PHYSICS. efpecially when they could not own themselves to be fuch, without expofing their perfons to be hated and defpifed; their poffeffions to be confiscated; their bodies to be imprison'd and tormented; and oftentimes their lives to be, in an ignominious and cruel manner, deftroy'd. And, whilft the fecular magiftrates made them fuffer all thefe hardships, the venerated priefts, the fubtile philofophers, and the eloquent orators, perfuaded the world, that they deferv'd yet more than they endured; and employ'd all their learning and wit to make the religion odious and ridiculous, as well as the embracers of it miferable: accufing the martyrs, and other chriftians, of no less than atheifm, inceft, and the inhuman fhedding and drinking the innocent blood of infants. Thefe, and the like matters of fact, wher our virtuofo reflects on, and confiders by what unpromifing means fuch feemingly infurmountable difficulties were conquer'd; he cannot, by this hiftorical experience, be inclined to think, that effects, fo difproportionate to the vifible means, could be brought to pafs, without the peculiar affiftance, and extraordinary bleffing of God; by whom thofe fucceffful preachers averr'd themselves to be commiffioned. For, that the fupernatural help which the chriftian doctrine appears to have had, was divine, not diabolical, will feem evident to our virtuofo, from the nature, tendency, and effects of the doctrine itfelf; which exprefly teacheth, that there is but one God; that he alone is to be worshipped, and not idols, nor any of the heathen demons, or deities; that the devils are wicked, apoftate, malicious, and miferable creatures, hated of God, and who extremely hate mankind; and that thofe vices, as well as rites of worship, eftablished by them in the world, were abominable to God, and would be, by degrees, deftroy'd by him: as, in effect, they foon began to be in many places of the world, where the worshippers of Chrift caft the devil out of his temples, out of mens veneration, and, oftentimes, out of their bodies too.

One circumftance there is of the propagation of the gofpel, which, tho' it may feem more extrinfecal than thofe hitherto mention'd, is yet too con-fiderable to be here omitted; I mean, that the quick fpreading, and fuccefs of the chriftian doctrine in the world, was foretold both by the prophets of the old teftament, and the author and promulgators of the new. For, it being notorious, that many errors and fuperftitions, have, with too much celerity, been spread far and wide in the world; either by reputed mere accidents, that were very favourable to them, or by the industry and artifices of men; it ought to be no fmall fatisfaction to equitable judges, that the fudden progrefs, and notable effects of the chriftian religion, were foretold by the ancient prophets, and by the Meffias and his apoftles. For, by thefe accomplish'd predictions, it may appear, that the wonderful fuccefs of the gofpel was not an effect of chance, but was, long before, determin'd by divine providence, to be accomplish'd in a wonderful manner, by his peculiar affiftance.

But true prophecies of unlikely events, fulfill'd by unlikely means, are fupernatural things; and, as fuch, may properly be reckon'd among miracles. We might add, that these have a peculiar advantage above most

other

other miracles, on the account of their duration : fince the manifeft proofs PHYSICS. of the predictions continue ftill, and are as vifible as the extent of the chriftian religion; and fome of them are ftill more and more accomplish'd, by the converfions made of multitudes of infidels, in feveral vaft regions of America. So that if we may call fome tranfient miracles, fuch as the turning water into wine, at a marriage-feaft in Galilee; and the darkening of the fun when the moon was in the full, at the crucifixion of Chrift; accomplish'd predictions may be ftyled permanent ones; and their difference may appear by the differing ftates of the Mofaic manna: for, tho both that which fell daily (except on the fabbath) in the wildernefs, and that which was laid up in a pot before the teftimony, were fupernatural productions; yet, tho a portion of the former out-lafted not two or three days; that kept in the pot, was preferv'd for many ages, and continu'd to be (as it was foretold it fhould) a vifible miracle.

Belides, the preachers of the chriftian religion, both pretended and appeal'd to miracles, as proofs of the truth of their doctrine: and if we confider the great difadvantages they lay under, and the powerful oppofition of all forts, that they met with and furmounted; it cannot reafonably be thought, that fuch unlikely men fhould fo fuccefsfully preach fo uninviting a doctrine, unless it were confirm'd by confpicuous miracles. Or, at least, if fo uneafy and perfecuted a religion, was propagated without miracles, that propagation itfelf may juftly pafs for a miracle; and be no lefs fit than another, to confirm the religion fo admirably propagated.

