Six Discourses on the Miracles of our Saviour Part 19

The People who were turn'd out of the House, upon the raising of _Jairus_'s Daughter, which is an _Absurdity_ according to the _Letter_ are, says[299] _Bede_, a Mult.i.tude of wordly and wicked Thoughts, which, except they are excluded from the Secrets of the Heart, are a Hindrance of the Resurrection of a Sinner to a new Life.

The Bearers of the Young Man[300] to his Burial are Vices, evil Spirits, Haereticks, and Seducers; and the _Widow_, his Mother, to whom he was restored, is the _Church_, who mourns for the Death of such Sinners, as are typified by that Young Man.

_Jesus_'s _weeping_ for dead _Lazarus_, which is an _Absurdity_ according to the _Letter_, is a Sign[301] of the deplorable State, that habitual Sinners are in, enough to excite the Sorrows and Mournings of good Christians, who have the Spirit of _Christ_, for them. And the Stone that lay at the Grave of _Lazarus_, is[302] a figure of the Hardness of the Heart of such a Sinner which must be taken away before _Jesus_ will call him to a new Life. So do the Fathers moralise and allegorise every Minute Circ.u.mstance of these three Miracles, as any one, who will consult them, may find, and save me the Trouble of a tedious Recital of their Authorities.

But the other mystical Way of interpreting these three Miracles is by making them Types of three great Events at the Time of _Christ_'s spiritual Advent. Accordingly the raising of _Jairus_'s Daughter is a Type of the Conversion of the _Jews_ at that Day, as _Eusebius Gallica.n.u.s_[303] and venerable _Bede_[304] and others expound it. By _Jairus_, the Ruler of a _Synagogue_; is meant _Moses_[305]; and by his Daughter is to be understood the _Jewish Church_, which, being at present in a State of Spiritual Death, will be revived and converted in the Perfection of Time. And to the mystical Resurrection or Rest.i.tution of the _Jewish Synagogue_, call'd _Jairus_'s Daughter, will _Jesus_ come[306] at the same Time he heals the Woman of the Church of her Issue of Blood. And this is the Reason that the Stories of these two Miracles are blended together by the _Evangelists_, with their synchronical Numbers of the Age of the _Girl_ and of the Disease of the Woman; because they are Types of that blessed Scene of Affairs at the Conversion of the _Jews_, when the Fulness of the _Gentiles_ is come in. Concerning which blessed state of the Church, _Origen_[307]

says, _Jesus_ wrought many Miracles, by Way of Type and Figure.

Among all the Miracles that _Jesus_ wrought, and are recorded by the _Evangelists_, I think, as far as I have had Occasion to observe, the Fathers are most scanty in their Interpretations of that of the Widow of _Naim_'s Son: Excepting what is before noted of his being a figure of a Sinner dead in actual, tho' not habitual Sin, I find very little. But if _Origen_'s Comments on this Miracle had been extant, I dare say he would have given us this following Interpretation of it. This Widow, he would have call'd the Church; and her _only Son_ or masculine Offspring, he would have call'd the _Spiritual Sense_ of the Scriptures, which is now dead, and that the _Ministers_ of the _Letter_, who are his Bearers, are for interring him within the _Earth_ of the _Letter_: But _Jesus_, upon his Spiritual Advent will put a stop to the Intention of such Bearers, by reviving the _Spiritual Sense_ of the Scriptures; and by restoring it, like a _quicken'd Son_, to the Comfort of his Mother, the Church; who has been in a sorrowful and lamentable Condition upon the Death and Want of it: This, I am sure, would be _Origen_'s Interpretation of this Miracle, which, if I had Room here, by a little Circ.u.mlocution, I could prove.

As to _Lazarus_'s Resurrection, it is in the Opinion of the Fathers[308]

a Type of the general and mystical Resurrection of Mankind in the Perfection of Time. But this is a most copious Subject; and unless I could here throughly handle it, I had much better say nothing.

And thus have I done with the three Resurrection Stories. If the _Convocation_, next Session, would determine by an Orthodox Vote, whether _Jesus_ rais'd any more, than the said three Persons, from the dead or not; I would present them with a new and more entertaining Chain of Thoughts against these Miracles; such a Chain of Thoughts, as, upon the Conclusion, let them hold which Side of the Question, they please, will necessarily induce us to hold the mystical Meaning of these Miracles, or to grant that _Jesus_ rais'd none from the dead at all.

My next and last _Discourse_ on _Jesus_'s Miracles shall be against the Letter of the Story of his own Resurrection, in which, if our _Bishops_ will keep their Temper and Patience, till I publish it, I'll cut out such a Piece of Work for our _Boylean Lectures_, as shall hold them tug, so long as the _Ministry_ of the _Letter_ and an _Hireling Priesthood_ shall last. If _Christ be not risen_, then, according to the Inference of St. _Paul_, _is their Preaching vain_; and why should the People be any longer charg'd with the Maintenance of an ignorant and idle Order of Men, to no Use and Purpose?

