_Sixthly_, To add, will do it more effectually, and that is, of the _certain Man, that had an Infirmity thirty and eight Years_, and lay at this Pool for an Opportunity to be cured of it. Tho' these _thirty_ and _eight_ Years are, in our _English_ Translation prædicated of this Man's Infirmity, yet more truly, according to the Original, are they spoken of the Time he lay there? and the Fathers so understood St. _John_'s Words. What this Man's Infirmity was, we are uncertain: For [Greek: astheneia] _Weakness_ or _Infirmity_ is a general Name of all Distempers, and may be equally apply'd to one as well as to another: Whereupon, tho' we can't certainly say from this Man's Infirmity, that he was a Fool to lay there so long, expecting that Cure, which it was impossible for him to obtain; yet what he says to our Saviour, _I have no Man, when the Waters are troubled to put me into the Pool, but while I am coming another steppeth down before me_, does imply his Folly sufficiently, or rather the Incredibility of the whole Story. What then did this _infirm_ Man at this Pool, if he had neither Legs of his own good enough, nor a Friend to assist him, in the Attainment of Sanation? Was he not a Fool, if it was possible for any to be so great a one, for his Patience? Would it not have been as wisely done of him to wait, in the Fields so long, the Falling of the Sky, that he might catch Larks? The Fathers say, this Man's _Infirmity_ was the _Palsy_; but whether they said so for the Sake of the Mystery, or to expose the Letter, I know not. But that Distemper, after _thirty_ and _eight_ Years Duration, and Increase; if it was more curable than another at first, had in that time undoubtedly so weakened and render'd him uncapable to struggle with others for this Relief, that it is without Sense and Reason to think he should wait so long for it. Our _Divines_, if they so please, may commend this Man for his Patience, but after a few Years, or rather a few Days Experience, another Man would have been convinc'd of the Folly and Vanity of his Hopes, and returned Home. If he could not put in for this Benefit, with Prospect of Success in his more youthful Days, when the Distemper was young too, much less Reason had he to hope for it in his old Age, after _thirty_ and _eight Years_ Affliction, unless he dream'd of, what was not to be imagin'd, an Opportunity, without Molestation and Competition, to go off with it. Whatever then our _Divines_ may think of this Man and his Patience, I will not believe there ever was such a Fool; and for this Reason will not suppose St. _John_ could literally so romance, unless he meant to bambouzle Mankind into the Belief of the greatest Absurdity. A Man that Lies with a Grace to deceive others, makes his Story so hang together, as to carry the Face and Appearance of Truth along with it; which this of St. _John_, that for many Ages has been swallowed, for the Reason before us, has not. But what is the worst of all against this Story is,