a relation of the miraculous cure of susannah arch of a leprosy and ptysick, wherewith for some years past she had been sorely afflicted. arch, susannah. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h b estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a relation of the miraculous cure of susannah arch of a leprosy and ptysick, wherewith for some years past she had been sorely afflicted. arch, susannah. hume, robert, apothecary, attributed name. fortey, thomas. nichols, charles, b. . viii, - , [ ] p. printed by j. d. and sold by r. baldwin in warwick-lane, london : mdcxcv. [ ] first person narrative signed at end: susannah arch. includes signed testimonials from dr. charles nicholls and mr. thomas forty and mr. robert hume, apothecaries. copy has print show-through. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library, oxford. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng healing -- religious aspects -- early works to . medicine -- early works to . leprosy -- england -- early works to . miracles -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a relation of the miraculous cure of svsannah arch , of a leprosy and ptysick , wherewith for some years past she had been sorely afflicted . psal . . . — for that thy name is near , thy wondrous works declare . london , printed by j. d. and sold by r. baldwin in warwick-lane . mdcxcv . the preface . the works of god call for serious observation from all who are spectators of them , and are very instructive to the children of men. by these god may be said to speak once , yea twice , yet man perceives it not . we are with the utmost diligence to apply our selves to the right understanding of the voice of god in them , psal . . . the works of the lord are great , particularly the works of creation , which do always speak with a loud voice to the inhabitants of the earth , psal . . , , . the heavens declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth his handy-work . day unto day uttereth speech , &c. the visible heavens , so vast and spacious , richly adorned with sun , moon , and stars , which are admirable in their course , and powerful in their influence ; these are a legible book , wherein we may read what a glorious being god is , who is the maker and former of these glorious creatures : and from the consideration thereof reflect on man as a vile contemptible creature ; psal . . , . when i consider thy heavens , the work of thy fingers , the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained , what is man that thou art mindful of him ? &c. and as the works of creation are great , so the works of providence ( whereby he governs , preserves , orders and disposes of all things in the world ) are great also , especially in and for his church and people ; the infinite power , wisdom and goodness of god being abundantly manifested in them . these works of god are to be narrowly inspected , found out , and searched into by all those that take pleasure therein : and it is a god-provoking sin not to regard the works of the lord , and the operations of his hands . for this sin god threatens to destroy a people , and not build them up , psal . . . sometimes god goes out of his usual course of providence , and works miraculously ( an eminent instance whereof we have in this narrative ) . this he doth sometimes immediately , mark . . joh. . . sometimes mediately , mark . , . acts . , . here might be considered what the glorious design of god is in his miraculous works . as , . to convince an atheistical generation of men , that there is a god that acts above the power of nature or natural causes , kings . . . that those who contemn and under value the lord jesus christ ( through faith in whose name lepers were cleansed , the blind received their sight , a bloody issue stopped , &c. ) might be convinced that he was the true messiah , yea god as well as man. though christ came in the form of a servant , yet the glory of his deity sparkled forth in divers ways , and on divers occasions , particularly in his miraculous works , which none but a god could do , joh. . . & . christ turns water into wine , and thereby shewed forth his glory , even the glory of the only begotten of the father . the disciples of christ wrought miracles ; but this they did in the name of christ , acts . whereas christ wrought his by his own divine power , which may justly strike a damp upon those who of late have been so unhappy as to deny the divinity of our lord jesus . . christ's miraculous works are designed to strengthen the faith of his people ; john . . when christ had wrought that miracle of turning water into wine , it 's said , his disciples believed on him . they believed before , but now they were confirmed in their faith. and if so , then christ's curing the leprosy and other distempers in our day , which in the judgment of the ablest physicians were incurable , is not slightly to be passed over . that divers miraculous cures have been wrought of late , immediately by the divine power of christ without humane means , is not to be denied by any but such as are hardning themselves against christ and his works , as the unbelieving jews did , who though christ had done many mighty works amongst them , yet they believed not on him , john . . amongst other wonderful cures which the lord jesus hath lately wrought , this seems not to be the least which he hath wrought on the body of susannah arch ; of which this narrative gives an impartial account . she is known to be a woman of an holy conversation , enjoys much communion with god , and is a member of a congregation , meeting in devonshire-square in london . she lives at battle-bridg in southwark , where any that desire it may receive further satisfaction . a narrative of the miraculous cure of susannah arch , of a leprosy and ptysick , wherewith for some years past she had been sorely afflicted . i susannah arch do solemnly declare , in the fear of god , that my distemper began about four years ago with an extraordinary itching and scurf on my head , and afterwards it spread over my body . this continued about three years before i advised with any physician to know what it was ; and then my husband died , whose death was attended with many aggravating circumstances , occasioning much sorrow and grief ; all which conduced to increase my distemper . under my great distress of body and mind i was lamenting my self , saying , what , a poor distressed widow ! a poor afflicted widow ! then the lord was pleased to give me in that scripture , rom. . . he that spared not his own son , but gave him up for us all , how shall he not with him freely give us all things ? this i took as a bond from the lord , wherein he was pleased graciously to bind himself to supply all my necessities , which was much to my support at that time . immediately after my husband's burial , being left in a poor and desolate condition , that scripture came to my mind , job . . naked came i out of my mother's womb , and naked shall i return again . the lord hath given , and the lord hath taken away , and blessed be the name of the lord. under these sad exercises i was help'd to consider , that my outward condition was not worse than my lords and master's ; of whom it is said , matth. . . the foxes have holes , and the birds of the air have nests , but the son of man hath not wh●●e to lay his head. then was i help'd to say , i have lost all , and yet have all ; and to plead with god in the words of jacob , gen. . . thou saidst , i will do thee good . these and many other precious words were powerfully impressed on my soul for my support and comfort . after these troubles my distemper much increased , and then i advised with mr. forty an apothecary , who told me my distemper was a leprosy . i asked him whether it was curable : he told me , it was not curable . then was i advised by his wife to go to one mrs. griffin , who is skilful in curing scald heads , and she perswaded me to go to the hospital , but i found a reluctancy in my self thereto , having a perswasion in my mind from the time that mr. forty told me it was incurable , that jesus christ would cure it . nevertheless considering that passage of the woman that had the bloody issue , though she spent all on physicians , yet this did not hinder her being cured by christ when she came to him : so i concluded my going to the hospital might not hinder christ's curing me : thereupon i was satisfied in my self to go ; and when i presented my self to the physician and chirurgeons , they told me it was a leprosy , and asked me what i desired of them . i desired to be an out-patient , and they prescribed me some things , but i had no faith in the success of them , and so took but one dose , and threw the rest away , looking to an higher hand for my cure. however i went a second time , and then they who gave out the medicines , seeing my distemper , told me , it was in vain to spend my time in attending any further on them , for it was a leprosy , and could not be cured . not long after this i was sent by a friend of mine , on her own account , to dr. bourne , and i took that opportunity to shew him my distemper : and when he saw it , he lift up his hands , saying , good lord have mercy upon thee ! it is a leprosy . he likewise told me , there might be something given to curb it ( but not to cure it ) if i had wherewithal to defray the charge . i told him i was a poor widow , and so concerned my self no more with him . i went away from him full of comfort , having this perswasion , that jesus christ would be my physician , and would cure me . after this i was sent by the same friend , and on her own account , to dr. clarke , and took that opportunity to discover my case to him , who knowing me , sympathized with me , saying , alas , poor woman , it is a leprosy ! i asked him whether it could be cured : he told me , that something might be given to check it , but not to cure it ; and that if i would go to mr. humes an apothecary , he would give directions to him , and would do what he could for me . but having no hopes of cure from any humane means , i concerned my self no further with him in this matter . one reason why i had no expectation of cure from man was , the occurring of that scripture frequently to my mind , mat. . . lord , if thou wilt , thou canst make me clean . this i was enabled to plead before him with some degree of confidence that at last i should prevail . after this another friend and neighbour of mine being sick , desired me to go for her to dr. nicholls ; and when i had discoursed with him concerning my friend , i asked him what he thought of my distemper ? who answered , alas ! poor woman , how came you by this surfeit ? i asked him what the distemper was ? and he likewise told me , as the others had done before , that it was a leprosy , and incurable . this i can truly say , that all along my faith was fix'd on the lord jesus christ : it was on him i did and was resolved to rely , who in the days of his flesh , when on earth , cured all diseases and sicknesses among the people ; and i was confident , that he had the same power now he was glorified in heaven , as he had in the days of his humiliation . there is one thing i think good to remark , viz. when i considered that i was a poor polluted unclean leper , i was under some doubt ( though afterwards i concluded it was from satan ) whether i might and ought to come to the congregation of the lord's people to whom i belong , to partake of that blessed ordinance of the lord's supper amongst them . labouring under strong conflicts about this matter , as i was going to the congregation , that text came with power on my soul , gal. . . stand fast in the liberty wherewith christ hath made you free , and be not intangled again with the yoke of bondage . by this text i understood that the law of the leper , being part of the ceremonial law , is done away ; and so that doubt was removed . upon the last day of may , . at night , when i was asleep in my bed , i was pleading with god in those words of the psalmist , psal . . . i will cry unto god most high , unto him that performeth all things for me : and then i thought i saw a man standing by me , and laying his hand on me , saying , i will be thou clean . i answered , lord , if thou sayest the word , it is done . to which i received this reply , all things are possible to him that believeth . i answered , lord , i believe , help thou my vnbelief . to which it was answered , he that believes , needs not to say , but is whole every whit , ( the hand being all the while upon my hand ) and thereupon i awaked , and perceived that it was a dream . from that time ( though i grew worse and worse ) i was strongly perswaded that i should be made whole . the next morning a christian friend of mine came to see me , and brought a woman with her , telling me , that she had brought one that could cure the leprosy . i then said to the woman , can you cure the leprosy ? she said , yes . but said i , you shall not cure me , for i have thrown my self on the physician of value , and he will cure me : and though you , or all the greatest doctors or chirurgions in london , would give me a great sum of money , you should none of you take me in hand . after this i had divers conflicts and temptations to weaken my confidence ; but god was pleased to give in divers seasonable words for my relief , and for the strengthning of my faith : as at one time that text came with power on my soul , mark . . have faith in god. and at another time that text , john . . said i not unto thee , that if thou wouldst believe thou shouldst see the glory of god ? and at another time that text , heb. . . cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward . and whereas i had been afflicted with a ptysick for many years , wherewith i was laid vp every winter ; in november last it pleased the lord to remove that distemper , without the use of any humane means . and this was to me a token for good , that god would likewise cure me of my leprosy . soon after this , being at mr. beverley's meeting , and hearing the people talk of a miraculous cure of one that was lame , i asked one that sat by me concerning it : and she told me , that a maid that had been lame years was miraculously cured on a sudden . then i told her , i was waiting at the pool , believing that i should be made whole . from that time my heart was drawn out to wrestle more earnestly with god for cure , crying out , lord ! why not i ? why not i , a poor leper ? in december my distemper growing worse and worse , both on my head and body , i met with some inward struglings , but was help'd to say , in the words of job , i know , o lord , that thou canst do every thing . i was likewise help'd to say , from that of the three worthies , dan. . . my god whom i serve is able to deliver me : however i am resolved to trust in him . and now to give a true and faithful account how i was healed . on the th of december at night i went to bed , as bad as ever i was ; and in the night i had grievous and sore temptations from my adversary , who told me i had no faith ; and that if i had faith i might be healed ; those words being cast into my mind , o ye of little faith : and i was tempted to think i had no faith , and that god did not love me , but i perceived this was to beat me off from my confidence in god. then was i help'd to look back to former experience , and remembred that about years ago , when i was under great distress about the state of my soul , being under a deep sense of my sin. i was help'd to cast my soul on the lord jesus christ . and from that consideration many times since , when i have been in great distress , with respect to my outward condition , i have been enabled to cast my bodily concerns upon him ; and then i cried out , lord , i have cast my soul upon thee , and my body upon thee , and now i am resolved to cast all my diseases upon thee . then was i help'd to plead with god , saying , lord , if i have true faith , if thou lovest me , if i have an interest in christ , take away this distemper before i die . then satan suggested to me , that i had sinned with a witness in that i had limited god. but i was help'd to renew the same petitions to the lord , knowing i had not limited the lord , only that he would cure me before i die . then that scripture was brought to my mind , jam. . . resist the devil , and he will flee from thee . from which i was encouraged to resist him , knowing that he was a conquered enemy . then i lay quiet and with a composed mind till morning . next day i found a marvellous alteration , being much better and more chearful , which was discerned by a friend of mine , who told me , that she did perceive that i was much better . the next night after this , which was thursday night , as i was in my bed , i put my hand to my head , first on one side , and then on the other , and felt skin on both sides of it , which at first was surprizing and amazing to me . then i said , lord jesus ! hast thou begun ? thou wilt carry it on . when i arose in the morning , and had taken off my head-clothes , i found the scurf was gone from off my head , only there remained like a little cap on the crown of my head , which was easily taken off with a comb , which i made use of for that end : and then appeared firm skin all over my head. at the same time my distemper , which was spread over my whole body from head to foot , even to my very toes , was likewise taken away . and whereas i had neither skin nor hair on my head before , my hair is now grown to the admiration of them that behold it . and to this day , through the lord's goodness , i remain free both from leprosy and ptysick . jan. . / . svsannah arch . some of us whose names are subscribed have had certain knowledg of susannah arch's distempers , and also of her cure : and we are all fully satisfied in the truth of what is contained in this narrative . william kiffin , william collins , robert stead , richard adams , edward man , john piggott , benjamin dennis , william draycot , robert bartlett . the certificate of charles nicholls doctor of physick . on the th of september last , susannah arch coming to me on the behalf of another woman , desired me to tell her what her own distemper was ? i gave it , as my opinion , that it was a leprosy , and could not perfectly be cured , but something might be given to check it , or keep it under . furthermore , i coming this day into southwark , i saw this woman cur'd of her sad distemper ; and by what i have heard her say , and is related in the foregoing narrative , i do verily believe that it was done by the immediate hand of god , as the fruit and effect of her faith. i must say that i stand in admiration in beholding this woman cured . in witness of all which i set my hand this th day of january , / . charles nicholls . the certificate of mr. thomas forty , apothecary . ivnderstand i was the first person that susannah arch came to enquire of about her distemper , as she declared ; and i do testify , in the fear of god , that i did and do believe she had a leprosy , as is inserted in this narrative ; and i have seen her several times since she was cured : and by my conferring with her and others , i do declare , that i verily believe she is perfectly cured ; and that it was not done by any humane means , but by the immediate hand and power of jesus christ , as the effect of her faith. in witness of which i set my hand this th day of january , / . thomas forty . the testimony of mr. robert hume , apothecary . i robert hume do declare , in the fear of the all-seeing , heart-searching god , concerning susannah arch , whom i have known for several years , as followeth , viz. . she was , to my knowledg , grievously afflicted with an asthma , commonly called a ptysick ; yea i have seen her scarce able to go along the street so fast as a child of two years old . when her husband was ill of the sickness whereof he died , if she went but cross the chamber , she would pant like one almost expiring , insomuch that i thought she was more like to die than he : and so she commonly was in the winter , especially in such weather as increases that distemper . . one day she came to me , which i think was about july last , and showed me her head , saying , sir , can you tell me what i have got here ? i answered , it is a leprosy ( for so i think it was indeed , according to the description of the best authors ) : ay , says she , so every body tells me , for i have been at the hospital , and they all say so of it , and tell me there is no cure for it . i advised her to go to doctor clark , to hear what he would say of it . in a little time after she came and told we , she had showed it to dr. clark , and that he was of the same opinion with the rest , however desired to speak with me about it : i went to him , but do not punctually remember what he said , but this i remember , that he look'd upon it to be a very sad difficult case ; so that i all along took it for granted that he look'd upon it to be a leprosy , and that there was no hope of cure , for he ordered nothing for her . now as to these matters i do further declare ; st . as to her asthma : i could not but admire when i was with her a little after she was cured of the leprosy , and saw how she went a pretty way along the street , and up a pair of stairs , and that in frosty weather , without puffing and blowing , as she was used to do . i did take particular notice how she could speak without fetching her breath longer than a great many that never were afflicted with any such indisposition . dly . as for the leprosy : it was no less wonder to me , that when i came to look upon that which formerly was in my judgment leprous as snow , i found now was become as the flesh of a young child . i do verily believe she is wholly cured of it , there being all symptoms of soundness , and the hair does grow apace . let any doubtful , make what search they will , i am not afraid of being found in a mistake in this matter . to the truth of this attestation , i have hereunto set my hand this th day of february , / . robert hume . finis . miracles, no violations of the lavvs of nature blount, charles, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) miracles, no violations of the lavvs of nature blount, charles, - . [ ], p. printed for robert sollers ..., london : . written by c. blount. cf. wing. reproduction of original in cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng miracles -- controversial literature. miracles -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - melanie sanders sampled and proofread - apex covantage rekeyed and resubmitted - melanie sanders sampled and proofread - melanie sanders text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion miracles , no uiolations of the lavvs of nature . quid non miraculo est , cum primum in notitiam venit ? plinius histor. nat. lib. . cap. . london : printed for robert sollers at the king's arms and bible in st. paul's church-yard . . premonition to the candid reader . it is the judgement of most of the ancient fathers of the christian faith , and of the most learned theologues among the moderns ; that the authors of the holy scriptures , when they speak of natural things , do not design to instruct men in physical speculations and the science of natural philosophy ; but aim only to excite pious affections in their breasts , and to induce them to the worship and veneration of the true god , whom they celebrated in their writings : whose power and goodness they therefore took all fair occasions to demonstrate , that they might , from as well the natural as civil order of things , establish in the minds of the readers a right and firm belief thereof . this then being the only end they proposed to themselves , they found themselves obliged so to explicate the visible works of god and the nature of the things they were to relate , as that they might not , by novity and insolency , appear too remote and abhorrent from the common sence and pre-conceiv'd opinions of the vulgar , to whose narrow capacity and groveling wit they were always to condescend ; yea even to wrest the general causes and ends of the whole creation in favour of the peoples prejudices , as if all things in the universe were ordain'd only for the good and benefit of mankind . nor could it conduce to this their principal purpose , to insist upon second causes , or defer much to their efficacy : but rather in all contingents or events to recur immediately to god himself , the first cause , author and president of nature ; omitting to give any account of that apparatus and long series of causes , which philosophers use to remark in explicating the phenomena of nature , and which nature her self uses in their production . whence it is , that these pious writers compendiously refer all things to the immediate power of god and to his irresistable will and command : leaving men to learn from the light of nature or right reason , ( which alone is able to teach it ) that the power of god and the power of nature are one and the same , and that all her laws are his eternal decrees . for their business was , not to treat of the principles of natural philosophy ( as i said before ) but to convince the unthinking multitude that god is the origine of all things , that universal nature is obedient to his will , and that his providence presides over and governs all things , as well natural as bumane ; which he so disposes and accommodates , as to make them conspire to the good and happiness of those who follow piety and vertue , and to the punishment of the impious and vicious : and the multitude was to be convinced , not by leading their reason with a long chain of premisses and conclusions theological ; but by surprizing their imagination , and accommodating events to their common opinions , however unreasonable in themselves . this well consider'd , as we are not to admire , if we find in the holy scripture many memorable things related as miracles , which yet notwith standing proceeded from the fixt and immutable order of nature , and necessarily flowed from a series of causes ordain'd according to her eternal laws , that is , from god's decrees so ought we not rashly to accuse any man of infidelity , only because he refuses to believe , that those miracles were effected by the immediate power of god , such as is not only inconsistent with , but point blank repugnant to the fundamental laws and constitutions of nature , which he in his infinite wisdom hath made , and made so ample and fertil , as to extend to the certain production of whatever events he hath will'd and decreed . for first , among the many miracles related to be done in favour of the israelites , there is ( i think ) no one , that can be apodictically demonstrated to be repugnant to th' establisht order of nature : and then the power of god being infinite , that of nature must be so too , because one and the same with the power of god ; but humane understanding is finite , and consequently incapable to know how far the laws of nature extend themselves . in a word therefore , if by a miracle in the general , you understand nothing else but a certain work or effect , the causes of which cannot be explicated by men ignorant of the principles of natural things : i acknowledge many such miracles to have been done in all ages , and among all nations . nay more , if by a miracle you mean that , the causes whereof transcend the capacity even of the most acute and profound philosopher ; i will not deny , but that among the many things related in the scripture , as miracles , some are found , that in this sence also may deserve that name ; because i do not measure the power of nature by the unequal line of humane wit. but if you will have a miracle to be such a rare effect , which is absolutely above or ( which really is all one ) contrary to the laws of nature , or which cannot possibly follow from her fixt and immutable order : then i dare not believe that any such miracle hath ever happen'd in nature , lest i oppose god to god , that is , admit that god changes his own decrees ; which from the perfection of the divine nature , i know to be impossible . if you , candid reader , know so too , i have already said more than is necessary to the defence of this innocent discourse , and therefore acquiesce in hope of being rightly understood . of miracles . by miracles are understood the admirable or wonderful works of god. but because men following their own natural reason , are wont to doubt , whether what is by a prophet deliver'd for the command of god , be truely the command of god , or not ; miracles in the sacred scriptures are call'd signs , as signifying the will of god : as also in ethnick writers , for the same reason , they are call'd ostenta and portenta , as shewing or portending the divine will concerning things to come . that we may therefore understand , what a miracle is , we must observe , what works those are , which men generally admire or wonder at . the things then that cause men to admire any work or remarkable effect , are only two . one is , if that work be rare , the like whereof they have seldom or never seen done before : the other , if after thè work is done , they cannot conceive it to have been done by natural causes , but only by the immediate operation of god himself . for if we understand the natural causes of the fact , however rare it be ; or if we have often seen the like done before , though we do not conceive the natural cause thereof ; we no longer admire it , nor call it a miracle . quae usu quotidiano novimus & frequenti experientia , ea neque admiramur , neque ad eorum causas investigandas multum excitari solemus , quanquam saepe occultiores sint inventuque difficiliores aliis , quae ob raritatem , hominum studia & animos maximè occupant . thus , for example , if we should hear an ox or horse speak , we should call it a miracle , because rare , and of which we are not able to imagine a natural cause . thus also in the generation of animals , every unusual error or deviation of nature , might be held for a miracle . but if a man or any other animal generate his like in specie , though we are equally ignorant how this and that is perform'd , we do not take it for a miracle . also if a man should be transform'd into a stone , 't would be a miracle , because rare : but if wood should be converted into a stone , because such conversion is often seen , 't is no miracle : and yet notwithstanding we are as ignorant how god effects that conversion in wood , as how he effects it in a man. the rain-bow that first appear'd in the sky , was a miracle ; because the first , that is , the like had never been seen before ; and because it was shewn by god for a sign , to signifie that the world should never again be destroy'd by a deluge . but at this day , because rain-bows are often seen , no man looks upon them as miracles . again , many wonderful works are produced by humane art ; yet because after they are effected , we come to understand how and by what means , we therefore not account them for miracles . for , admiration depends for the most part upon men's knowledge and experience , so that what seems to be a miracle to one man , seems not to be so to another . and unskilful and superstitious men are wont to take for great miracles those things , which the learned and well experienced do not at all admire . eclipses of the sun and moon have in times past been mistaken for supernatural effects and prodigies by the vulgar ; while learned astronomers understanding the natural causes of them , have certainly predicted them . also cunning men confederate among themselves , closely enquiring into and discovering some secret actions of an unwary and simple man , and afterward relating them to him , have been held in great admiration , as if they had come to the knowledge of those secrets by supernatural means , by divine revelation at least : when the same confederates have not been able so easily to impose upon wary and prudent persons . admiration then ( we see ) is generally greater or less , according to the various degrees of science and observation among men ; the most ignorant being most prone to wonder : and the causes of admiration , which many times makes a miracle of what is purely natural , we have found to be rarity and ignorance . ii. if this disquisition be yet a little farther pursued , it will soon appear , that superstition also contributes largely to the belief of miracles . for the minds of men being naturally prone to be agitated betwixt fear and hope of the future ( the two grand passions that govern humane life ) thence it comes to pass , that they very often fancy a certain extraordinary divine power in all contingents which are unusual , and the natural causes of which they do not comprehend , as if those contingents certainly proceeded , not from the order of nature , but from an immediate operation of god transcending or changing that order ; and that they presignified some good or evil fortune to themselves . for the vulgar thinks , that the power and providence of god is then most apparent , when they observe any event unusual in nature , and contrary to the opinion they have from custom conceiv'd of nature ; chiefly if the event seem to promise any thing of commodity or advantage to themselves : imagining that the existence of a supream being can be by no way better prov'd , than by the inversion of the course of nature , which they suppose to happen in all unusual events . whence it is , that common heads always accuse those philosophers of atheism and design to extirpate the belief of god , at least of his providence , who endeavour to explicate what they call miracles by natural causes , and study to understand the reasons of them : erroneously conceiving , that god ( forsooth ) remains idle while nature acts in her usual order , and on the contrary , that the power of nature is suspended , and the action of all natural causes arrested or frustrated , while god acts . thus they form in their brains confused notions of two distinct powers , one of god , t'other of nature , which yet they allow to be determined by god : but what to understand by either of these powers , and wherein the difference they suppose , consists ; they know not . only this they will tell you , that the unusual works of nature are miracles or the works of god ; and partly out of blind devotion , i. e. superstition , partly from an itch of opposing wise men that study natures laws and constitutions , they please themselves in their ignorance , and think they please god too with their affected admiration : not considering how much they derogate from his infinite wisdom , while they conceive the laws of nature by him made and establish'd , insufficient to effect all things he hath decreed to produce for the ends in order to which he ordain'd them , without variation . iii. this popular error seems to derive its original from the primitive jews , who that they might convince the ethnicks of their time , who adored visible gods , the sun , moon , earth , water , air , &c. and shew them that those gods were weak and inconstant , or mutable , and under the command of the invisible god whom themselves worshipped ; recounted to them the miracles he had wrought for their sakes , as cogent arguments that all nature was by his superintendency and command directed only to their commodity and advantage , other nations the while having not an equal share of his providence . a perswasion so agreeable and grateful to men , that to this day they have not ceas'd to feign miracles in favour of themselves , that others might believe them to be more beloved by god , and dearer in the eye of his providence , than the rest of mankind ; yea more , the final cause for which he at first created , and continually directs all things . what doth not the folly of the vulgar arrogate to it self ; having not so much as one sound conception or thought concerning either god or nature , confounding the eternal decrees of god with the mutable placits of men , and feigning nature to be so narrow and limited , as that man is the chiefest part of the whole creation ? iv. having from this brief enquiry learned , what is generally understood by the word miracle , what are the opinions and prejudices of the vulgar concerning miracles , and whence those opinions and prejudices have proceeded : urged as well by zeal for the glory of god , ( which is never propagated by erroneous conceptions of his nature , power , wisdom and providence ) as by charity for the unlearned part of mankind ( which is always by ignorance seduced into superstition ) i resolve to endeavour by a few plain reasons to shew the unsoundness , yea the absurdity of their doctrine , who teach , that in every miracle god acts by a power distinct from , and superior to that of nature , which is the universal law by him ordain'd and fixt for government of his creatures . v. to effect this , i perswade my self , i need do no more but convince the judicious reader of the verity of these four things . ( . ) that nothing in the world happens or comes to pass contrary to nature , but that nature keeps an eternal , fixt , and immutable order : ( . ) that from miracles we cannot come to understand and certainly know either the essence , or existence , or providence of god ; but that all these may far better be collected from the fixt and immutable order of nature : ( . ) that the holy scripture it self , by the decrees and volitions , and consequently the providence of god , understands nothing else but the very same order of nature , which necessarily follows from his eternal laws : ( . ) that most men have erred in the manner of interpreting the miracles recorded in the holy scriptures . for , these things being well prov'd , i see not what can remain to frustrate my present design . vi. as for the first therefore , viz. that all events happen according to the eternal order of nature ; this may easily be inferr'd even from hence , that whatsoever god wills or determines , involves eternal necessity and truth . for , since the intellect of god is not distinguish'd from his will , and therefore to say that god wills any thing , is all one with saying that he understands that very thing ; by the same necessity which follows from the divine nature and perfection , it is a genuine and inevitable consequence , that for god to understand any thing , as it is , is for him to will or decree the same , as it is . but since nothing is necessarily true , but only from the divine decree ; hence it most clearly follows , that the universal laws of nature are the meer decrees of god , which follow from the necessity and perfection of the divine nature . if therefore any thing should be contingent in nature , that should be repugnant to her eternal laws ; the same would be repugnant also to the divine decree , intellect , and nature : or if any man should affirm , that god does any thing contrary to the laws of nature , he would be compell'd to grant also , that god acts contrary to his own nature , than which nothing can be more absurd . the same may be farther proved also by this , that the power of nature is no other but the power and vertue of god ; and the power of god no other but the very essence of god , and certainly that must be eternally the same or immutable . nothing therefore can be contingent in nature , that is repugnant to her universal laws ; nay that is not convenient or agreeable to them , or follows not from them . for whatsoever is done , is done by the will and eternal decree of god , i. e. is done according to the laws and rules , which involve eternal necessity and truth , and which though they be not all known to us , are perpetually without the least omission or deviation strictly observ'd by nature . nor does any sound reason urge us to ascribe a limited power and vertue to her , or to think that her laws are fit only for some certain events , and not for all . for , since the vertue and power of nature is the same with the vertue and power of god ; and her laws and rules , his decrees ( as was just now prov'd : ) we are obliged to believe , that the power of nature is infinite , and her laws so made , as to extend their force to all things conceiv'd by the divine understanding . otherwise we could not avoid running into that dangerous error of the multitude , that god hath created nature so impotent , and given her laws and rules so barren , as that he is compell'd sometimes to help her by new ordinances and supplies of vertue , in order to her support and conservation , and that things may succeed according to his intention and design . an error than which nothing is more alien from reason , nothing more unworthy the majesty of the divine nature . now from these positions , that in nature nothing can happen or come to pass , which does not follow from her laws ; and that her laws extend themselves to all things conceiv'd by the divine understanding ; and in fine that nature keeps a fixt and immutable order : from these undeniable truths , i say , it most clearly follows , that the name of a miracle cannot be otherwise understood , than respectively to the opinions of men , and that a miracle signifies nothing else but a work , the natural cause of which we are not able to explicate by the example of another usually observ'd by us ; at least he is not able to explicate , who writes or relates the miracle . i might say , that a miracle is that , of which we are not able , by the light of nature , to explain the cause from the principles we understand of natural things : but , because miracles have been wrought , ad captum vulgi , to convince the vulgar , which was wholly ignorant of the principles of natural things ; certain it is , the ancients took that for a miracle , which they could not explain in the same manner , by which the vulgar is wont to explain natural things , namely by recurring to memory , so as to recal to mind another like thing , which they are wont to imagine without admiration . for the vulgar always think they then sufficiently understand any thing , when they do not admire it . nor doth it appear that either the ancients in their times , or any of their successors since even down to ours , have had any other criterion or rule whereby to discern miracles from other contingents , i. e. insolite or rare events from usual , besides this here mention'd , viz : that these seem'd capable of explication from the known principles of natural things , but those not , according to the judgement of the vulgar . and therefore we are not forbidden to think , that in the sacred writings themselves many things are related as miracles , of which sufficient causes may be given from the known principles of natural philosophy ; and that too without any the least derogation from either the glory of god , or the authority of the writers , or from the scope or end for which the things were done and written ; as i design to prove when i shall have conducted the reader to the th . and last head of this brief discourse , which concerns the interpretation of miracles . for now the clew of my method brings us to the vii . second position , viz. that from miracles , neither the essence , nor the existence , nor the providence of god can be understood by us ; but on the contrary , that all these may be better perceiv'd from the fixt and invariable order of nature , which to demonstrate i thus proceed . forasmuch as the existence of god is not per se known to us , it ought to be necessarily concluded from notions , whose verity is so evident , firm and impregnable , that no power can be given or conceiv'd , by which they can be changed ; to us at least , from the time wherein we conclude upon the existence of god from them , they ought to appear such , if we will secure our conclusion from all possible doubts : for if we could conceive that those notions might be changed by any power , whatsoever it be ; then should we doubt of their verity , and consequently of that of our conclusion also , namely of god's existence , nor could we ever be certain of any other thing whatever . besides this , we know not this or that thing to be according to nature , or repugnant to it , unless we can evince the same to be convenient , or repugnant to those fundamental notions or principles . wherefore if we could conceive any thing in nature possible to be done by any power whatever , that is repugnant to nature ; that thing would be repugnant to those first notions , and so ought to be rejected as absurd ; or else ( as was just now intimated ) we must doubt of the truth of those first notions , and by consequence also of the being of god , and of all other things what ever and howsoever perceiv'd . miracles then , if understood to be works repugnant to the fixt order of nature , are so far from evincing the existence of god , that on the contrary they would make us doubt of it , when without them we might be absolutely certain of the same , knowing that all things in nature follow a fixt and immutable order . but let it be suppos'd , that what cannot be explicated by natural causes , is a miracle ; which may be understood two ways , either as that which hath indeed natural causes , but such as cannot be investigated by humane understanding ; or as that which hath no cause but only the will of god. now because all things that are done by natural causes , are done also by the sole power and will of god ; we are under a plain necessity of coming to this conclusion , that a miracle , whether it be effected by natural causes , or not , is a work that transcends humane understanding : but from a work that transcends humane understanding , we can know nothing : for whatever we clearly and distinctly understand , must come to be understood by us , either by it self , or by some other thing which we clearly and distinctly understand ; therefore from a miracle or work that transcends our capacity , we can understand neither the essence of god , nor his existence , nor his providence , nor any thing else concerning him , or his minister nature . but on the contrary , since we certainly know , that all things are determined and decreed by god , that the operations of nature follow from the essence of god , and that the laws of nature are the eternal decrees and volitions of god ; we are obliged absolutely to conclude , that we so much the better know god and his will , by how much the better we know natural things , and more clearly understand how they depend upon their first cause , and how they operate according to the eternal laws of nature . wherefore by reason of our understanding , those works that we clearly and distinctly understand , are with much more right to be call'd the works of god , and to be referr'd to his will , than those we do not at all understand , although they strongly exercise the imagination , and ravish men into admiration of them : forasmuch as only those works of nature , which we clearly and distinctly understand , render the knowledge of god more sublime , and most clearly shew his will and decrees . they therefore that when they do not understand a thing , have recourse to the will of god , talk impertinently , shew more of bigotry than wit , and ridiculously profess their ignorance . viii . moreover , could we conclude any thing from miracles , yet we could never thence conclude of the existence of god. for since a miracle is a work limited , and never implies any but a certain and limited power : most certain and evident it is , that from such an effect we cannot rightly infer the existence of a cause whose power is infinite , but at most of a cause whose power is greater . i say , at most ; because from many causes concurring there may follow some work , whose force and power is indeed less than the power of all its causes put together , but far greater than the power of any one of them taken singularly . but because the laws of nature ( as i have already shewn ) extend themselves to infinite things , and are conceiv'd by us under a certain semblance of eternity , and nature according to them proceeds in a certain and immutable order ; those very laws do in some measure indicate to us the infinity , eternity , and immutability of god. i conclude therefore , that by miracles we cannot know god , and his existence , and his providence ; but that these may be far better concluded from the fixt and immutable order of nature . in this conclusion i speak of a miracle as understood to be nothing else but a work that transcends humane understanding , or is believ'd to do so . for , if it were supposed to destroy the order of nature , or to interrupt it , or to be repugnant to it ; then certainly it could not only give us no knowledge of god , but on the contrary would take from us all the knowledge we naturally have , and make us doubt of god , and of all other things . nor do i here acknowledge any difference betwixt a work contrary to nature , and a work above nature ; that is ( as some are pleas'd to speak ) a work not in truth repugnant to nature , but which cannot be produced or effected by her power alone . for since a miracle is done , non extra naturam , sed in ipsa natura ; though it be held to be supra naturam , yet still must it interrupt the order of nature , which we conceive to be , from the decrees of god , fixt and immutable . if therefore any thing should be done in nature , that should not follow from her laws ; it would necessarily be repugnant to the order which god hath by the universal laws of nature establish'd in the universe ; and consequently the belief of it would make us doubt of all things