Manner, this Similitude between the Redemption of the Jewish and
Christian Church out of _Egypt_, then meeting with Success in our
Studies, will we proceed further, and illustrate other Prophecies of
succeeding Times of the Church; for I will not part with the _Bishop_,
till he is able to travel by himself, in his Contemplations on the Law
and the Prophets, and to behold, what with an ordinary _Telescope_ at
the Eyes of his Understanding he may discern, and show to his Episcopal
Brethren, _Christ_ spiritually sitting and coming on the Clouds of the
_Letter_ to the same Purposes that the old Jews, Fathers and Apostles
say he is to come, _viz._ To open and illustrate the Parables and
Ænigma's of the Scriptures, to restore Prophecy, to shew us God Face to
Face; and to raise All from a spiritual Death to Life again. And blessed
are all those, who love and desire such his Appearance.
In my _Third Discourse_ on _Miracles_, I happen'd to speak of
_Christ_'s second and spiritual Advent on the Clouds of the Law and
Prophets; and to say "that the common Notion of his Coming on ærial
Clouds for the Resurrection of dead Bodies, _&c._ is the most
senseless and unphilosophical, that ever was taught to Mankind;" which
gave Offence to my _Bishop_, who animadverted upon me for it; but if
he ever get Sight, which I don't question, of _Christ_'s Coming on
the metaphorical Clouds of Prophecy, he'll not only be of my Mind
here, but will be sensible with me, that all or most of our
systematical Divinity, that is built on the _Letter_ of the
Scriptures, is false and groundless; and of that ill Tendency to the
Corruption of Mens Morals, that it is not so much a Wonder, that wise,
good, and thinking _Gentlemen_ are betaking themselves to Natural
Religion, as it is, that there are any Believers of Christianity, upon
the _Literal Scheme_, left among us. If it had not been _Force_, more
than _Reason_, that has hitherto kept Mankind in their Christian
Faith; or if Liberty had been indulg'd them to consider the
Absurdities of the _Letter_ of the Scriptures, they would have run ere
now, by Shoals, into Infidelity: But the allegorical Interpretation
(which the Cabalistical _Jews_[396] say, will convert _Atheists_) will
reduce Mankind to the Belief of the inspired Authority of the
Scriptures, by shewing them the perfect _Reason_, the divine _Wisdom_,
and resplendent _Truth_ of them; otherwise call'd the Messiah, the
[Greek: chrisma], the Spirit, or the _Christ_ of them, than _whom_, or
than _which_ nothing can be more desired by Philosophers, to come for
the spiritual Renovation, Restoration, Resurrection and Illumination
of Man; _consequently_ and implicitly for the Work of those mystical
Miracles, of which those wrought by _Christ_ in the Flesh are but
Types and Figures. Whether the _Bishop_ of _St. David_'s be already
apprised of this Consequence, I can't tell; but if he rub his
Intellects but a little, he must needs apprehend the Consequence of
the foresaid spiritual Advent of _Christ thus_ far "That Ministers of
the Letter then are certainly to be turn'd out of the Church: "That
the Woman of the Church then will be cured of her Infirmity at the
Spirit of Prophesy: "That the Eyes of Mankind, like the blind Man's,
will be then open'd to see, what he has hitherto been dark about, the
Mystery of the Providence of God in all Ages. And so of the mystical
Accomplishment of the other Miracles, with a little Application of
Thought, may he discern the Consequence. And when he does so, then he
will see too, what sort of a Christian I am, whom our _Ecclesiasticks_
have falsely accused, and unjustly persecuted for Impiety,
Profaneness, Blasphemy and Infidelity, only because I have written
against the _Letter_ of _Jesus_'s Miracles, in order to turn Mens
Heads to the Consideration of their mystical Accomplishment at
_Christ_'s second spiritual and glorious Advent on the Clouds of the
Law and the Prophets.
I have indeed written against the _literal_ Stories of _Jesus_'s
Miracles, which I still nauseate and abominate the Confinement of Mens
Thoughts to it; but if our _Clergy_ would but a little bear with me,
they shall see, I _alone_ do Honour to their literal Stories, by
making them beautiful Emblems of future and more wonderful Operations.
