done, were I to relate, &c, as amongst the Latins, Infinitum effet dicere.

The Interpreters have paffed fome Conjectures upon the literal Sense of these Words; but whatever Interpretation we follow, Equity demands we should not judge an Author from a fingle Expreffion, the Meaning of which was, doubtless, reftrained by Custom.

It is certain, (nor is St. John the only one who fays it) that Jefus did many more Miracles than are related of him in the Gospels: he did Miracles at Chorazin, and at Bethfaida, which are not particularized, and of which we should have known nothing, but for the Reproach he cast upon thefe Towns, and which the Evangelifts have preferved to us. We may also collect from Matt. xv. 29, 30, that Jefus fometimes performed a Number of Miracles in a Moment, the Detail of which would have been extremely long.

If his Life was fhort, how was it filled up! All his Moments were employed in preaching the Gofpel, and establishing its Divinity. Judea, Galilee, the Plains, the

+ See Wolfii Cura Philolog. upon the Place.

Moun

144

Confiderations upon the

Mountains, Cities, Towns, Earth, the Sea, the Temple, the Synagogues, were Witnefses of his Miracles. It is proper to obferve, that Saint John, in the last Verse of his Gospel, has in View not only the Miracles of his Master, but in general all that he did; and he did fo many Things, that if this Hyperbole may ever be allowed, it certainly is in the present Cafe. No one can be deceived by it; nor can it throw the least Cloud upon the Credibility of the Apostles.

Of the Cure of the Demoniacs.

HESE Particulars, as I apprehend,

TH

may fuffice to remove the Difficulties contained in the third Letter from the Mountain. I can fay, that on examining them nearly, I have seen them vanish, and every candid Reader will, doubtless, be of the fame Opinion respecting them.

I would only add a few Reflections upon the Note fubjoined to Pag. 28, which imports," that there are in the Gospel "Miracles

Such

"Miracles which cannot be literally taken, "without renouncing good Senfe. "are those of the Demoniacs. Jefus com"mands a Group of Devils, as it is called. "What! Have the Devils Names? Have Angels Names? This Name is Legion, "for they are many, which, it is evident; Jefus did not know: these heavenly Be

86

66

ings, who could rebel against God, who "dare to combat his eternal Decrees, de"fire to enter into a Herd of Swipe, and

they obtain it; and these are the august "Proofs of the Miffion of the Redeemer "of Mankind!"

Here is fufficient to excite Emotion: but let us be calm, and reason.

Amongst the great Variety of fick Persons cured by Jefus, fome offered themselves with extraordinary Symptoms, and fearful Convulfions; fick in Mind as well as in Body; every Thing indicated them to be mad. Subject to violent Fits of Rage and Phrenzy, they lived in Defarts, in Cemeteries, and fepulchral Caves; they were fometimes bound with Chains, to guard against their Fury. This Situation was fo much the more frightful, as the Aids of Art had been employed for their Affistance in vain: the

Disorder was generally confidered as incurable.

Whether this was Poffeffion, or Madnefs, or both together, is not easy to determine: poffibly, the poffeffed were only Hypochondriacs, Maniacs, Epileptics. The Jews and Heathens, in their common Language, referred to Devils or bad Angels many Disorders, especially those whofe Caufe was hidden, and Cure difficult *. They who were affected by them thought themselves agitated and tormented by fome evil Spirit; and confounding themfelves in some Measure with it, spoke and acted in Confequence. To cure thefe wounded Imaginations, Jefus fometimes anfwered the Fool according to his Folly. He did fo with him of whom Mr. Rouffeau fpeaks. He permitted the Swine of Gadara to plunge headlong; probably, because it was necessary to give him a stronger Proof of his Cure. This Event was much more proper than the most solid Reafonings, to make' an Impreffion upon fuch a Man.

This, however, is but a Conjecture. The Disorders in Question are not fufficiently

See Dr. Meal's Phyfica Sacra, and Bekker's Monde en hanté.

+ Prov. xxvi. 5.

known

known to us, to fix clearly the Nature and Circumftances of their Cure. But let this be remembered, the Miracle is always certain. These are confiderable Disorders; they powerfully affect the nervous System, and influence Body and Soul. Jefus fpeaks; the Patient is cured: Health fucceeds to Anguish, Calmness to Defpair, Reason to Frenzy: Here then, doubtless, is the Finger of God *..

And yet we by no means deny the Exiftence of Spirits; we by no means affirm that a Thing is not, because we know not how it is.

The Universe is of an immenfe Extent, and prodigiously populous. How many Species are there of different Beings, and what Distance between the vileft Animal and Man! How many Steps between the highest and loweft Degree of the Scale of earthly Beings! Shall we, judging of the Chain of created Beings by the narrow Limits of our Senfes, terminate this Scale with Man? But, from Man to the Infinite Being, how many intermediate Steps is it not ftill easy to conceive! and does not