the _Bishop_ to be weak and inconclusive; there, to do him
Justice, he handsomly turns upon me with his Reasoning, and
admonishes me of my Spitefulness against the _Letter_, or I would
never use such a slight Argument. But where I pinch and bear hard
upon the _Letter_, and the Jest is not to be digested, there,
instead of Reasoning against me, he makes a hideous Out-cry of
Buffoonery, Blasphemy, and Infidelity; and calls upon the Civil
Magistrate for his Help, or their Religion, and their _All_ is in
Danger, through the impious Writings of untoward Infidels.
"The _Bishop_ in some Cases gives up the Cause, and seems himself
to be almost ashamed of the _Letter_; and for the Maintenance of
the Honour of _Jesus_, and the Dignity of his miraculous Operation,
flies to Allegory; allowing that _this_ and _that_ Miracle might be
typical and figurative of somewhat else, as his Thoughts did
suggest to him. But here he discovers his poor Talent at
Allegories, making no more Resemblance between the _Type_ and
_Antitype_, than between an _Apple_ and an _Oyster_.
"I am repeatedly charg'd by the _Bishop_ with Infidelity, for
writing against the _Letter_, tho' I am as grave as a Judge at the
allegorical Interpretation; and he can't but know that Infidelity
and Allegorism are incompatible in the same Person. To prove me an
Infidel, he should have shewn that I meant to pour Contempt upon
the allegorical, as well as litteral Sense of Jesus's Miracles; but
he has not once hinted at this. A certain great Writer, call'd Mr.
_Grounds_, plays a double Game upon the _Clergy_, he laughs at the
_allegorical_ as well as _litteral_ Scheme, and distresses the
_Clergy_ with his Objections against both. But I have not done so;
I really am, or seem to be, a sincere Contender for the allegorical
Sense. And to make an _Infidel_ of an _Allegorist_, is more
difficult and impossible than to make a _Monkey_ of a _Bishop_.
"The _Bishop_, as a _Minister of the Letter_, has spoken too
favourably of the allegorical Scheme; he has treated it with too
much Respect, both as to the Origin and Use of it, and done enough
to sap the Foundation of his Church; for which, I am afraid, he'll
meet with a Reprimand from his Episcopal Brethren. The _Bishop_ of
_Lichfield_ is the Man for my Money, to write against the
allegorical Scheme; he tells us, that[352] _St._ Paul _suffer'd in
the Esteem of the Jewish Christians for his Neglect of Allegories;
and seems to be brought into the Use of them against his own good
liking_. And again,[353] _It seems to have been in compliance with
Jewish Christians, who were affected with allegorick
Interpretations, that St._ Paul _used that way_. Which is as much
as to say, St. _Paul_ was more a _Minister of the Spirit_, than of
Inclination he was disposed to be, or, in truth, ought to have
been; and that, if he took upon him the Ministry of the Spirit for
the present, it was only craftily and politically done of him, to
catch the _Jews_ in their own Snare of Allegories. He was
consenting that the Preachers of the Gospel, in future Times,
should desert the _Ministry of the Spirit_, and betake themselves
to the _Letter_ of the Scriptures, as what is more agreeable to
Truth, and conducive to the Defence and Propagation of
Christianity. Such a _Craftsman_ was the inspir'd St. _Paul_, in
the Opinion of the _Bishop_ of _Lichfield_! However, the _Bishop_
of St. _David's_ ought to be of the same Mind; he should assert,
that the _Ministry_ of the _Spirit_ was all apostolical Craft and
antient Error; and that the present Generation of Priests, being
wiser, more learned, and more sincere than the Primitive and
Apostolical ones, do adhere to the _Ministry of the Letter_.
Because the _Bishop_ has not gone thus far by much, he leaves more
room, than he should, for the Revival of the _Ministry of the
Spirit_; that is, of the spiritual and allegorical Interpretation
of the Scriptures.
