2. In the second place, the writers disagreed among themselves. They
differed as to the value of different kinds of evidence. Some were all
for external evidences, and some were all for internal evidences. Some
said there was no such thing as internal evidence. 'The very idea of
such a thing,' said they, 'supposes that man is able to judge what
doctrines are true, or rational, or worthy of God; and what precepts,
laws, institutions, and examples are right and good; and man has no such
power. Reason has no right to judge revelation. All that reason has a
right to do is to judge as to the matter of fact whether the Bible and
Christianity be really a revelation from God or not, and, if it be, what
is its purport. As to the reasonableness of the doctrines, and the
goodness of the precepts, reason has no right or power to judge at all.'
Others contended that miracles could never prove the truth or divinity
of any system of doctrines or morals that did not commend itself to the
judgments and consciences of enlightened, candid, and virtuous men.
These two parties, between them, condemned both kinds of evidence.
3. Then thirdly; some used unsound arguments. They used arguments
founded on mistakes with regard to matters of fact. Grotius, for
instance, based two of his arguments for the existence of God on
misconceptions of this kind.
Pages:
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475