Six Discourses on the Miracles of our Saviour Part 6

Hence we see the Propriety of the Name of the Woman's Disease, call'd p?e?a as?e?e?a?, a _Spirit of Weakness_, which is not properly significative of any bodily Distemper, but succinctly is very expressive of the Church's _Weakness_ at the _Spirit_ of Prophecy, which at this Day she labours under.

As it was _eighteen Years_ that the Woman was griev'd with her _Spirit of Infirmity_, for so long had her Distemper been growing on her; so it is almost eighteen (hundred) Years, or the eighteenth Century of Years, that this _Infirmity_ of the Church at the _Spirit_ of Prophecy has been coming on her: And she is now so _bent_ to the Earth of the Letter, that nothing less than the Hand and Power of Jesus, that erected the Woman, can raise her to mystical, divine, and sublime Contemplations on the Law and Prophets. St. _Augustin_[103] will have these _eighteen Years_ of the Woman's _Infirmity_, as she is a Type of the Church, to be synchronical with the[104] _three Years_ of the Fig-Tree's Unfruitfulness. I don't rightly apprehend his mystical Arithmetic. But this is certain, upon the Authority of the Fathers, that those two Numbers, with the _twelve Years_ of the Woman's _Issue of Blood_, are all conterminous and will end together: Consequently at the same time, that the Woman of the Church will be cured of her _Issue of Blood_, she will be heal'd of her _Infirmity_ at the _Spirit_ of Prophecy; _that is_, at the Conclusion of certain grand Periods of Time she will enter upon a blessed State of _Peace_ and _Vision_; which is the concurrent Doctrine of the Fathers, as any one may discern, that has dip'd into them, and is a good Confirmation of our present Exposition, and mystical Application of the miraculous Story before us.

St. _Luke_ says, that the Woman could not lift up herself e?? t?

pa?te?e?, _v._ 11. which, without animadverting on our _English_ Translation, should be rendered, _until all was perfected_, or until the _Perfection of Time_, which, the Apostle[105] and the Fathers agree, is the Time for the Church to be cured of her _Weakness_, and to be endu'd with _Power_ at the Spirit of Prophecy.

As the Woman was heal'd by _Jesus_ on the Sabbath-Day; so the Church, upon the ample Authorities of the Fathers, which Men of Reading will excuse me the Production of, is certainly to be heal'd of her _spiritual Infirmity_, at the Understanding of Prophecy against the mystical and[106] grand Sabbath, which, according to the Fathers, commences at the Expiration of her eighteen (hundred) Years _Weakness_.

But the _Ruler of the Synagogue is said to be moved with Indignation, v._ 14. at this charitable Work of _Jesus_, in healing of the Woman, because it was done on the Sabbath-Day; which in my Opinion can't be literally true: Though I am willing enough, to please our _Divines_, to allow as much as may be of the Letter of this Story, yet I except against this Part of it. _Origen_ says, there are some things of the Gospel related as Facts, which were not done; and I believe this of the Ruler of the Synagogue to be one of them. Human Nature, I think, is not capable of such base and unnatural Resentment. Works of Necessity, and requisite Offices of Kindness and Charity to Man and Beast, were allow'd by the Law, and practised by the _Jews_ on the Sabbath: And the Cure of this Woman, though on the Sabbath-Day, was such an Act of Beneficence and Compa.s.sion in the Holy _Jesus_, that I can't but think _bad_, as well as _good_ Men, would rather glorify G.o.d, that had given such Power unto Man, than find fault with it. But in the Mystery of this Part of the Story, there is clear Sense and Truth. Who then is this _Archisynagogus_, or Ruler of the Synagogue, that will be full of Indignation at the healing of the Church of her foresaid _Infirmity_ at the _Spirit_ of Prophecy? _Origen_ says that the[107] right Interpretation of the Names of Persons and Places in Scripture is of good Use to the mystical Application. Accordingly _Archisynagogus_ does signify the _Chiefs of our Congregations_: And who should they be then but the Clergy? And if this ben't enough to fix this Name and Character upon them, then let _Theophanes Cerameus_ speak here, who says, that the _Archisynagogus_, is a[108] _Type of all Priests_, who will be against the foresaid miraculous healing of the Church. And why will the _Clergy_ be mov'd 'with Indignation at the curing the Church of her _Infirm_, and restoring her to a _sound_ Spirit of Prophecy? Because as St. _Augustin_ says,[109] they are not only _bow'd down_ to the Letter themselves; but because this _Infirmity_ of the Church will be a Reproach to them, in as much as it is a Proof of their Apostacy and Insufficiency at Prophecy; and the Cure of it will be attended with such Consequences, as affect their Reputation and Interests. Who can question but the _Clergy_, who are the _Archisynagogus_ of the Text, and who are for the Church's _bending_ and _stooping_ to the low Sense of the Letter of the Scripture, will be averse to her being rais'd, _lifted up_, and erected to the Contemplation of the sublime, anagogical, and heavenly Sense of it? Such an Healing and Erection of the Church will vex them at the Heart, as it will bring _Shame_ and loss of Interest along with it; and they will undoubtedly be _Adversaries_ to this good Work of _Christ_, which, upon the Testimony of all Antiquity, is to be done on or against the Evangelical and great Sabbath.

