trated with singular ability, is briefly this : A revelation can be made only by means of miraculous interference. To work a miracle is the sole prerogative of the Supreme Being. If therefore miracles have been wrought in con- firmation of a religion, they are the visible testimony of God to the divine authority of that religion. Conse- quently, if the miracles alleged in behalf of Christianity were actually performed, the Christian religion must be the true one. Whether the miracles were actually per- formed or not depends upon the credibility of those who professed to be witnesses of them, that is, the apostles and first disciples of Jesus Christ; and their credibility is demonstrated from this consideration — "that they passed their lives in labors, dangers, and sufferings vol- untarily undergone in attestation of the accounts which they delivered, and solely in consequence of their belief in those accounts; and that they also submitted, from the same motive, to new rules of conduct." They could not have been deceived; they must have known whether Christ was an impostor or not; they must have known whether the miracles he did were real or pretended. Neither could they have been deceivers; they had no intelligible purpose to accomplish by deception ; they had everything to lose by it. On the other hand, by being still — by letting the subject rest — they might have escaped the sufferings they endured. It is per- fectly inconceivable, and entirely out of all the prin- ciples of human action, that men should set about prop- agating what they know to be a lie, and yet not only gain nothing by it, but expose themselves to the mani- fest consequences — enmity and hatred, danger and death. In 1802 Paley published perhaps the most widely popu- lar of all his works. Natural Theology, or Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity, which, how- ever, is based, and to a large extent borrowed from the Religious Philosopher, tlie w"ork of a Dutch philosopher named Nieuwentyt, an English translation of wliich ap- peared in 1718-1719. The plagiarisms are most palpa- ble, but have been accounted for by Paley's own method of composition. The N'atural Theology was "made up" from liis loose papers and notes written while he was a college tutor, and in the course of such a long time as elapsed since its first compilation, Paley had forgotten the sources from whence he derived them. It is also but fair to state that he has taken nothing which he has not greatly improved — "nihil tetigit, quod non ornavit." I'aley has made that clear, impressive, and convincing which in the original was confused, illogi- cal, and tiresome. He has added, too, more than he has borrowed ; and, as in all the rest of his produc- tions, the matter is arranged and the argument fol- lowed out with consummate judgment. His object is to establish the fact of benevolent design in the works of the visible creation. Hence the existence of a Supreme Designing Intelligence is inferred; and his personality, unity, and goodness demonstrated. It is not only one of the most convincing, but one of the most delightful books in the English language. " In the character of a defender of the faith," sa3-s the Quarterly Review, "we would hold up Paley to almost unmingled admiration; in any other character his praise must be more qualified. The department of theology with which alone Paley was thoroughly conversant was the Evi- dences. He had not the necessary qualifications for a complete investigation of the doctrines. But see him how we will, we always find the good sense of a plain, shrewd, practical Yorkshireman displayed on these branches of religion. We think it next to impossible for an unbeliever to read the Evidences, in the order of his arrangement, unshaken. His Natural Theology is philosophy in its highest and noblest sense, scientific without the jargon of science; profound, but so clear that its depth is disguised. He cares not whence he fetches his illustrations, provided they are to the pur- pose." A valuable edition of this work, with notes and scientific illustrations, was published (183G-39) by lord Brougham and Sir C. Bell, the former furnishing a pre-
liminarj' discourse on natural theology. This discourse is divided into two parts: the first contains an expo- sition of the natiure and character of the evidence on which natural theology rests, with the intention of proving that it is as much a science of induction as either physical or mental philosophy; and the second is devoted to a consideration of the advantages and pleasures which the study is calculated to afford. Sub- joined to the volume are some notes on various meta- physical points connected with the subject. Besides the above works, Paley was the author of various ser- mons and tracts. Several editions of his entire works have also been published. One in four volumes, con- taining also posthumous sermons, and published by his son, the I!ev. Edmund Paley, in 1S38, may he regarded as the standard edition. There is also an American edi- tion, with Life (Phila. 1851, 8vo). See, in addition to the authorities already quoted, Memoirs of Win. Paley, by W. Meadley (Sunderl. 1809, 8vo, and often) ; Ueber- weg, Hist. ofPhilos. ii, 91, 391 ; McCosh, Scotch Philos. p. 301 ; Morell, Hist. Philos. \Wi Century, p. 103, 267 sq. ; Hagenbach, Hist, of Doct. vol. ii (see Index) ; The Quart. Rev. (Lond.), ii, 83 sq. ; ix, 388 sq. ; Encyclop. Brit. s. V. ; English Cyclop, s. v. ; Allibone, l)ict. of Brit, and A mer. Auth. s. v. (J. H. W.)