ and overthrown his Enemies by a * Defence of Scrip. Hiil, [', 40^ Mr. Woolfton and his Advevfaries, 14 j vifible Exercilc of his Sovereign Power, y how then (as hehimfelf oblcrvcs)//^^^//./ the Scriptures have been fuljilled^ that thus itjbvuld be ? Since for this Reafon then, it was improper for him to employ his miraculous Power for his Proteftion^ what had he to do^ but to decline, for the prefent, the Storm, that was gather- ing, by retiring into a Place more pri- vate than yerujalern. In this Retirement,; however, his continuance was not long : for the next News we hear of him w^as at Bethany^ in the Houle of Lazarus^ where he was entertained at Supper pub- licity, in the Pretence of a great Num^ her of the Jews^ who came^ not only for Jefuss fake^ hut that they might fee La^ zarus alfoy whom he had raijed from the Bead, Bethany was a Village ^ about two No Fraud Miles diftant from Jerufalem, where, ^ ^^^^^f ^^- Within nx Days, the Pallover was to be his Aiter- celebrated. Here our Saviour (whofe ^'''if'^"^- defign was to be at the Feafl) took up his Quarters, and, during this Ihort in- terval, went every day to Jerufalem^ where he appeared in the moft publick and frequented Places. The lirft time of his going thither, ^ he was met^ upon R 4 the y John xii. I, lo. ^ IbiJ. xi. 3^. • ILi;^, -xiii r. " Ver. 17. 248 State of the Controverfy betuueen the way, by great Throngs of People, ^vho, with load Acclamations, and other publick Marks of Honour, ufher'd him into the City. After this we find him in the Temple, '■" driving out the Buyers and Sellers^ difputing with the Scribes and Pharljees^ rebuking them Iharply with his Parables, and expofing them openly in his Diicouries to the People. Now had our Saviour been conlcious of any Fraud in the Cafe of Lazarus^ how can we think, that he would have come to Bethany again, and into the Houfe of the very Man, who was the principal J£ior in the Cheat ; that he w^ould have gone to yerufdlem^ into the very Teeth of his Enemies; been received, by the ^^t^- , puhce^ with fuch Marks of Diftinftion, or allowed to treat the great and leading Men of the City with fuch freedom of Speech ? Above all, how can we think, that, in the Courfe of this Freedom, or in the Courle of his Tryal^ no one ftiould be found to upbraid him with what had pafTed at Bethany^ which (confidering the great Weight of the Objection, fup- pofing it to have been a Fraudy the fhort Time that had pafs'd llnce the Thing was done, and that leveral were to be found, who mull have been Eye-wit- neffcs ! Mitt. xxi. 12. Mr, Wool (ton and his Adn^erfaries. 245^ nefles of it) would have avail'd more to Difgrace him with the People, than all ^ the little Artifices, they us'd to entangle him in his falk ; and have juftify'd his Condemnation better, than the falfe Ac- culations, which fuborn'd WitnefTes al- ledg'd, of his having a Defign to pull down the Temple, and deftroy the Law ? Thele Things, I lay, can no ways be accounted for, without admit- ting, in our Saviour, a Conjcionfnejs of his own Innocency of any juft Imputati- on of Fraud, and, on the part of the People, a general Perfuafion that he wrought his Miracles by the Power of God. And now to look back upon what has Thc/wa been laid 'm. Vindication of thele three ^j^^^|]^ Reliirredion-Miracles. Since the Di-AuiVcr. ftinftion of greater and lefs Miracles, is deftitute of all real Foundation, and, confequently, the raifing of one Perlbn from the Dead, is as much a Miracle as raifing another ; fince the Evangelifis\ in their Accounts of our Saviour^s Mi- racles, are fo far from relating every- one, that they omit feveral^ which the intended Brevity of their Gofpels, and the multiplicity of Matter neceflary to be compriz'd in them, oblig'd them to do J fince, upon thele Confidcrations, and z 5 o State of the Controverfy hetnjjeen and perhaps in Point of Prudence^ that they might not exafperate the Jews a- gainft LazaruSy the three frfl EvangeTiJis have pafs'd by that Period in our Savi- our's Life, wherein Lazarus was raised from the Dead, and contented themfelves with relating the Hiftory of others fa tais'd ; fince the Gofpel of St. John was profefiedly wTitten to fupply the Dcfeds of thcfe other Evangelifis^ and according- ly has done it in many remarkable In- ftances ; fince the three Perlbns, whole Refurredions are Recorded by thefe la- cred Pen-men, were no improper Ob- jefts of our Saviour's Kindnefs to them, and the Scripture's Silence concerning their future Lives, and the Intelligence from the other World, may, in a great Meafure, be accounted for ^ fince theie could be no miftake in their Deaths, nor any Circumftances in the whole Story, denoting a Fallacy in their Relurredion j fince, in the Cafe of Lazarus^ particular- ly, the whole Procefs was Ho ordcr'd, as to take away all imaginable Occafion of Sufpicion, and the bloody Rclblves of the yewijh Council thereupon, and our Saviour's Retreat from Jerufalcm for his Security, was no more, than what, an inveterate Prejudice in them, and a Prin- ciple of Self-Prejervation in him, may bs Mr. Wooldon and his AJ^erfaries. 251 be well fuppos'd to fnggeft ; fince all thefc Articles, I iay, have been prov'd to be thus, the Evajigeli/Is are acquitted from the Imputation of Forgeryy their Hiftories, from the Charge of intrin- jich Ahjlirdities and Incred'ihihties^ and our Saviour's Conduct, in working thefe Miracles, from the railing Accufation of Fraud and Impofiure : and 16 we are come, at laft, to his owjj Rejurrefiion. SECT. XVI. 0/ C H R I s t's own Rcfurredion. " "DUT his own Refurreftion, >laysM-. i 44 U Mr. Woolfion, as the EvangeUJfsfi'"^\ s Ob- have related it, is the moft notorious ^ "' ^ '^' " and monftrous Impofture, that was ever put upon Mankind. ^ Pity it is indeed, that we have not the Books, which were anciently written againft Jefus and his Anions, for they, doubtlels, would have given us an Infight into the whole Contrivance, However, this Comfort we have, that the very Account, which is given by " the ' Vid. WoolfiohS Difc. 6 J p- 4^ to p. 3^> ^ DiC p, 50, a 44 ic U u 252, State of the Controverfy hetnveen the pretended Witneffes of this Fad, is enough to deftroy the Credit of it. ^ To this purpofe we mull remember, that, after Jefus was crucify'd, and his dead Body laid in the Sepulchre, the Governours of the Jews^ calling to Mind, that he, in his Life-time, had promised to Rife again the third Day, and, confidering withal, that he had many Difciples and Followers alive, who would be ready enough to combine in any Fraud to verify *' their Mailer's Prediftion ; addrefs'd ^^ themfelves to Pilate^ the Roman Go- ^^ vernour, and of him obtained a Guard to Watch the Place : nay, and to pre- vent any future Fraud, the chief Priells took a farther Method, and leard the Door of the Sepulchre, up- on Agreement with the Apollles, that the Seals Ihould not be opened, till the Time appointed for thcRefurre^li- ^' on, in order that all Parties might ^' fee, and be fatisfy'd, whether the dead Body was come to Life or no. This was a fair Expedient, one would think, to determine the Difpute ; but, inllead of this, we find the Seals bro- " ken, without the Confent or Privity '' of *" The Tryal of the WitncfUs, from p. 55. to p. 3^* iind fiom p. 53. to p. yj. Mr. Woolfton avd his Ad^evfaries. i^j of the Chief ^riefts^ and the Body ftolen away by his Dilciples, a whole Day^ before he himfelf had fpoke of his Refurredion, and early in the Morning, when the Guards were faft afleep, as they themfelves acknow- ledged. *' And indeed, had there not been Ibme fuch Management as this in the Gale, we can hardly conceive, why " y^fi^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ fuppos'd Refurredion, '' did not appear perjomilly to the Chief " Priefts and Rulers of the Jews. Him " they had crucify 'd and put to Death, " as a Deceiver and falle Prophet ; to " them did his Commiffion in a more et- " pecial Manner relate, and therefore, " for his own Juftification, as well as *' their Conviction, it was in a Manner ^' necelfary, for him to manifeft his Re- " furreftion. For, fince his Refurredi- " on is acknowledged to be the chief " Proof of his Miflion, the Evidence of " it fhould certainly have been io or- " der'd, as to put it beyond all pofTibili- " ty of Exception : But, inftead of this, " we have none, but a let of his own Creatures, who call themfelves JVtt- nsffes chojin before of God, to atteft a Matter of fuch Confequence. 