A Dissertation on Miracles: Containing an Examination of the Principles Advanced by David Hume, Esq. in an Essay on Miracles |
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able acknowledge Acts admit apostles appear argument attested believe called cause character Christian circumstances common concerning conclusion consequence considered contrary cures derived discover divine doctrine effect enemies enthusiasts entirely equal essay essayist established event evidence examination experience express fact faith false favour force former give given greater hath Heaven holy human Hume imagine impossible instance Jesus judge kind known laws learned least less manner matter means mention mind miracles nature never object observed occasion opinion opposite original particular performed perhaps person philosophers possible present presumption pretended principles probability produced proof prove question racles reader reason received regard relation religion religious remark SECT seems sense strong sufficient suppose term testimony thing tion true truth whole witnesses wonders writer wrought
Popular passages
Page 57 - A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature ; and as a firm and unalterable experience has established these laws, the proof against a miracle, from the very nature of the fact, is as entire as any argument from experience can possibly be imagined.
Page 217 - I am the better pleased with the method of reasoning here delivered, as I think it may serve to confound those dangerous friends or disguised enemies to the Christian Religion, who have undertaken to defend it by the principles of human reason. Our most holy religion...
Page 56 - Upon the whole, then, it appears that no testimony for any kind of miracle has ever amounted to a probability, much less to a proof ; and that, even supposing it amounted to a proof, it would be opposed by another proof, derived from the very nature of the fact which it would endeavour to establish.
Page 220 - So that, upon the whole, we may conclude that the Christian Religion not only was at first attended with miracles, but even at this day cannot be believed by any reasonable person without one. Mere reason is insufficient to convince us of its veracity : and whoever is moved by faith to assent to it, is conscious of a continued miracle in his own person, which subverts all the principles of his understanding, and gives him a determination to believe what is most contrary to custom and experience.
Page 147 - One of the best attested miracles in all profane history, is that which Tacitus reports of Vespasian, who cured a blind man in Alexandria, by means of his spittle, and a lame man by the mere touch of his foot...
Page 152 - To which, if we add the public nature of the facts, as related, it will appear that no evidence can well be supposed stronger for so gross and so palpable a falsehood.
Page 11 - The very same principle of experience which gives us a certain degree of assurance in the testimony of witnesses, gives us also, in this case, another degree of assurance against the fact which they endeavour to establish ; from which contradiction there necessarily arises a counterpoise, and mutual destruction of belief and authority.
Page 165 - Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Page 83 - The plain consequence is (and it is a general maxim worthy of our attention), "That no testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind that its falsehood would be more miraculous, than the fact which it endeavours to establish...
Page 81 - When anyone tells me that he saw a dead man restored to life, I immediately consider with myself whether it be more probable that this person should either deceive or be deceived, or that the fact which he relates should really have happened.
Bibliographic information
| Title | A Dissertation on Miracles: Containing an Examination of the Principles Advanced by David Hume, Esq. in an Essay on Miracles |
| Author | George Campbell |
| Edition | 4 |
| Publisher | Mundell, Doig, & Stevenson, 1807 |
| Original from | the New York Public Library |
| Digitized | 21 Jul 2006 |
| Length | 240 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |