natural, not in the thing done, but only in the manner of doing it. (9.) It is not necessary that every supernatural operation or effect should consist in or imply a suspension of any of the laws of nature. A suspension of any of these laws necessarily supposes the existence of some positive law, and of some real force or power, whose effects are superseded by such suspension. Now, many effects may be produced in nature by supernatural agents which do not suspend the effects of any positive law, but only require a power superior to that of a natural agent to perform them. Even man can perform many things in creatures, and produce many effects in them, without violating or suspending any positive law of nature: much more may we suppose supernatural beings capable of doing so. In the case above mentioned of an angel communicating almost instantaneously the knowledge of events occurring in the most distant parts of the world, there is no positive law of nature suspended, but an effect produced which, as to its manner, no natural agent is capable of performing. In like manner, should Almighty God in a moment give to any man an infused knowledge of the sciences, or the power of speaking all languages, these effects would not be contrary to any positive law of nature, nor would they imply a suspension of any power in nature; but it is plain that they would be the effects of a power superior to that of any natural agent, as no power in nature can communicate the instantaneous knowledge of these things to man. Of the same nature also is the raising a person from the dead, in which there is no positive law of nature violated, no effect of any natural power suspended; but, as in the former cases, a new effect is produced out of the ordinary course of nature, and exceeding the power of all natural agents. Many other similar cases will occur to every intelligent reader, which we shall call effects produced out of, or besides, the usual course of nature, to distinguish them from those which imply a suspension of any of its laws. (10.) However great may be the strength of created supernatural agents, it has its limits, beyond which it cannot reach. How far it can extend in affecting the material creation, we are unable to determine. It would seem probable that no created agent could suspend those higher laws of nature by which the general frame of this universe is preserved; for to what purpose would a power have been given to them which they will never have occasion to exercise as long as the world shall endure? And when the final dissolution comes, it seems altogether more befitting that the same Almighty Word which at first enacted these laws should Himself annul them. Besides these more universal laws there may even be many others the suspension of which exceeds the strength of any created agent; and as for effects which are out of the usual course of nature, there must be many such producible in the material creation, which can be performed only by the almighty hand of the Creator. As He made all creatures at the beginning, and gave them their respective natures, qualities, and powers, so He alone can dispose of them as He pleases-alter their natures, deprive them of their powers, change or annihilate them entirely, as He pleases. These effects are all supernatural with regard to us, and indeed are so in the most extensive signification of the word; but when we have occasion to speak of them as distinct from the operations of supernatural created agents, we shall call them divine. IV. From these observations it will be easy to ascertain the proper meaning to be affixed to the word miracle. When we see any of the known laws of nature suspended by the power of a superior known law acting against itfor instance, when a stone is thrown upwards by a man's hand, or when we see any effect produced for which we know an adequate natural cause-we are not surprised. But were we to see any of the known laws of nature suspended without perceiving any cause capable of doing so were we to see a stone rising from the earth and flying upwards-or, if never having seen nor heard of an eclipse, we should hear an astronomer foretell that at such an hour the sun would become dark, and if this prediction should be literally fulfilled at the time appointed,— we would be filled with wonder and astonishment. Now, as the word miracle, according to its etymology, signifies a wonderful thing, or a thing that causes wonder, in its most general sense it may be used to signify all cases of this kind, whether natural or supernatural; and in this more loose and general signification it is not unfrequently applied in common conversation; for, in relating or hearing anything extraordinary or unusual, we say, It is a miracle! it is miraculous! without considering whether it may arise from natural causes or not. But this is not the sense in which it is used when we speak with precision; and if we examine the idea which we have when we mean a miracle properly such, and which accords with the general sentiments of the Christian world, we shall find the following observations holding true : I. That it implies an operation, or an effect produced, in this material creation, consequently capable of being known to one or other of our senses; so that the material sensible creation, to which we give the name of nature, is the subject-matter in which miracles are performed. 2. That this effect must be extraordinary-that is, either directly contrary to the known laws of nature, and to the natural powers of creatures, which are regulated and determined by those laws; or, that it be besides the usual course of nature, either as to the effect produced or the manner of producing it. For the moment we conceive that any event, however uncommon, may arise from natural causes, or is conformable to the usual course of nature, we immediately lose the idea of its being a miracle. 3. That this operation or effect be not only performed by a supernatural agent, but also that we be persuaded there is no natural agent capable of performing it, at least in the manner; for here also we find that our idea of the miraculous in any event immediately ceases the moment we suspect that it may be produced by natural agents. 4. That this supernatural agent be either God Himself, or His holy angels commissioned by Him. In Christian theology, there is no doubt but that the devil and his wicked spirits can, by the strength and abilities which are natural to them, perform many extraordinary things in the material creation; yet certain it is, as the same theology assures us, and as we shall afterwards see in its proper place,* that Almighty God will never permit them so to exercise this power as that their operations cannot be distinguished from those of God Himself, or of His good angels. One idea which the Christian world has constantly attached to miracles is, that they are the seal and language of God, by which He speaks to the heart of man; and it has always been convinced that God never will permit Satan so to usurp this seal, or so to speak in this language, as to be mistaken for God Himself; but * See Chapter X. on the Criterion. * mis serrabrdinary operations which he is ever so proríum in the material world, are either in mb, klys kn/1 proposed, in the manner of perRaming Mysm, ancnd ul with such circumstances as evibuty momitog the source Bom which they flow. 66 The firm poramasion is grounded upon the prediction Swvion of the extraordinary signs and wonders thed will be poilored towards the end of the world by labo (hunde and tales proplicts, through the agency of gdan, whog minsters these are; and which signs, He Well, u will be many und so great at that time, as he load of it were pozable) oven the elect into error,' Mark vent, which expresstout evidently shows that though thes 44 and wonders will be great, vet their delusion will not be undig overable, but that the elect will discover it, suid Gospe being deceived by it. 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