else , and lead us into atheism . and thus , if i be not grosly mistaken in the force of the reasons here alledged , i have sufficiently demonstrated what in the second place i intended : and from the same reasons i take liberty to conclude de novo , that a miracle against nature , or above nature , is a meer absurdity ; and therefore that by a miracle in holy scripture nothing else can rightly be understood , but such a work of nature , which either really transcends humane understanding , or is believ'd to do so . ix . nevertheless , for more assurance of the truth of this new doctrine , i think my self concern'd to confirm that part of it which affirms , that from miracles we cannot know god. this i humbly conceive may be done by having recourse to the authority of the holy scriptures themselves . for , though they no where ex professo and plainly teach that position , viz. that god is not made known to us by miracles : yet notwithstanding there are found in them many places , from which rightly understood , the same may be concluded easily and genuinely . among these , chiefly from that of deuteronomy . where moses commands the people of israel to put to death a false and seducing prophet , though he should work miracles . the words of the text are these in our most correct translation . if there arise among you a prophet , or a dreamer of dreams , and giveth thee a sign or a wonder , — and the sign or wonder come to pass , whereof he spake unto thee , saying , let us go after other gods ( which thou hast not known ) and let us serve them ; — thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet , or that dreamer of dreams ; for the lord your god proveth you , to know whether you love the lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul. — and that prophet , or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death , &c. from which it clearly follows , that miracles may be wrought even by false prophets , and that men , unless they be well guarded by the true knowledge and cordial love of god , may as easily be induced by miracles to embrace and serve false gods , as to acknowledge and worship the true god. for he adds , because the lord your god proveth you , to know whether you love him , &c. secondly , the israelites could not from so many miracles form in their minds any sound conception or notion of god or his providence ; as experience it self testifies . for , when they had perswaded themselves that moses was gone from them , presently they importune aaron to furnish them with visible deities , and ( to the indelible shame of their nation ) embrace the image of a calf for an idea or representation of their god , which they at length from so many miracles form'd to themselves . asaph also , though he had often heard of , and believ'd all the miracles done among his ancestors , yet doubted of god's providence , and had deflected from the right way of absolute dependance thereupon , had he not at last understood true happiness to consist only therein , and religion in justice and charity : as we read in psalm . nor was solomon himself , though excellent in wisdom , and king of the jews too , even when the affairs of that nation were at the highest point of prosperity ; able to form to himself any competent notion of god , after all he had read concerning the miracles recorded in the books of moses . for he more than once ( eccles. . v. , , . and chap. . v. , , &c. ) confesseth , he suspected all things to happen by chance : so far seems he to have been from concluding a divine providence from belief of those miracles . and as for the prophets ; it may be without much labour collected from their writings , that few or none of them well understood , how the order of nature and the events of men could be brought to consist with the conception or notion they had form'd in their mind of the providence of god : which yet hath been always very clear to philosophers , who endeavour from clear conceptions rightly to understand things as they are ; those i mean , who constitute true felicity in nothing but vertue and tranquillity of mind , not studying to bring nature to obey them , but on the contrary to bring themselves to obey nature : as certainly knowing , that god directs nature , as the universal laws thereof , not as the particular laws of humane nature require ; and so that he takes care not only of mankind , but of the whole universe . constant it is therefore , and that too even from sacred writ , that miracles do not give a true knowledge of god , nor clearly teach his providence ; which is what i designed to prove . and as for what is found in some places of the scripture , that to some unattentive readers may seem perhaps irreconcileable to this my doctrine ; as ( in exod. . v. . ) that god hardned the heart of pharaoh and the hearts of his servants , and shewed wonderful signs before them , that the israelites might know him to be god : it doth not follow from thence , that miracles do in truth teach us to know and acknowledge god , but only that the jews had such opinions , as that they might be easily convinced by those miracles . for evident it is , that the prophetick reasons mentioned in scripture , or such as are form'd from revelation , are drawn , not from universal and common notions , but from the granted ( however absurd ) opinions of those to whom the things are reveal'd , or whom the holy spirit intends to convince . which might here , if i had not firmly resolv'd not to prolong this discourse by digressions , be prov'd from many examples , and also by the testimony of st. paul , who with the greeks made himself a greek , and with the jews a jew ; that is , conform'd his doctrine sometimes to the common opinions of the grecians , sometimes to those of the jews . but though the miracles done in the sight of the egyptians might convince them , and the jews also , from their common opinions : yet could they not give a true idea and knowledge of god , but only bring both nations to concede , that there was a divine numen more powerful than all things known to them , and that this divine numen took more care of the hebrews , all whose affairs at that time succeeded most happily even above their hope , than of the egyptians or any other people whatever ; but not that god takes equal care of all men , which philosophy alone can teach . and therefore the jews , and all other men who have not , unless from the disparile state of humane affairs and the unequal fortune of men , known the providence of god , have perswaded themselves that the jews nation was more beloved by god than the rest of mankind , though the jews exceeded not the rest in the perfections of humane nature , or in their inclinations to vertue and piety ; as may be soon collected from their history . i conclude therefore , that miracles teach not men the true knowledge of god and of his providence : and find my self at liberty to proceed to my x. third position , which you may remember to be this ; that according to the true sence of the holy scriptures themselves , by the decrees and commands of god , and consequently by the providence of god , nothing else is signified but the sixt and immutable order of nature : that is , that when the scripture saith , that such or such a thing was done by god or by the will of god , it doth really mean no other but this , that the fact was perform'd according to the laws and order of nature ; not as the vulgar thinks , that nature ceas'd to proceed in her due course whilst the thing was in doing , or that her order was for some time interrupted . the scripture indeed doth not directly teach such things which belong not to the doctrine thereof ; because it designs not to shew the natural causes of things , nor to teach things meerly speculative : and therefore what i here propose to my self to prove , must be by consequence deduced from some histories of the scripture , which are casually related prolixly and with many circumstances . of which i will produce a few , as examples of the rest . in the first book of samuel , chap. . and vers . , & . it is related , that god reveal'd to samuel , that he would send saul to him ; and yet god sent him not expresly , as men are wont to send messengers on purpose to others , but this mission of saul by god was nothing but the very order of nature . for saul was in quest of asses which he had lost ( as is related in the same chapter ) and now deliberating to return home without them , by the counsel of his servant he diverts his journey to the prophet samuel , to know from him where he might find his asses , nor can it be collected from the whole narration , that he had any other mandate from god , besides this series of natural causes or order of nature , to address himself to samuel . in psalm . v. . 't is said , that god changed the mind of the egyptians , so that they hated the children of israel ; and yet that this mutation also was wholly natural , appears from exod. chap. . where an account is given of the reason , and that no light one neither , why the egyptians reduced the israelites to servitude , viz. lest the israelites being grown too numerous and mighty , should in case of war joyn with their enemies and over-power them . in genes . . v. . god saith to noah , that he would give the rainbow in the clouds for a sign : which action of god was no other but a certain refraction and reflexion of the rays of the sun , which they suffer'd in the small drops of water whereof the cloud consisted . so that the phenomenon it self was then ( as now ) a natural meteor , only the signality was new . in psalm . v. . the natural action and warmth of the wind , by which the hoar-frost and snow are thawed and melted , is call'd the word of god ; and so are the wind and cold also in vers . . in like manner wind and fire are call'd in psal. . vers . . god's angels and ministers . all which places , with many other of the like importance frequently occurring in sacred writ , most clearly shew , that the decree , command , saying , and word of god , signifie nothing else but the action and order of nature : and therefore it is not to be doubted , but that all the miracles recounted in the scripture , came to pass naturally ; and yet notwithstanding are duely referr'd to god , because his power and the power of nature are one and the same ; and because it is not the design of the scripture to explain events by their natural causes , but only to relate those , which surprize the imagination ; and that also in such a method and style , which serves more familiarly and easily to excite admiration , and consequently devotion in the minds of the vulgar . if therefore in the scripture there be found some things or facts , whose causes we understand not , and which seem to have been done besides or contrary to the order of nature ; they ought not to amuse us , nor to hinder us from believing , that what hath really hapned , hapned naturally . which is yet farther confirmed by this , that in miracles were found many circumstances , though not always noted in the narrations , chiefly when they are described in a poetick style : the circumstances , i say , of miracles shew clearly , that they require natural causes . for instance , to infest the egyptians with scabs , it was requisite moses should sprinkle ashes of the furnace upward into the air , ( exod. . v. . ) locusts also at the natural command of god , namely by an east-wind blowing strongly a whole day and a night , came up and cover'd the land of egypt : and left it again , being carried away by as mighty a west-wind ( exod. . v. , . ) by the same command of god , namely an east-wind , that blew most strongly the whole night , the red sea gave way to the israelites ( exod . . v. . ) the same may be inferr'd also from the manner of the prophet elisha's raising up the shunamites son , that perhaps only seem'd to be dead . for elisha thought it necessary to lay his body upon the childs body , to put his mouth upon his mouth , his eyes upon his eyes , his hands upon his hands , and to stretch himself often in that posture ; and all this to excite heat and motion in the vital parts of the child , and sternutation in his brain , until the child open'd his eyes first , and then neez'd seven times : more examples of this kind might easily be brought hither out of the books of the old testament , were not these already alledged sufficient to evince , that various circumstances and natural actions are requir'd to the production of miracles , and consequently that they are all effected by god according to the order of nature , not by interrupting or perverting it . i see not therefore , why it may not be lawful for us to believe , that though the circumstances of miracles be not always deliver'd in the narrations of them , nor their natural causes assign'd ; yet they were not effected without them . the same is constant also from exod. . v. . where 't is only related in short , that at the bare beck of moses , and the stretching forth of his hand , the sea flowed back upon the egyptian host , without the least mention of any wind that might impel the waters : and yet in the canticle , or song of moses , ( chap. . v. . ) 't is said expresly , this miracle was perform'd by god's blowing with a most violent wind upon the sea. xi . here some perhaps will object , that we find in the scripture very many things , which seem absolutely incapable of solution by any natural causes whatsoever ; as that the sins of men could cause famine , and their prayers bring down rain and cause fertility of the earth , and that faith could restore sight to the blind , and others equally strange . but this objection i have ( i think ) prevented , where i asserted , that it is not the design or scope of the scripture to teach the knowledge of things by their next causes , but only to relate them in that order or method , and in those phrases , by which it may most efficaciously move men , and chiefly the vulgar , to devotion and reverence toward god ; for which reason it many times speaks of natural things , yea even of god himself very improperly ; as aiming to affect and occupy the imagination of men , not to convince their reason . for should the scripture relate the fall and devastation of any empire , kingdom , or commonwealth , as politick historians are wont to do , assigning all the remote , concurrent , and proxime causes thereof : the narration would not at all affect and commove the common people : who yet are apt to be strongly surpriz'd , and as it were charm'd into admiration and devotion , when the whole revolution is described in strains and figures of poesie , and referr'd only to the immediate power and decree of god. when therefore the scripture relates , that the earth became barren for the sins of men , or that the blind recover'd sight by faith ; we have no more reason to be moved to admiration , than when it tells us , that god is angry , sorrowful , penitent of his promises or facts , mindful of his promise upon sight of the sign pre-ordain'd , and many other like things , which are either deliver'd poetically , or related according to the pre-conceiv'd opinions and prejudices of the writer . wherefore we here absolutely conclude , that all the events that are truely related in the scripture to have come to pass , proceeded necessarily ( as all other contingents do ) according to the immutable laws of nature ; and that if any thing be found , which can be apodictically demonstrated to be repugnant to those laws , or not to have followed from them : we may safely and piously believe the same not to have been dictated by divine inspiration , but impiously added to the sacred volumes by sacrilegious men : for whatever is against nature , is against reason ; and whatever is against reason , is absurd , and therefore also to be rejected and refuted . xii . but lest any man should , by misinterpreting any miracle , suspect that he has found in the scripture something that is repugnant to the light of nature or right reason ; it concerns me now to come to the fourth and last part of my present subject , viz. the interpretation of miracles . of this therefore i will deliver 〈◊〉 of many thoughts , and by an example or two endeavour to illustrate them . it very rarely happens , that men relate any action simply , and as it was really done , without mixing with it somewhat of their own judgement . nay when they see or hear any thing new and surprizing , unless they circumspectly defend themselves from their own pre-conceiv'd opinions , they are for the most part prone to be so blinded and pre-possess'd by them , that they apprehend in their brain quite another thing than what they see or hear to have come to pass ; chiefly if the thing done exceed the capacity of either the reporter , or the hearer , and when the same is likely to bring some considerable advantage or emolument to the reporter , if it be believ'd to have come to pass in such or such a manner . hence doubtless it comes , that men in their chronicles and histories rather relate their own conjectures and opinions , than things as they were really done ; and that one and the same case or event is by two men , of different opinions and judgments , so diversly related , that they seem to speak , not of one case , but two ; and in fine , that it is not very difficult to a man that reads with attention , to investigate the opinions of the chronographer or historian meerly from his narrations . to confirm this , i might bring hither many examples , as well of philosophers , who have written natural histories , as of chronographers ; if i did not think it superfluous so to do . i will therefore content my self with one pertinent and remarkable example taken out of holy scripture , and then leave the reader from thence to judge of the rest . in the time of joshua , the hebrews ( perhaps with all other nations ) believing the sun to be carried round the 〈◊〉 in its diurnal motion , and the earth to stand still perpetually ; accommodated to this their pre-conceiv'd opinion , the miracle that happen'd to them , when they were fighting against those five kings of the amorites . for they have not simply related , that that day was longer than any other day ; but that the sun and moon then stood still , or ceas'd from their motions . and this could not but serve mightily to their advantage , at that time , to convince their ethnick enemies , who adored the sun and moon , and to prove by experience it self , that those celestial luminaries were under the command of another god , at whose beck they were forced to stop their course , and change their natural order . wherefore they conceiv'd , partly from religion , partly from their pre-conceiv'd opinions , the thing to have come to pass far otherwise than it might really have happen'd ; and related the same accordingly . to interpret therefore scripture - miracles , and to understand from the narrations of them , how they really happen'd ; 't is necessary to know the opinions of those who first reported them , and who transmitted them down to after-ages by their writings ; and to distinguish the narrations from that which their authors senses might represent to their surpriz'd imaginations : otherwise we shall confound their opinions and judgements with the miracle it self , as it really came to pass ; nay more , we shall confound also things which have really happen'd , with things purely imaginary , and which were only prophetick representations . for in scripture many things are related as real , and which were also believ'd to be real even by the relators themselves ; that notwithstanding were only representations form'd in the brain , and meerly imaginary : as that god , the supream being , descended from heaven ( exod . . v. . and deuteron . . v. . ) upon mount sinai , and that the mountain therefore smoak'd , because god came down upon it surrounded with fire ; that elias ascended to heaven in a fiery chariot drawn by fiery horses : which were only representations accommodated to their opinions , who deliver'd them down to us , as they had been represented to them , viz. as things actually done . for all men of understanding above the rabble , know , that god hath no right nor left hand , that he is neither moved nor quiet , uncircumscrib'd by place , but absolutely infinite , and that in him are comprehended all perfections . all these proprieties of his , i say , are known to those considering men , which judge things from the perceptions of a pure intellect , and not as the imagination is affected by the outward senses ; as the vulgar is wont , which therefore imagines god to be corporeal , and like an emperor sitting in a throne above the stars in the convexity of heaven , the distance of which they believe not to be very great from the earth . from these gross imaginations and opinions of common heads it is , that the writers of holy scripture , accommodating their narrations many times to vulgar capacities , describe many events in expressions familiar and suitable to those pre-conceiv'd opinions ; which therefore ought not to be receiv'd by philosophers as real . besides , to understand how miracles really happen'd , 't is requisite to be well vers'd in all the idioms , phrases and tropes of the ancient hebrews : for he that doth not understand and attend to all these , will be apt to feign and add to the scripture many miracles , which the writers of it never thought of ; and consequently remain ignorant , not only how the miracles that have been written , came to pass , but even of the true sence and mind of the writers . for example , the prophet zacharias ( chap. . v. . ) speaking of war to come , saith ; and it shall come to pass in that day , that the light shall not be clear , nor dark — but it shall be one day which shall be known to the lord , not day , nor night ; but at evening time it shall be light , &c. now by these words he seems to predict a mighty miracle ; and yet to a man conversant in the language , phrases , and style of the prophets , it will soon appear , that nothing is signified by him but this , that the battel shall be siercely fought by both sides , the event of it all the day known only to god , but in the evening the jews shall obtain the victory : for in such allegories and phrases , the prophets were wont to soretel and write the victories and calamities of nations , signifying those by light and day , these by darkness and night . thus we find esaia ( chap. . ) describing the ruine and devastation of babylon in these words ; the stars of heaven , and the constellations thereof , shall not give their light ; the sun shall be darkened in his going forth , and the moon shall not emit the splendor of her light : which prodigies no man of understanding believes to have happen'd at the destruction of that mighty city ; as neither those the same prophet adds in the subsequent verse ; i will shake the heavens , and the earth shall remove out of her place . thus again in chap. . vers . ult . to signifie to the jews , that they should return from babylon to jerusalem securely , and suffer no thirst in the journey , he saith ; and they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts ; he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them . by which words , i say , esaia intended only this , that the jews shall find fountains in the deserts ( as travellers commonly do ) with which they shall mitigate their thirst . for , when by the consent of cyrus they went to jerusalem , 't is evident even from the history of their return thither , that no such miracles happen'd to them . after this manner of speaking , in the holy scripture occur very many things , which were only old modes of expression among the jews , and therefore ought not to be interpreted according to the letter , chiefly where miracles are rashly supposed to be intimated . to recite all these , is ( after what i have here said ) unnecessary ; and all i would have remark'd in the general , is only this , that the hebrews were accustomed in these and the like phrases to speak , not only ornately , but also , and chiefly devotely . for which very reason in the st . of kings , chap. . and jeb . v. . is found , to bless god , for , to curse : and for the same , they referr'd all things immediately to god , and therefore the scripture seems to relate nothing almost but miracles ; and that too when it speaks of things most plainly natural , of which i have already alledged some examples . when therefore the scripture tells us , that god hardned the heart of pharaoh ; we are not bound to believe , that it signifies any thing , but this , that pharaoh was contumacious or obstinate . and where 't is said , that god opened the windows of heaven , we may safely interpret the words to contain no other sence but this , that rain fell down from the clouds in great abundance ; & sic de aliis . if our reader then , laying aside all superstitious prejudices , shall be pleas'd to consider and remark these instances , and withal know , that in the scripture many things are related briefly , without any circumstances , and imperfectly ; i am fully perswaded , he will therein find nothing that can be apodictically demonstrated to be repugnant to the light of nature or right reason , but on the contrary many things , which how obscure soever they may seem at first , he will be able , upon a little examen and meditation , to understand and interpret according to the genuine sence and meaning of the writer . and thus , i think , i have with sufficient clearness proved what i intended . xiii . but yet , before i put an end to this discourse , there is one thing more , of which it concerns me to advertise the reader , and 't is this ; that the method here proposed for interpretation of miracles , ought not to be accommodated to the prejudice of prophesies occurring frequently in the scripture . for of these nothing ought to be affirm'd , but what may be concluded from fundamentals reveal'd in scripture ; whereas the conclusions precedent in this discourse , have been inferr'd only from principles known by the light of nature . prophesie is a thing which transcends the limited capacity of humane understanding , nor can any man comprehend wherein chiefly it consisteth , unless from fundaments reveal'd , which are purely theological . but as for miracles ; because what i here principally enquire ( viz. whether we may safely admit , that in nature any thing can possibly happen , that is repugnant to the eternal laws of nature , or that may not follow from them ) is a question philosophical : i have therefore thought it , as more proper , so also more advised , to investigate the same from fundaments or principles known by the light of nature . i say , more advised ; because i could have solved this question from only positions and fundaments of the scripture it self ; to manifest which , i will now briefly shew the possibility thereof . the scripture in some places affirms of nature in general , that she perpetually observes a fixt and immutable order ; as in psal. . v. . he hath established them [ the heavens and all the celestial host , &c. ] for ever : he hath made a decree which shall not pass : and jerem. . v. , . thus saith the lord , which giveth the sun for a light by day , and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night , which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar . — if those ordinances depart from before me , saith the lord , then , &c. and the philosopher in his ecclesiast . . v. . saith expresly , that nothing new happens in nature : and in vers . , . illustrating that assertion , adds , that though a thing may come to pass , which seems new , yet really 't is not new , but the like hath happen'd in ages so long since past , that no memory of them has reached down to us : there is , saith he , no remembrance of former things ; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come , with those that shall come after . again in chap. . v. . he saith , that god hath appointed a season to every thing , and a time to every purpose under the sun : and at vers . . he saith farther , i know that whatsoever god doth , it shall be for ever : nothing can be put to it , nor any thing taken from it , &c. all which texts most clearly teach , that nature always keeps her fixt and immutable order , that god hath been the same in all ages , as well unknown as known to us , and that the laws of nature are so perfect and fertil , that nothing can be added unto , nothing detracted from them , and in fine , that miracles are not lookt upon as new things , unless by reason of mens ignorance . these remarkable truths therefore are ( you see ) expresly taught in the sacred books : but in them it is no where taught , that any thing can happen in nature , which is repugnant to her eternal laws , or which is impossible to follow from them ; and therefore i think it unreasonable , to impute such doctrine to the scripture . to these arguments be pleas'd to subjoyn some of our precedent reasons , viz. that miracles require causes and circumstances , that they necessarily proceed from the divine decree , that is ( as we have shewn even from the scripture ) from the laws of nature and her establisht order , and in fine , that miracles may be wrought also by seducers and impostors , as is plain from deut. . and mat. . v. . and then , i presume , you will perceive it to be genuinely consequent from all these premisses , that miracles have been natural things , and ought so to be explicated , as to seem neither new ( that i may use solomon's word ) nor repugnant to nature . and that you may the more easily so explicate them , i have set down some certain rules taken from the scripture it self . but though i say , that the scripture teaches these things , yet i do not mean that it teaches them as precepts or documents necessary to salvation , but only that the prophets embraced them as we do : and therefore it is free for every man to think of them , according as he shall judge it most conducive to his devoting himself to the worship of god , and the exercise of religion , with his whole mind . which agrees exactly with the sentiment of that wise and grave author josephus , exprest in the conclusion of his d. book of antiquities , in these words . nullus verò discredat verbo miraculi , si antiquis hominibus , & malitia privatis via salut is liquet per mare fact a , sive voluntate dei , sive sponte revelata : dum & eis , qui cum alexandro rege macedoniae fuerunt olim , & antiquit us à resistentibus pamphilicum mare divisum sit , & cum aliud iter non esset , transitum praebuit iis , volente deo per eum persarum destruere imperium ; & hoc confitentur omnes , qui act us alexandri scripserunt . de his itaque sicut placuerit unicuique existimet . in which josephus modestly declares his judgement of miracles . i add also that of valesius , a pious man and profound philosopher , who ( in sacrae philosophiae cap. . in psal. . ) having asserted that the manna wherewith god fed the israelites in the desart , though different in some qualities from other sorts of manna described by physicians , was yet produced secundum leges naturae ; wisely subjoyns this defence of himself . neque enim elevo dei concu●sum , cum naturales rerum causas investigo ; sed laudo insinitam ej us sapientiam , qui it a omnia disponit , ut etiam quae portentosissima sunt , vide antur bona ex parte secundum naturalem rerum ordinem evenisse . sanctus augustinus in epistola . quae est ad marcellinum . si ratio contra divinarum scripturarum autoritatem redditur , quamvis acuta sit , fallit verisimilitudine ; nam vera esse non potest : rursum , si manifestissimae certaeque rationi , velut scripturarum sanctarum objicitur autoritas ; non intelligit qui hoc facit , & non scripturarum illarum sensum , ad quem penetrare non potest , sed suum potius objicit veritati nec quod in eis , sed quod in seipso , velut pro iis , invenit , opponit . burnetius in telluris theoria sacra , lib. . cap. ult . ut in deducendis rerum originibus , non temerè recurrendum est ad primam causam ; ita nec in explicandis effect is singularibus , ad miracula . hoc omnes agnoscunt , atque etiam frustrà ac temerè eò recurri , cum res aliundè per causas naturales satis explicari potest . satis autem explicatur aliquod phaenomenon , eujus rationes redduntur adaequatae , idque juxta analogiam naturae : ita scilicet , ut caetera natura eidem explicationi consentiat & suffragetur . dr. sprat in his hist. of the royal society , pag. . it is a dangerous mistake , into which many good men fall ; that we neglect the dominion of god over the world , if we do not discover in every turn of humane actions many supernatural providences , and miraculous events . whereas it is enough for the honour of his government , that he guides the whole creation in its wonted course of causes and effects : as it makes as much to the reputation of a princes wisdom , that he can rule his subjects peaceably by his known and standing laws , as that he is often forc'd to make use of extraordinary justice to punish , or reward . finis . the story of jetzer, taken out of dr. g. burnet's letters with a collection of miracles wrought by popish saints, during their lives, and after their deaths, out of their own authours, for information of all true-hearted protestants : with a prefatory discourse, declaring the impossibility and folly of such vain impostures. burnet, gilbert, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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[ ], p. printed, and are to be sold by r. taylor, london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng jetzer, johann, - ? miracles. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the story of jetzer , taken out of dr. g. burnet's letters : with a collection of miracles wrought by popish saints , during their lives , and after their deaths , out of their own authours , for information of all true-hearted protestants . with a prefatory discourse , declaring the impossibility and folly of such vain impostures . london printed , and are to be sold by randal taylor , . the epistle to the reader . reader , the grand design of this collection of popish miracles , i●●o inform thee of the absurdities and wickedness of the church of rome , in compelling her members to believe such ridiculous stories , as are here related out of popish authours , set out and own'd by their church ; and some of them very lately published to the world by mr. cressy , in his church-history , printed . who has raked together out of bede , capgrave , and others , such stuff , as i am sure must needs fill thee with admiration . as for ignatius , the character given of him in his life denotes him to be little better than a lunatick person , for pag. . this is related of him , but that he had regard to the good of his neighbour , ( for which it was necessary for him to uphold himself and his authority ) he would have walked the streets half naked , in a contemptible manner , that so he might have been held and reputed a mad-man . and pag. . we have an account of the devil 's appearing to him , endeavouring to fright and distract him in his prayers , and was often with a little stick chased away by him . and pag. . we have this vision , at such time as he composed the constitutions of his society , having one day consecrated the holy host , and offered to almighty god the rules of his society , god the father appeared most gratiously unto him , insinuating by some mystical signification , that it would be a thing pleasing to his divine majesty , that the mother of god should offer up her prayers unto him for him ; whereupon the blessed virgin suddenly appeared , recommending st. ignatius to the eternal father ; and demonstrating , that her own flesh was there present in the eucharist , in the flesh of her son. at one time we have account , that both father and son appeared to him ; and at another , the holy spirit : and many such extravagant passages , which are more probable to be the frenzies of a mad-man , than the visions of a saint : for god says , exod . . there shall no man see me and live . but it is in vain to bring scripture against those , that both deny the scriptures to be the iudge of controversie , and likewise make it their business to derogate from it . in a spanish catechism , entituled , caton christiano , composed by , geronimo de rosales , a jesuit , and printed at sevil , . this plainly appears ; for instead of citing scripture to confirm the doctrins of the roman church , he brings in forged miracles for examples : as to instance only in one : to prove the lawfulness of praying to the virgin mary , he tells this wonderfull story : a great sinner put himself into a religious order , and being grosly ignorant he was not able to learn the christian doctrin , no not so much as the ave maria throughout , but only these words , hail mary full of grace , which he repeated many times . this man died , and afterwards there grew on his grave a very handsome tree , on whose leaves were these words written , hail mary full of grace : the miracle was divulged , the bishop came and caused the tree to be digg'd up , and they found that the root of this tree came out of the man's mouth . this is their way of proving their doctrins , as may be seen throughout this catechism . that most of these miracles were invented by the romish priests and monks , to make the ignorant laity have a more venerable esteem for them , ( than which nothing has more contributed thereto , ) and to distribute their riches amonst them for pardons , masses , for freeing their souls from purgatory , &c. needs no other proof , than the impossibility and impertinency of the things related , and the doctrins they maintain , viz. invocation of saints , worshipping of images , &c. which ▪ are quite contrary to the revealed will of god , and the practice of the holy apostles : and therefore if some things of this nature have been miraculously acted , it is not to be attributed to our most holy god since it tends to the violating his commands , by setting up ne● doctrins contradictory thereto , but rather to the subtilty and power of the devil , who in all ages has made it his business to seduce men to the most abominable sin of idolatry , and for that end did work many miracles in the temples of the heathen ; so that it is no new thing for him to work miracles , when it is to gain himself proselytes ; and that the church of rome has been so far deluded by him , as to break the second commandment , in giving divine worship to images , is learnedly proved by dr. moore , dr. stillingfleet , and others in their books of the idolatry of that church . by this ▪ they may see what danger they are in , whilst they communicate with a church , that imposes such not orious lies on her members to support her false doctrins . god give them grace to see their errours , that so they may withdraw themselves from that idolatrous church , and cast anchor in the true protestant , grounded on scripture , and the practice of the primitive christians ; which is the hearty desire of the publisher . miracles wrought by popish saints . about the beginning of the th century , a franciscan happened to preach in francfort , and one wigand a dominican coming into the church , the cordelier seeing him , broke out into exclamations , praising god that he was not of an order that prophaned the virgin , or that poysoned princes in the sacrament , ( for a dominican had poysoned the emperour henry the vii . with the sacrament , ) wigand being extremely provoked with this bloudy reproach , gave him the lye , upon which a dispute arose , which ended in a tumult that had almost cost the dominican his life , yet he got away . the whole order resolved to take their revenge , and in a chapter , held at vimpsen in the year . they contrived a method for supporting the credit of their order , which was much sunk in the opinion of the people , and for bearing down the reputation of the franciscans . four of the juncto undertook to manage the design ; for they said , since the people were so much disposed to believe dreams and fables , they must dream of their side , and endeavour to cheat the people as well as the others had done . they resolved to make bern the scene in which the project should be put in execution ; for they found the people of bern , at that time apt to swallow any thing , and not disposed to make severe enquiries into extraordinary matters . when they had formed their design , a fit tool presented it self ; for one ietzer came to take their habit as a lay-brother , who had all the dispositions necessary for the execution of their project : for he was extreme simple , and was much inclined to austerities , so having observed his temper well , they began to execute their project the very night after he took the habit , which was on lady-day . one of the fryars conveyed himself secretly into his cell , and appeared to him as if he had been in purgatory , in a strange figure , and he had a box near his mouth , upon which as he blew , fire seemed to come out of his mouth ; he had also some dogs about him , that appeared as his tormentors . in this posture he came near the fryar , while he was a bed , and took up a celebrated story that they used to tell all their fryars , to beget in them a great dread at the laying aside their habit , which was , that one of the order , who was superiour of their house at soloturn , had gone to paris , but laying aside his habit , was killed in his lay-habit . the fryar in the vizard said , he was that person , and was condemned to purgatory for that crime ; but he added , that he might be rescued out of it by his means , and he seconded this with most horrible cries , expressing the miseries which he suffered . the poor fryar ( ietzer ) was excessively frighted , but the other advanced , and required a promise of him to doe that which he should desire of him , in order to the delivering him out of his torment . the frighted fryar promised all that he asked of him ; then the other said , he knew he was a great saint , and that his prayers and mortifications would prevail , but they must be very extraordinary . the whole monastery must for a week together discipline themselves with a whip , and he must lie prostrate in the form of one on a cross , in one of their chapels , while mass was said in the sight of all that should come together to it ; and he added that if he did this , he should find the effects of the love that the b. virgin did bear him , together with many other extraordinary things ; and said , he would appear again accompanied with two other spirits ; and assured him , that all that he did suffer for his deliverance , should be most gloriously rewarded . morning was no sooner come than the friar gave an account of this apparition to the rest of the convent , who seemed extremely surprized at it , they all pressed him to undergo the discipline that was enjoyned him , and every one undertook to bear his share ; so the deluded fryar performed it all exactly in one of the chapels of their church : this drew a vast number of spectatours together , who all considered the poor fryar as a saint , and in the mean while the four fryers that managed the imposture , magnified the miracle of the apparition to the skies in their sermons . the fryar's confessor was upon the secret , and by this means they knew all the little passages of the poor fryar's life , even to his thoughts , which helped them not a little in the conduct of the matter . the confessor gave him an hostie , with a piece of wood ; that was , as he pretended , a true piece of the cross , and by these he was to fortify himself , if any other apparitions should come to him , since evil spirits would be certainly chained up by them . the night after that , the former apparation was renewed , and the masqued fryar brought two others with him in such vizards , that the fryar thought they were devils indeed . the fryar presented the hostie to them , which gave them such a check , that he was fully satisfied of the vertue of this preservative . the fryar , that pretended he was suffering in purgatory , said so many things to him relating to the secrets of his life , and thoughts , which he had from the confessor , that the poor fryar was fully possessed with the opinion of the reality of the apparition . in two of these apparitions , that were both managed in the same manner , the fryar in the masque talked much of the dominican order , which he said was excessively dear to the b. virgin , who knew her self to be conceived in original sin , and that the doctors who taught the contrary were in purgatory : that the story of s. bernard's appearing with a spot on him , for having opposed himself to the feast of the conception , was a forgery : but that it was true , that some hideous flies had appeared on st. bonaventure's tomb , who taught the contrary . that the b. virgin abhorred the cordeliers for making her equal to her son ; that scotus was damned , whose canonization the cordeliers were then soliciting hard at rome ; and that the town of bern would be destroyed for harbouring such plagues within their walls . when the enjoined discipline was fully performed , the spirit appeared again , and said , he was now delivered out of purgatory , but before he could be admitted to heaven he must receive the sacrament , having died without it , and after that he would say mass for those , who had by their great charities rescued him out of his pains . the fryar fancied the voice resembled the prior's a little ; but he was then so far from suspecting any thing , that he gave no great heed to this suspition . some days after this , the same fryar appeared as a nun all in glory , and told the poor fryar , that she was st. barbary , for whom he had a particular devotion , and added , that the b. virgin was so much pleased with his charity , that she intended to come and visit him : he immediately called the convent together , and gave the rest of the fryars an account of this apparition , which was entertained by them all with great joy ; and the fryar languished in desires of the accomplishment of the promise , that st. barbara had made him . after some days the longed-for delusion appeared to him , clothed as the virgin used to be on the great feasts , and indeed in the same habits : there were about her some angels , which he afterwards found were the little statues of angels , which they set on the altars on the great holy days . there was also a pulley fastned in the room over his head , and a cord tied to the angels , that made them rise up in the air , and flie about the virgin , which encreased the delusion . the virgin , after some endearments to himself , extolling the merit of his charity and discipline , told him that she was conceived in original sin , and that pope iulius ii. that then reigned , was to put an end to the dispute , and was to abolish the feast of her conception , which sixtus iv. had instituted , and that the fryar was to be the instrument of persuading the pope of the truth in that matter : she gave him three drops of her son's bloud , which were three tears of bloud that he had shed over ierusalem , and this signfied that she was three hours in original sin , after which she was by his mercy delivered out of that state : for it seems the dominicans were resolved so to compound the matter , that they should gain the main point of her conception in sin ; yet they would comply so far with the reverence for the virgin , with which the world was possessed , that she should be believed to have remained a very short while in that state . she gave him also five drops of bloud in the form of a cross , which were tears of bloud , that she had shed while her son was upon the cross. and , to convince him more fully , she presented an hostie to him , that appeared as an ordinary hostie , and of a sudden it appeared to be of a deep red colour . the cheat of those supposed visits was often repeated to the abused fryar ; at last the virgin told him , that she was to give him such marks of her son's love to him , that the matter should be past all doubt . she said that the five wounds of st. lucia , and st. catharine were real wounds , and that she would also imprint them on him ; so she bid him reach his hand ; he had no great mind to receive a favour in which he was to suffer so much : but she forced his hand , and struck a nail through it ; the hole was as big as a grain of pease , and he saw the candle clearly through it ; this threw him out of a supposed transport into a real agony ; but she seemed to touch his hand , and he thought he smelt an oyntment , with which she anointed it , though his confessour persuaded him , that that was onely an imagination ; so the supposed virgin left him for that time . the next night the apparition returned , and brought some linen clothes , which had some real or imaginary virtue to allay his torment : and the pretended virgin said , they were some of the linens in which christ was wrapped ; and with that she gave him a soporiferous draught , and while he was fast asleep , the other four wounds were imprinted on his body , in such a manner that he felt no pain . but in order to the doing of this , the fryars betook themselves to charms , and the subprior shewed the rest a book full of them ; but he said , that before they could be effectual , they must renounce god , and he not onely did this himself , but by a formal act put in writing signed with his bloud , he dedicated himself to the devil ; it is true , he did not oblige the rest