XXIX. I believe, that with these examples, I have evinced to the
reader, that the attempting to discover the truths of the scripture
in the errors of gentilism, is a chimerical undertaking. The two
before-quoted authors, abounded as much as any others whatever in
learning and ingenuity. Notwithstanding this, they, by applying these
talents with the greatest exertion possible to this undertaking, could
attain nothing by their labours, but some applications that were so
forced and violent, that they seemed as if they were dragged in by the
hair of the head; which, together with their being partly founded on
uncertain suppositions, proclaims the ill success of the endeavours of
those authors. I am persuaded, that by permitting premises to be drawn
from such flimsy allusions as those I have enumerated, there is no man
of middling capacity, who would not be able to make any sort of fable
the symbol of any sort of history, and every sort of profane tale, to
resemble canonical relation, as this is what we see practised every day
from the pulpits. Every preacher of but ordinary ingenuity, and moderate
erudition, likens the saint of whom he is preaching, to some one or other
of the scripture heroes; availing himself of versions, glosses, and
comments, to multiply the allusions, in the same manner, that Monsieur
Huet avails himself of the various expressions of particular authors. By
using such sort of means, it is easy to find out, or pretend to find out,
the vestiges of sacred history in the fables of paganism, and indeed it
is every day’s practice. He must be but a heavy preacher, who, if he is
desirous of doing it, can’t among the festivals of the Gentiles, find
out some one or other, from the circumstances of which, may not be drawn
various particulars, applicable to the solemnity which is the subject
of his discourses; and, without doubt, a man of ingenuity, may be happy
enough to hit upon some, that are more opportune, than those we have
seen made use of by the illustrious Huet; but we should not from hence
conclude, nor do the preachers themselves draw any such inference, that
God, at the time he permitted these things to be done, and was offended
with those superstitious practices, intended by some occult Providence,
that they should be types of Christian solemnities.