PART dence much lower than what is commonly calII. led probable; to guard, not only against what wwe fully believe will, but also agahift what we think it fuppofeable may, happen; and to engage in Pursuits when the Probability is greatly against Succefs, if it be credible, that poffibly we may fucceed in them. CHAP. 345 CHAP. VII. Of the particular Evidence for TH HE Prefumptions against Revelation, CHAP. and Objections against the general VII. Scheme of Chriftianity, and particular things relating to it, being removed; there remains to be confidered, What pofitive Evidence we have for the Truth of it: chiefly in order to fee, What the Analogy of Nature suggests with regard to That Evidence, and the Objections against it: Or to see what is, and is allowed to be, the plain natural Rule of Judgment and of Action, in our temporal Concerns, in Cafes where we have the fame Kind of Evidence, and the fame Kind of Objections against it, that we have in the Cafe before us. Now in the Evidence of Christianity, there seem to be several things of great Weight, not reducible to the Head, either of Miracles, or the Completion of Prophecy, in the common Acceptation of the Words. But these two are its direct and fundamental Proofs: And those other things, however confiderable they PART they are, yet ought never to be urged apart II. from its direct Proofs, but always to be joined with them. Thus the Evidence of Chriftianity will be a long Series of things, reaching, as it seems, from the Beginning of the World to the prefent Time, of great Variety and Compafs, taking in both the direct, and also the collateral, Proofs; and making up, all of them together, one Argument: the Conviction arifing from which Kind of Proof may be compared to what they call the Effect in Architecture or other Works of Art; a Refult from a great Number of things so and fo difpofed, and taken into one View. I fhall therefore, FIRST, make fome Obfervations relating to Miracles, and the appearing Completions of Prophecy; and confider what Analogy fuggefts, in Anfwer to the Objections brought against this Evidence. And, SECONDLY, I fhall endeavour to give fome Account of the general Argument now mentioned, confifting both of the direct and collateral Evidence, confidered as making up one Argument: this being the Kind of Proof upon which we determine most Questions of Difficulty, concerning common Facts, alledged to have happened or feeming likely to happen; efpecially Queftions relating to Conduct. FIRST I fhall make fome Obfervations CHAP. upon the direct Proof of Chriftianity from VII. Miracles and Prophecy, and upon the Objections alledged against it. I. Now the following Obfervations, relating to the historical Evidence of Miracles wrought in Atteftation of Christianity, appear to be of great Weight. 1. The Old Teftament affords us the fame historical Evidence of the Miracles of Mofes and of the Prophets, as of the common civil Hiftory of Mofes and the Kings of Ifrael; or, as of the Affairs of the Jewish Nation. And the Gospels and the Acts afford us the fame hiftorical Evidence of the Miracles of Christ and the Apostles, as of the common Matters related in them. This indeed could not have been affirmed by any reasonable Man, if the Authors of thefe Books, like many other Hiftorians, had appeared to make an entertaining Manner of Writing their Aim; though they had interfperfed Miracles in their Works, at proper Distances and upon proper Occafions. These might have animated a dull Relation, amufed the Reader and engaged his Attention. And the fame Account would naturally have been given of them, as, of the Speeches and Descriptions of PART of fuch Authors: the fame Account, in a II. Manner, as is to be given, why the Poets make Ufe of Wonders and Prodigies. But the Facts, both miraculous and natural, in Scripture, are related in plain unadorned Narratives: and both of them appear, in all Refpects, to ftand upon the fame Foot of hiftorical Evidence. Farther: Some Parts of Scripture, containing an Account of Miracles fully fufficient to prove the Truth of Chriftianity, are quoted as genuine, from the Age in which they are faid to be written, down to the prefent: And no other Parts of them, material in the prefent Question, are omitted to be quoted in fuch Manner, as to afford any Sort of Proof of their not being genuine. And, as common Hiftory, when called in Question in any Inftance, may often be greatly confirmed by cotemporary or fubfequent Events more known and acknowledged; and as the common Scripture-history, like many others, is thus confirmed: fo likewife is the miraculous Hiftory of it, not only in particular Inftances, but in general. For, the Establishment of the Jewish and Christian Religions, which were Events cotemporary with the Miracles related to be wrought in Atteftation of both, or fubfequent to them, thefe Events are just what we should have expected, upon fuppofition fuch Miracles were really wrought to atteft the Truth of thofe |