10 Oct 1815

Jug True

1

Ch. Miracle

1

§. 1. Not so represented.

1. Escape at Nazareth

2. Sea walking

3. Fish tribute money catching

4.} Multitude feeding miracles - Quaere Fact converted by exaggeration into miracle

5.}

1. Transactions or Incidents since considered, but by the relators not meant to be represented as miracles—i.e. as effects in the production of which superhuman power was employed.

At present the word miracles is become a sort of technical term: a word exclusively appointed to the office of designating such extraordinary effects in the production of which power altogether superhuman has been employed.

In the distinctions thus made an assumption is contained that between such effects as are capable of man himself is capable of being produced by man alone and such as are not producible otherwise than by a special exertion of the power of God a line a clear line of separation has been or at least may be drawn.

At present in the minds of such persons as have gone through any ordinary course of instruction on the physical branch of science a line of this sort is MS alt. illegible. actually drawn or at least is upon demand capable of being drawn at any time. To them it is known what sorts of extraordinary appearances the already required of powers and treasures of art and science enable man to produce: supposing it really to have had place, any event or states of things of a kind neither as yet known to have been produced by unssisted nature nor seen to be producible by any of these known powers of man, is carried to the account of miracles.