them, as we can have of any other past facts; the reason is the fame why we should believe the one as the other. And if the Chriftian religion ftands upon fuch a foundation of probability as this; it must be owing to an unreasonable criminal prejudice in any to reject it, or to require new proofs of its divine authority and original.

If it be faid by any, could we but fee one new miracle wrought in confirmation of Chriftianity, it would be a great fatisfaction to us, as to the truth of thofe pretended to be wrought by Chrift and his apoftles: I answer; If those miracles were not in themselves incredible; if the end faid to be answered by them is confiftent with the perfections of God, and conducive to the true interefts of men; and if there be as much proof that they were in fact wrought, as the nature of the thing will bear; to ask a farther proof, of any fort, is an unreafonable request: and therefore as there is no need for any fresh interpofition of providence to confirm what is already fufficiently proved, there can be no room to expect it..

But fuppofing that God should condescend to gratify fuch a defire as this, what would be the confequence? Would fuch become immediate

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immediate converts to the Christian faith, upon the evidence of one or a few miracles, who reject it tho' innumerable miracles have been wrought to confirm it? I am afraid their infidelity would not be so soon or easily overcome; nor the leffer proof effect, what the much greater cannot do. Should a real miracle be wrought before them, it would be, cither only a proof that they were poffible but that is already as evident, as that there are beings to us fuperior in power and wifdom; and fo far would be of no fervice to the proof of Christianity: Or else being wrought in favour of the Christian religion, might be looked on as an additional teftimony to the truth of it; but even this would be no farther teftimony, i. e. no other fort of teftimony, than what we have already to depend on; and there would be much more reason for a fufpicion of fraud and cheat in one, or a few works of this kind, than in the innumerable many wrought by Christ and his apoftles. Or fhould fuch persons, who are not satisfied with the proof, on which Christianity already ftands, believe the miracle real; I cannot be fure,that they would not be of the fame temper with the Jews in our Saviour's time; who, when they could

not

not deny the miracle, prevented the good effect it ought to have had on their minds, by crying out, This fellow cafteth not out devils,but by Beelzebub the prince of devils. Mat. ix. 34. Or that they would not reason like the priests and Saducees in the Acts,iv. 10. who, upon the wonderful cure wrought on the impotent man by Peter and John, came to this wife and honeft refolution, What Shall we do to thefe men? for that indeed a notable miracle bath been done by them, is manifeft to all, and we cannot deny it. But that it Spread no farther amongst the people, let us ftraitly threaten them, that they speak bence forth to no man in this name. And I would farther ask, in what manner they would have this testimony by miracle given? A miracle in itself would no more prove Christianity to be true, than any other inftitution whatsoever, unless applied to this purpose. Would they therefore have God himself to speak to them, and tell them that this miracle was wrought in confirmation of it? This fuppofes fomething else neceffary to convince them, than the Christian doctrines confirmed by miracles; and fo fuppofes the very evidence they defire infufficient. Or would they have a

fecond

second perfon fent into the world, to preach

up

the divine authority and religion of Christ, and confirm it by new miracles? Will they therefore believe Chriftianity to be true, if they hear a perfon declare it so, and see him work a miracle to confirm it? If this be a reasonable ground of belief, they ought to become immediate converts to the Christian faith; which,they may know, is fupported by this fort of proof already, in its highest perfection. And therefore their disbelieving Christianity, notwithstanding this evidence for the truth of it, fhews they would not think this kind of proof fufficient. And indeed how could they reasonably be convinc'd by a few miracles, wrought by a person, who never was a witness to the truth of what he affirms, rather than by the innumerable miracles wrought by Christ himself, and his apostles after him? This would be altogether as unreasonable, is if any one should reject the history of Julius Cæfar as a fiction, tho' he had the writings of Cæfar himfelf, and the concurrent teftimony of all the ancient Roman authors; and yet at last be convinced upon the single authority of a modern author. But fuppofing they should be convinced; have not others the fame reason

to

to expect the fame fatisfaction with themfelves? And is not God under the fame obligation to give it to all, as to one? If so, 'twill follow that there is need of a perpetual courfe of miracles, to the end of the world, to keep up the credit and authority of Chriftianity. And even this would effectually deftroy the very defign, pretented to be anfwered by it. For miracles being thus made cheap and common, would cease to be wonderful and furprizing, and so have no power to convince and perfwade men; no more effect on them than the rifing of the fun, or the fresh life and verdure of the spring; which can be accounted for no other way, that I know of, but from the fole will and power of the creator.

It is no wonder, if,in fuch a number of ages, fince the first appearance of Christianity in the world, there fhould arife fome matters of difficulty and difpute concerning it, of which we may not be able to give an easy and fatisfactory account. But then it ought to be confidered,that this is not peculiar to Chriftianity, or to the books of the New Teftament. In all ancient books, as they have been often transcribed, there will be of neceflity various readings; which muft happen to the

facred