duced by the ordinary course of nature. But as far as I am able to
judge of these contradictory opinions, a middle way between them seems
to me to come nearest the truth.

For my notion of the matter is, that the water of this pool acquired
its medicinal virtues from the mud settled at the bottom, which was
charged with metallic salts, perhaps from sulphur, allum, or nitre.
And whenever it happened that the water was troubled by any natural
cause whatsoever, perhaps a subterraneous heat, or rains; these salts
were raised up and mixed with it, and might well be beneficial to
those, who went down into the pool, before the metallic particles
subsided. Wherefore it is no wonder, that there _lay_, in the porches
of this bath, which the evangelist says were five in number, _a great
multitude of impotent folk waiting for the moving of the water_; and
especially of such as laboured under those diseases, for which it was
serviceable, as blindness, palsies, and decays. And it was very
natural for every individual person to endeavour to get into it as
soon as possible; for fear of being frustrated of their cure by the
subsidence of the mud. Wherefore _he who first stept in_, experienced
the virtue of the water.

The next circumstance to be observed is, that the fact here related,
happened when _there was a feast of the jews_, that is, the pentecost.
And we learn from Eusebius, that this method of curing prevailed but
once in a year.[102] But it is well known that this feast was
celebrated in the month of May or beginning of June: which is a very
proper season for the virtues of medicinal waters. Upon which account
the patients flock'd thither the more eagerly, that they might catch a
medicine, which they could make use of but once a year.

[102] _Loco citato._

Lastly, with relation to the angel, who is said _to have_ troubled
the water at a certain season; those who contend for a miracle,
attribute the sanative quality of the pool to him. But we have already
taken notice, that whenever any thing uncommon or surprizing happened,
of which the jews could not investigate the cause, they were
accustomed to say, it was done _by the angel of the Lord_. Yet it is
possible, that God might have added this miraculous circumstance to
natural effects, that this pool should be sanative, at one certain
time of the year only, and that too, when the whole nation were
assembled to celebrate their solemn festival; and to him only, who
firs