"Sr. When we last discours'd on Jesus's Miracles, I promised to send you my Thoughts on Lazarus's Resurrection, which I look upon as a notorious Imposture, and for the Proof of it, need go no farther, than to the Circumstances of its Story, which your Evangelist has related.
"If there had been an indisputable Miracle wrought in Lazarus's Resurrection; why were the Chief-Priests and Pharisees so incens'd upon it, as to take Council to put both Jesus and Lazarus to Death for it? Where was the Provocation? I can conceive none. Tho' the Jews were ever so canker'd with Malice and Hatred to Jesus before; yet such a most stupendous Miracle was enough to stop their Mouths, and turn their Hearts: Or if their Prejudices against Jesus were insuperable, and they hated him but the more for the Number and Greatness of his Miracles; yet why is poor Lazarus, inoffensive Lazarus, upon whom this good and great Work was wrought, an Object of their Hatred too? Your Divines are to give a credible and probable Account of this Matter, such a one as will comport with Reason and Sense; or we shall conclude, that it was Fraud, detected in this pretended Miracle, which justly provok'd the Indignation of our Ancestors.
"To say, what is all you can say, that it was downright Inhumanity, Barbarity and Brutality in the Jews to hate Lazarus as well as Jesus, will not do here. Tho' this may pass with many Christians, who are ready to swallow, without chewing, any evil Reports of our Nation; yet it can't go down with reasonable and unprejudic'd Men, who must have other Conceptions of human Nature in all Ages and Nations, than to think it possible, that a Man, in Lazarus's Case, can be hated and persecuted for having had such a good and wonderful Work done on him. And why then was he hated and persecuted? I say, for this, and no other Reason, than because he was a Confederate with Jesus in the wicked Imposture, he was putting upon Mankind.
"But supposing, what is never to be granted, that the Jews of old were so inhuman, brutish, and barbarous as to hate and persecute Lazarus as well as Jesus for this Miracle; yet why did Jesus and his Disciples, with Lazarus, run away and abscond upon it? for they v. 54. walk'd no more openly among the Jews, but went thence into a Country near to the Wilderness, and there Jesus continued with his Disciples. Is not here a plain Sign of Guilt and of Fraud? Men, that have God's Cause, Truth and Power on their Side, never want Courage and Resolution to stand to it. And however your Christian Priests may palliate the cowardly and timerous Conduct of Jesus and his Confederates in this Case; yet with me, it's like Demonstration, that there was a discover'd Cheat in the Miracle, or they would undauntedly have faced their Enemies, without Fears And Apprehensions of Danger from them.
"Our Ancestors then, who unquestionably detected the Fraud, were in the right on't to prosecute with Severity, the whole Party concern'd in it: And if they had aveng'd the Wickedness of it upon Lazarus as well as they did upon Jesus, I should have commended them for it. Whether such a monstrous Imposture, as was this pretended Miracle, happily discover'd does not call aloud for Vengeance and most exemplary Punishment; and whether any Nation of the World would suffer the like with Impunity, let any Man judge.
"For all the Reports of your Gospels, it is unnatural to hate a miraculous Healer of Diseases; and there must be somewhat supprest about the Inveteracy of the Jews to Jesus, or his healing Power, if it was so great as is imagined, must have reconciled them to him: But that they should hate not only Jesus for raising the dead, but the Person rais'd by him, is improbable, incredible, and impossible.
"If Historians can parallel this Story of the Malignity of the Jews towards Jesus and Lazarus upon such a real Miracle, with any Thing equally barbarous and inhuman, in any other Sect or Nation; we will acknowledge the Truth of it against our ancient Nation: Or if such Inhumanity, abstractedly consider'd, be at all agreeable to the Conceptions any one can form of Human Nature in the most uncivilis'd and brutish People, we will allow our Ancestors, in this Case, to have been that People.
"Was such a real and indisputable Miracle, as this of Lazarus is supposed, to be wrought at this day in Confirmation of Christianity, I dare say, it would bring all us Jews, to a Man, into the Belief of it: And I don't think it possible, for any People to be so begotten, byass'd, and prejudiced, as not to be wrought on by it. Or if they would not part with their Interests and Prejudices upon it, they would have more Wit and Temper, than to break forth into a Rage against all or any of the Persons concern'd in it. And, for my Life, I can entertain no worse Thoughts of our old Nation.
