Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

cle is made, or intended and declar'd Ch. 5. by him that works it. If the Apostle's had barely cur'd the blind, the deaf, the lame, the difeas'd, this would cer tainly procure 'em an extraordinary Efteem; and in fome Places too Divine VVorfhip, as it happen'd to Paul and Barnabas at Lyftra, when they had as 14. cur'd a born Cripple without any far. 11, &c. ther Circumftance; But this was only a Means to gain the Attention of thefe Idolaters to the Doctrine they were about to preach in their City. Nor is there any Miracle mentioned in the New Teftament, but what ferv'd to confirm the Authority of those that wrought it, to procure Attention to the Doctrines of the Gospel, or for the like wife and reafonable Purpofes,

[ocr errors]

74. By this Rule the celebrated Feats of Goblins and Fairies,of Witches, of Conjurers, and all the Heathen Prodigies, must be accounted fictitious, idle, and fuperftitious Fables; for in all these there appears no End deferving a Change in Nature. Befides,they evidently contradict our Idea of God, and quite fubvert his Providence. Diabolical Delufions would Hereby re

Sect. 3. ceive equal Confirmation with Divine Revelation, Miracles being perform'd in favour of both. Nay, the VVonders of the Devil and his Agents would infinitely exceed in Number and Quality thofe of God, and his Servants : which Affertion must hold true, were no Stories believ'd but the beft attefted in every County of England, to speak nothing of more credulous Nations; for it is very obfervable, that the more ignorant and barbarous any People remain, you shall find 'em most abound with Tales of this nature, and ftand in far greater Aw of Satan than Jebovah. In a word,the Heathens,after this rate, would be rivetted in their Idola try,and the ugliest Hag or moftbeggarly Aftrologer equalize the Prophets and Apoftles.But why fhould good Reasons be fpent in Confutation of mere Ficti ons? for I challenge any Perfon whatfoever to produce one Inftance of these lying VVonders that contains all the true Characters of Hiftorical Evidence; and withal I dare engage as foon to prove the Goodness of the Alcoran as of the Gospel, if the Belief of any Miracles, except Divine ones, be granted me. But they muft draw fome

Advantage from the fuperftitious Fear Ch. of the People, who fo induftriously che-w rifh it.

75. After what has been already obferv'd, I need not add, that all Miracles fecretly perform'd, or among that Party only to whofe Profit and Advantage the Belief of them turns, must be rejected as counterfeit and falfe; for as fuch cannot bear the Teft of moral Certitude, fo they contradict the very Defign of Miracles, which are always wrought in favour of the Unbelieving. But the Papists alone must be the VVitneffes of their own Miracles, and never the Hereticks they would convert by them: nor is their Practice lefs ridiculous in confirming one Miracle by another, as that of Tranfubftantiation by feveral more.

76. From all this laid together, it follows, that nothing contrary to Rea fon, whether you confider the Action: or Defign, is miraculous. But there's a good old Distinction that serves all turns: Tho Miracles are not contrary to Reason, faysone, yet they are furely above it. In what Senfe pray? Which is above Reason, the Thing, or the Manner of it? If it be anfwer'd, the laft,

L 3

Sect. 3. laft, I fuppofe the Objector thinks I mean by Miracle fome Philofophical Experiment, or fome Phenomenon that furprizes only by its Rarity. Could I tell how a Miracle was wrought, I believe I might do as much my felf; but what may be faid to have been this or that way perform'd, is no Miracle at all. It fuffices therefore, that the Truth of the Action be demonftrated, and the Poffibility of it, to any Being able to govern Nature by inftantaneoufly extracting, mollifying, mixing, infu fing, confolidating, &c. and this, it may be, by the Miniftry of thoufands at once; for Miracles are produc'd according to the Laws of Nature,tho above its ordinary Operations, which are therefore fupernaturally affifted.

77. But finally, it will be faid, that in the State of the Queftion, at the beginning of my Book, I maintain'd the Manner as well as the Thing was explicable. But of what? of Miracles? No furely; but of thofe Doctrines in Confirmation whereof the Miracles are wrought. This I ftand by ftill, and may add, I hope, that I have clearly

prov❜d

prov'd it too: But to fay as much of Ch. 6. Miracles would be to make 'em no Miracles, which fhews the Weakness, and Impertinence of this Objection.

CHAP. VI.

When, why, and by whom were MY-
STERIES brought into Chriftia-

nity.

78.7

HE End of the LAW be- Rom.10.4.

Ting. Righteousness, JESUS

CHRIST came not to destroy but to fulfil Mat. 5.17. it: for he fully and clearly preach'd the pureft Morals, he taught that reasonable Worship, and thofe juft Conceptions of Heaven and Heavenly Things, which were more obfcurely fignifi'd or defign'd by the Legal Obfervations. So having ftripp'd the Truth of all thofe external Types and Ceremonies which made it difficult before, he render'd it eafy and obvious to the meaneft Capacities. His Difciples and Followers kept to this Simplicity for fome confiderable time, tho very early di

L 4

vers

« AnteriorContinuar »