'Tis acknowledg'd indeed, that in Tefti- *^ mony ii i. 5 4 StaU of the Controverfy hetnjjeen " mony of thefe Fi^ionSj they perfifl:- " ed with great Conftancy and Reiblu- ^^ tion ; but, as it is no uncommon " Thing to meet with Enthafiafls^ who " will lufFer to the uttermoft in Vindi- *' cation of Falfhoods, and Ibmetimes to " meet with harden'd Villains^ who will '^ even adventure to die in an obftinate '^ denial of the Truth ; we may, from *' the whole, conclude, that thefe pre- tended Witneffes of J^fns's Refur- redion, were either Jilly enough to *^ be imposed on themlelves, in what '^ they attefted, or, for fome private *^ Views or other, wicked enough to en- " deavour to impole upon others. Tfrc Lofs ^ The Refurreftion of our Saviour "^Lfnlw ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ great point, upon which 'Shno the whole weight of Chri/ilafjtty refts ; p-catDif-and therefore, as our Faith can never to^hir b^ ^o^ ^v^'l grounded herein, whatever Caiifc. Objections, have, in any Age, been ad- vanced againfl: it, are not unworthy our Confideration. 'Tis much to be wlftied therefore, that the ^ Anttchrijiian Books, whofe lolsis io much lamented, were extant at this Day, if it were but to flop ^he Mouths of their Admirers, who w^ould not, •* Dr. Veavcei Viijj. Part i. p. K \ Defence cf Sp.ip. Hift. p. 50. Mr. Woolfton and his Adverfarks. 1 5 j not, I am confident, boaft lb much of them, if they had them, as they now do, that they want them. Whatever the ftrength of Wit or Malice can do, our modern Patrons of Infidelity have not left unattempted ; and 'twou'd be a Dif- paragement to their fine Parts, and corn- pals of Thinking, to imagine, that any of the Jncknts cou*d aflift them in their Enquiries. If we may be allowed to take the Charafter of Porphyry (one of the moft ftrenuous oppolers of Chrifiianity, whole Books T'heodofius the Emperor ordered to be Burnt) from Eufehtus^ who had feen and read them, we cannot but fuppole,^ that, if his manner was, ^ when he watited Keafons^ to Jet hlmfelj' to ratVtng^ and tho' he woiid fomettmes fpeak 'Truths when he coiid not help itj yet he never fcrupVd to tell a Lye^ when he thought he could palm It upon his Readers^ without being difcoverd ; his Books cou'd have been of any great lervice in our fearch after Truth. Nay, luppofing that he, and fbmc other Fathers oflnfi" delity^ had made never lb many difco-? veries againft Chriftianity, and, with the like Affurance, that Ibme of their Sons have done, had affirmM that Jejtis^ was a vile Impojlor^ and the Hiftory of his. ^ Ecclcf. Hift. L. 6. C. 18. 2^6 State of the Ccntroverfy hetiveen his Miracles, (efpccially of his Refurrec- tion,) as it is recorded by the Evangeli/isy was all a mere Fable, yet, after all, the Queftion will be, whom we are to be- lieve ? s That they, or any Authori- ties they cou'd bring to vouch for them, cou'd have better Opportunities of know- ing the Truth, than the Evangelifts had, is abfolutely impoffible ♦ and that any of them have given any fuch Proofs of their Honefty and Sincerity, as the £- vangelifts did, a Man muft be void of the Senfe of Shame to maintain : And this (by the way) may fupply us with a Reafon, why the Fate of their Writings, and ohhtEvmigeliJls was lb very different. ^l^.^ jf That the Heathens^ when under the kipp«i*a. power of Ghriftians, were as able to prcferve their Books from being de- flroy'd, as the Chrlftians^ when under the power oi Heathens^ were to prelerve theirs., can be no manner of doubt, if mere Power were to be confider'd : but the great Difference lay here, that the Books of the New 7ef}ament\vQX(^ lb con- firm'd and eftablifli'd by undoubted E- vidence, and Ghriftians were lb fully convinced of their Divine Authority, that they willingly facriliced their Lives, ra- ther than deliver them up, and by this 5 Defejnce of Scilp. Hift. p. >ij ^z. Mr, Wool/Ion and his Ad^erfarks, 157 this means they were preferv'd and out-* liv'd the rage of ten PerlecuticHis ; wherc^ as the Writings of Celfus and Porphyry^ &c. were fenfelefs lying hiveff'wes^ which however Men of corrupt Fancies might be pleased with^ yet no one was found to have that value for them^ as to ruti the leaft Hazard for their Prefervation^ and therefore they eafiiy fell under the Punifhment, which many thought due to the Spite and Malice, which gave them Birth. Since then we are reduced to the fole yhc cir- Account of the Evangelifis in this great cumdan- Article of our Chriftian Faith, ^tis happy '"^'^"'"t lor us, that every Gircumftance, rela-^ Rcfunc- ting to it, is fo minutely told, as to^^^"* leave no Umbrage for Sulpiclon. For, upon his being taken down from the Grols, and prepared for Interment, the Sacred Hiftorians inform us, that he was laid in a 7iew Tomb'^ that this Tomb was hew*d out of a Rock ; that a great Stone was rolled to the Door of it, that Stone fecur'd with a Seal, and the w hole watched and defended with a ftrong ^ guard of Soldiers. The Tomb is faid to be a new one^ wherein never Man hefors was laid^ to prevent all Sufpicion of its being any other Body, that did arife ; and to he hew?; out of a Rock, clos'd with 5 a Stone^ 258 State of the Controverfy het^een a Stone, and watch'd with a Guard, to filence the Pretence of the Jews that his Dilciples ftole the Body away : But, that the Sealing the Door was intended for any Contrati or Agreement between the chief Priefts and his Apoftks is a mere Fiction, andfuUof Abfurdities; be- caufe whoever confiders the Situation of Affairs, at that time, muft needs ima- gine, that there could be no manner of Intercourfe between them. No £?.- h When Chrift was firft feiz'd,and car- h^<^ ried to his Trial, his Difciples fled, and the Chief hid themfelves for fear of the Jews^ out P iciis of a juft Apprehenlion, that they fhould, A^oir'cs ^^ apprehended, be facrij&ced with their Mafter. St. Peter indeed followed him to the '^ndgraent-Uall^ but his Courage loon failed him, and 'tis wxll known in what a fhameful manner he denied him. After the Death of Chrift, his Dilciples were fo far from being ready to engage for his Refurrection, or to enter into any Terms or Agreements for the man- fier^ in which it fhould be done, that they themfelves did not believe it ever would come to pafs ; they gave off, in fhort, all Thoughts and Expedations of it, and inftead of entering into any Covenant with the Chief Priefts, made *■■ 'TU 'Try nl of the fV^ir/rffrSy p. 40. \ Mr. Wool fton and his Adverfaries, 2 5 p made it their whole Care and Concern, to keep themfelves clole and concealed from them. So that, it was not upon any Stipula-The Rca- tion with the Apoftles, (who all this |5^^'^^"/ while never once came near them,) but the Sc- to feciire themfelves againft any Decep-P^i^chic, tion of the Guards, and left they fliould enter into a Combination againft them, that the Jews fealed the Door of the Sepulchre. Such was the Precaution ta- ken by the Jewiflj Rulers : But what avails all this againft the mighty Power of God ? ^ An Jngel Sejcends^ and rolls ^- way the Stone ; his Count cficincc