Our Saviour is supposed to reprove the _Ruler_ of the _Synagogue_, for his _Indignation_ at the Cure of the Woman on the Sabbath-Day, saying, _v._ 15. _Thou Hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his Ox or his a.s.s from the Stall, and lead him away to Watering?

And ought not this Woman to be loos'd from this Bond on the Sabbath-Day?_ There is Force in this Argument according to the Letter: And the _Ruler_ of the _Synagogue_, and other _Jesus_'s Adversaries hereupon, might well be _asham'd_ for finding Fault with such a merciful and beneficent Work done on the _Sabbath_; when they themselves did Works on the _Sabbath_ of much less Consequence. But to[110] the Mystery. What may be said to our Ministers of the Letter, of whom the _Archisynagogus_ is a Type, for their Averseness to the healing of the Church in like manner? Why, that they are _Hypocrites_, that is, superficial Criticks on the Scriptures, and don't consider that _the Law is spiritual_, and how against the Evangelical Sabbath every Man is to be released from his Bondage and Servility to irrational Principles (for which he has been like an _Ox_ and an _a.s.s_) and to be conducted to drink of the Waters of Divine Wisdom: For this grand Sabbath will be a Day of absolute Liberty, perfect _Rest_, immense Knowledge, real Vision and Contemplation on G.o.d and his Providence, as the antient _Jews_ and Fathers so copiously declare, that they who are ignorant herein, may be _ashamed_; consequently they might know, that the Church is to be cured of her _Spirit of Weakness_ at Prophecy on that Day.

But _Satan_ is said to have _v._ 16. _bound_, and, as is supposed, _bow'd down_ this Woman; the literal Truth of which I much question: But how then has _Satan bound and bow'd down_ the Church? This, seemingly, is the great Difficulty in the mystical Application of this Story, and must be the great Curiosity of my Readers to know how I will account for it. If the Fathers don't help me out at this dead Lift, and that clearly and intelligibly too, I shall abate of my Veneration for them. If they don't tell me, and make me to apprehend, what this _Satan_ is, that for many Ages has _bound_ and oppress'd the Church after the supposed Manner of the typical Woman, I had better have held my Peace, and said nothing to this parabolical Miracle.

The Writings of the _Evangelists_ so abound with Stories of _Satan_, _Belzebub_, the _Devil_, and of greater and less Number of _Devils_, and of _Daemons_ and of _unclean Spirits_, more than any Histories before, as one would think, if these Stories were literally to be understood, that was the Age in which Christ came, that _h.e.l.l_ first broke loose, and then primarily infested Mankind; and that upon the Destruction of _Judaea_ and Propagation of the Gospel, the _Devils_ accompanied the _Jews_ in their Dispersion, or the _Apostles_ in their Travels, and have been the Tempters, Seducers, and Tormentors of other Nations ever since.

_Arn.o.bius_[111] says, _That before Christ, Devils were things unknown to the World_; by which _Arn.o.bius_ must mean, either that they were hardly talk'd of before, or that their Nature was not understood, till Christ inform'd us of it. In both these Senses, I believe, _Arn.o.bius_ may be taken, _viz._ that there was not only little Talk of _Satan_ and the _Devil_, but less of his Nature apprehended, before _Christ_ by his Parables and parabolical Miracles, rightly interpreted, instructed us in it. And if after Ages have departed from the true and original Doctrine of _Devils_, making a literal Story of that, which is only mystical and cabalistical; and have formed to themselves _Ideas_ of hideous and horrible Fiends, _Mormos_ and _Hobgoblins_, it shall not disturb me.

