that both of these are the consequences of our own actions, and these consequences we are enabled to foresee. Therefore, that our happiness or misery in a future world may depend on our own actions also, and that rewards or punishments hereafter may follow our good or ill behaviour here, is but an appointment of the same sort with what we expe rience under the divine government, according to the regular course of nature.*

This supposition is confirmed from another circumstance, that the natural government of God, under which we now live, is also moral; in which rewards and punishments are the consequences of actions, considered as virtuous and vicious. Not that every man is rewarded or punished here in exact proportion to his desert; for the essential tendencies of virtue and vice, to produce happiness and the contrary, are often hindered from taking effect from accidental causes. However, there are plainly the rudiments and beginnings of a righteous administration to be discerned in the constitution of nature; from whence we are led to expect, that these accidental hindrances will one day be removed, and the rule of distributive justice obtain completely in a more perfect state.†

The moral government of God, thus established, implies in the notion of it some sort of trial, or a moral possibility of acting wrong as well as right, in those who are the subjects of it. And the doctrine of religion, that the present life is in fact a state of probation for a future one, is rendered credible from its being analogous throughout to the general conduct of Providence towards us with respect to this world; in which prudence is necessary to secure our temporal interest, just as we are taught that virtue is necessary to secure our eternal interest; and both are trusted to ourselves.‡

But the present life is not merely a state of probation, implying in it difficulties and danger, it is also a state of discipline and improvement: and that, both in our temporal and religious capacity. Thus, childhood is a state of discipline for youth; youth for manhood; and that for old age. Strength of body, and maturity of understanding, are acquired by degrees and neither of them without continual exercise and attention on our part, not only in the beginning of life, but through the whole course of it. So, again, with respect to Dur religious concerns, the present world is fitted to be, and ↑ Part i. chap. 4.

* Chap. 2 1* † Chap. 3.

to good men is an event, a state of discipline and improve ment for a future one. The several passions and propensions implanted in our hearts, incline us, in a multitude of instan ces, to forbidden pleasures; this inward infirmity is increa sed by various snares and temptations, perpetually occurring from without hence arises the necessity of recollection and self-government, of withstanding the calls of appetite, and forming our minds to habits of piety and virtue; habits of which we are capable, and which, to creatures in a state of moral imperfection, and fallen from their original integrity, must be of the greatest use, as an additional security, over and above the principle of conscience, from the dangers to which we are exposed.*

Nor is the credibility here given, by the analogy of nature, to the general doctrine of religion, destroyed or weakened by any notions concerning necessity. Of itself it is a mere word, the sign of an abstract idea; and as much requires an agent, that is, a necessary agent in order to effect any thing, as freedom requires a free agent. Admitting it to be speculatively true, if considered as influencing practice, it is the same as false for it is matter of experience, that, with regard to our present interest, and as inhabitants of this world, we are treated as if we were free; and therefore the analogy of nature leads us to conclude, that, with regard to our future interest, and as designed for another world, we shall be treated as free also. Nor does the opinion of necessity supposing it possible, at all affect either the general proof of religion, or its external evidence.†

Still objections may be made against the wisdom and good ness of the divine government, to which analogy, which can only show the truth or credibility of facts, affords no answer Yet even here analogy is of use, if it suggest that the divine government is a scheme or system and not a number of unconnected acts, and that this system is also above our comprehension. Now, the government of the natural world appears to be a system of this kind; with parts, related to each other, and together composing a whole: in which system, ends are brought about by the use of means, many of which means, before experience, would have been suspected to have had a quite contrary tendency; which is carried on by general laws, similar causes uniformly producing similar effects; the utility of which general laws, and the inconve + Parti. Chap. 6.

› Chap. 5.

niences which would probably arise from the occasional or even secret suspension of them, we are in some sort enabled to discern ;* but of the whole we are incompetent judges, because of the small part which comes within our view. Reasoning then from what we know, it is highly credible, that the government of the moral world is a system also car. ried on by general laws, and in which ends are accomplished by the intervention of means; and that both constitu tions, the natural and the moral, are so connected, as to form together but one scheme. But of this scheme, as that of the natural world taken alone, we are not qualified to judge on account of the mutual respect of the several parts to each other and to the whole, and our own incapacity to survey the whole, or, with accuracy, any single part. All objections, therefore, to the wisdom and goodness of the divine government may be founded merely on our ignorance ;† and to such objections our ignorance is the proper, and a satis factory answer.‡

2. The chief difficulties concerning Natural Religion being now removed, our Author proceeds, in the next place, to that which is revealed; and as an introduction to an inquiry into the Credibility of Christianity, begins with the consideration of its Importance.