and the Earthqnakey that attended him, frighten the Keepers lb, that they became like dead Men : But, when trembling J or fear j they came into the City^ and told what was done^ obferve, what a contradicto- ry Story the Rulers trump up. They pretended " That, not with- The /f,* " ftanding all they had done, the Dif- '^f '"'?'' *^^ " ciples ftole away the Body; ^ thatjj^^^^^^ " Things were carried on juft in the lame away th« *' manner, as if no Precaution had been '^' " uled,nor any Guards at all plac'd ; that ^' all their Contrivance and Forefight had " beenout-witted,by aParcel of filly Fiih- " ermen, who had the Hardinefs to break S 2 *' the . ! Alitth xxviii* "^ Riy*iViad, Part 2. p. 22+. Cc ii 160 State of the Controverfy hetiveen " the Seal, and were able, without Dif- " covery, to roll away a vaft Stone, and " all to carry off the dead Body ; that, ^^ while this was doing, the whole Num- " ber of the Guards were, to a Man, " faft afleep, and (which is as ftrange as all the reft) that though they wereyl?, they knew every thing that paffed, without any Attempt, or Inclination " to prevent it ; and were able to give ^' as exaft a Relation of what happened, *^ while they were afleep, as if they had " been broad awake ". )'e wicked and corrupt JVretcJks^ (as St. Juftin^ with juft Indignation, expoftulates the Cafe with the Soldiers,) either ye were ciwake, or ajleep -^ if awake ^ it voas your Eufinefs to fectire the Body from being fiolen away ; // ^J^^epy then your ozvn ^ words d'lfp'oveyou^Jince^ in this Condition^ it was itnpqffible for you to know, either what was done^ or who were the Perjbns that did it. And indeed, well may the Guards be ask'd, how they came to be ib punftual in relating what happened when they were afleep, and what in- duced them to believe, that the Body was ftolen at all, what, that it was ftolcn by the Difciples, when according to their own Confeffion, they could lee nothing that pafs'd. That Mr. Woolllon and his Ad'verfaries. ici ^ That the RomanSy whofc Military F»'om Difcipline was lb extremely ftrift, fliould ^^^^^^ ^^ negled their Poll upon fo extraordinary Coumge. an Emergency, is hardly allowable; but, iuppofing they did, how can we imagine, that the Dilciplcs fhould ever engage in lb delpcrate a Dclign, as Heal- ing away theirMafter's Body ? For are not thele the very Men, who, upon the firft alFauk in the Garden, all forlbok him ? They durft not Hand by him even then, when he declared it in his Power to call for twelve Legions of Angels for his Rel^ cue ; and have they now the Confidence to come in a Body, and bear away his Gorpfe ? It is incongruous to believe, that they, who durft not io much as ap- pear in Publick, but affembled private- ly, and fhut up their Doors for fear of the fewsy fhould invade a ftrong Guard, and, all on a fudden grow lb valiant, or rather fool hardy^ as to attempt a de- tachment of armed Men (whole Order and Bufinefs it was to expeft, and be provided for them) when he,in whom they trufted, was dead, and when the ftouteft of them all (even while he was yet a- live) trembled at the Voice of a filly Ser- vant-Wench, and was forc'd to have Kcourle to Falfhood and Perjury, to S 3 dehver [Stanhopc*6 Eplft. and Gofp, vol. 2. p. 599. t6i State of the Con trover fy let ween deliver himfelf from the Danger of her inquifitive Tongue. Ti.c h:- But let us fuppofe further, that the prr.Hur.- Difciples had Courage enough for fo de- ihoihhi^, fperate an Undertaking ; yet what hopes could they have of fucceeding in it ? ^^ A dead Body is not removed by Slight of Band^ it requires many Hands to do it ; and the Stone, at the Mouth of the Se- pulchre, was to be taken away, which could not be done (ikntly^ and by Men walking on tip-toes to prevent Difco^ very. So that if the Guards had really been afleep, yet there was no Encou- ragement to go upon the Enterprize ; for 'tis hardly poffible to fuppofe, but that rolling away the Stone, moving the Body, and the Hurry and Confufion of carrying it off, muft have awaken'd them. And the "^^^ fuppofing the Thing prafticable, i^//)'of it. yet the Attempt was fuch, as the Difci- ples, conjijiently with their own Notions^ could not undertake. They had pro- mised themfelves, in their Mafter's Life- time, to fee him become a Temporal Prince, and to Jit on his Right and on his Left'hand^ had been the Matter of Ibme of their Petitions : But now, that they had feen him Dead, and laid in the Grave, *" The Try^I of the V/Hvejfes, p. 43. ^^ Stahhc^.^^ , Epift. and Gofp. vol. 2. p, 6oa. Air: Woo] ft on and his Adverfaries, 16 1 Grave^ they gare up all for loft, and, what the forrowful Difciple, in his Way to Emmaus^ lays, was the general Senti- ment of them all, * We trujled that it had been he^ which fJmdd have delivered Ifrael. And if luch was their Deipon- dency, for what End or Reaibn fliould they attempt to fteal away his Body ? Did they exped to make a King of the dead Body, if they could but get it in- to their Power ? Or \ did they think, that, if they had it, they could raife it to Life again ? If they trufted ^o far to their Mailer's Prediftion, as to expect his Reiurredion (which I think is evi- dent they did not) yet it is too grofs to fuppole, that they were lb far bereav'd of common Senle, as to fancy that his Refurreftion depended upon having the dead Body in their Poffeflion. And yet fome fuch extravagant Suppofition, as this, muft be admitted, before we cai> conceive, why they ran fuch a vifible Hazard for that, which, when obtained, could avail them nothing. But admitting that the Difciples were From the both bold enough, and foolifh enough p"^|'(''"» to Attempt the Thing ; yet the Circum-thcSepnl- ftances, wherein the Sepulchre was left, chic was are a fufficient Proof, that the Removal of ^''""^' S 4 the * Luis xxi V. 2 1 . \ 'The Tryal of the WttrJeJfes, p. 4^' Z(j4: ^i^te oj the Controverfy het'ween the Body was none of their Handy-' work. Robberies, we know, are com- mitted in hafte, and every Moment is tedious to Men under Apprehenfions of Difcovery. If therefore the removing of the Body had been their Work, and tJiey had watch'd their Opportunity for it, when the Centinels were afleep, yet certainly they would have taken it a- way, as it was, without flaying to un^ bind and undrcfs it. For do Thieves, after they have rifled an Houfe, ufe to ipcnd time in putting Things in order again ? And is it not agreeable to all the Reafon in the World, that thele Perfons would have been rather Ibllicitous to make their efcape, than to ftrip the Corpfe °, to fold up the Cloaths, and to lay them apart, from one another, in their proper Places ? The Cuftom of In^ termcnt among the Jews^ we know, was to roll the dead Body p (as we read our Saviotir's was)up in Spices, which, though they preferv'd it in fome meafure from Corruption, yet, by their glewy Nature, could not but make the Cloaths, that were ufed with them, cling io clofe to the Skin, as not to be drawn off without a great deal of Time and Difficulty. When therefore thefe Cor verings • JcJ?n XX. 5, 6*c. J* Ch. xix. 39, 40. Air, Woolflon and his Adverfartes. iCy verings were found, regularly pull'd off, wrapped up', and laid by '-, this plainly ihews, that the removing of Jeliis's Bo- dy was a work of Leifure and Delibera- tion, and fuch, as, by no means, agrees with the Confufion and Hafte of Things done by Stealth : nor can it enter into any Ibber Man's Thoughts, that they, who came privily, and in Danger of their Lives, fhould thus venture the awakening of the Guard, and trifle away their time, in fuch hazardous and unne- ceflary Niceties. Thefe, and many more Circumftances of the like Nature, are Convidion e- nough, that the Dilciples were not con^ cerned in ftealing away their Mailer's Body. And, if we purfue their Hifto- ry a little farther, we ftiall jfind, that even the Perfons, who iirft acculed them with it, did, in their future Gonduft, dilcover, that they themfelves were con- Iclous the Story was falle. *i Not long after our Saviour's Refur- ^"^ ^^^e redlon, we read, that the Difciples, ha.