direct proofs of the truth of revelation; it is no wonder, that the patrons of infidelity should labour fo industriously, in every age, to decry, explode and reject them. But of all the attempts that were ever made in any age to this purpose; one of the most fubtile, as well as the most infolent, is that of a certain modern writer; who not only prefumes to queftion the reality, but magifterially denies the poffibility of miracles: who pronounces them to be in their own nature utterly incredible; and, when produced in fupport of any religious fyftem, to be more VOL. I. E properly

properly a fubject of derifion than of argu

ment.

But how light and ridiculous foever this fubject may appear in the apprehenfion of our faftidious author; it has certainly too much weight, ftrength and stability to be puffed away by the mere arrogance of an infulting farcafm. It is a ferious fubject, and admits of argument. And therefore we shall affume the confidence, notwithstanding his fcoffs, to argue the point with this contemptuous adversary: not indeed with any view of working the conviction of fo prejudiced a person; but in hopes of fecuring the better difpofed, but lefs learned, from being led away by the fophiftry of his reafonings.

And to this end, I fhall endeavour to prove, in direct oppofition to the general defign and avowed purport of his Tenth Eflay,

That miracles are fo far from being in their own nature either impoffible or incredible; that, on the contrary, there is strong pre

HUMI's Effays, vol. II. § x. on Miracles, p. 139. 8vo. Jid. 1767.

fumption,

fumption, nay, irrefragable evidence of their having been actually performed; and performed too in support and atteftation of revealed religion.

In difcuffing these points I fhall proceed as the nature of the fubject directs; and attempt, in the

First place, to evince and demonstrate the poffibility of miracles.

The Almighty, when he created this visible world, difpofed the parts of it in fuch order, and impreffed upon them fuch motions, as were adapted to accomplish the gracious ends, which he propofed to himself in the creation of it. Now, as these ends, he forefaw, were in general attainable by one uniform mode of proceeding; fo he determined, that a conftant fucceffion of effects fhould uniformly proceed from their refpective causes, according to certain stated rules. These rules, which natural bodies obferve. in their operations, are commonly called the laws of nature. But the laws of nature are in reality the laws of God: that is, they are nothing else but the modes of acting, which

the wisdom of the Deity has prescribed to his power, in the prefervation and government of the natural world. For matter, having no felf-determining principle, is, properly speaking, capable of no law. Being in itself inert and paffive, it can only act, as it is acted upon. And therefore the course. of the material world ftands in need of the fame power to continue it on, as was neceffary at first to put it in motion. And indeed, fuch power is conftantly employed upon it. For the principle of gravitation, the moft extensive and operative principle im nature, is evidently no other than the continual agency of God"..

Since the courfe of nature, then, is nothing elfe but that continued uniform manner, in which God produces certain effects according to his own wifdom; and fince this manner of acting depends entirely upon his wifdom; he may at any time, if he fees fit, as easily alter it, as he may continue it: in other

NEWTONI Principia, &c. lib. III. prop. XLII. fchol. gen. See alfo MACKLAURIN's Account of Sir I. NEWTON's Difcoveries, b. IV. ch. IX. § 1. 5. 6. 13. and PRICE's Differt. on Providence, § 2.

words,