The importance of Christianity appears in two respects. First, In its being a republication of natural Religion, in its native simplicity, with authority, and with circumstances of advantage; ascertaining in many instances of moment, what before was only probable, and particularly confirming the doctrine of a future state of rewards and punishments. Secondly, As revealing a new dispensation of Providence, originating from the pure love and mercy of God, and conducted by the mediation of his Son, and the guidance of his Spirit, for the recovery and salvation of mankind, re presented in a state of apostacy and ruin. This account of Christianity being admitted to be just, and the distinct offices of these three divine persons being once discovered to us, we are as much obliged, in point of duty, to acknowledge the relations we stand in to the Son and Holy Ghost, as our Mediator and Sanctifier, as we are obliged in point of duty

See a Treatise on Divine Benevolence, by Dr Thomas Balguy, Part ii.

† See Note F, at the end of this Preface.

Part i. Chap. 7.

4 See note G, at the end of this Preface

to acknowledge the relation we stand in to God the Fa ther; although the two former of these relations be learnt from revelation only, and in the last we are instructed by the light of nature; the obligation in either case, arising from the offices themselves, and not at all depending on the manner in which they are made known to us.*

The presumptions against revelation in general are, tha it is not discoverable by reason, that it is unlike to what is so discovered, and that it was introduced and supported by miracles. But in a scheme so large as that of the universe, unbounded in extent and everlasting in duration, there must of necessity be numberless circumstances which are beyond the reach of our faculties to discern, and which can only be known by divine illumination. And both in the natural and moral government of the world, under which we live, we find many things unlike one to another, and therefore ought not to wonder if the same unlikeness obtain between things visible and invisible; although it be far from true, that revealed religion is entirely unlike the constitution of nature, as analogy may teach us. Nor is there any thing incredible in revelation, considered as miraculous; whether miracles be supposed to have been performed at the beginning of the world, or after a course of nature has been established. Not at the beginning of the world; for then there was either no course of nature at all, or a power must have been exerted totally different from what that course is at present. All men and animals cannot have been born, as they are now; but a pair of each sort must have been produced at first, in a way altogether unlike to that in which they have been since produced; unless we affirm, that men and animals have existed from eternity in an endless succession. One miracle, therefore, at least, there must have been at the beginning of the world, or at the time of man's creation. Not after the settlement of a course of nature, on account of miracles being contrary to that course, or, in other words, contrary to experience; for, in order to know whether miracles worked in attestation of a divine religion, be contrary to ex perience or not, we ought to be acquainted with other cases similar or parallel to those in which miracles are alleged to have been wrought. But where shall we find such similar or parallel cases? The world which we inhabit affords We know of extraordinary revelations from God

none.

* Part ii. Chapter 5

to man, but those recorded in the Old and New Testament: all of which were established by miracles. It cannot there. fore be said, that miracles are incredible, because contrary to experience, when all the experience we have is in favor of miracles, and on the side of religion.* Besides, in reasoning concerning miracles, they ought not to be compared with common natural events, but with uncommon appearances, such as comets, magnetism, electricity; which, to one acquainted only with the usual phenomena of nature, and the common powers of matter, must before proof of their actual existence, be thought incredible.†

The presumptions against Revelation in general being despatched, objections against the Christian Revelation in particular, against the scheme of it, as distinguished from objections against its evidence, are considered next. Now, supposing a revelation to be really given, it is highly probable beforehand, that it must contain many things appearing to us liable to objections. The acknowledged dispensation of nature is very different from what we should have expected reasoning then from analogy, the revealed dispensation, it is credible, would be also different. Nor are we in any sort judges at what time, or in what degree, or manner it is fit or expedient for God to instruct us, in things confessedly of the greatest use, either by natural reason, or by superna tural information. Thus, arguing on speculation only, and without experience, it would seem very unlikely that so important a remedy as that provided by Christianity, for the recovery of mankind from a state of ruin, should have been for so many ages withheld; and, when at last vouchsafed, should be imparted to so few; and, after it has been imparted, should be attended with obscurity and doubt. And just so we might have argued, before experience, concerning the remedies provided in nature for bodily diseases, to which by nature we are exposed: for many of these were unknown to mankind for a number of ages; are known but to few now: some important ones probably not discovered yet; and .hose which are, neither certain in their application, nor uni versal in their use. And the same mode of reasoning that would lead us to expect they should have been so, would lead us to expect that the necessity of them should have been superseded, by there being no diseases; as the necessity of the Christian scheme, it may be thought, might also ↑ Chap. 2.

* See note H, at the end of this Preface