Six Discourses on the Miracles of Our Saviour, and Defences of His Discourses. Thomas Woolston

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ on Moses's Book of Exodus, and how he would fulfill it at the New Jerusalem.

      Whether any, besides my self, does really apprehend, and is willing to understand this Story of Christ's Transfiguration, as I do, I neither know nor care. I am not bound to find others Ears, Eyes, and Capacities. What I have said is enough to shew the Sense of the Fathers about this Matter. If any dislike their concurrent Opinion of Jesus's Transfiguration's being an Emblem, an Enigma, and figurative Representation of a future and most glorious Transfiguration, such a one as they speak of; let him account for the Difficulties and Objections which I have before raised against the Letter of this Story. In the mean time I shall think it, literally, an absurd, improbable, and incredible one, and no other than a prophetical and parabolical Narrative of what will be mysteriously and more wonderfully done by Jesus.

      And thus I have considered three of the Miracles of our Saviour, and shewn how they are Absurdities, according to the Letter, consequently do make nothing for his Authority and Messiahship. I can and will do as much by his other Miracles; for I would not have any one think I am gotten to the End of my Tedder, but for some Reasons best known to my self, I publish these Remarks on these three first. After the Clergy have chew'd upon these a while, I will take into Examination some others of Jesus's Miracles, which for their literal Story are admired by them. As for Instance,

      I will take to task his Miracle[66] of changing Water into Wine at a Marriage in Cana of Galilee; which was the beginning of Jesus's Miracles, and should by right have been first spoken to; but I am almost too grave to handle the Letter of this Story as I ought; and if I had treated it as ludicrously as it deserves, I don't know but at setting out, I should have put the Clergy quite out of all Temper. I would not now for the World be so impious and profane, as to believe, with our Divines, what is contain'd and imply'd in the Letter of this Story. If Apollonius Tyanæus, and not Jesus, had been the Author of this Miracle, we should often have reproached his Memory with it. It is said of Apollonius Tyanæus, that a Table was all on a sudden, at his Command, miraculously spread with Variety of nice Dishes for the Entertainment of himself and his Guests; which Miracle, our Divines can tell him, makes not at all to his Credit, in as much as it was done for the Service and Pleasure of luxurious Appetites. But if Apollonius had done, as our Jesus did at this Wedding, they would have said much worse of him; and that, modestly speaking, he delighted to make his Friends thoroughly merry, or he would not be at the Pains of a Miracle to turn so much Water into Wine, after they had before well drank. If the Fathers then don't help us out at the mystical and true Meaning of this Miracle, such farther Objections may be form'd against the Letter, as may make our Divines asham'd of it.

      I will also take into Examination Jesus's Miracle[67] of feeding many Thousands in the Wilderness with a few Loaves and Fishes; which, according to the Letter, are most romantick Tales. I don't in the least question Jesus's Power to magnify or multiply the Loaves, and, if he pleass'd, to meliorate the Bread: But that many Thousands of Men, Women, and Children, should follow him into the Wilderness, and stay with him three Days and Nights too, without eating, is a little against Sense and Reason. Whether the Wilderness was near to, or far from the People's Habitations, the Difficulties attending the Story are equally great. I wonder how Jesus amused them all the while, that they had the Patience to stay with him without Food; but I much more wonder, that no Victuallers besides the Lad with his Loaves and Fishes, of whom, and his Occupation, whether it was that of a Baker or Fishmonger; and of his Neglect of his Master's Business here; and of the Reason that he met with no hungry Chapmen for his Bread before, we shall make some Enquiry; but particularly why he alone, I say, and no other Victuallers, no other Retalers of Cakes and Gingerbread followed the Camp. In short, for all the imaginary Greatness of the Miracle (which there is a way to reduce and lessen) of Jesus's feeding his Thousands with a few Loaves, there must be some Fascination or Enchantment (condemn'd by the Laws of the Jews as well as of other Nations) in the Matter; or the People if they had stay'd one Day, would not two, much less three to faint, but would, especially the Women and Children, have been for returning the first Night home. We must then seek to the Fathers (who say the five Books of Moses are the five Barley Loaves, &c. and the septiform'd Spirit, the seven Loaves, &c.) for a good Notion of this Miracle, and if they don't make it a Parable; do what our Divines can, it will turn to the Dishonour of the holy Jesus.

