I Presume you have not forgot a late Discourse , wherein you and I were engaged in the Defence of Miracles , against the Objections of some Persons then present , who pretended they cou'd not conceive either the Possibility , or the Manner of them .

These Objections , we looked upon as weak in themselves , and seeming to imply , That either the Divine Omnipotence cou'd do nothing , but what their Faculties were capable to comprehend ; or , that there was a necessity , that , to convince Unbelievers , to confirm some Important Truth , or to bring about some other great or weighty End , it were requisite that God shou'd not only do a Miracle , but also shew them the Way and Manner how it was performed . We freely owned , That such Operations as are looked upon as Miracles , those especially recorded in Scripture , cannot be performed by the Stated Laws of Nature , but immediately by a Supream Being , for some great Design .

This Answer , as being undeniably true , they cou'd not but admit ; and tho' where the Relaters were of an Undoubted Credit and Veracity , they cou'd not but believe those Performances were Miraculous and Supernatural ; yet , for their clearer satisfaction , they desired our further Thoughts concerning the Manner of such Supernatural Effects .

This being above my Sphere , which reaches no further then Physick , or Nature in its ordinary Operations ; wherein , however , I find matter more than sufficient to employ all my Time and Thoughts , and wherein I plainly see the Existence , and can never sufficiently admire the constant Providence of a Deity ; yet being willing to comply with their Desires , I promised I wou'd give them what satisfaction I cou'd therein .

This , indeed , was not the first time the very same Difficulties had been proposed in my hearing ; for I had formerly discoursed with others , both in this and other Countries , upon the same Subject ; and had some Years ago drawn up a rude Scheme of an Essay towards the clearing of this Point . But if this , or the like occasion , had not put me upon reviewing this Paper , I might have never given my self , or any Body else , the Trouble of Reading it . But having thus , unwarily , engaged my self , I resolved to revise this Design , and to give those Persons a sight of it . This I did accordingly , and afterwards shewed it to your self , and to some other Friends .

They owned the Notions I advanced , and the Ways of Explication I proposed , were new to them , and might be so to others ; and tho' they were not , nor cou'd be convinced , that these were the very Ways of the Divine Proceedings , in the effecting of such Operations , yet they seemed inclinable to imagine , that upon these Principles , Miracles , and the Operations of them , were conceivable by such as know any thing of the Nature and Laws of Motion .

This Communication of my Thoughts , gave occasion to others to discourse with me about them , and to desire that if I did intend to publish them , I wou'd in the mean time , give them , at least , the general Heads of my Design .

This I was willing to have been excused in , as having not digested them into that order I might at last publish them in ; and was willing to reserve to my self a Power of making what Additions or Retrenchments I shou'd afterwards think fit to make ; but the Plan of the Essay happening not to be fully represented , and afterwards being worse understood and commented upon ; I at last resolved to draw up the following Account of the Particulars I therein consider .

I endeavour , Sir , to make it no longer a Difficulty , to conceive , and make evident by Reason , and the Principles of Physick , I mean the Principles of Nature , all the Miracles related in Scripture , concerning Bodies , particularly the Human : I mean , supposing those Miracles , to be true Matters of Fact , and all Matters of Fact , as well Natural , as Supernatural , to be immediate Effects of a Supream Being , which must be granted ; it is as easie to conceive the Manner how this Infinite Power may be apply'd to Bodies , to work Miracles , as to produce the common Phoenomena of Nature . By this I hope to convince our Scepticks in Religion , the Deists , who must give their Assent , when they have the same evident Reason to conceive the Possibility , and consequently to believe the Truth of such Miracles , that are anthentically deliver'd to us , as they have to conceive that Straw can burn in a flaming Fire .

The Foundation I go upon , is the Structure of the Human Body , which I have often taken to pieces , by Anatomy , and resolved into its Essential Elements , or Minute Particles by Chymistry ; for I find it as necessary to be acquainted with its Fabrick , to give an Account of the Miraculous States it is supposed to have been in Supernaturally , as it is to explain the Natural Effects commonly produc'd in it : For want of a sufficient Insight in this Matter , several Divines of the latter Ages , have given very gross Ideas of the Miracles they have pretended to explain ; and in several Places where I have been , I saw them , either through Ignorance , or for Interest , give out for Miracles , Phoenomen● , that were only surprizing Effects of Natural Causes ; which has given so great an Occasion to Scepticism , and increate of De●s●● .

Having laid down for my Basis , the Structure of the Human body , as far as I cou'd discover from my Senses , Anatomy , ●i●e , Microscopes , and Experiments ; I proceed to examine , and endeavour to explain the different ways its Natural State is suppos'd to have been Supernaturally alter'd by an infinite Power : For , ●●●ing , that the Human Body is all Matter , and that all this Matter is nothing 〈◊〉 an Union of Particles , with Bulk , Figure , and respective ●●●ation , I thought that all the alteration that cou'd Sup●●naturally happen to this Bulk , Figure , or Scituation , would be conceiv'd . But before I enter upon those ●●ce Subjects , I find it first necessary to enquire into the Cause , Nature , and Laws of Motion ; because Motion is the only true Cause of all Natural E●●●●●s ; and the Suspensions of the Laws of this Motion , are the only Causes of all Supernatural Effects , or Miracles . I conceive the Laws of Motion can be suspended three different ways , and by one or more of those Laws of Suspension , it is as easie to solve clearly all Miracles , as it is to explain the most evident Effects of Natural Causes , by the common Laws of Motion .

