Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

many have laid a very great ftress on them, whilft fome few have queftioned their poffibility, and denied them to be of any use in matters of religion; I the more easily perfuaded myself to examine, with fome care, into the nature of miracles, and how far they are a proof of a divine miflion and authority, in him that would support fuch a claim by virtue of them.

[blocks in formation]

CHAP. I.

Of the nature of Miracles,

B

nature.

Y a miracle is generally understood fomething very extraordinary and furprifing; fome vifible effect above, or contrary to the common course, and laws of A definition more popular than exact; because the fame action may be contrary to the common laws of nature, when performed by one agent, that is very reconcileable with, and agreeable to those laws, when done by another; and therefore may be either miraculous, or not, according to the different circumstances, and capacities of the agent: Or the common laws of nature may be, in many inftances, changed and varied from, and yet no miracle in the cafe, viz. when the effect produced is but answerable to the power of him that produces it. Mr. Lock

Mr. Lock* defines a miracle, to be a fenfible operation, which, being above the comprehenfion of the spectator, and in his opinion contrary to the established courfe of nature, is taken by him to be divine.

But that this account cannot be just is evident, from what this great man afterwards fays, viz. † That 'tis agreed that a miracle must be that, which furpaffes the force of nature, in the established steady laws of caufes and effects. Doth it not hence follow, That a miracle must be fomewhat, not which is only judged to exceed, or furpass, but which actually doth surpass thefe laws? Indeed Mr. Lock feems to have been aware, that this definition would be liable to fome ftrong objections, which, I think, he hath not fufficiently removed. Particularly a miracle is hereby made to depend entirely on the opinion of the fpectator. It receives, according to him, its being, not from the nature of the operation performed, or the power of the agent, but from the judgment paffed on it by the beholder; which, in fhort, is to define a miracle to be nothing else, but the fiction of an idle,

[blocks in formation]

or credulous imagination. According to this notion, that which is really a miracle, or the most extraordinary, and fupernatural work, may poflibly be none at all, viz. if the fpectator fhould not happen to think it fo and thus our Saviour's most wonderful actions were miracles, or not, and fometimes both at once, according to the different judgments paffed on them, by those who faw them. And on the other hand, that which hath nothing of the nature of a miracle in it, may yet become a real one; viz. if the performer can find any persons, weak and fuperftitious enough to think it fo: and thus the impoftures and craft of the worst of men, may become divine works, and proper teftimonials of a divine miffion and authority. This I apprehend is the certain confequence of this definition, which is in reality to define it into quite nothing at all. Whereas a miracle, according to the meaning of the facred writings, is fomewhat real; fomewhat out of the common and ordinary course of nature, whatever be the opinion and judgment of of the fpectator concerning it. This makes no alteration in the nature of the action,

or

or in the power by which it is performed.

I thought it the more neceffary, to take notice of this definition, because of the great authority and weight, which Mr. Lock supposes every miracle neceffarily to carry with it; viz. That every miracle is a divine atteStation to every person that pretends to a divine million; * or that whofoever comes with, or profeffes to come with a message from God, cannot be refused belief, if he vouches his miffion by miracles, because his credentials have a right to it; and again that it carries an obligation upon him that believes the miracle, to believe in and fubmit to every fuck pretender to revelation. If indeed any perfon, pretending to a divine miffion, doth an action, which appears fo wonderful, as that any of the fpectators look upon it as divine, or performed by the immediate interpofition of God's power; fuch perfons undoubtedly, whilft under this perfuafion, must look up. on him that performs the work, as acting by a divine influence, and upon them

[ocr errors]

p. 452. t 453.

« AnteriorContinuar »