to the judgment which the spectators could form of it, as real a miracle, when done by the Egyptian forcerers, as when done by Mofes. It was a work which argued if in one, of confequence in both, the affiftance of fome fuperior power; nor could any of those who faw it believe it to be any other than a real mircale, i, e. they must attribute it to the operation of fome invifible agent. If therefore every miracle be a proof of the divine miffion of him, who would confirm fuch an authority by doing it; it follows,that the Egyptians would have been bound to have acknowledged the divine mission both of Mofes, and their own Magicians too; i. e. to own both parts of a contradiction to be true. To fay that these things, when done by the magicians, were not real, but counterfeit miracles, is an objection, without any proof to fupport it, and I think a plain begging the question. The fcripture doth not call them counterfeit, but fuppofes the transfor mation as real, when caufed by the Magicians, as when effected by Mofes. Nor do I fee any reafon at all to account it incredible, upon the fuppofition that they had the affiftance of evil spirits, and acted

in confederacy with them, in opposition to God, and his fervant Mofes.

If therefore real miracles are not, in themfelves, fufficient proofs of the divine authority of him who works them, neither can things falfely fuppofed to be fo. Every pretender to divine revelation, whether his miracles be real or counterfeit, is not to be immediately believed. His character and meffage are first to be confidered, before we can reasonably allow him to be a meffenger and prophet from God. Let his works be ever fo wonderful, men need not be imposed on. There are methods within their power, of finding out the falsehood of fuch a man's pretenfions,and of proving the impoftor to be either a cunning jugler, or elle in league with evil and destructive spirits. If men will but use the reason they have, they may easily preferve themselves from the moft powerful delufions, and guard their minds from danger, in the midst of the most artful impostures; tho' fupported by all the cunning and fubtilty of men, or with the affistance and wonderful works of all the powers of darkness, in confederacy with them.

But

But yet this may not be thought fufficient to folve the difficulty; and some may be apt to imagine, that 'tis not confiftent with the goodnels of God, to suffer men, under the influence of evil spirits, to do miracles in confirmation of a real impofture. Yet, fuppofing it confiftent with the divine goodness to give to any beings powers and faculties fuperior to ours; I do not fee how the suffering them to exercise those powers can be inconfiftent with it. If God had any where commanded us to look on every miracle as a fufficient proof of a divine mission, in him who pretends to it, undoubtedly he would fuffer none to work miracles but himself, or his own meffengers, in confirmation of his will deliver'd by them. But if God hath been pleas'd to acquaint us with the power and craft of evil spirits, and caution'd us against being deceived by them; and if there are certain rules to distinguish between those works done by the divine power, and those performed by the affiftance of the Devil; rules that lye open and plain to every serious enquirer: the permiffion of evil fpirits to do wonderful works, ought indeed to render us more careful and diligent in our

enquiry

enquiry into the proofs of every pretenfion to a divine miffion, but carries in it not the leaft imputation upon the divine justice and goodness; because there will be no other danger of our being imposed on by them, than what arifes from our own negligence, and want of serious impartial confideration. Both Simon Magus and Apollonius Tyanaus are reported to have done many strange and furprizing things; and yet that both these were impoftors might be as certainly known, as almost any truth whatsoever; viz. because they taught doctrines inconfiftent with true piety, and did many things contrary to plain morality. Befides, if this argument from the divine goodness proves any thing, I think it will prove too much; viz. that 'tis inconfiftent with the divine goodness to permit any thing to happen, that may prove a powerful temptation to men to forfake the truth, or believe an impofture : for I cannot imagine any reafon why the permiffion of evil spirits to af fist men in doing wonderful works, to support their falfe pretenfions, fhould be inconfiftent with the divine goodness, but because it might probably induce others to believe If fo, of confequence whatever

them.

would prove an equally ftrong temptation, must be for the fame reason inconfiftent with the goodness of God to permit and thus we shall be scarce able to vindicate his wif dom and goodness, in fuffering perfecutions, because they have a ftronger tendency to prevail with many to defert the truth, than real miracles, wrought by bad men, can have to perfuade them to believe an imposture.

If indeed there fhould happen a competition between any perfon fent of God, and another acting under the influence of evil fpirits, each pretending to confirm their miffion by miracles and wonderful works; it is reasonable to imagine that God would fo far interpofe, as to fhew where the imposture lay; either by reftraining that power by which impoftors act, or enabling his own meffengers to perform fuch extraordinary things, in which evil fpirits could not imitate and rival them. For, as the end of God in revealing his will to men is, that they may know and practise it; it seems inconfiftent with his moft perfect wisdom, to fuffer bad men, acting under the power of cvil fpirits, to exceed his own fervants in the proof they give of their miffion from him. For if two contending parties cach do the

fame