If I had not had Experience of it, I could never have believed that, for all the ludicrous Nature of these _Discourses_, our _dignified Clergy_ could have been so foolish or malicious as to prosecute me for an _Infidel_ and _Blasphemer_ upon them. How a Man may be mistaken in himself! I took my self for a real Advocate for the Truth of Christianity; and was so vain as to imagine these Discourses tended to a Demonstration of _Jesus_'s Messiahship: And tho' the _Bishop_ of _London_ may be of a contrary Opinion, yet I am still so conceited of my Ability to defend our Religion, that I'll stake my Life against his _Bishop.r.i.c.k_, which I'll not be troubled with, if I win it, that he can't form an Objection against Christianity, which I can't solidly confute, and make our Readers merry too, with his Weakness and Impertinence in it. But perhaps it may be unbecoming of his Lordship's Character, and against the Grain, to make an Objection to that Religion, which he finds much _temporal_, as well as some _spiritual_ Comfort in the Profession of; I will therefore descend to another Proposal, _viz._ If he'll but publish an Answer to the _Jewish Rabbi_'s Letter in this Discourse, and vouchsafe me the pleasure of a Reply to him; then (to save the Civil Magistrate's Trouble) I will suffer any Punishment that in his Clemency he shall think fit to inflict on me, for what's past. Oh, what a Hazard do I here run of Life or Liberty!

Some Christians, in my Case, would think it a sad Misfortune to be odiously represented as an _Infidel_ and _Blasphemer_; but I, in Temper and Principle, despise such Obloquies, Slanders and Defamations; and would not give a Rush to remove them, so long as I had the Answer of a good Conscience that I was undeserving of them: But considering, that it is the Duty of a Christian to seek the Peace and Friendship of all about him, and especially of our good _Bishops_, who, in Compa.s.sion to the Danger they think my Soul is in, have taken zealous and laudable Pains with the _Civil Magistrate_ for my Conviction and Conversion; I do here, for the sake of a Reconciliation with their _Lordships_ and other good People, make a formal and solemn Confession of my Christian Faith, which tho' I don't express in the Words of the _Apostical_, _Nicene_ or _Athanasian_ Creeds; yet will do it in such Terms as will be a Demonstration that at the Bottom I am found as a _Roch_. Be it known then to all Christian People, that

_Imprimis_, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that the Ministry of the Letter of the _Old_ and _New_ Testament is downright _Antichristianism_.

_Item_, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that the Miracles of _Jesus_, as they are recorded by the Evangelists, _litterally_ understood, are the _lying Wonders_ of Antichrist.

_Item_, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that all opposition and Contradiction to spiritual and allegorical Interpretations of the Scripture, is the Sin of _Blasphemy_ against the Holy Ghost.

_Item_, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that the _Ministry_ of the _Spirits_ or allegorical Interpretations of the Law and the Prophets will be the Conversion of _Jews_ and _Gentiles_.

_Item_, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that the _Ministry_ of the _Letter_, and an Hireling-Priesthood have been the Cause of the Infidelity and Apostacy of these latter Times.

_Item_, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that the Spirit and Power of _Jesus_ will soon enter the Church and expel Hireling-Priests, who make Merchandise of the Gospel, out of her, after the manner he is suppos'd to have driven the _Buyers_ and _Sellers_ out of the Temple.

These are a few Articles of that Faith, once deliver'd to the _Saints_ of the primitive Church, which I firmly believe, and will earnestly contend for. Now I appeal to the Christian World, whether a Man of such a Faith, like Heart of Oak, can be an Infidel or Blasphemer. Upon this ingenuous Confession of my Faith, which I make by way of Atonement for my past supposed Errors and Offences, I hope the _Bishops_ and all good Christian People will be reconciled to me.

St. _James_ says, that _Faith without Works is dead_, and how a Man ought to show his Faith by his Works, without which Faith is an empty and airy Nothing. Accordingly I am making what haste I can to show the Sincerity of my Faith by these my _Works_ and _Discourses_ of this Kind. And by the Grace of G.o.d, I hope our Bishops will find me as unmoveable as a Rock in the said Faith.

According to the foresaid Articles of this my Faith, I am so fully convinced, not only of the Error of the _Ministry_ of the _Letter_, but of the Mischiefs and Inconveniences of an _Hireling-Priesthood_, that, having set my Shoulders to the Work, I am resolv'd, by the Help of G.o.d, to endeavour to give _both_ a Lift out of this World. This is fair and generous Warning to our _Clergy_ to sit fast, and look to their own Safety, or they may find me a stronger Man than they may be aware of. And tho' I don't expect long to survive the Accomplishment of so great and glorious a Work; yet I am delightfully ravish'd and transported with the Forethought and Contemplation of the Happiness of Mankind, upon the Extinction of Ecclesiastical _Vermin_, out of G.o.d's House; when the World will return to its _Primogenial_ and _Paradisaical_ State of Nature, Religion and Liberty; in which we shall be _all taught of G.o.d_, and _have no need_ of a foolish and contentious Priest, hired to harangue us with his Noise and Nonsense.

Which blessed State of the World G.o.d of his infinite Mercy hasten, for the sake of our Spiritual Messiah, Mediator and Redeemer _Jesus Christ_. To whom be Glory for ever, _Amen_.