"The _Bishop_ often reproves me for my primitive Interpretation of
_this_ and _that_ Text of Scripture, and then palms his own forc'd
Sense on us, for natural and genuine, contrary to the Judgment of
all Antiquity.
"He is so _grave_, serious, and sedate at some simple Doctrines and
Arguments, that his _Readers_ must of necessity laugh, if not scoff
at him. Was I _ludicrously_ to handle the said Doctrines, my
_Readers_ would hardly smile. Such a wide Difference is there
between the _Levity_ of a Buffoon (as he is pleased to call me) and
the _Gravity_ of an Ass, to the exposing of Religion to the
Ridicule and Contempt of Mankind.
"Lastly, He entirely mistakes the Design of my _Discourses_; he
knows not what I aim and drive at. There's one Paradox runs through
his whole Book, _viz._ That the litteral Story of our Saviour's
Miracles must of necessity be true, or I should have no Foundation
to build Allegories upon; which is a gross Mistake of other Writers
against me, as well as of himself. Who knows not that the profest
Parables of _Jesus_ have nothing of _Letter_ in them, yet are a
good Foundation for Allegory? And let me tell him here again, that
whatever was true, more or less, in the litteral Story of _Jesus_'s
Miracles, there is absolute Necessity, for the Honour and Credit of
them, to have Recourse to the Mystery; or litterally they are, and
shall be farther proved such----Stories, as I dare not at present
call them."
Thus have I given a brief Account of the _Bishop_'s mighty and pompous
Performance; like to which he has promis'd us another Volume, that I
shall long for the publication of, next _Winter_. This my brief
Account is but introductory to future and larger Defences of my
_Discourses_ on Miracles; which, by the Help of God, and Permission
of the Civil Authority, shall be likewise publish'd.
I have not, I say, room here so much as to defend my self on any one
Miracle; and if I had, I would not do it. For as I can't do it without
writing in the same Stile and Strain for which I am prosecuted, so I
will do nothing that may be interpreted as an Act in Defiance and
Contempt of the Power of the Civil Magistrate. I did indeed publish
two _Discourses_ after the Commencement of the Prosecution, because I
imagined that our _Bishops_ were more in Jest than in Earnest; or if
their Passions were raised for the present, I thought, that after a
little Consideration of the unreasonableness of Persecution in
general, they would cool upon it, and drop the Prosecution. But since
they are in Earnest, and I must answer to the Civil Powers for some
supposed Crimes in my _Discourses_, I'll not repeat here the like
Acts, but be quiescent in respect to the said Powers, to whom
Reverence and Obedience is justly due. For, tho' I look upon the
Ecclesiastical Power as an Usurpation on the Consciences of Mankind,
yet the _Civil_ is Sacred, is God's Ordinance, and ought to be
regarded as such. But if I survive the Prosecution, and escape with my
Life and Liberty, which I don't despair of, under so wise, just, and
good a Magistracy as this Nation is bless'd with, the _Bishop_ may
expect a strenuous Defence of my self against his weak Assaults on me.
If our _Bishops_ were any thing _Heroical_, they would stop the
Prosecution, and let the Controversy take its free Course. If they had
any Sense of Honour and Reputation, any Regard for their Learning,
they would set any Adversary of their Church at Defiance, and disdain
the Assistance of the Civil Magistrate to punish him, whom they could
not confute. It is the Office of the _Bishops_ and _Priests_ of the
Church, or I know not what is, to convert _Infidels_, to refute
_Hereticks_, and by Reason and Argument to put to Silence all
_Gain-sayers_. Wherefore have they a liberal and academical Education,
but to qualify them for this Work? Wherefore do they receive large
Revenues of the Church, but to oblige and encourage them to it?
