Six Discourses on the Miracles of Our Saviour, and Defences of His DiscoursesWoolston, Thomas
Religion
Six Discourses on the Miracles of Our Saviour, and Defences of His Discourses
Woolston, Thomas
Gibson, Edmund, 1669-1748; Jesus Christ -- Miracles -- Early works to 1800; Smalbroke, Richard, 1672-1749
In short, there are more and greater Difficultys affecting the Credit
of this Miracle, on the side of _Jesus_, than any before urg'd. Could
not he, as it was antiently[260] objected, have made the Access to
himself more easy? Could not he, to prevent all this Trouble and Pains
of getting to the Top of the House, and of breaking up the Roof of it,
have desired or even forc'd the People to make way for this poor Man
and his Bearers? This was not impossible for him to do. If it was hard
for another; it was not for him, who was omnipotent. He that could
drive his Thousands before him out of the Temple; and draw as many
after him into the wilderness, might surely, by Force or Persuasion
have made the People, how unreasonably mobbish soever, to retreat. And
why did he not? Without a good and satisfactory Answer, which I can't
conceive, to this Question, here is the most unaccountable and
incredible part of the whole Story, that reflects on the Wisdom, the
Power and Goodness of _Jesus_. If there had been no other absurd
Circumstances of it, this is enough to spoil its Credit, so far as
that I believe it impossible for _Ministers_ of the _Letter_, with all
their Wit, Penetration and Sagacity to get over it.
Believe then the Story of this Miracle, thus taken to Pieces, who can?
It is such an Accumulation of Absurdities, Improbabilities, and
Incredibilities, that a Man of the most easy Faith, if he at all
think, can't digest. It's not credible, I said, to suppose, the People
of _Capernaum_, where _Jesus_ dwelt, and was well known and little
admired, would at all _press_ to see or hear him: And if the occasion
of their Concourse was to behold his Miracles; it is less-reasonable
to think they would tumultuate to their own disappointment; but rather
make way for the diseased, for the satisfaction of their own
Curiosity, to come to him: And if they did mob it to their own
disappointment, about the Door of the House; it was next to
impossible for the poor Man and his Couch to be heav'd over their
Heads, and rais'd to the top of it: More unreasonable yet to think,
the master of the House would suffer the Roof of it to be so broken
up: But most of all against Reason to suppose, _Jesus_ would not give
forth the healing word, and prevent all this Labour, or by his divine
Power disperse the People, that the _Paralytick_ might have present
and easy access to him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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