As to the Place and State of _h.e.l.l_, many are the Notions of _Divines_ of several Ages past, as well as of the present. I shall not recount them all here, much less refute any of them. But there is an antient, rational, and cabalistical Notion of h.e.l.l, which I have learned of the Fathers, who signify, that the babylonish and bewilder'd State of Christ's Church may be call'd _h.e.l.l_, because, as the Word ad?? does import, it is a State _without Vision_. Hence _Origen_ says,[112] that whoever can form to himself an _Idea_ of the Church in time to come, when she will be dignified with the t.i.tle of the _New Jerusalem_, for her Peace and Vision may understand what is meant by _h.e.l.l_, and all that is written of it.

As then the Fathers had a cabalistical Notion of _h.e.l.l_, which modern _Divines_ are Strangers to; so they had of _Satan_, and the _Devil_ and his Angels. I own myself at a Loss for an express Testimony out of the Fathers about _Satan_ in the Text before us; but according to their Explications of _Satan_ in other Places, nothing more is meant by him here than, "That furious Principle and Temper in Man that is not only averse to Liberty in Religion, but for binding, restraining, and tying down the Church and Christian People to certain Opinions and Ways of Worship." In such a State of Bondage has the Woman of the Church been kept, by such a _Satan_, in one Order of Men or other, for all Ages past. And that this is a right and primitive Notion of _Satan_, I could prove by Authorities enough. _Origen_ tells us[113]

of the Names of Kings in prophetical Scripture, which would be Enemies to Christ's Church; but such Kings never did, nor would personally exist; their Names, according to Interpretation, standing only for so many Sins and Vices, reigning in Mankind. To the same Purpose he says[114] _human Vices are Devils_: And _Satan_ himself, (as the Word signifies _Adversary_) is with him[115] and the antient _Jews_ too, no other than an _Aversness_ in Man to the Will of G.o.d. I could quote other Fathers to this Purpose; but being sparing of my Pains at present, I refer my Readers to my former[116] _Discourse_, in which they will see the Opinion of the Fathers about the _Devils_ in the Madman, and afterwards in the Herd of Swine; from which let them judge, whether the Fathers could have any other Notion of _Satan_ here, than what I have represented. It is certain, and may be easily prov'd, that by _Satan_, the _Dragon_ and the _Devil_, mentioned in the _Revelations_, nothing more is to be understood, than a furious, persecuting, satanical, and diabolical Temper in Man; and if what St.

_John_ writes of _Satan_ be cabalistical and allegorical; the other a.s.sertions of the Evangelists and Apostles about _him_ will of Course come under that Denomination; or the primitive Rule of Interpretation of Scripture according to the natural Signification of the Names of Persons and Places is not good.

As then the _Woman_ of the Gospel was, as is supposed, _v._ 16. _bound by Satan, loe, for eighteen Years_: So the foresaid furious Principle in Man, which is a mystical _Satan_, an _Adversary_ to Liberty, has bound the Church, _loe_, to the _eighteenth_ Century of Years: But she is to be entirely released from this spiritual Bondage, and set at[117] _perfect Liberty_ against the acceptable and Evangelical Sabbath. And here it is to be noted out of St. _Augustin_, and most worthy of Observation it is, that at the[118] same time, in which the Church will be loosed from her Bondage; _Satan_ himself will[119] be _bound_ and _chain'd_ for a[120] _thousand Years_, the time of the evangelical Sabbath, that is, says _Ephraem Syrus_[121] for ever. And how will our mystical _Satan_ or the _Dragon_ be bound and chain'd?

Not with Chains or Links of Iron or other Metal; but _Vinculis Rationis_, with the Chains of Reasons and Arguments for Christian Liberty, which will restrain the _Adversary_, _Satan_, from any more Impositions and Persecutions of the Church. And I can't here but applaud the great Mr. _Grounds_ and Mr. _Scheme_, for their Work and Labour of Love to Mankind, in making _Chains_ of Argumentations for Liberty, which I hope will prove of sufficient Strength to bind _Satan_ and restrain him (in Dr. _Rogers_, Bishop _G--bs--n_, and others his Angels) from giving any more Molestation to Christian Philosophers in their Enquiries after, and Lucubrations on Divine Truth. All the Honour that I aim at in that Work is, by the Help of the Fathers, to point out that anti-Christian Principle or Temper in the _Clergy_[122] which, for its _Averseness_ to Liberty, is called _Satan_; for its _Calumnies_, is called the _Devil_; for its _Furiousness_, is called the _Dragon_; and for its _Unreasonableness_, is called the _Beast_, to the intellectual Views of Mankind, and to direct them how to apprehend and lay hold on it.

