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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29780	Miracles, work's above and contrary to nature, or, An answer to a late translation out of Spinoza's Tractatus theologico-politicus, Mr. Hobbs's Leviathan, &c. published to undermine the truth and authority of miracles, Scripture, and religion, in a treatise entituled, Miracles no violation of the laws of nature.	Browne, Thomas, 1654?-1741.	1683 (1683)	Wing B5062; ESTC R1298	42,132	76

nothing in the World happens contrary to Nature but that Nature keeps an eternal fixt and immutable Order Before I come to examine his Arguments I shall 1. State what is meant by Nature and the Laws of it in this Controversy 2. Lay down the main Grounds whereupon the possibility of Miracles depends 1. What is the meaning of the Word Nature and the Laws of it in this Controversy A Miracle in the common acceptation of the Word which Spinoza opposes is taken for a Work beside above or contrary to Nature beside the order above the force and contrary to the Laws of it Now the Word Nature may be taken in many Significations Eeither 1. For the Essence of any but properly of Material and Corruptible Beings Or 2. For the Aggregate of them the Material World Or 3. For the Author of Nature God himself called thence Natura Naturans Or Lastly For the Order of the several Bodies as they act amongst one another according to their innate Powers and Dispositions Now the acception of the Word here is for the Aggregate of Bodies in the World and the Order wherein they act amongst one another And so the Laws of Nature must be such as determine the Manner wherein Natural bodies act among themselves whether they be the general Laws of Motion which determine how each part of Matter must be moved upon the occurrence of other Bodies or particular Laws impressed upon their several Natures determining each to act in such or such a particular manner The question therefore about the possibility of Miracles must be this Whether there can be any such Effects in the Material World as are beside above or contrary to the Order wherein Natural Bodies are determined to act among themselves i. e. such Effects as transcend their Power and Efficacy and deviate from or are repugnant to the general or particular Laws of motion determining them to act 2. The Question therefore thus stated I am to shew what are the main Grounds whereupon the Possibility of Miracles depends And I think it may be rationally deduced from these Principles God is able to effect any thing which neither does 1. Imply a Contradiction in the Nature of the thing it self nor 2. Is repugnant to the Nature of God and his infinite Perfection Omnipotence is properly a Power to bring any thing to Effect which does not imply a Contradiction and the Contradiction must lie in one or the other of these two I am to shew therefore that a Miracle or a Work above Nature is not impossible upon either Account 1. A Miracle does not imply a Contradiction in the Nature of the Thing Every Miraculous effect is either a Production of something by a Supernatural Power or a Suspension or utter Abolition of its Being The thing produced or destroyed by Miracle is either Matter it self or a Form Quality Motion or any other Accident of it 1. Matter as suppose a new Portion of it created beyond the extent of this World or the Matter of this World or any determinate Portion of it reduced to nothing 2. A Form Quality Motion or any other Accident of Matter as suppose 1. God should endue any part of Matter with a Form Quality or any other Accident above or contrary to what it other wise might or should have by the course of Nature 2. God should devest any part of Matter of any Form Quality Motion c. which otherwise it must have by the course of Nature Two kinds of Miracles therefore we have here 1. When a portion of Matter is created a-new or reduced to nothing 2. When a Form Quality or Motion or a-any other Accident of Matter is produced suspended or destoyed in a Supernatural Manner And to these two are reducible all Effects above or contrary to the Order of Nature as the whole Frame and Order of Nature is made up of Matter and the Forms Qualities Motions and other Accidents thereof Now neither of these implyes a Contradiction in the Nature of The thing 1. It does not imply a Contradiction for a Portion of Matter to be created a-new or to be reduced to nothing Matter in its own Nature is a Being possible and contingent Possible because its Idea or Conception is not a mere Chimaera and a Notion that destroys it self contingent because it 's Idea or Conception does not include necessity of Existence If matter therefore be in its own Nature a thing possible then unless the Matter of the present World be extended in infinitum which is a Contradiction there is still room and possibility for more to be created but this must be by Miracle quia ex nihilo nihil fit naturaliter Again if matter be in its own Nature a contingent being the Matter of the World or any determinate Portion of it