314 PART CHAP. VI. Of the Want of Univerfality in Revelation: and of the fuppofed Deficiency in the Proof of it. I T has been thought by fome Perfons, that if the Evidence of Revelation appears doubtful, this itself turns into a pofitive Argument against it: because it cannot be fuppofed, that if it were true, it would be left to fubfift upon doubtful Evidence. And the Objection against Revelation from its not being univerfal, is often infifted upon as of great Weight. any Now the Weakness of thefe Opinions may be fhewn, by obferving the Suppofitions on which they are founded: Which are really fuch as thefe; that it cannot be thought God would have bestowed Favour at all upon us, unless in the Degree, which, we think, he might, and which, we imagine, would be most to our particular Advantage; and alfo that it cannot be thought he would bestow a Favour upon any, unless he bestowed the fame upon all: Suppofitions which we find contra dicted, dicted, not by a few Inftances in God's natu- CHAP. ral Government of the World, but by the VI. general Analogy of Nature together. W Perfons who speak of the Evidence of Religion as doubtful, and of this fuppofed Doubtfulness as a pofitive Argument against it, fhould be put upon confidering, what That Evidence indeed is, which they act upon with regard to their temporal Interefts. For, it is not only extreamly difficult, but, in many Cafes, abfolutely impoffible, to balance Pleafure and Pain, Satisfaction and Uneafinefs, fo as to be able to fay, on which Side the Overplus is. There are the like Difficulties and Impoffibilities in making the due Allowances, for a Change of Temper and Taft, for Satiety, Difgufts, Ill-health; any of which render Men incapable of injoying, after they have obtained, what they moft eagerly defired. Numberless too are the Accidents, befides that one of untimely Death, which may even probably difappoint the best concerted Schemes: And strong Objections are often feen to lie against them, not to be removed or anfwered, but which feem overbalanced by Reafons on the other Side; fo as that the certain Difficulties and Dangers of the Pursuit are, by every one, thought justly disregarded, upon account of the appearing greater Advantages in Cafe of Succefs, though there be but PART but little Probability of it. Laftly, every one II. obferves our Liablenefs, if we be not upon our Guard, to be deceived by the Falfhood of Men, and the falfe Appearances of things: And this Danger must be greatly increased, if there be a strong Bias within, suppose from indulged Paffion, to favour the Deceit. Hence arises that great Uncertainty and Doubtfulness of Proof, wherein our temporal Intereft really confifts; what are the most probable Means of attaining it; and whether those Means will eventually be fuccefsful. And numberless Inftances there are, in the daily Course of Life, in which all Men think it reasonable to engage in Pursuits, though the Probability is greatly against fucceeding; and to make fuch Provifion for themselves, as it is supposeable they may have Occafion for, though the plain acknowledged Probability is, that they never fhall. Then those who think the Objection against Revelation, from its Light not being univerfal, to be of Weight, fhould obferve, that the Author of Nature, in numberless Inftances, beftows That upon fome, which he does not upon others, who feem equally to ftand in need of it. Indeed he appears to bestow all his Gifts, with the moft promifcuous Variety, among Creatures of the fame Species: Health and Strength, Capacities of Prudence and of Knowledge, Means of Improvement, Riches, and all ex ternal ternal Advantages. And as there are not any CHAP. As neither the jewish nor christian Revelation have been univerfal; and as they have been afforded to a greater or less Part of the World, at different Times: fo likewife at different Times, both Revelations have had different Degrees of Evidence. The Jews who lived during the Succeffion of Prophets, that is, from Mofes till after the Captivity, had higher Evidence of the Truth of their Religion, than thofe had, who lived in the Interval between the last mentioned Period, and the Coming of Chrift. And the first Christians had higher Evidence of the Miracles wrought in Atteftation of Christianity, than what we have now. They had also a ftrong prefumptive Proof of the Truth of it, perhaps of much greater Force, in way of Argument, than many think, of which we . PAR T have very little remaining; I mean the pre- fluence which it had upon the Lives of the |