Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Title in the Series
- CHAPTER I Nature of the Argument
- CHAPTER II Argument in favour of Design from the changing of Laws in Natural Events
- CHAPTER III Argument to show that the Doctrines in the preceding Chapter do not lead to Fatalism
- CHAPTER IV On the Account of the Creation, in the First Chapter of Genesis
- CHAPTER V Further View of the same Subject
- CHAPTER VI Of the Desire of Immortality
- CHAPTER VII On Time
- CHAPTER VIII Argument from Laws intermitting—on the Nature of Miracles
- CHAPTER IX On the permanent Impression of our Words and Actions on the Globe we inhabit
- CHAPTER X On Hume's Argument against Miracles
- CHAPTER XI À priori Argument in favour of the Occurrence of Miracles
- CHAPTER XII Thoughts on the Nature of Future Punishments
- CHAPTER XIII Reflections on Free Will
- CHAPTER XIV Thoughts on the Origin of Evil
- CONCLUSION
- APPENDIX
- CORRECTIONS
CHAPTER VIII - Argument from Laws intermitting—on the Nature of Miracles
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 October 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Title in the Series
- CHAPTER I Nature of the Argument
- CHAPTER II Argument in favour of Design from the changing of Laws in Natural Events
- CHAPTER III Argument to show that the Doctrines in the preceding Chapter do not lead to Fatalism
- CHAPTER IV On the Account of the Creation, in the First Chapter of Genesis
- CHAPTER V Further View of the same Subject
- CHAPTER VI Of the Desire of Immortality
- CHAPTER VII On Time
- CHAPTER VIII Argument from Laws intermitting—on the Nature of Miracles
- CHAPTER IX On the permanent Impression of our Words and Actions on the Globe we inhabit
- CHAPTER X On Hume's Argument against Miracles
- CHAPTER XI À priori Argument in favour of the Occurrence of Miracles
- CHAPTER XII Thoughts on the Nature of Future Punishments
- CHAPTER XIII Reflections on Free Will
- CHAPTER XIV Thoughts on the Origin of Evil
- CONCLUSION
- APPENDIX
- CORRECTIONS
Summary
The object of the present chapter is to show that miracles are not deviations from the laws assigned by the Almighty for the government of matter and of mind; but that they are the exact fulfilment of much more extensive laws than those we suppose to exist. In fact, if we were endued with acuter senses and higher reasoning faculties, they are the very points we should seek to observe, as the test of any hypothesis we had been led to frame concerning the nature of those laws. Even with our present imperfect faculties we frequently arrive at the highest confirmation of our views of the laws of nature, by tracing their actions under singular circumstances.
The mode by which I propose to arrive at these conclusions is, by appealing to the judgment which each individual will himself form, when examining that piece of mere human mechanism, to which the argument so frequently compels me to advert. If he shall agree with me, that the second of the two views presented to him exhibits a higher degree of knowledge, and a higher exertion of power, than the first, he must inevitably conclude, that the view here taken of the nature of a miracle, assigns a far higher degree of power and knowledge to the Deity.
Let the reader again imagine himself sitting before the calculating engine, and let him again observe and ascertain, by lengthened induction, the nature of the law it is computing.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Ninth Bridgewater Treatise , pp. 93 - 108Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009First published in: 1837