verse of those which he endeavours to establish in his theory.

SHALL I hazard a conjecture? It is, that the word miracle, as thus used by the author, is used in a vague and improper sense as a synonymous term for improbable; and that believing the less; and rejecting the greater miracle, denote simply believing what is least, and rejecting what is most improbable; or still more explicitly, believing what we think most worthy of belief, and rejecting what we think least worthy. I am aware, on a second perusal of the author's words, that guessing may be justly questioned. fect told us himself what he means.

6

my talent in He has in ef

• When any

one,' says he, tells me that he saw a dead man restored to life, I immediately consider with myself, whether it be more probable, that this per

son should either deceive or be deceived, or that the fact he relates, should really have happened. I weigh the one miracle against the other; ⚫ and according to the superiority which I discover, I pronounce my decision, and always reject the 'greater miracle. If the falsehood of his testimony would be more miraculous than the event which he relates; then, and not till then, can he ' pretend to command my belief or opinion* At first indeed one is ready to exclaim, What a strange

* Page 182.

revolution is here! The belief of miracles then, even by Mr Hume's account, is absolutely inevitable. Miracles themselves too, so far from being impossible, or even extraordinary, are the commonest things in nature; so common, that when any miraculous fact is attested to us, we are equally under a necessity of believing a miracle, whether we believe the fact or deny it. The whole difference between the essayist and us, is at length reduced to this single point, Whether greater or smaller miracles are entitled to the preference? This mystery however vanishes on a nearer inspection. inspection. The style, we find, is figurative, and the author is all the while amusing both his readers and himself with an unusual application of a familiar term, What is called the weighing of probabilities in one sentence, is the weighing of miracles in the next. If it were asked, for what reason did not Mr Hume express his sentiment in ordinary and proper words? I could only answer, I know no reason but one, and that is, To give the appearance of novelty and depth to one of those very harmless propositions, which by philosophers are called identical, and which, to say the truth, need some disguise to make them pass upon the world with tolerable decency.

What then shall be said of the conclusion which he gives as the sum and quintessence of the first part of the essay? The best thing, for aught I know, that can be said is, that it contains a most certain

truth, though at the same time the least significant, that ever perhaps was ushered into the world with so much solemnity. In order therefore to make plainer English of his plain consequence, let us only change the word miraculous, as applied to the falsehood of human testimony, into improbable, which in this passage is entirely equivalent, and observe the effect produced by this elucidation. The plain consequence is, and it is a GENERAL MAXIM, worthy of our attention, That NO TESTI

MONY IS SUFFICIENT TO ESTABLISH A MI" RACLE; UNLESS THE TESTIMONY BE OF SUCH A KIND, THAT ITS FALSEHOOD WOULD BE MORE IMPROBABLE, THAN THE FACT WHICH IT ENDEAVOURS TO ESTABLISH *.' If the reader think himself instructed by this discovery, I should be loth to envy him the pleasure he may derive from it.

• Page 182.

A

DISSERTATION

ON

MIRACLES.

PART II.

THE

MIRACLES ON WHICH THE BELIEF OF CHRISTIANITY IS FOUNDED, ARE SUFFICIENTLY ATTESTED.

SECTION I...

There is no presumption, arising from human nature, against the miracles said to have been wrought in proof of Christianity.

FROM what has been evinced in the fourth and fifth sections of the former part, with regard to religion in general, two corollaries are clearly deducible in favour of Christianity. One is, That the presumption arising from the dignity of the end, to say the least of it, can in no religion be pleaded with greater advantage, than in the Christian. The other is, That the presumption arising from the re

ligious affection, instead of weakening, corroborates the evidence of the gospel. The faith of Jesus was promulgated, and gained ground, not with the assistance, but in defiance of all the religious zeal and prejudices of the times.

In order to invalidate the second corollary, it will possibly be urged, that proselytes to a new religion may be gained at first; either by address and eloquence, or by the appearances of uncommon sanctity, and rapturous fervours of devotion; that if once people have commenced proselytes, the transition to enthusiasm is almost unavoidable; and that enthusiasm will fully account for the utmost pitch both of credulity and falseness.

Admitting that a few converts might be made by the aforesaid arts, it is subversive of all the laws of probability, to imagine, that the strongest prepossessions, fortified with that vehement abhorrence which contradiction in religious principles rarely fails to excite, should be so easily vanquished in multitudes. Besides, the very pretext of supporting the doctrine by miracles, if a false pretext, would of necessity do unspeakable hurt to the cause. The pretence of miracles will quickly attract the attention of all to whom the new doctrine is published. The influence which address and eloquence, appearances of sanctity and fervours of devotion, would otherwise have had, however great, will be superseded by the consideration of what is infinitely more striking