Bishop Gibson is for his Jesus's being the Messiah, because he cured an old Woman of a Spirit of, no body knows what, Infirmity; consequently little or nothing is to be laid for the Greatness of that Miracle. But I am for the spiritual Jesus's Messiahship, who, according to the Figure of that literal Story, is to heal the Woman of the Church of her Infirmity of the Spirit of Prophecy, which Jesus of Nazareth has not done for her, or there would not be so many Disputes about Prophecies and their Interpretations, so far, as there is hardly one Prophecy that Christians are agreed about the Sense of. It is the grand Characteristick of the true Messiah, that he's to restore Prophecy and the Way of Interpretation of the Prophets, upon the allegorical Scheme too. I speak this, not only upon the Authority of the Prophets themselves, but upon an almost infinite Number of Testimonies of ancient Jews and Fathers; accordingly I expect the Advent of a spiritual Messiah, who alone can do it, to heal the Church of her present Infirmity, and to restore the Art and Gift of Prophecy.
Bishop Gibson is an Admirer of Jesus of Nazareth, because he told a poor Whore of Samaria, her Fortune of having had five Husbands, and being then an Adulteress with another Man; which, according to the Letter, is such a poor sort of a Miracle, that I can hardly think of it without blushing: But I am an Adorer beforehand of the spiritual Jesus who, according to that Type, will out of the Law and the Prophets, allegorically interpreted, tell the present heretical and adulterous Woman of the Church all that she has done, and how she has been wedded to the sensible Things of the five Books of Moses, and is now an Adulteress with the Anti-Christ of the Letter. Such an Information of the Church will be a most stupendous and miraculous Work, and a Demonstration of our Jesus's Messiahship beyond Contradiction, in as much as it will be agreeable to the Opinion, that all Antiquity entertain'd of the true Messiah, viz. that he was to let us into the Sight, Knowledge and Understanding of the Wisdom and Beauty of Providence thro' all Ages of the World.
Bishop Gibson admires Jesus of Nazareth for his cursing the Figtree; for not bearing Fruit out of Season: Shame on that Miracle, according to the Letter, and on all Admirers of it! But I am for the spiritual Jesus, who, at his coming to the Figtree of his Church, will make its present unfruitful State to wither away, and cause it to produce the Fruits of the Spirit, and allegorical Interpretations of the Scriptures, that are compared to sweet and ripe Figs. For such his Advent to this miraculous and beneficial Purpose I daily pray and say too, Blessed are all those who love his Appearance!
After this Fashion could I go thro' the other Miracles, I have treated on in these Discourses; and upon the Comparison set plainly before the Eyes of my Readers the Difference between the literal Miracles of Bishop Gibson's carnal Jesus and the allegorical ones of my spiritual Jesus, as to Stupendousness, Use and Excellency: But what I have here done in the seven Instances above, is enough to induce us to believe, with the Fathers, that Jesus's first Coming in the Flesh was but a Type and Shadow of his second Advent in the Spirit; and that Jesus of old, when he appeal'd to his Works then done, as to a Witness of his Authority, did only prophesy, and refer ultimately to his mystical Operations, that are alone the Proof of his Godlike and divine Power. Bishop Gibson says[336] of me, that pretending to raise the Actions and Miracles of our Saviour to a more exalted and spiritual Meaning, I have labour'd to take away the Reality of them, and by that to destroy one of the principal Evidences of Christianity. But I presume now, he'll be sensible of the Rashness and Incogitancy of that Accusation. If he be not, I shall say of him, in Case he write any more for Jesus's literal Miracles in Opposition to his allegorical ones that he's like the Dog in the Fable (the Bishop will excuse the Coarseness of the Comparison) that let go the Substance of his Mutton, and catch'd at the Shadow, and so, like a foolish Cur as he was, lost both.
And thus have I done with the Three general Heads at first proposed to be handled in these Discourses. Now whether I am, upon the whole, an Infidel, or Believer of Christianity, the World is to judge. I'll make no more solemn Declarations of my Belief of it, much less at this Juncture of Time, when I am under Prosecution for Infidelity; because it would be a sneaking, tame, and cowardly Act in me, and such an Argument of that Meanness of Spirit, as I abhor and detest. My Works shall speak for me, in which, being conscious of the Innocency of my Intentions, and of the Usefulness of my Design, I mean to proceed; not doubting but some of our clergy, upon two or three more Discourses against the Letter of the New Testament, will find me out, what I am, and whether I am not a true Professor of the Religion of the spiritual and holy Jesus.
