However, the Rule in Controversy before laid down is a good, useful and necessary one. I pray God we may all be religious and conscientious Observers of it, or we shall retard the Discovery of Truth, and render our Attainment of it difficult, if not impossible.
Fourthly, We should think our selves oblig'd to set our Names to our Writings in Controversy, especially where it is such a warm one as is ours at present. The Observation of this Rule would not only prevent much of the Violation of the two former; but would hinder abundance of the Dirt of Scandal, Lies and Defamations, that we too often throw at each other. For what Reason some of the Writers[362] against me have industriously conceal'd their Names, I know full well. They perhaps would have it thought Modesty, and that they are not ambitious of the publick Praises they may deserve for their learned and elaborate Performances. And possibly it may be Modesty in some Theological Authors to conceal themselves: But where Men have the Impudence to defame, it's in vain to pretend to the Cloak of Modesty to cover themselves under. Wherefore then do they sometimes who write on the establish'd Side of the Question, on which Honour and Preferment goes, thus conceal themselves? Why, that they might belie and slander their Adversaries the more securely, without being expostulated with for their Impudence. It's to no Purpose, they know, to upbraid an anonymous Author with his Scandal, because he can't be put to the Blush for it. And a wise Man will not lose his Labour to expose and confute a libellous Writing, unless he knew whom to charge with the Guilt of it. It is my Resolution to take no Notice of any nameless Authors against me, because I, being as it were blindfolded, engage them at a Disadvantage, whilst they have a full View of me. For this Reason the Tryal of the Witnesses was pass'd by, or I should have been tempted to have made some Remarks on it. Let such Authors come forth into the Light, and it may be, they'll meet with the same Favour I have done the Bishop of St. David's. In the mean time, I declare my Abhorrence of Authors their Concealment of their Names, and I hope all ingenuous Writers in Controversy will do so too; tho' for no other Reason, than to prevent Misrepresentations, Defamations, and personal Reflections, which nameless Authors are too often guilty of.
Fifthly, and lastly, Others make it a common Rule to be observ'd in Controversy, that the Disputants should consider each other's Arguments impartially, without the Byass of Prejudice and Interest. And a very good Rule this is, if Men would but put it into Practice. But I shall long despair of such Impartiality in Controversy. Such is the Power of Prejudice and Interest, that they will influence Men to believe against the most apparent Reason and Truth. Even Prejudice will much darken the Eyes of Mens Understandings, but Interest will put them quite out. O what a horrible Obstacle to the free Enquiry after Truth, is Interest! Against Demonstration itself will Men contend for Interest. Interest, upon Occasion, will induce them to desert the best Opinions, and keep them tight to the worst. This Experience proves true, and the various Faces of the Church, and Changes of the Clergy (all for Interest) is a Witness of it. God forbid that I should judge uncharitably of the Corruption of human Nature under the Power of Interest; but I believe, that was our Legislature to do, what they never will, that is, set up the Figure of a Calf in our Churches, there would be no want of Priests to worship him, if they were well paid for it; nor of Academical Students to prove his divine Power and Godship, if the Road to Preferment lay that Way. For this Reason, among many others, I am for the Abolition of an hired and establish'd Priesthood, that this grand Bar of Interest may be removed out of our Way to Truth. And the Bishop of London, that excellent Prelate, as Bishop Smalbroke calls him (for so do we, like other Creatures, knab one another where it itches) should by rights be of my Mind, saying,[363] "Where there is an Unwillingness to part with worldly Interests, there must of Course be a Desire that the Christian Religion should not be true; and a Willingness to favour and embrace any Argument that is brought against it, and to cherish any Doubts and Scruples that shall be rais'd concerning it." So feelingly does this Bishop speak of the Power of Interest, by which, as I would conceive, he honestly hints to the Inhabitants of London and Westminster, that the Bishop of their Diocese, and the Parson of their Parish, are most unfit Guides in Religion, because of the worldly Interests they may have to deceive them, and keep them in Ignorance and Error.
Thus by way of Preface having spoken to the foregoing Rules to be observed in this Controversy, I come to a close. Defence of myself against the Charge of Infidelity, and to vindicate the Usefulness of my Discourses on Miracles for the Proof of the Truth of Christianity, and of the Messiahship of the Holy Jesus, against all my Adversaries. And the Method I shall take to this Purpose, is this following.
I. To show the Weakness, Childishness, and Insufficiency of the Arguments of my Adversaries, for the Letter of the Stories of Jesus's Miracles; and further to prove both ludicrously and seriously the Absurdities, Incredibilities, and Improbabilities, that their literal Stories labour under.
II. To prove, that whether there be any Sense, Truth and Fact, or not, in the Letter of Jesus's Miracles; yet they are Typical Things, and ought to be allegorically interpreted, and will receive a mysterious and more wonderful Accomplishment, after the manner, and to the same Purpose, that the Fathers and I do apply them, being no other (whether actually wrought or not) than Figures, Signs and Emblems of his future and mysterious Operations.
III. To show that the mysterious and future Accomplishment of these supposed Works and Miracles of Jesus alone can and will be the Proof of his Messiahship.
If I perform well upon these Heads, which are deserving of my Reader's Review, because of their Pertinency to the Cause in Hand, I shall not only vindicate myself from the Charge of Infidelity, but justify the Goodness and Usefulness of my Discourses, in order to the Demonstration of Jesus's Messiahship. And in the midst of my handling of them, without going out of my Way, I shall, as Occasion offers itself, take Notice of particular Misrepresentations of the Fathers, and false Citations out of them, that my Adversaries charge me with: And Bishop Smalbroke and others had best to look to it, or their Accusations against me will recoil and return home to them. Then
I. I should show the Weakness, Childishness and Insufficiency of the Arguments of my Adversaries for the Letter of Jesus's Miracles; and further argue both ludicrously and seriously the Absurdities, Incredibilities and Improbabilities, that their literal Stories labour under.
I should, I say, first treat on this Head, which naturally precedes the two following; but in as much as to handle it to Perfection, I should write as I did before, and shall run in Danger of Prosecution for Blasphemy and Infidelity; I must of Necessity wave and postpone it, unless I could more than dispatch it in the Compass of this Part of my Defence.