ing it is paft all Difpute, the Devil is able to do things ftrangely ftupendous to all outward Appearances, that have apparently, at least the outward Refemblance of Miracles; neither can the Senfe, nor Reason of Man find any Diftinction between them: Miracles in themfelves fingly, muft needs prove hence an infufficient Teft of a Divine Revelation. For here's a Miracle wrought to confirm a Revelation or Religion. How know I, but this Miracle was wrought by a Diabolical Power? Not barely from the Miracle, if the Devil can work Miracles, or cheat me, (which is the fame thing) with fuch outward Representations, as to me appear Miraculous, that have as much outward Appearance, nay, the very fame outward Appearance, as thofe fuppofed Real and Divine Miracles in Sacred Writ. If you fay the Doctrines, fupported by thefe Miracles, fhew their Original. I grant it. But this is going off from the Confideration of the bare Miracles themselves, and bringing in other Things to clear the Point. If you fay here are many Miracles wrought to atteft fuch a Dotrine; I fay, if a Thoufand Miracles were wrought to atteft any Corrupt Doctrine, they would not prove fuch a Doctrine to be Divine; and confequently if this be granted, Miracles are no infallible Proof in themselves of a Divine Revelation; for if they were, they would prove a Corrupt Doctrine to be Divine. So that by holding Corrupt Doctrines to be a clear Confutation of any pretence to a Divine Revelation, by Immediate and Pure Confequence we hold Miracles to be no certain Teftimony of a Divine Revelation. But befides, How do Corrupt Doctrines overthrow the Pretences of a Divine Revelation? Where Mi racles racles are wrought in Confirmation of fuch Doctrines, they firft prove the Miracles themfelves to be Falfe and Diabolical, or not wrought by GOD; for if they were really wrought by GOD, they would prove thofe Corrupt Doctrines to proceed from GOD; for the Doctrines and Miracles muft proceed from one and the fame. Neither is there any poffibility of fuppofing the Doctrines to proceed from Evil Spirits, and the Miracles to proceed from GOD; if the Doctrines be Corrupt, they proceed not from GOD; and if they proceed not from GOD, the Miracles that fupported them, proceed not from GOD. And this again provesMiracles no fure Argument of a Divine Revelation; because where Corrupt Doctrines confute the Pretence of a Divine Revelation, they equally fhew the Miracles wrought, in Confirmation of fuch a Revelation, not to be wrought by GOD. And as to the number of Miracles, the force of this refts not on the Nature of Miracles themfelves, but our Apprehenfions of the Divine Goodness and Wifdom, with which Attributes we conceive it inconfiftent to permit the Devil to work many Miracles to atteft Untruth and Falfehood, or to cloud the Evidence of his own Revelation, by permitting an equal one to be granted to a falfe Revelation. B. These things do abundantly convince me, but especially the Authority of Divine Writ; for when the Jews Blafphemously afcrib'd our Saviour's Miracles to the Devil, and the Power of Magick; our Saviour denies not the Suppofition of Satan's Power to do this, which had been eafie, but confutes them another way. But pray what is that other thing you would obferve, touching the Magicians? K A. Well A.Well remembred. If the Reafon of the Magicians not turning Duft into Lice, were not owing to any Defect of Power in themfelves, but to the Hindrance of a Divine and greater Power that acted Mofes; and this Expreffion of theirs to Pharaoh, This is the Finger of GOD, be understood of a Reftraint on them, by the Power in virtue whereof Mofes acted, then B. I understand you; this will still increase the Power of Evil Spirits, and implies, had they not been reftrain'd, they could have gone on much farther. But yet I beg leave, you would not affert, that these did, or could work real Miracles; let them be Imitations or Delufions, I pray you; for there are fo many Arguments against real Miracles. As if they really turn'd their Rods into Serpents, then the Devil can give Life to things, and this would be a ftrange