to this , but onely to renounce god. the composition of the draught was a mixture of some fountain-water and chrism , the hairs of the eyebrows of a child , some quicksilver , some grains of incense , somewhat of an easter wax-candle , some consecrated salt , and the bloud of an unbaptised child . this composition was a secret which the subprior did not communicate to the other fryars . by this the poor fryar , ietzer , was made almost insensible : when he was awake , and came out of this deep sleep , he felt this wonderfull impression on his body , and now he was ravished out of measure , and came to fansie himself to be acting all the parts of our saviour's passion : he was exposed to the people on the great altar , to the amazement of the whole town , and to the no small mortification of the franciscans . the dominicans gave him some other draughts that threw him into convulsions , and when he came out of those , a voice was heard , which came through that hole which yet remains , and runs from one of the cells along a great part of the church : for a fryar spoke through a pipe , and at the end of the hole , there was an image of the virgins , with a little jesus in her armes , between whom and his mother the voice seemed to come ; the image also seemed to shed teers , and a painter had drawn those on her face so lively , that the people were deceived by it . the little jesus askt why she wept ; and she said , it was because his honour was given to her , since it was said that she war born without sin : in conclusion , the fryras did so over act this matter , that at last even the poor deluded fryar himself came to discover it , and resolved to quit the order . it was in vain to delude him with more apparitions ; for he wellnigh kill'd a fryar that came to him , personating the virgin in another shape with a crown on her head : he also over-heard the fryars once talking amongst themselves , of the contrivance and success of the imposture , so plainly , that he discovered the whole matter , and upon that , as may be easily imagined , he was filled with all the horrour with which such a discovery could inspire him . the fryars fearing that an imposture , which was carried on hitherto with so much success , should be quite spoiled , and be turned against them , thought the surest way was to own the whole matter to him , and to engage him to carry on the cheat. they told him in what esteem he would be , if he continued to support the reputation that he had acquired , that he would become the chief person of the order ; and in the end they persuaded him to go on with the imposture : but at last , they fearing lest he should discover all , resolved to poyson him : of which he was so apprehensive , that once a loaf being brought him , that was prepared with some spices , he kept it for some time , and it growing green , he threw it to some young wolves whelps that were in the monastery , who died immediately . his constitution was also so vigorous , that though they gave him poyson five several times , he was not destroyed by it ; they also prest him earnestly to renounce god , which they judged necessary , that so their charms might have their effect on him ; but he would never consent to that : at last they forced him to take a poysoned hostie , which yet he vomited up soon after he had swallowed it down ; that failing , they used him so cruelly , whipping him with an iron chain , and girding him about so strait with it , that to avoid farther torment he swore to them , in a most imprecating stile , that he would never discover the secret , but would still carry it on ; and so he deluded them till he found an opportunity of getting out of the convent , and of throwing himself into the hands of the magistrates , to whom he discovered all . the four fryars were seised on , and put in prison , and an account of the whole matter was sent , first to the bishop of lausanne , and then to rome ; and it may be easily imagined , that the franciscans took all possible care to have it well examined , the bishop of lausanne , and of zion , with the provincial of the dominicans , were appointed to form the process . the four fryars first excepted to ietzer's credit ; but that was rejected : then being threatned with the question , they put in a long plea against that ; but though the provincial would not consent to that , yet they were put to the question ; some endured it long ; but at last , they all confessed the whole progress of the imposture . the provincial appeared concerned ; for though ietzer had opened the whole matter to him , yet he would give no credit to him ; on the contrary , he charged him to be obedient to them , and one of the fryars said plainly , that he was in the whole secret , and so he withdrew ; but he died some days after at constance , having poyson'd himself , as was believed . the matter lay asleep some time , but a year after that a spanish bishop came , authorized with full power from rome , and the whole cheat being fully proved , the four fryars were solemnly degraded from their priesthood , and eight days after , it being the last of may , they were burnt in a meadow , on the other side of the river , over against the great church ; the place of their execution was shewed me , as well as the hole in the wall , through which the voice was conveyed to the image . it was certainly one of the blackest , and yet the best carried on cheat , that has been ever known ; and no doubt had the poor fryar dyed before the discovery , it had passed down to posterity , as one of the greatest miracles that ever was ; and it gives shrewd suspition , that many of the other miracles of that church , were of the same nature , but more successfully finished . miracles wrought by ignatius , as they are related in ch. . and . of the glory of the blessed father st. ignatius , printed at roven , . after the copy compiled at cracovia . miracles wrought by st. ignatius , in his life time . ignatius , founder of the society of iesus , is reported to have done these following miracles in his life time . it fell out at barcelona , that two brothers , about their patrimony , had long sued one another , and he , in fine , whose fortune it was to lose the suit , falling through too vehement apprehension into despair , hung himself with a halter upon a beam in his chamber : the bruit of which came no sooner to the ears of st. ignatius , but suddenly he betook himself to the place , and cutting asunder the halter from that unfortunate rafter , gave order that the dead body should be laid upon a bed ; which done , falling apart upon his knees , he began with many tears to demand the safety of that miserable creature at the hands of almighty god ; but whilst ignatius ( being at that time but a student in the grammar-school ) was thus earnest in his prayers , they who were there present standing in suspence , with their eyes fixed upon the bed , ( a thing full of miracle ) the dead man returned suddenly to life , and had the use of his voice so long , till calling for a ghostly father , he had confessed his sins and received absolution , and then at last gave up the ghost , lately redeemed from out the jaws of hell into the hands of his creator . he recovered immediately a certain man called bastida , who had been many years sick of the falling-sickness , by casting up his eyes and prayers for him to heaven . he often chased the devil out of possessed persons , by the sign of the cross. he restored a woman to health , who lay half dead of a consumption . he delivered one simon rodriguez , being also at death's door , from his disease , by a pious embrace . iohn baptista coco , who by accident one evening had so burnt his hand , that it became utterly unserviceable , and disabled for any manual function , the next day by his prayers had his hand healed and restored . returning sick into his own countrey of a quotidian ague , and preaching often in the open fields , ( because the churches were not capable of the concourse of people , ) howbeit his weakness would not permit him to raise his voice aloud , yet every word of his sermon was perfectly and distinctly heard and understood by all men for the space of more than paces . coming once to visit one alexander petronio , who lay sick in a dark and close chamber and bed , in regard the windows and doors were kept shut to keep out the light , he replenished the room with the supernatural splendour of his face , and recovered the sick person . he freed one elutherio pontano , who had been grievously molested for the space of more than two years , with certain foul temptations of the devil , by his only seeing and discoursing with the party . the college of loretto being fearfully haunted with spirits , appearing in sundry foul shapes of men and beasts , and the ordinary exorcisms , and other ceremonies , usually having been applied , and those fearfull apparitions nevertheless not ceasing , the rector of the college addressed himself by letters to st. ignatius , commending the business to his holy sacrifices and prayers , who no sooner received news of it , but he absolutely freed the house from those haunts of ill spirits by his prayers and letter , not for the present only , but for ever after . st. ignatius his linen , being washed with devotion by a certain devout woman , restored life and motion to her withered and dead arme. one isaac , a jew , refusing with a passionate obstinacy to become a christian , and contemning courtesies , and all other courses taken with him by others , was by saint ignatius soon satisfied , appeased , and persuaded to be baptized , by the only uttering of these three words , mane nobiscum isaac . a certain person of note , being of a more turbulent spirit than was fit longer to be endured , and st. ignatius not being able by gentle persuasions to cure his diseased mind , changing at last his style , and beginning to call upon the justice of god , and represent unto him the vengeance of heaven , he did it with such a feeling , and expression of fervour , that the walls and house appeared to him to tremble and shake with horrour ; with the sight of which the standers by , being stricken , immediately fell upon their knees , imploring the mercy of god by their prayers and vows ; and the delinquent , prostrating himself at the feet of st. ignatius , and with a voice of confusion begging pardon for his offence , promised from thence forward an amendment of himself . father leonard kesselius , residing at colen , had a vehement desire to see st. ignatius , then at rome , above leagues distant from thence ; and having besought the b. father by . letters , that it might be lawfull for him to travel on foot to rome ; he made answer , that his presence was necessary at colen for the good of others , enjoining him besides not to stir from thence , for that almighty god peradventure by some other course might so provide , that he might see him without the pains and toil of so tedious a journey ; the father therefore being one day at his prayers , st. ignatius appeared unto him , being yet alive and breathing , and discoursed long with him , to his infinite contentment . the b. father lying often sick , if in the mean time any difficulty hapned , for the solving of which his vertue and wisdom was required , he seemed in a manner to be perfectly recovered , and his mind guiding his body , appeared a sound man ; so that it became familiar to them of the houshold , as often as he fell sick , to desire that some business of consequence might happen , for the facilitating of which st. ignatius might rise , and be quit of his disease . miracles wrought by st. ignatius after his decease . in the processes for the canonization of st. ignatius , commenced by the authority of the ordinaries first , and afterwards by that of the see apostolick , more than miracles are related , wrought by the merits and intercession of st. ignatius after his decease ; besides which , there are divers others as authentical , not yet published , ( because those former for his canonization were more than sufficient ) confirmed nevertheless by the grave testimonies of men beyond exception , and printed at rome , and other parts of italy , in spain , and in germany and other places , by the approbation of them whom it concerneth to approve them : here only i will relate some few , because my brevity promised will not permit many . when the body of st. ignatius lay exposed upon the bier , for the performance of his funeral rites , one bernadina , a roman , had a vehement desire to bring a daughter of hers , who had been long troubled with the hemorrhoids , so grievously , that no art of physick could cure her , to kiss the hands of his dead body , assuring her self the recovery of her daughter by that touch ; but the daughter , transported oftentimes by the press of people , not being able for the throng to approach near the body , her mother laid hold of a piece of his garment , and had no sooner applied it to her daughters body but she was quit of her disease . father nicholas bobadilla , having been long sick of an ague , was recovered by lying in the bed of st. ignatius . at manresa , a certain lady of quality feeling no living motion of her child in her womb , for the space of three hours before she was brought to bed , at last was delivered of a dead child ; the unfortunate success of which , being much lamented by the standers by , the rather because the child had not been christened ; the midwife about half an hour after the delivery of the woman , implored with confidence the help of st. ignatius , and had scarce begun her prayers , but the child , before pale and black , returned now to life . st. ignatius being besought for the life of a little dead infant of an indian woman , restored the child to life . he restored many blind men their sight , deaf men their hearing , lame men their limbs , cured men stricken with the palsie , others given over by the physicians and lying at death's door , he restored perfectly to their health . he appeared to many after his decease , either delivering them from grievous tentations , or freeing them from their diseases or other dangers , or giving them good counsel , or foretelling things to come , or comforting such as served him with divine consolations ; and in his journey to heaven , at the very instant of his decease at rome ( as afterwards appeared by computation of hours ) he appeared in glory to that noble and religious lady margareta de lilus , commending the society to her , as a principal benefactress of the college of bolonia . many devils have been cast out of possessed persons , and out of houses which they haunted ▪ by the relicts of the holy father , or by hanging up his picture . the oil of the lamp which burns before his body , hath wrought many strange cures . he hath eased many women who have called upon him in the extremity of their child-bearing labours , and bestowed children upon barren women . at carpentras a certain woman being delivered of a child without motion , and of the complexion of a blackmoor , so that it was doubtfull what course was to be taken in this prodigious accident , whether the child ought to be christened or no , or whether it were to be deferred till some motion were discovered in it ; at last , by the persuasion of a certain canon , they implored the aid of st. ignatius , by which the child was suddenly not recovered only , but so recovered that his countenance became chearfull and fair . he cured divers of the pleurisie . he protected many men from the fury of their enemies ; others , being fallen head-long from some dangerous precipice , were defended from all hurt by invoking his name . at cesenza one angelo lopez , upon the eve of st. ignatius , in expression of his affection , had filled his windows with many paper-lanthorns , adding to each lanthorn the picture of the saint , and with infinite demonstrations of gratulation , repeated often these words , io loyola , b. pater io ! but in the midst of this triumph , by chance it came to pass , that by the greatness of the wind the fire had taken hold of his lanthorns , which when it was observed by some rascality of the vulgar , they began to scoff at his devotion , upbraiding the man for his superstition , and with a bitter allusion to his motto of triumph , invert the words of it thus ; at , at , beatus uritur : at , loyola crematur ! at which the man growing infinitely out of patience , out of his sense of this irreligion used to st. ignatius ; and i for my part , quoth he , have so high an esteem of the sanctity of the b. father , that i believe him to be able to protect his singed picture from the fire : neither was he deceived in his belief , for the flame having consumed the paper round about it , forbore to touch the picture , either in demonstration of the sanctity of the b. father , or in observancy of the zeal of him who desired it . at braga a certain woman having been lately brought to bed , was so much weakened , for many days after , with a continual flux of bloud , that life could hardly be kept in her from following the course of the flux ; who drinking of the water into which her child had been dipped , having been wrapped immediately before in the garments of saint ignatius , her flux suddenly stopped , and she recovered her accustomed strength . in the town of gumarent a certain woman having lost the use of her sight and hearing , and received the holy oil and other rites of the church , lay utterly out of her senses ; and whilst some about her , out of devotion , were endeavouring to put her in mind of her last words , a certain woman , who in courtesie came to visit her , called to remembrance , that a little piece of the girdle st. ignatius used in his life time , having lately been sent to her by a son of hers of the society ; which she with great confidence , and reverence towards god , presently applied to the sick woman ; which done , she began to recover her senses by degrees , to breath , to stretch out her hands , and make signs for meat , to the admiration of the physicians , for the suddenness of the cure. all which things were afterwards confirmed by the attestation of sworn witnesses . at caglari a certain elder brother snatching up a knife at dinner time , hurt his younger brother in the eye ; and at the same time the daughter of a certain gentlewoman , carving at the table , was sorely hurt in like manner , in one of her eyes ; both which calling upon the aid of saint ignatius , were delivered from danger , beyond expectation . another woman had been so weakned , for the space of four months , with continual pains , that she was utterly deprived of the use of her feet ; but the feast of st. ignatius drawing near , she , desirous to partake of the common jollity that day expressed in our church , was not frustrated of her desire ; for her pain ceasing , and her feet being restored to their wonted strength , she came thither with joy , to have a share in the devotion . in the same place , upon the eve of st. ignatius , the artillery playing round , a little infant who could not speak , and who had never heard the name of st. ignatius , cryed out , to the admiration of all standers by , to morrow is the day of b. ignatius . but they who were present , hearing a thing so full of wonder , for experiment sake , demanded again of the child , what was to be done to morrow , who answered as before . at majorca dwelt a certain woman , who through the contraction of her sinews , was become so lame , that she could not go without crutches ; the whole town therefore being filled with the noises of trumpets , voices , and other musical ▪ instruments , almighty god inspired her with a desire of visiting our church ; who put her self in readiness to go , notwithstanding the dissuasions of her sister , who feared she might miscarry by the press of people , she nevertheless gave no ear to her dissuasions , but put her self upon the way , and was suddenly cured , and recovered strength in her feet ; and throwing away her crutches , without any help betook her self to the church , where in thanks-giving she caused a mass of the b. sacrament to be said . another woman , who some years past had received her sight by the means of this b. father , lying now again desperately sick , and being given over by four physicians , not forgetfull by whom she had received light before , now again reposed all her hopes and confidence in the same physician : one night therefore she called out upon one of the women , who were accustomed to watch with her make haste , quoth she , come hither with speed and behold this glorious splendor ! o if thou hadst come sooner , thou shouldst have beheld my st. ignatius visiting me ! for i am now recovered , and perfectly well . and the event confirmed it to be true ; for the physicians themselves could not deny , but that she was cured by some secret power . at monte in gallicia a great fire raging for many days together , and consuming a certain wood , gathered still new forces , dispersing and spreading it self far and near , there being no humane means to stop or restrain it , to which the wind rising upon a sudden , drove the flames towards the barns and bordering town , so that the fire was now advanced within three or four paces of the corn and houses ; a certain person therefore , taking the picture of st. ignatius , which he had about him , and falling to his prayers , threw it into the midst of the flames , there where the fire raged most , and threatned greatest ruine , and immediately the fury and rage of it ceased , the flames which flew highest descended and vanished , and the whole fire returned upon a sudden from whence it began : and , which is worth admiration , a certain woman , who had observed the throwing in of the picture , leaping into the midst of the smoaking brands , raked away the ashes with her fingers , and being unhurt , brought away the picture from the midst of the burning coals . at friburg a little child of three years of age by chance had broken his arme , the mother of whom fearing the displeasure of her husband , being then absent , invoketh the help of st. ignatius , but she had scarce ended her prayers , when , to her infinite contentment , she found her child before her eyes , whole and without hurt . st. ignatius being invoked , wrought a present cure upon divers who had been sorely wounded , whose cure would otherwise have exacted a long time . many men by the presence of st. ignatius his picture , or by the presence , or by the application or touch of his relicks , have cured the plague when it raged most sorely and consumed multitudes . a certain nobleman at placa perceiving the sky to be overcast with thick clouds , and fearing a great spoil of his corn , lying yet open in the field , made a vow to st. ignatius for the preventing of the tempest , so that when all the adjoyning territories swell'd with flouds of rain , not a drop had touched or fallen upon his fields . at naples one vincentio pagano having prepared certain artificial fires for the celebration of the feast of st. ignatius , had dangerously through his own folly scorched his hand , upon which accident certain women of his acquaintance began to flock about him , applying to his burnt hand a note or superscription of st. ignatins his hand-writing , the touch of which presently eased his pain , and the raging of the burnt part , which usually ceaseth not till a certain day , was out of hand appeased . at catanzaro a certain pious woman , having a son by one gasper mariscano , ( her husband , ) out of her devotion to st. ignatius , had a desire to have him christened by the name of ignatius , howbeit her husband ( in regard the relicks of irenaeus were preserved in that city ) had rather the child should have been called irenaeus ; but in conclusion , after much debate about the business , they concluded the child should be named ignatius irenaeus ; but this contention occasioned many differences betwixt the man and wife , for the wife ever after called her child ignatius , and gave a strict command to them of her houshold to do the like ; and gasper on the other side , commanded them to call him irenaeus : the difference had continued thus betwixt them almost three months , when arguing the business one morning , they both grew somewhat hot , till the father , at last , in jest , well , quoth he , let the strife be put to the arbitrement of the child it self ; to which the mother was contented to agree ; whereupon the father , in merriment , demanded of his child , at that time but three months old , by what name he would have himself called ; when , behold ! the child miraculously received the use of his tongue , distinctly pronouncing the name of ignatius ; which voice so took his father with admiration of the miracle , that from thence forward he gave order his child should be called ignatius , dedicating him to the service of st. ignatius . in the territory of peru in the west-indies , one christopher martinez de peredes , for the space of four years together , was forced through the lameness of his feet to make use of one crutch in the beginning , and afterwards of two ; who hearing , upon the feast of st. ignatius , the triumph of the people , and shall i , quoth he , upon this day , when all men are in jollity , remain as it were an unbidden guest ? shall i alone remain destitute ? which words he had scarce uttered , when his feet recovered forces , and he found himself so strong , that early the next morning , without any other help , he betook himself to the college . one benedicto lopez , prefect of the silver mines , pursuing a certain ethiopian fugitive , was set upon by five others at unawares , who stabbing and butchering him in sundry places dragged him from his horse in a most barbarous manner : in which his extremities he implored the aid of st. ignatius , who presently presented himself to him in these exigents , and laying hold of his cloak , bore off , with both hands , the blows of his enemies , so that at last ( his enemies being departed , and the b. father vanished ) he found himself safe , and without hurt , saving that his hat and other garments were pierced . a certain lady at avignon had a son much afflicted with a violent continual fever , who besides the disease it self , with the violence of it had one of his hands disjoynted , and in a deformed manner turned the wrong side outward , so that in the opinion of the physicians he was in danger of the loss of his hand , if not of his life with it ; which lamentable case a certain religious woman , allied to the sick youth , compassionating , vowed three masses , and as many wax candles to st. ignatius , for the health of her kinsman ; which done , the youth immediately recovered , and for a more infallible confirmation of the miracle , his hand was replaced in the right place . at barcelona one elizabeth rebelles , a religious woman , being in some high place busie about her work , upon a sudden unfortunately tumbled headlong to the ground , and received so sore a blow , that her thigh-bone , which is the solidest bone of the body , was utterly broken ; the physician and chirurgion were immediately called , who for more than forty days together , with what diligence was possible , applied all the remedies their arts afforded , howbeit to little purpose ; in conclusion , the sick woman was brought to those terms , that in all mens judgments she was past recovery , and as it was conceived , could not last longer than that day ; yet notwithstanding , as soon as a relick of st. ignatius was applied to her heart , she presently recovered . one hierome humphrey , a boy of ten years of age , upon one of his eye-brows , near the temples , had received a mortal wound , which occasioned an inflammation in his eye , and cast him into a fever ; for which the chirurgion had him in a cure a month , not being able to help him , for the wound did not only not heal , but grew so wide , that it received a tent of a finger long , and voided so much filth as amazed the chirurgion : the mother of the child made a vow to st. ignatius , commending her child to him ; and behold ! when ( another chirurgion in the mean time having been called , for the better consulting about the cure ) the bands of the sore were unfolded , they found the wound perfectly healed , closed up , and sound . one ferdinando pertel having fallen into a tertian ague , which afterward proved to be a double tertian , and at last a pestilent fever , with a kind of raving and fearfull horrour of his senses , was forsaken by the physicians , and lay in his last extremity ; being prepared with all the rites of the church , and invoking st. ignatius , whose picture he held in his hand , he began suddenly to recover , and was cured of his disease . one anne barzellona , a wom●● of sixty years of age , having for about the space of two years been so miserably strucken with the palsie , that she was unfit for any labour , and unable without crutches to go up and down stairs , and with her crutches also seemed rather to creep than go ; which when the application of remedies would not help , and she besides was taken with an apoplexy in her other side , so that she became impotent , and was confined to her bed ; finding her self thus void of all humane help , by the assistence of her crutches and one margaret her sister , she betook her self to a chapel of st. ignatius , two hours travelling distant from her lodging , where making a vow in honour of st. ignatius , immediately she began to find her self better , and was able to bow her knee , which before was grown stiff ; and having ended her devotions , arose full of contentment , and returned a joyfull woman nimbly to her lodging . a bone and superscription of st. ignatius being applied to the eyes of a certain widow of majorca , called iane clara noguera , who was blind , restored her to sight . divers other miracles of st. ignatius are related in a late life of his , set forth by father pedro ribadeneira in spanish , printed at madrid in the year , and translated by others into latin , greek , italian , the polish , and other languages , and published in the chief cities of italy , spain , france , germany , and other places , where such as are curious to peruse them , may find them . miracles wrought by saint francis xaverius and saint philip nerius , taken out of chapt. and . of the fore-mentioned book . upon the frontiers of piscaria he raised a boy , who for many hours together had lain drown'd in a well . in the town of mutan in like manner he raised another boy , who dying of a pestilential fever , had remained dead four and twenty hours . at comire he rais'd a third body , which had lain buriedunder the earth a a whole day together . near the promontory of comori he rais'd a girl ; not far from that place , a certain married woman . in the island of vaccare near zeilan , the son of a certain infidel . at malaca the daughter of one who had been lately converted . at bembari a certain boy : another at comari . at punical he raised a man who had lain dead a whole day . near manapar he raised one antoni miranda . at malaca a certain man's daughter who had been three days buried and overwhelmed with earth . he restored to life in like manner the son of one mahomet serangio , who had lain three days under water ; to omit others raised by him in his life time . after his death he restored almost as many to life . in the processes of his canonization mention is made of above five and twenty persons raised by him from death to life . he often restored blind men to their sight ; dispossessed possessed persons ; cured many lying desperate , and given over by the physicians ; healed lepers ; calmed tempestuous seas ; preserved ships from wrecks ; restored the lame to their limbs ; and recovered men stricken with the palsie . he foretold infallibly many things to come ; penetrated mens concealed thoughts ; had a certain knowledge of secrets and things absent . he appeared in divers places far distant at one and the self-same time ; he spake several languages which he had never learned , as readily , congruously , and eloquently as if he had been born and bred among those nations . and it fell out oftentimes , that at such times as he preached to multitudes of people men of several nations , at the same time heard him utter their own language ; and with one and the self-same answer he often satisfied the demands of several infidels . he was so ravished and transported with the desire and love of god , that he was often and miraculously raised from the ground , with a countenance inflamed , eyes sparkling and fixed upon the heavens ; and being surcharged with celestial joy , was forced to exclaim , sat est , domine ! sat est . by the sign of the cross he turned salt water into fresh , in several vessels at sea. having dipped a brazen crucifix which he wore about his neck into the sea , to appease a tempest , and by accident lost it , walking the next day upon the shoar , he espied a sea-crab miraculously bringing him his crucifix in his claws , which having delivered it , suddenly returned back into the sea , from whence it came . he ended his life at sancion , near china , in the year . famous for many miracles . his body was found entire long after his death , howbeit it was neither bowelled nor balmed , but buried in quick-lime ; and it appeared many months after its decease , lively , full of juce and fresh colour , soft and tractable , sending forth an admirable sweet savour , and many times bleeding , for which he was honoured , and reputed a saint immediately after his death . it appeareth by the process of his canonization , that many dead bodies were raised by him , after his death ; that many lamps burned before his body with water onely put into them , as clearly as if they had been onely filled with oil ; which being oftentimes extinguished , took fire again of themselves without humane help : that divers were cured by him , or by his relicks , or pictures , of leprosie , palsie and other incurable diseases . saint philip nerius preserved his virginity untouched , and he discerned in chaste persons the perfume of chastity , and in others the rankness and stench of unchastity . he arrived to the knowledge of many things concealed from him , such as are the most intimate secrets of mens hearts . he restored one dead man to life , in his life time ; another after his own decease . he was seen raised from the ground in the time of his masses . miracles of some others , taken out of their lives . pope iohn , when he came to corinth , a gentleman lent unto him a horse whereon his wife used often to ride , and when the horse was sent back , he could never abide that the woman should come on his back ; so that it seemed , that beast which had carried the greatest man of dignity and authority in the world , disdained to be checked and ruled by a woman ; the gentleman marking it , and holding it for a very strange thing , ( as it was indeed , ) sent the horse tobe given unto the pope . pag. . a ship , wherein were three hundred persons , being in a storm , and in danger to be cast away , they recommended themselves to st. iuvenal , and they saw him walk on the waves of the sea , and the tempest ceased . see his life , p. . st. anthony was a corpulent man , but the devil , displeased with his good life , molested him , and one night would have strangled him , and had already set his hands to his throat , so that he was in danger of death ; but recommending himself to the glorious virgin , and saying the hymn , o gloriosa domina , the devil left him , and vanished away . see his life , p. . st. anthony had the gift of tongues , with a pleasant , clear and ringing voice ; and though there was at his sermons many thousand persons of different languages , yet they all understood him . as at rome , where the people of sundry nations listening unto him , and he preaching in the italian tongue , yet they all understood him . preaching one time in france , near bruges , in the field , because of the multitude of people , ( it was summer , ) and whilst he preached it began to thunder and lighten grievously , wherefore the people doubting to be throughly wet , began to haste away to shelter ; st. anthony bid them be quiet , for they should not be wet ; all the people gave credit to his words , and none stirred out of his place , then it began to rain very much throughout all the countrey , but upon the people that heard his sermon there fell not one drop . it hapned in the same province in france , that a devout woman was desirous to go to the sermon of st. anthony , but her husband would not suffer her because she was sickly ; she went up unto the top of her house , looking toward the place where he preached , and though she was two miles off , yet she heard the words of the preacher as if she had been hard by . of this the husband of the good woman was witness , who calling her , and she answering , that she stayed there to hear the sermon ; he scoffed and derided at her words , and with some pain he went up to the place where his wife was , and he also heard the words as plain as if he had been hard by . one time st. anthony preaching , he saw a traveller approach unto a noble lady which was at the sermon , and speak unto her ; the saint seeing her much troubled , and change her countenance ; bid her ( as he stood in the pulpit ) not to believe that false messenger , who brought her news that her son was dead , for it was a lye without doubt , and said withall , that he that told it her was the devil . the wicked fiend would by this lye have disturbed the sermon , but seeing himself discovered , he vanished away in all their sights . st. anthony being in padua , it was revealed to him that his father was in danger of death at lisbon , being accused of man-slaughter , whereof he was innocent ; wherefore he asked leave of his guardian , and having obtained it , he was carried in one night onely ( by an angel ) from padua unto lisbon . being come thither he spoke with his father , and brought to pass , that the judges caused the dead body to be brought before him ; st. anthony before much people asked him if his father had killed him ; the dead body spake , and said no , and that he was falsly accused thereof . the judge , having seen the strange miracle , set free the father of st. anthony , who remained in his company all night , and the next day he was carried back from lisbon unto padua , as he had been brought thither . one time st. anthony preaching at the funerals of a rich man , and among other things discoursed upon these words , where thy treasure is , there is thy heart ; to confirm these words , the father said , that the former words be true , it is evident in this rich man , who was covetous , for his heart was to be found in his chest , where his money lieth ; forthwith some went and opened it , and there they found the heart of the covetous man indeed , as fresh as if it had been taken out of the breast of a man. it happened often at the end of the sermons of st. anthony , that the people departed with such desire to be confessed , that the confessours of his order , and of the other orders also were not sufficient to satisfie them . he also heard confessions ; among others he also heard the confession of a paduan , who told him that he had kicked his mother ; st. anthony reproved him sharply , and told him that the foot that had struck his mother was worthy to be cut off : the words of st. anthony were of such force in the mind of him that was confessed , that when he came home , he himself cut off the same foot ; st. anthony being advertised thereof , caused him to be brought unto him , and restored him his foot again , with the sign of the cross , all these stories that follow are taken out of cressy's church-history . st . winwaloc and his disciples , being not content with their habitation , prayed to god that he would direct them to a more convenient one ; he shewed them a place remote in the sea ; but wanting a ship , he renewed his prayers , and having done this he said to his brethren , be courageous and firm in a strong faith , and as you see me lead this brother by the hand , so do every one of you 〈◊〉 his next fellow's hand , and follow one another . then invoking the name of our lord , with his pastoral staff he struck the sea , upon which it opened a passage for them ; so that taking one another by the hand , and himself marching in the front , they walked securely over the dry sands , the waters on both sides standing like walls . cres. pag. . st. benignus discovered to st. patrick the motives of his journey to a solitary place , who exhorted him to pursue his purpose , saying , go brother , take only your staff with you , and when you shall be arrived at the place for your repose , wheresoever having fixed your staff in the ground you shall see it flourish and grow green , there know you must make your abode . st. benignus , being accompanied only with a youth named pincius , began his journey through woody and marish places , but as soon as he was arrived in an island where he saw a solitary place , he presently fixt his staff in the ground , which without delay wonderfully grew green , and brought forth fresh leaves , and to this day the same tree remains flourishing with green boughs : yet one incommodity it had , that there was no water near , whereupon ▪ st. benignus gave his staff to young pincius , commanding him to go to a certain place full of reeds , and there striking the ground with his staff , he should without doubt find water so earnestly desired by them ; the child obeyed , went to the place , and struck the ground three times , making three holes in it with the end of his staff , which he had no sooner done , but immediately a fountain gusht forth , from whence to this day a brook is supplied , which is good for fishing , and healthfull for many infirmities . cr. p. . st. piran fed ten irish kings and their armies with three cows ; rais'd to life dead pigs , and dead men. cr. p. . at the church of st. almedha one especial thing usually happening on the solemnity of this virgin , seems to me very remarkable ; for you may oftentimes see there young men and maids , sometimes in the church , sometimes in the church-yard , and sometimes , whilst they are dancing in an even ground , encompassing it , to fall down on a sudden to the ground ; at first they lie quiet , as if they were rapt in an ecstasie , but presently after they will leap up , as if possessed with a frenzy , and both with their hands and feet before the people they will represent whatsoever servile works they unlawfully performed upon feast-days of the church ; one will walk as if he were holding the plough , another as if he were driving the oxen with a goad , and both of them at the time time singing some rude tune , as if to ease their toil ; one will act the trade of a shoe-maker , another of a tanner , a third of one that were spinning . here you may see a maid busily weaving , and expressing all the postures usually in that work : after all which , being brought with offerings unto the altar , you would be astonished to see how they would return to their senses again . cr. p. . the manner of st. kentigern's birth . a certain king of britarmy , who was a pagan , begot of his wife a very beautifull daughter , she having been a frequent hearer of sermons , became a christian , and though she had not been baptized , yet she was addicted to the duties of ecclesiastical discipline , as much as the fear of incensing her father would permit : she bore so great devotion to the fruitfull virginity of the blessed virgin , that , mov'd with womanish presumption , she begg'd that she might imitate her in her conception and birth . at length , as she thought , she obtained her desire , for she found her self with child . now it is not to be conceived that this happened without the embraces of a man , notwithstanding who that man was , or in what manner , or when this was done , she oft protested , and with oaths confirmed it , that she was utterly ignorant . her father perceiving this , and not being able by fair speeches or threatnings to wrest from her , who was the father of the child , for she seriously protested , that she had never suffered the unlawfull embraces of any man ; hereupon in a rage he determined to execute upon her the law established by his ancestors , by which it was enacted , that whatsoever young maid should be with child by fornication in her father's house , should be thrown down headlong from the top of an high mountain , and the person corrupting her should lose his head . in conformity therefore to this law , the young woman was placed on the highest point of a mountain in that countrey , called dunpelder , from thence to be thrown down , and torn in pieces : she therefore with deep sighs , looking up to heaven , implored mercy : after this , she was cast down ; but by the fall was neither bruised , nor received the least harm , but sliding down easily and slowly , came safe to the bottom . the pagans ascribed this to the magical enchantments of christians , therefore they carried her several miles into the sea , and there left her , destitute of all humane help , in a small boat made of leather without oars , but the boat was carried to a far distant haven with great swiftness ; being arrived there , the young lady went out of the boat , and presently after was brought to bed of a son , without the assistence of a midwife . the next morning st. servanus came to the place , and seeing the mother with her infant , he took them into his care , and baptized them , and called the mother thanen , and the child kentigern . cr. p. . st. iustinian having reproved his servants for idleness , and mispending their time , they were enflam'd with fury against him , insomuch as rushing upon him they threw him to the ground , and most cruelly cut off his head : but in the place where his sacred head fell to the ground , a fountain of pure water presently flowed , by drinking of which in following times , many were miraculously restored to health . but miracles greater than these , immediately succeeded his death ; for the body of the martyr presently rose , and taking the head between the two armes , went down to the sea shoar , and walking thence on the sea , past over to the port called by his name , and being arrived to the place where a church is now built to his memory , it fell down , and was there buried by st. david . cr. p. . st. david being enjoined to preach , he commanded a child which attended him , and had lately been restored to life by him , to spread a napkin under his feet , and standing upon it he began to expound the gospel and the law to the auditory . all the while this oration continued , a snow white dove descending from heaven , sate upon his shoulders ; and moreover the earth , on which he stood , rais'd it self under him , till it became a hill , from whence his voice , like a trumpet , was clearly heard and understood by all , both near and far off . on the top of which hill a church was afterward built , which remains to this day . cr. p. . st. david when priest , went to paulens , who in a certain island lived a holy life , with him st. david lived many years ; now it fell out that his master paulens fell blind , hereupon calling his disciples together , he desired that one after another they would look upon his eyes , and say a prayer or benediction on them . when they had done this , and that he received no ease or remedy , david said thus to him , father , i pray you do not command me to look you in the face , for ten years are passed since i studied with you , and in all that time i never had the boldness to look you in the face . paulens admiring his humility said , since it is so , it will suffice , if by touching my eyes thou pronounce a benediction on them . presently therefore , assoon as he touched them , sight was restored to them . cr. p. . st. iohn , a british priest , avoided the sight of men , confining himself to a little cell , where in a little orchard , cultivated by himself , he had planted a few laurel trees , which are now so increased that they afford a very pleasing shade ; his custome was , under these to sit , read , or write , as he thought fit . after his death , among the said trees there was one which through age was withered ; then he to whom the care of the place was committed digg'd up the roots of the said dry tree , and of the body of it hewed out a seat or bench , upon which he used to sit . after he had used the seat for the space of above two years , a thought of remorse coming into his heart , he said , alas , sinner that i am ! why do i for my own conveniency make use of a seat framed of the tree which so holy a priest planted with his own hands ? having said this , he presently took a spade , and digging a deep hole in the ground , he put the seat into it , after he had cut off the feet which supported it , and then covered it with earth . now behold a great wonder ! the very next spring , this dry bench , thus buried , sprouted forth into green branches as the other trees did , which prospered so well , that at this day there are proceeded from it several young trees , five or six foot high , and some higher , which every year do more and more flourish . cr. p. . here mr. cressy brags ▪ that the centuriators took notice of this saint , and of the orchard , but conceal'd this wonder . the miracle of st. ivo's translation . st. ivo's body remained several ages in the place of his burial , insomuch that