and that it was of perpetual obligation; and therefore, taking all things into the cafe, the infidelity of the Jews may not, perhaps, be altogether fo extravagant as at first fight it may appear to be. Nor can I see any profpect of gaining over the Jews to Chriftianity, except it be by convincing them that the covenant they fo much rely upon was fictitious, and was what the fupreme Deity never entered into with their forefathers. SEC SECTION VIII. Concerning Miracles. S to MIRACLES, it is to be obferved, that they are A natural marks or evidences of power only, and have no neceffary connection with truth ; and therefore, do not fhew, or prove the veracity of the agent that performs them. Every free being must, in the nature of the thing, be at liberty to make a good or a bad ufe of the power he is intrusted with; whether that power be confidered as natural, or fupernatural. Suppofe my natural ftrength of body be equal to that of Sampfon; as I am a free being, it must be at my option to use it well or ill, and to employ it to ferve what purpose I please. In like manner, suppose me to be invested with fupernatural power for working miracles, equal to that of St. Paul; as I am a free being, it will be at my option, as well in this VOL. II. cafe cafe as in the former, to use this fupernatural power well or ill, and to employ it in ferving what purpose I please. And fuppose I should use this power by way of evidence to prove the truth of a propofition, the propofition would not, nor could be proved by it; because it would be at my option, whether I would annex this miracle-working power to truth or falfhood, of which no by-stander could poffibly be a judge whether I annexed it to one or the other of thefe. To fay, that God would not suffer me to misapply this power is abfurd. God may, if he pleases, deftroy my being, or my agency, or he may withhold fuch power from me, or take it away after he has given it; but he cannot give me this power, and restrain me in the use of it, at the fame time, that being a contradiction, and an impoffibility in nature. The evidence that arises from miracles, for the proof of any propofition, therefore, can only be by deduction, as it is the refult of just reafoning upon the cafe; because miracles are natural marks and give a fenfible proof of a fuperiority of power only, and have no necessary connection with truth, as I have already obferved. I shall not enter farther into this question, be cause |