historicalgeogra00psal

23^
T^^ Grounds of
it (hould be confirm'd by certain Evidence, the
better to perfuade Men to believe that it came
froni God ^ and fo we find that the Chrittian
Religion was confirm'd by Miracles, or fupernatural
Signs at the time of its firft publication :
And becaufe cunning and ingenious Men may do
many things by their extraordinary Art and Skill,
which may £em to us miraculous when they
really are not, we fhall hereafter fhew how any
Man may difcern between a true Miracle, and
that which is pretended to be one. This being
premis'd,
I (hall n9w fubjoyn,
SECT. VL
Of
Religion in general.
Since
God is a moft perfe£l Being, 'tis certain
that he cannot contradift himlelf, and eftablifti
too contrary Religions, having different and
inconfiftent Obje£ls of Worfhip ^ and therefore
v;hen we fee lo many different Religion^ in the
Woild, we muft conclude that only one of thefe
Religions is true, and of divine Authority, and
that the reft are Humane Inventions, Frauds and
Forgeries :
It concerns us therefore to enquire after
the means whereby we may diftinguifli the true
Religion from the falfe.
Thefe means may be confider'd two ways, either
with refpe£t to the Evidence, or to the Obleft.
We have already obferv'd, that the great
Evidence of the true Religion, are the Miracles
that were wrought for the confirmation of it ^
but