Consider how many things are beyond reason which are not contrary to
it. I say that all things which God has made are so: but, without
going so far, let us consider these simple examples.

Is it not beyond all reason that among animals, like should bring
forth like? Why does an eagle's egg always produce an eagle, and a
dove's egg a dove, and so forth? No man knows, no man can give any
reason whatsoever. If a dove's egg produced an eagle, ignorant men
would cry out at the wonder, the miracle. Wise men know that the
real wonder, the real miracle is, that a dove's egg always produces a
dove, and not any and every other bird.

Here is a common and notorious fact, entirely above our reason.
There is no cause to be given for it, save that God has ordained it
so. But it is not contrary to our reason. So far from it, we are
certain that a dove will produce a dove; and our reason has found out
much of the laws of kind; and found out that they are reasonable
laws, regular, and to be depended upon; so that we can, as all know,
produce and keep up new breeds whether of plants or of animals.

So that the law of kind, though it is beyond our reason, is not
contrary to our reason at all.

So much for things which have life. Take an equally notorious
example from things which have not life.

Is it not above and beyond all our reason--that the seemingly weakest
thing in the world, the most soft and yielding, the most frail and
vanishing, should be also one of the strongest things in the world?
That is so utterly above reason, that while I say it, it seems to