understanding, than falls to the share of the bulk of mankind; or
else are very precarious in themselves, since we know that in the
first centuries there were numberless forged Gospels, and
Apocryphal writings imposed upon the credulous as apostolic and
authentic; and there were in the Apostles times, as many, and as
great heresies and schisms as perhaps have been since in any age
of the Church. So that, setting aside the before mentioned internal
proofs from prophecy, (which were the Apostle's proofs and in
their nature sufficient of themselves) we should have no certain
proof at all for the Religion of the New Testament.

On the other hand, if the proofs for Christianity from the Old
Testament, are not valid, if the arguments founded on that Book be
not conclusive, and the Prophecies cited from thence be not
fulfilled, then has Christianity no just foundation; for the
foundation on which Jesus and his Apostles built it is then invalid,
and false. Nor can miracles, said to have been wrought by Jesus,
and his Apostles in behalf of Christianity, avail anything in the
case. For miracles can never render a foundation valid, which is in
itself invalid; can never make a false inference true; can never
make a prophecy fulfilled, which is not fulfilled; and can never
designate a Messiah, or Jesus for the Messiah, if both are not
marked out in the Old Testament; no more than they could prove
the earth to be the sun, or a mouse a lion.

Besides, miracles said to have been wrought, may be often justly
decided false reports, when attributed to persons who claim an
authority from the Old Testament, which they impertinently
alledge to support their pretentions. God can never be supposed
often to permit miracles to be done for the confirmation of a false,