LET. they will never find it the shortest way VIII. home. For if they really have de termined with themfelves, not to become Christians, till every difficulty that may be ftarted concerning the revealed difpenfations of God, or any part of them, be fully cleared up, I will fairly tell them, that, I apprehend, they muft die deifts. I will likewife farther tell them, that if they should refolve not to believe in the existence of God, till every objection can be folved, relative to the works of creation, and the course of his providence, I verily believe they muft die atheists. At least, I will not undertake their converfion, in either cafe. For in the first place, whether the folution be fatisfactory to themselves, none but themselves can be the judges; and their prejudices will not fuffer them them to judge fairly. In the fecond LET. place, if they produce an hundred VIII. objections, and we can folve ninety nine of them, that which remains unfolved will be deemed a plea fufficient to justify their continuing in incredulity. In the third place, it is impoffible in the nature of things, that we should be equal to the folution of every difficulty, unlefs we were well acquainted with many points of which it has pleafed God to keep us in ignorance, till the laft day fhall open and unfold them. Nay, in fome inftances, it is impoffible, unless we could fee and know, as God himself fees and knows. But it is an axiom in fcience, that difficulties are of no weight against demonftrations. The exiftence of God once proved, we are not, in reafon, to VIII. LET. fet that proof afide, because we cannot at prefent account for all his proceedings. The divine legation of Mofes, and that of Jefus Chrift, ftand upon their proper evidence, which cannot be fuperfeded and nullified by any pretended or real difficulties occurring in the Jewish and Christian difpenfations. If we can folve the difficulties, fo much the better; but if we cannot, the evidence is exactly where it was. Upon that evidence is our faith founded, and not upon the ability of any man, or fet of men, to explain particular portions of Scripture, and to answer the objections which may be made to them. Otherwife, our faith, instead of refting on the power of God, would reft on the weakness of man, and might be subverted every day. Now the evidence that VIII. that may be produced for the divine LET. miffions of Mofes and of Jefus Chrift, is fuch as never was produced in favour of any others laying claim to divine miffions, fince the world began; and it is fuch as no perfon can reject, without being obliged to believe a series of abfurdities and impoffibilities, that, in any other cafe, would choke the faith of the greatest bigot in Christendom which is bringing the matter as near to demonstration as a matter of this kind is capable of being brought, or as any reasonable being would defire it to be brought. Thus much being premifed, to prevent mistakes, I fhall proceed in the next Letter to the confideration of the first section, the fubject of which is that of Miracles. LET: 1x. LETTER IX. HE fubftance of this fection, thrown into an argumentative form, ftands thus-" Miracles are not wrought now; therefore they never 66 were wrought at all.” Tthrown an 66 One would wonder how the premifes and the conclufion could be brought together. No man would in earnest affert the neceffity of miracles being repeated, for the confirmation of a revelation, to every new generation, and to each individual of which it is composed. Certainly not. If they were once wrought, and duly entered on record, the record is evidence |