[289] [Butler states this argument with more than his usual brevity, and its force is not seen without reflection. “If contrivance or accident could have given to Christianity _any_ of its apparent testimonies, its miracles, its prophecies, its morals, its propagation, or [the character of] its founder, there could be no room to believe, or even imagine, that _all_ these appearances of great credibility, could be _united together_, by any such means. If successful craft could have contrived its public miracles, or the pretence of them, it requires another reach of craft, to adopt its prophecies to the same object. Further, it required not only a different, but a totally opposite art to conceive and promulgate its admirable morals. Again, its propagation, in defiance of the powers and terrors of the world, implied still other qualities of action. Lastly, the model of the life of its founder, is a work of such originality and wisdom, as could be the offspring only of consummate powers of invention, or rather never could have been _devised_, but must have come from real life. The hypothesis sinks under its incredibility. Each of these suppositions of contrivance, being arbitrary and unsupported, the climax of them is an extravagance.”--DAVISON, on Prophecy.] [290] 1 John iv. 18.--[“There is no fear in love,” &c.] [291] [Obedience from dread, if it continue to be the only motive, precludes advance toward perfection; for “He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” But obedience from a discernment of the reasonableness and beneficence of religion, and of the perfections of its Author, increases love till it “casteth out fear.”] [292] [See a discussion of this subject, in BAYLE’S Historical and Biographical Dictionary: art. XENOPHANES: notes D, E, F, G.] [293] See Dissertation II. [294] [It is remarked by DEAN FITZGERALD, that “It is not inconceivable that the Almighty should apply such a test of men’s candor and fidelity, as should require them first to act upon a thing as true, before they were so fully satisfied of its truth as to leave no doubt remaining. Such a course of action might be the appointed, and for all we know, the only possible way of overcoming habits of thought and feeling, repugnant to the belief demanded, so that a fixed religious faith might be the reward, as it were, of a sincere course of prudent behavior.”] [295] By _arguing upon the principles of others_, the reader will observe is meant, not proving any thing _from_ those principles, but _notwithstanding_ them. Thus religion is proved, not _from_ the opinion of necessity; which is absurd: but, _notwithstanding_ or _even though_ that opinion were admitted to be true. [296] P. 141, &c. [297] Prov. xx. 27. [298] Serm. at the _Rolls_, p. 106. [299] John iii. 16: Heb. v. 9. [300] P. 258, &c. [301] Locke’s Works, vol. i. p. 146. [302] Locke, pp. 146, 147. [303] Locke, p. 152.