- 1. There was then no course of nature, as to this world.
- 2. Whether man then received a revelation involves a question not of miracles, but of fact.
- 3. Creation was a very different exertion of power from that which rules the world, now it is made.
- 4. Whether the power of forming stopped when man was made; or went on, and formed a religion for him, is merely a question as to the degree or extent, to which a power was exerted.
- 5. There is then no presumption from analogy against supposing man had a revelation when created.
- 6. All tradition and history teaches that he had, which amounts to a real and material proof.
III. There is no presumption against miracles, or a miraculous revelation, after the course of nature was settled.
- 1. Such a presumption, requires the adduction of some parallel case.
- 2. This would require us to know the history of some other world.
- 3. Even then, if drawn from only one other world, the presumption would be very precarious.
- To be more particular,
- 1. There is a strong presumption against any truth till it is proved—which yet
is overcome by almost any proof.
- —Hence the question of a presumption against miracles, involves only the degree of presumption, (not whether the presumption is peculiar to miracles,) and whether that degree is such as to render them incredible.
- 2. If we leave out religion, we are in total darkness as to the cause or circumstances
on which the course of nature depends.
- —Five or six thousand years may have given occasion and reasons for miraculous interpositions of Providence.
- 3. Taking in religion, there are distinct reasons for miracles; to afford additional instruction; to attest the truth of instruction.
- 4. Miracles must not be compared with common events, but with uncommon; earthquakes, pestilence, &c.
CONCLUSION.
- 1. There are no analogies to render miracles incredible.
- 2. On the contrary, we see good reasons for them.
- 3. There are no presumptions against them, peculiar to them, as distinguished from other unusual phenomena.
CHAPTER III.
OUR INCAPACITY OF JUDGING WHAT SHOULD BE EXPECTED IN A REVELATION FROM GOD.
Beside the objectors to the evidences of Christianity, there are many who object to its nature. They say it is not full enough: has in it foolish things: gives rise to superstition: subserves tyranny: is not universally known: not well arranged: figurative language, &c.
It is granted that if it contained immoralities or contradictions they would show it to be false. But other objections against religion, aside from objections against its evidences, are frivolous: as will now be shown.
Let the student look to the force of the proofs, rather than any consequences which may be drawn from them.