THERE is another, and he of no mean Credit, whom for Refpect to his Person I shall forbear to name, who commenting upon that Verfe in the Prophet Habakkuk [I saw the Tents of Cufhan in Affliction, and the Curtains of the Land of Midian did tremble] because Tents were fometimes made of Skins, he pretended that the Word Tents did here fignify the Skin of St. Bartholomew, who was flea'd for a Martyr. I myfelf was lately at a Divinity Difputation [FIG. XLII.] (where I very often pay my Attendance), where one of the Opponents demanded a Reafon why it fhould be thought more proper to filence all Hereticks by Sword and Faggot, rather than convert them by moderate and fober Arguments? A certain cynical old Blade, who bore the Character of a Divine, legible in the Frowns and Wrinkles of his Face, not without a great deal of Difdain answered, that it was the exprefs Injunction of St. Paul himself, in those Directions to Titus, [A Man that is an Heretick, after the first and fecond Admonition, Rejet] quoting it in Latin, where the Word Reject is Devita; while all the Auditory wondered at this Citation, and deem'd it no way applicable to his purpose, he at last explain'd himself, faying, that Devita fignify'd de vita tollendum Hæreticum, a Heretick muft be flain. Some fmiled at at his Ignorance; but others approved of it as an Orthodox Comment. And however fome difliked, that fuch Violence should be done to fo eafy a Text, our Hair-flitting and irrefragable Doctor went on in Triumph: To prove it yet (fays he) more undeniably, it is commanded in the old Law [Thou shalt not fuffer a Witch to live ;], now then every Maleficus or Witch is to be kill'd, but an Heretick is Maleficus, which in the Latin Tranflation is put for a Witch, Ergo, &c. All that were present, wondered at the Ingenuity of the Perfon, and very devoutly embraced his Opinion, never dreaming that the Law was reftrained only to Magicians, Sorcerers and Enchanters: For otherwise, if the Word Maleficus fignified what it most naturally implies, every Evildeer, then Drunkenness and Whoredom were to meet with the fame capital Punishment as Witchcraft. But why should I fquander away my Time in a too tedious Profecution of this Topick, which if drove on to the utmoft, would afford Talk to Eternity? I aim herein at no more than this; namely, That fince thofe grave Doctors take fuch a fwinging Range and Latitude, I, who am but a fmattering Novice in Divinity, may have the larger Allowance for any Slips or Miftakes. Now therefore I return to St. Paul, who uses thefe Expreffions, [Ye fuffer Fools gladly] applying applying it to himself; and again, [As a Fool receive me ;] and [That which I fpeak, I speak not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly; [and. in another Place [We are Fools for Chrift's fake] See how these Commendations of Folly are equal to the Author of them, both Great and Sacred. The fame holy Perfon does yet enjoin and command the being a Fool as a Virtue of all other most requifite and neceffary: For, fays he, [If any Man feem to be wife in this World, let him become a Fool, that he may be wife.] Thus St. Luke records, how our Saviour, after his Resurrection, joining himself with two of his Difciples travelling to Emmaus, at his first Salutation he calls them Fools, faying [O Fools, and flow of Heart to believe.] Nor may this feem ftrange in comparison to what is yet farther delivered by St. Paul, who adventures to attribute fomething of Folly even to the All-wife God himself [The foolishnefe of God (fays he) is wiser than Men:] In which Text St. Origen would not have the Word Foolishness any way referr'd to Men, or applicable to the fame Senfe, wherein is to be understood that other Paffage of St. Paul [The preaching of the Cross to them that perish, Fool nefs.] But why do I put myself to the Trouble of citing fo many Proofs, fince this. one may fuffice for all; namely, that in thofe myftical Pfalms, wherein David represents the Type |