The _Bishop_ of _Litchfield_ very remarkably says,[188] _that Jesus where-ever he went, healed all that came to him without Distinction, the impotent, halt, withered_. He certainly had this Text of St. _John_ in his Eye, when he said so, because _Impotent_, _Halt_, _Withered_, are only mention'd here, where _Jesus_ cured _none_ of them: Whereupon if his _Lordship_ had made but a marginal Reference to this Text, it would have been the best Jest and Banter, with a Sneer, that ever was put upon _Jesus_ and his Power of Miracles: As it is, it's a very good one, and I desire my Readers to take Notice of it, that his Lordship may not lose the Credit and Praise of it. It's for such Circumspection of Thought, Exactness of Expression, and Acuteness of Wit, that I admire that _Prelate_, and must needs say of him, whether he ever be translated to _Canterbury_ or _York_, or not, that he's an _arch_ Bishop. But to return and go on. The Conduct of _Jesus_, to all Appearance, is not only blameable, his Power of healing disputable, and his Mercy indefensible, for that he cured but _one_ infirm Man out of a Multitude, at _Bethesda_, but, _Eightly_, and lastly, it may reasonably be questioned, whether he wrought any Miracle in the healing of this _one_ Man. Miracles (to say nothing of the ridiculous Distinction between divine and diabolical ones) are Works done out of the Course of Nature, and beyond the Imitation of human Art or Power. Now whether the Cure of this infirm Man can be brought under this Definition of a Miracle, may be doubted. What this Man's _Infirmity_, which is a general Name for all Distempers, was, we know not. How then can we say he was miraculously cured, unless we knew his Disease to be incurable by Art, which none can affirm? The worst that we know of this Man's Case, is, that it was of a long Continuance, no less than of _eight_ and _thirty_ Years: And the _Bishop_ of _Litchfield_ and others in their florid Harangues of _Jesus_'s Works, make the Cure of such Chronical Diseases to be miraculous: But why so? Many Instances may be given of Infirmities of human Nature, of a long Duration, which in Time, and especially in old Age, wear off. If such Infirmities don't occur to the Memory of our _Divines_, I could put them in Mind of them. And who knows but this was the Case of this impotent Man, whose Infirmity _Jesus_ observing to be wearing off, bid him to be gone, and take up his Couch, for he would soon be made whole.