to fuch excellent Ufes, was, at this time, more neceffary, and in all refpects as convincing, as if it had been of a merciful and beneficial nature (all which our Author has amply discoursed) there is certainly no Appearance, either of Folly, or Ignorance, or Injuftice, or Paffion, or Ill-nature in our Saviour's doing it.

THE 17th Section treats of his healing the impotent Man at the Pool of Bethesda. To which it is objected, "That there is reason to fup"pofe, that this whole Account is a mere "Fiction; fince neither Jofephus, nor any o"ther Author, makes any mention of this mi"raculous Pool: That St. John, the only Au"thor of it, is very defective in not telling us "the occafion, time, and manner of the Angel's "descending; and very abfurd, in making the "balt, the blind, and the withered, &c.' (Per"fons that were unable to help themselves) "the Patients, that waited for the Cure: That "this impotent Man, in particular, was "highly foolish, for waiting fo long to no

purpofe; that Jefus (if he could have done "it) fhould have healed the whole Multitude "of miferable Objects, and not this one only; "whofe Cure, after all, might perhaps be no "Miracle, but only the effect of his Difeafe “worn off in a natural way." To this it is answered, that the miraculous Cures of the Waters of Bethesda, are a diftinct Confideration from our Saviour's Cure of the impotent Man, whom he found there, and cannot invalidate his Miracle, even tho' we could not account for their fanative Virtue; That fome Account, however, may be given of the Nature of this miraculous Pool; when its fanative Virtue firft began; how long it continued among the Jews;

why

why Jofephus makes no exprefs mention of it, tho' probably he may do it under another Name: That tho' the Opinions of learned Men concerning the Caufe of this fanative Virtue be various; yet the moft probable Hypothefis is, that it was occafioned by the Action of an Angel, who might defcend, about the time of the Paffover, to keep up a Senfe of God's Providence among the Jews; and, to make the Action appear more miraculous, cure. no more than one at once: That there was no Folly, but a proper Reliance on God's Providence, in the Impotent Man's waiting fo long; no want of Charity or Commiferation in our Saviour, in curing one out of fo many, nor any Collufion in the Cure it felf; fince the Man's Cafe (ac cording to all Symptoms) was a confirmed Palfy of thirty eight Years ftanding, which all Phyficians allow is above the Power of Nature to remedy.

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THE 18th Section treats of his curing the Man that was born Blind. To which it is objected, "That his ufing an Ointment to this purpose (tho' it was a very strange and whimsical one) deftroys the Credit of the Mi "racle; because he might have some fanative "Balfam in his Mouth, which mixt with his

Spittle, might imperceptibly work the Cure; "which had it been done by a Word's Speaking, "would have been much more declarative of "his Almighty Power." And to this it is replied, That the Evangelift is fo very minute in defcribing the Circumftances attending this Cure, that there is no poffibility for any Fraud or Collufion in it: That tho' there are Media cines, which may ftrengthen the optick Nerves, when weakened or relaxed; yet no Power of

Art

Art can cure a Man, that is born blind; and that the incompetency of the Application our Saviour made ufe of (where he was certainly at his own liberty) instead of impairing, inhances the Merit of the Cure, and convinced the Spectators, as well as the Patient himself, of his Almighty Power,' which could produce fuch a wonderful Effect by means that were indifferent, if not obftructive to the Cure.

THE 19th Section treats of his turning Water into Wine. And here it is objected, "That it "was inconfiftent with the Character of Jefus "to go to a Marriage, where there was usually "great Excefs and Riot, and much more to "be fuch an encourager of Intemperance, as "to fupply a large quantity of Wine, when "the Guefts had drank more than enough. "already: That the rude and unmannerly "Anfwer he gave his Mother at this time, "would make one fufpect that himself was not "rightly fober; and, as for the Miracle itself, "it seems not unlikely, that he might mix. "fome fpirituous Liquor with the Water,

A

and fo palm it upon the Company for good "Wine." To which it is replied, That tho' our Saviour was a Perfon of very grave Deportment; yet, fince the manner of celebrating Matrimonial Festivals among the Jews was put under fuch Regulation, that Men of the greatest ftrictnefs and fobriety might frequent them, without any Imputation on their Character; fince to this Marriage of Cana in Galilee our Saviour was more particularly obliged to go, as being either a Relation or intimate Acquaintance to the Parties efpoufed; and could not, without a breach of good manners, and neg lecting an opportunity of doing much good,

C

decline

decline their Invitation; fince, in his miraculous Production of Wine upon this Occafion, the quantity was not fo large as our Translation reprefents it; or if fo large, was not intended for one day's Subfiftence only; but to laft out the remainder of the Feftival, and all that time fupply the whole Company, which ufually came in great numbers; fince the Phrafe in St. John, when Men have well drank, is only a Circumftance, thrown in to illuftrate the Comparison, or describe the latter end of a. Feast, and has no manner of reference to the Condition of the Company then prefent; and, laftly, fince the Reply, which our Saviour made his Mother, was, at moft, but a gentle Rebuke for her intruding into matters, which did not properly concern her, but depended upon his infinite Wisdom to determine, (all which our Author has fully made appear ;) then was there plainly neither any Levity in our Saviour's going to this Marriage,nor any encouragement of excefs in his fupplying the Company with Wine, nor any figns of neglect or difefteem, and much lefs of any worse Caufe, in the reply he gave to his Mother; and, that the Miracle it felf was not performed by any artful trick of his own, or Collufion with others; the Teftimony of the Servants of the Houfe, the Judgment of the Ruler of the Feaft, and the Conviction of his Difciples from thenceforward, are a plain Demonstration.

4

THE 20th Section treats of his curing the Paralytick at Capernaum. To which it is objected, "That no probable Reafon can be given, why "the Croud about the Door, where Jefus was, "fhould be fo great, as is reprefented; but

admit it was, 'tis fuppofeable that the

" Paras

"Paralytick and his Bearers fhould have stay'd, "until the Multitude was difperfed; or if "they were in fuch hafte, that Jefus fhould "have healed the Patient at a distance, and' "with a Word's fpeaking, rather than give "them the Trouble of hoifting him up with "Ropes and Pullies, and then breaking open "the Roof with Hatchets and Hammers, to "the great detriment of the Mafter of the

Houfe, who can hardly be supposed to be"hold all this without making fome Remon-" "ftrance." And to this it is anfwered, that' according to the Account of two feveral Evangelifts, the Admiration which our Saviour's Doctrine had occafioned the Time before, when' he was at Capernaum, might very well draw a great Multitude from all adjacent Places to hear him; and his former fudden Departure," after he had done preaching, might very juftly make the Paralytick, and his Friends impatient to come at him; for fear of miffing fo precious an Opportunity: That the manner of building Houfes among the Jews, with Stairs without doors, flat Roofs, and Trap-Doors on the Roof, might make it an eafy matter for the Paralytick to be carried up, and let down in his Couch or Elbow-Chair before Chrift, without doing any manner of Injury to the Houfe; and, for Chrift to cure him after fuch an Apparatus, was both a greater Declaration of their Faith, and Manifestation of the Cure, than if he had done it in an eafier way.

THE 21ft Section treats of his raifing three dead Perfons. And here it is objected, "That: "tho raifing of Lazarus from the Dead, was certainly the greatest of these three Miracles, No XIII. F. VOL. III.

yet