his memory was lost in that place ; but at last , in the year . a certain husbandman , as he was plowing the ground , lighted upon his tomb , which being taken up and opened , the body of a bishop in his pontifical ornaments was seen in it ; whereupon the pastor of that village being sent for , they , with his advice , carried the body to the church , and with great reverence pl●ced it near the altar ; the night following st. ivo appeared in a very reverend form , and with great brightness , to a carpenter called ezi , and told him who he was , commanding him to signifie to ednoth abbat of ramsey , that he should translate his and his companions bodies from thence to his monastery ; but the poor man , not having the boldness to relate this vision , he appeared to him the second time , repeating the same commands ; which he still neglecting to perform , at the third apparition the bishop smote him on the side with his crosier , telling him , that the pain of that stroke should remain till he had performed what he had enjoined him . the man awaking , presently after found as grievous a pain in his side as if a sword had pierced it . thus was he compelled to declare his vision to the abbat , which assoon as he had done he was freed of his pain : but the abbat would give no credit to what the man told him , but calling him clown and fool , said , must we translate and venerate the ashes of i know not what cobler ? the night following the bishop appeared to the abbat , and said , rise quickly , for i whom thou scornfully call'st cobler , have brought thee here a pair of boots that will last a good while , these thou must put on and wear for my sake . having said thus , he seemed to draw on his legs a pair of boots , with care to make them sit smooth and handsome : presently the abbat waking felt such horrible pain in his legs , that he was not able to walk or stand ; and fifteen years did he remain in this infirmity . by this miracle , the sanctity of the bishop was approved , and his body translated to ramsey , to whose honour the abbat ednoth built a church ; in which he placed his tomb in such manner , that half of it appeared within , and half of it without the wall , to the end , that a fountain of water that flowed thence might be ready for the use of every one who came in devotion , whether the church was shut or not ; which water , by the merits of the bishop , had the virtue to cure many diseases . one great miracle wrought there was on a monk troubled with a dropsie , his skin was strangely swell'd , and his breath so noisome , none could approach him , and his drought was so excessive , that he thought he could drink whole barrels ; on a time , by admonition received in his sleep , he went to saint ivo's monument , where after he had taken three draughts of the water , he cast up all the superfluous humours within him , and was restored to perfect health . cr. p. . king sebert having built st. peter's church at westminster , and endowed it with many possessions ; now on the night before the day designed for the dedication of this church , st. peter appearing to a certain fisherman in the habit of a stranger , on the other side of the river of thames , demanded to be wafted over , which was done ; being gone out of the boat , he entred into the church in the sight of the fisherman , and presently a heavenly light shone so clear , that it turned the night into day . there was with the apostle a multitude of heavenly citizens , coming out and going into the church , a divine melody sounded , and an odour of unexpressible fragrancy shed abroad . as soon as all things pertaining to the dedication of the church were performed , st. peter return'd to the poor fisherman , who was so affrighted with his divine splendor , that he almost lost his senses , but saint peter kindly comforting him , brought him to himself . thus both of them entring into the boat , st. peter asked him if he had any provision ; who answered , that partly being stupified with seeing so great a light , and partly detained by his return , he had taken nothing , being withall assured of a good reward from him : hereto st. peter replied , let down thy net , the fisherman obey'd , and immediately the net was filled with a multitude of fishes , they were all of the same kind , except one salmon of a wonderfull largeness . having then drawn them to the shoar , st. peter said , carry from me this great fish to mellitus the bishop , and all the rest take for thy hire ; and moreover be assured , that both thou all thy life time , and thy children after thee for many years ▪ shall be plentifully furnished with these kind of fishes ; only be carefull you fish not on our lord's days . i who speak now with thee am peter , and i my self have now dedicated this church , built to my fellow-citizens , and to my honour , so preventing by my own authority the episcopal benedicton . acquaint the bishop therefore with the things thou hast seen and heard , and the sign yet marked on the wall will confirm thy speeches . let him therefore surcease from his design of consecrating the church , and only supply what i have omitted , the celebration of the sacrament , and the instruction of the people . let him likewise give notice to all , that i my self will oftentimes visit this place , and be present at the prayers of the faithfull ; and will open the gates of heaven to all that live soberly , justly and piously in this world. as soon as he said this , he presently vanisht from his sight . the next morning , as the bishop mellitus was going in procession to the church , with an intention to dedicate it , the fisherman met him with the fish , and related to him whatsoever st. peter had enjoyn'd him : at which the bishop was astonished , and having unlockt the church doors , he saw the pavement mark'd with letters and inscriptions both in greek and latin , and the wall anointed in twelve several places with holy oil ; he saw likewise the remainders of twelve torches sticking to as many crosses , and the church every where yet moist with aspersions . all which being observ'd by the bishop and people , they gave thanks . a farther testimony of this miracle is afforded by the whole progeny of this fisherman , for his children , according to the command from their father , brought the tithes of all their gains by fishing , and offered them to st. peter , and the priests attending divine service in his church . but one among them having presumed to defraud the church of this oblation , presently was deprived of the wonted benefit of his trade , till having confess'd his fault , and restored what he had reserv'd , he promised amendment for the future . and moreover , the fisherman , who was very simple , and as yet not a christian , described to the bishop very exactly the shape and lineaments of st. peter , well known to the bishop by his picture at rome . cr. p. . st. lawrence found the son of a man who had kindly entertained him , dead , and the parents in great sorrow , who with a loud voice cryed to him , o holy man ! restore our son to us , that we may more firmly believe in christ. hereupon the bishop having offered up his prayers , said to the child , arise , who presently rose up , and withall testified , that being dead , his soul was violently drawn by horrible spirits to the flames of hell ; but upon the prayers of st. lawrence it was by angels , shining with brightness , brought back to the body . cr. p. . a miracle wrought at king oswald's cross. bothelm , a monk of hagulstad , walking unwarily by night upon the ice , fell suddenly and broke his arme ; one morning having heard that one of his brethren was to go that day to the place of the holy cross , he desired him to bring him a small portion of that sacred wood , for he said he was confident it would cure him by god's help . the brother performed what he desired , and gave him a little of the moss which covered the outside of the wood , which he put into his bosome ; when he went to bed , forgetting to lay it by , it remained in his bosome all night , but waking about midnight , he felt something that was cold lying against his side , and searching for it with his hand , he perceived that both his hand and arme were become perfectly whole . cr. p. . a certain woman who had a long time been deprived both of her sight and hearing , to her it was suggested by revelation , that she should repair to the bishop birinus for her cure , she delayed not therefore , but took with her a guide to conduct her : the bishop therefore seeing the womans piety , immediately made the sign of the cross upon her eyes and ears , whereupon both her sight and hearing were restored to her . cr. p. . st fursey's wonderfull visions . on a certain time he was rapt from his body , and in that ecstasie , which continued from evening to cock-crowing , he was favoured with the sight of troops of angels . three days after , being again in an ecstasie , he saw yet more glorious apparitions of angels . moreover there were discovered to him very earnest contentions of wicked spirits , who by many accusations of a certain sinner , lately dead , endeavoured to stop his passage to heaven , but by reason the holy angels protected him , they could not effect their desire . on a certain time , being elevated in spirit , he was commanded by the angels which conducted him to look down upon the earth ; whereupon , bowing his eyes downward , he saw as it were a dark valley under him , in a very low bottom : he saw likewise in the air four fires , not much distant one from another , and asking the angels what fires those were , he was told , that those were the fires which now enflamed the world , and would in the end consume it , viz. the fire of lying , the fire of covetousness , the fire of dissention , and the fire of iniquity . now these four fires increasing by little , at last joyned together , and became an immense flame ; and when they approached near them , fursey was affraid , and said to the angel , sir , behold , the flames come close to us ; but the angel answered , fear not , for since thou didst not kindle this fire , it will not burn thee ; for though this flame seems to thee great and terrible , yet it tries every one according to his merits , so that the concupiscence which is in any one , shall burn in this fire ; for accordingly as every one being in the body is enflamed by unlawfull pleasures , so being loosed from his body shall he burn by condign torment . then he saw one of the three angels , which in both visions had been his conductors , go before the other and divide the flame , and the other two flying on each side of him , which defended him from the danger of the fire . he saw likewise many devils flying through the fire , and kindling war against the just : these malign spirits pursued him likewise with accusations , but the good angels defended him : and after this , he saw great numbers of blessed spirits , among which some were of his own nation , priests who had well discharged their office , as he had heard by report ; by these he was informed of many things , very profitable , both to himself and all who are willing to attend them . when they had finished their speeches , and were returned to heaven with the rest of the angels , there remained onely with st. fursey the three angels mentioned before , who were to restore him to his body . and when he came close to the foresaid great fire , one of the angels divided it as before ; but when the man of god was come to a door which stood open among the flames , the unclean spirits snatching up one of those whom they were tormenting in the flames , and casting him against him , touched him , and burnt his shoulder and one of his cheeks . he knew the man , and remembred when he was ready to die he had received from him a garment : but the angel , laying hold of him , cast him back into the fire ; but the devil answered , do not cast him back , since you have once received him ; for as you have taken the goods belonging to a sinner , so you must be partakers of his punishment ; but the angel replied , he took not that out of covetousness , but for saving the man's soul. after this , the burning ceased , and the angel turning himself to st. fursey , said , the fire that thou hast kindled has now burnt thee , for if thou hadst not received money from this man who is dead in his sins , thou hadst not tasted of his torments . st. fursey , being afterwards restored to his body , carried visibly in his shoulder and cheek , all his life time , the marks of the burning which he had suffered in his soul. cr. p. . st. eanswitha's monastery being seated on the top of high rocks , they found this incommodity in their retirement , which was a penury of sweet water : the holy virgin was sensible of this inconvenience ; and after she had by prayer sollicited our lord , she went to the fountain , more than a mile remote from the monastery , and striking the water with a staff , commanded it to follow her ; the deaf element heard and obey'd the sacred virgin 's voice , and against the inclination of nature followed her steps , till overcoming all the difficulties of the passage , it mounted up to the monastery , where it abundantly served all their uses . one particular more increased the admiration of the event ; for this rivulet in the way being to pass through a pool , flowed notwithstanding pure and free from all mixture . cr. p. . st. cuthbert , when a child , saw st. aidan's soul carried into heaven . and likewise on a certain day , as he was journeying alone , about the third hour , he turned aside into the house of a certain matron , being desirous to repose there a while , and to get food not for himself but his horse : the woman received him kindly , and earnestly desired that she might make something ready for his refection ; but he refused , telling her , that he could not eat , because it was a day of fast , for it was indeed friday ; she notwithstanding persisted in her desire , and told him , that all the rest of his journey he would find no habitation , therefore i desire you would eat , lest you should faint if you fast all day ; notwithstanding out of love to fasting , he would not be overcome by the woman's importunity , but fasting as he was he continued his journey till evening ; when st. cuthbert saw he could not finish his journey that day , neither was there any lodging near , as he was riding he saw certain cottages , which in the summer time the herdsmen had built for their present use , but then the winter approaching , they were left empty ; thither he went with an intention to stay all night , and tying his horse to the wall , he gathered up a bundle of hay which the wind had blown from the house-covering , and gave it him to eat , and himself passed his time in prayer . but on a sudden he saw the horse lift up his head , and with his teeth biting somewhat that was on the house-roof , and presently after he drew down a linen cloth wrapped up ; being desirous therefore to know what that was , he took up the linen , and found wrapped up in it half a loaf of bread warm from the oven , and so much flesh as would suffice himself for one refection ; he blessed god , who vouchsafed to provide a supper for him and his companion ; half of the bread therefore he gave to his horse , and the other half he eat himself . cr. p. . a secular priest foolishly adventured to make a tryall whether st. ethelreda's body yet remained uncorrupted , fastening therefore a candle to the end of a rod , he passed it through a hole which the danes had made in the sepulchre , and looking in as curiously as he could , searched round about the tomb. and not content with this , with the end of a forked stick he endeavoured to draw to him the cloths in which her body was enwrapped , and some part of the body he discovered ; when the h. virgin , having indignation that a vile person should presume to look upon her naked body , with great violence drew back the cloths , insomuch as he striving against her fell backwards , and was forcibly dashed against the pavement ; by which fall he became lame all his life , and afterwards was struck with madness . cr. p. . a doubt entring into the minds of some touching the incorruption of st. withburga , sister to st. ethelreda , years after her death , when the bodies of these two virgins were translated , that doubt was put to the tryall . as touching saint ethelreda , considering the ancient proofs of her incorruption , none durst presume to touch her body ; but they discovered the body of st. withburga as far as her breasts , and she was seen perfectly entire , more like to one asleep than dead , with a silk cushion under her head , her veil and vestments shining as if they had been new , her countenance chearfull , with a rosie blush ; her teeth white , her lips a little opened , and her breasts exceeding small . one of the monks adventuring to touch her body , a lively blush coloured her cheeks , as if she still had breath in her . cr. p. . it happened on a certain sunday , when st. winefrid's parents were gone to church , some necessary occasions detained her at home ; at which time a certain young man named caradoc , the son of alan , prince of the countrey , entred the house , where he found the virgin alone sitting by the fire ; she knowing the prince , hastily rose up , and desired to know his pleasure . his answer was , you are not ignorant who i am , and how i abound in riches and honour ; all these riches and honours you shall partake if you will yield to my will. the virgin perceiving his intent , held down her head and blushed extremely : at first she seemed as if she were much troubled that he should find her unadorned and she told him , sir , you being a prince , there is no doubt but you are able to heap upon me all worldly happiness in abundance , if i were your wife ; however he pleased to expect here a while till my father's return , in the mean time i have some business in my chamber , and i will return presently . this she said to gain a little time , for she saw the young man burning with lust ; with much adoe he permitted her to go to her chamber , having hopes she would return as soon as she was dressed ; she therefore entred hastily her chamber , and as hastily went out at the other door , and ran towards the church . as soon as the young man perceived this , he drew his sword , ran after her , and soon overtaking her , with a stern countenance struck off her head ; and immediately in the place where it fell to the earth , a most pure and plentifull spring gushed forth , which flows to this day , and by the holy virgin 's merits gives health to a world of diseased persons . it being in the steep descent of a hill when the virgin 's head was cut off , it lightly running down to the bottom slid into 〈◊〉 church , whereas the body remained in the place where it first fell . the congregation were wonderfully astonished to see the head tumbling among their feet , they all went out ▪ and found the murtherer near the lifeless body , wiping his sword on the grass ; st. bueno therefore seeing his pride , and having in his hand the virgin 's head , looked on him and said , impious villain ! hast thou no shame of the stain wherewith thou hast defiled thy high birth ? and shewest thou no repentance of this horrible crime ? thou hast disturbed the peace , thou hast polluted the church , thou hast provoked god : since therefore it is so , i beseech him without delay to inflict on thee a just punishment for this thy detestable crime . as soon as he had ended these words the young man fell to the ground , gave up the ghost , and , which was more wonderfull , his body presently disappeared , and many say it was swallowed up by the earth , and with the wicked soul sunk into hell : but bueno kissing the head which he had in his hand , joyned it to the body , covering it with his mantle , celebrated mass at the altar , preached , and prayed that the virgin 's soul might return to her body ; this prayer being ended the virgin rose up as from sleep , and cleansing her face from the dust and sweat , filled the congregation with wonder and joy . now in the place where the head was rejoyned to the body there appeared a white circle compassing the neck , small as a white thread , which continued all her life ; and from that white circle she had the name of winefrid ; and after her death when she appeared to any , that white mark was always visible . the place where her bloud was shed is at this day called st. winefrid's well . the stones likewise both where the spring gusheth forth , and beneath in the current , having been sprinkled with her bloud , retain the redness to these times ; which colour neither the length of many ages , nor the continual sliding of the water over them , has been able to wash away . and moreover a certain moss , which sticks to the said stones , renders a fragrant odour like incense . cr. p. . st. clare , an hermit , when come to years of maturity , was by his parents affianced to a beautifull virgin ; but when the time wherein the marriage was to be solemnized approached , the young man withdrew himself from his parents house , and out of britanny passed over into france ; but there a noble woman dwelling near him , enflamed with lust , impudently attempted his chastity ; but saint clare resolutely resisted the shameless lady ; notwithstanding which resistence , when her sollicitations still more and more encreased , he was forced to forsake his monastery ; the lascivious lady desperately enraged with his departure , sent two murtherers in search of him , who at last found him in a poor cottage , where they set upon him with opprobrious speeches , and at last drawing out their swords they cut off his head : st. clare presently after arose , and with his hands taking up his head , by the assistence of angels , carried it to a fountain not far distant , into which he cast it , and then carried the same back to the oratory of his cell , and going on a little farther towards a village near the river epta , he there consummated his course . cr. p. . two kentish princes , ethelred and ethelbert , being murthered , and buried under the seat where the king was wont to sit , the murther was most miraculously discovoured ; wherefore taking up the bodies , and honourably putting them into coffins , the arch-bishop theodorus commanded to carry them to christ-church in canterbury , but in vain they attempted this , for with all the force they could use they could not remove them out of the place ; whereupon , changing his purpose he advised to transport them to the church of st. augustin , but with as little success as before ; at last it was agreed they should be carried to the monastery of wering , of great renown in those days , which being resolved upon , the bodies were as easily removed as if they had no weight at all ; being arrived at that place , the bodies were buried near the great altar , where many wonderfull miracles are daily wrought . cr. p. . st. wilfrid entring into a village called tiddafrey , there met him a great multitude of women , offering their children to be confirmed by him . amongst them , one woman mingled her self , craftily carrying in her armes her dead child , pretending that he should be catechised , but inwardly persuaded that by the bishop's sanctity he should be restored to life ; the bishop therefore uncovering the child's face , to the end he might perform the due rites , found that he was dead ; then the woman , perceiving that her fraud did not succeed , betook her self to prayers , earnestly beseeching him for god and his holy mothers sake , if he had any faith or pity , to restore life to her child ; saying this , she cast her self at his feet , and would not be removed , thus offering an importunate violence toward him : all this while the bishop continued doubtfull , whether he should seem rash in attempting the miracle , or reject the tears and prayers of the disconsolate woman , but a charitable pity at last got the victory ; therefore , after he had with a low voice repeated certain devout passages out of the psalms , he laid his right hand upon the dead body , whereupon immediately the soul was restored , for by gasping , moving his eye-lids , and stirring his whole body , he gave proof that he was alive . the child was called ethelwald , who was afterward a monk at rippon . another miracle wrought by st. wilfrid on a monk , who , falling from the top of the church , whilst it was a building at the cost of king egbert , broke all his bones , and tore asunder all his members , was restored to health by the prayers of the bishop and his covent . cr. p. . st. ositha's head being cut off by a danish pirate , at the very place a clear fountain broke forth , which cured several kinds of diseases ; moreover as soon as her head was off , the body presently rose up , and taking up the head in the hands , by the conduct of angels walked firmly the streight way to the church of st. peter and paul , about a quarter of a mile distant from the place of her suffering ; and when it was come there , it knocked at the door with the bloudy hands , as desiring it might be opened , and thereon left marks of bloud ; having done this , it fell there down to the ground . cr. p. . the miracles of st. wereburga's driving away wild-geese . at chester there was near the walls of the town a farm belonging to the monastery , the corn whereof was much wasted by flocks of wild-geese , which the steward of the place endeavoured , but in vain , to chase away ; of which incommodity he made complaint to st. wereburga , whereupon she commanded him , saying , go your ways and shut them all up in a house . he wondring at so strange a command , thought the saint spoke those words in jest : but when she renew'd the same injunction constantly , and in a serious manner , he returned among the corn , where seeing great numbers of such fowl devouring the grain , he with a loud voice commanded them in his mistresses name to follow him ; hereupon immediately they all in one drove followed him , and were shut up together in a house . now it happened that a certain servant privately stole one of the said birds , which he kill'd , and hid , with intention to eat it . the next morning early ▪ the holy virgin went to the house , where after she had in a chiding manner reprehended the birds for usurping that which belonged not to them , she commanded them to flie away and not return : immediately the whole army of them took wing ; but being sensible of the injury done them , they flew not away , but hovering over the holy virgins head , with wonderfull noise made complaint of their loss . she hearing their importunate clamours , understood by inspiration the cause thereof ; and after search made , the offender confessed his theft ; whereupon she commanded the bird to be restored to her companions ; after which they all with one consent flew away , so as not any bird of that kind was afterward seen in that territory . cr. p. . after st. wereburga was dead her body was carried to the church of trickingham , where it was most diligently kept , the doors of the church being carefully barred , and a watch moreover set upon it : but one night a deep sleep suddenly seised on those which watched ; and at the same time great multitudes of the inhabitants of hambury coming on them , all the doors of the monastery became opened , the locks and bars , without any violence offered , falling to the ground . whereupon they took away the body , not any one resisting , and with great joy carried it to hambury , where it was honourably buried . in which place sick persons recover health , sight is restored to the blind , hearing to the dumb , the leprous are cleansed , and persons oppressed with several other diseases do there praise god for their recovery . cr. p. . st. milburga rests at we●lock : in antient times her memory was celebrated by the inhabitants , but after the coming in of the normans , by reason that the place of her scpulchre was unknown , she became forgotten : but of late a covent of cluny ▪ monks monks having been established there , whilst they were busie in erecting the fabrick of a new church , a certain child running earnestly over the pavement , the vault of her sepulchre broke under him , by which means the body of the h. virgin was discovered , which being taken up , a most odoriferous vapour , as of a most pretious balsam , perfumed the whole church : and such a world of miracles were wrought by her intercession , that wonderfull multitudes flock'd thither , both rich and poor , insomuch as there was scarce room in the open fields to receive them ; so strong a faith they had to find remedy there for their maladies : neither did they fail of their expectation , for none departed away without a cure , or at least a mitigation of their diseases . and particularly the king's-evil , incurable by physicians , was through the merits of the holy virgin , healed perfectly in several persons . cr. p. . a wonderfull miracle , shewing the efficacy of the holy sacrifice of the mass. in a battel where prince elwin was slain , among others there was one of the prince's souldiers , named imma , slain , ( at least in opinion . ) this soldier all that day and the night following lay among the other dead bodies , as if he had been slain ; but at last his spirit returning he sate up , and as well as he could , bound up the wounds he had received ; then resting himself a while , he raised himself on his feet , and began to walk away , with an intention to find out , if possible , some friends , who might take care of him . as he was going away , he was met with and taken by some of the enemies , the mercians , and brought to their captain , a principal officer of king ethelred , who examined him what he was : the poor man was afraid to acknowledge himself a soldier , therefore he answered that he was a poor country-man , who had a wife , and was come in this expedition with several others of the like quality , to bring provision to the army . upon this answer the officer commanded that care should be taken of his wounds , and when they began to be almost cured , he made him every night to be put in chains , to prevent his running away ; but no chains could hold him , for after they were gone which had put the chains upon him , they presently fell off ; and the cause of this wonder was this : he had a brother named tunna , a priest and abbat of a monastery in a certain town which at this day from his name is called tunnacestir : this abbat having heard that his brother was slain in the late battel , came himself to search for his body ; and having found another in all regards very like to his , he carried it to his monastery , and there buried it honourably . moreover he took care that several masses should be said for the pardon of his sins ; and by virtue of those masses it came to pass that no bands could hold him , but they presently fell loose from him . in ●●e mean time the officer , whose prisoner he was , began to ask him , how came it to pass that he could not be bound ? whether he had about him certain charms , which , as some think , have a power to untie all bands ? his answer was , that he was utterly ignorant of such unlawfull arts ; but , said he , i have a brother in mine own countrey , and i am assured that he thinking i am slain , says frequent masses for me ; so that if i were now in the other world , i doubt not but my soul by his intercession and prayers , would be absolved from all pains . after he had continued a good space a prisoner to the said officer , those who guarded him observed by his countenance , gesture , and speeches that he was no countrey-peasant , but a person of quality . thereupon the officer calling him aside privately , enquired more diligently who he was ; withall promising him that if he would simply declare his condition , he would not use him any thing the worse . he then plainly manifested to him that he was a servant of the king of the northumbers . whereupon the officer replied ▪ i did assure my self by the manner of thy speech , that thou were not of a base condition : and now thou deservest to die , in revenge of all my brethren and kinsmen who have been slain in the battel : but because i will not break my promise , i will not kill thee . as soon therefore as he had recovered health and strength the officer sold him to a certain man at london , called freson : but neither could he be bound by his new master ; for after tryall of several sorts of bands and chains , they became all unloosed . when he therefore who had bought him perceived that he could not be restrained by fetters , he gave him permission to redeem himself , if he could : for commonly after nine of the clock in the morning , the usual time of masses , his bands were 〈◊〉 . upon this offer the prisoner was suffered to depart , having first given his promise by oath , that he would either send the money agreed on for his ransome , or return and yield himself a prisoner again . he went therefore from london into 〈◊〉 , to king lothere , nephew to the famous queen ethelreda by her sister , who likewise had formerly been a servant to the said queen ; and from him the prisoner received the money appointed for his ransome , which according to promise he sent to his master . being thus free , after some time he returned to his countrey , and coming to his brother the abbat , he related to him particularly all the accidents , both good and bad , which had befaln him ; and then perceived that his chains for the most part had been loosed precisely at the hours in which masses had been celebrated for him , and moreover that many other commodities and comforts had befaln him from heaven in his dangers , by his brothers prayers , and the oblation of the saving sacrifice . cr. p. . on a certain day st. cuthbert came to the village of a certain count , whose wife at that time lay sick at the point of death ; the count himself met him in the way , and conducted him into his house , and acquainted him with the desperate state of his wife , beseeching him that he would give his benediction to water for sprinkling her ; the bishop assented to the man's request , and water being brought , he blessed it , and gave it to a priest , commanding him to sprinkle the sick lady with it ; who thereupon entred into her chamber , where she lay like one deprived of sense and life , and both sprinkled her face and bed , yea withall , opening her mouth , distilled a few drops into it ; the holy water had no sooner touched her , but , o wonderfull ! though she was utterly ignorant of what had been done , she presently recovered a perfect health of body and mind , and without delay rising up , she her self came to doe service to the bishop , being the first of the whole family which presented to him a cup of refection cr. pag. . the divine disposition being pleased to demonstrate in how great glory st. cuthbert lived after his death , gave this testimony : eleven years after his burial his brother monks , opening his sepulchre to take up his bones , found his body perfectly entire , with a lively freshness , and all his limbs as flexible as if he had been alive , so that he appeared like a person rather asleep than dead ; moreover all his vestments were not only undecayed , but appeared in their primitive freshness , and also with the addition of a wonderfull lustre . cr. p. . a coffin of stone was prepared for entombing the body of king sebbe , but when they endeavour'd to put the body into it , they found that it was by a hands breadth too long for the coffin ; whereupon paring away as much of the stone at each end as they could , they thereby lengthened it about the measure of two fingers breadths , yet after all it would not receive the body , whereupon finding so great a difficulty to interr him , they intended , either to seek out a new coffin , or to endeavour , by hewing the body , to shorten it so much as to make it enter into the coffin ; but by a wonderfull accident , which could proceed from no less than an heavenly power , both these designs of theirs were prevented ; for presently , in the sight of the bishop , and sighard , son to the said king and monk , who , together with his brother seofrid ▪ reigned after him , a great multitude of others being likewise present , the coffin was found of a convenient length , insomuch that there was room enough to lay a cushion under his head , and yet at the feet there remained four fingers breadths beyond the body . cr. p. . the wonderfull story of a man revived , and recounting his visions . a certain man , who had been a good while dead , was restored to the life of his body , and related many notable things which he had seen : this man was an honest house-keeper , who with his family lived a religious life in a religion of the northumbers , called incuningum ; who having been struck with a disease , the same goowing more and more violent upon him , it brought him to extremity , so that on a certain day towards evening he died ; but the day following early he came to life , and suddenly raising himself up in his bed , all those who mournfully watched the body , were terribly affrighted and ran away , only his wife , whose love to him was excessive , though she trembled at the sight , staid still by him . the man seeing his wife , bid her be of comfort : fear not , said he , for i am truly restored to life ▪ from death which had seiz'd me , and permission is given me to live a while longer among men ; but my conversation thereafter must be quite otherwise than formerly it has been . having said this , he presently rose ▪ and went to an oratory of that village , where he remained a good while in prayer : afterward having divided his whole substance into three portions , one portion he gave to his wife , a second to his children , and the third he distributed to the poor . not long after , having thus freed himself from all worldly cares , he went to the monastery of mai●os , where having received tonsure he entred into a religious life . now the account which he gave of his visions , was on this manner : a certain person brightly shining in his 〈◊〉 and vestments , conducted me , and we walked together silently , as it seemed to me , towards the place where the sun rises in high summer . thus walking together , we came to a place where there was on our left hand a valley of a vast depth and breadth , and the length of it seemed infinite ; one side of this valley was terrible with its burning flames , and the other no less intolerable for the cold blasts , hail , and snow , driving through it ; and both these places were full of mens souls , which seemed to be forcibly tossed from one side to the other , for those which were in the fire , not being able to endure its scorching , leaped into the horrible cold , and not finding ease there , they leaped back into the unquenchable flames . having observed an infinite number of deformed souls thus tormented , with an interchangeable vicissitude of tortures , without any respite of ease , i began to think that this place was surely hell , of whose intolerable torments i had oft heard preachers speak : but my conductor , who went before me , answered these my thoughts , saying , do not entertain such an imagination ; for this is not hell , as thou thinkest . but when he saw me affrighted with so horrible a spectacle , he conducted me leisurely somewhat farther , where i saw all places round about me become obscure , and at length filled with utter darkness : into which when we were entred , the darkness was so thick , that i could see nothing but the shape and vestment of my conductor . and as we went on farther in this shady darkness , on a sudden there appeared before us frequent globes of hideous flames , ascending out of a deep pit , and again falling down into it . when i was come thither , presently my guide vanished out of sight , leaving me alone in the midst of this darkness and horrid spectacle : but when the said globes of fire without any intermission mounted up , and again fell down , i perceive that they were full of humane souls , which , like sparks of fire carried up by the smoak , were sometimes cast upward , and then drawn back by the vapours , of fire . moreover an unexpressibly noisome stink , belched out by those vapours , filled all the dark spaces round about . as i was thus standing still in a terrible fright , being uncertain what to doe , whither to go , and what would be the end of all this , i heard behind my back a most horrible noise , as of persons wailing in unutterable misery ; and also at the same time i heard others loudly and scornfully laughing , as the rude vulgar people are wont to do , when they insult over their captive enemies . when this noise came nearer to me , i perceived a troup of wicked spirits haling into the midst of that darkness the souls of men which woefully cryed out , whilst the others burst forth into laughters . and among these souls i could distinctly see one that was shaved like an ecclesiastical person , another was a lay-man , and a third was a woman . these unhappy souls , thus haled along by those spitefully malitious spirits , at length were plunged into the midst of that burning pit . into which after they were descended a good way , i could no longer distinctly hear the wailing of men , and laughing of devils , but only had in mine ears remaining a confused promiscuous sound . in the mean time certain obscure spirits ascended out of that fire-vomiting pit , which approached me on all sides , and with flaming eyes and stinking fire issuing out of their mouths and nostrils vexed me grievously . moreover , with fiery pincers , which they held in their hands , they threatened to catch me ; but for all that , though they frighted me , they had not the boldness to touch me . being thus on all sides encompassed with darkness and enemies , i turned my eyes every way to see if there were any one to deliver me : at last there appeared by the way which i had passed something that shone like a star , which increasing and approaching nearer and nearer , as soon as it came to me , all those hatefull spirits which had endeavoured with their fiery pincers to lay hold on me , were dispersed and fled . now he whose coming drove away these spirits was the same who at first had been my conductor , who presently after turning his steps more southerly toward the east , led me out of that darkness into a clear and lightsome air ; in which after we had walked a while , i saw before us a mighty wall , of the length and highth whereof every way i could see no end ; i began then to marvel to what purpose we should go to that wall , in which i could discover neither door , window , nor any other passage ; but being come to it , presently , i know not by what means , we found our selves on the top of it . and there appeared to me a most large pleasant field , so replenished with all sorts of odoriferous flowres , that the sweet fragrancy of them immediately took away all the former stench of the dark fiery fornace ; and so great was the light there on all sides , that it far exceeded the brightness of mid-day . moreover there were in that field innumerable assemblies of men in pure white garments , all rejoycing and singing . now as he led me among these happy choires , i began to think , that this might be the kingdom of heaven , which i had oft heard preached of ; but he again answered to my thought , no ; this is not heaven , as thou supposest . and as we passed on in our progress , i saw before mine eyes a far greater and more pleasant light than we had seen before , and in that light i heard most sweet melody of persons joyfully singing , and so wonderfull a fragrancy of a most sweet odour issued from thence , that the former sweetness , which before seemed excessive to me , now i very meanly esteemed ; as likewise the former light , compared with this , appeared almost obscure . now , when i was in a hopefull expectation that we should enter into this blessed place , my guide made a stop ; and presently turning his steps , he led me back again the way that he had come . and when in our return we were come to the joyfull mansions of those inhabitants clothed in white garments , he said to me , dost thou know what these things are which thou hast seen ? i answered , no. he replied , that valley which thou sawest so terrible by the scorching flames and horrible frosts , is the place in which those souls are to be tried and afflicted , which having delayed to confess and amend their sins , at the very point of death retire for safety to repentance , and so depart out of the body : these , because even in the last moment of their lives they confessed , and were contrite for their sins , they shall at least in the day of iudgment come to the kingdom of heaven ; and many of them before that day are eased and delivered by the prayers , fasting , and alms of the living , and especially by the celebrating the most holy sacrifice . moreover , that flame-vomiting and stinking pit which thou sawest , is the very mouth of hell , into which whosoever once falls , he shall never come out of it for all eternity . as for this pleasant flowry ▪ field here before thine eyes , in which thou seest such multitudes of youth making merry , and clothed with white raiment , this is the place which is the receptacle of such souls as have continued to their death in the exercise of vertue , but yet their works have not been of such perfection , as to deserve their present admission into the kingdom of heaven ; yet all these in the day of iudgment shall arrive unto the vision of our lord , and the joys of his heavenly kingdom : but as for those who in their words , works , and thoughts , have attained to perfection , such , as soon as they have left the body , shall enter into that blessed kingdom : to the confines of which kingdom , that place pertains where thou sawest so great a light , and heardest so sweet harmony , and wast refreshed with so admirably sweet-smelling odours : thou therefore having seen all these things , must presently return to thy body , and again , as formerly , live among men . if then hereafter thou wilt be diligent to examine all thine actions , and to observe uprightness and simplicity in thy conversation and speeches , thou also after death shalt receive a mansion among these joyfull troups of happy spirits . for i , having departed for a time from thee , did it to this end , that i might see what would in the end become of thee . when he had spoken thus to me , i had a horrible aversion from returning to my body , being extremely delighted with the sweetness and beauty of that place which i saw , and the happy society of the persons living in it . notwithstanding i had not the boldness to make any such request to my guide . and whilst i was busie in these thoughts , i know not how , i presently perceived that i was again alive among men . cr. p. . saint decumanus , when his head was cut from his body , the trunk raising it self up , took the head , which it carried from the place where it was slain to a spring not far off , which flowed with a most chrystalline water , in which with the hands it washed the bloud away ; which spring , in reverend memory of the saint , is to this day called st. decumanus's spring ▪ near to which place the body , together with the head , was buried . cr. p. . in those days there was in the territory of worcester a certain place wholly uncultivated , and almost unpassable , by reason of thorns and briers growing thick there . this place formerly called homme , was in succeeding times named eovesham , for the reason which i shall now declare . st. egwin had appointed four sheepherds to feed their flocks about the said wood for the sustenance of his monks . now on a certain day it happened that one of the said sheepherds , named eoves , entring deeply into the midst of the wood , there appeared before him a certain most glorious virgin , attended by two others , her splendour darkened that of the sun it self , and her beauty incomparably exceeded all worldly features : she held in her hand a book , out of which she , with the other two virgins , sung hymns of praise to god. the poor man , dazled with this splendour , upon which he durst not fix his eyes , stood a while silent and trembling , and presently after in great fear retired home , and repairing to the bishop acquainted him with this vision . the holy bishop considering the matter advisedly with himself , on a certain day after he had fasted and prayed , taking three companions with him , went toward the place described by the sheepherd , walking all the way bare-foot , praying and singing psalms ; and commanding his attendents to stop at a distance , he himself passed farther into the wood , and being come to the place , he fell prostrate on the ground , where , with many sighs and tears , he remained a good space , imploring a mercifull regard from our lord. after which he rose up from prayer , and immediately there appeared to him the three virgins , with the same majesty and glory as before ; among whom she who stood in the midst seemed more tall and resplendant than the other , in pure whiteness infinitely excelling lillies , and in freshness roses , and from her proceeded a celestial and inestimable odour : she held in her hand a book , together with a golden cross , casting forth bright beams of light . now whilst he thought within himself , that surely this was the mother of our lord , the said glorious virgin as it were approving such his inward pious cogitation , stretching