"The Fathers intimate that Ministers of the Letter are Worshippers of the Apocalyptical Beast, or Anti-Christ; and that that Beast of a God, old Baal, was a Type of Anti Christ." This their Opinion I found hard to digest; but if there be any Truth in it, it can't be unlawful to jest a little with his Priests, or to ridicule their nonsensical, foolish and absurd Doctrines, founded on the Letter.
But let my Theological Notions and Speculations be of what kind soever; what Harm can my Arguings for them do to the Community? None at all. If they are not of God, they will come to nought sooner and better than by a Persecution of me for them. But if they are of God, they will stand and prevail against all Opposition of the Clergy, who will lose their Reputation, if they take any other Measures, than what Reason and Religion do allow of, to suppress them.
My earnest Request then to the Clergy is, that under the Debate I am like to have with them, they would be pleased to keep their Temper; or wise and impartial By-standers will say, that it's more for their Interests than the Truth, that they are zealous and furious.
I am not afraid of another Prosecution at Law, because I already have, or soon shall cut off all Pretences to it, by clearing myself of all Suspicions of Infidelity; but, for all that, I am more apprehensive of the Rage and Indignation of the Clergy, than if I had been a downright Atheist. No Atheist or Deist is or can be of that dangerous Consequence to the modern Priesthood, as the Christian Allegorist. Against the Growth of Deism and Atheism, the Clergy may be able for some time to maintain their Ground; but upon the Revival of the Ministry of the Spirit of the Law and the Prophets, they can't stand long. And if I should demonstrate, what I have undertaken, the Certainty of the allegorical Scheme, and Jesus's Messiahship upon it; tho' Jews and Infidels then will be ready to rejoice, yet Ministers of the Letter, notwithstanding their pretended Love to, and Faith in Jesus, will be enraged; and it will be well, if I don't feel the Weight of their Displeasure and Resentment. If that foolish old Dotard, Mr. Ayscough[403] the Rector of St. Olave's, Southwark, could find in his Heart to instigate the Mob to drag me through the Streets, and throw me into some Repository of Filth and Nastiness, what may I not dread from young hot-headed Priests, upon the Performance of what is here undertaken? But I hope our pious and good Bishops, notwithstanding the Danger of their Thousands a Year, will be my Safeguard.
After all, it is a sad and melancholick Consideration, that the Understandings of Mankind, especially of the Wise, Thinking and Philosophical Part of them, should be enslaved to the Interests of Ecclesiastical Clodpates, who for the sake of Mammon more than Truth, are furious and turbulent; otherwise any Opinions in Religion might be profess'd, consistently with the Peace of the Publick; and any Speculations publish'd without Animosities and Molestations.
What Course can be taken with the Clergy, to persuade them to Patience and Forbearance, whilst I prove them to be the most stupid Sect of Philosophers, who have amongst them the fewest Rudiments of true Philosophy, and even of the Gospel, of any Sect the World ever knew? It's said, there is nothing so absurd, which some of the old Philosophers have not held; but there is nothing, for Absurdity, equal to this Belief, that the Bible, for its literal Story, is the Word of God, and given by Inspiration of him.
The Bishop of St. David's complains[404] of my unmannerly Behaviour towards my Ecclesiastical Superiors; and I must confess, I am no body at that low and Right Reverend Bow, that he is fam'd for, or I might have put in for a Bishoprick before now: But if our Bishops and Clergy will be pleased to keep their Temper, till I get to the End of this Controversy, I'll pass such Compliments upon them for their good Humour and Learning too, if they deserve it, as they hardly ever met with.
To conclude, I have written as plainly and intelligibly as I can, in this Part of my Defence. If any one shall complain of Obscurity any where, I will, upon Intimation, endeavour to illustrate it. I have, in some Places, asserted Things upon the Authority of the Fathers, without producing their Testimonies, in Proof of them; but if any question, whether their Testimonies can be here or there urg'd, they shall, upon a proper Occasion, have Satisfaction given them. The Reason why I have sometimes omitted the Testimonies of the Fathers, where they might be look'd for, is because I study Brevity, intending never to publish at once a larger Volume than this present. And no body need question my Testimonies to be ready at Hand; because I have neither the Courage nor Confidence (like many others) to vent any new Doctrines out of my own Head. My Talent is only to illustrate what the Fathers have asserted; and tho' some would account me a Falsifier and Misrepresenter of primitive Authorities, my honest Endeavours shall be to turn the Hearts of our Clergy, who are like Children in Understanding, to the Fathers. I shall end all seriously, gravely, calmly and sedately, with the same Words that I began my First Discourse on Miracles with, saying, "If ever there was a useful Controversy started or revived in this Age of the Church, it is this about the Messiahship of the Holy Jesus, which the Discourse of the Grounds, &c. has of late rais'd. I believe this Controversy will end in the absolute Demonstration of Jesus's Messiahship from Prophecy, which is the only Way to prove him to be the Messiah, that great Prophet expected by the Jews, and promised under the old Testament." And whether Bishop Smalbroke or Mr. Stackhouse will believe me, or not, I do now solemnly declare, that what I have written in my Discourses, or shall write in these Defences, is with a View to, what I am persuaded I shall effect, the absolute Demonstration of the Messiahship of the Holy Jesus, to whom be Glory for ever and ever. Amen.