I have indeed call'd _Jesus_ an Impostor, Juggler, Fortune teller (and
what not?) by way of Objection against the _Letter_ of his Miracles;
but I _alone_ shall do him Honour, in those very Miracles, which he
wrought in the Flesh, by proving him to be the Wisdom, as well as
Power of God, and that _God was in him of a Truth_, and endued him
with a divine Prescience of Futurities, or he could not then have
wrought such curious and admirable Models and Prefigurations of his
mysterious Works at his _second_ Advent.
Whether the _Bishop_ of _St. David_'s, and others, can as yet
certainly discern the foresaid Consequence of Christ's mystical
Accomplishment of his Miracles upon his spiritual Advent, I can't
guess; but if they'll favour me with their Opinion on my _Rabbi_'s
Objection above, which will lead us to the allegorical Interpretation
of the Law, they shall soon clearly see it.
And now I would have the _Bishop_ of _St. David_'s to compare _this
Part_ of my _Defence_ with the _Third Chapter_ of his _Vindication_,
which treats _on the Practice of the Fathers in interpreting the
Scriptures in a mystical and allegorical Method_, and consider whether
He or I write the most like a Christian of an orthodox and primitive
Faith and Practice. The _Bishop_ says[397] "That it is certain, that
without such Assistance (_of the Spirit_) as St. _Paul_ enjoy'd, the
mystical Expositions of the Scripture by _Origen_ and other Fathers,
tho' made in Imitation of St. _Paul_, have no such Authority as that
of St. _Paul_ stampt on them." What, in the Name of Wonder, does the
_Bishop_ here mean? Tho' St. _Paul_ has not allegoriz'd the whole Law,
but only some few Parts; yet he expressly says, often enough, that the
whole is a _Figure_ and _Shadow_ of Things to come under _Christ_; and
our Saviour himself, as the Fathers understood him, intimates often,
that all Things that were written in the Law and the Prophets, are
Types and Prophecy of him, and that he came to fulfil them _to a
Tittle_. Is not here Authority enough for the Fathers to allegorize
the whole Law and the Prophets, in order to shew the Agreement between
the Type and Antitype; between the Shadow and the Substance; between
the Figure and the Thing figured; and between the Prophecy and its
Accomplishment. And whether the Fathers, in their allegorical
Expositions, rightly or not, hit off the Sense of the Prophecy; (for
it must be confess'd they variously allegorized _this_ and _that_
Passage of Scripture) yet it was _their_ and _our_ Duty and Office,
from the Words of _Christ_, and the Practice of the Apostle, to keep
on in the allegorical Method, till an Harmony between the Prophecy and
its Accomplishment was made most clear.
The _Bishop_ says in this his _Third Chapter_ of his _Vindication_,
"That the Fathers and I have abusively cited this Passage of St.
