For, if the creation must be allowed to be the work of God, notwithstanding any _unknown degree_ of power in evil spirits; if we can as certainly ascribe it to God, as if there were no _such_ spirits; then miracles may be as full a proof of the interposition of God, as if there were no such spirits in being.
I do not ask, Whether the _same divine_ perfection is necessary to foretel such things as are foretold in scripture, and work such miracles as are there related, as is necessary to _create_? I do not ask, Whether any power less than divine can do such things? I only ask, Whether there is any certainty, that the creation is the work of God? Whether we can be sure of the divine operation, from the existence of that creation? Or, Whether we are in _doubt_ or _uncertainty_ about it, because we do not know the _degree_ of power, that may belong to evil spirits.
For if it can be affirmed, that the creation is the work of God, notwithstanding our uncertainty about the degree of power that may belong to evil spirits; then we have the same certainty, that the _prophecies_ and _miracles_ recorded in scripture, are to be ascribed to God, notwithstanding our uncertainty of the power of evil spirits.
For every reason for ascribing the creation to God, is the same reason for ascribing such miracles and prophecies to God; and every argument against the certainty of those miracles and prophecies coming from God, is the same argument against the certainty of the creation’s being the work of God; for there cannot be more or less certainty in one case than in the other.
For, if evil spirits have so the creation in their hands, that by reason of their power over it, no _miracles_ can prove the operation of God, then the operation of God cannot be proved from the creation itself.
For the creation cannot be proved to be the operation of God, unless it can be proved that God _still presides_ over it.
And if _all that_ which is extraordinary and miraculous may be accounted for, without the interposition of God; then nothing that is ordinary and common according to the course of nature, can be a proof of the action of God. For there can be no reason assigned, why that which is _ordinary_ shall be ascribed to God, if all that is, or has been, or can be miraculous, may be ascribed to evil spirits.
Either therefore it must be said, that there are, or may be miracles, which cannot be the effects of evil spirits; or else nothing that is ordinary and common can be a proof of the operation of God. For if nothing miraculous can be an undeniable proof of God’s action, nothing created can be a proof of it.
The matter therefore stands thus: There are, and may be miracles, that cannot be ascribed to evil spirits, without ascribing the creation to them; and which can no more be doubted to come from God, than we can doubt of his being the Creator of the world. There may be miracles therefore, which, are as full a proof of the _truth_ of that which they attest, as the creation is of the _fitness_ of that which is created.
And though the _matter_ of a revelation is to be attended to, that we may fully understand it, and be rightly affected with it; yet the reason of our receiving it, must rest upon that _external authority_, which shews it to be of God.
And the authority of miracles, sufficiently plain and apparent, are of themselves a full reason for receiving a revelation, which both as to its _matter_ and _manner_, would not be approved by us without them.
The history of magical wonders, and extraordinary things done by evil spirits, is no objection against the sufficiency of that proof, that arises from miracles. For the question is not, whether nothing that is extraordinary can be done by evil spirits, but whether nothing that is miraculous can, be a proof of its being done by God. For these two cases are very consistent. It may be very possible for evil spirits, to do things extraordinary in _some circumstances_, as ♦where people enter into contracts with them, and resign themselves up to their power, and yet that miracle may in _other circumstances_, be a sufficient proof of their being done by God.
♦ “were” replaced with “where”
And as miracles are the highest and most undeniable evidence of the truth and divinity of any external revelation; so Christianity stands fully distinguished from all other religions, by the highest and most undeniable evidences; since it has all the proof that the _highest state_ of miracles can give, and every other religion is without any support from them.
And though this writer, with a boldness worthy of himself, often puts all _traditional religion_ upon a level; yet he might have shewn himself as much a friend to truth as sobriety, by asserting, that all _arguments_ are equally conclusive, all _tempers_ equally virtuous, all _designs_ equally honest, and all _histories_ and _fables_ equally supported by evidences of fact.