He knew......

 as this was commonly altogether impossible at any small distance of time and place; so was it extremely difficult, even where one was immediately present, by reason of the bigotry, ignorance, cunning, and roguery of a great part of mankind. He therefore concluded, like a just reasoner, that such an evidence carried falsehood upon the very face of it; and that a miracle, supported by. any human testimony, Supra TK Society was more properly a subject of derision than of argument.There surely never was a greater number of miracles ascribed to one person, than those which were lately said to have been wrought in France upon the tomb of Abbe Paris, the famous Jansenist, with whose sanctity the people were so long deluded. The curing of the sick, giving hearing to thedeaf, deaf, and fight to the blind, were every where talked of as the usual effects of that holy sepulchre. But what is more extraordinary, many of the miracles were immediately proved upon the spot, Supra Skytop before judges of unquestioned integrity, attested by witnesses of credit and distinction, in a learned age, and on the most eminent theatre that is now in the world. Nor is this all: A relation of them was publistied and dispersed every where; nor were the Jesuits, Justin Bieber Shoes though a learned body, supported by the civil magistrate, and determined enemies to those opinions, in whose favour the miracles were said to have been wrought, ever able distinctly to refute or detect them*. Where shall we find such a number of circumstances, agreeing to the corroboration of one fact? Supra shoes for cheap And what have we to oppose to such a cloud of witnesses, but the absolute impossibility or miraculous nature of the events which they relate?

And this, surely, in the eyes of all reasonable people

will alone be regarded as a sufficient refutation.Is the consequence just, because some human testimony has the utmost force and authority in some cases, when it relates the battle of Philippi or PharSalia for instance j that therefore all kinds pf testimony must, in all cafes, have equal force and authority? Suppose that the Cæsarean and Pompeian factions had, Supra TK Society each of them, claimed the victory in these battles, and that the historians of each party had uniformly ascribed the advantage to their own fide; how could mankind, at this distance, have been able to determine between them? The contrariety is equally strong between the miracles related by Herodotus or Plutarch, and those delivered by Mariana, Bede, or any monkish historian.The wise lend a very academic faith to every report which favours the passion of the reporter; Supra Skytop whether it magnifies his country, his family, or himself, or in any other way strikes in with his natural incliVoi. U. I nation** See NOTE [LOnation* and propensities. But what greater temptation than to appear a missionary, a prophet, an ambassador from heaven? Who would not encounter. many dangers and difficulties, in order to attain sosublime a character? Or if, by the help of vanity and a heated imagination, a man has sirst made a convert of himself, and entered seriously into the delusion; who ever scruples to make use of pious frauds, Justin Bieber Shoes in support of so holy and meritorious a cause?The smallest spark may here kindle into the greatest; flame; because the materials are always prepared for it. The avidum genus auricularwn*, the gazing populace, reeieve greedily, without examination, whatever soothes superstition, and promotes wonder.How many stories of this nature, have, in all ages,, been detected and exploded in their infancy? How many more have been celebrated for a time, and have afterwards funk into neglect and oblivion? Where such reports, therefore, Supra shoes for cheap fly about, the solution of the phænomenon is obvious; and we judge in conformity to regular experience and observation, when we account for it by the known and natural principles of credulity and delusion.

And shall we, rather than have a recourse to so natural a solution

allow of a miraculous violation of the most established laws of nature?I need not mention the difficulty of detecting a falsehood in any private or even public history, at the place where it is said to happen; much more when Dhe scene is removed to ever so small a distance. Evea a court of judicature, Supra TK Society with all the authority, accuracy, and judgment which they can employ, find themselves often at a lose to distinguish between truth and falsehood in the most recent actions. But the matter never comes to any issue, if trusted to the common method of altercation and debate and flying rumours; especially• LUCRIT*cially when mens passions have taken part on either side.In the infancy of new religions, Supra Skytop the wife and learns ed commonly esteem the matter too inconsiderable to deserve their attention or regard. And when afterwards they would willingly detect the cheat, in order to undeceive the deluded multitude, the season is now past, and the records and witnesses, which might clear up the matter, have perislied beyond recovery.No means of detection remain, Justin Bieber Shoes but those which must be drawn from the very testimony itself of the reporters: And these, though always sufficient with the judicious and knowing, are commonly too fine to fall under the comprehension of the vulgar.Upon the whole then it appears, that no testimony for any kind of miracle has ever amounted to a probability, much less to a proof; and that even supposing it amounted to a proof, Supra shoes for cheap it would be opposed by another proof, derived from the very nature of the fact which it would endeavour to establish. It is experience only which gives authority to human testimony; and it is the fame experience which afliires us of the laws of nature.

In restoring a loan, or paying a debt

his divinity is nowise beholden to him; because these. acts of justice are what he was bound to perform, and what many would have performed, were there no God in the universe. But if he fast a day, or give' himself a sound whipping, this has a direct reference, in his opinion, to the service of God. No 0other motive could engage him to such austerities. By these distinguistied marks of devotion, he has now acquired the divine favour; Supra TK Society and may expect, in recompence, protection and safety in this world, and eternal happiness in the next. Cheap Supra shoesHence the greatest crimes have been found, in many instances, compatible with a superstitious piety and devotion. Hence it is justly regarded as unsafe to draw any certain inference in favour of a-man's morals, Supra Skytop  from the fervour or strictness of his religious exercises, even though he himself believe them sincere. Nay, it has been observed, that enormities of ^he blackest dye have been rather apt to produce superstitious terrors, Justin Bieber Shoes and encrease the religious passion. BOMILCAR, having formed a conspiracy for alsassinating at once the whole senate of CARTHAGE, and invading the liberties of his country, lost the opportunity, from a continual regard to omens and prophecies. Supra shoes for cheap Those who undertake the most criminal and most dangerous enterprizes, are commonly the most superstitious; as an ancient historian  remarks on this occasion. Their devotion and spiritual faith rise with their fears. CATILINE was not contented with thg establissied deities, and received rites of the national religion

 The more tremendous the divinity is represented

the more tame and submissive do men become to his ministers; and the more unaccountable the measures of acceptance required by him, the more necessary does it become to abandon our natural reason, and yield to their ghostly guidance and direction. Cheap Supra shoes Thus it may be allowed, that the artifices of men aggravate our natural infirmities and follies of this kind, but never originally beget them. Supra TK Society Their root strikes deeper into the mind, and springs from the essential and universal properties of human nature.SECT. XV. General Corollary. THOUGH the stupidity of men, barbarous and uninstructed, be so great, that they may not fee a sovereign vereign author in the more obvious works of nature, to which they are so much familiarized; Supra Skytop yet it scarcely seems possible, that any one of good understanding should reject that idea, when once it is suggested to him. Justin Bieber Shoes A purpose, an intention, a design is evident in every thing; and when our comprehension is so far enlarged as to contemplate the first rife of this visible system, we must adopt, Supra shoes for cheap with the strongest conviction, the idea of some intelligent cause or author. The uniform maxims too, which prevail throughout the whole frame of the universe, natur rally, if not necessarily, lead us to conceive this intelligence as single and undivided, where the prejudices ot education oppose not so reasonable a theory.