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AND since Celsus's Jew do's, in some sort, acknowledge, that our Saviour was baptiz'd by John the Bap∣tist, I wou'd produce the Testimony of a Famous Author, who liv'd quickly after, I mean Josephus, who in the 18th Book of his Jewish Antiquities, says,
That John the Baptist was invested with Authority to baptize, and pro∣mis'd Remission of Sin to them, that came to his Baptism.
The same Author, tho' he don't be∣lieve, that our Saviour was the true Messiah, and when he enquires into the Cause of the Taking of Jerusalem, and the Destruction of the Temple, don't ascribe this grievous, and sur∣prizing Calamity, as he ought to have done, to the Crucifixion of our Blessed Saviour; yet is fore'd: to make some slender Approach to Truth, and to acknowledge, that 'twas a remarkable Judgment, which God sent upon the Jewish Nation, for killing James the just, (who was Brother to Jesus, who is call'd by the Name of Christ,) and was, without doubt, a very virtuous, and pious Man.
This James was the same Person, St. Paul, that sincere Follower, and eminent Apostle of our Blessed Lord, tells us, that he went to visit, because he was the Brother of Christ, which Title was proper for him, not so much by Reason of their being, in a peculiar Sence, of the same Flesh, and Blood, as on the Account of the admirable, and manifest Agreement both of their Doctrine, and their Morals.
If then the fore-mention'd Author says,
That the Destruction of Jeru∣salem, was owing to the Barbarous Death of James the just;how much more Reason is there to believe, 'twas
really, and principally owing to the Crucifixion of our Blessed Saviour, whose Divinity, is so frequently at∣tested, by so many large, and united Bodies of Men, that consist of such Persons, as have left their vicious Pra∣ctices, devote themselves to the Ser∣vice of their great Creator, and liberal Benefactor, and in all their Actions, have a most serious Regard to his Honour, and Interest in the World.
And tho' the pretended Jew shou'd make no Apology for the Prophet Eze∣kiel, and Isaiah, since we meet with Passages in their Writings, and in the rest of the Prophets, which are no less strange, I am sure, than those which are related in the Gospels, con∣cerning our Blessed Saviour; viz. That the Heavens were open'd, and that he heard a Voice from thence; I shall endeavour to shew, that all, who believe an over-ruling Providence, ac∣knowledge, there have been praeter∣natural Visions, and such wherein fu∣ture Events, relating to the Affairs of humane Life, have been more clearly, or more obscurely represented to the warm Imagination; I say, I shall en∣deavour to shew, that the Assertors of Providence acknowledge, that such Visions have been seen, by Persons in their Sleep; and that 'tis no difficult
Matter to conceive, upon this Hypo∣thesis, that the same Impressions may be made on the Imagination, when a Person is awake: Whether they be de∣sign'd by God, for the private Benefit of some particular Persons, or to pro∣mote the spiritual Advantage of Man∣kind in general, and as in our Sleep, tho' there be nothing to strike upon our Sense of Sight, or Hearing, yet we strongly imagine, that we see such Objects, and hear such articulate Sounds, when 'tis our rational Faculty, that's all this while at Work, and undergoes these various, and strange Sensations: So there's no Absurdity, in supposing, that the same Thing might happen to the Prophets, when we read, that the Heav'ns were open'd to 'em, that they saw strange Sights, and heard the Voice of the great God himself.
For my Part, I don't suppose, that the visible Heavens were open'd, and, in a literal Sence, were cleav'd asun∣der, to give the Prophet Ezekiel an Occasion, for writing as he do's.
And I am fully satisfy'd, that they who read the Gospels, with any Mea∣sure of Judgment, won't understand our Saviour's Vision, in the gross Sense of the Words of Scripture, tho' I am not a little sensible, that the ig∣norant Sort of People, who, at every
Turn, and to support an idle Whim∣sy of their own, will allow the Frame of Universal Nature, to be shak'd from off its Hinges; and imagine, that so vast, and compact a Body, as that of the Heavens, was rent in two; will be offended with any Discourse in Di∣vinity, that do's in the least, interfere with the literal, and most obvious Sence of Scripture.
But one who dives to the Bottom of Things, will find, that, according to the Account, we have, in Holy Writ, there is a certain, Divine Know∣ledge, which none, but a few, happy Persons have, (as Solomon says, Thou shalt find the Knowledge of the Lord) * 1.1 and that the several Branches of it, are such as follow; viz. A Sight, a∣dapted to the Contemplation of Ob∣jects, that are beyond the Sphere of unassisted Nature, such as Cherubims, and Seraphims; a Hearing, suited to the Per∣ception of Sounds, vastly different from those, which are form'd in the Air; a Tast, that can relish the living Bread, that came down from Heaven; a Smell, that can distinguish that Heavenly Perfume, of which, the Apostle speaks, when he says, We are unto God a sweet Savour of Christ; and a Touch, of which, * 1.2 St. John speaks, when he says, Our Hands have handl'd of the Word of * 1.3 Life.
The Blessed Prophets therefore, be∣ing Partakers of these Divine Sensati∣ons, and seeing, hearing, tasting, and smelling, in a Way that is perfectly supernatural, we must understand these Things, in the same Sence, in which we must take that Place in Ezekiel; where he's said, to have eat the Book that was deliver'd him.
In this Sence it was that Isaac smelt the sweet Savour of the Divine Gar∣ments of his Son, and pronounc'd this Blessing upon him, See the Smell of my Son is as the Smell of a Field, which the Lord has bless'd. And after the same Manner, our Saviour touch'd the Le∣per, which I think, must be under∣stood of a Spiritual, rather than a Corpo∣real Touch, that he might not only cleanse him, as some think, from his bodily Distemper, but chiefly, that he might purge him from the viler, and more dangerous Leprosy of Sin. And after the same manner, John the Bap∣tist bears Witness in the following Words, I saw the Spirit descending from * 1.4 Heav'n, like a Dove, and it abode upon him, and I knew him not; but he that sent me to baptize with Water, the same said to me, upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining, the same is he, who baptizes with the Holy Ghost; and I saw, and bare Record, that this is the Son
of God. And the Heav'ns were open'd to our blessed Saviour, when there was no Person present, as far as I can ga∣ther from the Account, which we have in Scripture, to be an Eye, and Ear. Witness of what happen'd to him, ex∣cept John the Baptist.
But our Saviour foretold his Disci∣ples, that they also shou'd see the Heav'ns open'd, saying, Verily, Verily, * 1.5 I say unto you, that hereafter you shall see Heav'n open, and the Angels of God as∣cending, and descending upon the Son of Man.
And, in the foregoing Sence, we must understand that Place of Scrip∣ture; where 'tis said, that St. Paul was carry'd up to the third, or highest Hea∣ven, which before was open'd to him, since we are well-assur'd, he was one of the sincere Followers, and most emi∣nent Apostles of our Blessed Lord. But as for those Words, Whether in the Body, * 1.6 or out of the Body, I can't tell, God knows; 'tis not my Business at present, to in∣sist upon 'em.
Prov. ii. V 5.
2 Cor. ii V. 15.
i. John i V. I.
John i. V. 32.
John i. V. 51.
2 Cor. xii V. 3