~_FINIS._~

[Ill.u.s.tration]

FOOTNOTES:

[270] Mat. ix. Mark v. Luke viii.

[271] Luke vii.

[272] John xi.

[273] Quot autem mortuos visibiliter suscitaverat quis novit? non enim omnia quae fecit scripta sunt. _Johannes_ hoc dicit, multa alia fecit Jesus, quae si scripta essent, arbitror totum Mundum non posse Libros capere. Multi ergo sunt alii sino dubio suscitati, sed non frustra tres commemorati. _In Serm._ xcviii.

[274] John xxi. 25.

[275] Non autem vacat a Mysterio, quod, c.u.m plures Dominus suscitaverat, tres tantum Evangelistae eum suscita.s.se scripserunt. _In Homil. Feriae quintae post Dominis. 4tam._

[276] Suscitaverat Dominus filiam Jairi Principis Synagogae, sed adhuc mediante morte, adhuc viante Spiritu, adhuc Anima Claustra Tartari nesciente. Suscitavit & unic.u.m Matris filium, sed sic ut retineret Pheretrum, ut antic.i.p.aret Sepulchrum, ut Corruptionem suspenderet, & praeveniret faetorem; ut ante mortuo Vitam redderet, quam tota mortuus jura Mortis intraret. Circa Lazarum vero quod geritur totum singulare est, quem circa Vis tota Mortis impleta est. _In Pet. Chrysol. Serm._ lxiii.

[277] Inter omnia Miracula quae fecit Dominus noster Jesu Christus, Lazari Resurrectio praecipue praedicatur. _St. August. in Loc. Johan._

[278] Mirum videri potest Historiam hanc tam ill.u.s.trem a Matthaeo & Marco omissam. _In Loc. Luc._

[279] Sed videtur mihi horum uterq; contentus fuisse uno Exemplo redditae Vitae in Jairi filia ex quo similia alia possunt intelligi. _In Loc. Luc._

[280] Nondum perfecta Mors est in Puella. _St. August._ in Serm. xcviii.

[281] In Epist. prima ad Corinth. Cap. xxv.

[282] Quaeri solet, cur hanc tam n.o.bilem Historiam priores Evangelii scriptores non attigerint. Mihi hoc succurrit, c.u.m illi scriberent, vixisse resuscitatum Lazarum, & periculum ei fuisse a judaeis, si quod illi acciderat, palam vulgaretur. Nam etiam mox narratur C. xii. 10, ob hoc ipsum structas ei insidias. Quare visum illis hoc ad tempus subticeri posse, c.u.m alia Exempla resuscitatorum suppeterent. At mortuo Lazaro, c.u.m jam nemini Periculum ex rei Narratione fieri posset, additum hoc a Johanne in hac quasi praetermissorum Collectione. _In Loc. Johan._

[283] The last of the three _Evangelists_ writing but fifteen Years after our Lord's Ascension, might think it needless so mention a Miracle concerning a Person, living so near _Jerusalem_, where there was so great a Fame thereof, and so many living Witnesses. St. _John_, writing his Gospel, say the Ancients, above sixty Years after our Lord's Ascension, when by the Deaths of the Person, and most of the Witnesses that were present at his Resurrection, the Memory and Fame of it might be much impair'd, had great Reason to perpetuate the Memory of it, by this large Rehearsal of it. _In Loc. Johan._

[284] Quin & illud inter traditiones reperimus triginta tum Annos natum fuisse Lazarum, c.u.m a mortuis excitatus est; atq; idem ille postea triginta aliis annis vixit. _In Haeres._ lxvi. _Sect._ 34.

[285] Matt. xviii. 2.

[286] In Nicephor. Callist. Eccl. Hist. L. ii. c. 35.

[287] In Eccl. Hist. L. vii. c. 18.

[288] In Loc. Matthaei.

[289] Puellam ex illo Tumultu plangentium stupore correptam esse, non vero defunctam. _In Homil. de Juri filia._

[290] In Loc. Matthae.

[291] Atque ut miraculum divinae Virtutis accresceret, dum Convivis interrogantibus tristia Loca paenarum, sedesq; alta nocte semper obscuras, Lazarus indicat diligenti narratione per ordinem. Diu quaesiti longisq; temporibus ignorati invenerunt tandem Inferi Proditotem. _In Serm._ cxvi. _Append. St. August._

[292] Princeps hic, Lex esse intelligitur, quae Dominum orat pro Plebe, quam ipsa Christo praedicata ejus Adventos Expectatione nutriverat, ut Vitam mortuae reddat. Nam nullum Principem credidisse legimus, ex quo Persona hujus principis orantis merito in Typum aptabitur. _In Loc.

Matt._

[293] John vii. 48, and xii. 42.

[294] Quae tamen tantae diversitatis Causa? Supra publice Viduce filius suscitatur, hic removentur plures arbitri. _In Loc. Luc._

[295] Qua igitur Ratione, qui tanta haec erat facturus, id quod evenit, judica.s.set merito Lacrymis esse prosequendum? _In Homil. de Gratiarum Actione._