BUT tho' animals learn many parts of their know. lege from obfervation, there are alfo many parts of it, which they derive from the original hand of na

bit, by which we always transfer the known to the unknown, and conceive the latter to resemble the former. By means of this general habitual principle, we regard even one experiment as the foundation of reasoning, and expect a fimilar event with fome degree of certainty, where the experiment has been made accurately and free from all foreign circumstances. 'Tis therefore confidered as a matter of great importance to obferve the confequences of things; and as one man may very much furpafs another in attention and memory and obfervation, this will make a very great difference in their reasoning.

2. Where there is a complication of caufes to produce any effect, one mind may be much larger than another, and better able to comprehend the whole system of objects, and to infer justly their confequences.

3. One man is able to carry on a chain of confequences to a greater length than another.

4. Few men can think long without running into a confufion of ideas, and mistaking one for another; and there are various degrees of this infirmity.

5. The circumftance, on which the effect depends, is frequently involv'd in other circumstances, which are foreign and extrinfic. The feparation of it often requires great attention, accuracy and fubtilty.

6. The forming general maxims from particular obfervation is a very nice operation; and nothing is more ufual, from hafte or a narrowness of mind, which fees not on all fides, than to commit mistakes in this particular.

7. When we reason from analogies, the man, who has the greater experience or the greater promptitude of fuggefting analogies, will be the better reafoner.

8. Byaffes from prejudice, education, passion, party, &c. hang more upon one mind than another.

9. After we have acquired a confidence in human teftimony, books and converfation enlarge much more the sphere of one man's experience and thought than those of another.

'Twou'd be eafy to discover many other circumstances that make a difference in the understandings of men.

ture,

ture, which much exceed the share of capacity they poffefs on ordinary occafions, and in which they im. prove, little or nothing, by the longest practice and experience. These we denominate INSTINCTS, and are fo apt to admire, as fomething very extraordinary, and inexplicable by all the difquifitions of human understanding. But our wonder will, perhaps, cease or diminish; when we confider, that the experimental reasoning itself, which we poffefs in common with beasts, and on which the whole conduct of life depends, is nothing but a species of instinct or mechanical power, that acts in us unknown to ourfelves; and in its chief operations, is not directed by any fuch relations or comparisons of ideas, as are the proper objects of our intellectual faculties. Tho' the instinct be different, yet ftill 'tis an instinct, which teaches a man to avoid the fire; as much as that, which teaches a bird, with such exactness, the art of incubation, and the whole oeconomy and order of its nursery.

ESSAY X.

Of MIRACLE S.

PART I.

HERE is in Dr. Tillotson's writings an argu

THE against real presence, is as

ment against the real prefence, which is as concife, and elegant, and ftrong as any argument can poffibly be fuppos'd against a doctrine, that is fo little worthy of a serious refutation. "Tis acknowleged on all hands, fays that learned prelate, that' the authority, either of the fcripture or of tradition, is founded merely in the teftimony of the apoftles, who were eye-witnesses to those miracles of our Saviour, by which he prov'd his divine miffion. Our evidence, then, for the truth of the Chriflian religion is less than the evidence for the truth of our fenfes; becaufe, even in the firft authors of our religion, it was no greater; and 'tis evident it must

diminish

diminish in paffing from them to their difciples; nor can any one be fo certain of the truth of their teftimony as of the immediate objects of his fenfes. But a weaker evidence can never deftroy a stronger; and therefore, were the doctrine of the real presence ever fo clearly reveal'd in fcripture, 'twere directly contrary to the rules of juft reafoning to give our affent to it. It contradicts fenfe, tho' both the fcripture and tradition, on which it is fuppos'd to be built, carry not fuch evidence with them as fenfe; when they are confider'd merely as external evidences, and are not brought home to every one's breast, by the immediate operation of the Holy Spirit.

NOTHING is fo convenient as a decifive argument of this kind, which must at leaft filence the noft arrogant bigotry and superstition, and free us from their impertinent follicitations. I flatter myself, that I have discover'd an argument of a like nature, which, if juft, will, with the wife and learned, be an everlasting check to all kinds of fuperftitious delufion, and confequently, will be useful as long as the world endures. For fo long, I prefume, will the accounts of miracles and prodigies be found in all hiftory, facred and prophane.

THO' experience be our only guide in reafoning concerning matters of fact; it must be acknowleged,

that