in the

Cure,

(( a ftrange, whimsical, unaccountable Eye-falve was this, made up of Dirt "and Spittle, and fitter indeed to put "the Eyes out, than cure them? unless we can fuppofe, that Jefus under-band "made use of a proper Medicine, or had

privately in his Mouth fome Sanative "and Balfamick Matter, which, diffolv'd "in Spittle, might effect the Cure."

Of all the miraculous Works, which No Fraud our Saviour did, none, I think, is related fo fully, and fet off with fo many Circumftances, to prevent the least Sufpicion of Fraud, as this, of his curing the Man that was born blind. a The Evangelift has expended a whole Chapter upon it; and therein acquainted us with fome previous Questions of the Disciples, which led to it, the uncommon manner of our Saviour's performing it; the Surprize and Aftonishment of the blind Man's Neighbours, when they faw fuch an Alteration wrought in him; the Man's open and undifguifed Relation of the Matter, and repeated Atteftation of the Greatnefs and Reality of the Cure; the great Disturbance and Perplexity, which

it gave the Jews; their examining and

cross-examining the Man, who ftill continued firm and uniform in his Account; their tampering with his Parents, who avow'd

John ix.

avow'd the Truth of his being born blind; and, at laft, (when they faw that they could prevail nothing, but that the more they examined, the more Evidence they found,) their Rage and Malice, which carried them to fuch a degree, as to excommunicate the poor Man, and caft him out of the Synagogue. These, and fome more Circumftances are told in fuch a plain convincing manner, as fhews the whole Story to be too well founded, for any Cavils, or mere fabulous Inventions to impair or weaken. For had there been any Deceit in the Cafe, 'tis very strange, that none of the Multitude should perceive any thing of it; but much more fo, that the Malice of the Jews, with all their Inquifitiveness, should not be able to detect it.

Our Saviour might have had fome fanative Balfam in referve, but what would all the Balfam in the World have availed towards the Cure of the Distemper, we are now confidering? Phyficians and Chirurgeons, that have ftudied the Texture of the Eye, and made the Cure of its Maladies their chief Employ, may give us indeed fomething, that will ftrengthen the Optick Nerves, when weaken'd or relax'd; or, by fome outward Operation may remove fuch Obftructions, as would other

wife

Or Folly in the Manner of it.

wife impede the Sight: But fince the World began (as the poor Man here excellently argues) was it not heard, that any Man opened the Eyes of one that was born blind. And therefore it is Folly, as well as Malice, at this distance of Time, to oppose a Matter of Fact, attefted with fuch Strength and Clearness, and, in the room thereof, to infinuate a Forgery, and fuggeft a fuppofitious Remedy, which, if even admitted, could not be competent to effect the Cure.

Various indeed were the Methods of our Saviour's working Cures, by a Touch, by a Word's speaking, by outward Applications, but always fuch an Application, as had no natural Efficacy in it. Had he made ufe of any Medicinal Remedies, there might then have been fome room to doubt whether the Cure had been a miraculous Operation: But as he rejected all fuch Methods, as might have a Tendency to the Cure, this removes our Sufpicion, and plainly demonftrates, that the Effect could be The Mi- afcrib'd to no vifible Means, but the inraculouf- visible and irresistible Power of the A

nefs of it.

gent. And indeed, the very uncommonness of the Application is fo far from diminishing, that it rather inhances the Credit and Reputation of the Mira

John ix. 32.

cle;

cle; at least, it must be allow'd, to be as great and triumphant a Display of a fupernatural Power, to work a Cure by Means, that have no fitness to that End, as it is to do it without the use of any Means at all: for the more improper the Methods are to answer the Defign, the more amazing is the Power in making them fubfervient to it: In the former Cafe, the Man has only the Diftemper to contend with, but here he has a double Difficulty to conquer, and muft not only controul the Power of the Disease, but change the repugnant Qualities of Bodies, and make them productive of quite contrary Effects. Though therefore the Method, which our Saviour made use of on this Occafion, was of no Significance, as to the Cure of the Man's Blindnefs, yet it was highly pertinent, in order to convince the Spectators, as well as the Patient himself, of his Almighty Power, which could produce fuch a wonderful and extraordinary Effect by no other Application, than what was indifferent, if not obftructive to the Cure. The Truth is, da blind Man's coming Wherein fuddenly to his Sight, (abftracted from Chrift the Agency of any Perfon, as fore-know- tainly ing or foreseeing the Event,) is either no left to his Miracle at all, or if it be a Miracle, has Liberty.

Defence of Scrip. Hift. Part 2. p. 44.

not

was cer

not the Appearance or Evidence of one! But if fuch an Effect follows, in confequence of any Act or Operation performed by any Perfon, as declarative of what will happen, this points out and demonftrates to us both the Miracle, and Perfon, that wrought it. Our Saviour, no doubt, could have cured this Man with a Words Speaking; but, as the use of this Ointment was declarative only of his Intention to cure him, and, in this cafe, every whit as fignificant, as if he had faid, in fo many Words, receive thy Sight; I can fee no Reason, why he might not, without any Imputation of Folly or Whimficalness, be left to his own Difcretion to chufe, which of the two Actions he was pleased to make use of, fince both were equally expreffive of his divine Power: And fo we proceed to his turning Water into Wine, at a Marriage-Feaft.

SECT.