een heard; for at the time when it was
written, the doubts were everywhere current. Similar objections have
been raised against the 'Analogy' in modern days, but the popular
verdict will not be easily reversed.

Next in importance to Butler's 'Analogy' is a far more voluminous and
pretentious work, that of Bishop Warburton on 'The Divine Legation of
Moses.' It is said to have been called forth by Morgan's 'Moral
Philosopher.' If so, it is somewhat curious that Warburton himself in
noticing this work deprecates any answer being given to it.[163]

But, at any rate, we have Warburton's own authority for saying that his
book had special reference to the Deists or Freethinkers (for the terms
were then used synonymously).

He begins the dedication of the first edition of the first three books
to the Freethinkers with the words, 'Gentlemen, as the following
discourse was written for your use, you have the best right to this
address.'

The argument of the 'Divine Legation' is stated thus by Warburton
himself in syllogistic form:--

'I. Whatsoever Religion and Society have no future state for their
support, must be supported by an extraordinary Providence.

'The Jewish Religion and Society had no future state for their support.

'Therefore, the Jewish Religion and Society was supported by an
extraordinary Providence.

'II. It was universally believed by the ancients on their common
principles of legislation and wisdom, that whatsoever Religion and
Society have no future state for their support, must be supported by an
extraordinary Providence.

'Moses, skilled in all that legislation and wisdom, instituted the
Jewish Religion and Society without a future state for its support.

'Therefore,--Moses, who taught, believed likewise that _this_ Religion
and Society was supported by an extraordinary Providence.'

The work is a colossal monument of the author's learning and industry:
the range of subjects which it embraces is enormous; and those who
cannot agree with his conclusions either on the main argument, or on the
many collateral points raised, must still admire the vast research and
varied knowledge which the writer displays. It is, however, a book more
talked about than read at the present day. Indeed, human life is too
short to enable the general reader to do more than skim cursorily over a
work of such proportions. Warburton's theory was novel and startling;
and perhaps few even of the Deistical writers themselve