(1.) _Miracles as marvels_: though they seem to be contrary to experience, they are not really so, for we have no experience of the proper kind to refer to. (2.) _Miracles as special works of God_: they only interfere with the uniformity of nature in the same way that human works interfere with it. (3.) _Miracles as signs_: there is nothing to show that they are inconsistent with God's Character. We decided in the last chapter that it was somewhat probable for God to make a revelation to man, that is to say, to certain men, for them to make known to others. And if so, it is also probable that these men would have some means of showing that the knowledge had come from God and not from themselves. In other words, if God sends a message to man, it is probable that the messenger would have _credentials_. And this is especially so when we remember that men have often appeared in the world's history who professed to have a revelation from God, and have misled mankind in consequence. Is it not probable, then, that if God really did give a revelation, He would take care that His true messengers should have credentials which would distinguish them from all the others? These credentials, then, or _signs_, must plainly be such as could not be imitated by man; and must therefore of necessity be _superhuman_, if not _supernatural_. So we may divide them into these two classes; and we have now to consider whether they are _credible_. By this is meant something more than merely possible; for the possibility of such signs follows at once from the existence of God. But are they credible? is there, that is, at least a slight chance that they would occur? (_A._) SUPERHUMAN SIGNS. These include, to begin with, superhuman _knowledge_, which can be afterwards verified, such as _prophecy_. And there is no difficulty here, provided we admit a revelation at all. The only possible objection refers to prophecies regarding human conduct; which it may be said would interfere with man's freedom. But this is only part of the more general objection that any foreknowledge on God's part would interfere with man's freedom, which we have already considered in Chapter II.; and there is no special difficulty in regard to prophecies. In every case, as said before, God merely foreknows the use man will make of his freedom. Therefore the event will not occur _because_ it was foretold, but rather it was foretold because God knew that it would occur.