"If this then be the cafe, as it feems to be, "that men's minds are fufceptive of fuch infi"nuations and impreffions, as frequently by ways "unknown do affect them, and give them an "inclination towards this or that, how many

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things may be brought to pass by these means "without fixing and refixing the laws of na"ture; any more than they are unfixt, when "one man alters the opinion of another by throwing a book, proper for his purpose, in his way? I fay, how many things may be brought about thus, not only in regard of "our Jelves, but other people, who may be con"cerned in our actions, either immediately, or "in time through perhaps many intermediate " events? For the profperity or improfperity "of a man, or his fate here, does not intirely depend upon his own prudence, or imprudence, but in a great meafure upon his fitua"tion among the reft of mankind, and what

they do. The natural effect of his manage"ment meeting with fuch things, as are the "natural effects of the actions of other men, "and being blended with them, the refult

may be fomething not intended or foreseen." Wollafton Rel. of Nat. Sect. v. p. 106.

These things, according to the light of reafon, are not improbable, and, as our Author obferves, no man can prove the contrary: but whilst we acknowledge the gracious influences of Providence in every thing that tends to make us better and wifer and happier, we must be very careful to keep the fober mean between

the

1

the extremes, the one of excluding the Divine interpofition in the natural and moral world, the other of deftroying human agency, or of afcribing the wild fancies of our own heads to the suggestions of the holy Spirit.

Le Clerc, giving an account of An Effay on Divine Providence by Robert Burrow, fays,

"Befides a general Providence, this Author "fhews that there are extraordinary occafions,

where God interpofes in a particular manner; "as he did formerly by Miracles, and by Prophecies, and as he hath done fince, by par"ticular interpofitions, which we cannot, pro"perly, call Miracles. It is very probable, "not to fay certain, that God can interpofe, " and that he doth interpofe now, as well as "formerly, in extraordinary cafes,, though we "perceive it not, because we are not fore

warned that it fhall be fo. Things happen, " which feem not to be according to the ordi

nary course of nature, but by a particular "intervention of the Deity, though God doth "not give us previous notice of it, as he did "when he established the Mofaic and the "Chriftian religion. God hath commanded

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us to call upon him, and hath promised to "grant us whatfoever is proper for us. And "who can doubt of his fulfilling these pro"mises? Let us fuppofe that a good man, and "a man whose welfare is very neceffary to his family, which he has educated religiously, is "in great danger of dying by a distemper, and "that his family earnestly prays to God for

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U 4

his

"his recovery. Is it not poffible that they "may by their fupplications obtain from God "the life and the health of this man, which "elfe he would not have granted? Upon the fuppofition that his disease was mortal, and "that without thefe prayers God would not "have removed it, this would be a real mira"cle. In like manner, every thing that God "gives to those who pray to him, and would "not elfe give them, is a miracle, though we perceive it not, because we know not beforehand that it shall be fo.

"In the number of thefe providential inter"pofitions, fuppofing the fact to be true, might "be placed what happened on the coasts of "Holland and Zeland, the 14th of July 1672. "The United Provinces having ordered public "prayers to God, when they feared that the "French and English Fleets would make a "defcent upon their coafts, it came to pass "that when thefe Fleets waited only for the tide, to land their fmaller veffels, it was re"tarded contrary to its ufual course, for twelve

hours, which difappointed the defign, fo that "the Enemies were obliged to defer it to ano"ther opportunity, which they never found, "because of a storm that arofe afterwards and "drove them from the coaft.

"A thing of this nature, happening at fuch a juncture, to fave the country from ruin, "was accounted miraculous, and a prediction "of it would have proved it to have been so. "However, as nothing falls out, without the

" concur

"concurrence of the Divine Providence, there "was great reason to return thanks to God for "the deliverance.

"In the History of other nations, events of "this kind are recorded, which, if they had "been foretold, must have been accounted real "miracles." Le Clerc Bibl. A. et M. xxvi.

391.

Nec dubito quin etiamnum hodie Deus, precibus piorum permotus, multa occulte mutet in animis et corporibus, qua mutatione averruncet ab hominibus religiofis magnas calamitates, quæ iis alioqui contingerent. Multa operatur, quæ res nobis faciunt fecundiores, et veritati, nobis infcis, profunt; quamvis talia fub oculos non cadant. Sunt hæc vera miracula, fed Dei fefe occultantis, etiam iis, in quorum gratiam hoc facit. Quare femper nos oportet ad Deum precibus confugere, et omnium eorum, quæ nobis fecunda eveniunt, gratias ei agere; quamvis Deus fua illa occulta auxilia non venditet. Clericus ad Ifai. xlv. 15.

After Conftantine, the miracles become extremely fufpicious, both from their own frivolous or extravagant nature, or their apparent bad tendency, or many other circumstances which I fhall not here examine. I mean not by this that Providence never interpofed in behalf of the Chriftian cause. The defeat of Julian's attempt to rebuild the Temple may justly be ascribed to a particular Providence.

Monkery, and the immoderate veneration of Saints and Martyrs, and Chriftianity fomewhat adulterated with Paganism, and the spirit of wrangling

wrangling and of oppreffion, and religious controverfies imprudently and indecently carried on by all parties, and falfe miracles, and feigned vifions, came hand in hand, and prevailed too much.

There have been fome, and there are many perfons, who believing the truth of Chriftianity, doubt of the miracles after the Apoftolical age, or reject them. Such were Van Dale, and Moyle; and Le Clerc, who yet was not fo far fixed in that opinion, as to think it improbable that miracles were wrought in the beginning of the second century.

To thefe authors will it be permitted to add Middleton? He declared himfelf more than once in favour of Revelation. Let us therefore err, if it be an error, on the fide which is favourable to him and to his memory, and join him to these ingenious and learned men.

His fyftem was treated by fome perfons as a Novelty; but they should have faid, As far as we know; for be it right, or be it wrong, it certainly is not new.

"When the truth of our religion," fays Moyle, “had been confirmed by fo many fig"nal miracles, which were never difowned is by the Heathens themselves, it quickly tri"umphed over all oppofition, and spread with "a wonderful progrefs over all the parts of "the Roman Empire. When Christianity had

gained fuch a footing in the world, the work "was half done, and the reft might be fafely trufted to the preaching of our ministers, and

"the