In the mean Time I'll not compound the Difference depending between Bishop Gibson and my self, upon any other Terms, than his making me ample Satisfaction for the Injuries done to my Reputation and low Fortunes. Tho' he may thirst after my Life, or at least, my Liberty; yet under the Providence of God I fear not the Loss of either. God be prais'd, this Kingdom is bless'd with such a Civil Administration for Wisdom, Justice and Mercy, as no Nation of the World can equal. Our Magistrates are all Philosophers, Lovers of Truth, and of an Enquiry into it; and so tender of the religious as well as of the civil Rights of the Subject, that I have nothing to dread from them.
There is somewhat popular indeed, tho' nothing true nor rational, in the Clamour and Accusations of the Clergy against me. Bishop Gibson would insinuate[337] that my Discourses on Miracles strike at the Foundation of civil Society; but by an unnatural Consequence of his own making. I confess, it is an heinous Crime to write any Thing that tends to the Subversion or Prejudice of the civil Society: But how will the Bishop make me guilty of it? If the Clergy will not be Disturbers of the Peace of the Publick upon my Discourses; it's certain, that the Quiet of the World, which I wish and aim at, will be inviolably kept and preserv'd for all me. My Followers indeed, when I walk the Streets of this City, are numerous; and if any of them should break the Peace, what serves my Lord Mayor's Power for, but to chastise them for it? As for my self and my Adherents at home, which, as yet, are without Number, we are all Quietists and should act against our Consciences and Religion, if we should injure any Man in his Person and Property. But I smile to see a Clergyman all on a sudden, like the Bishop, so tender of the Welfare of the Publick, when Ecclesiasticks, in all Ages past, have been the Bane of Society and the Pest of Mankind, as appears from the Wars and Persecution they have rais'd in the World; and from that Strife, Variance and Discords, they have occasion'd in Cities and Families. And with Submission to the Bishop, who I hope will not be angry for my saying it, I am sure, the Clergy at this Juncture, are like an high-mettal'd blind Horse, that were they not ridden by the Civil Authority with a strait Rein, would be oppressing and trampling upon all, that flood in the Way of their Interests, to the Disturbance of Civil Society.
Profaneness too does the Bishop charge me with. But why so? Because I ridicule the Nonsense and Absurdities of Jesus's Miracles according to the Letter, which he venerates. Very fine indeed! The Bishop would worship the Head of an Ass, and a wiser Man than himself, without the Charge of Profaneness, must not laugh at his foolish Superstition.
And Blasphemy lastly does the Bishop accuse me of: And this is a sad Bugbear Word, that has frighted Abundance of People into dreadful Apprehensions of my Guilt, even to the Abhorrence of me. But the Bishop should first have defined, what is meant by Blasphemy, and have proved me guilty of it, before he had made his Exclamations: Or the Turks may say that a Jest upon their Alcoran, in which there are no Contradictions, is as much a Blasphemy, as any Ludicrousness upon the Gospels, which are full of Inconsistencies. That there is such a Sin or Error, call'd Blasphemy, according to the Scriptures, is certain: But our Divines are undetermined about the Nature of it. I intend to take my Opportunity to treat on the Sin of Blasphemy, and to prove, Ministers of the Letter are the only Persons that can be guilty of it. Ministers of the Letter, upon the Authority of the Fathers, are the Worshippers of the Apocalyptical Beast; and anti-allegorical Expositions are that Blasphemy, St. John writes of, which the Beast and his Worshippers will open their Mouths in, against the most High. This shall be proved as clear as the Light. But when I do it, I would not have any think, it is with an Intention to bring the Bishops of London, Litchfield, and St. David's, or any other Divines, under Prosecution for that heinous Sin: No, my God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent; and knows how and when to reckon with such Blasphemers, without calling upon the Civil Magistrate to do it for him. Should I importune the Civil Authority to execute Vengeance upon them, I should make a foolish Calf or a Senseless Idol of my God, that was unable, or knew not how, nor when to vindicate his own Cause. Surely the Bishop of London, upon his Prosecution of me for Blasphemy, must think his God now asleep or gone a Journey from Home; or he would not be for taking God's own Work out of his Hands, and committing it to the Care of the Civil Magistrates.