The Analogy of Religion to the Constitution and Course of Nature. Butler Joseph

      1. Recapitulation of the preceding ten observations.

      2. Add the fact that there are obvious appearances in the world, aside from the Jews, which correspond to prophetic history.

      3. These appearances, compared with Bible history, and with each other, in a joint view, will appear to be of great weight, and would impress one who regarded them for the first time, more than they do us who have been familiar with them.

      4. The preceding discussion, though not thorough, amounts to proof of something more than human in this matter.

      1.) The sufficiency of these proofs may be denied, but the existence of them cannot be.

      2.) The conformity of prophecies to events may be said to be accidental, but the conformity itself cannot be denied.

      3.) These collateral proofs may be pronounced fanciful, but it cannot be said they are nothing. Probabilities may not amount to demonstration, but they remain probabilities.

      5. Those who will set down all seeming completions of prophecy, and judge of them by the common rules of evidence, will find that together they amount to strong proof. Because probable proofs, added together, not only increase evidence, but multiply it.

      6. It is very well to observe objections; but it should be remembered that a mistake on one side is far more dangerous than a mistake on the other; and the safest conclusion is the best.

      7. Religion, like other things, is to be judged by all the evidence taken together. Unless all its proofs be overthrown, it remains proved. If no proof singly were sufficient, the whole taken together might be.

      8. It is much easier to start an objection, than to comprehend the united force of a whole argument.

      9. Thus it appears that the positive evidence of revelation cannot be destroyed, though it should be lessened.

      1. This is but resolving to comprehend the nature of God, and the whole plan of his government throughout eternity.

      2. It is always right to argue from what is known, to what is disputed. We are constantly so doing. The most eminent physician does not understand all diseases, yet we do not despise what he does know.

      3. It is very important to find that objections against revelation are just as strong, not only against natural religion, but against the course of nature.

      1. If men can be convinced that they have as much reason to be religious as they have to practise worldly prudence, then there is a reason for being religious.

      2. If religion proposes greater than worldly interests, and has the same reasons for belief, then it has proportionally a greater claim.

      3. If religion being left doubtful, proves it to be false, then doubts as to the success of any worldly pursuit show it to be wrong. Yet we constantly act, even in the most important affairs, without certainty of being right.

      1. Our business is not to vindicate God, but to learn our duty, governed as we are; which is a very different thing. It has been shown that if we knew all things, present, past, and future, and the relations of each thing to all other things, we might see to be just and good what now do not seem so: and it is probable we should.

      2. We do not say that objections against God’s justice and goodness are removed by showing the like objections against natural providence, but that they are not conclusive, because they apply equally to what we know to be facts.

      3. The existence of objections does not destroy the evidence of facts. The fact for instance that God rewards and punishes, though men may think it unjust. Even necessity, plead for human acts, does no more to abolish justice than it does injustice.

      4. Though the reasonableness of Christianity cannot be shown from analogy, the truth of it may. The truth of a fact may be proved without regard to its quality. The reasonableness of obeying Christianity is proved, if we barely prove Christianity itself to be possible.

      5. Though analogy may not show Christian precepts to be good, it proves them to be credible.

      1. What opinion does any man hold, about which there can be no doubt? Even the best way of preserving and enjoying this life, is not agreed upon. Whether our measures will accomplish our objects, is always uncertain; and still more whether the objects, if accomplished, will give us happiness. Yet men do not on this account refuse to make exertion.

      2. This objection overlooks the very nature of religion. The embracing of it presupposes a certain degree of candor and integrity, to try which, and exercise, and improve it, is its intention. Just as warning a man of danger, presupposes a disposition to avoid danger.

      3. Religion is a probation, and has evidence enough as such; and would not be such, if it compelled assent.

      4. We never mean by sufficient evidence, such an amount as necessarily determines a man to act, but only such as will show an action to be prudent.

      1. As just observed, religion is a test, and an exercise, of character; and that some reject it is nothing to our purpose. We are inquiring not what sort of creature man is, but what he should be. This is each man’s own concern.

      2. Religion, as a probation, accomplishes its end, whether individuals believe or not.

      3. Even this objection admits that religion has some weight, and of course it should have some influence; and if so, there is the same reason, though not so strong, for publishing it, that there would be, if it were likely to have greater influence.