-^^J,;^^^^ ving received new 'Tower from above yomoUhc appeared publickly in "Jerujalem^ nay,p^^.^^^ in the very Temple, and tcftified the and Ru- Refurreftion of Chrift, even before thole, ^ers. that had murther'd himv But what did the Chief ^ XheTryaJ oj tH, fYftmffes, p. 4^. ±6^ State of the ControYcrfy hetiveen Ch'tef Pnefls do upon this Occafion ? They ieize upon the Apoftles, they threaten them, they beat them, they fcourge them, and all to flop their Mouths, infilling that they fhould fay no more of the Matter. But why did they not, when they had them in their Power, charge them directly with their notorious Cheat, in ftealing their Ma- fter's Body, and fo expofe them to the People, as Impoftors ? This had been to their Purpofe more, and had more effectually undeceived the People, than all their Menaces and lU-ufage ; but not, one Word of this is faid. They try to Murther them, enter into Combinations to affaflinate them, prevail with Herod to put one of them to Death, but not ib much as a Charge againft them of any Fraud in the Refurrettion. ^ Their Ora- tor ^ertulliis^ who could not have mifs'd Jo fine a Topick of Declamation (had there -been but a Sufpicion to fupport it) is quite filent on this Head, and content to flourifii on the common Place of Se- dition and Herefy, profiining the Tem- ple, and the like, mere Trifles to his Caufe, in comparilbn to the other Ac- cufation, had there been any ground to makefile of it : And yet, as it happens, we Mr. Woolfton and his Ach^erfaries. iCy we are fore the very Qiieftion of the Re- furredion came under Debate. ^ For Fcflas tells Jgrippd^ that the Jews had certain Qiieftions againft Paul of one J e-^ Jus^ zvh'ich was ckadj whom Paul cifpmid to he alive ; after \vhich,we are told xh^iiA- grippa heardP^////himfelf : but had he fuC- peded, much lefs had he beenconvine'd, that there had been a Cheat in the Refur- redion, he would hardly have faid to him, at the End of his Conference, ^ Almojt thott perfiiadejl me to be a Chriftian. Thus ftands the Cafe of our Lord's How Rcfurreflion : and the Allemtton aeainft ^^/i^t It m Pouit oj vtme^ is a mere Triiie, an- ^h^ third fing from an Ignorance of the Jewifh Day. way of Computation. " Our Saviour in- deed, alluding to his own Reliirreftion, fays, deflroy this temple y and in three Days zviU I rife it up^ meaning his own Body : The Angels reprefent his Predi- dion thus, the Son of Manfhall be cruci-- fyd^ and the third Day rife again ; elle- where it is faid, after three Days\ and a- gain, that he was to be in the Bowels of the Earth three Days and three Nights : But all thefe Expreflions are Equivalent, fmce it is ufual in all Nations to reckon the Night into the Day, whenever they reckon ^ AEls yxv. * Acls xxvi. 2S. * The Tryal, &c, P' 45. i6^ State of the Controverfy hetiveen reckon by fo many Days. The Jews however, have a way of Computation, in fome refpeds difFerent from us : They, as well as we, put frequently a part of the Day for the whole ; but then, ^^ where- as we reckon our Days (I mean our ;;^- tural Days of twenty-four Hours) from twelve a Clock at Night, to twelve the next Night, they reckon from one Sun- fct to the next Sun-let, and all the Time between them they call'd a Day ; even as Mo/es did, when he fays, ^ the 'Evening and the Morning were the jirjl Day. Now allowing thi« manner of Computation, and reckoning, that the iirft Day began on Thurfday at Sun-fet, and ended upon Friday at Sun-fet; fince our Saviour died on Friday about three in the Afternoon, by putting a part for the whole, here we have one Day. Saturday is allowed on all Hands to be another Day : and fince the third Day began on Saturday at Sun-fet, and our Saviour rofe on the Morning fol- lowing ; that part of thcDay being likewife put for the whole, is fairly computed for the third Day : and thus we have the Predidion accomplilhed. But whatever Difficulty may be fuppos'd in compu- ting the time from the Crucifixion to the Rellir- r Dr. Vearccs Vind. Part i. p. |2. ! Geru 1. 5- Mr. Woolfton and his Adqjerfaries. xc^ Refurreftion^fince the Refurrcftion hap- pened during the time, that the Guards had the Sepulchre in keeping, 'tis the fame thing, whether our Saviour chole to arife in the Beginning, the Middle, or the Conclufion of the Day ; only it is a little more prefumeable, that, after he had continu'd in the Grave, long enough to convince the People of the Certainty of his Death, beyond all poflibility of Recovery by natural Means, y he Ihould take the lirft Occafion, confiftent with his own Predidions, of returning from the Grave, in order to comfort and re- frefti the delponding Minds of his DiC- ciples. But though our Lord might have this why he tender Regard to his Dilciples, yet the '^i^ "^^ unbelieving y^wsy (efpecially the Chief ^ffy^J.*J Priefts, and Rulers) were, of all Men, who ^£- the moll unworthy of fuch a particular ''7^/^^ Vouchfaferncnt. They had already de- vourfrom Ipis'd theEvidence, that was given them ^ ^i"^' and not only ib^ but malicioufly imput- ed the plaineft Miracles, that ever were wrought, ^ Ne turbatos Difcipiilorcm animos longa Mce- ftitudo cruciuret, denunciacam 'Trh^u'i moram tarn mira cclcritatc breviavit, ur, dnm ad integrum (c' eundum diem pars primi iioviilima, Sc pais tercij prima concurrit, &: aliquanrum ccmporii fpacio dc* ciderer, & nihil dicium iTjmero dcperirtt. Leo Je l^cfur. Dom, Ser. i. apud Fearhn in Ait.c. v. lyo State of the Conrroverfy het'wecn wrought, to the Power and Operation of the Devil. Him, who was the Worker of them, they had vilified and blaf- phemed, rejected all his kind offers, and entered into Mealures to take away his Life: And therefore in juftlndignation^ he denounces their Woes, and takes his folemn leave of them, ^ Jerufakm^ Je- rufalem I thou that kilkfi the ^rophets^ andjionefi them^ that are fent unto thee^ how often would I have gathered thy Chil- dren together^ even as an Hen gather eth her Chickens under her Wings^ and ye would not J behold your Houje is left unto you dejolate^ for^ I Jay unto you, ye [hall not Jee 7ne hencejorth, till ye Jhall fay^ hlejjed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord ! Which But waving this Objection, and \vould fuppofing for the prefent, that our t#\ipon" Saviour had appeared publickly to the them. Jewifly Rulers ; yet, fince neither the Darknefs at his Death, nor the Earth" (juake at his Refurrection ; neither the Declaration of the Centurion^ on the one, nor theConfeffion of the Soldiers, on the other Occafion, had wTOught in them any Remorfe; ^ we can hardly fuppole, but that, had he fo appear'd, they would have offer'd to lay violent Hands upon him^ ! Matt, xxlii. :?, &c. * 2oHl^\Szxm. Vol V. 17 1 Mr. Woolfton and his Adverfaries. him, as they had before defign'd to kill Lazarus^ and for the lame Reafon : In which Cafe, had our Saviour vanifhed out pf their Hands (as doubtlels he would) what would they have conclu- ded fro'm hence, but that they had feen a Ghoft, a Spedre or Apparition ,* and what Convidion would that have wrought, but that their Senfes had been imposed upon by fome magical lUufion ; and what Effed would this have had upon their Minds, towards bringing them to a Belief that Chrift was truly Rifen, and much lefs that he was the true Mejjiah ? None at all. Many of the Jews (among whom we ^„j j^,„^^ may fuppofe the Chief Priefts and El- %//n ro ders, who hired the Soldiers to ftifle';|?