Our Saviour, according to _Origen_, had never call'd _Peter_,[123]

_Satan_, if _Satan_ had been any Thing else than _Man-averse_ to the Will of G.o.d.

And thus have I spoken to the Miracle of _Jesus_'s healing the _Woman of her Spirit of Infirmity, whom Satan had bound and bow'd down_, which, according to the Letter, is no Miracle at all; and some Parts of the Story are improbable and incredible; but the mystical Completion of it will be most prodigious, and a Demonstration not only of Christ's Power and Presence in his Church, but of his _Messiahship_, in as much as a vast Number of Prophecies of the _Old Testament_, more than can soon be collated to this Purpose, will thereupon receive their Accomplishment. And so I come to a

3. _Third_ miraculous Story of _Jesus_'s, that is of his telling (_John_ iv.) the Woman of _Samaria_ her Fortune, _of having had five Husbands, and being then an Adulteress_, &c. in which there is a notable Miracle display'd, in the Opinion of our _Divines_, that proves _Jesus_'s Omniscience, or he could not so have search'd into the Heart of this Woman, and told her such Occurrences, that concern'd her Life past. I thought once of transcribing here entirely this Story; and so I would, but that it is a long one, and might have set some Readers, who are by this time awaken'd to pry into the Absurdities of the Letter, a laughing, before I had time my self regularly to animadvert on it.

Whether there was any Truth at all in the Letter of this Story, I should much have questioned, but that some Fathers write of it, as if they believed it literally, tho' they make a mystical and allegorical Explication of the whole and every part of it. And I, having a sincere Veneration for the Fathers, will not contradict them, (and I hope this Concession will please the _Clergy_) but, for all that, can't like any part of this Story literally, but could almost wish, that the Fathers, for the Honour of _Jesus_, had made the whole no other than a Parable.

It's strange that no _Jews_ or _Infidels_ have as yet ludicrously treated this Story to the, almost, Confutation of our Religion. If their Tongues had not been ty'd by the aforesaid _Satan_ or _Adversary_ to Liberty, I can't think but they must have made some pleasant Animadversions upon it before now. If such a broken, elliptical, and absurd Tale had been told of any other Impostor in Religion; the Wits of our _Clergy_ had been at Work to expose it plentifully; and indeed there's no need of much Wit to make this Tale nauseous and ridiculous to vulgar Understandings.

I shall not myself here make all the Remarks I can to the Disadvantage of this Story: I am not as yet so disposed to make Scoffers and _Infidels_ laugh at the _Clergy_ for their Adherence to the Letter of it. All I shall do now, is to make my Observations on the two Uses, that the Clergy very seriously put this Story to, and they are,

_First_, to prove the Expectation that there was amongst the _Samaritans_, of a _Messiah_ to come; And

_Secondly_, to prove _Jesus_'s Omniscience, or he could not have entered into the Heart of the Woman, and told her, that she had had five Husbands, and was then an Adulteress. To these two Purposes, I find this Story urged by our _Divines_, and I must needs say, as to the

_First_ of them; it is rightly from hence a.s.serted by the[124]

_Bishop_ of _Lichfield_ and others, that the _Samaritans_ had an Expectation of a _Messiah_: But why then did not the _Bishop_ and others, who are now in Quest after Arguments of _Jesus_'s Messiahship, prove him hence to be the _Messiah_, because he told the _Samaritan_ woman her Fortune? If this was a real and substantial Argument to her of _Jesus_'s _Messiahship_, it ought to be urg'd by the Clergy at this Day. The Controversy about _Jesus_'s Messiahship is now on foot; Why do the Advocates for it overlook this Proof of it? Why, because, as I suppose, they are aware, that _Infidels_ would make sport with it. But if _Jesus_'s telling the Woman her Fortune was no real and conclusive Argument of his being the _Messiah_; St. _John_ has told us an impertinent Tale of a simple Woman, upon whose Credulity and false Notions _Jesus_ palm'd himself as the true _Messiah_; and whether he did not ill thus to banter and deceive the Woman, let any one judge.