forth the said cross , gave him a benediction with it , and presently with that farewell disappeared . the holy man with great joy rendring thanks to god for this favour , understood thereby that it was god's will that the same place should be consecrated to his service , and dedicated to the honour of the blessed virgin , mother of our lord. for during his former afflictions and persecutions he had made a vow , that if god would vouchsafe to give a prosperous end to his desires , he would build a church to his service . hereupon without delay he cleansed the place , began the work , and shortly brought it to perfection . cr. p. . st. egwin , bishop of worcester , undertook a painfull pilgrimage to rome , thereby to satisfie for the offences of his people , and withall to doe a rigorous penance for some faults committed in his youth : and to render his pilgrimage more painfull , he , in the presence of a great multitude , bound about his legs certain iron chains , and cast the key , which locked them together , into the river of avon , publickly protesting , that he would never esteem himself secure of the pardon of his sins , till either the key were restored to him ▪ or the chains unloosed by a power supernatural . having with great pain performed his voyage , he at last arrived at rome , where , whilst he was performing his devotions in the church of st. peter , his servants going to the river's side to buy provision for their master , they found in a fish's belly the key which had formerly locked the chains about his legs , which being brought to him , he in the presence of a great multitude unlocked the said chains . so that he who before was looked upon as a sinner , was afterwards honoured as a saint . cr. p. . in the year . when st. swibert went into a certain village to celebrate mass , a certain rich man who had been a pagan , but converted , and called peter , conducting a cart laden with materials for building a monastery ; in the way , by the malice of the devil , peter fell from the cart under the wheels , and was taken up dead , having his head and other members grieviously wounded ; by occasion of which , there assembled a great concourse of people , when preparation was making for his funerals , st. swibert came to the place , and commanded the body to be carried to his cell , which being done , he with many sighs and tears poured forth his prayers to restore to life the said peter , who was a servant of his monastery , then rising up , and kissing the body , immediately the dead man revived , and rose up perfectly whole , insomuch as there was not left on his body the least marks of any wounds , nor no settling of any bloud . cr. p. . in the same hour st. swibert died , his soul appeared to st. willebrord , requesting him that he would be present as his funerals in werda ; whereupon he presently took boat , and with several others made haste to werda ; where all these , as they were the day following , according to custome , singing the vigile of the dead , a young man was brought among them , who had been made blind by lightening , and with his clamours interrupting the psalmody , and calling to the saint to have his sight restored , as soon as he had touched the coffin he immediately recovered his sight . another , who was raging mad , being brought in , and kissing the cover of the same coffin , was presently restored to his senses . a third also , who was possessed of the devil , by the same means was freed from the wicked spirit . cr. p. . st. boniface one morning celebrating mass in st. michael's church in ordorf ; after which , he commanded that dinner should be made ready ; but being told that there was no meat , is it so ? answered he , how many thousands did god feed in the wilderness , forty years together ? cannot he provide for his servant , how unworthy soever , nourishment for one day ? having said this , he commanded the table should be covered , and presently a great bird flew thither , bringing in her mouth a fish , sufficient to satisfie all their hunger , this fish he bid should be dressed , which having eaten , the remainder was cast into the river . cr. p. . a certain devout lady , named irmgardis , attended only by two maids , and her son gocellin , a child of little more than eight years of age , came to see the solemnity of the canonization of st. swibert , ( the first saint that was solemnly canoniz'd , ) and to demand the pope's benediction . now it happened that whilst the boat in which they came , was amongst others turn'd about for landing , the young child who then stood near his mother , by reason of the rushing of the boats one against another , not being able to keep his standing , fell into the river ; which his mother seeing , would have thrown her self after him , if she had not been held back by such as were present . this happened about five of the clock at even . presently one of the maids ran in hast to acquaint the archbishop with this calamity ; who came and found the lady in the church , shrieking out , and almost mad with grief ; he with much adoe conducted her to his lodging , and endeavoured to assuage her grief , but all in vain ; for the whole night she spent in weeping , groaning , and praying to st. swibert , by his accustomed piety to succour his afflicted servant ; vowing withall , that if she might have her child restored , she would consecrate him for ever to god's service in his church . the day following about eight of the clock in the morning the dead body was found and taken up out of the river : which being presented to his mother , she became pale and fell into a swoon ; but being recovered , she took the body in her armes , and attended with a great troup of men and women weeping with her , she carried it into the church , and laid it before the sepulchre of st. swibert . after which the whole company betook themselves to their prayers ; and within a very short time the child's spirit returned into him , so that he opened his eyes , and standing upon his feet he looked about with wonder on so great a multitude , and spoke some tender and kind words to his mother . cr. p. . the pagans having cut off st. edmond's head , they cast it into a secret place in a thicket of the wood adjoining , there it remained a whole year's space ; after which the said pagans retiring out of the countrey , the first care of the christians was to honour their holy king and martyr . assembling themselves therefore together out of their lurking places , they reverently took his body out of the unclean place where it had been cast , and then with all diligence sought for the head ; and whilst every one of them with equal affection searched each corner of the wood , there happened a wonder not heard of in any age before : for whilst they dispersed themselves in all parts , and each one demanded of his companions , where it was that the danes had cast the head , the same head answered them aloud in their own tongue , here , here , here ; neither did it cease to cry out in the same words , till it had brought them to the place . and to add to the wonder , there they found a mighty and fierce wolf , which with its fore-feet held the head , as if appointed to watch and defend it from other beasts . when they were come , the wolf quietly resigned it to them . so with joyfull hymns to god they carried and join'd it to the body , the wolf in the mean time following them to the place where they buried it , after which , the beast returned into the wood ; in all which time , neither did the wolf hurt any one , neither did any one shew the least intention to hurt the wolf. cr. p. . a certain scotchman , buried in the church at rhemes , lay many years there unknown , till the ground being afterwards digged for the burial of another , his coffin was found , but could by no force of men be opened , till the pastour of the place , whose name was hildegarius , coming , opened it a little , and was infinitely ravished , with the odoriferous smell issuing out of it ; within the coffin he saw a body entire , cloathed with priestly vestments ; therefore not daring farther to violate the sepulchre , but laying boards over it , upon these boards he placed the other dead body : the night following his uncle , who had been dead many years , and was a priest , appeared to him , telling him , that he had much offended god in violating the sepulchre of a holy man. the like did the holy man himself make known to another , commanding him to signifie to the priest , that unless he removed from out his grave the stinking carcase , he should quickly receive from god a severe punishment . whereupon without delay he caused a new grave to be made for the newly dead person 's body . afterward the same holy man in a vision required a husbandman , and again a priest , to advise him in his name to remove his body from without into the church , withall signifying , that he was of the scottish nation , that his name was merilolan , and had been murthered in his way towards rome on the river aisne ( axona . ) and lest he should forget the name , he commanded him to write it with chalk , which he seemed to give him upon the cover of a chest standing by ; which he accordingly did , and writing it false , was corrected by the holy man. the next morning he found the name written in so perfect a manner , that he could not write so well , though waking , and in the light . cr. p. . a debate happening between the secular canons and the monks , about their revenue and possession ; the canons pretensions were supported by the queen , &c. on the monks side stood king edward , saint dunstan , &c. when the debate was in the assembly , st. dunstan was silent , and holding down his head , he debated in his mind what might be the best course to proceed in this affair . a great silence was observ'd by the whole assembly , every one expecting the archbishop's answer and resolution ; when on a sudden an image of our lord upon the cross , which was fastened aloft in the room , in the hearing of all that were present , spake these words distinctly ; it must not be , it must not be ; you have ordered things well , you shall doe ill to change them . this struck a terrour into the whole assembly , and thereupon st. dunstan said , my brethren , what would you have more ? you have heard the present affair decided by a divine sentence ; they answered , we have heard it . and upon this the monks of winchester remained secure . cr. p. . st editha , daughter to king edgar , a little before her death built a church to the honour of st. dionysius ; at the consecration whereof by st. dunstan he observed how the virgin frequently with her thumb made the sign of the cross upon her forehead ; at which being much delighted , he said , may that thumb never be corrupted . thirteen months after her death , st. dunstan in a vision of sleep saw st. dionysius holding the virgin by the hand , who commanded that her memory should be celebrated on earth ; the virgin her self likewise admonished him to take up her body ; withall telling him that he should find her upper parts , her eyes , and hands , all corrupted , because in her childish age she had employed them lightly and vainly ; but her thumb , which she had frequently used in signing her self with the cross , and all her lower parts remained uncorrupted , in as much as she had been always free from impurity and gluttony ; hereupon st. dunstan went to wilton , and taking up her sacred relicks , found all she had said to be true . but canutus , the danish king , who made small account of english saints , was wont to say in jest , he could never believe that a king so licentious and cruel as k. edgar , could have a saint to his daughter . and when archbishop ednot defended the sanctity of s. editha , the king being then at wilton , in a passion commanded her sepulchre to be opened ; which being done , the holy virgin was seen to sit up , with a veil before her face , in a posture as if she intended to assault the king ; at which he terribly affrighted started back , and fell half dead to the ground ; but coming to himself , he ever held the holy virgin in great veneration ; and once being endangered by a tempest at sea , he implored her assistence ; upon which the tempest immediately ceased , and he came safe to land. cr. p. . in the year of grace one thousand and twelve , the people of a town of saxony named colewiz ( or colbec ) being assembled in the church dedicated to the holy martyr magnus . on the vigil of our lord's nativity , the priest , named robert , according to custome , began the first solemn mass. at the same time there were fifteen men and three women in the church-yard dancing and singing profane songs , and they made such a noise that they hindred the priest , for their voices were louder than the choire which sung at mass : the priest therefore sent to them once and again to be quiet , but they contemned his command ; whereupon in great indignation he said , may it please god and st. magnus , that you may continue singing thus till a year be passed . now what followed ? this imprecation of the priest had such force , that azo , a son of the same priest , taking his sister , called ava , by the arme to draw her from the rest , and she not being able to leave them , he pulled her arme from her body , and yet not a drop of bloud was seen : she therefore with the rest remained singing a whole year . no rain fell upon them ; neither cold nor heat , hunger nor thirst , nor weariness troubled them . their cloths and shoes were not worn out , but they continued incessantly , like mad people , their singing . they by dancing so wore away the ground , that they sunk into the earth , first to the knees , and afterward to the middle , the trench became so deep . there was by their friends a kind of pent-house raised over them , to defend them from the foul weather ; but there was no need of it . at last , when the year was ended , herebert , archbishop of colon , came to the place , and absolved them from their bonds , and bringing them before the altar of st. magnus , he there reconciled them . the priest's daughter , with two others , presently gave up the ghost ; the rest slept three days and three nights without waking . some of them dyed shortly after ; but some remained many years alive , and by a trembling of all their members published to the world their sin and punishment . cr. p. . iudith , wife of count tosti , desiring of agelwin , bishop of durham , to bestow on her some portion of the relicks of that glorious martyr , st. oswin , king of the deiri , received from him a large lock of his hair , altogether incorrupted . and being desirous to confirm in faith certain incredulous persons , she caused a great fire to be kindled in the midst of her hall , into which she cast the same hair , which received no prejudice at all , but on the contrary a great lustre . whereupon the countess , by the bishop's order , laid up the said relick in a pretious repository . cr. p. . a certain church being to be consecrated to the honour of saint iohn the evangelist , devout king edward the confessour attended the procession thither ; when upon a sudden a person in a stranger's habit pressing near the king , earnestly begged an alms of him for st. iohn's sake , the king having charitably given away all the money he brought thither , took a rich ring from off his finger and gave it to the stranger , who returning him many thanks , presently disappeared . it happened afterward , that two englishmen went to adore the sepulchre of our saviour at ierusalem , who at their return lost their way , and the night coming on them , they were in great pain what would become of them . being in this perplexity , they saw passing by them a company of beautifull young men in white shining garments , before whom went two carrying torches in their hands , which took away all the obscurity of the night . after them followed a comely old man , attended by two on each hand , who looking aside , and spying the two pilgrims , he stay'd , asking them , who and whence they were , what religion they professed , who was their king , and what was the cause of their journey thither ? they told him they were englishmen , and christians , that their king's name was edward , that they came to visit the holy places of our lord's passion and resurrection , and that the same day having wandred out of their way , they knew not where to find lodging or entertainment . then the venerable old man with a chearfull countenance bid them follow him , conducting them into a most beautifull city , where they were most delicately nourished and lodged . in the morning the same old man brought them on their way , and being out of the city , he said to them , my brethren , doubt not but god will give you a prosperous journey homeward ; i am john the apostle and the evangelist ; your king i affectionately love for his chastity , salute him in my name ; and to take from him all doubt , restore him this ring which at the dedication a church to my name he gave , being then disguised in the habit of a pilgrim ; tell him withall that the day of his death approaches , and that six months hence i will visit him , and conduct him after the lamb , who is always attended by pure chast souls . as soon as he had said these words , they presently found themselves in their right way ; and with great joy returned home . whither being come , they presented the ring to the king , acquainted him with the oracle , and taking him aside discovered to him what was told them of his death . as soon as they had mentioned the name of st. iohn , the king burst forth into tears , and after he had diligently enquired of them touching the things they had seen and heard in their journey , he dismissed them with thanks . cr. p. . an irish priest preaching lately at dublin on these words , take no thought for to morrow , what ye shall eat , nor what ye shall drink , &c. brings in the example of the prophet daniel , daniel , saith he , was cast into the lyons den in babylon , just then habakkuk had prepared a dinner for his reapers , comes an angel to habakkuk , and tells him , habakkuk , this dinner thou hast prepared for thy reapers , thou must carry to daniel which is in the lyons den in babylon . lord , said habakkuk , i know not daniel , neither do i know where babylon is ; whereupon the angel took up habakkuk by one single hair of the head and carried him to babylon to daniel in the lyons den. babylon being three hundred miles from the place . a priest preaching in a nunnery in dublin , just after the birth of the p. of w. chose this text , knock and it shall be opened unto you : he told the nuns what mighty miracles were done by knocking ; nay , saith the priest , by knocking we have got a p. of w. the nuns fell a laughing , the priest observing it ; hold , saith he , i do not mean such knocking as you mean. thus have you some miracles of ignatius , s. anthony , &c. and a few of mr. cressy's many stories of the miracles of our english saints ; if these gain your acceptance , you will oblige me farther to prosecute this collection from more of their legends , and present you with another small book of the like nature . finis . miracles, work's above and contrary to nature, or, an answer to a late translation out of spinoza's tractatus theologico-politicus, mr. hobbs's leviathan, &c. published to undermine the truth and authority of miracles, scripture, and religion, in a treatise entituled, miracles no violation of the laws of nature. browne, thomas, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) miracles, work's above and contrary to nature, or, an answer to a late translation out of spinoza's tractatus theologico-politicus, mr. hobbs's leviathan, &c. published to undermine the truth and authority of miracles, scripture, and religion, in a treatise entituled, miracles no violation of the laws of nature. browne, thomas, ?- . [ ], p. printed for samuel smith ..., london : . attributed to thomas browne. cf. halkett & laing ( nd ed.). reproduction of original in cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng spinoza, benedictus de, - . -- tractatus theologico-politicus. hobbes, thomas, - . -- leviathan. blount, charles, - . -- miracles, no violation of the laws of nature. miracles -- early works to . philosophy and religion -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion miracles work' 's above and contrary to nature : or , an answer to a late translation out of spinoza's tractatus theologico-politicus , mr. hobb's leviathan , &c. published to undermine the truth and authority of miracles , scripture , and religion , in a treatise entituled miracles no violation of the laws of natvre . sicut non fuit impossibile deo quas voluit instituere , sit ei non est impossibile in quicquid voluerit quas instituit mutare naturas . d. august . de civitate dei , l. . cap. . london , printed for samuel smith at the princes arms in st. pauls church-yard . . miracles works above and contrary to nature : or , an answer to a translation , &c. in a treatise entituled miracles no violations of the laws of natvre . to the compiler of this treatise we are ingaged for two things . . the collection of the several parts of his work out of several authors , and the tacking of them together . . the translation of each part out of the latin : a method much in use of late , to copy out the pernicious authors , as well as practices , of former times , and instead of sitting down and putting their own invention upon the rack , to take a more easie and compendious way of doing mischief , by transcribing or translating for the greedy reception of the present age , whatever has been formerly written tending to the subversion either of religion or civil authority . the former of these is unquestionably the design of this treatise ; since the asserting , that there is no such thing as a miracle , i. e. a work above nature , undermines the foundations of both law and gospel , overthrows the credit and authority of divine revelation , and remits us either to a bare religion of nature and morality , or to none at all . the book ( to assign to each author his share in it ) consists of two parts . the latter , which is the main , from the middle of the third page to the end of the book , is wholly ( except two or three authorities in the last page ) a bare translation of the sixth chapter of the tractatus theologico-politicus , written by spinoza . which chapter he seems to have made choice of out of that author , as effectual by it self to compass the design of his whole treatise : viz. to instill the principles of deisme or atheisme into the minds of his readers . the other part , which takes up the two first pages and half of the third , is a translation likewise of part of mr. hobbs's chapter about miracles in his leviathan , from whence he has taken as much as he thought would make for his purpose , and seem to be of a piece with the other translation out of spinoza , to which he has prefixt it . introductory to the book there is a premonition to the reader . and here we might justly expect from him to speak himself , and to give us a free and ingenuous account of his authors , his translation , and the design of it . but the greatest part of this too is borrowed ( or translated , whether you please ) out of mr. burnett's telluris theoria sacra , and the rest only some brief touches of what he has after more at large out of spinoza . of his three authors , the last i believe , is not very proud of the company of the other two ; and therefore is not much obliged to his translator for clapping him and them together as confederates and brethren in opinion . but it is more pertinent to observe , that two of the three are clearly against him in their sense about the main point in controversie . spinoza indeed is the great patron of his assertion , viz. that there is no such thing as a miracle , if we take the word to signifie a work above or beside nature . but mr. burnett and mr. hobbs are point blank of the contrary mind , and therefore either they must speak very inconsistently , nay in effect contradict themselves , or what he here produces out of them cannot be drawn to favour his and spinoza's opinion ; and so the co-herence of the several parts of the collection will not appear to be very great , nor the harmony very agreeable , to any that shall first consider each as they stand apart in the distinct authors , before he examine them as they are here associated in the rhapsody of this treatise . to begin with mr. hobbs , whom we have least reason to suspect to have any wrong done him , we have no more to do but to read the rest of that chapter , where the translator leaves him , and we shall soon find that he admits and supposes miracles in that very sense , wherein he is produced to deny them here . for , first , he defines a miracle to be , a work of god beside his operation by the way of nature ordained in the creation ; which is flatly contradictory to that assertion , that nothing can fall out but according to the order of nature . . he infers from that definition , that a miracle is not the effect of any vertue in the prophet whose doctrine it confirms , but of the immediate hand of god : and that no devil , angel , or created spirit can work a miracle . which positions ( however questionable if understood of a delegated power in men or angels ) are sufficient to demonstrate that it is his sense , that there are miracles or works above nature . for if there are works wrought which no finite spirit , nothing but the immediate hand of god can effect , these certainly must surpass the force of nature , she working by second causes in all her operations . it is to be confessed , that mr. hobbs does in his own way , as well as spinoza , destroy the authority of miracles by his doctrine : in as much as he does not admit them for sufficient credentials of the divine mission of any prophet , when the doctrine he reveals does not square with the religion established by the civil magistrate . so that all the miracles of our saviour and his apostles were of no force , because the doctrine they taught contradicted the established tenets of the superstitious jews , and the idolatrous gentiles . yet , though these two authors ( equally to be honoured for the good service they have done the christian religion ) agree very well in the main design , they differ notwithstanding very widely in the way of compassing it , as far as the opposite parts of a contradiction can set them at odds : the one asserting that there are works above nature , the other denying it : so that the author of this collection was not very well advised to think they would cotten so well together ; and ought rather to have tried first how far the work might be done by one of them singly , and to have reserved the other for a new expedient if the former had failed . mr. hobbs then , we see , asserts there are miracles . and so does mr. burnett in words most express , and in the very same paragraph , part whereof he has quoted out of him in the latine in his last page , and at very little distance from the very words , there quoted to represent him as an abettor of the contrary opinion , certissimum est ( says he ) à divinâ providentiâ ( pendere res omnes cujuscunque ordinis & ab eâdem ) vera miracula edita esse . it is , i think , a sufficient prejudice against the opinion which he produces these authors to insinuate and patronize , or at least his judgment in the choice of his authors , that two out of three declare flatly against him in that point . yet 't is possible that , as he produces them here , they may both better consist with him and spinoza than with themselves . this therefore comes to be examined , and will lead us gradually to give a particular answer to each part of the whole work. we begin therefore with the premonition to the reader , he there with mr. burnett . what he takes from mr. burnett , is out of the eleventh and last chapter of the first book of his theory . mr. burnetts words are these , in eâ sum equidem sententiâ , authores sacros cùm de rebus naturalibus sermones habent , &c. upon these the translator thus varies in the first words of his premonition , it is the judgment of most of the ancient fathers of the christian faith , and of the most learned theologues of the moderns , that the authors of the holy scriptures when they speak of natural things , &c. and so goes on with the rest of that page , which he translates more faithfully : what he designed in this amplification , whether to amuze his reader , oblige mr. burnet , or to make a fair shew of his own great reading , i shall not enquire . the summ of what he has out of mr. burnett is this , that the authors of the holy scriptures where they speak of natural things , design only to excite piety and devotion in us , not to improve us in the knowledg of nature . that agreeably to this design , they explain the visible works of god in a manner suitable to the received opinions of the vulgar : they wrest the general causes and ends of the whole creation in favour of the peoples prejudices , as if all things were ordained only for the good and benefit of mankind : they do not make mention of the ordinary train of second causes in the productions of nature , but recur immediately to god himself , the first cause , author and president of it , and compendiously refer all things to his immediate power , and to his irresistible will and command . all mr. burnett's design in this , is to excuse himself for giving a philosophical and mechanical account of the deluge and other grand effects in the sublunary world ; as the original of the mountains , rocks , islands , ocean , rivers , &c. in the terraqueous globe . the production of all these the scripture immediately refers to god : and divines ordinarily speak of them as effects supernatural and miraculous ; viz. that god by the same powerful word , whereby he created heaven and earth , cast up the mountains , and cut out the channels for the rivers , and that vast cavity for the immense ocean , commanded the waters into one place , and made the dry land appear . and by the like command , when the wickedness of man was great upon the earth , and the end of all flesh was come before him , opened the catarrhacts of heaven , and broke up the fountains of the deep , and destroyed all mankind , except eight persons , by a deluge of waters . to this mr. burnetts answer is , that it is in no wise necessary that these effects should be conceived to have been wrought by miracle . for the scripture , that it does not appear that they are recorded for miracles there , because the scripture immediately refers effects purely natural to god , and makes no mention of the train of second causes subservient to god in their production : the design of the sacred writers , when they speak of natural things , being not to instruct us in the knowledg of nature by giving us a philosophical account of their mediate causes , but to excite in us piety and devotion , by working in our minds a true sense of the power and providence of almighty god , to which all things owe their original . this is the intent , scope , and drift of mr. burnett's words , as they stand at home in their proper place ; but here they are applied to far different purposes , as appears by the conclusion the translator draws from them , when he comes to speak himself : viz. that these things considered . . we are not to admire , if we find in the holy scripture many memorable things related as miracles , which notwithstanding proceeded from the fixt and immutable order of nature , &c. . ( which is but the application of the former ) we ought not rashly to accuse any man of infidelity , only because he refuses to believe , that those miracles were effected by the immediate power of god , &c. which conclusion of his . is just the quite contrary to mr. burnett's . . destroys the authority of scripture , and leaves us free to disbelieve any miracle recorded in it for such . . it is quite contrary to mr burnett's . mr. burnett's way of arguing is this , the scripture immediately refers to god things which are purely the effects of nature . ergo , we cannot justly conclude , that what effects the scripture immediately refers to god , those it records for miracles . yes ( says the translator upon the same grounds ) we may conclude that it records them for miracles , and this too we may conclude over and above , that the scripture records such effects for miracles which really are the effects of nature . . it destroys the authority of scripture , and leaves us free to disbelieve any miracle recorded in it for such . for first it makes the holy scripture guilty of imposture , and that not in a small matter , but such whereupon depends the authority of all the revelations made therein by god to mankind : for upon the truth of those relations in scripture , wherein these miracles are recorded as matter of fact , depends the certainty of the divine mission , of moses and the prophets , our blessed saviour and his apostles , and consequently the authority of the doctrine which they revealed . dly , it takes away the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have , to discern whether the effect it relates be a miracle or not . the only thing whereby we can know it is from the scriptures manner of relating it : if it relates one thing for a miracle ▪ which is not , all may be , for ought we know , of the same nature . and so farewel both the belief of miracles and the scripture it self . i presume that he does not play with us in a matter of this importance , i. e. that he does not mean by the scriptures relating such things as miracles , onely that it relates the production of them in such terms , as idiots and illiterate persons may from thence conceive that they are super-natural effects ( for then all he says will be very true , but withal very impertinent ) but that it sets them down for effects miraculous and supernatural as much as any in the whole bible . and if he means thus , i have already hinted the ill consequences of his doctrine , and how disagreeable his conclusion from mr. burnett's principles is to that which mr. burnett himself draws from them , and shall proceed now to shew how unnaturally it is drawn from such premises . i shall not stand to make any tedious reflection upon each particular in the summary account which i have given above of what he has out of mr. burnett ; but i shall apply my self chiefly to the consideration of that whereupon he seems wholly to build his conclusion . all that i shall say to the rest is this , touching the design of the sacred writers when they speak of natural things , i grant it to be such as is there suggested : and , that in subordination to that design , they may be conceived to explain the visible works of god in a manner suitable to the received opinions of the vulgar ; i. e. to speak their sense and dialect about natural things , when they do occasionally speak of them , and to comply therein with their common prejudices ; as moses seem to do gen. . . where he ranks the moon with the sun as the other great light , i. e. the next or only one besides of considerable magnitude ; speaking there agreeably to the appearance of sense , and the apprehension of the vulgar grounded thereupon . yet not that they are obliged to comply with all their prejudices neither ; for this is one , that every considerable effect in nature is miraculous and supernatural : and the design of the sacred writers does not oblige them to condescend so far to the apprehensions of the vulgar , as to relate every effect for miraculous which they conceive to be so . their design is , not to instruct us in the knowledge of nature , but to excite piety and devotion in us . the utmost therefore that design will oblige them to , in this regard , is to make no mention of the train of second causes in the productions of nature ( which effectually answers the first part of their design ) and to ascribe all effects to god as their author ( which as fully answers the second ) and nothing of all this amounts to a relation of the effects of nature for miracles , as will appear immediately . to the next thing , that they wrest the general causes and ends of the whole creation in favour of the peoples prejudices , as if all things were ordained only for the good and benefit of mankind : i deny that the scripture wrests the ends of the creation ; for this were to make the parts of the world be created by god for other ends and purposes than he created them for . all the scripture does is , that it mentions only those ends of nature ( out of many for which it is ordained in the divine wisdome ) that relate to the good and benefit of mankind ( as for instance those ends only of the heavenly bodies , that they are for lights in the firmament of heaven , and for signs , and for seasons , and for days , and for years ) yet it does not deny but that there may be many other which to consider is not pertinent to its purpose . but the principle from whence he draws his conclusion , is in the last words of what he has out of mr. burnett : viz. that the authors of the holy scriptures make no mention of the ordinary train of second causes in the productions of nature , but recur immediately to god himself , the first cause , author , and president of it , and compendiously refer all things to his immediate power , and to his irresistible will and command . their recurring immediately to god himself , and referring all things to his immediate power , is to be understood in this sense , not that the scripture declares these effects to proceed from nothing but the immediate hand of god ( for this is to declare them to be spernatural , and such then they are unquestionably . ) but , that it ascribes them only to god , and makes no mention of any train of second causes subservient to him in their production . for instance , the scripture immediately refers the effects of nature to god himself , in those places of the th psalm where it says , he giveth snow like wooll ; he scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes . he casteth forth his ice like morsels . — he sendeth out his word and melteth them , he bloweth with his wind and the waters flow . so when god says to noah , i do set my bow in the cloud , and to samuel , to morrow about this time i will send thee a man out of the land of benjamin . these instances are his and spinoza's , as appears p. th and th below in his treatise . and the scripture refers these effects immediately to god , as it mentions him only as the author of them , and no other mediate cause ; not that it says that he alone acts in the production of them , for this were to relate them for miracles . this therefore being stated , his way of arguing will appear to be this , the authors of the holy scriptures make no mention of the ordinary train of second causes in the productions of nature , but recur immediately to god himself , &c. ergo , they relate many things as miracles , which yet notwithstanding are the effects of nature . the connexion of this antecedent and consequent is by vertue of this proposition , that the authors of the holy scripture must be conceived to relate those effects as miracles , which they immediately ascribe to god , without mention of any second causes subservient to him in their production . the falshood whereof i shall evidently discover . . by instance . . from the natural import of the words . . from the reason of the thing it self . . by shewing in some instances what it is for the holy scripture to relate any thing as a miracle . . by instance . infinite would be the number of miracles recorded in scripture , if this were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby we are to know what effects are related therein as such . the scripture teaches us ( from the mouth of our blessed saviour ) to pray to god immediately for our daily bread , for our food and raiment , for the annual increase of our corn , wine , and oyle , for the former and latter rain in their season . it takes no notice of the ordinary way whereby nature it self supplies us with these necessaries , how our corn grows in our fields , how the vine sends forth her grapes , how the clouds drop fatness : but in a word , refers all to god without any more ado . he , it says , visiteth the earth and blesseth it : he maketh it very plenteous : he crowneth the year with his goodness . in a word , he openeth his hand and filleth all things living with plenteousness . yet , i suppose , it were very hard to infer that the scripture sets down all this as supernatural and miraculous : that it obliges us to conceive ( not the flood only , but even ) the former and latter rain to come down by miracle : that it prompts us to expect as supernatural a provision of our daily bread , as the israelites had in the wilderness , elijah in horeb when the ravens were his purveyours , the widow with whom he lodged , whose barrel of meal was preserved from wasting ; or lastly , the four or five thousand fed by our saviour in the gospel , which i suppose was a work of nature , but related in scripture as a miracle , because it mentions not how the corn grew in the hands and mouths of them that did eat it . . the natural import of the words disproves this conceit . to be related as a miracle , is to be recorded for an effect of god's own immediate hand and supernatural power . to be immediately refer'd or ascribed to god , without mention of a train of mediate causes , is quite another thing . there it is expresly or by consequence declared ; that the work is above nature ; here it is left in medio , without any determination from the manner wherein it is related , whether it be a natural or supernatural effect of the divine power . for instance , the scripture says in one place , thou makest darkness , and it is night . in another , he sent darkness , and made it dark . in the former it speaks of the ordinary , in the latter of the egyptian darkness ; and both it immediately refers to god , mentioning no natural causes of the one or the other . both of them it may thus ascribe to god , though the one be the effect of nature , and the other a miracle ; and therefore to ascribe any effect immediately to god , is not to relate it as a miracle . . this will farther appear from the very reason of the thing it self . the scripture may justly ascribe to god all the effects of nature without mentioning any train of suborbordinate causes , and yet cannot thereupon be justly concluded to relate these things as miracles . and this because first god is the author of nature , by his power , and the governour and president of it by his superintending providence : therefore every effect in nature may be justly ascribed to him as it's author . dly , the scriptures designs to speak of the effects of nature only with regard to the power and providence of almighty god ; therefore it may justly ascribe them to him without mention of the train of natural causes whereby he mediately produces them . if then any effect may be in this manner ascribed to god , and yet he be no farther the cause of it , than as he is the author and governour of nature by his power and providence : if so , then it is no just conclusion , that the sacred writers relate any thing as a miracle , because they immediately refer it to god without meniion of the train of natural causes subservient to him in the production of it . . but to give as full satisfaction as may be in this point , ( and withal to shew that , all this notwithstanding , there are some effects so related in the holy scripture , as that it may be justly conceived to have recorded them for miracles ) i shall state , what it is for the scripture to relate any thing as a miracle . it is not enough ( as we have seen already ) that it ascribes the effect to god as its author : nor that it immediately ascribes it to him , without mention that it is produced by the mediation of second causes . for every thing proceeds from him , whether it be by the course of nature ▪ or a work of his supernatural power , and therefore is to be ascribed to him : and the scriptures ascribing of it to god without mention any other cause , does not necessarily imply , that no other cause had any hand in the production of it . but to relate a thing as a miracle , is to relate it for an effect of gods own immediate hand , or , an effect above , beside , or contrary to nature . and this may be done two wayes : . by express declaration : . by relating it in such a manner and with such circumstances as from thence we may rationally conclude the effect to be miraculous . for the first , there may seem to be very few instances if any , wherein we can certainly assure our selves , that the holy scripture declares any effect to be a work above nature . for though it may and often does use the word miracle , yet , that being ambiguous , it may still be uncertain whether it be to be taken for any thing more than an effect wonderful and surprizing indeed , yet purely natural . all which notwithstanding , in some places we may truly vouch the express declaration of the holy scripture , that such and such effects are miraculous . joh. . . after the relation of our blessed saviour's turning the water into wine , the text says , this beginning of miracles did jesus . so also john . . after the cure of the nobleman's son , this is again the second miracle that jesus did . in these two places the scripture does in a manner reflect upon the works it had related , and declares them to be supernatural . but by the word miracle may possibly be meant no more than an effect strange and wonderful , not a work above nature : unless we can give some certain proof of the contrary . and i think this one consideration may be sufficient to evince it . the design of the scripture in relating these works of our blessed saviour , is to propound them to us as undoubted evidences of his divine mission . now evidences of that they could not be unless they were works above nature , because an effect of nature cannot prove gods immediate power and presence , nor consequently confirm the truth of any prophets commission from heaven to reveal his doctrine . for the scripture therefore to relate these works of our blessed saviour , as undoubted evidences of his divine mission , will argue that the scripture where it stiles these works miracles , signs , and wonders , must mean strictly such as exceed the power of nature : otherwise it would impose upon our belief , and oblige us under pain of damnation to embrace a doctrine as divine , upon such evidences , as are in no wise sufficient to confirm the authority of the person that reveals it . and upon this ground we might discover many more instances of effects , expresly declared in scripture to proceed from god's immediate extraordinary power . for it holds as well in the miracles of the apostles as our blessed saviour's , and in moses's too , the scripture relating them as wrought to evidence his commission from heaven to institute the law , as well as those of our saviour and his apostles to evidence their authority to preach and plant the gospel . but if there were no such express declaration in the holy scripture , there are yet , . many relations of matters of fact couched in such terms , as that we may justly conclude from thence that the effects there spoken of are related as miraculous and supernatural . as , . where the effect is related as done without the use of means . so in our saviours curing diseases ( and indeed working most of his miracles ) by the word of his mouth , turning the water into wine by the internal tacit act of his will , &c. . where mention is made of means used , but those such as cannot be conceived to be in their own nature proper or sufficient to produce the effect . as the clay wherewith our saviour cured the eyes of the person born blind , the spittle wherewith he loosed the tongue of the other that was dumb , &c. these effects may be justly affirmed to be related in scripture as miracles : not upon this account , that the scripture refers them immediately to god without mention of any train of natural causes subservient to him in their production : it appears we have some surer grounds whereupon to proceed in examining what effects in scripture are related as miracles , though that which he would possess his readers with the opinion that it is the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have , be ( as has been shewed ) not only false , but ridiculous and absurd . from what has been said , i may rationally draw these two consequences . . that for the scripture to refer any effect immediately to god , is not for it to relate the effect as miraculous : and therefore from its referring the effects of nature immediately to god , we cannot infer ( as he does ) that the scripture relates many memorable things as miracles , which yet notwithstanding proceeded from the fixt and immutable order of nature . . that there are yet many effects plainly related in scripture for miracles ; by it 's express declaration , and it 's relating of them in such terms , from whence we may by undeniable consequence gather as much . and so ( supposing that the scripture is a true history , for which we have infinitely more evidence than for any other history in the world ) it follows evidently ( against his main assertion ) from the relations of these miraculous effects in scripture , that there really have been miracles in the sense wherein he denies them , i. e. works beside , above , and contrary to nature . but this corollary ( though