Nothing more unreasonable, than that Men should receive Wages, when
they don't their Work. What will the People say hereupon less, than
that an Army of at least Twenty thousand Blackguards of the Church are
hired to little or no Purpose? The meanest of the People may as well
be taken to Church Preferments, as our reputed learned Divines. They
can discharge other Ecclesiastical Offices; and when they are
distress'd with an Objection to their Religion, can do no worse than
call upon the Civil Magistrate for his Aid and Assistance. But after
all, I am inclin'd to think our _Bishops_, in Honour, would forbear
Persecution, but for their Interests, call'd their _All_, which depend
on the Issue of this Controversy.
However, not to urge the Argument for Liberty of Debate any farther,
which has been already by others treated on to Perfection, and will be
again returned, I doubt not, by some body else, on occasion of this
_Bishop_'s _Dedication_, I can't but take Notice here how unpolitick,
as well as unchristian, some Dissenters are in this Controversy,
being, such as Dr. _Harris_, and Mr. _Atkinson_, no less for
Persecution than the _Clergy_. If they had a Regard to their own
Interests and Liberties, they would be silent. Infidels (of whom I am
none) should be consider'd as Dissenting Brethren, whom they should
not be forward to oppress, for fear in time, and by degrees, it should
come to their own Turn. Our _Dissenters_ indeed, collectively, are
vastly numerous, and a potent Party, but may trust too much to their
own Strength and Numbers. Taking them separately, they may possibly
be Extinguish'd by Ecclesiastical Art and Craft. If Blasphemy is a
just Pretence for the Prosecution of me, the _Clergy_, upon Occasion,
can urge the same Crime against them. I'll tell them a Story. The
_Calvinists_ and _Socinians_ were once equally tolerated in _Poland_,
and if they had been fast Friends to each other, the _Papists_ could
never have suppress'd them: But the _Calvinists_ joining with the
_Papists_, and urging them to complain against the _Socinians_ for
Blasphemy, in denying the Divinity of the Son of God, moved the Civil
Authority to a Banishment of them; and the _Socinians_ had not been
long suppress'd, before the _Papists_ accus'd the _Calvinists_ of no
less Blasphemy, in denying Adoration to the Virgin _Mary_; and so they
were sent packing too; otherwise they might both have enjoy'd their
Liberty to this Day. The Application of the Story is easy. So if all
we _Dissenters_ from the Church, whether we like one another's
Principles or not, don't hold together for the Preservation of our
Liberties, it's easy for Ecclesiasticks to feign an Accusation of
_Blasphemy_ against any of us. We have no Security, but in the Wisdom
and Goodness of an excellent Government, which, if the _Clergy_
should ever get on the Back of, its hardly a Question, whether they
would not drive, _Jehu_ like, most furiously.
But to return to my _Bishop_. I once thought he would never have been
drawn into this Controversy. Sometime after the Publication of my
Third _Discourse_, which, for a visible Reason, I dedicated to him,
and invited him to Battle, I ask'd a dignify'd _Clergy-man_, Whether
the _Bishop_ would write against me? He answer'd, No: Whereupon I
concluded, that he had a Scent of somewhat, not here to be mention'd.
But my repeated Provocations of him afterwards, have forc'd him,
against Inclination, to engage me. His Passion got the better of his
Reason, or he had been certainly quiescent: And the Violence of his
Passion is so visible thro' his whole Book, that it's God's great
Mercy it did not throw him into a Fever and Convulsions, to the Danger
of his Life and Health.
I own here again, what I have done before, that I did lay a Trap for
our _Clergy_; but little imagined that two such great _Bishops_, as of
_London_ and St. _David's_, would, to my Pleasure and Satisfaction,
have been caught in it. If I had not baited my Trap well with
_Ridicule_, I dare say, they would have kept themselves clear of it.
