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

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      But, as I suppose, you'll have more Wit, Sirs, than to prosecute me again for this Discourse; so I hope you'll have more Ingenuity, than odiously (after your wonted manner) to represent me to the Populace, for Profaneness, Blasphemy, and Infidelity. If you dislike the whole, or any part of this Discourse, appear like Men and Scholars, from the Press against it. Use me as roughly in Print as you think fit, I'll not take it ill.

       Veniam petimus, dabimusq; vicissim.

      I desire nothing more than to be furiously attack'd from the Press, which, if I am not much mistaken, would give me a long'd for Opportunity to expose your Ignorance to more Advantage.

      Be not longer mistaken, good Sirs. The History of Jesus's Life, as recorded in the Evangelists, is an emblematical Representation of his spiritual Life in the Soul of Man; and his Miracles are Figures of his mysterious Operations. The four Gospels are in no Part a literal Story, but a System of mystical Philosophy or Theology.

      If you are resolved not to come into this Opinion, I beg of you again, before you break forth into a Passion, to try to vindicate the literal Story of the three Miracles spoken to in this Discourse, viz. those of Jesus's driving the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple; of his exorcising the Devil out of the Madman; and of his Transfiguration on the Mount; which if you are able to defend against the Fathers, and my Objections, I'll give up the Cause to you, and own my self (what I am far enough from being) an impious Infidel and Blasphemer, and deserving of the worst Punishment. In the mean time, I make bold again to assert, that the literal Story of Christ's Life and Miracles, is an absurd and incredible Romance, full of Contradictions and Inconsistencies; and that modern Paraphrases are not only a consequential Reflection on the Intellects of the Evangelists, and their divine Gifts of the Spirit, as if they could not write an intelligible and coherent Piece of Biography without your Help at this Distance of Time; but have even darken'd and obscured the seemingly native Simplicity of the Story of the Life of Jesus. So leaving you to chew upon this, I turn

      My Address to Infidels, particularly to the two most renown'd Writers of the Party, Mr. Grounds, and Mr. Scheme. I should, Gentlemen, by right, salute you with the Title of Free-Thinkers, a proper Name for your philosophical Sect, who are for the free Exercise of your Reason about divine and speculative Points in Theology. And I had distinguish'd you by this Title from your apostatical Adversaries, but that I had a mind to oblige my old Friends the Clergy, in giving you a no more honourable Title than I do them. And I trust you will not be offended at the Title of Infidels, since not only your Writings seem to have a Tendency to Infidelity; but, if there be any Fault in your Principles, you know how to charge it on your Adversaries, the pretended Advocates for Christianity, whose Absurdities, false Reasonings, Inconsistencies, and foolish Glosses on the Scriptures, have occasioned your Departure from the Faith in Christ.

      I thank Mr. Scheme for the noble Present of his Book, which I received and read with Pleasure. But instead of one, he should have sent me a Dozen for the Use of Friends and Borrowers, who are very curious and importunate for the Perusal of it. For what Reason he envies the Booksellers the publick Sale of his Work, chusing rather to give it away gratis, than that they should reap any Profit by it, I know not. Surely it is not to bring an Odium on the Clergy for Persecutors, as if such an useful and philosophical Piece might not appear publickly without Danger from them: If so, I hope the Clergy will resent the Indignity, and invite him to a Publication of his Book, with a Promise of Impunity, which would wipe off the Reproach, which this clandestine Method of disposing of it has cast on them.

      I once almost despair'd, Sirs, of seeing such another Piece from your Quarter. I was afraid the Prosecution of the Moderator, would have deterr'd you from the Press, whereby our excellent Controversy on Foot must have been dropt: But the sudden and unexpected Appearance of Mr. Scheme, has revived me, and rejoiced the Cockles of my Heart. Go on then, great Sirs, in this Controversy, which Mr. Grounds happily commenc'd; and if you are deny'd the Liberty of the Press, and publick Sale of your Books, I hope you'll, for all that, as occasion offers it self, oblige the Learned and Curious with some more of your bright Lucubrations, tho' you print them, and dispose of them in this clancular and subtil Method.

      It is not that I wish well to your Cause of Infidelity, that I thus encourage you. You have more Sense and Reason than to suspect me tainted with unbelieving Principles. Christianity will stand its Ground against your battering Armour; and the Church of Christ will be the more firmly establish'd on a Rock of Wisdom, for that Opposition you make to it. Tho' you will entirely vanquish the literal Schemists, and ride in Triumph over them, yet other Defenders of the Faith, call'd Allegorists, will arise to your Confutation and final Overthrow.

      If I am not mistaken, Sirs, your Adversaries, the literal Schemists, whom I call Apostates, are about making a Retreat, and yielding the Field of Battle to you. The Bishop of Litchfield, the greatest General on their Side, will not only find it hard to levy any more Forces in Defence of his twelve literal Prophecies; but he knows that, if he draws his Sword any more against you, he must attack too the Authority of the Fathers for the allegorical Interpretation of some of those Prophecies, already urg'd in my Supplements to the Moderator; or, if the Fathers are neglected by him; they and I, keeping out of the Reach of his Bug-Bear, will treat him with such familiar Language, as never was given to one of his Order.

      Mr. Scheme seems to promise us a Discourse on the Miracles in the Scriptures; I hope he'll be as good as his Word, and ere long publish it. This Discourse of mine can't possibly supersede his. As I question not but his Thoughts and Remarks on Miracles will be very considerable; so I shall be a little impatient till I see them. But be his Discourse on Miracles of what Kind soever, I believe it will hardly be an Obstruction to my Undertaking in Hand, which I intend, by God's Leave, to go on with, to the Honour of the holy Jesus, our spiritual Messiah, to whom be Glory and Praise for ever and ever. Amen.

FINIS.

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A SECOND

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DISCOURSE

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ON THE

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MIRACLES

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OF OUR

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SAVIOUR,

      In View of the present Controversy between Infidels and Apostates.

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