^^^''^' 111311 the Belief of Chrift's Refurreclion, withcuu'e. a falfe Story of their own Invention) were given up to Hardmfs of Hearty and would not have believed, or, if they believed, would not have teftified, that they had ever feen Chrift after his Re- furreciion. ^ Now, they that are wick- ed enough to deny what they believe, will, at a pinch, deny alio what they know to be true : and therefore, Ibp- pofing that our Lord had fhewn himieif to all his Enemies, and to all the ^Pco-- pie, * C/^r^ei's Sc:ni. Vol. I. z 7 2^ State of the Cohtro verfy hetiueen pkj and but Ibme of them (elpecialljr of the great Men in Authority) had de- nied that ever they favv him after his Refurrection ; this would have exceed- ingly weakened the Teftimony of thole, who vouched and confeffed it : For he, who appeals to the Knowledge of ano- ther for the Truth of a Matter of Fad, is fo far from gaining, that he lofes Cre-* dit by the Appeal, if the other Perlbn denies that he knows any thing of it. If therefore our Lord had appeared to his Perlecutors(it being likely that hisDif- ciples would appeal to their Knowledge) they, by protefting the contrary, would have made a terrible Advantage agalnft the Chriftians upon that Appeal. Here- in therefore is manifeft the Wifdom of Chrift, that, in making Choice of particular Wicnefles, viz. fuch Per- Ibns only, as would be fo far from dil^ fembling their Knowledge, that they would always be ready to Seal their Teftimony with their Blood, he hath fettled the Chriftian Faith upon a bet- ter Foundation, than if he had appear- ed in the Temple, or in the midft of yerujaleniy to the whole People of the Jews. Tot Mr. Woolfton and his Acherfaries, ±y:^ For let us liippofe, on the other hand, The. [>- that our Saviour's appearing to the^^'^^|[^'','y_ Chief Priefts and Rulers, upon his Re- poftic.<5 lurredion, fhould have had a contrary '^/'^^^<^"> Eifecl ; that, upon their Conviction, the whole Jewijh Nation fhould be con^ verted to the Chriftian Faith, and they, together with the Apoftles, let out into Foreign Countries, Preaching the great Dodrine of Chrift's ReJlirrec- tion, and exhibiting Teftimonials, un- der the Hands and Seals of the Grand Sanhedrim^ that not only they themlelveSj but the whole Nation of the Jews was fully convinc'd of the Truth of it; yet we may very well queftion, whether this would have redounded to the general Advantage of Chriftianity. For might not fuch Perfons, as now make Objedions to the Teftimony of the Apoftles^ have made much greater and ftronger to the united Teftimony of a Nation ? and might not they have found out more room to fufped an Impofture, than they can now ? It might then have been called, with a better Grace, a fiale T^rick^ a fohtkal yuggk^ a national Contrivance of the yews^ or any of thofe lignificant Names that are now fo current among us. Fraud might have then been fuppolcd to ihel- ter it felf under the Umbrage of A/^^i- T flrcicy 5 2. 7 4 S^^f^ ^f ^^^ Controverfy het^een jiracy ; free Enquiries and Debates to be difcouraged by the T'error and Awe- fulnefs of Power ^ and a general Vmon of Belief more juftly reputed a general Confpiracy : but all this is happily eva- ded by the Method, Chrift's infinite Wifdom took to propagate the Belief of his Refurredion. In fhort, "' it is not the Number of Witneffes, but the Charafter and Qua- lifications of the Perlbns, and the Evi- dence itfelf, in its full Force and Cir- cumftances, which are chiefly to be re- garded in Matters of this Nature. If but a few Men can (as the Apoftles did) by undeniable Miracles make it fufficiently appear, that what they lay is true, and that God himfelf confirms the Truth of it ; they can appeal to every Man's own Senles, before whom they w^ork Miracles, and make every one, that fees them, a Witnefs to the Truth of their Doftrines. In this Caie God himfelf bears Witnefs to it ; and what the High ^rieji laid upon a very different Occafion, every ftander-by finds himfelf conflrain'd to declare in this ; " what need have we of any farther Wttnejfcs ? For we our fehes have heard "" yenUns rcafonablcnefs of Chri/^Ianity, vol, 2. " Matt, xxvi. 6% Mr. Wool ft on and his Achcrfaries, 2. 7 5 of their own Mouths (in the miraculeus Gifts of Tongues) and feen with our own Eyes (in the many wonderful V/orks, which they have publickly wrought) a full and authentickTeftimony of Chrift's Refurrejaion. The Refurredion of a Perfon from the Dead is indeed an Event fb extra- ordinary, that it may well be expelled, a more than common Evidence fhould be requir^, to fupport its Credibility. Let us then fee what the Credentials are, which the Witnefles of our Savi- our's Refurredion have to exhibit upon this Occafion. That the Apoftles of our Lord were ^\''^^ Men of Truth and Probity, void ofr^^'^^V''* Ambition and Self-defign, clear in their Charac- Account, and uniform in their Teftimo- '^*' ny, is what I had occafion to fhew when their Chara^ers and Qualifications fell under confideration * before • and tho^ the Number of Perfbns, who are the WitneflTes of ^ Matter of ¥aui^ abftr act- Their ed from all other Confiderations, is riot ^^^^"^^> (as I juft now hinted) of itfelf abiolute- ly convincing and conclufive ; yet it carries this Perfuafion along with it, that though an Impofture may Xiq concealed T 2 iot ♦ Vid. p. II. " Vit on Q.xi the Refurieriion of Chiift, /. 39. ^•^JG State of the Controverfy hetaveen fot a while in a few Hands, it is next to impofTible that it fliould lie undilcover'd in a great many. Now to what a Num- ber of Witneffes our Saviour appeared, after bis Refurredion, the Apoftle to tlie Connthicijts has given us this Enu- meration ; ^ I delivered tint yoii^ jirfl of all^ that which I alfo received^ hoiv that Chnfi died for our Sins according to the Scriptures ; and that he was Buried^ and that he Rofe again the third Day accord- ing to the Scriptures ; and that he was Jeen 6>/ Cephas, then of the twelve ^ after that be zvas feen of above five hundred Brethren at once^ of whom the greater part remain at pre (ent. Be fides this^ Joe was feen ^/' James, then of the JpofileSj and laji of all he zvas feen of me^ as of one horn out of time. Here is a com- petent Number of Witneffes, and that they had fufficient Means and Opportu- nities to know and be informed of the Truth, is undeniable. ^^-^ Q At his firft return from the Grave in- portiini- deed, our Saviour chofe to difcover him- tlcsot felf to hisDifciples by dee;rees. Hence knowing in-.. • \ i- r the we read ot his appearing and dtjappearmg Truth, fo frequently ; of his with-holdtng their Eyes^ that they fhould not know him ; of his coming Silently to them, when the Doors P I Coy, XV. 5, ^c\ Mr. WooUlon atid his Adi^erfaries, 277 Doors vjere fint^ and then in a fhort time vjinjh'nig ant of thar fight again. But as thefe ExprelTions * (when rightly . iinderftood) can no ways afFeft the Ke^ cility of his Kefurre^fion-Body '^ ib do they lerve to denote his Refervednels at iirft, which proceeded no doubt, from a kind Concern for his Dilciples, leaft too fud- den a recovery from the defpd'ir, they were in upon his Death, might make their Joy too exceffive and tumultuous for them to bear : But when lome few Interviews of this kind were paffed, wc find that they converfed with him with the greateft Freedom and Familiarity. They eat and drank with him, they faw him do many wondrous Works, and received Orders and Inftrudions from him about the Inftitution and Go- vernment of his Church : ^ They them- felves declare, that, to convince them of the Truth of his Refurredion, he Ihew- ed them his Hands and his Feet^ and, to one more incredulous than the reft, he indulged the Liberty of feeling the very ^rints^ which the Nails had made in them ; that he upbraided them with un- belief, in not giving