may cease to be or be reduce to nothing but this too must be by Miracle quia in nihilum nihil revertitur naturaliter Possibile therefore it is in the Nature of the thing for a Portion of Matter to be created a-new or reduced to nothing 2. It does not imply a Contradiction for a Form Quality Motion or other Accident of Matter to be produced suspended or destroyed in a Supernatural manner For instance the Form of a Serpent to be produced and again destroyed in Aarons Rod the form and qualities of Blood in the Waters of the Nile of Lice in the Dust of the Earth of Wine in the Water at the Marriage Feast at Cana of Galilee The qualities and powers of Sight in the Blind Hearing in the Deaf Speech in the Dumb Strengh in the Lame Health in the Sick Life in the Dead lastly the form of Bread or the very Humane Nature it self in the matter of a Stone The motion of Ten degrees backward in the Sun for a Sign to Hezekiah and the Suspension of his Natural Motion for a considerable time at the request of Joshua the production or determination of Fire from Heaven at the Word and Prayer of Elijah upon his Sacrifice and the Captains c. sent to apprehend him and the suspension of the action of Fire in Nebuchadnezzar's Furnace The production or determination of the Wind to bring the Locusts and drive them back and to force back the Waters of the Red-Sea at the stretching forth of Moses's Rod And the ceasing of the Wind and Storm at our Saviours command In all these Instances there is nothing done but only a Form Quality Motion or the like produced suspended or destroyed in the parts of Matter by a Power above Nature And that nothing of all this implies any Contradiction in the Nature of the thing may be thus made to appear Matter in its own Nature is indifferently susceptible of any Form or Qualities imaginable and therefore is in it self capable at any time of being without those Forms and Qualities which it has or of having any others instead thereof Capable it is

was to be Worshipped I pass by what he says of Solomon and the Author of the 73 Psalm their doubts were about such things wherein Miracles were not proper means to inform them viz. Why the wicked prosper in this life What he has besides under this Head is 1. A profane abuse of the Scripture instead of an Answer to those plain Expressions therein where God is said to have wrought his Miracles that he might make his power to be known and that the Israelites might know that he was God This he says is not as if the Scripture meant that Miracles are in themselves convincing Arguments but onely that the Holy Spirit makes use of them as Arguments ad hominem that is for want of better Evidences he is fain to take all the advantage he can of their pre-conceived Opinions however irrational and absurd and makes these his Topicks as most effectual to perswade or convince them and in this sense he interprets what St. Paul says that to the Jews he became as a Jew to the Greeks as a Oreek that is argued with both not from any true and rational Principles but by making the best use he could of their prejudices and prepossessions to gain them to his side 2. That it is not consistent with true Philosophy that God in the Order and Course of his Providence should be conceived to take greater care of one person or Nation than another viz. he is not only bound to provide for all whatsoever means are necessary for their happiness but also obliged not to give any one Man over and above any degree of Grace which he does not equally impart to all the World To answer these two Positions fully we should be obliged to examine Spinoza's second and third Chapter of his Tractatus Theologico-Polit whereto he refers us for the demonstration of both I pass on therefore to the third thing he proposes to make out viz. That the Scripture by the Decrees and Commands and consequently the Providence of God understands nothing else but the fixt and immutable Order of Nature This he attempts to prove two ways 1. By Instance 2. Because the Scriptute relates several Circumstances in the production of those Effects that are commonly held to be supernatural His Instances are some that I mentioned above in my Answer to the Premonition viz. God telling Samuel He would send him a Man out of the land of Benjamin which was onely Sauls coming to him to enquire about the Asses God being said to turn the hearts of the Egyptians so that they hated the Israelites who yet it appears were moved to hate them upon Politique Accounts Gods saying He would set his Bow in the Sky and yet the Rainbow and undoubted Effect of Nature So also the melting of the Snow called Gods Word and the Wind and Fire his Ministers I grant that the Scripture in these Instances by Gods Decrees or Commands means no more than the Laws of Nature but his Argument ought to conclude universally for which a few instances in such particulars wherein it holds are not sufficient It is enough for me to name some things which the Scripture relates as the Decrees and Purposes of God which yet could never take effect by the