no occasion, since there is no such evidence of the facts as can justly entitle them to our notice. Let it be remembered, that in the fourth section of the first part, it was shown, that there is the greatest disparity in respect of evidence, betwixt miracles. performed in proof of a religion to be established, and in contradiction to opinions generally received; and miracles performed, on the contrary, in support of a religion already established, and in confirmation of opinions generally received; that, in the former case, there is the strongest presumption for the miracles, in the latter against them. Let it also be remembered, that in the preceding section it was shown, that the religion of the Bible is the only religion extant, which claims to have been ushered into the world by miracles; that this prerogative neither the Pagan religion, the Mahometan, nor the Roman Catholic, can, with any appearance of reason, arrogate; and that, by consequence, there is one of the strongest presumptions possible for the miracles of the gospel, which is not only wanting in the miracles of other religions, but which is contrasted by the strongest presumption possible against these miracles. And though this presumption should not, in all cases, be accounted absolutely insuperable, we must at least say, it gives an immense superiority to the proofs of Christianity. It were an endless and a fruitless task, to canvass particularly the evidence of all the pretended miracles either of Paganism or Popery, (for on this head Mahometanism is much more modest) but as the thor has selected some, which he considers as the best attested, of both religions, these shall be examined severally in the two subsequent sections. From this examination a tolerable judgment may be formed concerning the pretensions of these two species of superstition. au But from what has been said, it is evident, that the contrariety which the author pretends to have discovered in the miracles said to have been wrought, as he expresses it, in different religions, vanishes entirely on a close inspection. He is even sensible of this himself; and as is customary with orators, the more inconclusive his reasons are, so much the more positive are his assertions. This argument,' says he, may ap'pear over subtile and refined;' indeed so subtile and refined, that it is invisible altogether; but—is not in reality differ ent from the reasoning of a judge, who supposes that the 'credit of two witnesses maintaining a crime against any one, is destroyed by the testimony of two others, who, affirm him to ' have been two hundred leagues distant, at the same instant, when the crime is said to have been committed.' After the particle but, with which this clause begins, the reader naturally expects such an explication of the argument, as will convince him, that though subtile and refined, it hath solidity and strength. Instead of this, he hath only the author's word warranting it to be good to all intents: But is not in reality different,' &c. The analogy between his example and his argument, seems to be but very distant *; I shall therefore, without any comment, leave it with the reader as I find it. THUS it appears, that, for aught the author has as yet proved, no miracles recorded by historians of other religions are subversive of the evidence arising from the miracles wrought in proof of Christianity, or can justly be considered as contrary tes→ timony. SECTION IV. Examination of the PAGAN miracles mentioned by Mr. Hume. SHOULD one read attentively the Essay on Miracles, and consider it solely as a philosophical disquisition on an abstract question, like most of the other pieces in the same collection; he could not fail to wonder, what had induced the author so suddenly to change sides in the debate, and, by doing so, to My French translator remarks, that, in a case which he supposes and illustrates, the analogy would be both close and striking. I admit, that in the case supposed by him, it would be so. But of such cases, I had observed before, that no example had been produced. The miracles performed by Moses were manifestly in proof of his mission, and consequently of the unity of the Godhead, his fundamental doctrine. The like may be said of the miracles of Jesus, in regard to the doctrine which he taught. But who can be said to have performed miracles in proof of polytheism? I know not any. The remoteness of the analogy in the example adduced by Mr. Hume was not meant as affirmed of any case supposable, but of any which had actually occurred. contradict himself in terms the most express. Does he not, in the latter part of that performance, as warmly contend for the reality of some miracles, as he had pleaded in the former part for the impossibility of all? It is true, he generally concludes concerning those, that they are gross and palpable falsehoods.' But this serves only to render his conduct the more mysterious, as that conclusion is always preceded by an attempt to evince, that we have the greatest reason to receive them as certain ⚫ and infallible truths.' Nay, so entirely doth his zeal make him forget even his most positive assertions, (and what inconsistencies may not be dreaded from an excess of zeal!) that he shows minutely, we have those very evidences for the miracles he is pleased to patronize, which, he had strenuously argued, were not to be found in support of any miracles whatever. There is not to be found,' he affirms, in all history, a 'miracle attested by a sufficient number of men, of such un' questioned good sense, education, and learning, as to secure 'us against all delusion in themselves; of such undoubted integrity, as to place them beyond all suspicion of any design to ' deceive