PART very strong Presumption against common fpeII. culative Truths, and against the most ordinary Facts, before the Proof of them; which yet is overcome by almost any Proof. There is a Prefumption of Millions to one, against the Story of Cæfar, or of any other Man. For fuppofe a Number of common Facts fo and fo circumftanced, of which one had no kind of Proof, fhould happen to come into one's Thoughts; every one would, without any poffible Doubt, conclude them to be falfe. And the like may be faid of a fingle common Fact. And from hence it appears, that the Question of Importance, as to the Matter before us, is concerning the Degree of the peculiar Prefumption fuppofed against Miracles; not whether there be any peculiar Prefumption at all against them. For, if there be the Prefumption of Millions to one, against the most common Facts; What can a small Prefumption, additional to this, amount to, though it be peculiar? It cannot be estimated, and is as Nothing. The only material Queftion is, whether there be any fuch Prefumption against Miracles, as to render them in any fort incredible. Secondly, If we leave out the Confideration of Religion, we are in fuch total Darkness, upon what Causes, Occafions, Reafons, or Circumstances, the prefent Course of Nature depends; that there does not appear any Improbability for or against

3

against fuppofing, that five or fix thousand CHAP. Years may have given Scope for Caufes, Oc- II. cafions, Reasons or Circumftances, from whence miraculous Interpofitions may have arifen. And from this, joined with the foregoing Obfervation, it will follow, that there must be a Presumption, beyond all Comparifon, greater, against the particular common Facts juft now inftanced in, than against Miracles in general; before any Evidence of either. But, Thirdly, Take in the Confideration of Religion, or the moral System of the World, and then we fee diftin&t particular Reasons for Miracles: to afford Mankind Inftruction additional to that of Nature, and to atteft the Truth of it. And this gives a real Credibility to the Suppofition, that it might be Part of the original Plan of things, that there should be miraculous Interpofitions. Then, Lastly, Miracles must not be compared to common natural Events; or to Events which, though uncommon, are fimilar to what we daily experience: but to the extraordinary Phenomena of Nature. And then, the Comparison will be between the Prefumption against Miracles, and the Prefumption against such uncommon Appearances, fuppofe, as Comets, and against there being any fuch Powers in Nature as Magnetifm and Electricity, fo contrary to the Properties of other Bodies not endued with these Powers.

R 3

And

before

PART before any one can determine, whether there II. be be any peculiar Prefumption against Miracles, more than against other extraordinary things; he muft confider, what, upon first hearing, would be the Prefumption against the last mentioned Appearances and Powers, to a Perfon acquainted only with the daily, monthly, and annual, Courfe of Nature respecting this Earth, and with thofe common Powers of Matter which we every Day fee.

Upon all this I conclude; That there certainly is no fuch Prefumption against Miracles, as to render them in any wife incredible; That on the contrary, our being able to dif cern Reasons for them, gives a pofitive Credibility to the Hiftory of them, in Cafes where thofe Reasons hold: And That it is by no means certain, that there is any peculiar Prefumption at all, from Analogy, even in the lowest Degree, against Miracles, as diftinguished from other extraordinary Phenomena: though it is not worth while to perplex the Reader, with Inquiries into the abstract Nature of Evidence, in order to determine a Question, which, without fuch Inquiries, we fee is of no Importance.

P: 244:

CHA P.

247

CHA P. III.

Of our Incapacity of judging, what were to be expected in a Revelation; and the Credibility, from Analogy, that it must contain things appearing liable to Objections.

ESIDES the Objections against the CHAP. Evidence for Christianity, many are al- III. ledged against the Scheme of it; against the whole Manner in which it is put and left with the World; as well as against several particular Relations in Scripture: Objections drawn, from the Deficiencies of Revelation; from things in it appearing to Men Foolishness"; from its containing matters of Offence, which have led, and it must have been foreseen would lead, into strange Enthusiasm and Superstition, and be made to ferve the Purposes of Tyranny and Wickednefs; from its not being univerfal; and, which is a thing of the fame Kind, from its Evidence not being so convincing and fatisfactory as it might have been for this laft is fometimes turned into a pofitive Argument against its Truth'. It

a 1 Cor. i. 28.

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b See Ch. vi.

would

PART would be tedious, indeed impoffible, to enuII. merate the feveral Particulars comprehended under the Objections here referred to; they being fo various, according to the different Fancies of Men. There are Perfons, who think it a strong Objection against the Authority of Scripture, that it is not composed by Rules of Art, agreed upon by Criticks, for polite and correct Writing. And the Scorn is inexpreffible, with which fome of the prophetick Parts of Scripture are treated: partly through the Rafhnefs of Interpreters; but very much also, on account of the hieroglyphical and figurative Language, in which they are left us. Some of the principal things of this Sort fhall be particularly confidered, in the following Chapters. But my Defign at prefent, is to obferve in general, with respect to this whole way of arguing, that, upon Suppofition of a Revelation, it is highly credible beforehand, we fhould be incompetent Judges of it, to a great Degree: and that it would contain many things appearing to us liable to great Objections; in cafe we judge of it otherwise, than by the Analogy of Nature. And therefore, though Objections against the Evidence of Christianity are most feriously to be confidered; yet Objections against Christianity itself are, in a great meafure, frivolous: almost all Objections against it, excepting those which are alledged against

the