Credence to a Mat- T 3 ter * Vid. Whltly on John xx. 19. Ths Tryal of the fViff'^Jfes, p. 66. &c. And Dr. Pint's Vin. Part I, n, 16. ^ Dittcn on the Kcfurrcciiioo. ^^7 8 State of the Con trover fy let we en ter i^o well attefted ; fhevved them the Realbns of his Relurredion, and ex- pounded to them the Scriptures, con- ' cerning this very Article, with fo pecu- liar an Energy^ that they felt their Hearts jet on Fire, even when they did not per- ceive that it was he. In fhort, they de- clare, that, at his Departure, he bleffed them, and comforted them, and tool^ his Leave of them, and that, after they had received all his Commands andDi- rcclions, they liivv him aHually taken up from them, and afcend into Heaven. Here was no room for any Dream or Deception : Men could never fancy that they fliw a Perfon for forty Days toge- ther, that he eat and drank in their Pre- fence, that he argued and expounded the Scriptures to them, convinced them of leveral Errors and Miftakes, gave them Promifes, Rules, and Inftruftions, for their Comfort and the Government of a Church, and, after all, went up in- to Heaven in their Sight, whilft Angels flood by, and told them, that he, ' who was taken tip into Heaven^ JJjouId come in Tike manner again ^ as they had Jeen htm go into Heaven : This, I fay, could be no Dream or Deception of their own \ ^nd therefore, if their Teftimony was ' ABsl II. Mr. Woolfton and his AdTerfarles. 179 fi^e^ it muft have proceeded from a malevolent Defign to abaje Mankind with a downright Forgery. But now, Ibppofing them wicked e- From noiidi to ene;ae;e in fuch an Underta- ^^^'^^'' ^''" » • 1 111 1 capacity to king ; yet, where would they have exccme had Abilities to put it in Execution ? -n Im- ^ They we where he makes the Golpel (which eve- ry body elfe looks upon as a plain Nar- rative of Matters of Fad) ' a Syjlera of myfiical ^h'tlofophy and 7'heology ; makes Chrift ^ the mo (I abjblute ^erjefiion of a Cabalifl^ a Myjlickj a Parabolift^ and an j^nigmatifi ; and the Evangelical Story ^ ofBifiop Gibfbns Jefus^ the Carnal Je- U fus, ' Vid. Difc. I. p. 50.^1- **Vid. Bp.._WT//i/w;'.'s ^ Preface, p. 12. *" Diic. i. p. 6. ' Ibid. i. p. 51. g Ibid. 5. p. 6. of tlic Dcdicat. " Ibid. p. 62. ' lb. I. p. 60. ^ Ibid. 3. p. 65, * Ibid. 6. p 53, ere. ipo The Conclusion^ fosy the Jefus of Nazareth, &c, but "^ a mere Type ami Shadoiv of his Spiritual and Myjl'ical Jefiis, zvhkh is to come : and had fingled out fome of his Profajie PalTages, And pvc- where he tells us, that " Chrift's Mother fane Ex- Jjad a Familiarity with a Soldier ^ of whom ^^''^'''''^'' came her CnAKA Deum Soboles; that he probably might ° lay his Carpen- ters Jr. to the Root ^ the Fig-tree y which withered away ; and that, in the Age, when he was born, p Hell jirfi broke loofe^ and the Devils accompany d the Jpofles In their travels. His Ma- i had taken fome notice of his Rancor lice to the and Malice againft the Clergy in general, Clergy, ^^^^ hireling '^rle/is^ ^ who like King Henry the ^th's Monks mdFryars^ ought to he turn'd out to grafs ; thofe Ecclejia- flical Vermlny ^ who^ in all Jges^ have been the bane of Society ^ and the pejt of Both the Mankind^ and ^'In whofe Extinuiion the Inferior ^^^^^^./j ^^^^y ^,, ^^^^^ . Qf j^-g ^^^^^^ ^^^^ Contempt of thole of an Inferior Order, t the Ecclefiajitcal Noodles^ (as he calls them,) zvho are allln ^ Lethargy ofDul- nefs and Ignorance ^ thofe .Quacks and Em- pericks In T^heology^ who but -^ badly deferve " Die. S p. 2, 55. " Ibid. 4. P» 52. " Ihid. ^. p. 15. P Ibid. 2. p> 40. - '^ Ibid. 4. p. 7, in the * Dedicat. ' Ibid. 6.' p. 64. ^ Ibid. 5. p. 59. ' Ibid. 5. p. 4, in the Dedicat. " Ibid. 3. p-7®. Z Ibid. 2. p. 22. ,^ Ibid. 2. p. 23. The Conclusion.' 25^1 deferve the Church Rev^mm\ and of his Defiance and bold Defamations of And 5//- thole oit\\cfuperw>\ whom he threatens''''"'' ' ^ to injlilt from the ^refs \ ^ to tear with fiich familiar Language^ as was never gi^ ven to any of their Order ^ and of whole Sincerity and Conduct he gives us this Charader, viz. That * they would re^ notince Chriftianity, hut for the I'empO" ral Advantages they enjoy from /V, and are like ^ an high-mettl'd blind Borfe^ which, if not rid hy the Civil Government^ would be for opprejjing and trampling upon all^ that flood in their JVay, I had made a Colleflion of Ibme of-^i^^^^'v- his many Invefiives againft the Evange- T^\[^1\\^q lifts J whom hereprefents, either as ' hlun- Evarjgt- dering EgregiouJJy^ or putting the Banter'-'P- upon us^ to try how far their ahfurd Tales would pafs upon the JVorld ; as ^ out^ fir etching (as he calls it) one another in the praife of their Majier^ and relating fuch Things of him, ^ as^ out of the Ro- mance never had any Being ; of Ibme of his Defamations -of the Golpels, which The G/- he reckons ^ not wrote with near fo much r^" Judgment as a Quack's Bill ; containing Things g Jo blindly^ lamely ^ and imper- U 2 fe^ily y Dif. ;. p. 6. * Ibid. T. p. 6^. ' Ihid, p. 6. in the Dcd. " Ibid. 6. p. 65 ' Ibid. 5. p. II. ' Ibid. 5. p. J p. ^6. ' Ibid. I Ibid. 2. p. 13. K Ibid. 2. p. 5- z^i The CoNCLusioi^^. fe^ly toldj that, upon Examination, they dwindle into nothwg ; ^' the moji ahfurd mnfenfcal and tinphilojbphical Stuffs and, in many Places, ^ the moJi arrant ^tix^ otifm^ that can he devisa or falm'd upon the Under ft andlngs of Mankind ; and of And Chr}- lomc of his Degradations of Chrijlianity fti^niiy it it felf^ which he every where expofes ^^^^' as a mean and abjed Difpenfation, and in one Place exprefles himfelf to the full. ^ " "the Application of ^' the Word Reasonable, fays he, " to the Chriftian Religion^ is highly im- ^' pertinent, Chriftianity, as it is now ^' under/lood (he means in its plain and " literal Senfe) is the moji unreajonahk " and ahfurd Story ^ that was ever told'' : Nay, according to the mode r 71 Syflems of theology ^ Mahometilm is the more rea-- fonahle Religion than the Chriftian, and ^ the Jlcoran not incumbered withContradi- ffwns and Incon/r/lencies^ asaretheGofpels. ^}'^:''^' I had takeri/laftly, fome Account of his Blajphemtes againft Chrift, whom, either diredly, or by way of Infinuati- on, he is not afraid, fometimes to call c>i/?" ^ "' y^^Z^^^f ^ " Punch-tnaher^ a Fuddle- Cap^ one of the ° meereji Ideots and Block-- heads y that ever open d Mouthy who made himfelf •*Dif. 3. p. 25. • Ibid. I. p. 59. '^ Ibid. 3. p. 65. ' Ibid. 5. p. 65. "^ Jbid. 5. p. 5^- I Ibid. 4. p. 33. I Ibid. 3. p. 7. The Conclusion. 25)5 himfelf a laughing- jlock^ p cwd deferv'd the Hottfe of Correfi'wn ^ Ibmetinies a Chance DoBor^ "^ whofe Eye-fahe^ for Ahfard'ity^ Wh'tm^ and Incongruity^ z^as never equaTd'^ or a ^flrollhig Fortune^ teller^ ^ whole Genuine Difciples^ our Gyp/ies may account themfelves^ as endiCd with the fame Gifts^ and exercjfing no worfe J.rts ; and, at other times, a ^pretended Author of Religion^ whofe Miracles are, "^fome of them ahfurd 7 ales ^ Againft others foolifo Fa^s^ others tinjuji JlH-^-^'^^^'^' onsy others ludicrous Pranks^ and others ^ ^^ ^^' magical Enchantments ; ""^ a Conjuror^ a Sorcerer^ m fhort, rather than the MeJJiah^ and Prophet of the mo ft high God ; and ^y5 grand a Deceive r^ Impofior^ and Male fa^ or ^ that no punifhment was too great for him. Can any thing be more grofs, more And the daring Blalphemy than this? And yet, as ^V^^^^'^ if he thought it not enough y5, we find ^f^hi""^©- him, after all, invocating the Sacred ing all Name oiChriJi in iKisfarcaftical manner ; ^^^^• y Blejfed Jefu I that fuch a Student, as I am^ in the Revelations of St. Johnjhould he chargd with Blafphemy / and either beginning or concluding moft of his pro- fane Difcourfes with Ibme fuch Ironical U 3 Pro- P Difc. 5. p. 7. "^ Ibid. 4- P- J" 5- ' Ibid. 2. p. 51. <■ Jbid. 2. p. 52. J Ibid. 