possibility of miracles, undertakes to show that the writers of the four gospels nowhere ascribe any to Christ. Whatever may have been their opinion of the events which they describe, they do not in reality bear witness to any phenomena which may not be referred to natural causes. This method was applied to the evangelical narratives by Paulus, who professed to reverence the character and teaching of Jesus, and to vindicate the historical accuracy of the gospels. He spoke of our Saviour's miracles as events "the natural causes of which were at that time unexplained," and so could not be handed down to us. "But these events," he adds, "become less doubtful the more they are shown to be, in this way or that, possible," — that is, natural. He therefore attempted, by the aid of various conjectures, to remove from the gospels all proper testimony for miracles. The miraculous cures were effected by natural remedies, of which the narratives are silent; and the casting out of demons was but the power of a wise man over the inBut those who have shared the disbelief of Paulus have not found his interpreta

sane.

tion of the gospels satisfactory. Yet no abler attempt has been made in the same direction, and therefore frequent reference will be made to his views.

The mythical hypothesis, which has been most skilfully applied by Strauss, admits that the evangelists do ascribe miracles to Christ, but, denying the possibility of their occurrence, maintains that the marvellous stories recorded in the gospels were originated by the early Christians. These attributed to Jesus Christ such works as in their opinion befitted his Messianic character and office; and the particular miracles which they ascribe to him were suggested, for the most part, by the extraordinary events or Messianic predictions of the Old Testament. "Our blessed Lord's miracles would be allegories, if they were, as Woolston claimed, parables intentionally invented for purposes of moral instruction, or facts which had a mystical as well as literal meaning they would be legends, if, while containing a basis of fact, they were exaggerated by tradition: they would be myths, if, without really occurring, they were the result of a general preconception that the

Messiah ought to do mighty works, which thus gradually became translated into facts." "Strauss's peculiarity consisted in trying to show that if a small basis of fact, heightened by legend, be allowed in the gospel history, the influence of myth is a psychological cause sufficient to explain the remainder. The idea is regarded as prior to the fact: the need of a deliverer, he pretends, created the idea of a Saviour: the misinterpretation of old prophecy presented conditions, which, in the popular mind, must be fulfilled by the Messiah."1 It will be necessary for us to cite the opinions of Strauss somewhat frequently in the course of our examination.

In order to exhibit the strength of the testimony for our Saviour's miracles in as simple and compact a form as possible, we shall generally number the distinct points in which two or more of the records agree, where they might have differed. The reader will gladly pardon the frequent appearance of these numerals, when he recollects the important service which they render to the argument.

1 Farrar (A. S.), History of Free Thought, p. 269.

For the purpose of this investigation, the miracles of Christ may be divided into three classes, namely, those wrought upon the natural world, those upon man, and those upon his own body.

PART FIRST.

MIRACLES ON NATURE.

THESE may be subdivided into miracles evincing, on the one hand, absolute control, and, on the other, creative power, in the realm of nature: the term nature being used in this connection to signify the irrational world, animate or lifeless.

CHAPTER I.

MIRACLES OF ABSOLUTE CONTROL.

THESE have been called with less propriety "Miracles of Providence;" for all miracles, not to say all events, are providential, and those to be considered in the present chapter differ as much in principle from the customary workings of Providence as do any recorded in the gospels. They illustrate the absolute control of Jesus over nature and her forces.