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    deviaftietov ^ r ^ m thfe gefcertil cottrsfc *© f ; nature . , With resp ^ eqt , then , to * fHe mjpH&dtjUity " of miracles , it may be obs £ rv& # , jfhat tt is fn improbability ; df Whicli ^ e are incompetent judges , ; $$$ whicK ip ^ ay ,, iEei ^ ef < pr ^ , be surmoimted *

    by a certain force of ; testimony . And we find , in , faciv ; tfc&t the highest degree of supposed improbability , arising merely frdra a want 6 f experience , is perpetually overcome by such evidence as is supposed to possess the proper recommendations to enforce belief .

    And it is further to be observed * , th&t an improbability arising from thj ^ Svaht of analogy , jnay be mo ^ re . os . lesfe £ r £ - dible according to th , $ Jiaagpituile of , the phenomena whack a ] re Jfiq be e ^ - , plained by the admission of it . A miracle which , if believed , accounts for

    no existing phenomenon , and a imra * - cle , or set of miracles , which will explain a great and important effect for which a sufficient cause is wanting , must be alloived to be very differently

    circumstanced in point of credibility ; and it might be added , that a less degree of positive testimony will suffice to confirm the latter than what \ voul 4 , be necessary to establish the former . Let me now ask , whether what appears

    to be an authentic record of miracles may not be admitted as containing the cause of a most extraordinary phenomenon , of which history offers no other

    explanation ? . As a further presumption in favour of miracles , it may be observed , that there are only two . religions existing upon earth which profess to be established on miracles that

    were public and notorious ; namely , the Jewish and the Christian ; and there appertain to both tfyese religions circumstances which are best explained upon the supposition that they are really divine . The Jews , it is acknowledged , were inferior to other nations

    in every species of polite literature and in general science . And yet , though surrounded by idolaters ; , they maintained , as a communityi the Unity ; < tf God : and entertained moire' exalted

    views of thje Djivine perfections' tlian cvep the wisest . pttilos ^ BtiefeJof -tKe most pohsneq ^ natipns * , TJ ^ p Christian religicm ^^ . iifOA& ^ eclliit ' tjfte iaio ^ ti . pur ^ aiwf philosophical , , t ^ t ,, viys fippe ^ ircd uppAeartl }; qi ^ tawngpyii ^ ipjfe * most ? highly ben ^ fimftl to the-g / eueral intereet ^ of mankind , and ixrefe ^ nt ihg a stanki ^ tl

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    of morality to which no objection can be i ^^ itr ^ J ^ i ^ iP mky safely beiobserv ^ C v tM V tlifee # t r& o&iha % , fec t ^ are best ^ ccTiufflM '/ SJr ^ ^^^ W f * ^^ MMwii ^^ nrmztxom ^ i $ i ^ m& . ; & * % $ tff > fr I qmj Jthe subjJi ^ t »|> mwple | I # ^ ught to notieethe objeciti ^ n of JVI ^ . flume , the

    that rto testujaonvt c ^ n j ^ smy belief : of a miFacie , ^ ice the' falsehood of hkniani ^ tesrimony- can never be more mimeujt ^ s ^ iitiaii the truth of the fact \ VhipK it ^ rofe ^ es t 6- establish . But tUb ;^ Va ^ vbf >^ &- ' dbjc ^ tid « i ' : : \ fdiU > - - i > e

    a ^ ppaxeht x £ # e consider that the falsehopdpf tes ^ Unionjr m certaih circumstances , would bar impossible , without a > ivifttatian ii vj ' , the order of i&ature . But such a viplation of this order , a violation which could be referred to no

    cause , and , could answer no beneficial end , would be far more inexplicable , and therefore far naore incredible than a set of miracles which are expressly attributed t 0 Qod Ws their author , and from which , a grjbat and important effect Hk $ fpiio \ yed ; : ¦ •'' " *; ' v " e ; gogan . [ To be cfancluded in the next Number . J

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    Closing- Scenes of Dr . Fra 9 Mkfi ^ sL ^ r x ^ '' J ^ i ^ f ^{ nn an Eye-witness . §

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    ¦ '* " ' '; '• ¦' ' L , ewes ¦• Sir , December 5 , 1820 i ^ THHE biography of the great , the JL wise and good , has been uniformly received by eveijy elass of readers with : lively ' interest *^ n ( t avidity ; and , if the value of any additional testimony to

    the" Worth of departed excellence may be estimated by the veneration which that excellence lias justly excited , the following private one in favour of the piety and resignation , of the great and good Dr . rVanklin will ,. I presume , be not unacceptable to the perusers of

    your valuable" Miscellany . J . JOHNSTON . "'Td H / r . yini /" 9 Bikckfriars * Road . i r «*\ Philadelphia ,. Map 5 , 1790 . •¦ ¦ ' . WjMnr DJBABiSiRy ,. -. tr . 4 ^ Though E'am aliilost exhausted ! with writing letters , 1 . will ndt let this © ipport unity pass without onfe forw frieiiids at

    Blackftriars . •• / , »•! . ' ? --rr -,, , rr > t . , . , , i ; €€ A& .. Had wew ; ftics" swift , if > it ) is ihipdrtaiitV l < l&nypdse myAeUer wSUt m > t he thp t lirsti ki ^ ormatipnl you / will > iip . ve > of Dr ; iFmbkHinfs Hdeaih y / Ye » ,- we » h » rQ ; loet that valued ,. th&fctv £ ncjrat > le , i 'Wm 4 ^ ftSefi <}> whose knowledge enlightened our miads ,

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1821, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2496/page/3/