It is time that the extreme negative school should justify more completely their canons of criticism.
As it is, the laxity of these repels many a thoughtful mind quite as firmly convinced as they can be of the necessity of free enquiry and quite as anxious to reconcile the different sides of knowledge.

The question is not one merely of freedom or tradition, but of reason and logic; and until there is more agreement as to what is reasonable and what the laws of logic demand, the arguments are apt to run in parallel lines that never meet [Endnote 348:1].
But, it is said, 'Miracles require exceptional evidence.' True: exceptional evidence they both require and possess; but that evidence is not external.

Incomparably the strongest attestation to the Gospel narratives is that which they bear to themselves.

Miracles have exceptional evidence because the non-miraculous portions of the narrative with which they are bound up are exceptional.

These carry their truth stamped upon their face, and that truth is reflected back upon the miracles.