But let us here behold the Difference amongst the _Jews_ and _Samaritans_, as to the Expectation of a _Messiah_. Some of the old _Jews_, like the Apostles, expected the _Messiah_ would be a temporal Prince, a great Warriour and Conqueror of the World. Others[125] of them, like the Fathers, expected he would be a Prophet like _Moses_ in all Things, and deliver his People out of another _Egypt_: But here the _Samaritans_ expected he would be a _Conjurer_ and _Fortune-Teller_; or there is no Sense in what the Woman said to the Men of the City, _v._ 29. _Come and see a Man that has told me all that I have done_, particularly my Fortune of having had five Husbands, and being now an Adulteress, _Is not this the Christ?_ What could she mean, but that the _Messiah_ would be a strolling _Fortune-Teller_, to inform People of the Events of their Lives past and to come? And _Jesus_ to humour the Woman in her Conception of himself and of the _Messiah_, says to her, _v._ 26.

_I that speak unto thee, am He._ Whether our _Divines_ like _Jesus_ the better for this Story of him literally, I can't tell; but I am sure they dislike the Fortune-telling Trade at this Day in others, and believe it to be all Fraud, and are for punishing strolling _Gypsys_ for Cheats, who practice it; and in the last Age were intent on the[126] Prosecution of judicial Astrologers, who pretended to it: And if antient History had furnish'd us with an Instance of the Punishment of a pretended _Fortune-Teller_ in the Reign of _Tiberius_, they could not have found Fault with it. Whether any Accusations were laid against _Jesus_ for such his Delusions of the People, we know not. Evangelical History is silent, or the _Evangelists_ have prudently suppressed it. But I much wonder, that our _Gypsys_, from this Story, don't account themselves the genuine Disciples of _Jesus_, being endu'd with the like Gifts and exercising no worse Arts, than he himself practised.

If the _Samaritans_ did not expect the _Messiah_ would be a _Fortune-Teller_; how came the Thought into the Woman's Head, that _Jesus_ was the _Messiah_, because he had told her, her Fortune? What can our _Divines_ say to it? Why, they must either say, that his telling the Woman her Fortune was a real Proof of his _Messiahship_; or that the Woman was foolish and credulous, and drew a false Conclusion; and if she had not been an impudent and graceless Wh.o.r.e, would have gone away blushing, and never have divulg'd, as the Text supposes she did, her Shame to the Men of _Sychar_, who too had but little Wit, or they had never stir'd from their Homes, to see such a Fortune-Teller upon the Report of a poor Wh.o.r.e.

But the Men of the City had their Fortunes too told them by _Jesus_, and they concluded him to be the _Messiah_ upon it; or there is no Sense in what they _v._ 42. _said to the Woman, Now we believe not because of thy Saying, for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ_: What could they hear, but their Fortunes, as the Woman had before? And if _Jesus_, whose Ability at all fair Questions in the magic Art I don't question, did tell them their Fortunes; I hope he had more Prudence than to talk to them in common of their Fornications and Adulteries, which might occasion domestick Jarrs, and the Breach of good Neighbourhood amongst them; but if he directed any of them to find their lost Cattle, and help'd them again to their stolen Goods, he did well, and they alone did amiss, to conclude thereupon, _that he was indeed the Christ_. Let our _Divines_ now judge whether I have not made a natural and excellent Comment on this part of the Story, which relates to the Expectation and Opinion, which the _Samaritans_ had of a _Messiah_ to come. But,

_Secondly_, From this Story literally our _Divines_ prove _Jesus_'s[127]

Omniscience; and _Cardiognostick_ Power to tell what was in the Hearts and Thoughts of Man. But how so? Is it because he told a Woman, that she was an Adulteress, and had had five Husbands? Where's the Consequence?

_Duncan Campbel_, and other _Moorfields_-judicial-Astrologers have done greater Feats at Conjuration than _this_, and never were thought to be Omniscient. And for any Thing appears in this Story of our Saviour, it might be all Cheat and Fraud in him. If _Infidels_ should a.s.sert it, our _Divines_ could not disprove it. If they should say, it was possible for _Jesus_ to get Intimations of these and other Circ.u.mstances of the Woman's Life, before he attempted to tell her, her Fortune; we can't say, that this is an impious and unreasonable Suggestion, since it is the common Subtilty of delusive Fortune-Tellers, to get what Intelligence they can by Insinuations and Informations, before they utter their Oracles, and ambiguous Responses to simple poor Folks. And there is one Circ.u.mstance in this Story, that looks very ill upon _Jesus_, and is enough to make him suspected for a Cheat in his pretended Art, and that is, he seems to draw the Woman in by a[128]

_Wile_ to hear her Fortune, saying to her, _v._ 16. _Woman go, call thy Husband_; upon whose denying she had any Husband, Jesus was forward, very forward to surprize her with his Knowledge of her having had five Husbands, and living then in Adultery; which raising the silly Woman's Admiration of his prophetick and soothsaying Talent, he closes with her Conceptions, and what upon other Occasions, before wiser People, he was[129] backward to own, says to her, _that he was the Messiah_; and so he pa.s.s'd for the _Messiah_ with her and the Men of _Sychar_, who had no more Wit than to receive him for such, upon such Proof, and gave him Entertainment for no less than _v._ 40. _two Days_. I am glad we hear of no Money, he squeez'd out of them for the exercise of his prophetick Art, which our _Divines_ would have made an Argument of their Divine Right to Tythes, Fees, and Stipends for their Divinations.