5. P- ^5- " Ibid. 4. p.29. !: Ibid. I. p. 15. Mbid,6.p.5- ^Ibid.C?. 2 5^4 ^^^ CoNCLUSIO>5. Profeffions as this ; / 7'he Service of In-- jjMity has no flace hi my Breaft^ hut the honour of the holy Jefas ; ^ fpealdng lyes in Hypocrijy ^as the Apoftle words it) and having his Confcience fear d with ct hot Iron, Thefe Materials^l fay, I had collcfted, in order to flievv this Enemy oiChrifiia" nity^ this Blafphemer of the holy Name o^J-efus (for now, I think, I may be allow'd to call him fo) to open view, and in his proper Colours: but, as I was drawing the Work, I found it grow in- to fuch a gloomy Wight-piece^ as was in- deed too horrid, and too hidious, for a- ny Chriftian Eye to look upon, and therefore I expung'd it. God Almighty grant, that Mr. Woolflon may review thefe his Difcourfes, with the fame im- partial Conil deration, that I have done; and refleft with himfelf (before it be too late) that however the Cauje of Inji- deJity may make him popular^ 'tis the wrongcft way in the World to make him happy \ that if it provokes the Juftice of the civil Magiftrate, it will certainly raife the Indignation of God likewife, and draw upon him a Sentence^ much > more ^ Difc. I. p, 3j 6 J 69. Difc. a. p. 3, &c, '*jtiw iv. 2. *- The Conclusion. %9$ more fevere and intolerable, than what he now labours under. For, ^ifhe^that defptfedMoJcss Law, died without Mercy ^ of how much for er Pumjhment^fuppojeye^ Jhall he be thought worthy^ ^ who hath crucified to himfelf the Son of God afrefh^ and put him to an open Shame ? when the Lord yefusfloall he revealed from Heaven^ with his mighty Angels^ and in a faming fire J to take Vengeance on them^ tiat know mt Gody and are fb far from obeying his Gofpely that they make it the Subjcd of their impious Scorn and Ridicule ; who fhall be punifh'd with everla fling DeJlrtiC" tion^ from the ^refence of the Lord^ and from the Glory of his Power ^ in that Day^ when he foall come to be glorified In his Saint Sy and to be admird in ail them that believe. » Eeh, X. 28, 29. " Ibid. vi. 6, ' 1 Thf. I 7. ^r. FINIS. THE CONTENTS. Of H E Author'^ s Reafons for Puhlijhwg this State 6?/^^^ Controversy, Page I SECT. I. the Truth and Authority of the Evangelists. 3 Mr> Woolllon's OhjeEtlon agalnft them* 4 TheObjeBion anfrver'^dy as to theDlflance efTim€ fnce they wrote^ 6 The Cafe of many Spurious Books j 7 jind their being Chrifi^s Friends, Ibid. The pre fen t St ape of the Gofpels- 9 The Evangelifls jhewn to be true Hiftorians, from their own CharaBer. 1 1 Their Sufficient Intelligence. I3 The Contents of their Gofpels, 14 And the Teflimony of Heathen Authors^ with 17 An Inference from the whole. ig SECT The Contents] SECT. II. of Miracles in general. Mr. Woolfiofj's Objeaion againft them. p. 21 An[\ver*dy by {lowing that true Miracles can he done by God o?dy, 24 Or by Tcrfons fent and commijfiond by him, 25 IVhy our Saviour was to work Miracles* 16 The manner and greatnefs of them. 27 And why they are a Proof of his divine Miffion. 28 'The meaning of the Paffage concerning falfe Vro^ phetSj Deut. xiii. 29 'And of that concerning falfe Chrifts, Matth. xxiv. 24. 3^ The Ways to diflinguifli true from fal[e Miracles. 33 From the Worh themfelves. Ibid. And from the Perfons that do them. Ibi^- The CharaBer of JefuSy - 34 Tlje Nature of his Miracles^ 3 5 And the manner and end of his doing them* 3^ His, compar'^d with thofe of AipoWonmSi 3^ O/Vefpafian, 39 And Greatrack. 4W The Sum of this part of the Anfwer. 43 The ^'^th Chapter of liaiah confider'^dj 44 Jn what Senfe the Jews took it^ j\6 In what Senfe our Lord applfd it^ 47 And the Abfurdity of the contrary Senfe* 4S That External Miracles were proper for the Mef^ fiah'^ ^o The Abfurdities of the contrary Supfofition, 5 1 ^nd the Sum of this other part of the Anfwer* 5 3 SECT. The Contents. SECT. 111. of the Allegorical Fathers, and their Authority. Mr.VJodl^Lon'spUa for them P* 54 Anfweid, hy flKwing the ReffeB that is dm to the Fathers, 57 The Origin of Allegorical Interpretations, and Why it was encourag d. 61 That Origen uclnowledfd the literal Senfe of Miracles, 61 But is blamed for h^ing too Allegorical . 6 5 That Allegoriz,ing is contrary to Scripture, the flanding PraUice of the Apo files, 66 And may be of dangerous Confequence : 68 How the Fathers have been treated and mifapply^d by Mr, \Moo\{}:on, and 6^ The Sum and Conclufton of the whole Anfwer. 70 S E CT. ly. Of Chrill's driving the Buyers and Sel- lers out of the Temple. Mr, Woolflon'j OhjeBion againfi it, 7 1 Anfwer'^d, by defcribing the Courts of the Tem- ple^ and 73 The Place where the Market was hpt, 74 Which was agrofs Profanation of the Temple, and Proper for our Lord to redrefs, 76 (Notwirhfianding its enfuing DefiruBion,) 77 And why he was able to do it, ' '79 T^toe Sim of the whole Anfwcr* , ^i s:ect The Contents. SECT. V. Of his curing the D e m o n i a c k s, and fending the Devils into the Swine. Mr. Woolfton'j OhjcBion again ft it, p. 82 ^f?fw€r'd, by fliewirjg the Nature of the Jewijjj Tombs. 84 How the Demaniacks might fubftft there^ 8^ jind hovo the Gadarens treated them. 8(5 j4 Defer Ipt ion of G'dd'dvay 87 ^nd why our Lord might very juftly permit the Devils to enter into the Swine. 88 The Sum of the Anfwer^ 92 That there were few or no Exorcifms among the Jews, Ibid. But if any, that they were a Coifirmation ofivhat Chrifl did, 94 SECT. vr. Of his Transfiguration on the Mount Mr. Woolfton'j OhjeUion againft ity 96" Anfwer^dyby fljewing what was the End ofChriJfs Transfiguration^ ^8 Why it was on a Afountainj 100 Why the three AfojlleSy and_ not the Multitude^ admitted to it : loi The Nature of it ^ Ibid. Tlje Danger of admitting the Multitude^ 1 03 Why Chrift chargd his Apo flies to conceal it^ 104. And why they could not be miflahn in it : 105 That Mofes and Elias were really there^ io5 And what was the Subje^ of their Dlfcourfe. 108 The Sum of the whole Anfwer, 109 SECT. The Contents. SECT. VII. of his Healing the Woman of her Issue o F Bl god. Mr. Woolfton'j OhjeEhion againfikj p. no A'jfiverdj from the manner of the Evangelifis re^ lating Chrifi'^s CureSy 112 Jlnd their Fidelity herein. 1 1 3 T}]e State of the Woman's Cafe, 115 Her Diftemper Chronical, 1 1 6 And yety why fhe might come at Chrift : 117 That fje was not cur^d by Imagination^ 1 1 8 But by Chrifi^s Power, and her Faith in him* 1 20 SECT. VIII. Of his (Curing the Woman of her S p i r 1 t OF Infirmity. Mr. Wool ft on'^ Object ion againfl it, 1.23 Anfwcrd, by ft ating the Woman s Cafe, 124 And fliewing that it was really infliUed by the Devil. 125 "The Exiftence of Devils before Chrift^s Time, \i6 Why they had greater Tower about Chrift^i Time^ 128 Tho' they are not without Tower tjow* - Ibid. Ti^e Woman s Cure Miraculous, 1 29 SECT. IX. Of his Prophctick Converfation with the Samaritan Wo m a n. il4r. Woolfton'i. Objection againft ity 130 Anftver^i^ I The Contents. Anfwer'dy by jliewh^ the Origind of the Sama- ritans, PgLl^I their ExpeElatm of the Mefllab, ^^BS jlfid that Prophets ought not to be caWd For tune- Tellers. Ibid. No Impofiure in this Miracle^ from his having no previous Knowledge of the Woman, i 34 From the Nature of his Difcourfe with her\ 135 His declaring who he was upon all proper occa^ (lonsy Ibid. And why he difcover*d him f elf to this Woman, 137 S E C T. X. Of hiscurfing theFiG-TREE. Mr. Woolfton'i Ohje^ion againfi it-y T38 Anfwerd, by jljewi?g the State and Condition of Chx\?Cs Life, 141 And that his going up to the Fig-Tree was no blot upon his Omuilcience, 142 OrWifdomj I43 Becaufe there were Figs /»Judiea at this Time, ibid. As appears both from Sacred and Trofane Au- thors. i4<5 'The different ways of Explaining^ Mark xi. 13. 