Though I mention , That all Miracles whatsoever can be easily reduc'd to some of the three Laws of Suspension of Motion , notwithstanding I do not design to speak of all sorts of Miracles , but of such only as are most in dispute among the I earned : Yet any understanding Man may easily make his Application , and resolve all other Supernatural Effects into one or other of 'em . The Heads of my Discourse , I think fit to lay down here in the same Order I design to treat of 'em . ( viz. )

I. Of the Nature of a Body , particularly an Organical one , where the Structure and Natural State of the Human Body is explain'd .

II. How many ways the Natural State of the Human Body , is said to have been Supernaturally alter'd .

III. Of the Laws of Motion , and of the three different Suspensions of the same , in order to explain all Miracles .

IV. How it can be conceived , that Water can be changed into Wine .

V. How it can be conceiv'd , that a Human Body can 〈◊〉 Invulnerable , Immortal , and can live for ever without 〈◊〉 , as after the Resurrection .

VI. How a Human ●ody can be conceived to be in a Fire without 〈◊〉 .

VII . How we can conceive that an Army can p●ss through the Sea without Drowning , or walk upon the Water without Sinking .

VIII . How it can be conceived , that a Man can have a Bloody S●eat .

IX . Of the Different Ways a Human Body can come into the Word ; where is given an Account of its Generation by Concourse of Man and Woman .

X. How are can conceive a Human Body can be form'd o● Woman without a Man , as Christ ' s.

XI . How to conceive a Human Body to be made without Man or Woman , as Adam ' s.

XII . How to conceive a Human Body Dead , some Ages since , to be brought to Life again , as in the Resurrection .

XIII . How many ways it cannot be conceiv'd that a Human Body can be Intire and Alive in two Places at the same time .

Because my design here is to explain all the Supernatural States that our Body is supposed to have been put into , and since its being in two Places at once , is the State the most disputed and doubted of ; I thought it convenient to examine the Reasons of those that assert it capable of being in several Places at once , to see whether they are reconcileable with our Senses , and with the Nature and Structure of a Human Body , which is the chief Thing to be consider'd . I find it impossible to c●n ●ive , that a Human Body can be in two Places at the same time , after the manner they have hitherto descri●'d ; since the same Human Body can never be in two Places at o●●● with the same Bulk , and with the same Quantity of Matter : Tho' it may be plainly conceived , that by a Supream Power , and in a particular manner , my Body , without , the Spirit , can be in●ire , and Alive , with the same Structure , and with the same number of Organical Parts , tho' not with their usual Dimensions , in several Places at the same time . Yet since we have no evident Proof , or Experience , that any Human Body has ever been thus multiplied ; and because from conceiving the Possibility of it , it is thought , People may perhaps hereafter take occasion to draw several Consequences , that may be liable to dangerous Constructions , and lead into Erroneous Speculations , I am advised , and am willing to decline treating of this Subject ; having no mind to meddle with Scripture , or Religion , being not my Province . Wherefore I will endeavour only to explain those Miracles that most People agree upon , submitting my Judgment to greater Capacities . For I have no other desing in this Book , but to enquire how far we may look into , and confirm Supernatural Effects , relating to Bodies , by the Principles of Physick . Yet I do not think my other Occupations will permit me to get this small Treatise ready for the Press , so soon as common Discourse , and this notice of it , might otherwise seem to intimate .

I cou'd not , Sir , resolve you the last time we were together , what you asked me about the Anatomy : but having thought of it since , I design not to make any more Demonstrations and ●iscourses of Anatomy , but I intend , this Winter , to try a great many Chymical , and Anatomical Experiments , to co firm the Natural Account I have had the Oceasion to give of the Structure , Functions , and Operations of the Human Body , in this City , and in both the Universities : Because I have a mind to lay a Foundation of Experiments ( since Experiments are the only Foundation we can surely build upon in Physick ) for my Occonomia Animalis , which I hope to be able to publish in few Years .

As for what we were talking about the Account of Poland , I have put into some order , the Memoirs I have brought with me out of that Kingdom , and I design to publish soon an Historical Account of the Ancient and Present State of Poland ; with an Abridgment of the Lives , and of the most remarkable Actions of the Kings of that Country , from the Beginning of the Monarchy , to this present Election . I will insert in it something relating to the Dutchy of Curland ; for I do not find that there is any tolerable Account of them hitherto published in our Tongue . But before I expose any thing to the Publick Censure of the World , I shall first desire your Opinion ; knowing that your good Judgment can easily correct the Oversights of