But when I experienc'd the hard Usage the Bishops had given me upon my
_Discourses_, and the Fury with which they attack'd me, it surprised me,
and brought to my Mind _Origen_'s Prediction[354] of this _very_ War and
Controversy of the _Spirit_ against the _Letter_ of the _Scriptures_,
and of the Violence it would be carried on with. For all my Veneration
for the Authority of the Fathers, I did here suspect the Truth of
_Origen_'s Prediction, believing him to be mistaken, and that the
Controversy would be manag'd in a _calm_, _decent_, and _sedate_ Manner;
and so it had been, but for the Interests of the _Clergy_ that are at
Stake in it, which I was not aware of. Finding then the Truth of
_Origen_'s Prediction contrary to my Expectations, I had the Curiosity
further to consult the Fathers about the Issue of this Controversy; and
they presently, with their mystical Fingers, pointed to a Prophecy of it
in the _Revelations_ of St. _John_; but, to say no more at present,
assur'd me, that the _Spirit_ would get the Better of the _Letter_ in
the Conclusion of it. Tho' I am accounted an Infidel, I am so easy and
credulous a Christian as to believe all this; and I thank God have so
much Courage in me, as to try the Truth of it.
But I must observe here, that besides my two _Bishops_, of _London_ and
St. _David's_, (and some other inconsiderable _Triflers_) there are two
_anonymous_ Authors against me, whose Works have acquir'd some Fame. The
One is intitled, _The Miracles of Jesus vindicated_, in _Three Parts_.
If I could have gotten to the certain Knowledge of the Author, I should
have been tempted to have had a Bout with him; and to have expostulated
with him, both with Regard to his Arguments and good Manners. I would
have taught him a better Use, and a more proper Application of the Words
_Dishonesty, and want of Honesty_, than to reproach me with them. Common
Fame says, Dr. _Pearse_, of St. _Martin's_, is the Author; but I am apt
to think, the _King_'s Parish Priest, and other City _Divines_, have
more Wit and Craft than to upbraid me as above, for fear a just Charge
of _Dishonesty_, for their Extortions and Exactions on the People,
should be retorted on them. Upon the Publication of the _First Part_ of
the foresaid Treatise, my _Jewish Rabbi_ comes to me in all haste,
saying to me, "Look you here, do you see how this Author has new vampt
the old _mumpsimus_ Argument of _Jesus_'s Resurrection? Do you observe
how imperfectly, here and there, he answers my Objections to it; and
silently slips by some knotty Pieces of them, that were too hard for him
to untie?" Yes, _Rabbi_, said I, I do observe all this; (and what I have
observ'd since, he argues, awkwardly and backwardly, for the Certainty
of _Jesus_'s other Miracles, from his Resurrection.) My _Rabbi_
presently re-inforc'd his Resurrection-Objection against this Author,
and would have had me to print it. No, no, _Rabbi_, said I; you may
print it your self, if you dare. I must wait to hear how Causes will go
in _Westminster-Hall_, next Term, before I involve my self in another
Law-Suit. Besides, _Rabbi_, they say, I don't really thus correspond
with a _Jew_, but do only personate one; and the _Bishop_ of St.
_David's_ hints, that I am answerable to publick Justice for so doing.
Here my Rabbi stampt with Indignation; saying, What if you did personate
a _Jew_? Is it not lawful, and in Use with your _Divines_, to write
Conferences between a Christian and a _Jew_? And do you any more in this
Case? Yes, _Rabbi_, said I, it is lawful to write such like Conferences,
and to make _Jewish_ Objections to Christianity, when they are no
stronger than may be easily dissipated: But when Men write from the
Heart, as you do, and raise a D----l that our _Clergy_ can't easily lay,
it is, they say, intolerable, and punishable; and either you or I, in
the Opinion of the _Bishop_, ought to suffer for it.
The other considerable _Treatise_ against me, is that of _The Trial of
the Witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus_; which is an ingenious
Piece, and I was well pleased with it. Some time after the Publication
of this _Treatise_, I made my Jewish _Rabbi_ a Visit, when, drinking a
_Dish_ of _Tea_ together, we talk'd it over; and my _Rabbi_ was
pleas'd to deliver his Sentiments of it in this fashion: "Whoever was
the Author of this Treatise, God knows, but he's certainly a Friend to
my Objections against _Jesus_'s Resurrection, which he has fairly
stated; but is so far from fully confuting all of them, that he
discovers a Consciousness, here and there, that they are unanswerable.