_Paul_, _The Letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth Life_, in
Justification of our mystical Expositions;" whereupon the _Bishop_
gave us a large Explication out of his own Head, on that whole Verse;
which (because of the Shallowness of my own Pate, or the Confusion of
the Bishop's) I don't understand, and much question, whether the
_Bishop_ understands himself. However, I will here paraphrastically
give my _Readers_ the easy, plain, and intelligible Sense of the
Fathers and my self on that whole Verse[398] thus, _Who hath made us
able Ministers of the New Testament, not of the Letter_ [that is, not
of the literal Sense of the Law and the Prophets, which is the _Old_
Testament] _but of the Spirit_, [that is, of the spiritual Sense of
the Law and the Prophets, which is the _New_ Testament] _for_ [as the
Testimony of _Jesus_, according to St. _John_, is the Spirit of
Prophecy, so] _the Letter_ [that is, the literal Sense of the Law and
Prophets] _killeth_ [that is, nulls the Testimony of _Jesus_ which is
in them] _but the Spirit_ [that is, the spiritual Sense of the Law and
Prophets] _giveth Life_ [to their prophetical Testimony.] This is most
certainly the Sense of the Fathers on this Text; and I believe the
_Bishop_ will not gainsay it, tho' he may dislike it. Hence the
Fathers, when they spoke _properly_ and not _vulgarly_, call'd the
spiritual Sense of the Law and the Prophets, the[399] _New Testament_,
and asserted that there was or would be such an Agreement between the
_Old_ and _New_ Testament; that is, between the Testament of the
_Letter_, and the Testament of the _Spirit_ of the Scriptures, as that
there would not be[400] one Tittle in the _one_, that would not be
consonantly fulfilled in the _other_; and so far as I already
apprehend this Harmony between these two Testaments, of the _Letter_,
and of the _Spirit_, I must needs say with _Origen_[401] that it's
_pleasant and ravishing to behold and contemplate it_, and hope in a
short time to make the Bishop of St. _David_'s a Partaker of the same
Pleasure. The same right Notion had the Fathers of the _Gospel_ of
_Christ_, which they have of the _New Testament_. _Vulgarly_ speaking,
the Writings of the Evangelists, and of the Apostles, were call'd the
_Gospel_ of _Christ_: But properly speaking, Christ's _spiritual
Accomplishment_ of the Law was the _Gospel_: Hence is the Meaning of
their frequent saying, "That under the Law the Gospel was vail'd, and
under the Gospel the Law was reveal'd." Hence they said, "That those
Men had nothing of the _Gospel_, who understood not the Spirit of the
_Law_." Hence they said, "The Gospel was hid to those, who had the
Veil of the _Letter_ upon their Hearts in reading of the Old
Testament." Hence it was too, that they said, "That the Gospel was but
_in Part_, and that too in a very _little Part_, reveal'd at
_Christ_'s first Coming; the full Revelation of it being reserv'd for
his second and more glorious Advent, which the World is now in great
Want of, for the curing of their spiritual _Blindness_, _Deafness_,
and _Lameness_; that is, for the Correction of their gross Ignorance
and Errors in Religion; for the Healing of their Divisions; for the
Manifestation of Truth; for the Conversion of _Jews_ and _Gentiles_;
and for the Reformation of the Manners of Mankind.
Dear _Jesu_, to what a sad Purpose have our Hired Priesthood and
_Ministers_ of the _Letter_, of all Denominations, hitherto studied and
preach'd, even till they have lost the true, primitive, and Apostolical
Notion of "the _Gospel_; "of _Revelation_; and "of the _New Testament_!
The Bishop of _London_ has of late publish'd two _Pastoral Letters_ on
the Certainty, Necessity, and Use of Revelation, against _Infidels_,
particularly against my self, whom he (God help his Understanding!)
takes for a Favourer of Infidelity: And to do the _Man_ Justice, I
believe he's sincere, and laments at his Heart the Unbelief of this
Age: But however, when the true _Gospel_, otherwise call'd the
_Revelation_ of the Law and the Prophets, or the _New Testament_
(which will be fatal to the Ministry of the Letter, and an hired
Priesthood) shall be republished, restored, and repreach'd, I dare
say, without Censoriousness, or pretending to a prophetick Spirit,
that He, of all the Inhabitants of _London_ and _Westminster_, will be
the greatest Enemy to it; and for no other Reason than his own,
"because of his Unwillingness to part with his worldly Interests,
which will induce him to embrace any Arguments against it, and to
cherish any Doubts and Scruples concerning it."
Whether the Bishop of St. _David_'s intends to proceed in this
Controversy against me, as he has begun, I know not. He promised us
his _Second Volume_ last Winter, but has adjourn'd the Publication of
it to the next, and I am apt to think he'll defer it to _latter
Lammas_: For being, I suppose, sensible, that his _First Volume_ is
built on the false Bottom of my supposed Infidelity, he'll hardly
trouble the World with another of that kind. But however, I'll not
release him out of the Controversy. I shall insist upon his letting
me know his Opinion on my _Rabbi_'s Objection against _Jesus_'s
Messiahship, herein contain'd, which if he'll favour me with, I'll
forgive him all the Virulence, and pass by all the Impertinence (to
say no worse) of his _Vindication_: Otherwise I shall be tempted to do
an unpleasant Work to myself, as well as an ungrateful one to him;
that is, further to expostulate with him for his false Accusations,
Misrepresentations, and other ill Usage of me.
