6 who affirm him to have been two hundred leagues distant, at the same instant when the crime is said to have been committed.' After the particle but, with which this clause begins, the reader naturally expects such an explication of the argument, as will convince him, that though subtle and refined, it hath solidity and strength. Instead of this, he hath only the author's word warranting it to be good to all intents: But is not in reality 'different,' &c. The analogy between his example and his argument, seems to be but very distant *; I shall therefore, without any comment, leave it with the reader as I find it. THUS it appears, that, for aught the author has as yet proved, no miracles recorded by historians of other religions are subversive of the evidence arising from the miracles wrought in proof of Christianity, or can justly be considered as contrary testimony. * My French translator remarks, that, in a case which he supposes and illustrates, the analogy would be both close and striking. I admit, that in the case supposed by him, it would be so. But of such cases, I had observed before, that no example had been produced. The miracles performed by Moses were manifestly in proof of his mission, and consequently of the unity of the Godhead, his fundamental doctrine. The like may be said of the miracles of Jesus, in regard to the doctrine which he taught. But who can be said to have performed miracles in proof of polytheism? I know not any. The remoteness of the analogy in the example adduced by Mr Hume was not meant as affirmed of any case supposable, but of any which had actually occurred. SECTION IV. Examination of the PAGAN miracles mentioned by Mr Hume. SHOULD one read attentively the Essay on Miracles, and consider it solely as a philosophical disquisition on an abstract question, like most of the other pieces in the same collection; he could not fail to wonder, what had induced the author so suddenly to change sides in the debate, and, by doing so, to contradict himself in terms the most express. Does he not, in the latter part of that performance, as warmly contend for the reality of some miracles, as he had pleaded in the former part, for the impossibility of all? It is true, he generally concludes concerning those, that they are 6 gross and palpable falsehoods.' But this serves only to render his conduct the more mysterious, as that conclusion is always preceded by an attempt to evince, that we have the greatest reason to receive them as certain and infallible truths.' Nay, so entirely doth his zeal make him forget even his most positive assertions, (and what inconsistencies may not be dreaded from an excess of zeal!), that he shows minutely, we have those very evidences for the mi K racles he is pleased to patronize, which, he had strenuously argued, were not to be found in support of miracles whatever. any 6. • There is not to be found,' he affirms*, in all history, a miracle attested by a sufficient number of men, of such unquestioned good sense, education, and learning, as to secure us against all de•lusion in themselves; of such undoubted integrity, as to place them beyond all suspicion of any design to deceive others; of such credit and repu⚫tation in the eyes of mankind, as to have a great 6 deal to lose, in case of being detected in any falsehood; and at the same time attesting facts per• formed in such a public manner, and in so celebrated a part of the world, as to render the detection unavoidable. We need only turn over a few pages of the Essay, and we shall find the author taking great pains to convince us, that all these circumstances concurred in support of certain miracles, which, notwithstanding his general resolution, he has thought fit to honour with a very particular attention. He has not indeed told us how many witnesses, in his way of reckoning, will constitute a sufficient number;' but for some miracles which he relates, he gives us clouds of witnesses, one cloud succeeding another: for the Molinists, who tried to discredit them, soon found themselves overwhelmed by * Page 183. 6 6 6 a cloud of new witnesses, one hundred and twenty in number* As to the character of the witnesses, most of them were persons of credit and ⚫ substance in Paris †;' again, those miracles were ' attested by witnesses of credit and distinction, be'fore judges of unquestioned integrity; and, they were proved by witnesses, before the officialty or bishop's court at Paris, under the eyes of CarIdinal Noailles, whose character for integrity and capacity was never contested even by his enemies §;' again, the secular clergy of France, par'ticularly the rectors or curés of Paris, give testimony to these impostures, than whom no clergy are more celebrated for strictness of life and manners ||.' Once more, one principal witness, Mon'sieur de Montgeron, was counsellor or judge of the parliament of Paris, a man of figure and cha'racter;' another no less a man than the Duc de Chatillon, a Duke and Peer of France, of the highest rank and family **. It is strange, if credit, and substance, and distinction, and capacity, are not sufficient securities to us, that the witnesses were not themselves deluded;' it is strange, if uncontested integrity, and eminent strictness of life and manners, cannot remove all suspicion of any design in them to deceive others;' it is strange, 6 6 P. 195. || P. 199, in the note. 6 6 if one who was counsellor of the parliament of Paris, a man of figure and character, and if another who was a Duke and Peer of France, of the highest rank and family, had not a great deal to lose, in case of being detected in any falsehood:' nay, and if all those witnesses of credit and distinction, had not also a great deal to lose; since the Jesuits, a learned body, supported by the civil magistrate, were determined enemies to those opinions, in whose favour the miracles were said to have been wrought; and since Monsieur Herault, the lieutenant de police, of whose great reputation, all 'who have been in France about that time, have heard; and whose vigilance, penetration, activity, ⚫ and extensive intelligence, have been much talked of; since this magistrate, who, by the nature of his office is almost absolute, was invested with full powers on purpose to suppress these miracles, and frequently seized and examined the witnesses and 6 subjects of them; though he could never reach any thing satisfactory against them †. As to the only remaining circumstance, their being performed in a public manner, and in a celebrated part of 'the world,' this concurred also. They were performed, we are told, in a learned age, and on the ⚫ most eminent theatre that is now in the world +;' besides, twenty-two rectors or curés of Paris, with • infinite earnestness, pressed the Archbishop, an * P. 195. + P. 197, in the note. + P. 195. |