rn
phrase, that no supposed miracle can be a real one, if it attest a
doctrine which bears this character. In the present work Tindal denied the
necessity and possibility of a new revelation distinct from natural
religion. He did not live to complete the concluding part of his book,
wherein he intended to show that all the truths of Christianity were as
old as the creation; i.e. were a republication of the religion of nature.

Tindal is an instance of those who have unconsciously kindled their torch
at the light of revelation. The religion of nature of which he speaks is a
logical idea, not an historic fact. The creation of it is analogous to the
mention of the idea of compact as the basis of society, a generalization
from its present state, not a fact of its original history. It is the
residuum of Christianity when the mysterious elements have been
subtracted. But in adopting the idea, the Deists were on the same level as
the Christians. Both alike travelled together to the end of natural
religion.(450) Here the Deist halted, willing to accept so much of
Christianity as was a republication of the moral law. The Christian, on
the other hand, found in reason the necessity for revelation, and
proceeded onward to revealed doctrines and positive precepts.

The works of the two writers Morgan and Chubb in part supply the defect
left in Tindal, the omission on the part of deism to show that Christian
truths were a republication of natural religion; the former especially
attacking the claims of the Jewish religion to be divine, the latter the
claims of the Christian.

Morgan's chief work,(451) the "Moral Philosopher," was published in 1737.
Starting from the moral point of view, the sole supremacy and sufficiency
of the moral law, the writer exhibits the necessity of applying the moral
test as the only certain criterion on the questions of religion, and
declines admitting the authority of miracles and prophecy to avail against
it,(452) an investigation suggested partly by the questions just named of
the ground of unbelief, and partly by the circumstance that the Christian
writers were beginning to dwell more strongly on the external evidences
when unbelievers professed the internal to be unsatisfactory. The adoption
of this test of truth prevents the admission of an historic revelation
with positive duties. He thinks with Tindal that natural religion is
perfect in itself, but seems to admit that it is so weak as to need
repu