very pertinent to our purpose ) is ex abundanti : all that we were obliged to , was to shew , that the conclusion which he draws from the principles he takes out of mr. burnett is false and illogical . since therefore mr. burnett asserts positively that there are miracles , as is shewed above , and nothing here produced out of him can infer or insinuate the contrary : we may justly demand both in his name , and in behalf both of religion , reason , and good logique , that this part of the premonition be returned into the place from whence it came , where it may stand with more truth and coherence ; and the conclusion of the translator left to stand apart by it self , as a bold and ( i may say ) impious assertion without any proof . but , not to wrong him , he has some succedaneous arguments in the close of the premonition : but these ' as i before hinted , are only some brief touches of what we have after more at large out of spinoza . viz. that for god to work by a power immediate ( or supernatural ) is inconsistent with and point-blank repugnant the fundamental laws and constistutions of nature . ( it sounds somewhat like to the king's prerogative being inconsistent with the fundamental laws of property and priviledge . ) that these laws are the acts of the divine wisdom , & extend themselves to whatever events he hath willed and decreed : that the power of nature is infinite , as being one and the same with the power of god. he has one thing which he asserts besides , that among all the miracles related to be done in favour of the israelites , there is not one that can be apodictically demonstrated to be repugnant to the established order of nature . now here i am not bound to demonstrate it for his sake , for two reasons . . because it were to prove a negative , . because his main ground ( or spinoza's rather ) why he denies all supernatural effects , is not upon account of his own great reach in natural philosophy , whereby he could undertake to solve mechanically all the effects related in scripture for miraculous ; but from arguments purely metaphysical proving in his opinion , the impossibility of any such thing as a work above nature . for to this he holds and not the other , as appears from p. . of the treatise where he concludes absolutely ( from his arguments against the possibility of miracles . ) that all the events that are truly related in scripture to have come to pass , proceeded necessarily according to the immutable laws of nature : and that if any thing be found which can be apodictically demonstrated to be repugnant to those laws , or not to have followed from them , we may safely and piously believe the same not to have been dictated by divine inspiration , but impiously added to the sacred volumes by sacrilegious men. so that unless the scripture miracles will submit to his touch-stone , unless they will come and lay open their occult qualities , and the whole plot and confederacy of those natural causes that combined to effect them , he has an index expurgatorius to blot their names out of the holy scripture , and a court of inquisition for those that relate them , to arraign them for sacriledge and impiety : but i pass on to consider each part of the treatise in order . the treatise is divided between mr. hobbs and spinoza . mr. hobbs speaks as far as to the middle of the third page , out of the chapter about miracles , in the third part of his leviathan . he first explains the signification of the word , from its etymology , and other words in sacred and profane writers of like import with it . from its etymology he deduces that it signifies , a work of god which men admire or wonder at . then proposes to enquire what works are such , and reduces them to two kinds . . such as are rare , and the like thereof seldom or never seen . . such as we cannot conceive to be produced by natural causes , but only by gods immediate hand . he gives some instances of both : an oxe or an horse speaking , preter-natural births , the conversion of a man into stone , and the first rainbow that appeared . that such effects as these seem miraculous , because rare , or no natural cause of them conceivable . on the contrary , the works of art , however wonderful , not reputed to be miracles , because their causes known . upon the same ground he observes , that the same thing may seem to be a miracle to one man , and not to another , in proportion to their different degrees of knowledge and experience . so , eclipses miracles to the vulgar , not to philosophers : simple men made to believe that others can know their most secret actions by inspiration , when the more wary and prudent perceive the juggle . so far mr. hobbs here , in his leviathan he proceeds to assign another property of a miracle , viz. that it be wrought to confirm the divine mission of some prophet or other , and then to give a definition of it : but there his translator leaves him , and passes on to spinoza . before we follow him thither , we may reflect a little . . upon mr. hobbs's doctrine . . upon the use whereto he applies it . mr. hobbs informs us , what works are by men wondered at and reputed miraculous : he shews by instance , that they are such as are rare and unusual , or such as we cannot conceive to proceed from natural causes . he does not say , that this is all that goes to the making of a miracle , nor that this is the only rule we have whereby to discern what effects are such : but that this is enough to make things seem to men to be miraculous , and that a true miracle is indeed an effect rare and inexplicable , and somewhat more . if he mean otherwise , he contradicts himself soon after , when he defines a miracle to be a work of god ( not conceived only , but really ) beside his operation by the way of nature ordained in the creation : and infers from thence , that it cannot be the effect of any thing but the immediate hand of god. yet , to clear all ; that a man cannot conceive such an effect to proceed from natural causes , may bear a double sense . . that he is not capable of assigning the natural cause of it , or farther , of apprehending how it can be effected by any . . that he clearly and distinctly perceives that it is impossible to be produced by the course of nature . i grant that this is enough to assure a man that it is a miracle ; but if he concludes it to be so in the other case , he is guilty of presumption in measuring the extent of the force of nature by the narrow reach of his own knowledge or capacity . this may prepare us to consider the use whereto mr. hobbs's doctrine is applied by his translator . his design is , before he come to spinoza's arguments against the belief of miracles , to make a discovery of the causes that introduced this grand mistake into the world. and the first , as a corollary from mr. hobb's doctrine , he makes to be , admiration , and that proceeding from these two causes , rarity and ignorance . that is , all the effects which the deluded world has mistaken for miracles , are such as are only rare and unusual , and inexplicrable : and the causes which make mankind so prone to admit them for miraculous , are our ignorance of the causes , and want of experience and observation of the effects of nature . the second cause which he assigns of the belief of miracles , is superstition , viz. that it is our hopes and fears which make us conceive every unusual event in nature to be the effect of an extraordinary divine power , fore-bodding to us some good or evil . and here he takes spinoza in hand , and we come at length to the main part of his work , to which the rest is only preliminary , and with what coherence and how much to his purpose , hath already been shewed . before i joyn issue with him about the main point in controversy , i shall premise only this short observation , in regard to what he says of the causes of the belief of miracles . it may very well be granted him , that the generality of mankind , who are the ignorant and unthinking sort , are very prone to admire and wonder at every considerable effect of nature , and to look upon it as proceeding from an extraordinary power , and the immediate hand of god : and that the causes of this may be their want of knowledg and experience , and their superstitious hopes and fears . but to insinuate thereupon the same to be the only ground of the belief of any miracles , is very presumptuous as well as irrational : unless it could be evidently made out that all miracles are impossible ; and to see how effectually that may be done is our next work , viz. to examine the method wherein spinoza , and from him the author of this collection , attempts to demonstrate it . spinoza begins with a brief account of the chief heads of this ( as he calls it ) popular mistake , and the first authors of it . these he makes to be the people of the jews , who to magnify their own nation , as under a more peculiar care of the divine providence than any other , and to set forth the greatness of the god they adored above the gods of the heathen , recounted to them what mighty works he had done for them , and how all the parts of nature , which the heathens worshipped , were under his command and controul . the particulars of this error which he recounts are these , that the ordinary sort of men think that god's power and providence does then most eminently appear , when any thing happens contrary to what they conceive to be the course of nature . that they think nature's swerving from her own laws , to be the best argument for the existence of a deity . that they take those persons for atheists , who attempt to deduce a miracle from natural causes . that they think god sits idle when nature acts in her usual way , and nature is suspended , whenever god pleases to interpose . that they form in their brain a notion of two powers numerically distinct , the one of god , the other of nature , understanding not what they mean by either . and that all this they do partly out of superstition , partly out of a desire to oppose themselves to men of more wise and philosophical heads . i need not stand to examine the truth of this account : it appears to be purely declamatory , and not ( which might have been more justly expected ) a fair opening of the state of the question , and a declaration what those of his adversaries hold concerning it , who take up the belief of miracles upon better grounds than vulgar prejudice and superstition . i shall have occasion to do that for him in what follows . he proceeds therefore , and proposes to do four things . . to prove , that nothing in the world happens contrary to nature , but that nature keeps an eternal , fixt , and immutable order . . to prove , that by miracles we cannot know the essence nor the existence , nor consequently the providence of god : but that all these may be better known by the fixt and immutable order of nature . . to shew by instances out of the scripture , that by the decrees and volitions , and consequently the providence of god , it understands nothing else but the very order of nature , which necessarily follows from his eternal laws . . to treat of the manner of interpreting the scripture miracles , and what is chiefly to be observed in the relations about them ; or ( as the traslator ) to shew that most men have erred in the manner of interpreting the miracles recorded in the holy scriptures . of these four , the first onely tends directly to prove his assertion : the second obliquely strikes at the being of miracles , as it makes them no evidences of the immediate power and presence of god , and so wholely useless and insignificant , as no proofs of what they are designed for . the other two tend only either to draw the scripture to his side , or to elude the force of the arguments brought from thence against him . . he is to prove , that nothing in the world happens contrary to nature , but that nature keeps an eternal , fixt , and immutable order . before i come to examine his arguments , i shall . state what is meant by nature , and the laws of it , in this controversy . . lay down the main grounds whereupon the possibility of miracles depends . . what is the meaning of the word nature , and the laws of it in this controversy . a miracle in the common acceptation of the word , which spinoza opposes , is taken for a work beside , above , or contrary to nature , beside the order , above the force , and contrary to the laws of it . now the word nature may be taken in many significations . eeither . for the essence of any , but properly of material and corruptible beings . or . for the aggregate of them , the material world. or . for the author of nature , god himself , called thence natura naturans . or lastly , for the order of the several bodies , as they act amongst one another , according to their innate powers and dispositions . now the acception of the word here , is for the aggregate of bodies in the world , and the order wherein they act amongst one another : and so the laws of nature must be , such as determine the manner wherein natural bodies act among themselves ; whether they be the general laws of motion , which determine how each part of matter must be moved upon the occurrence of other bodies , or particular laws impressed upon their several natures , determining each to act in such or such a particular manner . the question therefore about the possibility of miracles , must be this , whether there can be any such effects in the material world , as are beside , above , or contrary to the order wherein natural bodies are determined to act among themselves : i. e. such effects as transcend their power and efficacy , and deviate from or are repugnant to the general or particular laws of motion determining them to act . . the question therefore thus stated , i am to shew , what are the main grounds whereupon the possibility of miracles depends . and i think it may be rationally deduced from these principles . god is able to effect any thing which neither does , . imply a contradiction in the nature of the thing it self ; nor . is repugnant to the nature of god and his infinite perfection . omnipotence is properly a power to bring any thing to effect which does not imply a contradiction : and the contradiction must lie in one or the other of these two . i am to shew therefore that a miracle , or a work above nature is , not impossible upon either account . . a miracle does not imply a contradiction in the nature of the thing . every miraculous effect is either a production of something by a supernatural power or a suspension or utter abolition of its being . the thing produced or destroyed by miracle , is either matter it self , or a form , quality , motion , or any other accident of it . . matter ; as suppose a new portion of it created , beyond the extent of this world ; or the matter of this world ; or any determinate portion of it reduced to nothing . . a form , quality , motion or any other accident of matter ; as suppose , . god should endue any part of matter with a form , quality , or any other accident , above or contrary to what it other wise might or should have , by the course of nature . . god should devest any part of matter of any form , quality , motion , &c. which otherwise it must have by the course of nature . two kinds of miracles therefore we have here : . when a portion of matter is created a-new , or reduced to nothing . . when a form , quality , or motion , or a-any other accident of matter , is produced , suspended , or destoyed in a supernatural manner . and to these two are reducible all effects above or contrary to the order of nature ; as the whole frame and order of nature , is made up of matter , and the forms , qualities , motions , and other accidents thereof . now neither of these implyes a contradiction in the nature of the thing ; . it does not imply a contradiction for a portion of matter to be created a-new , or to be reduced to nothing . matter in its own nature is a being possible and contingent : possible , because its idea or conception is not a mere chimaera and a notion that destroys it self : contingent , because it 's idea or conception does not include necessity of existence . if matter therefore be in its own nature a thing possible , then ( unless the matter of the present world be extended in infinitum ( which is a contradiction ) there is still room and possibility for more to be created : but this must be by miracle , quia ex nihilo nihil fit naturaliter . again , if matter be in its own nature a contingent being , the matter of the world , or any determinate portion of it may cease to be , or be reduce to nothing , but this too must be by miracle , quia in nihilum nihil revertitur naturaliter . possibile therefore it is in the nature of the thing for a portion of matter to be created a-new , or reduced to nothing . . it does not imply a contradiction for a form , quality , motion , or other accident of matter to be produced , suspended , or destroyed in a supernatural manner . for instance , the form of a serpent to be produced , and again destroyed , in aarons rod : the form and qualities of blood , in the waters of the nile ; of lice , in the dust of the earth ; of wine , in the water at the marriage feast at cana of galilee . the qualities and powers of sight in the blind , hearing in the deaf , speech in the dumb , strengh in the lame , health in the sick , life in the dead : lastly the form of bread , or the very humane nature it self in the matter of a stone : the motion of ten degrees backward , in the sun , for a sign to hezekiah , and the suspension of his natural motion for a considerable time , at the request of joshua . the production or determination of fire from heaven , at the word and prayer of elijah , upon his sacrifice , and the captains &c. sent to apprehend him : and the suspension of the action of fire in nebuchadnezzar's furnace . the production or determination of the wind to bring the locusts , and drive them back , and to force back the waters of the red-sea : at the stretching forth of moses's rod : and the ceasing of the wind and storm at our saviours command . in all these instances there is nothing done , but only a form , quality , motion , or the like , produced , suspended , or destroyed in the parts of matter , by a power above nature . and that nothing of all this implies any contradiction in the nature of the thing , may be thus made to appear . matter in its own nature is indifferently susceptible of any form or qualities imaginable , and therefore is in it self capable at any time of being without those forms and qualities which it has , or of having any others instead thereof . capable it is of being without any particular forms & qualities which it has , because they are each of them contingent & accidental to matter considered in its own nature : for instance , that it should have such magnitude , figure , texture , order and scituation , motion or rest of its sensible or insensible parts , and constitute a body of such a particular nature , endowed with such and such qualities peculiar to it . capable likewise it is at any time of having any forms or qualities indifferently , because in its own nature considered it is susceptible of any , and in it's own nature considered , not determined to receive any one more than another . now if this be so , it is then possible for any form or quality to be produced , in any part of matter , at any time ; or to be suspended , or destroyed utterly , in that body which is endued with it : and consequently for any part of matter to be endued with such a form or quality , which otherwise it could or ought not to have by the course of nature ; or , on the other hand to be devested of that form or quality , which otherwise by the course of nature it must have had and kept ▪ for instance , the water at the marriage feast in cana of galilee , could not at the bare word or will of christ by the course of nature have its form changed into the form of wine , and yet the matter in it's own nature was capable of receiving the form of wine , and capable too of being without the form of water , though left to it self and the order of nature it must have kept it . if capable of losing the one and receiving the other , then it was possible for it to be turned from the one into the other : if possible , then within the sphere of omnipotence to effect it : by a miracle though , quia quid lilibet non fit ex quolibet naturaliter . the like may be said of motion in matter : it is wholely contingent and accidential to it . it might in it's own nature considered have for ever been without it , and so have continued one great unwieldy mass : now it has so great a quantity of motion impressed , yet all it's part may be again reduced to rest , not by the course of nature indeed , but yet by a power working above and contrary to nature . to press this further home , the whole order of nature , ever since the production of it , has depended upon the motion first impressed upon the parts of matters and the power given them to transfer their motions from one to another : for hereupon depends all the variety of forms and qualities , all the various productions in the world , wherein the order of nature consists . now this motion , and this power of transferring and communicating it , was at first contingent , and so might not have been impressed upon matter , is contingent still , and so may be now destroyed , and then what b●●omes of the order of nature . there are therefore things possible which it is above the power of nature to effect , as the creation of matter , &c. other things which are contrary to nature and it's established order , as the annihilation of the matter of the whole world , the suspension of that motion in the parts of matter , whereupon the whole order of nature depends , the production of any form or qualities in matter , howsoever in the order of nature unqualified to receive them , &c. in a word , the matter of the whole world , and every form , quality , and motion of bodies therein are things contingent , and so capable either not to be , or to be othewise . and consequently the whole frame and order of nature may be altered , suspended , or reduced into nothing . a miracle therefore , which is some of these effects , does not imply a contradiction in the nature of the thing . . a miracle is not repugnant to the nature of god , and his infinite perfections . not to his power , because it is the effect of it , and not of a principle opposing it self to him . not to his justice , because all nature is his own : nor his goodness , because never made use of but to the best purposes . but rather highly serviceable to both , as it pleases him to make use of it either to execute judgment upon notorious sinners in an exemplary manner , or to defend and protect the innocent and pious man by the most signal instances of providence and mercy . not to his wisdom , because the frame and order of nature is admirably fitted to the ends of it : but miracles are ordained for higher purposes and special and emergent occasions . for instance , if god be pleased to reveal himself to man in an extraordinary manner , to enter into a new covenant with us , and to propound to us new terms of favour and reconciliation ; to authorize some holy and inspired persons to be his messengers and embassadors from heaven , and to attest their commission by his letters of credence ; nay to cloath himself with humane nature , and yet to dart forth the rays of his divinity through the vail of flesh . upon these grand and important occasions , what sure and infallible evidence can we have that god himself speaks to us either by his prophets or his son , but by a miracle ? but by nature's sitting down and being suspended a while , to shew that one greater than nature is there , that god himself is then present by his immediate extraordinary power as well as revelation ? it is not therefore ( as spinoza below profanely suggests ) that god has created nature so impotent , and given her laws and rules so barren , as that he is compelled sometimes to help her by new ordinances and supplies of vertue , in order to her support and conservation , and that things may succeed according to his intentention and design : it is not , i say , upon this account that god has obliged himself to work a miracle upon special occasions ; but because nature was only fitted to the ends of nature , and supernatural and extraordinary means provided for ends extraordinary and supernatural . nor lastly , is the working of a miracle in any wise repugnant to the immutability of the divine nature or counsel , as if he acted therein de novo , ex tempore , and upon the sudden : because he has by one eternal immutable act of his will , settled the order of all events natural or above nature . but this will appear more clearly in the answer i shall give to his arguments , to which i now come . his proposition to be proved is , that nothing happens contrary to nature , but nature keeps an eternal , fixt , and immutable order . his arguments for the proof of this proposition are two . . because the laws of nature are the decrees of god , and therefore involve eternal necessity and truth . . because the power of nature is the power of god , and therefore as infinite as god himself . . because the laws of nature are the decrees of god , &c. in the prosecution of this argument ; it will appear : . that he takes the word nature in another sense than this question properly admits . . that his argument as it proceeds upon his own principles , terminates directly in flat atheisme or idolatry . . that , setting aside his own principles , his argument may in some sense be true , and yet not infer the truth of his conclusion . . he takes the word nature in another sense than this question properly admits . by nature ( as i shewed above ) is meant here , the whole aggregate and compages of bodies in the world , and the order wherein they act amongst one another . in this sense therefore spinoza must be presumed to prove , that nothing happens contrary to nature , which whether he does or no will immediately appear . in the conclusion of this first argument , to these words , nihil igitur in naturâ contingit , quod ipsius legibus universalibus repugnat , &c. he subjoyns this marginal note , n. b. me hîc per naturam non intelligere solam materiam ejusque affectiones , sed praeter materiam alia infinita . the translator , i confess , has it not ( whether omitted as impertinent only , or as that which would too openly discover the weakness of his reasoning , i do not determine ) but i shall take leave to consider what he has as spinoza's and not his own . now if spinoza take the word nature in so great a latitude as to understand by it an infinite number of other things besides matter , he may find it pretty easie to reduce all things within its compass : and if he make the laws of nature in his sense of so great extent , it may be hard for any thing not to fall within their circuit and jurisdiction : but then the philosopher's way of arguing will be as much beside the question , as a miracle is beside nature . the schoolmen where they treat of laws , make the first division of them into the eternal law , and those that are derived from it . the eternal two-fold . . the order whereby god eternally decreed to do all things . . the order which he decreed to prescribe to his creatures , to be observed by them according to their several natures and conditions . the latter is branched out in these particulars , the law of natural agents , of angels ▪ and men ; and this , either the law of natural reason , divine revelation , or humane institution . this second eternal law , and the branches of it , are such as that the several agents to whom they were given , may swerve from and not act in a constant and uniform obedience to them . so the angels first violated their law ; then mankind theirs , as they daily do all laws natural and positive , divine and humane . the natural agents indeed , as not endued with freedom of will , observe one constant order and tenor if left to themselves : yet may either cease to act , or act otherwise , if god in his eternal purpose think fit to interpose , who can then either suspend their operations , or determine them to act beyond their sphere , beside their usual course , and contrary to their natural tendencies and the laws of their motion . but the first eternal laws is of universal extent , and holds inviolably . nothing can fall out beside , above , or contrary to it . it directs to its own grand purposes whatever strayes from the particular laws of its creation , draws good out of evil , and makes all events conspire to the setting forth of the glory of god. it ordains the sins of lapsed angels and men , to the irrevokable damnation of the first , and the redemption of the latter , by the most surprizing and mysterious methods of love and mercy . it provides for a suppliment to the lost or decayed light of nature , the revelations of law and gospel by moses and the prophets , our blessed saviour and his apostles ; and to attest their divine authority and mission , ordains nature to act above or contrary to her self by an obediential power . the same eternal act of the divine counsel decreeing the production of miraculous effects upon emergent occasions , which first determined into act the whole frame and order of nature . we see here an vniversal law from whence all things follow , and contrary to which nothing does or can fall out . an order eternal , fixt and immutable , set down with himself by that supream being , who worketh all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that by this he hath appointed times for miraculous and supernatural effects , as well as this lasting period for the constant and settled operations of nature . if this be spinoza's law of nature , where he extends the signification of that word infinitely beyond the compass of the material world , and the order whereby natural bodies act therein ; his proposition may be true , that nothing falls out contrary to nature , but nature keeps an eternal , fixt , and immutable order . but then , . he takes the word nature in a different sense from all the world besides ; . wholely leaves the question about the possibility of miracles , that being consistent with the truth of his proposition if taken in that sense . and i wish his sense were so orthodox as this i have hinted , and that all his fault were only that he has mistaken the state of the question , and the meaning of the terms of it . but it will appear far otherwise when we come to examine upon what principles his argument proceeds . his argument is this , the laws of nature are the decrees of god , and therefore involve eternal necessity and truth . ergo , nothing can fall out contrary to nature , but nature keeps an eternal , fixt , and immutable order . the ground of the argument lies in this , that whatever god wills or decrees , involves eternal necessity and truth . for the proof whereof spinoza referrs us to his fourth chapter . the argument which he brings for it there , is drawn from the identity 〈◊〉 the divine will and vnderstanding , and it proceeds thus , all the difference between the understanding and will of god is , he says , onely in our conception , and that in this manner , we conceive god to understand any thing , as , for instance , the nature of a triangle , when we regard only this , that the nature ( v. c. ) of a triangle is contained eternally in the divine nature as an eternal truth . we conceive god to will the same thing , when we regard this farther , that the nature ( v. c. ) of a triangle is so contained in the divine , not upon account of the necessity of the nature of a triangle it self , but upon account of the necessity of the divine nature : and that all the necessity of the nature of a triangle and its properties , as they are conceived as eternal truths , depends not upon the necessity of its own nature , but the divine . so that for god to will or decree any thing , is for the same to be contained necessarily in the divine nature , by reason of the necessity of it , as an eternal truth : and therefore , whatever god wills or decrees involves eternal truth and necessity . this is his principle , which he borrows from his fourth chapter , and we see it is grounded upon a particular notion which he had formed in his brain of the divine will and understanding . this conceit he does not farther explain or make out in his tractatus theologico-politicus ; and therefore , to run up his argument to the head , i shall consult his opera posthuma for a scheme of his principles from whence to deduce it . there , in the first part of his ethicks , which treats de deo , he has this doctrine , that there is but one substance in the world , and that is god. that god is a substance absolutely infinite , i. e. a substance endued with an infinite number of attributes , each infinite , each displaying his infinite essence : two whereof are known to us , cogitation and extension . that from the necessity of the infinite essence and attributes of god do proceed ( as properties from an emanative cause ) infinite modes wherein the divine nature and attributes do subsist and act . that nature and all created beings are only these various modes wherein the divine essence and attributes do necessarily display themselves : in particular that all bodies and finite spirits are only various modes of those two infinite attributes in god , extension and cogitation . and from these principles we may indeed deduce not only his conception of what it is in god to understand and to will : but many other consequences admirably agreeable to religion and right reason . as , . that god is an extended substance , and extension infinite . . that god is the emanative cause of all finite beings , and they therefore really and identically contained in the divine nature , and the same with him . . that god subsists in all bodies and finite spirits , as a substance under its necessary modes flowing from its essence : and therefore both he himself material and bodily , as being extended , and every body in nature a part of him . so that now we clearly see the ground whereupon spinoza asserts , that nothing can happen contrary to nature : viz. because god and nature are one and the same , god nature subsistent , and nature god modified . and why he says , that for god to will or decree any thing , is for the thing to be contained in his nature as an eternal truth flowing from the necessity of it , viz. because his will is only that of an emanative cause , and every thing which we conceive produced by the divine will , is so only in regard that it flows necessarily from his essence , as light in the sun , and heat in the fire from their very nature . and so likewise his understanding of the same thing , is only that he sees its necessary existence proceeding from the necessity of his own nature . here we have a full discovery of his sense and scope in this argument ; and it plainly terminates in one of these two , atheism or idolatry . for to make god and nature the same thing , is either to advance a creature into the place of god , or ( what tully says of epicurus ) oratione relinquere deum , re tollere . i shall not therefore prosecute his argument , so far , as to confute him through the whole set of his principles : nor take my self to be obliged , in order to prove the possibility of a work above nature , to go so far about as to prove first the being of a god above it . but his argument may deserve a little consideration , setting aside his principles , and that only in order to state how far the laws of nature may be granted to be the decrees and volitions of god , and whether and how far thereupon they involve eternal necessity and truth . his argument therefore is in form this , whatever god wills or decrees , involves eternal necessity and truth . the laws of nature are the decrees and volitions of god. e. they involve eternal necessity and truth . e. nothing can fall out contrary to them . the laws of nature may be considered as in nature it self , or as in the author of it . in nature it self they signifie the determinations of bodies to act in such or such a manner . in the author of it they signifie those decrees whereby the order of nature is established , and particular bodies determined to act in such a particular manner . in this sense , i grant that the laws of nature are the decrees and volitions of god. and how they are so , and how far thereupon they may be conceived to involve eternal necessity and truth , may appear from these considerations : . that there is one grand universal law , decree , and purpose of the divine will , whereby he eternally set down with himself the order wherein to work all things . this conception is most agreeable to the simplicity and immutability of the divine nature . to his simplicity , that as his nature , so the act of his will , should be perfectly one , and not multiplied in infinitum in proportion to the variety of effects ordained and regulated by it . to his immutability , that we should not suppose him to be daily enacting new laws and decrees , but that he works all things by a decree co-eternal to himself . and this conception is cleared by our parallel apprehensions about the divine understanding . the objects thereof are temporary , yet the act of his knowledg whereby he sees them eternal : they are manifold and various , yet that simple and uniform . therefore as by one act of his understanding he sees ab aeterno all things future in their several times , so by one act of his will he ordains them all . . that in this universal law are included , secundum nostrum concipiendi modum , many particular laws and decrees establishing the order of particular events , necessary and contingent , natural and above nature , in their particular times and places . . that these particular laws and decrees have each ( in subordination to the universal ) a limited and determinate compass of times , places , and events , wherein they take effect . . that yet each of them does certainly take effect within that determinate compass to which it is limited . and therefore . that a proposition declaring that such a law and decree will certainly take effect , is true ; and the truth of it necessary and ab aeterno by vertue of that law and decree . . that yet as the law it self and the decree is , so is the necessary and eternal truth of that proposition : viz. it is necessary and true ab aeterno ▪ that this law and decree shall take effect within that determinate compass of times , places , and events , whereto it is limited , and no further . now the laws and decrees by which the order of nature is established , are such particular laws and decrees ; and such is their eternal truth and necessity . for instance , the motion of the sun is an ordinance in nature , proceeding from gods will and decree : yet so limited ( in subordination to his universal law and purpose ) to a determinate compass , as not to take effect at some points of time within that period for which nature is established : i mean at that time , when the sun stood still at joshua's word , and when it went back so many degrees for a sign to king hezekiah . so that the same universal purpose and decrees of god might settle the order of the suns motion , and thereupon it be necessary and true ab aeterno that the sun shall move in this order ; and yet withal ordain , that at such times notwithstanding the sun should stand still or go back , and thereupon it be as necessary and true ab aeterno , that at those points of time the sun should go back or stand still . the laws therefore of natural agents may in this sense be the decrees of god , and involve eternal necessity and truth ; and yet it may be possible for some certain effects to fall out contrary to them , viz. without that compass within which they are limited to take effect , and no farther . but if spinoza will have it , that whatever god wills to come to pass in such a time , must therefore be always ; or , that whatever order god settles for such a determinate compass , must , because he wills and settles it , hold eternally : i deny that in this sense every law and decree of god involves eternal necessity and truth . it is eternally necessary and true , that whatever god decrees to be , shall be : if he decree any thing to be and endure to perpetuity , it is eternally true and necessary that it shall be perpetually ; if he decree it to such a compass , it is ab aeterno necessary and true that it shall hold so long , and his decree or the truth and necessity of the effect , consequent thereupon , is not violated if it hold no longer . so much therefore may be said in answer to his first argument to prove that nothing can happen contrary to nature , &c. the sum is , that he mistakes the meaning of the terms of the question . that he makes nature the same with god , and so ( besides his taking the word in a sense of his own ) he in effect rejects the existence of a deity in order to overthrow the belief of miracles . lastly , that in the sense wherein i have considered his argument , it may be true , and yet his conclusion not follow from it . his second argument is , because the power of nature is the power of god , and therefore as infinite as himself . e. nothing can fall out without its compass , or contrary to it . his ground whereupon he proceeds in this argument is to be sure the very same conception of the divine nature , viz. that nature is nothing but an infinite variety of modifications of the divine essence , and the power of it consequently nothing but the infinite fecundity of the divine essence determining it necessarily to exert it self in all the infinite variety of the modes of its being . i shall therefore onely give this argument so much consideration as it may require , setting aside his principles . the power of nature is the force that natural causes have to act each in their several manners , and the vertue and efficacy of the whole arising from the joynt concurrence of the several parts in their distinct operations : this , to speak properly , is all resolved into a vismotrix impressed upon matter , enabled to act by gods power , and determined to do it by his will. this therefore certainly must be different from the power of its author , in as much as the powers must be different if the subjects differ to which they belong . but granting that the power of nature is virtually and origionally ( though not formally ) the divine power exerting it self in nature as its instrument : yet it no more follows thereupon , that the power of nature must be infinite , then it follows that because the motion of the sun is the motion of nature , therefore it is of as great extent as the motion of the whole frame of nature besides . or because the power that moves the hand is the power of the soul , that therefore the whole sphere of the souls power in the body is no larger than the hand . the argument is from a particular to an universal . gods power , though simple and indivisible , is yet unlimited . it may act far beyond that compass wherein it does , and therefore infinitly beyond the limits of nature . it exerts it self both in a natural and supernatural way ; and both kinds of effects proceed from one and the same indivisible omnipotence : which is no more multiplied by the variety of effects that flow from it , than the power of the soul as it moves the hands , and the feet , the eye , and the tongue . these are all the arguments he brings for the proof of his first proposition . the rest is the conclusion he draws from the whole , viz. what a miracle is : that ( it being proved that all supernatural effects are impossible ) a miracle can be only an effect inexplicable by our own observation , or the principle of nature known to us . having therefore proved that supernatural effects are not impossible , and answered his arguments for the contrary , i may take leave to draw a conclusion contradictory to his , that a miracle is not only what he says , but an effect beside , above , or contrary to the order of nature . the second thing he undertakes is , to prove that by miracles we cannot know the essence , existence , or providence of god : but that all these may be better known by the fixt and immutable order of nature . his design in this seems to be to destroy the authority and credit of miracles , by shewing that they are not proofs sufficient of what they are designed for . but in the framing of this proposition , he mistakes the end , for which they are design'd . for . the design of miracles is not to make a discovevery ( at least immediately and by themselves ) of the essence of god. they are proper and meet evidences of the truth of any revelation , and if in that revelation it please god to make any supernatural display of his own nature , then miracles may be said mediately to discover to us the essence of god ; otherways they demonstrate no other attribute of god but his power , viz. as it is able to suspend the operations of nature , or to act above it . . neither do they tend in any peculiar manner to prove the existence of a deity , but rather suppose it : viz. that there is a supream being who is the author of nature , who gave it such a power and set it such laws whereby to act ; which power and which laws , a miracle being either above or contrary to , proves thereupon ( not that god is , but ) that it is he who then acts by his own immediate hand , and not nature . but , for any proof it gives us of the being of a god , it is onely in the same way that every natural effect demonstrates it , by leading us to a first cause . . miracles are indeed sufficient evidences of the divine providence ; that god does take upon him and actually exercise the government of the world ; that he does not leave nature to her self , but sometimes interposes and sets her aside : that he does not sit an unconcerned spectator of the actions of men , but sometimes in a most signal manner rewards or punishes them here in this life . yet the demonstration of gods providence is not the proper and primary end of supernatural effects , but . a miracle is properly intended to prove , . immediately , the immediate power and presence of god acting himself in an extraordinary manner in the working of it . . ( by vertue of this evident demonstration of gods immediate extraordinary presence ) the divine authority and mission of that person whom god has been pleased to make his instrument in the effecting of it ; at whose word or request the order of nature is suspended , which we cannot suppose god would permit either for no end at all , or for one so repugnant to his sanctity and goodness , as to assist an imposture . thus much therefore we may know by miracles , not what god is in his nature , nor his existence any better than we may know it by any effect of nature : but his providence , his extraordinary presence and power , and the authority of that person whose divine mission it attests . we are next to enquire whether his arguments are more sufficient to disprove the authority of miracles in this regard . his arguments for the truth of his second proposition are from reason and scripture . from reason he attempts to prove it three wayes . . because the belief of the possibility of a miracle does vertually introduce meer scepticisme , and consequently is so far from proving the essence , existence , or providence of god , that it takes away the certainty both of the existence of a deity and every thing else . . because a miracle is a work that transcends our capacity to understand it , and therefore what we understand not , it self cannot lead us to the understanding of any thing else . . because a miracle is a thing finite , and therefore cannot be a fit medium to prove the being of an agent of infinite power . . the belief of the possibility of a miracle virtually introduces meer scepticisme , and so takes away the certainty both of the being of god and every thing else . this argument strikes as much at the belief of miracles themselves as of any thing else upon their credit and authority : for there can be no reason to believe any thing , which to believe obliges me to doubt of every thing else as impossible to be certainly known . the ground whereupon he asserts that the belief of miracles , leads us to scepticisme , is , because it takes away the certain truth of those notions from whence we conclude the being of a god or any thing else that we know ; and that this it does in as much as it supposes a power in god able to alter the truth of these notions , for this too he must be able to do , if able to change the course of nature . by these notions may be understood two things ; . the principles of truth where upon we build all our knowledge . . our own idea's and apprehensions of things . the former are either the common principles of natural light , viz. axioms evident upon the first apprehension of the terms , as that a thing cannot be and not be at the same time , the whole is greater than any part , &c. or . the definitions of things , and propositions ascribing to them their nature and properties : as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rationale , triangulum habet tres angulos aequales duobus rectis , &c. or . propositions containing the mutual respects of things , as that cruelty and injustice are repugnant to the nature of god , theft and murder to the nature of a sociable creature , &c. now these principles of truth are all necessary , and immutable , and the truth of them does not depend upon the being or