When I review my _Discourses_ on _Miracles_, and consider not only
their visible Tendency to the Proof of _Jesus_'s Messiahship, but my
solemn Declarations of the Belief of Christianity; I wonder that such
a Number of Writers against me should all of them (excepting Mr.
_Laurence_[402] whom I here thank and praise for his Ingenuity) take
me for an Infidel. I don't indeed much wonder, that the inferior Tribe
of _Levi_ (such is their egregious Ignorance!) should take me for one;
but that such presumed great _Scholars_, as are the Bishops of
_London_ and St. _David_'s, should so mistake me, is astonishing. And
I am not as yet fully satisfied, whether it be their _Ignorance_ or
their _Malice_, thus to accuse me of Infidelity: If it was really
_Ignorance_ in them, they'll soon be convinced of their Error; and
then, like good Christians, they'll make me Satisfaction for the
Injuries done me. But if it was _Malice_, and in Revenge on me for
writing so much against an _Hired-Priesthood_, then they'll go on, and
_die hard_, without any Remorse for the Troubles, Sufferings and
Expences they have put me to.
As I am really a Christian, and shall, by God's Help, demonstrate the
Messiahship of _Jesus_, to which my _Discourses_ on his _Miracles_
were subservient; so I will make bold to tell the _Bishops_ concern'd,
that I am as certainly persecuted, as ever any Christian was since the
Days of the Apostles: And they will do well to consider, whether they
have not everlastingly disgraced themselves, and done some Dishonour
to the best Civil Administration, that ever Nation was bless'd with,
by engaging them in the Persecution of the most sincere Advocate for
the Truth of Christianity, that ever set Pen to Paper.
I am so far from being an Infidel, that, notwithstanding my
_Discourses_ on _Miracles_, I am an implicit Believer, and most devout
Admirer of Doctrines, Historical Facts, and Traditions of the
primitive Church, adhering to many Notions of the Fathers, besides
their allegorical Scheme (as will be seen in the Sequel of this
Controversy) which the _Divines_ of these last Ages have rejected, as
so many Weaknesses and Mistakes in them. And when I come more fully to
open my Mind, it will be well if the _Clergy_ don't change their
_Note_ about me; and instead of accusing me of Infidelity, ridicule me
for too much Credulity, and even Superstition; or I would not espouse
_such_ and _such_ Doctrines and Traditions, which all learned and
Protestant _Criticks_ have discarded. Some of these old Notions I'll
keep to myself, for fear of being over-much laught at by the _Clergy_
for them, but others upon Occasion I will divulge; and don't care if I
tell my _Readers_ here one of them, thus:
"The Fathers intimate that _Ministers_ of the _Letter_ are Worshippers
of the Apocalyptical _Beast_, or _Anti-Christ_; and that _that Beast_
of a God, old _Baal_, was a Type of _Anti Christ_." This their Opinion
I found hard to digest; but if there be any Truth in it, it can't be
unlawful to jest a little with his Priests, or to ridicule their
nonsensical, foolish and absurd Doctrines, founded on the _Letter_.
But let my Theological Notions and Speculations be of what kind
soever; what Harm can my Arguings for them do to the Community? None
at all. If they are not of God, they will come to nought sooner and
better than by a Persecution of me for them. But if they are of God,
they will stand and prevail against all Opposition of the _Clergy_,
who will lose their Reputation, if they take any other Measures, than
what Reason and Religion do allow of, to suppress them.
My earnest Request then to the _Clergy_ is, that under the Debate I am
like to have with them, they would be pleased to keep their Temper; or
wise and impartial By-standers will say, that it's more for their
Interests than the Truth, that they are zealous and furious.