"Supposing God should send an Ambassador at this day, who, to convince Christians of the Mischiefs and Inconvenience of an Hireling Priesthood, should work such a Miracle as was this of Lazarus's Resurrection, in the Presence of a multitude of Spectators; how would your Bishops and Clergy behave themselves upon it? Why, they would be as mute as Fishes; or if they did fret and grieve inwardly for the Loss of their Interests; yet they would have more Prudence (ask them else,) than to show their Anger openly, and persecute both Agent and Patient for it. Wherefore then are they so censorious and uncharitable as to preach and believe another Notion and Doctrine of our Ancestors?
"But if a false Prophet, for the subversion of an Hireling Priesthood, should, in spite to the Clergy, counterfeit such a Miracle, and be detected in the Operation; how then would Priests and People, Magistrates and Subjects behave upon it? Why, they would be full of Indignation, and from that day forth would take Council to put the Impostor and his Confederate to Death, of which they would be most deserving; and if they did not abscond and fly for it, like Jesu and his Disciples to a Wilderness in the Country to hide themselves, the Rage of the Populace would hardly wait the Leisure of Justice to dispatch and make terrible Examples of them. Was not this exactly the Case of Jesus's Imposture in the Resurrection of Lazarus; and of the Punishment he was threaten'd with, and afterwards most justly underwent for it?
"Mankind may be in some Cases very obdurate, and so hard of Belief, as to stand it out against Sense, Reason and Demonstration: But I will not think worse of our Ancestors than of the rest of Mankind; or that they any more than others would have withstood a clear and indisputable Miracle in Lazarus's Resuscitation. Such a manifest Miracle, let it be wrought for what End and Purpose, we can possibly imagine, would strike Men with Awe and Reverence; and none could hate and persecute the Author of the Miracle; least He who could raise the dead, should exert his Power against themselves, and either wound or smite them dead with it. For which Reason, the Resurrection of Lazarus, on the certain Knowledge of our Ancestors, was all Fraud, or they would have reverenc'd and adored the Power of him, that did it.
"It may be true, what John says, that many of the Jews, who had seen the Things that Jesus did, believed on him, that is, believed that he had wrought here a great Miracle: But who were these? the ignorant and credulous, whom a much less juggler than Mr. Fawkes could easily impos'd on. But on the other hand, it is certain, according to Christian Commentators, that some of them did not believe the Miracle, but went their ways to the Pharisees and told them what Things Jesus had done, that is, told them, after what manner the Intrigue was managed; and complain'd of the Fraud in it. How they came to suspect and discover the Fraud, was not John's Business to relate; and for want of other ancient Memorials, we can only guess at it. Perhaps they discern'd some motion in Lazarus's Body, before the Word of Command, to come forth, was given; perhaps they discover'd some Fragments of the Food, that for four days in the Cave, he had subsisted on. But however this was, they could not but take Notice of the Napkin about his Face all the while; which Jesus, to prevent all suspicion of Cheat, should have first order'd to be taken off, that his mortify'd Countenance might be view'd, before the miraculous Change of it to Life was wrought. This neglect in Jesus (which I wonder John had no more Wit than to hint at) will be a lasting Objection to the Miracle. Jesus was wiser, than not to be aware of the Objection, which he would have obviated, if he durst, by a Removal of the Napkin, to the satisfaction of all Spectators there present. Because this was not done, we Jews now deny, there was any Miracle wrought; and, whether our Unbelief upon this Circumstance be not well grounded, we appeal to Christian Priests themselves, who must own, that if there was a Miracle here, the Matter was ill conducted by Jesus, or foolishly related by his Evangelist."
"It is a sad Misfortune, that attends our modern enquiry after Truth, that there are no other Memorials extant of the Life and Miracles of Jesus, than what are written by his own Disciples. Not only old Time has devour'd, but Christians themselves, (which in the Opinion of the impartial makes for us) when they got Power into their Hands, wilfully destroy'd many Writings of our Ancestors, as well as of Celsus and Porphiry and others, which they could not answer; otherwise I doubt not but they would have given us clear Light into a the Imposture of Lazarus's Resurrection: But if Jesus, according to his own Evangelists, was arraign'd for a Deceiver and Blasphemer, in pretending to the Sonship and Power of God by his Miracles; in all Probability this Piece of Fraud in Lazarus was one Article of the Indictment against him; and what makes it very likely, is that the Chief Priests and Pharisees, from the Date of this pretended Miracle, took Council together to put him to Death, not clandestinely or tumultuously to murder him, but judicially to punish him with Death, which, if they proved their Indictment by credible and sufficient Witnesses, he was most worthy of.