order of nature : a possibility therefore of change in the order of nature does not imply that by the same power the truth of these notions may be altered . they are , first , necessary and immutable , because it implies a contradiction for them to be false , v. c. for the whole to be no greater than any part , man not to be a rational creature , god to be cruel or unjust , &c. . they are true independently upon the being or order of nature . if god should destroy the whole frame of nature , yet it were true notwithstanding , that the whole body were bigger than any part . if he should reduce mankind into nothing , it were still true notwithstanding , that the nature of man consists in the vnion of a rational soul , and a body endued with life and sense . god may turn one thing into another , and make the same matter appear under a form above or contrary to what it should have by the course of nature , but he cannot make it be and not be , be of this nature and of another , at the same time . he can suspend the actions of his creatures , but yet cannot make them act and not act both together . in short , however god by his power may alter or suspend the order of generations in nature , yet this principle will hold true , that in an order of successive generations of men there must be some first man , and this first man must have a cause that is not man , and this cause must either be it self , or lead us at last to , an infinite supream being . so that the existence of a god may be deduced from certain and necessary principles , though the order of nature be capable of being changed by his almighty power . the altering therefore of the course of nature , makes no alteration in the principles of knowledg . but does it not infer a power in god to change our notions and apprehensions of them and of every thing else ? a physical power indeed it does , as it proves him omnipotent : but this will not drive us to scepticisme , while we are certain that it is as much repugnant to his veracity and goodness as compatible to his power barely considered . for it is impossible that a being infinitely good and holy should impose upon his creatures , and implant such notions in their minds as would necessarily induce them to believe a lye , or so alter their apprehensions of things , as to make it impossible for them to make a true judgment by the use of their own reason . the belief of miracles therefore does not lead us unto scepticisme , and so does not take away the certainty of the being of a god , but yet perhaps it may not be a fit medium to prove either his existence , or his proovidence , or to declare bis nature to us . and this upon two accounts . . because a miracle is a work that transcends our capacity to understand it , and therefore what we understand not it self , cannot lead us to the understanding of any thing else . . because a miracle is a thing finite , and therefore cannot be a fit medium to prove the being of an agent of infinite power . to the first , a miracle is a work that transcends our capacity to understand it ; i. e. it is beyond the compass of our knowledge to deduce it from natural causes , and good reason , because it is beyond their power and efficacy to effect it . but yet so far it is within our capacity , that it is possible for us to know whether it be an effect supernatural or not , and when it is known to be such it is sufficient to demonstrate the immediate operation of god's power and providence . to the second , nothing is more false or groundless than that assertion . it is so far from being true , that a finite effect cannot be a proof of an infinite cause , that every finite effect is so ; either immediately , as when the effect though finite exceeds the force and efficacy of any finite being in the order and sphere wherein it acts , or mediately when the effect is produced by a train of finite causes , which yet must have had their own being and their first motion or power to act from an infinite agent . the argument for an infinite from the existence of finite beings , proceeds thus , every finite being is contingent , and so might not have been ; therefore the reason of its being must not be in it self , but in something else , viz. the cause that produced it . again , every finite being has limits of perfection ; these cannot be set by it self , but by something else which gave it such a degree of perfection and no greater ; and this must be the cause that produced it . if this cause be finite too , it must proceed from another , and the question will recur till we stop , at last in a cause self-existent and infinite . so much therefore may be said in answer to his arguments from reason for the former part of his second proposition , viz. that by miracles we cannot know the essence , existence or providence of god. to what he says for the other part , viz. that all these may be better known by the fixt and immutable order of nature , the answer may be shorter . his reason is , because the laws of nature are infinite , eternal , and immutable , and therefore in some measure indicate to us the infinity , eternity , and immutability of god : or rather ( to make him speak more plainly out of his opera posthuma ) because god and nature are all one , and the more i know of nature the more i understand of the modifications of the divine essence . but if he tells us that the belief of miracles leads us to scepticisme , we may reply that this discovery of the divine essence which he pretends to make from nature , will rather carry us either to atheisme or idolatry . i proceed to his arguments from scripture , which are two . . he argues from deut . v. , , . because a miracle ( as is plain from that place ) may be wrought by a person that designs to introduce the worship of a false god. . he argues from the corrupt notions the israelites had of god and his providence , notwithstanding so many miracles wrought among them . the words in deut. . v. , , . are these . if there arise among you a prophet , or a dreamer of dreams , and giveth thee a sign or a wonder , and the sign or wonder come to pass , whereof he spake unto thee , saying , let us go after other gods ( which thou hast not known ) and let us serve them ; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet , or dreamer of dreams ; for the lord your god proveth you , to know whether you love the lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul. and that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death , &c. from hence he argues , a miracle may be wrought by one that designs to introduce the worship of a false god. ergo , by miracles we may be as easily induced to embrace the worship of a false god , as of the true . e. god cannot be made known to us by miracles . this is a difficulty commonly propounded for these words in deut. viz. how miracles can be an undoubted evidence of the authority of a prophet and the truth of his doctrine , & yet it be possible for a miracle to be wrought by a false prophet in the highest degree : viz. a preacher of idolatry . and the best way to give a clear and satisfactory answer to it , will be to consider the utmost force of it as it is urged from this place . the israelites to whom these words were spoken , had already a law given them , and the authority of it attested by unquestionable miracles ; the same law repeated again in this book of deut. with a repetition likewise of the history of those mighty works which had been wrought for it's confirmation . their religion therefore being thus settled , to fortifie them against all temptations that might draw them to the worship of the gods of the nations round about them , they are fore-warned in this place not to give ear to any person that should entice them to idolatry , though he should work a miracle to confirm the authority of his false doctrine ; for that god might possibly permit such a person to work a miracle meerly to try the stedfastness of their faith and adherence to his worship . this is the case wherein those words ( deut. . ) must be understood to be spoken ; and this is all that can be rationally drawn from them , that god may permit a miracle to be wrought by a false prophet after he has established the true religion , and fore-warned his people not to believe a miracle against it . we are to enquire therefore whether if this be possible , miracles can be sufficient evidences of a true prophet . the argument is in form this , if god after he has established the true religion , and fore-warned his people not to believe a miracle against it , may permit a false prophet to work a miracle to try the stedfastness of their faith ; then miracles are not sufficient evidences of a true prophet . but god may in this case permit a miracle to be wrought by a false prophet . ergo. if the consequence is , that miracles are not always sufficient evidences , or not in this particular case , i readily grant it : if , that they never are in any case ( which must be the conclusion if to the purpose . ) i deny it : and the reason of my denial of it is this , because notwithstanding an impostor may work a miracle in this case , and so the miracle he works be no evidence of a true prophet : yet in any other case ( notwithstanding the force of these words ) it may be ( and i may positively say is ) impossible for a true miracle to be wrought by an impostor ; and therefore all other miracles which are not reducible to this case may be certain and infallible evidences of a true prophet . for instance , two sorts of miracles are excepted from this case . . those miracles ( suppose ) that were wrought among the israelites , after this warning given them not to believe any person that would seduce them to idolatry , though he should work a miracle , by persons that did not attempt to seduce them from the worship of the true god. . those miracles which were wrought at any time by any persons whose doctrine the people before whom they were wrought had not been fore-warned by god not to believe . and that neither of these could be wrought by an impostor , but both were sufficient evidences of a true prophet , i shall demonstrate evidently from these principles . . in every miracle or supernatural effect , god must be present ( not consenting and assisting only , but ) working it himself by his extraordinary power . . this god cannot do ( viz. alter the course of nature ) for no end , or for any that is mean and trivial . . nor can his end be to deceive or impose upon those persons before whom it is wrought . . if his end cannot be to deceive us , and yet he cannot work a miracle , but for some great end : it follows , that every miracle wrought by any person pretending thereupon a commission to reveal any doctrine , must either be ordained by god to ratifie and confirm his commission , and this miracle cannot be wrought by a false prophet : or if it be not ordained by god to confirm his commission , but may be done by him though he be a false prophet , it must be onely in such a case where sufficient warning has been given to those before whom the miracle is wrought , that they are not to believe the authority or doctrine of that prophet though he work a miracle . . therefore in this one case ( where sufficient warning is given us not to believe such a person though he work a miracle ) god may work a miracle by a false prophet , and therefore it is no sufficient evidence of a true : in any other case it is impossible he should work it by a false prophet , and therefore it is not sufficient evidence of a true . all this necessarily follows from the wisdome , veracity , and holiness of god. his wisdome cannot permit him to work a miracle by any man for nothing or upon any trivial account : and his veraciy and holiness cannot permit him to bear witness to a liar and seducer ( working a miracle and pretending thereupon to a commission from heaven to preach his doctrine ) which he does in working a miracle by him , unless in such a case where he gives us warning not to believe him upon the authority of his miracle : and in that case he does not bear witness to a liar , because he fore-warns us that his miracle is not done to attest the authority of that person by whom he does it : and so though it were the setting of his seal to his commission ( to use that expression ) yet we are sufficiently secured from being imposed upon thereby , because fore-warned that in this case his seal is to be no evidence to us , though otherwise it be the cleerest and most convincing evidence imaginable . a miracle therefore , where warning before-hand is given against it , may be wrought by a seducer and impostor , but where we are not fore-warned against it , it must be wrought by a true : ergo , though in that case a miracle is no evidence of a true prophet , yet in every other case it certainly is , and consequently , though an impostor may work a miracle , yet a miracle is in most cases an undoubted evidence of a true prophet . now the warning or notice given us in this case , may be either expressed , or implied . expressed as in the place fore-mentioned , under the law ; or where we are forbidden to hearken to false prophets and false christs , which shall do great signs and wonders ; or to an angel from heaven that should preach another doctrine , then that we have received under the gospel . implied , as where the doctrine and institution of the gospel is declared to be the last will of almighty god , and a law to endure without alteration or repeal to the end of the world ; for if god declare it to be such , this implies that no doctrine contrary to it , no other doctrine , is to be embraced , though the person preaching it should work a miracle to confirm his authority . all other miracles therefore are evidences of a true prophet , except where such warning is given . and those i reduced to two sorts : . those that were wrought among the israelites after the warning given them deut. . by any person that did not attempt to seduce them from the worship of the true god ; for against such a person working a miracle they had no warning , and therefore his miracle was enough to command their belief . . those wrought at any time by any persons against whose doctrine there had been no warning eign to the persons before whom the miracles were wrought . and under these two kinds are placed all the miracles whose authority spinoza would destroy by this argument . to begin with moses's , they were wrought before the isralites had any warning to reject the authority of any miracles whatsoever : and if after , they were wrought not to sedvce them to idolatry but with the contrary design , viz. to settle the worship of the true god among them . so also elijah's , to reclaim that people from idolatry . and the miracles of our blessed saviour and his apostles , will not i suppose be said by any one to be wrought to seduce the jews from the worship of the true god. so that if all these miracles must be excepted from the case wherein a miracle may be wrought by a false prophet , his argument from the possibility of it ( out of deut. . ) against the authority of all miracles , falls to the ground . his other argument from scripture is from the corrupt notions the israelites had of god and providence , notwithstanding all the miracles wrought among them . he instances in their worshipping the calf in moses's absence : in the doubts the author of the psalm says he had about a providence ; and solomon's opinion that all things were governed by chance , which he confesses he once held . to this i answer , . i have already intimated that miracles in themselves do not discover to us what god is in his nature , any farther than as it is done in the revelaion which they confirm . . therefore i hope he will not say that the revelation which the israelites had concerning god , was such as was not sufficient if they would have attended to it , to have taught them that god was not to be worshipped under the resemblance of a creature , much less his glory to be turned into the similitude of a calf . . the mighty works that god did for the children of israel , were such as might easily have convinced them , that such a base creature was not the god that brought them forth out of the land of egypt . . therefore he ought rather to impute it to the great stupidity and blindness of that people , there being newly converted from the worship of the egyptian apis , and their forgeting of god their saviour who had done so great things for them , than to any insufficiency either in the miracles to demonstrate god's power and providence to them , or in the law he had newly given them to instruct them how he was to be worshipped . i pass by what he says of solomon and the author of the psalm : their doubts were about such things wherein miracles were not proper means to inform them : viz. why the wicked prosper in this life ? what he has besides under this head , is , . a profane abuse of the scripture , instead of an answer to those plain expressions therein , where god is said to have wrought his miracles , that he might make his power to be known , and that the israelites might know that he was god. this , he says , is not as if the scripture meant , that miracles are in themselves convincing arguments , but onely that the holy spirit makes use of them as arguments ad hominem , that is ( for want of better evidences ) he is fain to take all the advantage he can of their pre-conceived opinions , however irrational and absurd , and makes these his topicks , as most effectual to perswade or convince them , and in this sense he interprets what st. paul says , that to the jews he became as a jew , to the greeks as a oreek , that is , argued with both not from any true and rational principles , but by making the best use he could of their prejudices and prepossessions to gain them to his side . . that it is not consistent with true philosophy , that god in the order and course of his providence should be conceived to take greater care of one person or nation than another ; viz. he is not only bound to provide for all whatsoever means are necessary for their happiness , but also obliged not to give any one man over and above any degree of grace which he does not equally impart to all the world. to answer these two positions fully , we should be obliged to examine spinoza's second and third chapter of his tractatus theologico-polit . whereto he refers us for the demonstration of both . i pass on therefore to the third thing he proposes to make out : viz. that the scripture by the decrees and commands , and consequently the providence of god understands nothing else but the fixt and immutable order of nature . this he attempts to prove two ways , . by instance . . because the scriptute relates several circumstances in the production of those effects that are commonly held to be supernatural . his instances are some that i mentioned above in my answer to the premonition , viz. god telling samuel , he would send him a man out of the land of benjamin , which was onely sauls coming to him to enquire about the asses . god being said to turn the hearts of the egyptians , so that they hated the israelites , who yet it appears , were moved to hate them upon politique accounts . gods saying , he would set his bow in the sky , and yet the rainbow , and undoubted effect of nature . so also the melting of the snow called gods word , and the wind and fire his ministers . i grant that the scripture in these instances , by gods decrees or commands means no more than the laws of nature : but his argument ought to conclude universally , for which a few instances in such particulars wherein it holds , are not sufficient . it is enough for me to name some things which the scripture relates as the decrees and purposes of god , which yet could never take effect by the mere course of nature . as for instance , that a virgin should conceive and bear a child , that three men should be cast into nebuchadnezzar's furnace , and the same fire kill those persons that came so near to the mouth of the furnace as to throw them in , and yet not so much as singe a hair of their heads , though thrown into the midst of it . that the sun should stand still at the word of a man ; fire come down from heaven at the command of another ; the sea be stilled , the dead raised , the devils cast out , at the word , touch , and shadow of others . all these effects the scripture sets down as wrought by the decree and order of almighty god , but not , i presume , by the course of nature . in a word , the answer has been given before : that the scripture a : scribes all effects to god , natural or above nature and as , from it's ascribing the effects of nature to god , without mentioning how he produces them , we cannot justly conclude that it records them for miraculous ; so on the other hand , from its speaking of supernatural effects in the same manner , we have as little reason to infer , that it means nothing by them but the order of nature . his second reason is , because the scripture relates several circumstances in the production of miracles ; which circumstances , he says do shew that these miracles required natural causes . so the sprinkling of ashes required to produce the plague of scabs , an east wind to bring the locusts , and a west wind to drive them away ; an east wind likewise to drive back the red sea. elijah's laying his body upon the body of the shunamites child , in order to raise it to life again . if he argue to the purpose , he must grant that these circumstances , which he makes requisite in the order of nature to produce these effects , were also proper and suffi●ient in the order of nature to produce them either wholely or in part . and indeed the wind may seem a very proper instrument to bring and carry away the locusts , and to drive back the sea : but the raising of the wind , and determination of it is ascribed to another circumstance not very proper to be the efficient cause of it , viz. the stretching out of moses's hand and his rod. and this commonly was the first circumstance in every miracle which moses wrought , and therefore though it were not sufficient to produce those effects immediately and by it self , yet it must be supposed proper to set all the other subordinate causes on motion . for their requiring natural causes , because related with some circumstances concurring to their production , must imply that these circumstances were the natural causes requisite . and if so , then moses's rod had many great , many occult , yet natural qualities , very-hard indeed to explain or conceive , and very admirable though not miraculous ▪ as of raising and laying winds and storms of thunder and hail , turning the water into blood , bringing frogs out of the river , producing lace out of the dust , water out of the rock , &c. to be short , the circumstances commonly mentioned as concurrent to the production of miracles , are so far from proving that they had natural causes , that they prove the contrary . for if they had any natural causes , these circumstances must be all or part of them : but they are such as are in no wise qualified to produce the effects ascribed to them in the order of nature , therefore must be qualified for it by a supernatural power , which can produce quidlibet ex quolibet , and make any thing instrumental to what purposes and effects it pleases . for instance , the clay and the spittle were the immediate instruments applied by our saviour to the eyes of the blind , and tongue of the dumb-man , the mention whereof in the account of these miracles , if it prove that they required natural causes , then these were the causes requisite , these they had , and these immediately produced the effects . this they could not by the force of nature , therefore by miracle ; and so his argument destroys it self . but farther , what if many are produced without any circumstances at all , but purely at the word and will of the person that works them ? this he says we cannot be assured of from the scripture , because there may have been some though not mentioned there ( he refers to exod. . . compared with ex. . . ) but what if the scripture does not only not make mention of any , but in a manner declares there were none ? so in our saviours stilling the storm , the very reflection that his disciples make upon that miracle , proves that it was wrought by his bare word , and not by the application of any means , much less , natural . before he draws his conclusion from these arguments , he answers an objection from scripture , viz. that famins are said to be caused by the sins of men , and the like : and rain and plenty restored by their prayers , &c. his answer is , that the scripture does here speak ad hominem , and with the same propriety as when it says that god is angry , sorrowful , repents , or the like ; and that it is not true that any of these are the causes of the effects ascribed to them . here . methinks he is wary in his answer . he might have granted that famine is sent for the sins of men , and rain and fruitful seasons for a return to their prayers and repentance , and yet have denied that either of these is wrought by miracle . for nature is ordered and directed by the wisdom and providence of almighty god , as well as preserved and upheld by his power ; and therefore his wisdom may so direct it , as often even by the course of nature to execute his divine purposes whether of judgment or mercy . he sees our actions and hears our prayers from all eternity , and therefore may , as he has the whole order of nature before his eyes , direct and determine the certain and necessary events of it to their proper seasons , and make them instrumental to the accomplishing of his purposes , whether of shewing favour or executing wrath upon the sons of men. thus therefore he need not be so strict as to deny any possibility of god's punishing us for our sins in the order of nature , for fear lest it should betray him unawares to the concession of a miracle . natural causes indeed our sins or p●ayers are not of these effects , nor yet supernatural neither , but moral only and meritorious , as god upon view of either determines to punish or reward us . but suppose it were not so , . he gives but a very mean solution of the difficulty that the scripture speaks improperly here , and in condescension to the capacities and opinions of the vulgar , as it does when it says that god is angry , sorrowful or repents . we grant the scripture may be conceived to be obliged to speak in this manner , concerning the incomprehensible nature of god , and such of his perfections the modes whereof it is not necessary we should have explained to us , how they are and act in him : but yet it is not necessary that it should speak of every thing in the same manner , or that every thing that it says should be shuffled off by this or the like suggestion . nothing is more natural and easie to be conceived , than that god does punish or reward our good or bad actions , and that in this life , and that his justice and wisdom will oblige him to do it as he takes upon him the government of the world : though it be very hard for the vulgar to conceive how he does it without anger or displeasure and the contrary affections . therefore the scripture may be conceived to speak of the one in condescention to our capacities , though yet no reason why it should be presumed to speak of the other in like manner . i proceed to his fourth and last undertaking , viz. to treat of the manner of interpreting the scripture miracles , and what things are chiefly to be observed in the relations about them . or ( as the translator ) to shew that most men have erred in their way of interpreting the miracles recorded in the holy scripture . to set us right he directs us in the reading of the scripture-narrations about miracles , to enquire into two things , . the particular opinions and prejudices of the relator : . the idioms , phrases and tropes , of the hebrew tongue . the first , because generally all historians relate the events they speak of suitable to their own conjectures , opinions , and prejudices . the other , because otherwise we may , from the scripture-style , conceive some things to be related for miracles which really are not . for the first he instances in joshua . v. , . where the account of the extraordinary length of that day is given according to the common opinion of the sun 's and not the earth's motion . for the second , in some , allegorical places out of the prophets . zachariah . v. . isa . . v. . . v. ult . by these two insinuations he would elude the force of all the clear and plain narrations about miracles in scripture . to the first , and the instance he brings for it , i answer , the truth of the miracle which joshua relates is not at all prejudiced though it were true that the earth moves , and not the sun ; for the course of nature was stopped , whether in the motion of the sun or the earth , and therein consists the truth of the miracle : as to the relation of it , it was not necessary either that joshua should himself be so great a philosopher or so far instructed by an extraordinary revelation , as to put up his request to god that the earth should stand still and not the sun ; or that the account of it which he gives should be otherwise than according to the appearance of sense , and the apprehensions of the vulgar grounded thereupon . to the second , the truth of the scripture-miracles depends not upon any allegorical expressions in the prophets , but upon the naked relations of matters of fact in the historical writers ; so that though in the former we are to proceed with some caution , and not to take every thing for miraculous , which is spoken of in an high strain of expression : yet in the latter we find no such danger of being imposed upon by the tropes and figures of the hebrew tongue , all things being delivered in the historical part of scripture with the greatest plainness and simplicity . i have run through the main of spinoza's chapter , which consists in the proof of his four propositions at first laid down . what is behind , is , . an account of his different method in this chapter from that which he takes in his first and second chapters about prophecy and prophets : but this is proper to his tractatus theologico polit. . he attempts to prove from scripture the immutability of the order of nature , repeating also some of his former arguments for it ; . he closes all with a passage out of josephus , agreeable to his opinion his places of scripture which he alledges , are , psal . . v. . he hath established them for ever : he hath made a decree , which shall not pass ; eccl. . v. . that there is no new thing under the sun , and other places parallel to them . to the first , the order of nature may be said to be established for ever , and yet that term imply no uninterrupted or eternal duration of it : see exod. . . sam. . . deut. . . levit. . , &c. to the second , it is possible , notwithstanding that place , that there may something new happen even according to the order of nature , for solomon observes there no more than this , that ordinarily in nature there is a constant vicissitude , a coming and returning of the several species of things : for all which , it is possible within the period of six thousand years that nature may produce something new and not seen or heard of before : and if by nature something thus new may be produced , there is no reason from this place but the like may be done by miracle too . to josephus's authority it is enough to oppose the learned mr. gregory's remark of him in his opera posthuma , p. . that he makes it his business to lessen and detract from the greatness of the miracle which he relates out of the scripture , only to gain a more easie approbation of his history among the heathen : and this mr. gregory makes out by several instances , one whereof is the passage here quoted by spinoza . to spinoza's quotation out of josephus , the translator adds one or two more out of valesius , st. austin , mr. burnett , and dr. sprat . mr. burnett , i have shewed above , in the very next words almost to those which here he quotes out of him , asserts possitively that there are miracles . i need not tire my self to examine whether the rest are as directly against him , as i make no question they are . upon the whole then i have made it appear , that the whole treatise is only a collection out of other authors . that all of them , except spinoza , are against the opinion for which they are produced . and whether i have given a full answer to his arguments , i leave to the candid and impartial reader to determine . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e the treatise about miracles a translation out of several authors . the authors spinoza , mr. hobbs , and mr. burnett . part . cap. . lib. . c. . p. . mr. hobbs and mr. burnett against the opinion for which they are produced . how mr. hobbs's doctrine destroys the authority of miracles . lib. . c. . p. . the first part of the premonition taken out of mr. burnett . the summ of it . the design of mr. burnett in what he speaks there . gen. . v. . gen . v. ● , ● . gen. . v. . the conclusion which the translator draws from mr. burnett's principles . this conclusion ▪ quite contrary to mr. burnett's . it destroys the authority of the scripture , and the belief of miracles . it does not follow from mr. burnett's principles . how far each particular , in what he has from mr. burnett , is true . gen. . , . the principle from whence he draws his conclusion . psalme . v. , , . gen. . sam. . . the ground of the connexion of his conclusion , with the principle from whence he draws it . this ground proved to be false , . by instance . psal . . , . psal . . . . from the natural import of the words . psal . . v. , . v. . ● . from the reason of the thing . what it is for the scripture to relate any thing as a miracle . corollary . ●●●●llary ● . the rest of the premonition considered . the sum of what he has from mr. hobb's in the beginning of the treatise . treat . p. . reflection upon what mr hobb's says . the use whereto the traslator applies what he takes from mr. hobb's . tr. p. . where he takes spinoza in hand . tr. p. . , . tr. p. . four propositons laid down by spinoza . . proposition . what is here meant by nature and the laws of it . the ground of the possibility of miracles . a miracles implyes no contradiction in the nature of the thing . it implies no contradiction for matter to be 〈…〉 . nor for the form sec. of natural bodies to be supernaturally produced , or destroyed . ex●d 〈…〉 . john . kings . ● . . josh . . v. . kings . . kings . , . dan. . . exod. . , . . all motion in matter capable of being suspended or destroyed . the production of a miracle not repugnant to the nature of god. p. tr. p. . spinoza's arguments for the truth of his first proposition . arg. . in this argument he takes the word nature in another sense than the question admits . tractat. theolog. polit. c. ● . p. . his proposition true , if he take the word in this sense , but not to the question . eph. . v. . his argument 〈…〉 proceeds upon his own principles terminates in flat atheisme or idolatry . tractat theologico ▪ polit. c. . p. . ethic. p. . p●op . ● , ● , . de naturâ deorum l. . his argument , setting aside his principles , may be true , and yet not infer the truth of his conclusion . how the laws of nature are the decrees of god , and eternal truth . spinoza's second argument for his first proposition . tr. p. . tr p. proposition . tr. p. . in the framing of this proposition he mistakes the end for which miracles are designed . his arguments for his . propos . from reason , and scripture . his first argument for his propos . from reason . the belief of miracles does not introduce scepticisme . arg ▪ . tr. p. . arg. . tr. p. . arg. . from scripture . tr. p. . though a false prophet may work a miracle , yet miracles sufficient evidences of a true prophet . deut. . matt . . gal. . . heb. , . . , . argument . from scripture . tr. p. . psal . . . exod. . . psal . . . tr. p. . psal . . . ex. . . tr. p. . proposition . tr. p. . arg. . tr. p. . sam. . , . psal . . . ex. . gen. . . tr. p. . psal . . . and . . is . . . dan. . josh . . arg. . tr. p. . ex. , . . . . kings . . luk . v. . tr. po . proposition . tr. p. . tr. p. . tr. p. . john barclay his vindication of the intercession of saints, the veneration of relicks and miracles, against the sectaries of the times book ii. chap. vii. englished by a person of quality. with allowance. parænesis ad sectarios. book , chapter . english. barclay, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) john barclay his vindication of the intercession of saints, the veneration of relicks and miracles, against the sectaries of the times book ii. chap. vii. englished by a person of quality. with allowance. parænesis ad sectarios. book , chapter . english. barclay, john, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by mary thompson at the entrance into old-spring-garden near charing-cross: and sold by matthew turner at the holy-lamb in holbourn; and john lane at the corner of wild-street, london : . a translation of book , chapter of: barclay, john. parænesis ad sectarios. final leaf is blank. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng catholic church -- apologetic works -- early works to . catholic church -- doctrines -- early works to . saints -- cult -- early works to . relics -- early works to . miracles -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - simon charles sampled and proofread - simon charles text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion john barclay his vindication of the intercession of saints , the veneration of relicks and miracles , against the sectaries of the times , book ii. chap. vii . englished by a person of quality . with allowance . printed by mary thompson at the entrance into old-spring-garden near charing-cross : and sold by matthew turner at the holy-lamb in holbourn : and john lane at the corner of wild-street , . concerning the intercession of saints , the veneration of relicks and miracles . book ii. chap. vii . t is one and the same church of god , which , triumphing in heaven , enjoys the fruits of its victory ; which , militant on earth , is expos'd to the assaults of its enemies ; and which , freed from danger , tho' not yet from punishment , is cleansing by purgatory pains . and this whole church is in charity , because it is in god. now 't is the office of charity , that the inferiors rejoyce at the prosperity of their superiors ; and that the superiors , as far as in them lies , be assistant to their inferiors . we therefore give our brethren , who are now in heaven , what honour we lawfully may , and in return desire the assistance of their prayers , of which we often find the effects . and as for those , who , being shut up in the prison of purgatory , cannot help themselves , we give them , what succour we can , by pouring forth our prayers for them to the common father of us all , who is well pleas'd with this brotherly affection , we mutually bear one another in him . but these bonds of love the sectaries would have broken asunder . they say , that the saints mind only their own happiness , neither hearing nor being any ways mov'd by our prayers : to which they farther add ; that , whatever help we expect from their suffrages , we so much derogate from the honour of christ : they moreover affirm , that there are not ( contrary to what we with the most antient fathers believe ) any punishments , by which such of the elect , as are not yet perfectly clean , are purify'd after death . all these things are briefly to be asserted against them . it has ever from the most antient times , been the custom of the orthodox church , to request of the blessed spirits , the holy martyrs , and all others , whom the majesty of miracles manifested to be in the fruition of god and heavenly joyes , that they would pray for us to our lord. what do ye , o sectaries , dislike in this ? the scriptures , you say , teach it not . if i should answer , that neither do the scriptures forbid it , what could you farther reply ? why , shall i not rather believe a thing to be lawful , which , not being prohibited by the scriptures , is practis'd by the church ; than to be unlawful , because it is not expresly commanded in scripture ? but we seek not to shelter our selves under this excuse . for we rely on the scriptures , by which the faithful are frequently commanded mutually to pray for each other ; and in which we often find holy men requesting the prayers of their brethren ? 't is so , thou wilt say ; but these were living men , and desir'd the prayers of the living . shew me , sectary , this difference in scripture , that 't is lawful to desire gods favour by the prayers of holy men yet living , and unlawful so to do by the prayers of the deceased , and i will yeild up the cause . certainly moses was dead , and so was samuel , when god declar'd , that they were wont to pray for the jews , jer. . v. . jeremiah also was dead , when 't was reveal'd to judas maccabeus , that he pray'd for the people and the temple , maccab. . but thou wilt say ; there is one mediator between god and men , which is christ jesus ; why then do ye make so many mediators , so many intercessors for us ? there can scarce be a more stupid argument : so that t is to be wondred , you should so often press to have it heard . there is indeed one christ , by whose mediation salvation is granted ; but mediators of intercession ( such as we affirm the saints to be ) you your selves do not deny , that there are as many , as there are believers . for do not you desire the prayers of one another ? and is not he , whose prayers are desir'd , as much a mediator for you , as the saints are for us ? why therefore do you cry out , that we injure christ : why do you accuse us of esteeming his merits insufficient ? the controversy lyes in this point ; whether we may desire the prayers of that person now triumphing in heaven , whose intercession we might lawfully have requested , when living here on earth . this is , to wit , the great injury , we do to christ ; this is our impiety , this is our forgetfulness of christ's passion . but thou wilt reply , the saints neither see , nor hear their suppliants ; that 't is a very vain thing to address our discourse to these , who are so far off . were it so , o sectary , we catholicks might indeed be accus'd of folly , in taking such unnecessary pains to offer up our petitions to those , who are , though not unworthy ; yet wholly ignorant of the addresses , made to them ; yet this would not render us guilty of impiety . but we are by scriptures , fathers , and the practice of the church assur'd the contrary . if moses , ( says our lord by the prophet jeremiah , chap. . v. . ) and samuel shall stand before me , my soul is not towards this people . now how vain would this have been , had not moses and samuel then often stood before him , and been accustom'd according to the exigency of affairs and times , to intercede for the jews . i omit its being most clearly said in the maccabees , chap. . that hieremias and onias , who were then departed out of this world , pray'd for all the people of the jews . and throughout the whole apocalypse 't is said , that the angels and saints , do by the power of god , behold these earthly things . moreover the angel raphael , ( as we find it in tobias , chap - . ) when he was standing before almighty god , offer'd up to our lord the prayers of tobias ; 't is not therefore to be question'd , but he heard them . finally , dost thou believe , that thou art wiser in this matter , than the much to be venerated primitive church ? whose custom and doctrine in the time of st. augustine and st. ambrose , i shall in their words set before thee : the angels , ( says st. ambrose in his book , de viduis ) are to be supplicated , who are given us for a guard , of whom we may seem to challenge some sort of patronage , from the pledge of their bodies . they can pray for our sins , who have with their own blood wash'd away , what sins themselves have had . for they are god 's martyrs , our prelates , the beholders of our lives and actions . let us not be asham'd to use them , as intercessors for our infirmities ; because they themselves well knew the infirmity of the body , even when they overcame it . st. augustine in his book , de cura pro mortuis , chap. . has these words , when ever therefore the mind reflects on the place , where the body of a most dear friend is buried , if this place be more over venerable for the name of some martyr , the affection of the rememberer recommends by its prayers the beloved soul to the same martyr , which affection , shewn to the deceased by their most dear and faithful friends , undoubtedly profits those , who , whilst they were living in the body , deserv'd , that such things should after this life be profitable to them . there is in this no exclamation ; no apostrophe . these fathers sincerely and plainly declare their own and the churches sense . i would here ( says my author ) willingly address my discourse to the almoner of the most serene king of great britain . him does the king ; him do many others believe ; and he is so often in fault , as he causes others to offend . let him therefore consider , how great his error is in denying it to be st. augustin's opinion , that the martyrs should be invocated . in his answer to the apology of the most illustrious cardinal bellarmine , he speaks thus . now we consent to st. augustine , that the body of the protomartyr should be conveniently honour'd , since almighty god was pleas'd to work some miracles by it : but that he wrought those miracles by the invocation of saints , is an addition of the cardinals own : for the martyrs are not invocated by st. augustine . nay , the martyrs are invocated by st. augustine , unless we refuse to believe augustine himself : for what can be plainer than that sentence , 't is not to be doubted , but the affection of the faithful profits the deceased , when they recommend their souls to the martyrs . why do you persuade the king , why do you persuade your self otherwise ? i call upon the martyrs , whom you will not have call'd upon ; i willingly with reverence beseech them , that they would obtain for you from our lord this faith , which you reject , and that the last night may not close your eyes , before you have abjur'd the darkness of heresy in the light of the church . but we are commanded in the scriptures to have recourse to god. why then should we address our selves to saints ? o brave new wisdom ! was the church ignorant of this ? did not the fathers know it ? nay , we are admonish'd , that we may very much be assisted by the prayers of good men ; and when we repair to the saints , we go to god. for far be it from us to expect any thing from the saints , but what they shall obtain for us of our lord. they can do nothing of themselves . we desire nothing from them but their prayers . and why should st. peter and st. paul , famous for the purity of their lives , and their triumphant constancy at their death , be less prevalent advocates with almighty god , than such contemptible wretches , as you , or i , who are daily guilty of new offences ? what shall i say of the angel , whom god has plac'd as a guardian over every one of us ? would'st thou have an assistant of so great power , and , so great splendour , be unsaluted ? wouldst not thou of thy own accord recommend thy self to him , to whom thou art committed by almighty god. but some of you indeed deny , others are ignorant , that there are any such spirits present with us . i have seen an aged sectary , who , though fierce , and daily disputing against us , yet deny'd , he had ever before heard it to be the papists opinion , that there was an angel assign'd for the keeping of every particular person . nor is to be doubted , said he , but this fiction had its original from the domestick and familiar gods of the gentils . forbear , sectary , thy ill language . we have this belief from the holy scriptures , and not from the fooleries of the heathen . for that people and provinces have their angels , who take care of their affairs , thou findst in daniel , chap. . where michael is said to be prince of the jews , another of the persians , and another of the grecians . and that such spirits are given to every particular person , we are taught in st. matthew chap. . ver . . where our saviour says , see , that he despise not one of these little ones , for i say to you , that their angels in heaven do always see the face of my father , which is in heaven . upon which place st. hierom in his commentary on st. matthew has these words , great is the dignity of souls , that every one of them from its first being should have an angel appointed for its guardian . the same father on the death of paula says , i take to witness our lord jesvs , and his saints , and the very angel himself , who was keeper and assistant of this admirable woman , that i speak nothing partially , after the custom of flatterers . but you complain of the veneration and respect , we give the saints : because god alone , say you , is to be worshiped . and st. paul in his epistle to the colossians , chap. . v. . forbids christians to be seduc'd in the humility and religion of angels . in fine , the angel which shew'd st. john the vision of the apocalypse , suffer'd not himself to be worship'd by him . these objections , o sectaries , are frequently in your mouths , and as often and as often answer'd by us. to worship , is a word of