I am not afraid of another Prosecution at Law, because I already have,
or soon shall cut off all Pretences to it, by clearing myself of all
Suspicions of Infidelity; but, for all that, I am more apprehensive of
the Rage and Indignation of the _Clergy_, than if I had been a
downright _Atheist_. No _Atheist_ or _Deist_ is or can be of that
dangerous Consequence to the modern Priesthood, as the Christian
Allegorist. Against the Growth of Deism and Atheism, the _Clergy_ may
be able for some time to maintain their Ground; but upon the Revival
of the _Ministry_ of the _Spirit_ of the Law and the Prophets, they
can't stand long. And if I should demonstrate, what I have undertaken,
the Certainty of the allegorical Scheme, and _Jesus_'s Messiahship
upon it; tho' _Jews_ and _Infidels_ then will be ready to rejoice, yet
Ministers of the Letter, notwithstanding their pretended Love to, and
Faith in _Jesus_, will be enraged; and it will be well, if I don't
feel the Weight of their Displeasure and Resentment. If that foolish
old _Dotard_, Mr. _Ayscough_[403] the _Rector_ of St. _Olave_'s,
_Southwark_, could find in his Heart to instigate the Mob to _drag me
through the Streets, and throw me into some Repository of Filth and
Nastiness_, what may I not dread from young hot-headed _Priests_, upon
the Performance of what is here undertaken? But I hope our pious and
good _Bishops_, notwithstanding the Danger of their _Thousands_ a
Year, will be my Safeguard.
After all, it is a sad and melancholick Consideration, that the
Understandings of Mankind, especially of the Wise, Thinking and
Philosophical Part of them, should be enslaved to the Interests of
Ecclesiastical _Clodpates_, who for the sake of _Mammon_ more than
_Truth_, are furious and turbulent; otherwise any Opinions in Religion
might be profess'd, consistently with the Peace of the Publick; and
any Speculations publish'd without Animosities and Molestations.
What Course can be taken with the _Clergy_, to persuade them to
Patience and Forbearance, whilst I prove them to be the most stupid
Sect of Philosophers, who have amongst them the fewest Rudiments of
true Philosophy, and even of the Gospel, of any Sect the World ever
knew? It's said, there is nothing so absurd, which some of the old
Philosophers have not held; but there is nothing, for Absurdity, equal
to this Belief, that the _Bible_, for its literal Story, is the Word
of God, and given by Inspiration of him.
The _Bishop_ of _St. David_'s complains[404] of my unmannerly
Behaviour towards my Ecclesiastical Superiors; and I must confess, I
am no body at that low and _Right Reverend_ Bow, that he is fam'd for,
or I might have put in for a _Bishoprick_ before now: But if our
_Bishops_ and _Clergy_ will be pleased to keep their Temper, till I
get to the End of this Controversy, I'll pass such Compliments upon
them for their good Humour and Learning too, if they deserve it, as
they hardly ever met with.
To conclude, I have written as plainly and intelligibly as I can, in
this _Part_ of my _Defence_. If any one shall complain of Obscurity
any where, I will, upon Intimation, endeavour to illustrate it. I
have, in some Places, asserted Things upon the Authority of the
Fathers, without producing their Testimonies, in Proof of them; but if
any question, whether their Testimonies can be here or there urg'd,
they shall, upon a proper Occasion, have Satisfaction given them. The
Reason why I have sometimes omitted the Testimonies of the Fathers,
where they might be look'd for, is because I study Brevity, intending
never to publish at once a larger _Volume_ than this present. And no
body need question my Testimonies to be ready at Hand; because I have
neither the Courage nor Confidence (like many others) to vent any new
Doctrines out of my own Head. My Talent is only to illustrate what the
Fathers have asserted; and tho' some would account me a Falsifier and
Misrepresenter of primitive Authorities, my honest Endeavours shall be
to turn the Hearts of our _Clergy_, who are like Children in
Understanding, to the Fathers. I shall end all _seriously_,
_gravely_, _calmly_ and _sedately_, with the same Words that I began
my _First Discourse_ on _Miracles_ with, saying, "If ever there was a
useful Controversy started or revived in this Age of the Church, it is
this about the Messiahship of the Holy _Jesus_, which the _Discourse
of the Grounds_, &c. has of late rais'd. I believe this Controversy
will end in the absolute Demonstration of _Jesus_'s Messiahship from
Prophecy, which is the only Way to prove him to be the Messiah, that
great Prophet expected by the _Jews_, and promised under the old
Testament." And whether Bishop _Smalbroke_ or Mr. _Stackhouse_ will
believe me, or not, I do now solemnly declare, that what I have
written in my _Discourses_, or shall write in these _Defences_, is
with a View to, what I am persuaded I shall effect, the absolute
Demonstration of the Messiahship of the Holy _Jesus_, to whom be Glory
for ever and ever. _Amen._
~_FINIS._~
FOOTNOTES:
[357] _Vindication in Preface, p._ ix. x.