But no more of this silly Story according to the Letter. To point at it is enough to expose it to the considerate and unprejudiced. I could not help saying so much as I have; because it is necessary to form some Invective against the Letter, to make way for the Reception of the mystical and allegorical Interpretation of it, which I am now to speak to.

Tho' the Fathers, against whose Authority I dare not write, or I should be tempted to it in this Case, acknowledge the Letter of this Story, suspecting only some[130] particular Pa.s.sages of it; yet they look upon the whole, for all that, as a[131] typical Narration, and endeavour at the mystical Construction of all and every part of it. St. _Augustin_, as if he was afraid some Christians of after Times should espouse, as our Divines do, only the Letter, prefaces his Exposition of this Story with these Words, saying,[132] _There are mysteries in all the Sayings and Actions of our Saviour, particularly in the Story of the Woman of_ Samaria, _and whoever carelesly and imprudently_ (meaning literally) _interprets it, will advance erroneous and pernicious Doctrine_; which, if modern Commentators had any Regard for the Authority of St.

_Augustin_, is enough to deter them from their literal Expositions. The most literal Interpreter among the Fathers, whom I know of, is St.

_Cyril_, and he says[133] there is a Type and Parable in this Story. But to descend to Particulars.

By the _Woman of Samaria_ is to be understood an[134] Heretical and Adulterous Church, which Jesus, _being wearied_ with her[135] corrupt State, will meet with in _the sixth Hour_, that is in[136] the _sixth grand Age_ of the World. So, by the By, according to the Fathers, _Jesus_ will come to, and meet with the _Samaritan_ Church to her Edification, at the same time, that he cures the Church of her _Issue of Blood_ and _Spirit of Infirmity_.

And where did _Jesus_ meet with the Woman of _Samaria_? At _Jacob_'s _Well_, where she was for Water to quench Thirst: So at the[137]

_Well_ of the Holy Scriptures, whose Sense lies deep as in a Well, and flows with Knowledge as with Water, will Christ then find his Church, drawing and drinking of the[138] Waters of the Letter, which could not quench the Thirst of the Soul hitherto: But in the Perfection of Time, signified by the _sixth Hour_, will Christ, according to the Fathers, enable her to draw out of this _Well_ of the Profundity of the Scriptures, spiritual Waters of Divine Knowledge, which will daily more and more, like the Fountains of the Waters of Life, arise and flow in upon the Soul, and constantly recreate and refresh her with Wisdom, to her Delight and Satisfaction; so as she may be said never to thirst more, after the Manner she does now.

And Jesus _then_ told the Woman of _Samaria_, _all that she had done_: So will Christ in the _sixth Hour_, that is, towards the latter End of the _sixth Age_ of the World, give the Woman of the Church to understand _all that she has done_, according to the Writings of _Moses_ and the Prophets, who, upon the Testimony of the Fathers, have written a prophetical History of her, in Types, Symbols and Parables; which Understanding of the Things that have been prophecy'd of her, will enable her, of Consequence, to prove and declare to the World, with Joy and Pleasure, that _Jesus_ is the true Messiah, the Christ, and Fulfiller of the Law and the Prophets.

But particularly, as _Jesus_ then told the Woman that _she had had five Husbands, and was then an Adulteress_ with one who was not her true Husband: So the Church will be made to apprehend, according to[139] _Origen_ and[140] St. _Augustin_, and others, how she has had five Husbands of the five bodily Senses, that is, metaphorically speaking, has been _wedded_ not only to sensual Pleasures, but to the sensible Things of the Letter of the five Books of _Moses_; and that at present, consequently, she lives in Adultery[141] with Anti-Christ, whom the Fathers call the Devil, instead of the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of the Law, who should be her true Spouse, whom she should _call_ for, and believe in.