It is commonly reported that Bishop _Sherlock_ is the Author of this
_Treatise_, but this Report I look upon as an Artifice of the
Booksellers, to make it sell well; or rather the Author's contrived
_Banter_ upon the _Clergy_, and their weak Christian Brethren, to try
how far they may be imposed on, and drawn into the Approbation and
Admiration of a Treatise, that really makes against them. There is but
very little in this Treatise, to make it reputed a sufficient Answer
to my Objections, excepting the Verdict of the _Jury_, who brought in
the Witnesses of the Resurrection, _Not Guilty_, of either Fraud or
Mistake in it. _Bishop Sherlock_ can't be the Author of this Treatise,
if for no other Reason than this, that _that_ Author is visibly
against that Ecclesiastical Wealth and Power, which the _Bishop_ is
possess'd of, and does think not disagreeable to the Mind of Christ
and his poor Apostles. If any _Bishop_ is the concealed Author of this
Treatise, he must secretly be of the Opinion of the atheistical Pope,
who said, _quantum nobis profuit hæc de Christo Fabula_, what vast
Advantage has the Story of Christ been to us Popes and Bishops." I
readily gave into the Opinion of my _Rabbi_, and wonder'd, _Bishop
Sherlock_ did not so much as by a publick Advertisement clear himself
of being the Author of this Treatise, and so put a Stop to the
Report. It may be the _Bishop_ is above the Scandal of it; but I was
so concern'd for his Reputation, that I drew up a _Vindication_ of him
from the Slander of it; which I had publish'd, but for my _Rabbi_'s
farther Thoughts about the Resurrection of Jesus inserted in it, that
our _Bishops_ might have possibly taken Offence at. So I dropp'd that
Design at present, but hope still for an Opportunity to publish the
said Vindication of the _Bishop_, by which, I don't doubt, but to
merit his Friendship and Favour.
But whoever was the real Author of the foresaid Treatise, I humbly and
heartily beg of him to publish, what in the Conclusion of it, he has
given us some Hopes of, _The Trial of the Witnesses of the
Resurrection of_ LAZARUS, because my _Rabbi_'s Objections to it are a
Novelty and Curiosity, which, by way of such a Reply to them, I should
be glad to see handled.
But having here by Chance mention'd my _Rabbi_'s Letter concerning
_Lazarus_'s Resurrection, it brings to my Mind a Challenge I made to
the _Bishop_ of _London_ upon it, _viz._[355] "If he would publish an
Answer to that Letter, and vouchsafe me the Pleasure of a Reply to it;
then (to save the _Civil Magistrates_ Trouble) I would suffer such
Punishment that he in his Clemency should think fit to inflict on me,
for what's past." An ingenuous _Clergy-man_, upon reading this, said,
that the _Bishop_ was bound, in Honour, to accept of my Challenge, or,
what was in his Power, in Generosity, to put a Stop to the
Prosecution. But the _Bishop_ is not of his Mind. And for what Reason
he does not accept of my Challenge, is best known to himself, and
others will conjecture. If he had not condescended to write against me
in his _Pastoral Letter_, I should have imagined, that he thought it
beneath the Dignity of One of his exalted Station in the Church, to
set his Wit (for dignified Priests, for the most part, think their Wit
and Learning proportion'd to their Wealth and Power) against such a
poor Author as I am. But this is not the Reason. It may be, he thinks
his Reputation and Honour secure in the Height of his Grandeur, and
that his Dependents will admire his Learning nothing the less for his
Neglect of my Challenge. However it be, this I will say, that were we
upon the Level in the World as to Fortune, as well as we are to Age
and Education, the Learned would despise him for declining the
reasonable Challenge of one, whom he has injuriously treated and
persecuted. It's to no Purpose to challenge him here afresh; he, being
purpos'd to carry the Matter with an high Hand, has taken other
Measures, and is resolv'd to make use of his Power and Interest to
suppress him, whom with Reason and Argument he can't convince.
