A DISCOURSE O F MIRACLE S. T O difcourfe of Miracles without dèfining what one means by the word Miracle, is to make a fhew, but in effect to talk of nothing. A Miracle then I take to be a fenfible Operation, which being above the compre henfion of the Spectator, and in his Opini on contrary to the establish'd Course of Nature, is taken by him to be Divine. He that is present at the fact, is a Spectator: He that believes the Hiftory of the fact, puts himself in the place of a Spectator. This Definition, 'tis probable, will not escape these two Exceptions. 1. That hereby what is a Miracle is made very uncertain; for it depending on the Opinion of the Spectator, that will be a Miracle to one which will not be fo to another. In answer to which, it is enough to say, that this Objection is of no force, but in the Mouth of one who can produce a definition of a Miracle not liable to the fame exception, 217 exception, which I think not eafie to do ; for it being agreed, that a Miracle must be that which furpaffes the force of Nature in the establish'd, steady Laws of Causes and Effects, nothing can be taken to be a Miracle but what is judg'd to exceed those Laws. Now every one being able to judge of thofe Laws only by his own acquaintance with Nature, and notions of its Force (which are different in different Men) it is unavoidable that That fhould be a Miracle to one, which is not fo to another. 2. Another Objection to this Definition, will be, that the notion of a Miracle thus enlarged, may come fometimes to take in Operations that have nothing extraordinary or fupernatural in them, and thereby invalidate the ufe of Miracles for the attesting of Divine Revelation. To which I anfwer, not at all, if the Teftimony which Divine Revelation receives from Miracles be rightly confider'd. To know that any Revelation is from God, it is neceffary to know that the Miffenger that delivers it is fent from God, and that cannot be known but by fome credentials given him by God himself. Let us fee then whether Miracles, in my fenfe, be not fuch credentials, and will not infallibly direct us right in the fearch of Divine Revelation. h It is to be confider'd, that Divine Revelation receives Teftimony from no other Miracles, but fuch as are wrought to witnefs his Million from God who delivers the Revelation. All other Miracles that are done in the World, how many or great foever, Revelation is not concern'd in. Cafes wherein there has been, or can be need of Miracles for the confirmation of Revelation are fewer than perhaps is imagin'd. The heathen World amidst an infinite and uncertain jumble of Deities, Fables and Worships had no room for a divine Atteftation of any one against the reft. Those owners of many Gods were at liberty in their Worship; and no one of their Divinities pretending to be the one only true God, no one of them could be fuppos'd in the Pagan Scheme to make use of Miracles to establish his Worship alone, or to abolish that of the others; much lefs was there any ufe of Miracles to confirm any Articles of Faith, fince no one of them had any fuch to propofe as necellary to be believ'd by their Votaries. And therefore I do not remember any Miracles recorded in the Greek or Roman Writers, as done to confirm any one's Miflion and Doctrine. Conformable hereunto we find St. Paul, 1 Cor. i. 22. takes notice that the Jews ('tis true) requir'd. Miracles, but as for the Greeks they look'd after fomething |