, by
consequence, of the truth of the religion. Where a miraculous history is
not alleged, no part of this argument can be applied. We admit that
multitudes acknowledged the pretensions of Mahomet: but, these
pretensions being destitute of miraculous evidence, we know that the
grounds upon which they were acknowledged could not be secure grounds of
persuasion to his followers, nor their example any authority to us.
Admit the whole of Mahomet's authentic history, so far as it was of a
nature capable of being known or witnessed by others, to be true (which
is certainly to admit all that the reception of the religion can be
brought to prove), and Mahomet might still be an impostor, or
enthusiast, or a union of both. Admit to be true almost any part of
Christ's history, of that, I mean, which was public, and within the
cognizance of his followers, and he must have come from God. Where
matter of fact is not in question, where miracles are not alleged, I do
not see that the progress of a religion is a better argument of its
truth than the prevalency of any system of opinions in natural religion,
morality, or physics, is a proof of the truth of those opinions. And we
know that this sort of argument is inadmissible in any branch of
philosophy what ever.

But it will be said, if one religion could make its way without
miracles, why might not another? To which I reply, first, that this is
not the question; the proper question is not, whether a religious
institution could be set up without miracles, but whether a religion, or
a change of religion, founding itself in miracles, could succeed without
any reality to rest upon? I apprehend these two cases to be very
different: and I apprehend Mahomet's not taking this course, to be one
proof, amongst others, that the thing is difficult, if not impossible, to
be accomplished: certainly it was not from an unconsciousness of the
value and importance of miraculous evidence; for it is very observable,
that in the same volume, and sometimes in the same chapters, in which
Mahomet so repeatedly disclaims the power of working miracles himself,
he is incessantly referring to the miracles of preceding prophets. One
would imagine, to hear some men talk, or to read some books, that the
setting up of a religion by dint of miraculous pretences was a thing of
every day's experience: whereas, I believe that, except the Jewish and
Christian religion, there is no tolerably well authenticated account of