CONCLUSION. WHAT is the sum of all that hath been now discussed? It is briefly this: That the author's favourite argument, of which he boasts the discovery, is founded in errour*, is managed with sophistry, and is at last abandoned by its inventor‡, as fit only for show, not for use; that he is not more successful in the callateral arguments he employs; particularly, that there is no peculiar presumption against religious miracles; that on the contrary, there is a peculiar presumption in their favour§; that the general maxim, whereby he would enable us to decide betwixt opposite miracles, when it is stript of the pompous diction, that serves it at once for decoration, and for disguise, is discovered to be no other than an identical proposition, which, as it conveys no knowledge, can be of no service to the cause of truth**; that there is no presumption, arising either from human nature††, or from the history of mankind‡‡, against the miracles said to have been wrought in proof of Christianity; that the evidence of these is not subverted by those miracles, which historians of other religions have recorded||||; that neither the Pagans, nor the Popish*** miracles, on which he hath expatiated, will bear to be compared with those of holy writ; that, abstracting from the evidence for particular facts, we have irrefragable evidence, that there have been miracles in former timest++; and, lastly, that his examination of the Pentateuch is both partial and imperfect, and consequently stands in need of a revisal‡‡‡. "Our most holy religion," says the author in the conclusion of his essay, is founded on faith, not on reason; and "it is a sure method of exposing it, to put it to such a trial, as it is by no means fitted to endure." If, by our most holy religion, we are to understand the fundamental articles of the Christian system, these have their foundation in the nature and decrees of God; and, as they are antecedent to our faith or reasonings, they must be also independent of both. If they are true, our disbelief can never make them false; if they are false, the belief of all the world will never make them true. But as the only question between Mr. Hume and the defenders of the gospel, is, Whether there is reason to believe 66 those articles? he can only mean by our most holy religion, our belief of the Christian doctrine: and concerning this belief we are told, that it is founded on faith, not on reason; that is, our faith is founded on our faith; in other words, it hath no foundation, it is a mere chimera, the creature of a distempered brain. I say not on the contrary, that our most holy religion is founded on reason, because this expression, in my opinion, is both ambiguous and inaccurate; but I say that we have sufficient reason for the belief of our religion; or, tó express myself in the words of an apostle, that the Christian, if it is not his own fault, may be ready always to give an answer to every man, that asketh him a REASON of his hope. So far therefore am I from being afraid of exposing Christianity by submitting it to the test of reason; so far am I from judging this a trial, which it is by no means fitted to endure, that I think, on the contrary, the most violent attacks that have been made upon the faith of Jesus, have been of service to it. Yes: I do not hesitate to affirm, that our religion hath been indebted to the attempts, though not to the intentions, of its bitterest enemies. They have tried its strength indeed, and, by trying, they have displayed its strength; and that in so clear a light, as we could never have hoped, without such a trial, to have viewed it in. Let them therefore write, let them argue, and, when arguments fail, even let them cavil against religion as much as they please: I should be heartily sorry, that ever in this island, the asylum of liberty, where the spirit of Christianity is better understood (however defective the inhabitants are in the observance of its precepts) than in any other part of the Christian world; I should, I say, be sorry, that in this island, so great a disservice were done to religion, as to check its adversaries, in any other way, than by returning a candid answer to their objections. I must at the same time acknowledge, that I am both ashamed and grieved, when I observe any friends of religion, betray so great a diffidence in the goodness of their cause (for to this diffidence it can only be imputed) as to show an inclination for recurring to more forcible methods. The assaults of infidels, I may venture to prophesy, will never overturn our religion. They will prove not more hurtful to the Christian system, if it is allowed to compare small things with great, than the boisterous winds are said to prove to the sturdy oak. They shake it impetuously for a time, and loudly threaten its subversion; whilst, in effect, they only serve to make it strike its roots the deeper, and stand the firmer ever after. One word more with the essayist, and I have done. “Upon "the whole," says he, "we may conclude, that the Christian religion, not only was at first attended with miracles, but "even, at this day, cannot be believed by any reasonable per66 son without one. Mere reason is insufficient to convince "us of its veracity; and whoever is moved by faith to assent "to it; that is, whoever by his belief is induced to believe it, "is conscious of a continued miracle in his own person, "which subverts all the principles of his understanding, and gives him a determination to believe, what is most contrary “to custom and experience.' An author is never so sure of writing unanswerably, as when he writes altogether unintelligibly. It is impossible that you should fight your enemy before you find him; and if he hath screened himself in darkness, it is next to impossible that you should find him. Indeed, if any meaning can be gathered from that strange assemblage of words just now quoted, it seems to be one or other of these which follow: either, That there are not any in the world, who believe the gospel; or, That there is no want of miracles in our own time. How either of these remarks, if just, can contribute to the author's purpose, it will not, I sus pect, be easy to discover. If the second remark is true, if there is no want of miracles at present, surely experience cannot be pleaded against the belief of miracles said to have been performed in time past. Again, if the first remark is true, if there are not any in the world who believe the gospel, because, as Mr. Hume supposeth, a miracle cannot be believed without a new miracle, why all this ado to refute opinions which nobody entertains? Certainly, to use his own words, "The knights-errant, who wandered about to clear the world "of dragons and giants, never entertained the least doubt "concerning the existence of these monsters*." Might I presume faintly to copy but the manner of so inimitable an original, as the author hath exhibited in his concluding words, I should also conclude upon the whole, That miracles are capable of proof from testimony, and there is a full proof of this kind, for those said to have been wrought in support of Christianity; that whoever is moved, by Mr. Hume's ingenious argument, to assert, that no testimony can give sufficient evidence of miracles, admits for reason, though perhaps unconscious, a mere subtilty, which subyerts the evidence of testimony, of history, and even of experience itself, giving him a determination to deny, what the common sense of mankind, founded in the primary principles of the understanding, would lead him to believe. * See the first paragraph of Essay 12. Of the academical or sceptical philosophy. THE END. INDEX. Alexandria, the first place where every church had one presbyter Altensfaig, quoted Ambrosiaster Ammianus Marcellinus, quoted Anchorets ABBOTS Acacius, patriarch of Constantinople, cited, judged, and deposed by the pope 208 272 133 154 116 200 284 Appropriation, what Archdeacons heinous crimes Apostles, what Apostolical constitutions, the Archbishop, use of the term Arian controversy Asceticks, Angels, meaning of the term Apiarius, declared innocent by two popes, though convicted of the most Apocalypse, epistles to the Asian churches in the 82, 113 235 82, 87 75 193 134 146 139 218, 222 283 Athanasius condemned as a heretick Augustine, his sentiments respecting episcopal jurisdiction Authority, just, supported by knowledge 328 both for illustrating and confirming christianity Bishop, universal, opinion of Gregory i, on the title SSS 189 78 149, 351 148 219 167 11 12 16 163 6 ib. 88, 112 240, 297 24 |