Power, and had need to be reftrained indeed; for my part, I can believe nothing the Author of Life, but GOD. A. Let fuch look to this, that purposedly Treat of Miracles; I take it we are not here at all concern'd in it. B. You fay true, and really there is one who (a) has look'd abundantly to it already, has clearly difcharged the Devil of any fuch Power. A. Yes: And in this Inftance of Mofes and the Magicians, (from whence it hath ever been thought, the Devil hath fome fort of Power) he hath introduced, GOD oppofing and contending with himself, acting both Mofes and the Magicians, and at laft Gloriously Trium (a) Dr. Fleetwood. phing, and carrying off the Prize from himfelf. A moft wonderful Discovery! B. I perceive you like not the Conceit, which coft him, (as he acquaints bis honoured Friend, at fetting out) much Thought and Study. A. Like the Conceit, fay you! Did you ever find any one that lik'd it? Seldom hath a Book been prefented to the Publick, that hath appear'd with that Air of Majefty and Supercilioufnefs, that affum'd fo much to it felf, upon fo little Grounds; fo ftrangely will an Affectation of Novelty, and an overweening Opinion of one's felf, impofe upon the moft Ingenious Men. But to return to our Argument. When Mofes had feen how far the Power of the Magicians or Evil Spirits reach'd; how near in divers Inftances it had imitated the Divine Power; muft not this teach him Warinefs and Caution, as to relying folely on the Proof of Miracles, for the Truth of a Divine Revelation? B. It highly became him, doubtless. A. He cautions the Jews against depending altogether on fuch a Proof. (a) If, fays he, there arife among you a Prophet, or a Dreamer of Dreams, and giveth thee a Sign or Wonder, and that Sign or Wonder come to pass, whereof be spake unto thee, faying, Let us go after other Gods, that Prophet, or Dreamer of Dreams, notwithstanding never fo many Signs and Wonders he should fhew, was to be rejected. B. You having been fufficiently clear on this fide, that Miracles fingly may not be a certain and neceffary Proof of a Divine Revelation, pray be as clear on the other, that the bringing to pass some future Event, of no neceffary, but a contingent Nature, depending upon free A(4) Deut. 13. 1, 2, 3. K 2 gents, Part I. gents, hath more of Certainty in it, and is in its nature more conclufive of a Divine Revelation." Divine In racles. A. First it seems to me, a Matter of greater Difficulty, to determine Certainly and Infallibly, what a fingle Man, or Society of Men will do at a diftance of Time, than barely to perform fome things that may appear Wonderful and Miraculous; and we are much more fecure from our Apprehenfions of a GOD, that Foreknowledge is a peculiar Attribute of the Deity, The Evi than that doing Wonders is fo. This GOD dence that himfelf pofitively declares, Ifaiah 41. 22, 23. Prophecy Two things feem abfolutely neceffary to foreyeilds of tel. First, a moft certain Foreknowledge of Spiration what a free Agent will choose and do, which or Revela is hardly conceivable of any Good or Evil Spition, in rits; indeed fome Men will argue it impoffible Comparifon to Mi- to GOD himself, but of this before. But whatsoever our Reafon fays, the Scripture is clear, that fuch is the Superlative Excellency of the Divine Knowledge, and the exact Completion of divers Prophecies demonftrate it in Fact. But never do we read this of the Devil, or any Created Being. It is likewife confonant to our Apprehenfions of Evil Spirits, that they may do things very Strange and Wonderful; becaufe naturally we fuppofe them very Powerful; but from any thing we know of these Spirits, to deduce Foreknowledge is not poffible. It is true indeed, the Devil, or any Wife and Experienc'd Man, upon being acquainted with the Habits and natural Tempers of others, may form very probable Conjectures in fuch and fuch Cafes, what a Man will choofe and do; that is, according to the prevailing Humour and Difpofition of a Man's Mind; the Covetous Man according to his unbounded defire of Wealth; the Ambitious Man according to the Paffion of Vain Glory that rages in him. And fo |