Thus, I think, I have fhewn, that a virtuofo has fome helps, which other men, generally fpeaking, want, to make him judiciously approve the arguments for the truth of the chriftian religion, grounded on the miracles wrought in its favour, and the wonderful fuccefs of it in the world. But, becaufe a reveal'd religion, how true foever, can fcarce be proved but by moral demonftrations; and because it is not, therefore, always fufficient, that the arguments be good in their kind; but there are fome qualifications requir'd in the minds of thofe who are to be convinc'd by them; I fhall now add, that experimental philofophy alfo difpofes the mind of its cultivator to receive due impreffions from fuch proofs, as miracles, as well as other topics, afford the chriftian religion.

Another thing, then, that qualifies an experimental philofopher, for the reception of reveal'd religion, is, the habit of endeavouring to give clear explanations of the phenomena of nature, and to difcover the weakness of thofe folutions which fuperficial wits ufually make and acquiefce in, infenfibly works in him a great and ingenuous modefty of mind. And, on account of this intellectual, as well as moral virtue, he will not only be very inclinable, both to defire and admit further information, about things which he perceives to be dark, or abftrufe; but he will be very unapt to take, for the adequate ftandard of truth, a thing fo imperfectly inform❜d, and narrowly limited, as his mere, or abstracted reafon. And tho' a vulgar philofopher, who allows himself to refer the obfcureft things in na

PHYSICS. ture, to fubftantial forms, real qualities, fympathy, antipathy, &c. which need not, and, perhaps, cannot be clearly understood; and thence prefumes that he understands every thing; and that thofe things must be falfe, or impoffible, which agree not with his philofophy; yet a fober and experienc'd naturalift, who knows what difficulties remain unfurmounted, in the conception and explanations vn of things corporeal, will not, by a lazy, or arrogant prefumption, that his knowledge about things fupernatural, is already fufficient, be induced to reject, or to neglect any information that may increafe it.

And this frame of mind is a very happy one for a student in reveal'd religion; where cautioufnefs is not more neceffary for the avoiding of errors, than docility is advantageous, in learning of truth: fince the knowledge and goodness of the divine teacher, is fuch, that a fcholar, to improve his intellect, needs but bring a mind fitted to receive the genuine informations, that are moft liberally offer'd, and will never deceive him, who employs a due care not to mistake the meaning of them.

A well-cultivated converfation with the works of God, brings a man to difcover, from time to time, fo many things to be feasible, or true, which, whilft he argued but upon the fhallow grounds of uninform'd reafon, he judg'd falfe, or unpracticable; that, by degrees, he acquires a habit of receiving fome forts of opinions, and efpecially thofe that feem unfavourable to religion, with a difpofition to reform or difcard them, upon further information. And this, as he is refolv'd to fubmit to, in cafe he meets with it, fo he is difpos'd to receive it, by having often found himfelf obliged, upon fubfequent information, to mend, or lay afide his former opinions; tho' very agreeable to the best light he had to judge by, when he entertain'd them. Thus, tho' it feems a vifible truth, that the difc of Venus, is, in all refpects to the fun, totally luminous; yet, when the telefcope discovers her to have her full and her wane, like the moon, he will believe this further obfervation, against the firft, made with his naked

eyes.

And, indeed, I have fometimes doubted, whether to be vers'd in mathematics, and other demonftrative parts of philofophy, brings a greater advantage to the mind, by accuftoming and affifting it, ftrictly to examine things propofed for truths, and ftrongly to evince the truths a man knows, to others; than by fitting him to difcern the force of a good argument, and fubmit willingly to truths clearly proved; how little foever he may have expected to find fuch conclufions true. "Twill not be difficult to apply these reflections to our prefent purpofe; fince there are feveral paffages in the scripture that fufficiently declare, both that multitudes perfift in a criminal infidelity, out of a fond conceit of their own knowledge, and a readiness to be fway'd rather by ftrong prejudices, than by the ftrongeft arguments that would remove them; and, that docility is a very happy difpofition to the entertainment of reveal'd religion. And this qualification will be the more eafily found in our virtuofo; becaufe, tho' the things, about which he has long been fenfible of his ignorance, or defires further inftruction, are

