Introductory Lessons on Christian Evidences (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1850. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Lesson V. miracles. Part I. I. The people who lived in the times of the Apostles, though they had not seen so much as we have of the fulfilment of the ancient prophecies, yet had seen them so far fulfilled in Jesus, as to afford good reasons for receiving Him. But you may, perhaps, be inclined to wonder how they should need to search the Old Testament Scriptures for a confirmation of what the Apostles taught, if those Apostles really performed such miracles as we read of. It may seem strange to you, that men who healed the sick with a touch, and displayed so many other signs, far beyond human power, should not have been at once believed, when they called themselves God's messengers. "5 2. I have said that the works performed by Jesus and his disciples were beyond the unassisted powers of man. And this, I think, is the best description of what is meant by a miracle. Superhuman would perhaps be a better word to apply to a miracle than supernatural; for if we believe that "nature" is merely another word to signify that state of things, and course of events, which God has appointed, nothing that occurs can be strictly called "supernatural." Jesus-himself accordingly describes his works, not as violations of the laws of nature, but as "works which none other man did." But what is in general meant by " supernatural," is, something out of the ordinary course of nature; something at variance with those laws of nature which we have been accustomed to. But then it might be objected that we cannot decide what does violate the ordinary laws of nature, unless we can be sure that we are acquainted with all those laws. For instance, an inhabitant of the tropical climates might think it contrary to the laws of nature that water should ever become hard; since he had never...