On this page
-
Text (1)
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
disciples , the established law of nature with regard to the multiplication of these substances was evidently violated , or interrupted , of departed from , and to object to the language of Hum £ , is but to wrangle about a term ; for it conveys an idea to the mind that h perfectly distinct , and definite , and adeouate to the thing signified .
. But Bereanus says it does not ; and why ? Because , as it is alleged , the laws of nature are not known to us ; *< the causes which produce those effects of which we have an unalterable
experience , having hitherto eluded the test of experimental philosophy , and baffled the reasonings of human wisdom . " This representation is discouraging enough , it must be confessed ; but if it were even true , it would not
affect the point at issue . It must be admitted , indeed , that the experimental philosopher is not always so felicitous as to detect the causes of the phenomena which he investigates ; Feliat qui p&tuit rerum cagnoscere causas ; but when he cannot detect the efficient
eause , he can at least watch and observe the way in which it acts . This serves his purpose just as well as if he knew the cause itself , for he can calculate upon its operations with the
utmost certainty . It is the modus eperandi , therefore , and not the causes of things , that is meant by the laws of » ature . Thus there is a power existing in nature , by which the planets tend towards the sun as a centre , and
that power philosophers have denominated gravitation ; not that they pretend to have any knowledge of the nature or essence of that power ; but merely that it is convenient to give it a , name . But they have a very distinct conception and definite idea of its modus operandi 9 or of the law by
which it acts ; and that is truly and properly , and to all intents and purposes , a law of nature , which would be violated , or interrupted , or departed from , if this earth were to sta ^ d still , or to fly off from its orbit at a tangent , instead of continuing to revolve around the sun in its usual course . It is
evident , therefore , that Bereanusidea of what is meant by a law of nature , is not eoirect . Let us now attend to the definition that he would substitute in the place etf Hume's . It is as follows : " A miracle is a work superior to human
Untitled Article
power , which God enables a ttiesgeftge ? to perform in attestation of his difiae mission , by the immediate agency of physical or material causes . " W hy the performance of the miracle should be confined to the agency of physical or material causes , ( if there be anv
other causes in nature , ) I am at a loss to conjecture . But the most remarkable thing in the definition 19 , that it contains a contradiction . A miracle is said to be superior to human power , and yet it is , at the same time , said to
be performed by a human being . This human being is enabled , indeed , to per « r form it , by the especial favour of God , and for a particular purpose . But this , after all , is to make God the worker of the miracle , which Bereanu *
readily acknowledges ; indeed BotbiBg else will do ; for we cannot ascribe the ; working of a miracle to a » y being who is supposed to be unacquainted with the rationale of the process of operation , or incapable of commanding the
agency of the causes which are to produce the desired effect . If we try , by this criterion , the miracle of making the sun stand still , as alleged by some to have been achieved by Joshua , we shall find that he really had nothirfg to do in the matter . Bereanus informs
us , that he knew nothing of the diurnal revolution of the earth ; and I coiHend , & fortiori , that he knew nothing of the means of stopping it . How then can we ascribe to him the performance of the miracle ? If the
phenomenon happened when he said , — " Sun , stand thou still / ' all he did was to give an indication of the period at which God was pleased to display the miracle ; as the index of a clock points out the instant at which the hour is to strike .
Still Bereanus is desiiyus of making it appear , that what we call a miracle is not really a deviation from the general laws of nature , but a consequence of their agency . I have no objection ; to the explaining of miracle * in this way where it is practicable > and perhaps some of the miracles recorded in Hol y Writ have been , in this way , successfully explained * parj icu "; larly by Mr . King , in his Morsels oj Criticism . But there are others , whick
I am persuaded , it is not possible so to explain . ' ± At any rate , I cannot think tm * Bermnus » Ms befca « u « WP # * k W * &
Untitled Article
ftftfi On Miracles .
-
-
Citation
-
Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1821, page 586, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2505/page/18/
-