[358] _Fair State of the Controversy_, p. 293, 294.
[359] _In his Preface_, p. xi.
[360] _Vindication_, p. 2.
[361] _Defence of Christianity_, p. 295, 310.
[362] _Some Observations of a Layman._ 2. Tom _of_ Bedlam'_s Letter to
his Cousin_ T. Woolston. 3. _For God or the Devil: Or, Just Chastisement
no Persecution._ 4. _A Defence of the Scripture-History, &c._
[363] _In his_ First Pastoral Letter, p. 5.
[364] _In his Preface_, p. ix.
[365] _In his Dedication to the Queen._
[366] Siquidem Symbola quædam erant, quæ tunc gerebantur, eorum quæ
Jesu virtute semper perficiuntur. _In Matt._ C. xv.
[367] Peragunt Formam futuri Gesta præsentia. _In Matt._ C. xxi.
[368] Quæ a Jesu facta alicujus significantia erant. _In Serm._ lxxvii.
[369] Ipse Salvator noster apertissimè ostendit, quòd ejus miracula
aliquid significent, dum ea faciendo aliquid agit, quod ratione carere
videatur. _In Hom. quarta post Dominic. quartam._
[370] _In his Preface_, p. xi.
[371] _Ibid._ p. x.
[372] Similitudo erat & Typus futurorum unumquodque, quod Jesus
faciebat in Corpore. _In Isai._ C. vi.
[373] Adventus Christi unus quidem in Humilitate completus est, alius
verò speratur in Gloria: Et hic primus Adventus in Carne, mystico
quodam Sermone, in Scripturis sanctis umbra ejus appellatur. _In Jesu
Nave_, C. viii.
[374] Pertingit ad usque secundum & diviniorem Christi Adventum
Johannis Testimonium. _Origen. in Lucam. Tom._ V.
[375] Appropinquat enim Regnum Coelorum, ut Scribæ qui in simplici
Littera acquiescunt, resipiscentes ab ejusmodi Intellectu, erudiantur
spirituali Doctrina, quæ est per Jesum Christum, vivum Verbum, quæ
vocatur Regnum Coelorum. _In Matt._ C. xiii.
[376] _P._ 123, 124.
[377] _P._ 124.
[378] _P._ 108.
[379] _P._ 93.
[380] _P._ 94.
[381] Ibid.
[382] Nam idem Moses quamvis Veteris Testamenti verba in literis
condidisset, tamen separatim quædam ex occultis Legis secretiora
mysteria septuaginta senioribus, qui Doctores deinceps manerent,
intimaverat. _In Psal._ ii. Sect. 2.
[383] _P._ 96.
[384] _Origenes_ decem scripsit Stromateas, omnia nostræ religionis
dogmata de _Platone_, _Aristotele_, _Numenio_, _Cornutoque_
confirmans. _In Epist. ad Magnum._
[385] _Defence of Christianity_, p. 345.
[386] _P._ 347, 353, 358.
[387] _P._ 341.
[388] _P._ 344.
[389] Perspicuum est Mosem mentis acie Legis Veritatem Historiarumque
apud Scripturam Allegorias juxta Anagogen vidisse. _In Johan. Tom._ VI.