and the profane, of Porphyry and Eunomius, you pretend that these are the tricks of demons

This magic, these demons, this illufory appearance, this comparison with the tricks of jugglers, by which many of that age accounted so easily for the Chriftian miracles, and which answers the advocates of Chrif tianity often thought it neceffary to refute, by arguments drawn from other topics, and particularly from prophecy (to which, it feems, thefe folutions did not apply), we now perceive to be grofs fubterfuges. That fuch reasons were ever seriously urged, and feriously received, is only a proof, what a gloss and varnish fashion can give to any opinion.

It appears, therefore, that the miracles of Christ, understood, as we understand them, in their literal and historical sense, were pofitively and precisely afferted and appealed

*

Jerome con. Vigil.

ta

to by the apologists for Christianity; which anfwers the allegation of the objection.

I am ready, however, to admit, that the ancient Chriftian advocates did not infift upon the miracles in argument, fo frequently as I fhould have done. It was their lot to contend with notions of magical agency, against which the mere production of the facts was not fufficient for the convincing of their adverfaries: I do not know whether they themselves thought it quite decifive of the controverfy. But fince it is proved, I conceive, with certainty, that the fparingnefs with which they appealed to miracles, was owing neither to their ignorance, nor their doubt of the facts, it is, at any rate, an objection, not to the truth of the hiftory, but to the judgement of its defenders.

CHAP. VI.

Want of univerfality in the knowledge and reception of Chriflianity, and of greater clearnefs in the evidence.

OF

F a revelation which really came from God, the proof, it has been faid, would in all ages be fo public and manifeft, that no part of the human fpecies would remain ignorant of it, no understanding could fail of being convinced by it.

The advocates of Chriftianity do not pretend that the evidence of their religion poffeffes thefe qualities. They do not deny that we can conceive it to be within the compass of divine power, to have communicated to the world a higher degree of affurance, and to have given to his communication a stronger and more extenfive influence. For any thing we are able to difcern,

God

God could have fo formed men, as to have perceived the truths of religion intuitively; or to have carried on a communication with the other world, whilft they lived in this or to have feen the individuals of the fpecies, inftead of dying, pafs to heaven by a fenfible translation. He could have prefented a separate miracle to each man's fenfes. He could have established a standing miracle. He could have caufed miracles to be wrought in every different age and country. Thefe, and many more methods, which we may imagine, if we once give loose to our imaginations, are, fo far as we can judge, all practicable.

1

The question, therefore, is not, whether Christianity poffeffes the highest poffible degree of evidence, but whether the not hav¬ ing more evidence be a fufficient reason for rejecting that which we have.

Now there appears to be no fairer method of judging, concerning any dispensation which is alledged to come from God, when a question

a question is made whether fuch a difpenfation could come from God or not, than by comparing it with other things which are acknowledged to proceed from the fame council, and to be produced by the fame agency. If the difpenfation in question labour under no defects but what apparently belong to other difpenfations, these feeming defects do not justify us, in setting afide the proofs which are offered of its authenticity, if they be otherwise entitled to credit.

Throughout that order then of nature, of which God is the author, what we find is a fyftem of beneficence, we are feldom or ever able to make out a fyftem of optimism. I mean, that there are few cafes in which, if we permit ourselves to range in poffibilities, we cannot fuppofe fomething more perfect, and more unobjectionable, than what we fee. The rain which defcends from heaven is confeffedly amongst the contrivances of the Creator, for the fuftentation of the animals and vegetables which fubfift upon the furface of the earth. Yet how partially

and