147 His Words confiffent with ChrifFs expeBing Figs; 150 //// defiroying the Tree^ neither an unjufiy i 5 i Nor pfijfionatej I 5 2 But highly inflruEiive^ i ^ 3 And truly miraculous AEb. ibid. The fum of the whole Anfwer^ l 5 5 No Fallacy in this Miracle. 1 5 7 SECT. The CONTE NTS. SECT. XL Of his healing the Impotent Man at the Pool ofBETHESDA. Mr, VJ oolHon* s OhjeB ion a^ainfi it y p. 158 Anfvoer^dy by diftlngui^ing between the Cures of the Pool, and this of the Impotent Man ', \6\ By giving fome Account of this Pool, 164 When its la native Virtue probably fir ft began^ 1 6^ Why Jofephus might make no mention ofity 16 j 'though probably he does if under another Name 2 166 l^ence its la native Virtue proceeded^ different Opinions y 1 7 1 But mo ft likely from the ABion of an Angel ^172 Why God vouch fapd this Favour totheJQWSy 173 Why it curd but one at once^ 1 74 And at what 'Time this may be fuppofed to hap^ pen. 175 The Impotent Man noFoolfor wait ingfo long, i j6 Why Chrift cur^d but one^ out of fo many, 177 And what the Nature of this Aran's Difeafe was. 1 78 The Sum and Conclufion of the whole An- fwer, 179 SECT. XIT. Of his curing the Man that was Born Blind. Mr, Woolfton'i ObjeBion againfi it, J 8 r Anfweredy by fhewing that there was no Fraud in the Cwxty 182 Or Folly in the Manner of it \ 1 84 But The Contents.' But' a ^r eat Mir aculouftiQCs, p. i8^ Wherein Chrift was certainly left to his own Liberty. i85 SECT. XIII. Of his turning Water into Wine. Mr, Woolfton^J ObjeStion againfl itj 1 87 Anfvoered^ by conjidering Chrlft's grave and fb- ber Deportment y 1 89 The Decency obfervd at Jewidi Marriage^ Feafisj - ibid. T118 Meaning of the Words y when Men have well drank, Jc^/;;/ ii. 10. 150 That Chrifi might innocently go to the A^farrl- age^ and why he did fo ^ I p2 That he encoura£d no Excefs there ^ for 1 94 71?^ Quantity of Wine he fuppUed was not fo very large, . .^?5 But if more y it was no Reflexion upon him^ ibid. But rather a Commendation. \^6 Why he did not immediately worli this Mira- cle, 198 j4nd what his Reply to his Mother means. 1 99 The fum of the Anfwer. 201 That there was no Trick or CoUufion in this Miracle y 203 But a plain Demonftration of an Almighty Bower* 204 SECT. The Contents. SECT. XIV. Of his curing the Paralytick at Caper- naum. Mr» Woolfton'i OhjeEilon againft it, p. 20^ Anfwerd^ by jliewing why there might be fuch a Crowd about the Door^ 206 'And fuch impatience to come at Chrifl- 207 The TP<^)/ of building Houfes amongthe Jews, 209 Of their Stairs without Doors *, 210 How tkParaly tick might eafily ^^ let do wn, 2 1 1 And why the Owner of the Houfe might permit it, 212 SECT. XV. Of his raifing Three Dead Persons. Mr, Woolfton'5 OhjeEilon againft ity 214 Anfwer'^d^ by obfervlng that no one Miracle is greater than another ^ 2 1 8 That the Evangelifts omit many^ 219 And for what Reafons they do fo. ill Why the three firft Evangelifts omit that con- cerning La'zarus, 223 Which is no Obje^ion again fi St. John'^ Account ofit\ 11^ Why Chrifl raifed thcfe three Verfons more efpe- cially, 227 Why we have no Account of their fubfequent Llvesy 229 Nor any Intelligence from them of a feparate State, 230 That there is no Fallacy or Collufion in thefe Miracles J 232 As The Contents. [As appears from the Cafe of the Widow's Son, 233 0/Jarus's Daughter, 234 (To vphofe Parents Chrifi enjoin d Silence^ and why,) 235 0/ Lazarus. 237 Why Chrifi wept, and called him with a loud Voice, 238 ^nd that the Napkin on his Face was no fufpici' ous Circum fiance : 24 1 The Reafonsofthe Jew'^ hatred againfl Chrifi^ 244 And why he might very juftly retire from their Malice. 245 Nopojjlhle Fraud in this Miracle y 247 And the fum of the whole Anfwer* 249 SECT. XVI. Of Chrift's own R f. s u r 11 e c t i o n. Mr, Woolfton'j Ohjeciion againfi it^ 251 Anfwe/d, by fliewing that the Lofs of ancient Anti-Chriftian Booh is no great Detriment to the Caufe of Infidelity, 254 JVhy^ and how they came to he loft. 2^6 The Circumftances preceding Chrift's RefurreUi- on fljew 257 That there was no Agreement, at the fealing of the Sepulchre, between the Chief Pricfts, and his k\iO^\QS^ 258 For what Reafon it was fealed. 259 The Abfurdity of their ftealing away his Body ibid. Shewn^ from their want of Courage ^ 25 1 The Impradicablenefs o/fk 77;/>/g-j 252 And the Folly of it j ibid. X From The Contents. F/om the Condition^ in which the Sepulchre vMs found, p. 253 ArJd the fubfequent Behaviour of the Chief Prielt a'fid Rulers. 265 How Chrift may be faid to rife on the third Day, and 267 Why he did -not appear to the unbelieving Jews, viz. becaufe they deferv^d no fuch Favour from him, 269 Which would probably have been loft upon them, 270 yind done Injury to the Chriftian Caufe, 27 1 The Excellency o/f/?^ Apoftle's Teftimony, 273 Shewn, from their perfonal CharaHer^ 275 Their Kumbers, ibid. And Opportunities of knowing the Truth; 275 From their Incapacity to Execute an Impo- fiure, 279 Tloe Improbability of its Succefs, ibid. Jlnd the Sufferings it exposed them to. 280 The Cafe of Chvi^ian Martyrs, W Criminals or Zealots, cjuite different , ibid. The Abfurdity of fuppofing the jipflles guilty of an Impofture, 281 A Recapitulation of the whole Anfwer. 285 The Conclusion. Which tales notice of Mr, Woolfton'^Pr/W^, 288 Hi^ Ignorance, Jnftncerity, low Wit, wild No- tions, 289 And profane Exprejfions ; ,290 His Malice to the Clergy, both the Inferior^ ibid. And Superior y 291 His The CoNTEKTS.^ His InveBi'ves againft the Evangelilts, p. 291 * Againft the Gofpels, ibid. And Chriftianity itfelf'^ 29 2 His Blafphemies againft Chrift^ ibid. Againft his A'firades^ 293 And the infolent Manner of his doing all this, ibid. Books pi'iMted for E* Sy-,no)7 ip Cc^ •nljllL AN N A LS of the Reformation andf.ftablifb- mcnt of Religion, in the Church qI Eng- land. Containing Accounts of the Govern- ment and InfpecLion of the Bifnops in their re- fpeftivcDioccfles ; as Matters, requiring their Care, fbll our each Year : Ecclcfiaftical Commiffions. The bufy Actings of Papifs and Puritrtfjs: The Difficulties and Dangers the State as well as the Church met with from Time to Time : Occaiioncd chiefly from the Endeavours to overthrow both, by the Power and Practices of fuch as favoured Mary^ Queen of Scots : Of whom, many fpecial Tranfafl;i- ons ; and chiefly of her Sentence and Death ; and the Confccjuenccs thereof, are fhcwn : And the Spamjl) Invafion in i 588. Roth ferving to enlighten thofc two great Criies of Queen Elizabeth's Keign. 'iogether with divers other Political Affairs of Note interfperfcd. This Hiftory is aifo improved by Notices given concerning the State and Events of the Church of Irelatid ; Occurrences and Diffe- rences that fell out in our Univerfuics ; Remarks of many Perfons of Rank and Quality in Church and State: Books of Learning and Note, Libels, Pamphlets, ^c publifhed yearly. All commen- cing from the Year of our Lord 15S 1 , and fo con- tinued for divers Years, Collected diligently and faithfully from Records, Papers of State, Original Letters of Privy Counfellors,Ambafladors,Bifliop.s, Learned Men in the Univerfities, as elfcwhcre : And from other choice Manufcripts referved in our publick Libraries, or more private Archives, Together with an Appendix : Containing many ciioice Records, and Papers of Value : Tranfcribcd from Originals : Referred to in the Work ; in Or- der to the Vindication, Proof, and Illuftration of the foregoing Hiftory. In Three Volumes, Folio. By John Strype^ M. A. The Kiftory of the Revolutions that happened in the Government of the Roman Republic. Writ- Ten in French by the Abbot de Vertoty of the Royal Academy of IrfcrlptioyiS) &c. The Third Edition. Englifli'd by Mr. Ozell from the Original newly re-printed at Paris , with Amendments and Addi" tions by the Author himfelf, in almoft every Page, In. two Volumes.