mere Course of Nature As for Instance That a Virgin should conceive and bear a Child That three Men should be cast into Nebuchadnezzar's Furnace and the same Fire kill those persons that came so near to the Mouth of the Furnace as to throw them in and yet not so much as singe a hair of their heads though thrown into the midst of it That the Sun should stand still at the word of a Man Fire come down from Heaven at the command of another the Sea be stilled the Dead raised the Devils cast out at the Word Touch and Shadow of others All these Effects the Scripture sets down as wrought by the Decree and Order of Almighty God but not I presume by the Course of Nature In a word the Answer has been given before That the Scripture a scribes all Effects to God natural or above Nature and as from it's ascribing the Effects of Nature to God without mentioning how he produces them we cannot justly conclude that it records them for miraculous so on the other hand from its speaking of supernatural Effects in the same manner we have as little reason to infer that it means nothing by them but the Order of Nature His second Reason is because the Scripture relates several Circumstances in the production of Miracles which Circumstances he says do shew that these Miracles required Natural Causes So the Sprinkling of Ashes required to produce the Plague of Scabs an East Wind to bring the Locusts and a West Wind to drive them away an East Wind likewise to drive back the Red Sea Elijah's laying his Body upon the Body of the Shunamites Child in order to raise it to life again If he argue to the purpose he must grant that these Circumstances which he makes requisite in the Order of Nature to produce these Effects were also proper and suffi●ient in the Order of Nature to produce them either wholely or in part And indeed the Wind may seem a very proper Instrument to bring and carry away the Locusts and to drive back the Sea but the raising of the Wind and determination of it is ascribed to another Circumstance not very proper to be the efficient Cause of it viz. the stretching out of Moses's Hand and his Rod. And this commonly was the first Circumstance in every Miracle which Moses wrought and therefore though it were not sufficient to produce those Effects immediately and by it self yet it must be supposed proper to set all the other subordinate Causes on Motion For their requiring natural Causes because related with some Circumstances concurring to their production must imply that these Circumstances were the Natural Causes requisite And if so then Moses's Rod had many great many occult yet Natural Qualities very-hard indeed to explain or conceive and very admirable though not miraculous as of raising and laying Winds and Storms of Thunder and Hail turning the Water into Blood bringing Frogs out of the River producing Lace out of the Dust Water out of the Rock c. To be short the Circumstances commonly mentioned as concurrent to the production of Miracles are so far from proving that they had Natural Causes that they prove the contrary For if they had any Natural Causes these Circumstances must be all or part of them but they are such as are in no wise qualified to produce the Effects ascribed to them in the Order of Nature therefore must be qualified for it by a Supernatural Power which can produce quidlibet ex quolibet and make any thing instrumental to what Purposes and Effects it pleases For Instance the Clay and the Spittle were the immediate Instruments applied by our

Saviour to the Eyes of the Blind and Tongue of the Dumb-man The mention whereof in the account of these Miracles if it prove that they required Natural Causes then these were the Causes requisite these they had and these immediately produced the Effects This they could not by the force of Nature therefore by Miracle and so his Argument destroys it self But farther what if many are produced without any Circumstances at all but purely at the Word and Will of the person that works them This he says we cannot be assured of from the Scripture because there may have been some though not mentioned there he refers to Exod. 14.27 compared with Ex. 15.10 But what if the Scripture does not only not make mention of any but in a manner declares there were none So in our Saviours stilling the Storm the very Reflection that his Disciples make upon that Miracle proves that it was wrought by his bare Word and not by the Application of any Means much less Natural Before he draws his Conclusion from these Arguments he answers an Objection from Scripture viz. That Famins are said to be caused by the sins of Men and the like and Rain and Plenty restored by their Prayers c. His Answer is that the Scripture does here speak ad hominem and with the same Propriety as when it says that God is angry sorrowful repents or the like and that it is not true that any of these are the Causes of the Effects ascribed to them Here 1. Methinks he is wary in his Answer He might have granted that Famine is sent for the sins of Men and Rain and fruitful Seasons for a