himself, by mistaking the ardour of a holy Zeal for an Inspiration. Laftly, if "the third Character is the most shining of "the three the most adapted to strike the Eye, and catch the Populace; it is for "this reafon equivocal," according to Mr. Rouleau; and this he attempts to fhew in the Course of his Letter.

Granting him for a Moment that each of these Characters is fubject to fome inconveniency, I draw from thence a conclufion oppofite to his, and I fay that, far from admitting one of thefe Proofs in Exclufion of the Reft, they must all unite; fo much the rather as they mutually correfpond with and fupport each other: Thus the Proof of Miracles comes in aid of the other Proofs; it fortifies them, and fets them beyond all difpute. Let us take, for Inftance, the Character of the Founders. A Doubt arifes against this Proof, according to our Author:

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an honest Man may impofe upon him"felf, impelled by the Ardour of a holy "Zeal, which he may mistake for Infpira"tion." But if the Founders of Chriftianity have performed Miracles, this Doubt comes to nothing; for the Question does not merely respect an inward Illumination, wherein a Fanatic may easily be mistaken ; but

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but Facts, palpable and numerous, of which the Apostles profefs themselves the Authors or Witneffes, and concerning which it cannot be faid they were deceiv ed, without attributing to them the strangest Phrenzy.

The Excellence of the Doctrine is, I readily grant, a noble Proof; but Miracles hold their Place in this Proof too. To devellope it clearly, we must confider Chriftianity altogether and entire: If Additions disfigure it, Retrenchments weaken it. Would we then judge of it truly, and fhew its Value? Let us take care not to feparate its Doctrines and Precepts from the Facts which serve as the accompanyment and fupport of both. I know, fuch is the Diversity of minds, that the fame Proof. demonftrative in the Eyes of one, appears lefs powerful in the Eyes of another. And yet, has he who does not arrive at perfuafion by means of Miracles, a Right to reject them? Ought not he to confider them as Materials, which incorporate with the Edifice? To take them away, would be to shake it, and hazard the bringing it to Deftruction. The Architect had his Views in employing them: If it be certain, (and this the Sequel will fhew,) that God hath founded

founded his Revelation upon Miracles, I conclude from thence that Miracles are Evidence. How fhall we be perfuaded that God hath established his Revelation upon difputable Proofs, and hath furnished his Envoys with doubtful Credentials?

To affift in this Explication, the first kind of Proof drawn from the Excellence of the Doctrine, may be admitted: It may 'even be urged perfuafively. But I regret that Mr. Rousseau should have stopped in fo fair a Path, and that after having pointed out his favourite Proof, he should not have develloped and pushed it to the degree of Evidence of which it is capable *.

And yet, let no one fay, with the Author, "If the Doctrine is established, the Miracle is fuperfluous." A Proof may be good, and ftill it may be useful to accom pany it with fome other, to dispel all doubts, and ftrike equally Spirits of every order. In Mathematicks one Proof alone is fufficient; in other Sciences we often require feveral; plenary Conviction, resulting from their Union, rather than from each taken feparately. The Excellence of the Chrif

*This Proof is very well handled in the 4th Volume of Mr. Vernet's Traité fur la verité de la Rel. Chr. ↑ Let. p. 105.

tain Doctrine ftrikes me; I cannot believe that a few Fishermen and Tent-makers could have fabricated of themfelves fuch a Book as the New-Teftament. But I could wish, that to complete my Conviction, God himself had fet his Seal to it. In fo capital an affair we need not be afraid of too much Light.

With respect to the second Character, tho', generally fpeaking, it is not abfolutely infallible; it is fo however in the particular Cafe before us. Would it not be a prodigy in the moral order of Things, for so many Men, in whom Sanelity, Veracity, and Purity of manners united with the Qualities of Underflanding, Reafon and Prudence, to have formed the Scheme of deceiving Mankind; and this without an End, without a Motive, by expofing themselves to every Thing, and rifking the lofs of all Things? This Pro digy in the order moral would be much more inexplicable than Prodigies in the order phyfical. For, in fhort, a miracle in the Phyfical order, may proceed from the Author of Nature himself, who for good Reafons may think proper to work fome Exception to the Laws he hath established, when fecond Caufes cannot effectuate the Views of his Wisdom. But that a great

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Number of good Men fhould agree together to deceive Mankind, by an Impofture which can only tend to their own Ruin, is a Phænomenon, which cannot be made out, and which utterly confounds human Reason.

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We will examine prefently the Difficulties which our Author urges against Miracles: But ftill I cannot help teftifying fome Regret, that the Expofition he gives of the Characters wherewith God furnishes his Meffengers, and which he refers to the three before pointed out, feems to reduce to those three all the Proofs of the Christain Faith: And yet there are two others, which must not be left behind one, the accomplishment of the Prophecies, the other, the rapid Progress of the Gofpel. The former, I know, may be referred to external Proof, and the other to internal. I know too that Prophecy is a Species of Miracle, fince it furpaffes the natural Powers of the human Mind, and may be refolved into what Mr. Rouleau calls, the third and laft Character of a divine Miffion. To me however it seems more fuitable to employ each of those Proofs as forming a Proof by itself. Revelation might be holy, beautiful, fublime, tho' deftitute of Prophecy :

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