CHAPTER II.

OBSERVATIONS PREVIOUS TO THE EXAMINATION

OF THE PROPER EVIDENCES OF REVELATION.

SECTION I.

Of the nature and ufe of miracles.

SOME may think it not fuitable to the wifdom

of God, to leave his creatures in need of occafional affiftance. A being of infinite wifdom, they fay, would make his works fo perfect at first, as never to want it. But the only reason why it is wife in men to aim at this is, because they cannot always be prefent with their works, or because it would be troublesome to attend to them. Alfo, their being present, or not present with their works, is of no confequence to their operation. Whereas God is already every where prefent, and as he conftantly fupports all the laws of nature, the changing the course of it implies no additional attention or trouble.

Befides, it is of the utmost importance to the great ends of the rational creation, that the Almighty maker should be confidered as prefent with

his works. For any thing that we know, therefore, the best of all schemes may be that in which the divine agency and interpofition are never wholly fuperfeded; and though, as was fhewn before, it be wife, and even neceffary to establish general laws, yet occafional deviations from them may contribute more to promote the same great end than a perfect uniformity.

With refpect to men, and perhaps all other moral agents, there seems to be an evident propriety in the divine being exciting their attention to his prefence and government by occafional departures from the laws of nature; for by this means we more easily preferve a juft fenfe of our connection with, and dependence upon God. Whenever any appearances become quite uniform, and conftant, they cease to ftrike; infomuch, that it is very poffible even for nations of mankind, who have never been taught any thing concerning God, to pass their whole lives, in the view of all the wonders of creation, without ever raising their thoughts to the great author of all. Whereas, if the ufual connection of caufes and effects be interrupted, and things happen contrary to their fulleft expectations, founded upon long experience, their attention is immediately roufed, and they cannot be fatisfied till they understand both the efficient and final caufe of fo ftrange an appearance, that is, without knowing both what produced it, and for

what

what reafon it was produced. And a little reflection must fatisfy them, that he only who ordained and established the course of nature, can alter it.

Whenever, therefore, the courfe of nature is interrupted, by the performance of a real miracle, men may be fure that the immediate finger of God is in it; and, therefore, that their attention ought to be excited to it.

Strictly speaking, indeed, it is improper to say that the laws of nature are violated in working of miracles, because they are no more than the effect of an adequate power in nature, exerted at proper feafons. It may be compared to a man's relieving a fly, or any small infect struggling with difficulties infurmountable by itself. But this view of miracles by no means affords any objection to the ufe of them that is here contended for, fince whatever demonftrates the interpofition of a power Juperior to human, must be referred to the operation of God mediately or immediately, nor is it poffible that any fyftem of religion fhould have a stronger fanction than fuch works as these.

Some, indeed, have advanced, that there is no natural or neceffary connection between miracles and doctrines. But though this might have been urged very seriously by the antient Jews or Pagans, who believed in magic, we need not fcruple to fay that, in this age, it must be moft egregious trifling, and that it does not deferve any reply. At least

it will be time enough to consider this objection, when fome perfon fhall be produced, who shall feriously fay, that he believes the miracles, but not the doctrines. Spinoza himself, as Mr. Bayle affures us, faid to his friends, that "if he could "be convinced of the refurrection of Lazarus, he "would break his whole fyftem in pieces, and "readily embrace the common faith of chriftians."

It may also be alledged as an argument for the ufe of miracles, that the more general is the corruption of religion, and confequently the more neceffary revelation is, the less capable men are of perceiving the internal proofs of the excellence of a divine religion, and therefore the more occafion they have for external proofs, fuch as miracles afford.

It is poffible that there may be intelligent beings, fuperior, and invifible to us, and, their powers far exceeding ours, they may exert them in fuch a manner, as that to us the appearance will be the fame as of a divine interpofition. But fuch an abuse of fuperior powers would be fo fatal, that it cannot be fuppofed that a wife and good being. would permit it. Indeed, if this were the cafe, the divine being would leave himself no certain method of making his own power and defigns known to his creatures, whatever occafion there might be for his interpofition; as it would not be in their power to guard themfelves from artful and

malicious beings, who might take pleasure in misleading and confounding them. If ever, therefore, fuch beings be permitted to work miracles, we may depend upon it that they will be fo circumstanced, that it will be in the power of men of virtue and good understanding to difcover the cheat.

Upon the whole, however, it is not in the leaft degree probable, that any being, befides the fupreme, ever worked a real miracle; and, confequently, that all the wonders in which God himfelf has not been concerned have been the effects of artifice and deceit, so as to impose upon none but the ignorant and the credulous; and that men of understanding, who have opportunity of making proper inquiries, may fee through and detect them.

SECTION II.

Of the nature of the evidence for revelation.

JATURAL religion being that knowledge of

NAT

of God, of our duty, and future expectations, which we acquire from our obfervations on the ufual course of nature, revealed religion may be defined to be the knowledge, relating to the fame fubjects, which we acquire from interruptions of the ufual courfe of nature, by the interpofition of the God of nature, the fole controller of the laws.