"of God's various dispensations to all the different orders of "rational beings. Instead then of grounding our religious "opinions on what we call Experience, let us apply to a "more certain guide, let us hearken to the Testimony of God "himself. The credibility of human testimony, and the con"duct of human agents, are subjects perfectly within the "reach of our natural faculties; and we ought to desire no "firmer foundation for our belief of Religion, than for the judgments we form in the common affairs of life; where we see a little plain testimony easily outweighs the most spe❝cious conjectures, and not seldom even strong probabili"ties." Dr. Balguy's 4th Charge. See also an excellent pamphlet, entitled, Remarks on Mr. Hume's Essay on the Natural History of Religion, § 5. And the 6th of Dr. Powell's Discourses. Page xli. [I.] Dr. ARTHUR ASHLEY SYKES, from whose writings some good may be collected out of a multitude of things of a contrary tendency, in what he is pleased to call The Scripture Doctrine of Redemption*, opposes what is here advanced by Bishop BUTLER ; quoting his words, but without mentioning his name. If what is said above be not thought a sufficient answer to the objections of this author, the reader may do well to consult a Charge On the Use and Abuse of Philosophy in the Study of Religion, by the late Dr. Powell; who seems to me to have had the observations of Dr. Sykes in his view, where he is confuting the reasonings of certain philosophizing Divines against the doctrine of the Atonement. Powell's Discourses, Charge III. p. 342-348. See the Observations on the Texts cited in his first Chapter, and also in Chapters the fifth and sixth. ADVERTISEMENT. IF the Reader should meet here with any thing, which he had not before attended to, it will not be in the observations upon the constitution and course of nature, these being all obvious; but in the application of them: in which, though there is nothing but what appears to me of some real weight, and therefore of great importance; yet he will observe several things, which will appear to him of very little, if he can think things to be of little importance which are of any real weight at all, upon such a subject as Religion. However, the proper force of the following Treatise lies in the whole general analogy considered together. It is come, I know not how, to be taken for granted, by many persons, that Christianity is not so much as a subject of inquiry; but that it is, now at length discovered to be fictitious. And accordingly they treat it, as if, in the present age, this were an agreed point, among all people of discernment; and nothing remained, but to set it up as a principal subject of mirth and ridicule, as it were by way of reprisals, for its having so long interrupted the pleasures of the world. On the contrary, thus much, at least, will be here found, not taken for granted, but proved, that any reasonable man, who will thoroughly consider the matter, may be as much assured, as he is of his own being, that it is not, however, so clear a case, that there is nothing in it. There is, I think, strong evidence of its truth; but it is certain no one can, upon principles of reason, be satisfied of the contrary. And the practical consequence to be drawn from this, is not attended to by every one who is concerned in it. May, 1736. |