Nay further, according to the Fathers,[374] the very Life and Ministry of John the Baptist, so far as it is recorded by the Evangelists, is Type and Figure of another's Ministry before Christ's spiritual Advent; and I am almost, if not altogether of the same Mind with them. It is beside my present Business, to insert here many of their Testimonies to this Purpose: But if the Bishop of St. David's would spare a little Time, which can't be better employ'd, and make a Collection of the Opinions of the Fathers about the Baptist's Ministry, and print it, I dare say he'll thereupon present the learned World with the most surprizing Curiosity they ever were entertain'd with. Tho' it is improper for me to do such a Work; yet I will here tell my Readers what will be the true Meaning of John's Preaching Repentance, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand, when his Ministry revives, viz. "It will be an Exhortation to Ministers of the Letter, μετανοειν, to reconsider the Matter and Error of their literal Expositions, and to betake themselves to spiritual and allegorical Interpretations of the Scriptures, in which allegorical and spiritual Senses of them consists the Kingdom of Heaven." This I assert upon the Authority of Origen,[375] and if the Clergy please to consult St. Austin and others, they'll find them of the same Mind. But, this by the by, having no more to say to the Typicalness of John's Ministry, than whenever his foresaid mystical Preaching of Repentance shall revive, it can hardly be to a more viperous Generation of Ecclesiastical Scribes and Pharisees, than are the Ministers of the Letter at this present.
But against all these, and Ten Thousand more Testimonies of the Fathers for the allegorical Interpretation of the Writings of the Evangelists, and of Jesus's Miracles in particular, the Bishop of St. David's says, the Fathers are not of good Authority in this Case, but, for all them, who were Men of whimsical and volatile Fancies, we ought to adhere to the Letter of the Story of Christ's Life and Miracles. This the Bishop asserts roundly and frequently in express or implicit Terms, as his Readers may observe; and I dare say, the Bishop himself will not here charge me with a Misrepresentation of his Opinion, tho', to spare Time and Paper, I quote not his own Words and large Passages.
What Reason does the Bishop give, why the Authority of the Fathers for the allegorical Interpretation of the Evangelical Writings, and of Jesus's Miracles, in particular, is not to be allow'd of? None at all. Does he quote so much as a Canon of the Church, or a Vote in Convocation, or an Act of Parliament, or the consentient Opinion of all Protestant Writers (which are the extrascriptural Standards of modern Orthodoxy) for his Opinion? No. Does he then reject the Authority of the Fathers in all other Cases, as well as in this before us? Nor this neither. He allows their Authority,[376] as they were good Persons and credible Witnesses, "In Testimony of Facts; "And about the Observation of the Lord's Day; "And concerning the three Orders of the Clergy; "And about the Government of the Church by Bishops; "And about the Books received into the Canon of the Scripture;" But as for allegorical Interpretations of the Scriptures, they are of little, and (elsewhere) of no Authority. Who can forbear smiling, unless the Bishop had better evinced the Reason of this Difference in their Authority? If he had rejected their Authority in all Cases, he would have judged more equally and impartially of it.
In my Opinion, and I appeal to my Readers, whether it ben't their Opinion, that the Bishop had been an ingenuous and plain Dealer, if he had express'd himself about the Authority of the Fathers in this following Manner, saying, "That the Authority of the Fathers is good in such and such Cases as aforesaid; because their Authority is agreeable enough to the present Doctrine, Practice and Discipline of the Church: But the Authority of the Fathers is not good for the allegorical Interpretation of the New Testament, because it is disagreeable to our Prejudices, and because their allegorical Expositions of some Miracles, if they should receive such a Sense, will bring Shame and Reproach to our Ministry. Neither is the Authority of the Fathers for Toleration, and against Persecution, good; because it is destructive of Ecclesiastical Power. Nor is the copious Authority of the Fathers against Preaching for Hire, good; because it is averse to our Interests. Where the Authority of the Fathers is agreeable to our Interests, Power, and Prejudices, there will we be for the Authority of the Fathers: But where the Fathers are against us, there will we be against them; and why should we not?" This is the true Sense of the Bishop, tho' he is so unhappy as to want the Talent clearly and plainly to express his Mind.
But, like many others, who can't write Coherence, nor consistently with themselves; so the Bishop, for all his saying that the allegorical Interpretations of Scripture by the Fathers are of little or no Authority, yet almost, if not altogether, contradicts himself, and grants as much as I desire, saying[377] thus, "With relation to any Expositions of Scripture made by the Fathers in early Times, they must be allow'd to have had some Advantage in being near to the Fountain itself." I ask for nothing more from the Bishop. Why do I contend for the Authority of the Fathers as Interpreters and Expositors? Only because they lived nearer to the Days of Christ and his Apostles, whose Mind and Will consequently they must needs know better, than we at this Distance: And because (what the Bishop elsewhere grants) those primitive Ages, as well as the Apostolical one, were in some measure inspired, upon the credible Testimonies of Origen, Irenæus, and Eusebius, whose Words I shall not stay here to produce.
Hence then, in the Authority of the Fathers, I should think, there is Foundation enough to build allegorical Interpretations on, and particularly to prove the literal Stories of Christ's Miracles to be Emblems of future and mysterious Operations; but all this will not do to pacify and stop the Mouths of my Gainsayers. This Controversy is pro Aris & Focis, for the ALL of the Clergy that is dear to them; and therefore they will shuffle and trifle for and against any Argument, rather than yield. Tho' the Bishop of St. David's above speaks favourably of Expositions made by the Fathers in early Times, and may grant that the Church, in her first Ages was inspired, yet he will still wrangle against allegorical Interpretations, especially such as I have made on some Miracles; as for Instance, "On Jesus's driving the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple; "On his precipitating the Swine with the Devils into the Sea; "On his healing the Woman of an Issue of Blood; and the Woman of a Spirit of Infirmity, &c. because the Interests and Reputations of the Clergy, as Ministers of the Letter, are touch'd to the quick by them. So true is that Saying of the Bishop of London, which deserves to be repeated, That "where there is an Unwillingness to part with Prejudices and worldly Interests, there must of Course be a Desire that the Christian Religion (which consists in the Ministry of the Spirit) 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.
What must I do here then, since no Authority, no, not the most primitive, will suffice in this Case? Why, I have nothing left to do, but absolutely to demonstrate, and make the Matter as plain as a Pike-Staff, that the Miracles of Jesus will certainly receive such a mysterious Accomplishment, as the Fathers and I have before-hand interpreted them in. Upon such a Demonstration, if the Mouths of my Adversaries are not stopt, yet the Eyes of all impartial Readers will be open'd to behold what a Heap of Impertinence the Bishop of St. David's and others, have hitherto urg'd against me.
Now to demonstrate absolutely, that the Stories of Jesus's Miracles will receive such a mysterious Accomplishment, as I, by the Help of the Fathers, have understood them in, I must do these two things.
First, show, that the Old Testament is to be allegorically interpreted, and is already in Part, and will be entirely fulfilled by Jesus, the true Messiah, in an allegorical Sense. And thence