"As it is plain from the Story in John, that there was a Dispute among the By-standers at Lazarus's Resurrection, whether it was a real Miracle or not; so it is the Opinion of us Jews, which is of the Nature of a Tradition, that the Chief-Priests and civil Magistrates of Bethany, for the better Determination of the Dispute and quieting of the Minds of the People, requir'd that Jesus should re-act the Miracle upon another Person, there lately dead and buried. But Jesus declining this Test of his Power, the whole Multitude of Believers as well as of Unbelievers before, question'd the Resurrection of Lazarus; and were highly incens'd against both him and Jesus for the Deceit in it. And this was one Reason among others of that vehement and Universal Outcry and Demand, at Jesus's Tryal, for his Crucifixion. I'll not answer for the Certainty of this Tradition or Opinion, but as the Expedient was obvious, so it has the Face of Truth and Credibility; and for the Proof of it, I need only appeal to Christian Priests and Magistrates; whether, under a Dispute of a Miracle of that Consequence, they would not require, for full Satisfaction, it should be acted over again; and, if the Juggler refused, whether there would not be a general Clamour of People of all Ranks for his Execution.
"Matthew, Mark and Luke, who knew as much of this Sham-Miracle as John, had not the Confidence to report it; because, when they wrote, many Eye-Witnesses of the Fraud were alive to disprove and contradict them; therefore they confined their Narratives to Jesus's less juggling Tricks, that had pass'd more current: But after the Jewish State was dissolved, their judicial Records were destroy'd, and every Body dead that could confute him, John ventures abroad the Story of this Miracle; and if the good Providence of God had not infatuated him, in the Insertion of the Circumstances here observed, it might have pass'd through all Generations to come, as well as it has done for many past, for a grand Miracle.
"Thus, Sir, have you a few of my Thoughts on the pretended Miracle of Lazarus's Resurrection. I have more to bestow on it, but that I would not be tedious. There's no need to argue against the other two Resurrection-Stories. You know omne majus includit minus, and if the greatest of the three Miracles be an Imposture, the two less ones of Consequence are Artifice and Fraud. And rather than the Miracle of Lazarus shall stand its Ground, I'll have t'other Bout at it from some other Circumstances; the Consideration of which will make it as foolish and wicked an Imposture, as ever was contrived and transacted in the World; such a wicked Imposture of most pernicious Consequence to the Welfare of the Publick, that it is no Wonder, the People, by an unanimous Voice, call'd for the Releasement of Barabbas, a Robber and Murderer, before Jesus. I don't suppose these Arguments against this Miracle will be convincing of your Christian Clergy, who are hired to the Belief of it. But however, a Bishop of many thousands a Year to believe, can't in Conscience deny, that the Arguments above are a sufficient Justification of our Jewish Disbelief of it.
"If you, Sir, should write a Discourse gainst the Letter of the Story of Jesus's Resurrection, I beg of you to accept of a few of my Conceptions on that Head, which, I promise you, shall be out of the common Road of thinking. Your Divines think they have exhausted that Subject, and absolutely confuted all Objections that can be made against it, but are much mistaken. Sometimes we Jews dip into their Writings on this Head, and always smile with Indignation at their foolish Invectives against the Blindness of the Eyes, and Hardness of the Hearts of our Ancestors. If they would but favour us with a Liberty to write for our selves, a reasonable Liberty, which in this Philosophical Age we don't despair of, especially under so wise just and good a Civil Administration, as this Nation is happily bless'd with, we would cut them out some more Work, which they are not aware of. In the mean Time I am your assured Friend,"
N.N.
So ends the Letter of my Friend, the Jewish Rabbi, which consists of calm and sedate Reasoning, or I would not have publish'd it; for I am resolv'd he shall no more impose upon me with his ludicrous and bantering Stuff, like his Satirical Invective against Jesus's Miracle of turning Water into Wine, so offensive to our Godly Bishops. And because it consists of calm and sedate Reasoning, which Bishop Smalbroke allows of, I hope his Lordship will take it into Consideration, and write an Answer to it, which I, without the Help of the Mystery, can't do.
If the foresaid Letter be offensive to our Clergy, who don't judge it meet that the Jews should take this Liberty to write against the Miracles of our Saviour, and in Vindication of their own disbelief of Christianity, I beg of them, for the Love of Jesus, not to let their Displeasure be visibly seen; because the Jews will then laugh in their Sleeves, and perhaps openly insult and triumph upon it: But if they will privately acquaint me with their Displeasure at it, I'll promise them to hold no more Correspondence with such Jewish Rabbies; neither will I ever hereafter publish any other Objections against Christ's Religion and Miracles, than what come from the Hotentots and Pawawers: and then it will be strange, if our dignified Clergy, of most grave and demure Looks, can't solidly confute the worst, that such ignorant and illiterate People can urge against them.