And not only the Woman of _Samaria_, but the Men of the City, _Sychar_, believ'd _Jesus_ to be the Messiah, _v._ 42, upon what he said to themselves as well as to her: So the Ministers of the Letter, who are _Sycharites_, according to _Origen_ and _Theophanes Cerameus_, will be clearly convinced, and be able to convince others, that _Jesus is the Christ or Messiah_, when they shall hear, learn and apprehend from the Spirit of the Law and the Prophets, that the Church and all she has been doing, was foretold and prophecy'd of.

Lastly, _Jesus_'s Disciples, _v._ 27. are said _to Marvel that he talk'd with the Woman_. What in the Name of Wonder, literally, could be the Meaning of this? Did they _Marvel_ at _Jesus_'s Condescention to speak to a Woman, as if the s.e.x was beneath his Care? Or did they _Marvel_ that he who was very bashful, had Courage to speak to one? Or did they _Marvel_ at his Conversation with a Wh.o.r.e, for fear of his being tempted by her? Some one or other of these must be the _Marvel_ of the Disciples; but how absurd and ridiculous they all are, according to the Letter, let a reasonable Man judge. But mystically, the true Disciples of our Lord, who understand the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, will, when they are apprized of _Jesus_'s spiritual Conversation with his Church, and of all the Things that she has done according to Prophecy, _Marvel_ with rapturous Astonishment at the Wisdom and Power of G.o.d in the Accomplishment of the Scriptures.

After such a Mystical and Allegorical Manner, is every minute Circ.u.mstance of this Story of the _Samaritan_ Woman to be apply'd.

St. _Augustin_[142] says there are so many great Mysteries contain'd in it, that they require much Time to go through them all. I find it so, and that no less than a Volume might be written of them, out of the Fathers. But what I have briefly here touch'd on, is enough to convince any one of the Absurdities of the Letter of this Miracle, which consisted in the telling a Woman her Fortune, and such a Fortune, as _Jesus_ by Craft might come to the Knowledge of.

Therefore, for the Honour of _Jesus_, let us look upon the whole Story as a typical and parabolical Representation of what would be mysteriously and more wonderfully done by him.

And thus I have spoken to the three Miracles, proposed to be treated on in this Discourse. Before I enter upon my third general Head, which is, _to consider what Jesus means when he appeals to his Miracles as to a Witness of his Divine Authority_; I must take to Task some more of his pretended Miracles even till I have not left him a good, credible and substantial Miracle, according to the Letter, to appeal to. The Consequence of which will be, that his mysterious Operations are to prove his Authority and Messiahship, or we must give up him and his Religion for a Piece of Fraud and Imposture.

What Miracles will be the Subject of my next Discourse, I can't certainly foretell, but there are many Historical as well as miraculous Parts of _Jesus_'s Life, that according to the Letter, are to be call'd into Question; such as

The History of his riding on an a.s.s to _Jerusalem_. I have given some Offence on this Point already in my _Moderator_, and ought to excuse or justify my self, by calling the Fathers to Account for laughing at the Letter of that Story. It was an untoward saying of St. _Jerome_, that I there cited, and suffered a Prosecution for: But it is a worse Intimation of St. _John_ of _Jerusalem_, who, if there was any literal Truth in the Peoples pulling off their Garments, and Branches of Trees, and strewing them in the Way of _Jesus_, will needs have it not respectfully but mischievously done, to make the Colt stumble, and so dismount his Rider. And according to him it may be questioned, whether the _Hosannahs_ of the People were of any more Respect to _Jesus_, than the _Huzzahs_ of a _Mob_ would be to the Bishop of _L----n_, if to shew his Meekness and Lowlyness, he should ride upon an a.s.s, in his _Pontificalibus_ through this City. But I have here a momentous Controversy to decide about the Beast _Jesus_ rode on. St. _Matthew_ seems to say, he rode upon both _a.s.s_ and _Colt_ together. St. _Mark_ and St. _Luke_ say, he rode upon the _Colt, on which Man never before sat_. The Bishop of _Lichfield_ says, he rode upon the _a.s.s_ (on which Man had before sat) and the _Colt_ ambled after. St. _Cyril_ and St.

_Chrysostom_ say, he rode upon the _Colt_, and the _She-a.s.s_ trotted after. St. _John_ the _Evangelist_ says he rode upon a _Mule_, or an ??a???? a.s.s-like Creature of the neuter Gender. The _Jewish Cabalists_ say, their _Messiah_ was to ride on a great huge _a.s.s_, big enough to carry him and all true Israelites, and that the Ministers of _Antichrist_ would then hang an _A-ss_. So do the great Doctors of the World differ! To whom I shall decree the Prize of Orthodoxy, I shan't foretell; but am inclined to favour the Opinion of the _Cabalists_.

