8o The Rights and Duties of Individuals.
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Explanation. In this thesis we maintain that if, unmis-
takably, miracles have been worked or prophecies been made
in confirmation of a doctrine, that doctrine is thereby known
to be approved by the Creator as His own Divine Revelation.
The immediate inference from the thesis would be that such
a doctrine must be accepted by all men.
I^oof. A true miracle can be wrought by God alone.
Hence, it is a Divine seal, stamped as it were upon the doc-
trine, in express confirmation of which the miracle is worked.
The Divine origin of such a doctrine, therefore, is infalUbly
true, because it is impossible for God to affix His seal to a
falsehood.
A prophecy is an accurate prediction of a future event
that is not dependent upon necessary causes. But God alone
is the author of such a prediction, for He alone can possess
such knowledge. Therefore, prophecies made in confirma-
tion of a doctrine which is published as coming from God,
are infallible proofs that such a doctrine is a Divine Reve-
lation.