However, I will here make another Proposal to the _Bishop_ of St.
_David's_. Because he thirsts after a very severe Punishment of me, or
he would not be so warm in his Exhortations of the Government to that
Purpose, I'll tell him how he may glut his Revenge, and inflict a
greater Punishment on me, than, in all probability, the Civil Magistrate
will humour him in. If he'll but put a Stop to the Prosecution at
present (which is not out of the Power of our _Bishops_, whatever they
may pretend) and let the Controversy go on, till I have finish'd my
Reply to his _two Volumes_, which shall be done with all Expedition;
then, if his Passion is not allay'd, I will submit to any Punishment, he
in his Wisdom and Justice, without Mercy, shall think fit to have laid
on me, whether it be to Death or Imprisonment. And what would he, or any
implacable Priest, desire more? This Proposal makes him my Judge as
well as my Accuser, and if he be not the most unreasonable Man alive, he
must accept of it. All my Hopes here are, that his Reason may recover
its Dominion over his Passion, against the Conclusion of my _Defence_,
or it will go hard with me. If the _Bishop_ will not comply with this
Proposal, I shall conclude, he's possess'd with the only certain and
allegorical _Satan_, mention'd in my _Discourses_; and I shall be
confirm'd in the Opinion of St. _Hilary_ (whose Testimonies about
Devils, the _Bishop_ has silently pass'd by, without any Charge upon me
for Misrepresentation) that there are no worse _Devils_ in the World,
than the calumniating, furious, and persecuting Tempers of Mankind. The
_Bishop_, by the by, has taken Pains to prove there are other _Devils_,
of an infernal, frightful, and independent Nature, and of a more certain
Existence than _Hobgoblins_; and he gravely asserts, that three of those
_Devils_ enter'd into each _Hog_, that ran violently down-hill; thereby
making the little _Pigs_ to carry as great a Burden as the old _Boars_
and _Sows_, which should have been better thought of by him. The
_Bishop_, perhaps, for these my Descants, will say I am an Infidel; but
I assure him, it is one of the Articles of my Primitive and Christian
Faith, that the old _Dragon_, _Satan_, the _Serpent_, or the _Devil_,
mention'd in the _Revelations_, is no other than the furious, violent,
and persecuting Spirit in Man; which, upon the World's getting Liberty
of Religion, will be bound and chain'd. And it is the Opinion of
Thousands, as well as of my self, that Mankind will never be Happy, nor
at Rest, till this _Devil_ is exorcised out of the Priesthood, and so of
consequence chain'd up. According to the primitive Way of interpreting
the _Revelations_ of St. _John_, the Time is near at Hand for the
_binding_ this Apocalyptical old _Dragon_ or _Satan_, that has pester'd
the World through all Ages past. All the Honour that I desire, is, by my
Studies and Endeavours to be contributing to so great a Work, for the
Good and Happiness of Mankind.
To conclude. I have been the more expeditious in printing of this
Discourse, not only for fear the _Bishop_'s _Vindication_ (as it is
call'd) should have a _malign Influence_ upon some People, I don't
mean our _Civil Magistrates_, who are wiser and more learned than to
be guided by such outragious Stuff; but because he should not long
triumph in a Conceit of the Potency and Excellency of his
Performance, as if no Reply could or would be made to it. If I had at
this Time enjoy'd free Liberty of Debate, I should not have thought it
worth my while to meddle with his _Dedication_, which with a Scorn I
should have pass'd by, and left to the Animadversions and Chastisement
of other Enemies to Persecution; but would immediately have enter'd
upon a Defence of my _Discourses_ against him. If I do retrieve my
Liberty, and the free Use of my Pen, and should not publish Defences
of my self, I should deserve (what _one_ said the _Bishop_ of
_London_, for his declining my Challenge, deserv'd) to be piss'd upon
for a vain Pretender to Argument and Authority.