return to their Prayers and Repentance and yet have denied that either of these is wrought by Miracle For Nature is ordered and directed by the Wisdom and Providence of Almighty God as well as preserved and upheld by his Power and therefore his Wisdom may so direct it as often even by the Course of Nature to execute his divine purposes whether of Judgment or Mercy He sees our Actions and hears our Prayers from all eternity and therefore may as he has the whole Order of Nature before his eyes direct and determine the certain and necessary Events of it to their proper Seasons and make them Instrumental to the accomplishing of his purposes whether of shewing favour or executing wrath upon the Sons of Men. Thus therefore he need not be so strict as to deny any possibility of God's punishing us for our sins in the Order of Nature for fear lest it should betray him unawares to the concession of a Miracle Natural Causes indeed our Sins or P●ayers are not of these Effects nor yet Supernatural neither but moral only and meritorious as God upon view of either determines to punish or reward us But suppose it were not so 2. He gives but a very mean Solution of the difficulty that the Scripture speaks improperly here and in condescension to the Capacities and Opinions of the Vulgar as it does when it says that God is angry sorrowful or repents We grant the Scripture may be conceived to be obliged to speak in this manner concerning the incomprehensible Nature of God and such of his Perfections the modes whereof it is not necessary we should have explained to us how they are and act in him but yet it is not necessary that it should speak of every thing in the same manner or that every thing that it says should be shuffled off by this or the like suggestion Nothing is more natural and easie to be conceived than that God does punish or reward our good or bad Actions and that in this life and that his Justice and Wisdom will oblige him to do it as he takes upon him the Government of the World though it be very hard for the Vulgar to conceive how he does it without anger or displeasure and the contrary affections Therefore the Scripture may be conceived to speak of the one in condescention to our Capacities though yet no reason why it should be presumed to speak of the other in like manner I proceed to his fourth and last undertaking viz. To treat of the manner of interpreting the Scripture Miracles and what things are chiefly to be observed in the Relations about them Or as the Translator to shew that most Men have erred in their way of interpreting the Miracles recorded in the Holy Scripture To set us right he directs us in the reading of the Scripture-narrations about Miracles to enquire into two things 1. The particular Opinions and Prejudices of the Relator 2. The Idioms Phrases and Tropes of the Hebrew Tongue The first because generally all Historians relate the events they speak of suitable to their own Conjectures Opinions and Prejudices The other because otherwise we may from the Scripture-Style conceive some things to be related for Miracles which really are not For the first he instances in Joshua 10. v. 12 13. where the Account of the extraordinary length of that Day is given according to the common opinion of the Sun 's and not the Earth's motion For the Second in some allegorical places out of the Prophets Zachariah 14. v. 7. Isa 13. v. 10.48 v. ult By these two insinuations he would elude the force of all the clear and plain narrations about miracles in Scripture To the first and the instance he brings for it I answer the truth of the Miracle which Joshua relates is not at all prejudiced though it were true that the Earth moves and not the Sun for the course of Nature was stopped whether in the motion of the Sun or the Earth and therein consists the truth of the Miracle As to the relation of it it was not necessary either that Joshua should himself be so great a Philosopher or so far instructed by an extraordinary Revelation as to put up his request to God that the Earth should stand still and not the Sun or that the Account of it which he gives should be otherwise than according to the appearance of sense and the apprehensions of the Vulgar grounded thereupon To the second the truth of the Scripture-Miracles depends not upon any allegorical expressions in the Prophets but upon the naked Relations of matters of Fact in the Historical Writers so that though in the former we are to proceed with some Caution and not to take every thing for Miraculous which is spoken of in an high strain of expression yet in the latter we find no such danger of being imposed upon by the Tropes and Figures of the Hebrew Tongue all things being delivered in the Historical part of Scripture with the greatest plainness and simplicity I have run through the main of Spinoza's Chapter which consists in the proof of his four Propositions at first laid down What is behind is 1. An account of his different Method in this Chapter from that which he takes in his first and second Chapters about Prophecy and