If any Pool or Cistern of Water about this City of _London_ was so blessed with the Descent of an Angel to such an End, the Magistrates, such is their Wisdom, would, if God did not direct, take care of the prudent Disposal of the Mercy to the best Advantage of the Diseased. And if they sold it to an infirm _Lord_ or _Merchant_, who could give for it most Money, to be distributed among other Poor and distressed People, would it not be wisely done of them? To suppose they would leave the Angelick Favour to the Struggle of a Multitude, is absurd and incredible. And why then should we think otherwise of the Magistrates of _Jerusalem_? Away then with the Letter of this Story! And if this be not enough to confute it. Then, _Fifthly_, Let us consider, to its farther Confutation, who and what were the impotent Folk, that lay in the Porches of _Bethesda_, waiting the Troubling of the Waters. St. _John_ says they were _Blind_, _Halt_, _Withered_, and as some Manuscripts[186] have it, _Paraliticks_. And what did any of these there? How could any of them be supposed to be nimble enough of Foot to step down first into the Waters, and carry off the Prize of Sanation, before many others of various Distempers? Tho' the troubled Waters might be of such medicinal Force as to heal a Man of whatsoever Disease he had; yet none of the foresaid Persons for want of good Feet and Eyes could expect the Benefit of it. Tho' the Ears of the Blind might serve him to hear, when the Angel plump't like a Stone into the Waters, yet through want of Sight for the guidance of his Steps, he would by others be jostled out of the right Way down into them. And if the Lame had good Eyes to discern the Descent of the Angel, yet Feet were all in all to this Purpose: Consequently these impotent Folk, specified by St. _John_, might as well have stay'd at Home, as resorted to _Bethesda_ for Cure. I know not what Fools the Diseased of _Jerusalem_ of old might be, but if there was such a Prize of Health to be strove for, by the Distempered of this City, I appeal to all Men of common Sense, whether the _Blind_, the _Lame_, the _withered_ and _Paralyticks_ would offer to put in for it. St. _John_ then forgot himself, or else blundered egregiously, or put the Banter upon us, to try how far an absurd Tale would pass upon the World with Credit. There might be, if there was any litteral Sense in the Story, many of other Distempers, but there could be neither _blind_, _halt_ nor _withered_, without _such an Absurdity_, as absolutely disparages the Story, blasts the Credit of the _Relator_, or rather brings to mind the Assertion of St. _Ambrose_, that the Letter of the _New_ as well as of the _Old Testament_ lies abominably. If what I have here said does not overthrow the Letter of this Story; Then what I have,