Sect. 3. fiftent with their Condition in his World, when their very Teachers must serve above an Apprenticeship to mafter it, before they begin the Study of the Bible. How flowly muft the Gospel have mov'd at the Beginning, if fuch as were call'd to preach it had been oblig'd to qualify themfelves after this manner! and no wonder that it has fuch little Effects now upon Mens Lives, after it is fo miserably deform'd and almost ruin'd thofe unintelligible and extravagant Terms, Notions, and Rites of Pagan or Jewish Original.

69. Thus I have diftinctly answer'd the feveral Objections made to me, and I fhall add no more on this Subject of Faith, when I have confider'd a Paffage in the firft Epiftle to Peter, where it is written, that the Angels defire to fee into certain things; yet those things are not inconceivable Mysteries, but the Coming of Christ and the GoSpel-ftate of Salvation, which were divinely foretold to the Jews, and concerning which they carefully reafon'd then; tho, now thofe things are fulfill'd, we are not permitted that Liber

ty.

I

ty. Receiving the end of your Faith, Ch. 4. fays Peter, the Salvation of your Souls, of which Salvation the Prophets have 1 Pet. 1. enquir'd and diligently fearch'd, who pro- 9—12. phefi'd of the Grace that should come unto you; fearching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them did fignify, when it testify'd before-hand the Sufferings of Christ, and the Glory that should follow: Unto whom it was reveal'd, that not unto themfelves, but unto us, they did minifter the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preach'd unto you by the Holy Ghoft fent down from Heaven, which things the Angels defire to look into. Now here's no great Myftery in all this, that the Angels, who being finite Creatures, can know nothing but by Experience, Ratiocination, or Revelation, fhould be as curious as the Jews, to penetrate into those future Events of fuch Importance, and fo very obfcurely revealed.

CHAP.

Sect. 3.

CHAP. V.

Objections, drawn from the Confideration of MIRACLES, anfwer'd.

70.

WE

Hen all other fhifts prove ineffectual, the Partizans of MYSTERY fly to MIRACLES as their laft Refuge: but this is too weak a Place to make any long Refiftance, and we doubt not of beating 'em quickly thence with Eafe and Safety. But feeing, for the most part, the State of this Controversy is never diftinctly laid, I fhall first endeavour to give a clear Notion of the Nature of Miracles, and then leave it to be confider'd whether I have much reason to apprehend any Danger from this Objection. A MIRACLE then is Some action exceeding all humane Power, and which the Laws of NATURE cannot perform by their ordinary Opera

tions.

71. Now

71. Now whatever is contrary to Ch. 5. Reafon can be no Miracle, for it has been fufficiently prov'd already, that Contradiction is only another word for Impoffible or Nothing. The miracu...“ lous Action therefore must be some thing in it felf intelligible and poffible, tho the manner of doing it be extraordinary. So for a Man to walk fafe in the midft of Fire is conceivable, and poffible too, fhould any thing capable of repelling the Heat and Flames furround him: but when fuch a Security is not provided by Art or Chance, but is the immediate Effect of fupernatural Power, then it makes a Miracle. An able Phyfician do's fometimes reftore Sight to the Blind; and a Hand or Foot muft dry up, when the Circulation of the Blood and Humours is too much excluded from it but if without the ordinary Time and Applications those Members be cur'd in an Inftant, at the Command or Defire of any Perfon, fuch an Action is truly miraculous, as well as the fudden Restoration of a fick Body to Health, which Art or Nature muft fpend a great deal of Time and Pains upon. 72. No

Sect. 3.

72. No Miracle then is contrary to Reafon, for the Action must be intelligible, and the Performance of it appear moft eafy to the Author of Nature, who may command all its Principles at his Pleafure. Therefore all thofe Miracles are fictitious, wherein there occur any Contradictions, as that Chrift was born without opening any Paffage out of the Virgin's Body; that a Head spoke fome Days after it was fever'd from the Body,and the Tongue cut out; with Multitudes of this kind that may be met with among the Papifts, the Jews, the Bramins, the Mahometans, and in all Places where the Credulity of the People makes 'em a Merchandize to their Priests.

73. Let us next confider, that God is not fo prodigal of Miracles, as to work any at random. The Order of Nature is not alter'd, ftopp'd, or forwarded, unless for fome weighty Defign becoming the Divine Wifdom and Majefty. And,indeed, we learn from Scripture and Reason, that no Miracle is ever wrought without fome fpecial and important End, which is either appointed by thofe for whom the Mira

cle