And thus have I done with my Objections against the Letter of these three Miracles. If our Divines shall think there is little or nothing of Force in them; then an Answer, which I should be glad to see, may the more easily be made to them. As for my part, without being conceited of the Acuteness and Strength of any of the Objections, I think it impossible satisfactorily to reply to them, without having Recourse to the Opinions of the Fathers, that these three Miracles, whether they were ever litterally transacted or not, are now but emblematical Representations of mysterious and more wonderful Operations to be perform'd by Jesus.
To the Fathers then let us go for their mystical Interpretation of these Miracles. St. Augustin, in his Introduction to a Sermon on the Widow of Naim's Son, says[297] thus, "There are some so silly as to stand amazed at the corporal Miracles of Jesus, and have no Consideration of his greater and spiritual Miracles, signified by them: but others who are wiser can hear of the Things that Jesus did on Men's Bodys, without being astonish'd at them, chusing rather to contemplate with Admiration his more wonderful Works on Men's Souls; after the similitude of bodily Miracles. And these are the Christians that conform their Studies to the Will of our Lord; who would have his corporal Miracles, spiritually interpreted: For He wrought not Miracles in the Flesh, for the sake of such Miracles abstractedly consider'd; but that, if they were surprising to some Mens Senses, they should be more astonishing to the Understanding of others, who apprehend the spiritual Meaning of them. And they who by Contemplation can attain to the mystical Signification of Jesus's Miracles, are the best Scholars and most learn'd Disciples in his Church and School. And, (speaking of the Absurdity of Jesus's cursing the Figtree according to the Letter) presently after says, that this he observ'd, that he might persuade his Hearers to think, that our Lord Jesus therefore wrought Miracles, that he might signify somewhat by them, which he would have his Disciples to learn and consider of. Come now, says he, and let us see what we are mistically and spiritually to understand by the Stories of the three Persons rais'd from the dead."
There are two Ways, that the Fathers took in the moral and mystical Interpretation of these Miracles: One was from the Number three, and their Difference in Magnitude. According to which they said with St. Augustin[298] that these three sorts of dead Persons, so rais'd to Life, are Figures of three sorts of Sinners, whom Jesus raiseth from the death of Sin to the Life of Righteousness. They who have conceiv'd Sin in their Hearts, and have not brought it forth into Act; are figured by Jairus's Daughter, who lay dead in the House of her Father, and was not taken forth to her Burial. Others, who after Cogitation and Consent, pass into actual Sin are figured by the Young Man, carried towards his Grave. But those Sinners, who are habituated and long accustom'd to Sin, are like Lazarus bury'd, and in a stinking Condition under the Corruption of it; whom Jesus, for all that, with the loud Voice of the Prædication of his Gospel, will call forth out of the Death and Grave of their Sins to a new Life. So does St. Augustin make these three dead Persons and their Resurrections, Emblems of the said three Sorts of Sinners, who are dead in Trespasses and Sins, and by the Power of Jesus quicken'd to a Life of Righteousness. And to this Opinion of St. Augustin, do St. Ambrose, Eusebius Gallicanus, and Venerable Bede agree. And according to this Notion of these Miracles they descend to a particular Explication of the several Parts of their Stories. As to give you two or three Instances.
The People who were turn'd out of the House, upon the raising of Jairus's Daughter, which is an Absurdity according to the Letter are, says[299] Bede, a Multitude of wordly and wicked Thoughts, which, except they are excluded from the Secrets of the Heart, are a Hindrance of the Resurrection of a Sinner to a new Life.
The Bearers of the Young Man[300] to his Burial are Vices, evil Spirits, Hæreticks, and Seducers; and the Widow, his Mother, to whom he was restored, is the Church, who mourns for the Death of such Sinners, as are typified by that Young Man.
Jesus's weeping for dead Lazarus, which is an Absurdity according to the Letter, is a Sign[301] of the deplorable State, that habitual Sinners are in, enough to excite the Sorrows and Mournings of good Christians, who have the Spirit of Christ, for them. And the Stone that lay at the Grave of Lazarus, is[302] a figure of the Hardness of the Heart of such a Sinner which must be taken away before Jesus will call him to a new Life. So do the Fathers moralise and allegorise every Minute Circumstance of these three Miracles, as any one, who will consult them, may find, and save me the Trouble of a tedious Recital of their Authorities.