      I will also consider the Miracle of Jesus's[68] curing the Man sick of the Palsy, for whom the Roof of the House was broken up, to let him down into the Room where Jesus was, because his Bearers could not enter in at the Door for the Press of the People. This literally is such a Rodomontado, that were Men to stretch for a Wager, against Reason and Truth, none could out-do it. Where was the Humanity of the People, and wherefore did they so tumultuate against the Door of the House? Its strange they had not so much Compassion on the Paralytick, as to give way to him: Its more strange that his Bearers could get to the Top of the House with him and his Bed too, when they could not get to the Door, nor the Sides of it: Its yet stranger, that the good Man of the House would suffer his House to be broken up, when it could not be long ere the Tumult of the People would be appeas'd: But most strange, that Jesus, who could drive his thousands out at the Temple before him, and draw as many after him into the Wilderness, did not, by Force or Persuasion, make the People to retreat, but that such needless Trouble and Pains must be taken for the miraculous Cure of this poor Man. Let's think of these Things against the Time, that out of the Fathers I prove this Story to be a Parable.

      I will also take into Consideration the Miracle of Jesus's curing the[69] blind Man, for whom Eye-Salve was made of Clay and Spittle; which Eye-Salve, whether it was balsamick or not, does equally affect the Credit of the Miracle. If it was naturally medicinal, there's an End of the Miracle; and if it was not at all medicinal, it was foolishly and impertinently apply'd, and can be no otherwise accounted for, than by considering it, with the Fathers, as a figurative Act in Jesus.

      I will also take into Consideration the several Stories of Jesus's raising of the Dead; and, without questioning his actual bringing of the Dead to Life again, will prove from the Circumstances of those Stories, that they are parabolical, and are not literally to be apply'd to the Proof of Jesus's divine Authority and Messiahship; or, for Instance, Jesus, when he raised Jairus's[70] Daughter from the Dead, would never have turned the People out of the House, who should have been his best and properest Witnesses.

      I will also consider the Miracle of Jesus's[71] cursing the Fig-Tree, for its not bearing Fruit out of Season; which, upon the bare mention of it, appears to be a foolish, absurd, and ridiculous Act, if not figurative.

      I will also consider the[72] Journey of the Wisemen out of the East, with their (literally) senseless and ridiculous Presents of Frankincense and Myrrhe, to a new-born Babe. If with their Gold, which could be but little, they had brought their Dozens of Sugar, Soap, and Candles, which would have been of Use to the Child and his poor Mother in the Straw, they had acted like wise as well as good Men. But what, I pray, was the Meaning and Reason of a Star, like a Will-a-Whisp, for their Guide to the Place, where the holy Infant lay. Could not God, by divine Impulse, in a Vision or in a Dream, as he ordered their Return home, have sent them on this important Errand; but that a Star must be taken or made out of Course to this Purpose? I wonder what Communication passed between these Wisemen and the Star, or how they came to know one anothers Use and Intention. But the Fathers shall speak hereafter farther to the Senselessness of this Story literally, and make out the Mystery and true Meaning of it.

      I will also, by the Leave of our Divines, take again into Consideration the miraculous Conception of the Virgin Mary, and the Resurrection of Jesus from the Dead. I do believe, if it may so please our Divines, that Jesus was born of a pure Virgin, and that he arose from the Dead: But speaking too briefly, in the Moderator, to these two Miracles, they took Offence. I will therefore СКАЧАТЬ