others; of such credit and reputation in the eyes of 'mankind, as to have a great deal to lose, in case of being de❝tected in any falsehood; and at the same time attesting facts 'performed in such a public manner, and in so celebrated a part of the world, as to render the detection unavoidable.' We need only turn over a few pages of the Essay, and we shall find the author taking great pains to convince us, that all these circumstances concurred in support of certain miracles, which, notwithstanding his general resolution, he has thought fit to honour with a very particular attention. He has not indeed told us how many witnesses, in his way of reckoning, will constitute a sufficient number;' but for some miracles which he relates, he gives us clouds of witnesses, one cloud succeeding another: for the Molinists, who tried to discredit them, soon found themselves overwhelmed by a cloud ' of new witnesses, one hundred and twenty in number +.' As to the character of the witnesses, most of them were persons of credit and substance in Paris ;' again, those miracles 'were attested by witnesses of credit and distinction, before * Page 183. 6 † Page 197. in the note. #Ib. judges of unquestioned integrity *; and, they were proved by • witnesses, before the officialty or bishop's court of Paris, under the eyes of Cardinal Noailles, whose character for integrity ' and capacity was never contested even by his enemies +;' again, the secular clergy of France, particularly the rectors of cures of Paris, give testimony to these impostures, than whom no clergy are more celebrated for strictness of life and manners ‡. Once more, one principal witness, Monsieur de Montgeron, was counsellor or judge of the parliament of Paris, a man of figure and character §;' another no less a man than the Duc de Chatillon, a Duke and Peer of France, of the highest rank and family .' It is strange, if credit, and substance, and distinction, and capacity, are not sufficient securities to us, that the witnesses were not themseves deluded; it is strange, if uncontested integrity, and eminent strictness of life and manners, cannot remove 'all suspicion of any design in ' them to deceive others;' it is strange, if one who was counsellor of the parliament of Paris, a man of figure and character, and if another who was a Duke and Peer of France, of the highest rank and family, had not a great deal to lose, in case ' of being detected in any falsehood:' nay, and if all those witnesses of credit and distinction, had not also a great deal to lose; since the Jesuits, a learned body, supported by the civil magistrate, were determined enemies to those opinions, in whose favour the miracles were said to have been wrought ¶;' and since Monsieur Herault, the lieutenant de police, of whose great reputation, all who have been in France about that time, have heard; and whose vigilance, penetration, activity, and ex'tensive intelligence, have been much talked of; since this magistrate, who by the nature of his office is almost absolute, was invested with full powers on purpose to suppress these miracles, and frequently seized and examined the witnesses and subjects of them; though he could never reach any thing satisfactory against them **.' As to the only remaining circumstance, their being performed in a public manner, and in a celebrated part of the world,' this concurred also. They were perform * Page 195. 6 Page 195, in the note. 6 Page 199, in the note." ed, we are told, in a learned age, and on the most eminent 6 theatre that is now in the world *;' besides, twenty-two rectors of cures of Paris, with infinite earnestness, pressed the Archbishop, an enemy to the Jansenists, to examine those miracles, which they assert to be known to the whole world, ⚫ and indisputably certain †.' 6 Thus the essayist has laid us under the disagreeable necessity of inferring, that he is either very rash in his general assertions, or uses very great amplification in his particular narrations. Perhaps in both inferences, we shall find, upon inquiry, that there is some truth. In his History of Great Britain, he gives us notice, that he addressed himself to a more distant posterity, than will ever be reached by any local or temporary 'theology.' Why did he not likewise, in writing the Essays, entertain this grand idea? It would have been of use to him. It would have prevented his falling into those inconsistencies, which his too great attention and antipathy to what he calls a local or temporary theology, only could occasion; and which, when that theology, according to his hypothesis, shall be extinct, and when all our religious controversies shall be forgotten, must appear unaccountable and ridiculous. People will not then have the means of discovering, what is so obvious to his contemporaries, that he only assumes the appearance of an advocate for some miracles, which are disbelieved by the generality of Protestants, his countrymen, in order, by the comparison, to vilify the miracles of sacred writ, which are acknow ledged by them. us, BUT to descend to particulars, I shall begin with considering those miracles, for which the author is indebted to the ancient Pagans. First, in order to convince us, how easy a matter it is for cunning and impudence to impose by false miracles on the credulity of barbarians, he introduces the story of Alexander of Pontus §. The justness of the account he gives of this impostor from Lucian, I shall not dispute. But that it may appear, how little the Christian religion is affected by this relation, notwithstanding some insinuations he has intermixt with it, I shall make the following remarks. ⚫ Fage 195. Page 196, in the note. 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