Ok MIRACLES. 337 



freally exceeds the meafure of power in this man, 1 or 

 even in all mankind : then, the caufe was not propor- 

 tionate to the effect. Now, it is a general, and even 

 an abfolutely neceffary law of nature, that the caufe 

 muft always be proportionate to the effect. 



Therefore we mufl utterly reject, as fabulous, a re- 

 lation, which pretends an exception from this law of na- 

 ture, for this very reafon, becaufe the matter related 

 is abfolutely impoflible, a priori, that is, without re- 

 gard to any prefent witnefs; The reafon of the rejec- 

 tion of this witnefs is taken from the nature itfelf of the 

 matter witneffed, that is, from its clearly known im- 

 poffibility. Tefcimoriies, though ever fo apparent, can- 

 not make what is impoffible to be poffible, or real. 

 Belides, tranfgreffions of the moral law, not to lye, are 

 much more frequent and ufual, therefore always fooner 

 to be fuppofed, than a breach or removal of the phy- 

 lical laws of nature, to the uniformity and conftancy 

 whereof univerfal experience bears witnefs* 



Nor can the credibility of the related miracle be 

 faved by this, that we muff overleap the confines of 

 the fenfible world, and get into the intellectual world, 

 whereof the related tranfaction, for being perceptible 

 to mankind, mull have been a part, that we may call 

 to our afli fiance an ihvifible power. 



Such fupernatural explanations of folitary events that 

 happen in the fucceftion of phenomena, fuch recur- 

 rence to the divine will, are altogether unfatisfactory. 



The idea of caufe and effect is only applicable to 

 phenomena, to objects of porlible experience, there-? 

 fore only within the confines of the fenfible world. 



vol, i . z Spinoza 



