date

10 Oct 1815 Jug True 3
10 Oct 1815

Jug True

3

Ch. Miracles

3

§. 1. Not so represented.

Numerous according to this account was the multitude not only of individual wonderworkers but even of classes of wonderworkers: and at least between every class and every other class of these wonder-workers a sort of competition had place: and to him who in numbers and value could exhibit the most extraordinary set of wonders the pre-eminence was assigned.

In this account as the reports made and written of the proceedings of any such wonder-worker who is such by profession, to every remarkable act stated as having been performed by him that colour and character which to the conception or imagination presented itself as most extraordinary would (in the description given of it) naturally and even without any formed intention to produce deception be employed: just as in the life of a military hero who is a warrior by profession, not only among any number of diversified accounts that by which the success is represented in the most brilliant colours is apt to be naturally employed in preference, to the rest, but every opportunity which presents itself as affording a chance of adding to the number, is readily embraced.

On the part of all followers, and in particular, on the part of the earliest and most zealous, a property similar to that which as above would be so apt to produce relations of wonders composed of real events either altogether ordinary or more or less extraordinary, with a varnish of the marvellous put upon them by the pen of the narrators, would naturally have place disposing them in any interpretation which it might be in their way to put upon it, to embrace with eagerness any such miracle, and to give to the colour contained in it, to perpetuate fasten upon it the appearance of a real miracle. Miracles were the things of all others for which, with the utmost anxiety they could not but be continually upon the look out for and, by such a disposition under such circumstances, may the faintest opportunity for making out a miracle so found, would not be provided as to be let go unimproved
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    Nick Hallam2013-08-09T16:41:00

    §. 1. Not so represented.

    Thus stands the matter at present in these our times. But of the distinction between what was extraordinary and thence wonderful in what was and the supernatural—between the extraordinary material and the supernatural no clear ordeterminate idea was in those days perhaps in any nation and in particular not in that nation entertained.

    In that nation, even down to that time a circumstance which in a particular degree contributed to keep off and exclude the idea of any such determinate time was the supposition in which the foundations of the natural religion had been laid. viz. that of an extraordinary part taken by almighty power at first in the creation and thenceforward in the preservation of this his chosen and pre-eminently formed people: a state of things for the designation of which the single word theocracy a god government is at present employed,

    Even in those very histories various degrees gradations of wonder-working power with so many correspondent classes of wonders are represented as having or at any rate (which suffices for the present purpose, as being thought to have place. 1. Wonders performed by magic. (a) 2. Wonders performed by the assistance of evil spirits. (2) 3. Wonders performed by use made of the name of Jesus though without authority from Jesus. (3) 4. Wonders performed by his disciples by commission from him. (a) 5. Wonders not capable of being performed even with the benefit of such a commission nor by any person but himself. (5)

    [marginal note:] See whether 1 & 2 are not the same.

    Quaere whether d o be false prophets are distinct from 1 & 2?

    (1)

    (2)

    (3)

    (4)

    (5)
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    III. Subsequential

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    By the offers thus made by the unbaptized and rejected wonder-worker, light is thrown upon the conversion of S t Paul, and the double transformation of Saul into Paul, and of the sinner into the Saint, of the persecutor into the supporter, accounted for upon the ground of ordinary experience, and without aid of recourse to an instrument so rare and so expensive, as that which has received the denomination of a miracle.
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    Of this vision what the design was is afterwards sufficiently declared. The profession he was to be bred to was that of a prophet: and by him acting in that character was the universally looked for deliverance, redemption, salvation to be promoted at least if not brought about, and for his reception in that character whatsoever there was that either was marvellous or was thought to be marvellous was a manifestly suitable preparative.