within the fphere of nature, and the jurifdiction of philofophy; many PHYSICS.. of the things which reveal'd religion declares, are fo fublime and abftrufe, that they may well be look'd upon as of an higher order than merely phyfical ones; and, therefore, cannot be fatisfactorily reach'd by the mere light of nature. 'Tis true, our philofopher will examine more ftrictly, than ordinary men, the proofs brought for this, or that propofed revelation; but that is no difadvantage to a fupernatural religion, fuch as the chriftian, if it be true: and the real truth about religion itself, does not require credulity, but only docility. If a piece of coin, that paffes for true gold, be offer'd to an ordinary man, and to a skilful refiner, the latter, will, indeed, examine it more ftrictly, and not acquiefce in the ftamp, the colour, the found, and other obvious marks, that may fatisfy a fhop-keeper, or a merchant; yet, when he has try'd it by the feverer ways of examining, fuch as the touch-ftone, the cupel, Aqua fortis, &c. and finds it to hold good in thofe proofs, he will readily and frankly acknowledge, that 'tis true gold, and be more thoroughly convinc'd of it, than the other perfon; whofe want of skill will make him ftill apt to retain a diftruft, and render him, indeed, more eafy to be perfuaded, but more difficult to be fully fatisfy'd. Thus, tho' our virtuofo will examine, with more ftrictnefs and skill, than ordinary men are able, miracles, prophecies, or other proofs, faid to be fupernatural, that are alledg'd to evince a reveal'd religion; yet, if the certain, and genuine characters of truth appear in them, he will be more thoroughly convinc'd of it, than a lefs skilful man, whofe want of good criteria, and found judgment, incline him to be diffident, and to be ftill afraid of having been impofed on.

I expect, it will be here objected, that I degrade the human understand-" ing, by afcribing fo much to experience, natural or fupernatural, that it has left nothing for reafon to do, but fervilely to obey.

This objection, indeed, is plaufible; yet the answer to it will not be very difficult, if the matter itself be duly confider'd, and reafon be brought to act, not as an interested party, but an unbyafs'd judge.

For we have already fhewn, that rational philofophers fcruple not to alter, or renounce, the opinions which fpecious reafons had fuggefted to them, when once they either find thofe opinions contradicted by experience, or meet with other opinions more conformable to it. And Ariftotle himself, tho' he be accufed of having wrefted phyfics to logical, and metaphyfical fancies, confeffes, not only that in the fcience of nature, reafon ought to comport with the phenomena, and the phenomena with reafon; but that to adhere to plaufible reafonings, and neglect fenfible obfervations, is a weakness or difeafe of the mind. And whether the understanding be, as Ariftotle taught, like blank paper; and receives no knowledge, but what has been convey'd to it through the fenfes; or whether the notions are congenite with the understanding, or fo eafily, and early, acquired by it, as to appear innate; they are but very few, in comparifon of thofe that are requifite to judge aright about any one thing, that occurs either

PHYSICS. in natural philofophy, or theology. For, in the divine nature, power, wifdom, and other attributes, there is an exuberance that has produced numberlefs contrivances, laws, and other things, which exceedingly furpafs both the number and variety that the dim and limited intellect of man could reach to, by framing, and compounding ideas, without the affiftance of the patterns afforded by the works and declarations of God.

On account of the fame prerogative of the divine knowledge, it must frequently happen, that the notions and opinions men take up of the works and mind of God, upon the mere fuggeftions of abftract reason; will not only be almoft conftantly very deficient, but often very erroneous. Of this we fee evident proofs in many opinions of the old philofophers who, tho' men of ftrong natural parts, were mif-led, by what they miftook for reafon, to maintain fuch things about the works, and the author of nature, as we, who, by the favour of experience and revelation, stand in a much clearer light, know to be falfe, and often juftly think utterly extravagant.

Abstract reafon is a narrow thing, and reaches but to a very fmall share of the knowable truths, whether human or divine; which may be obtain'd by the help of further experience, and fupernatural revelation. This reafon, furnish'd with no other notices than it can fupply itself with, is fo fhallow and deceitful, that he who feeks for knowledge only within himfelf, fhall be fure to be quite ignorant of far the greateft part of things; and will scarce escape being mistaken about a large part of those he thinks he knows.

I am far from intending to deny reafon any of its just prerogatives; experience itself is but an affiftant to reafon, and fupplies informations to the understanding; which ftill remains the judge, and has the power, or right, to examine, and make ufe of the teftimonies that are prefented to it. The outward fenfes are but the inftruments of the foul, which hears by the intervention of the ear, and in refpect of which, the eye itself is but a more immediate optical tube; and the fenfe does but perceive objects, not judge of them. Nor do the more wary among the philofophers trust their eye, to teach them the nature of the vifible object; but only employ it to perceive the phenomena it exhibits, and the changes that happen to itfelf by the action of it. 'Tis confefs'd too, that the fenfes may deceive us, if the requifites of fenfation be wanting; as, when a fquare tower appears round at a distance, and a ftrait ftick, half in the water, appears crooked: 'tis, therefore, the part of reafon, not fenfe, to judge whether none of the requifites of fenfation be wanting; which, by the way, often requires, not only reafon, but philofophy: and then, alfo, 'tis the part of reafon to judge what conclufions may, and what cannot, be fafely grounded on the informations of the fenfes, and the teftimony of experience. So that, when we fay, experience corrects reafon, 'tis an improper way of fpeaking; fince 'tis reafon itself, that, upon the information of experience, corrects the judgment it had made before.

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