However, I shall be very grave as well as learned on this Head: And if I can, I will, to oblige Dr. _Sherlock_, hook in a Digression about _Shilo_'s _binding his Fole to the Vine, and his a.s.ses Colt to the choice Vine_: The Accomplishment of which _literal_ Prophecy seems to have been drop'd in the Providence of G.o.d, or the _Dean_ of _Chichester_[143] had never stopt at it. I will endeavour to look it up, in some Corner of History, if it be but to merit the Praises of the _Master_ of the _Temple_.

I must also sometime take into Consideration the Story of _Jesus_'s Abode in the Wilderness, forty Days, in Company of the _Devil_, who tempted him. This literally, as our _Divines_ understand it, is a Scandalous Story. The _Jews_, in our Saviour's Time, said, that through _Belzebub_, he cast out _Devils_; and their Posterity have a.s.serted, that he learn'd the Magick Art of a _Daemon_. This Story gives too much Grounds for such a Suspicion. Our _Divines_, who should know best, talk of abundance of Mischief, the _Devil_ has been permitted to do in the World ever since; I hope it was not by Compact and Agreement between them; but it would have been of some Satisfaction to the Contrary, if the _Evangelist_ had told us expresly upon what Terms they mett and parted. As Fables go, it is said to the Honour of St. _Dunstan_, that he took the _Devil_ by the Nose, when he tempted him; and if _Jesus_ had taken him by the _Collar_, and thrust him into his _Dungeon_, and there chain'd him, and shut _h.e.l.l-Gates_ upon him; I appeal to honest plain Christians, whether such an _Herculean_ Labour would not have pleased them well. Ever since I read of _Martin Luther_'s Conversation with the _Devil_, I have had but indifferent Thoughts of his _Protestantism_; and unless the Fathers turn this Story before us into Mystery, Allegory and Cabalism, I shall think ill of Christianity.

I should also take into Examination the Story of an Angel's appearing to the Shepherds, and saying to them; _Behold I bring you Tidings of great Joy_, &c. If there was any Truth literally in _this_ Story, and in _that_ of a Star's appearing to the wise Men, there must be a great Mistake in the Report of both of them. St. _Matthew_ and St. _Luke_ have both blunder'd. It was the Star that appear'd to the Shepherds by Night; and the Angel (I speak upon Reason and Authority) that was sent to the wise Men. What then to do with these two Stories, and to salve the Credit of the _Evangelists_, I knew not, till the Fathers directed me to the Use of a mythological _Metamorphosis_: And then I presently learn'd the Trick on't, to transform Stars into Angels, and Shepherds too, or Pastors of Christ's Flock (which was the Difficulty) into wise Men; and so I made one Moral or Mistery of the two Fables.

I must also some Time take to task the Story of the _many dead Bodies of the Saints, that upon Christs Resurrection, came out of their Graves, and appear'd unto many_; which is too imperfectly related to merit Credit. The _Evangelist_, if he would have a reasonable Man believe his Story, should have told us, who those Saints were, and what Numbers of them; and whether they appear'd to the converted or unconverted _Jews_; whether they were some of the Patriarchs and Prophets of old, or some lately departed Disciples, who, for all _Jesus_'s healing Power, died in the Time of his Ministry; and whether there were any Women among those Saints; and whether they appear'd naked (as _Jesus_ modestly did to _Mary Magdalen_, unless he flip'd himself by _Stealth_ into the Cloths of the Gardener, which might be the Reason of her Mistake, for she suppos'd she saw the Gardener) and whether they return'd again to Corruption, or ascended into Heaven. For want of these specifical Circ.u.mstances, the _Evangelist_ has told us a Tale, that has neither Head nor Foot to it: and unless the Fathers mystically answer, to Satisfaction, every one of the aforesaid _Queries_, I'll reject this Story for mere Romance and Imposture.

These and many other historical and seemingly miraculous Stories of the Gospel, are some time to be taken into Consideration; for I will not give this Work over, till I have demonstrated beyond all Contradiction, that the evangelical Writings are but the Shadow of Divine Mysteries; and that literal Interpreters, whom[144] _Origen_ calls _vulgar Capacities_, are under a Mistake, if they think, they understand any Thing, as they ought, of the four Gospels.