dubious signification . some worship is due to god alone : whoever bestows this on man , angel , or saint , can never avoid being guilty of idolatry . there is another worship , or reverence , pay'd by the inferior to the superior , without either believing him to be god , or venerating him as such . with this all princes , kings , angels , and saints are to be respected according to their degrees and dignities : the one , as the images of god on earth ; the other , as the domesticks of god in heaven . and that thou mayst not doubt , but the word worship is in the scriptures apply'd to those honours , which may be lawfully given to creatures , thou findest in written of abraham , gen. . v. . and abraham arose , and worshipped ( adoravit ) the people of the land , to wit , the children of heth. and of nathan the prophet 't is said , kings ch . . v. . and when he was come in before the king , and had worship'd ( adorasset ) him , with his face to the ground . to the words of the apostle , forbiding the humility and religion of angels , st. chrysostom has long since answer'd in his seventh homily on the epistle to the colossians , telling us , that by these words is forbidden the heresie , which reputed angels for inferior gods , as if by them , and not by christ , we must be reconcil'd ; and have access to the father . which heresie was by the antients attributed to simon magus . nor has st. augustin more slightly answer'd the argument , you bring out of the apocalypse , who in his st . question on genesis , says , that from the majesty of the expressions , which the angel us'd ( for he had before ch . . v. . said , in the person of our lord , i am the first and the last , &c. st. john thought , 't was christ , and not an angel , that spake to him . and that the angel therefore forbad st. john to give him the honour , which was due to christ. others , and those very great men , thus expound it , that st. john err'd not in worshipping the angel ; but that the angel refus'd to receive this honour from st. john , who was an apostle , a prophet , and most dearly beloved by jesus christ : so that there was on both sides an holy humility , both in the giver and in the refuser of this worship . now this indeed is both easie to prove , and not hard to believe . for can we imagine , st. john to have been ignorant , that god alone , and no angel , is to be worship'd with latria , or divine honour ? or can it be thought , that he understood not , with what sort of respect angels were to be venerated , who was not only christ's apostle , but his beloved , who , leaning on the breast of our lord at his last supper , was there taught the mysteries of his divinity , to whom our saviours mother was recommended as his own ; and who at that very time , when the mysteries of the apocalypse were reveal'd to him in the island of pathmos , had been above threescore years preaching the gospel through the world ? canst thou conceit , that the christians were till that time ignorant , whether , or after what manner angels are to be reverenc'd ; or that the very apostle knew not this , who , teaching , preaching , and writing the gospel , was believ'd by all christians ? if therefore st. john offer'd the worship of latria to the angel , undoubtedly he believ'd him not to be an angel , but our lord. but if he knew him to be an angel , 't is certain , both that he gave him not divine honour , and that 't is lawful in such manner to worship the angels , as he then did . for 't were ridiculous to say , that our lord had not till then reveal'd to christians , what sort of respect should be given to angels , whom before that time all the apostles , except st. john alone , were by martyrdom taken out of the world. but let us suppose , what is most absurd , that st. john the apostle knew not , what no christian ought at that time to have been ignorant of , to wit , what reverence was to be shewn to angels ; 't was yet at least sufficient for him to have been once instructed in it by the angel. but we find him notwithstanding , again attempting the same . for when ( as we have it chap. . ) st. john fell down to worship , the angel refus'd it with these words : see thou do it not , for i am thy fellow servant . nevertheless , we find st. john again ( chap. ) falling down to worship him , and again hearing the same words from the angel. was st. john so ignorant of christ's laws ? dost thou think he had so soon forgot , what he had but a little before learnt of the angel ? nay , this repeated falling down of st. john at the angels feet sufficiently shews , that this pious veneration of his friends and messengers is not unacceptable to almighty god. we therefore together with the church , and the psalmist , sing ; but to me , o god , thy friends are become honourable exceedingly . we admine their happiness , we desire their help . but thou , o sectary , shouldst thou meet some holy martyr , or some one of the order of prophets , or of the choirs of the angels , shouldst thou see him , shouldst thou speak to him , what countenance wouldst thou put on , what words , what gesture wouldst thou use ? for however thou deny'st , that they dst now appear in this manner , yet wilt thou never deny , but that they may so do , if almighty god shall see it fit ? wouldst thou act with such a spirit , as if he were thy equal ? or wouldst thou not rather shew him honour , that is , in the sense , of which we here speak , worship him ? for certainly thou , who art often mov'd with human greatness , couldst not forbear venerating that dignity , which is far more yublime than all earthly honour . why therefore may we not honour them , whom wa see not , yet we know them to be , and to be happy , united to god , the friends of god , triumphing in a most secure immortality ? why should it be unlawful to have the same respect for those we see not , which we may lawfully have for those we see ? nor are you contented only to take away all honour from the souls of the blessed , but you make war also on their bodies . i tremble to relate how many reliques of saints you have scatter'd in the wind , thrown into the water , consum'd with fire ; how often you have in scorn pluckt their sacred limbs out of the gold , and gems , in which they were inclos'd , to expose them to contempt . posterity will lament their loss , we are asham'd for the infamy of our age. for what caus'd all this impiety , but that the devils who set up heresie , no less hate the sanctity of reliques , by which they have been often tormented , than the antiochian appollo did the bones of the martyr babilas , near which he was prohibited to give his oracles . i know what you would say ; to wit , that our idolatry could not be restrain'd but by the destruction of those things , which we worshipt . let us see , what idolatry this was , which must be cur'd by so desperate a remedy , or how we have in the veneration of reliques exceeded the custom of the most primitive church . if any reliques of saints are removed from one place to another , we make the streets ring with hymns and psalms ; the action is performed with a great conflux of people , who come to see and reverence these holy remains . we diligently and devoutly apply our handkerchiefs and garments to the coffin , or bier , in or on which these sacred bones are laid , that secret blessings may flow upon us . we divide their bodies and bones into parts , that more may be partakers of their happiness and help . we lay up these reliques in the churches , and under the altars , from whence the most holy sacrifice is dispens'd , or enchase them in the richest metals and jewels . we often repair to them , supplicating almighty god by these pledges of his friends , and sometimes also craving the intercession of them , whose remains we behold . we prostrate our selves , and kiss this venerable dust , which heretofore serv'd almighty god , and shall hereafter rise again , be chang'd and reign with christ . we believe that the devils tremble , and are perplext at these holy bodies , and that god is sometimes pleas'd to assert by miracles as well this our piety , as the honour of reliques . i have the more at large declar'd this kind of worship , that thou . o sectary , mightst know , christians are not asham'd of their profession . we publickly own , that these things are done , and carefully observ'd by us . all which if we shall demonstrate to have exactly practis'd in the first ages of the church , what remains , but that thou shouldst wonder at thy having been so bewitcht by heresie , as to account this pious custom of thy ancestors for monstrous . how great honour was by the antients given to reliques , thou mayst learn from socrates lib. . cap. . from theodoret lib. . cap. . and from sozomen lib. . cap. . there thou wilt read , what a concourse of christians there was , when in the reign of julian the apostate the bones of st. babilas were to be remov'd from the suburb daphne to antioch ; and that together with the women and children , rejoycing and singing psalms they carried the coffin . yea , that every one of them going before began to dance ; and that there were present at the solemnity men and women , young men and maids , old men and children , evagrius , ( lib. . cap. . ) writes , that the bones of st. ignatius were at the command of theodosius the great , translated with exceeding honour to antioch : for which cause , says he , there is even to our age kept a solemn feast of common joy. see , how great , and how much approv'd this veneration was , of which 't was thought fit to keep an annual commemoration . thou findst in st. hierom against vigilantius , that the bones of the prophet samuel were in his time brought from palastine to constantinople by the command of arcadius . all the bishops , says he , carried in a golden vessel those reliques , wrapt in silk . he adds , that the people of all the churches , went to meet the holy reliques , which they received with as much joy , as if they had seen the prophet present and alive : so that from palastine even to chalcedon the swarms of people were joyn'd together , sounding forth with one voice the praises of christ . with what reverence also the bones of st. chrysostom were receiv'd , when they were thirty five years after his decease translated to constantinople , thou hast related by theodoret , a writer of that age ; who in his ecclesiastical history ( lib. . cap. . ) says thus , the faithful assembly of men , making the sea as it were a continent by the multitude of their ships , cover'd with the lights the mouth of the bosphorus , lying near propontis . nor mayst thou say , that these were as funural honours , which were in this manner given to the saints ; and that reliques were not in that age remov'd , unless it were from one monument to another . nay , sectary , these sacred pledges were for the avoiding of danger , and the more solemn invocating of almighty god , brought forth of the churches , and sometimes carried even into the camp. evagrius ( lib. . cap. . ) relates , that he saw the head of st. simeon the monk , sent to philippicus the emperors son-in-law , who desir'd , that some reliques of saints should be sent him , to the end he might more successfully perform his military expeditions in the east . and hence you see , that 't is neither new , nor any way injurious to the saints , if their reliques are divided into parts , that they may be distributed to many . for that simeon was not beheaded ; but having dy'd a natural death , his body was by the christians not disrespectfully torn in pieces , but reverently and piously divided . thou readest moreover in st. augustin ( de civit. dei , lib. . cap. . ) that the reliques of st. stephen were dispers'd in several places up and down africk , as at the tibilitan waters , in the castle of synes , at calama , audituras , vzali , and hippo : that they were reverenc'd , that miracles were every where wrought at them , by the martyr , by the martyrs help , at the martyrs request . these are the words of st. augustin . a person of very great quality , but ( alas ! ) a sectary , in whose presence there was accidentally some discourse concerning this so great consent of our ancestors in venerating reliques ; desirous not to dissolve , but captiously to elude this argument , said , that these were some remains of the idolatry , then newly abolish'd ; at which the bishops of those times conniv'd , that they might not seem altogether to oppose the peoples inclination . o , whoever thou art , acknowledge the vitiousness of heresie , which forces her patrons on these absurdities . for if this had its original from the evil of idolatry , and not from christian vertue , why did the bishops themselves not only suffer it in the people , but instruct them in it , as a part of religious piety ? why did they refer the rites and solemnities of this veneration to almighty god , as their author ? why also did god assert these things by miracles ? for thou mayst hear no unlearned , nor ignorant person , but the great st. augustin , who in his confessions , ( lib. . cap. . ) says thus : then didst thou in a vision discover to thy aforemention'd prelate ( st. ambrose ) in what place lay conceal'd the bodies of thy holy mortyrs , st. protasius and st. gervasius , which thou hadst for so many years reserv'd uncorrupted in secret , that thou mightst seasonably bring them forth to restrain a feminine ; but royal fury ( to wit , of justina augusta , mother to valentinian , who was an arian , and a great enemy to the catholicks . ) for when these bodies being digg'd up , and brought forth , were with fitting honour translated to ambrose 's cathedral , not only those , who were tormented with unclean spirits , as the same devils confess'd , were cur'd ; but a certain citizen also , well known in the city , who had ben many years blind , having enquir'd , and being told the cause of the multitudes rejoycing , started up on a sudden , and desir'd his guide to lead him thither : whether being brought , he besought admission to touch with an hankerchief the bier of thy saints , whose death was precious in thy sight . which he had no sooner done , and put it to his eyes , but they were presently opened . the same st. augustin in his treatise of the city of god , ( lib. . cap. . ) has these words , when bishop projectus brought the reliques of the most glorious martyr st. stephen to the tibilitan waters , there was a great meeting and flocking of the people to that place in honour and memory of the saint . there it happen'd , that a certain blind-woman begg'd , she might be led to the bishop , as he was carrying those holy pledges : she gave him some flowers , which she had brought along with her : they were again return'd to her : she put them to her eyes , and immediatly saw . all the company being in a maze , she joyfully led the way alone , having now no need of any one to guide her . in the same place he relates many very great miracles ; and , as he says , well known to himself , wrought in several places at the reliques of st. stephen : amongst the rest , five rais'd from the dead , some of which carri'd to the reliques , whilst to others their garments , having first touch'd the reliques , were apply'd to them after their deaths . how would ye , o sectaries , hiss at these stories , related in the same stile , and after the same manner , were they penn'd by any writer of these times ; when as now , through veneration to so great an author , ye blush at them ? recollect thy self , o sectary , and thou wilt see , that the bones of the martyrs were taken up , not through any idolatrous custom , but by the command of almighty god. thou wilt see , that 't is not only a lawful , but also a pious action , to apply clothes and handkerchiefs to their bodies ; and from such an application both to expect help , and desire it . thou wilt see in fine , that all these things are , as right and sincere , approv'd by miracles . these reliques we either deposite under the altars , or lay up in beautified coffers : and both these according to antient custom . st. hierom against vigilantius has these words . is it therefore ill done of the roman bishop , to offer sacrifices to our lord over the venerable bones , as we esteem them , of st. peter and st. paul , who are dead ; though in thy opinion 't is only useless dust ? and in the same place he says of the same vigilantius ; he grieves , that the reliques of the martyrs are cover'd with costly vails , and not rather bound up in rags , or hair-cloth . we go also to the places , where these reliques are kept , there to pray to god , or speak to the saints , and falling down , we kiss their sepulchres . these things also we have from antient institution . for st. hierom calls vigilantius a moster , deserving to be banish'd to the farthest parts of the earth , for daring to write these words : the souls of the martyrs therefore love their bodies , and hover about them ; and are always present , lest , if an orator should perhaps come , they , being absent , might not hear him . now who can believe , either that vigilantius would have written those things , had it not been at that time usual with the christians to crave the martyrs intercession at the places , where their reliques were reserv'd ; or that the most learned st. hierom would have been so highly offended with vigilantius for scoffing at this practice , had not he , who was educated in the church , and throughly vers'd in antiquity , well known , that this was piously to god's honour , and with the churches approbation , perform'd by christians . the same st. hierom in the life of st. hilarion writes thus of one constantia , whom he calls , a most holy woman : she was wont to watch whole nights at his ( st. hilarion's ) sepulchre , and there to discourse with him , as if he were present to hear her prayers . and st. augustine in his treatise of the city of god , ( lib. . ch . . ) relates , that one pauladia was by a very great miracles cur'd of a most dreadful disease , who , says he , went to make her prayers to the holy martyr st. stephen . we believe in fine , that at the presence of such reliques , the devils are vex'd and tormented . nor mayst thou therefore call us simple and credulous coxcombs . for in this we have the church for our mistress , and the most antient fathers for our authors . was the emperor constantine , says st. hierom against vigilantius , guilty of sacriledge in translating to constantinople the holy reliques of st. andrew , st. luke , and st. timothy , in whose presence the devils roar ? there is a remarkable passage in st. augustin's epistle to the clergy and people of hippo , which i will for thy sake , o sectary , here transcribe . god indeed , who created all things , is every where , being contain'd or included in no place , and he must by all true worshipers be worship'd in spirit and truth ; that hearing in secret , he may also justify and crown in secret. nevertheless as to those things , which are visibly known to men , who can search into his counsel , why these miracles are wrought in some places , and not in others ? for the sanctity of the place where the body of blessed felix of nola is buried , is known to many , whether i desir'd , that they ( to wit , boniface the priest , accus'd of an hainous crime , together with his accuser ) should go , because from hence it may more easily and faithfully be written to us , what shall be manifested in either of them . for we know , that in milain at the sepulchres of the saints , where the devils wonderfully and terribly confess ; acertain thief , who came to that place with a full intent to deceive by swearing a falshood ; was forc'd to confess his theft , and restore what he had stoln . the matter being sufficiently asserted by such eminent persons , by so antient a practice and belief : i shall conclude with the opinion of gennadius of marseilles , which he himself thus delivers among the ecclesiastical decrees ( lib. de ecclesiast . dogmat. cap. . ) we believe , that the bodies of the saints , and especially the reliques of the blessed martyrs , are most sincerely to be honour'd , as members of christ ; and that the churches call'd by their names , are with most pious affection and faithful devotion to be frequented , as holy places , dedicated to divine worship . whosoever shall oppose this sentence , is not to be thought a christian , but an eunomian and vigilantian . tell me , sectary , if gennadius had liv'd in this age , would he not have added you to eunomians and vigilantians , and said : he is not to be thought a christian , but a puritan or protestant ? matters are so connex'd , that , whilst we assert one thing , we at the same time plead for another . for you deny all belief to miracles , which you say to have seen frequent in the churches infancy ; but that now , the christian faith being establish'd , they are ceas'd . but consider , o sectary , that this faith was in st. augustin's time receiv'd and settled throughout the world : and that the frequency of miracles was then ceas'd , by which the foundations of the church in the apostles time encreas'd ; and yet he , as thou seest , acknowledges , that miracles were wrought in his age , especially at the reliques of the saints , nor that only in these places , we have already cited ; but in many others also . likewise , ( says he , lib. . retract . cap. . ) whereas i said in my book concerning true religion : that these miracles were not permitted to continue to our times , lest the soul should always seek visible things , and mankind now grow cold by their frequency , which was heretofore inflam'd by their novelty : this indeed is true ; for they do not now when hands are laid on the baptiz'd , so receive the holy ghost , as to speak with the tongues of all nations : nor are the sick now cur'd by the shaddow christ's preachers , as they pass along : the same may be said of such other things , as were then done , and have since manifestly ceas'd . but what i said , is not so to be understood , that no miracles should be now believ'd to be done in the name of christ . for i my self , when i writ that very book , well knew , that a blind-man in the city of millain receiv'd his sight at the bodies of certain martyrs there ; with several other miracles , of which there are even in our times so many wrought , that we can neither know them all , nor reckon those , which we know . in the same book ( ch . . ) he says : in another place , having related the miracles which our lord jesvs did , when he was here in the flesh , i added these words . you will say , why are not these things done now ? and answered , because they would not move , if they were not wonders ; and they would not be wonders , if they were frequent . now this i said , because neither all those , nor yet so great miracles are now wrought ; and not , because there are now none at all . he has related also at large the miracles of his age in his tract of the city of god , ( lib. . cap. . ) what , how great , and how many are the miracles there recited ! and those indeed certain , clear , done in his own memory , and of which he himself was for the most part also a witness . nor did he commit to writing all , that he then knew to have happen'd , being in a manner overcome with their multitude . for he says , the desire , i have of finishing , according to my promise , this my treatise , permits me not to mention all , i know of this kind ; and without doubt most of my friends , who shall happen to read , what i have here set down , will be sorry that i have omitted so many , which they know , as well as i. whose pardon i now beg , desiring them to reflect , what a toil it would be for me to do that , which the work , i have here undertaken , will by no means allow . for to say nothing of others , should i but set down the miraculous cures , wrought by 〈◊〉 martyr , the most glorious st. stephen , in the town of calama , as also in our own , it would require the writing of many books , and yet they would not all be collected . why therefore should our age be thought destitute of miracles ? what use was there then for them , which may not happen now ? what scripture , what word of god banishes from us these vvorks of the almighty ? if thou have regard to those frequent , and , as i may say , daily miracles , by which the church was in her beginning asserted , they were already , as st. augustin confesses , ceas'd in his time ; but as for such , as are more seldom , though no less certain , neither was that age , nor is ours , without them . but 't is no wonder , you would have those miracles remov'd from the minds and eyes of men , by which your cause is overthrown : since there are none wrought amongst you , but such , by which you may learn that you are in error ; since you are enemies to holy relicks , at which christ often does these supernatural works ; since lastly as many miracles , as are wrought amongst us , are so many thunderbolts of almighty god , by which he confounds your heresy . the end of the seventh chapter . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e james stuart the st . digitus dei or god appearing in his wonderfull works for the conuiction of nullifidians. augustine, saint, bishop of hippo. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) digitus dei or god appearing in his wonderfull works for the conuiction of nullifidians. augustine, saint, bishop of hippo. augustine, saint, bishop of hippo. de civitate dei. book . chapter . english. aut [ ], , [ ] p. s.n., [london : ?] imprint from wing. includes a translation of "the th. chap. of the th. book of st. augustine of the city of god" and "some few reflexions upon the foregoing relation, presented to a friend". reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng augustine, -- saint, bishop of hippo. -- de civitate dei. book . chapter . miracles -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion digitus dei or god appearing in his wonderfull works . for the conuiction of nullifidians . quare miramur ? quare non credimus ? deus est qui fecit . st. aug. serm . . de tempore . the preface to the reader . yov have here in the first place a faithfull translation of the eighth chapt. of the . book of the city of god , written by st. augustine in his latter days , upon occasion , as himself tells us in his book of retractations , of the insolency of the pagans , who attributed the loss and saeking of the city of rome by the goths under flavius to the just judgment of their false gods upon christianity and the professors thereof . this insolence of theirs , moved this zealous man to take greater pains then ordinary in . books to vindicate the cause of christ and his church . 't were a happy thing if we had another st. augustine who could and would oppose himself as a wall for the house of god against so many insolencies as are practised now adays in defiance of it : but by none more freely than by those who are so farr from alleaging any thing of a hand of true or false god in what passes in the world , that they too too shamefully presume publickly to own those blasphemies , which in good king david's time , some , who perchance had so little witt and grace as to be of their opinion in their hearts , yet were so wise and civill as to keep their thoughts to themselves . against such poyson this whole tract of st. augustine is a most excellent antidote , but because the dose possibly might seem too large , i have elected this one chapter , which , for the brevity and variety of accidents therein contained , cannot chuse but be very easie and pleasant to take . and , in the second place , i have added some of the virtues of it , chiefly against that desperate epidemicall disease , which reignes , i fear , too frequently , and is the cause of many other dangerous and fearfull distempers . if what was intended for a private friend , prove any way beneficiall to the publick , so farr at least , as to work kindly with some one good person or other , and cause him to mind the great business for which we are come into this world , which is to believe in , and serve and obey our great and good god , i have my end , and to god be the glory . the th . chap. of the th . book of st. augustine of the city of god. of miracles which have been wrought for introducing the faith of christ into the world , and do not vet cease to be wrought , in confirmation of the same faith already introduced . why say our adversaries , do not such miracles appear in these our days , as you pretend have been done in former times ? i might answer : that such miracles were necessary in these dayes , that the faith of christ might be established in the world . whosoever now requires miracles for his faith seemes himself a prodigy , refusing to believe by the worlds generall example . but the truth is , they who alleage such things , have a design to introduce a dis belief even of such wonders as have formerly been done . how comes it then to pass , that christ is so generally held and believed to have been taken in body into heaven ? how happned it , that in thase criticall times , when men made such scruples of admitting any thing which seemed to carry impossibility with it , they believed things notwithstanding , even without the vouching of miracles , which were extreamly incredible in themselves ? will they , perchance , say , that they therefore believed them , because they were credible ? why then do they themselves refuse to believe them . thus therfore i argue in brief : either some things in themselves incredible and not seen , came to be believed upon the evidence and attestation of other things seemingly also incredible , which things , notwithstanding , were both done and seen to be done : or else those things were credible in themselves , and stood in no need of miracles by way of further proof , and as such , are a convincing evidence against the incredulity of such nullifidians . thus much in order to the confuting of such vain sensless men . for it cannot be denyed , but that many miracles have been wrought for the attesting that one great health-giving miracle of the bodily resurrection and ascension of christ into heaven . for in the same most infallible writings are delivered both the wonders themselves , and the faith intended to be established by them . these things were made known for the gaining belief , and , by that belief which they have gained , are come to be better and more clearly known . for they are read to the people that they may be believed , and yet they would not be read to the people , were they not believed . for even in our dayes miracles are wought in his name , some by his most holy sacramenes , some by the prayers and reliques of his saints , but they are not set forth with so much fame , as to be spread about the world with the same glory which those others are . for it is the books of holy writ which were to be every where divulged , which makes them to be read and fixt in the memories of all men . but these things are only known , where they happen to be done , and that scarce of a whole city , or the inhabitants of the plaee . many hear nothing of them , especially if they happen in some great town : and now when things are carried from one to another , they bear not so great an authority as to be believed without doubt or difficulty , even although they be told by one christian to another . the miracle which happned at millan , when i my self was upon the place , by which a blind man was restored to his sight , may indeed have been known by many , because both the city is great , and the emperour himself was then there , and an infinity of people were witnesses of it , who were come thither to the bodies of the martyrs gervasius and protasius . which bodies being wholly concealed and unknown to any one , were revealed to ambrose the bishop in his sleep , and were found by him ; at which time and place the foresaid blind man recovered his sight . but now ( unless it be some very few ) who ever heard of the cure done upon one innocentius ? ( who had born office in those parts ) at which my self was present , and beheld it with mine own eyes . for he being a very pious and religious person , was pleased to entertain me and my brother alipius coming from beyond seas , who although we were not yet in orders , had already dedicated our selves to gods holy service , and happened to be in his house when the thing fell out , of which i shall now give you the relation . he was then under the physicians hands for more then one very dangerous fistula , which he had in the lower and hinder-part of his body . they had already made incision and were now perfecting the cure by other applications . in the incision he had suffered very great and tedious pains ; but among the rest , one hollow turning there was which the physicians had mist , and it was so hidden , that they never toucht it , which ought also to have been laid open . in conclusion having now healed up the other wound , that only place remained without remedy . he suspecting their delay , and very much fearing to be cut again ( which indeed another physician , who was of his houshold and could not be admitted by the others so much as to be present at his first cutting , that he might see how they went about their work , had foretold him , and for which he had turned him out of his house , and was hardly brought to receive him in again ) burst out into passion and cryed out : what will you cut me again ? i see i must come to what he told me , whom you would not permit to be present at your doings . they mockt at the poor mans want of skill ; and comforted the patient with all the good words and promises that might be . but many more dayes past , and nothing was done by all their endeavours ; yet still the physicians persisted in their promise that they would not cut him any more , but would cure that place with other applications . to satisfie him , they called another grave and very famous man in the art , one ammonius then living , who viewing the place , promist him the effect which the others with their art and diligence had assured him off . vpon whose word , as if all went well , he now taking heart , began cheerfully to make sport with his domestique friend , who had told him so confidently of another incision . but at length , after many dayes spent to no purpose or effect , being now tyred out , with much confusion they were forct to confess , that with no incision no cure could be wrought . at this ( vnexpected news ) being extreamly frighted , be started and grew pale . but being come again to himself , so soon as he was able to speak , he bad them all begon , and never more come neer him : and now there remained nothing for the poor man , tyred quite out with grief , to resolve upon in this sad condition , but to make use of a certain rare chirurgion one of alexandria , that he might do that , which anger had made him resolve never to permit the others to do . but when he was come , and had behold their work with the eyes of an artist , like an honest civil man , he perswaded the patient to leave the finishing of the work , to those who had already taken such pains about him , to his great admiration : adding withall , that without incision there could be little or no hope at all of a perfect cure . for his part it was much against his custome and inclination , to deprive them of the honour they had deserved , by some small addition which was still to be made to that great art and industry which they had shewed in those other wounds , which he profest himself a great admirer of . by this he was something reconciled to them again , and was contented ( so he of alexandria would be present and assisting ) that the same men should lance the place , which they all agreed was incurable without it . the business was deferred untill the next day , but when they were gone , the whole family fell into such a passion of grief for the sadness of their master , that it seemed a mourning at a funerall , and admitted very little comfort from our endeavours . in the mean time he was dayly visited by certain godly men ; by saturninus of blessed memory , then bishop of valence , and gelosus a priest , and some of the deacons of the church of carthage . amongst whom and who of all the rest is now only living , was aurelius bishop , whom i cannot mention but with much reverence and respect , with whom i have since often spoken of this subject , calling to mind the great wonders of god ; and i found that he did very well remember what we are now relating . these men then , visiting him in the evening , according to their custome , he beg'd of them with teares in his eyes , that they would vouchsafe to be present the next morning as spectators , more likely , of his last passage , then of the torment he was to endure , for he was struck with such a horrour from the paines he had formerly indured , that he made no question but he should die under the physicians hands . they , on the other side , endeavoured to comfort him , and exhorted him to have a confidence in god , and to undergo couragiously what the will of god did inflict upon him . from thence we went in to prayers , where we kneeling , according to custome , upon the ground , he cast himself down , as if he had been forct by some violent impulse , and began to pray ▪ but in what manner , with what feeling , and motion of spirit , with what abundance of tears , with what sighs and grones , even to the trembling of every joynt of his body , so as , almost , to take his very breath from him , is not for any man to express in words . whether others did pray , and did not suffer the same distraction by so sad an object as my self did , i know not . for my own part i confess i was not able to pray at all . this only i remember i said in my heart . o lord what prayers of thy poor servants wilt thou vouchsase to hearken unto , if thou dost not hear these . for it seemed to me that nothing could be added to the earnestness he made use of , unless he should even have expired with the force of praying . we stood up , and having received the bishops blessing we departed from him , he begging again that they would not fail to be present with him the next morning , and they exhorting him to courage and conformity . the day came he stood so much in fear of , and the servants of god failed not to come according to their word . the physicians also came : all things were prepared which the time and occasion required : the instruments also were laid in a readiness , every one being in fear and expectation : those who were of greater power and authority stand neerest at hand to encourage him . he was now laid in his bedd , the bands were loosened , and the place laid open : the physician , with with his lancet in his hand lookes carefully to find the place affected . he makes use both of his sight and feeling to discover it . in fine tryes all experiments , but finds nothing but the skar of a soare now perfectly healed . vpon this discovery , the joy which possest every ones heart , and burst forth with tears into thankes-giving to , and prayse of so mercifull and omnipotent a god , i shall leave to every ones thoughts to imagine , rather then presume to express in words . in the same city of carthage one innocentia a most vertuous woman ▪ and one of the chief of the town had a cancer in her brest , a disease for which physicians allow no remedy . the ordinary practise therefore is , that either the part affected be cut off , or , that a man may live a little the longer ( for sooner or later nothing but death is to be expected from it ) according to hippocrates all means of cure are to be wholly laid aside . thus much she had vnderstood from a skilfull physician of her very familiar acquaintance : and therefore had now wholy betaken her self to begg assistance of almighty god , when behold , easter now drawing neere , she is admonisht in her sleep , that she should stand on that side of the font appointed for the women , and should cause the first that came from holy baptisme to sign the place with the sign of the cross of christ , she did so and was immediatly cured . now the physician who had advised her to forbear all padling with it , if she intended to prolong her life , looking afterwards upon her breast , and finding her perfectly cured of the infirmity , of which his own eyes had been witnesses , was extream earnest with her to know what meanes she had made use of , being very desirous , as neer as we can guess , to know that receipt , which might prove hyppocrates his assertion false . but when he had heard what had past , with a slighting kind of voice and countenance ( so that the good woman began to fear least he should utter some unhandsome words in contempt of christ ) he is said to have replyed , by way of a religious kind of raillery ; i thought said he , you would have told me some great mattter . and she being now in a great fear and apprehension , be presently added what great matter was it for christ to cure a cancer , who raised to life one who had been four dayes dead ? when i heard of this , i was very much troubled that so great a miracle wrought in such a city , and upon a person of such note , should be concealed , and thought fitt both to admonish and almost to chide her for it . and she making answer that she had not concealed it , i askt those matrous her very familiar friends who happned then to be in her company , whether they knew any thing of it before . they assured me they never had heard word of it . you may see then , said i , whether you have not been too silent in the business , since even these your familiars never had notice of it ; and then having desired her to make a short relation of the whole passage , she did so in their hearing , adding every materiall circumstance , they much admiring and glorifying god therefore . and who perchance hath heard of a certain physician in the same city , who was troubled with the gout , who when he had given his name in order to baptisme ; the day before he was christned , was forbidd by certain black hairy boyes or negroes , who appeared to him in his sleep , and whom he perceived to be devils , to be baptized that year : and when he would not obey , was kickt by them upon his feet , so as to cause him a more grievous pain , then ever he had felt before in his life . but he persisting the more resolutely to overcome them by those regenerating waters , and being baptized according to the vow he had made ; in the very receiving that holy sacrament , was not only freed from that more then ordinary torment , which he then endured , but was also quite freed from his gout , nor did ever , during his whole life , which continued many years after , feel the least pain in his feet more ▪ we indeed knew this , and some of our brethren , who lived not farr from the place where it happened . a certain man of the city called curubis was freed by baptism not only from a palsie , but also from an extream swelling in his genetories ; and he was so freed , that immediately be appeared as if he had had no such infirmities before . and who , i pray , had notice of this , but only those of that town , and some few others who by accident heard of it ? but we having intelligence thereof , by the command of the holy bishop aurelius , procured his coming to carthage , although we had our informations before , from such , whose credit was out of all question . hesperius one of this place ( a person of good quality ) hath a farme called zubed , in the territory of fusselen ; he having notice that his house there was haunted with evill spirits , to the great disturbance of his cattell and servants , my self happening to be absent , earnestly desired of our priests , that some of them would be pleased to go thither , and drive the malignant spirits away by the force of their prayers . on of them went accordingly , [ obtulit ibi sacrificium corporis christi . ] offered there the sacrifice of the body of christ , praving most earnestly for the cessation of that great affliction , by the mercy of god it presently ceased . now hesperius had received a present from a friend , a parcell of holy-earth brought from hierusalem , from the very place where christ , having been buried , rose again the third day . this holy earth he had hung up in his own chamber , as a preservatiue for his own person . but now when his house was freed from the foresaid molestation , he bethought himself how , with decency , to dispose of the holy earth , which , out of reverence , he thought not fitt to keep any longer in his chamber . it happened accidentally , that my self , and my then-companion maximus bishop of synes were in a place not farr off . he intreated us to come unto him : which we refused not , and having made us the whole relation , he made it also his petition , that the holy earth should be layd in some decent place , which should be turned into a place of prayer , where christians might meete for performance of their devotions . we could not refuse him ; but did accordingly . and it fell out that a poor countryyouth , who was struck with a palsy , hearing of it , beg'd of his parents that they would carry him to the holy place , where having done his devotions , he returned upon his own feete safe and sound . there is a village called victoriana some thirty miles distant from hippo the royall . there are relickes of the saints , gervasius and protasius who were of millan . thither vvas carried a certain yong man , vvho vvashing his horse , in the midst of summer , in the river , the divell entred into him . in this place the poor creature lying neere dead , or at least , as if he had been dead , the lady of the mannour , as usually , came vvith her maids and some religious women to say their evening prayers . at their beginning to sing their hymnes , the miserable creature , as one suddenly struck , started up , and vvith a hideous out-cry , daring not , or having not povver to stirr the altar he had laid hold on , he stood there as one fastned or bound to it , and vvith a most horrid noise begging that they vvould spare him , confest , where and vvhen and in vvhat manner he had entred into the body of the miserable young man. at length promising to go out , he named distinctly every part of his body , vvhich he threatned to cutt off in his departure . and uttering these vvords he vvent out indeed . but one of his eyes fell out , and hung upon his cheek fixt by a little string vvhich vvas fastned to the inner part of his eye , and all the black of the eye vvas covered vvith a vvhite film . those vvho vvere present and savv it , ( and novv many vvere come in , upon the fearfull voice he had made ) fell all to their prayers for him ? although they savv that he vvas novv perfectly come to himself : yet being in great trouble about his eye , vvere of opinion that a physician vvas to be sent for . vpon this ; his brother in-lavv , vvho had married his sister , and had conveighed him thither , said , certainly the same god , vvho , through the prayers of his blessed saints , has been pleased to chase avvay the divell , is able also to restore his eye unto him . and vvith that , putt the eye , vvhich vvas fallen out , into its place again , as vvell as his skill would serve him , [ orario , used for a stole by st ▪ hierome and others . ] and bound it up vvith a stole , and so thought fitt to leave it for seaven dayes space . at the end of vvhich dayes opening his eye , he found it perfectly recovered . other cures vvere vvrought in the same place , vvhich brevity makes me not to mention . i my self knevv a yong maid of hippo vvho vvas immediatly dispossest of the divell by only anointing her self vvith the oyle , into vvhich some of the teares of a good priest had fallen , vvhilst he vvas praying for her . i knovv also a bishop vvho by his prayers for a young man , vvhom he never savv , delivered him from the povver of the divell . there vvas an ancient man of hippo called florentius ▪ a very devout creature , but very poor , vvho vvas by trade a tailour . this poor vvretch happened to lose his coate , and had not in the vvorld vvherevvith all to buy him another . he makes his prayers to the twenty martyrs , vvhose memory is very famous in these parts , and beggs of them , vvith something a loud and earnest voice , that they would help him to a coat . certain gybing young fellowes who by chance were present , and overheard him , followed him as he went away , scoffing at him for having beg'd fifty half-pence of the martyrs to buy him a garment . but he walking silently on , espyed a great fish lying paunting upon the shoare , which by the help of the young man he took and sold to one carchoso an honest christian cook , for thirty pence , telling him vvithall vvhat had happened ; and with this little money intending to buy vvool , for his vvife to make him a coat vvith , as vvell as she could , but the cook opening the fish , found of gold ring in the belly of it , and out of meer commiseration , and upon scruple of conscience restored it to the poor man , saying : behold how the twenty martyrs have furnisht thee with a garment . when projectus bishop brought the reliques of the most glorious martyr st. stephen to the tibilitan waters , there was a great meeting and flocking of people to the place in honour and memory of the saint . there it happened that a blind woman beg'd that she might be led to the bishop as he was carrying the holy relicks : she gave him certain flowers which she carryed a long with her : they were again returned to her ; she applyed them to her eyes , and immediatly she saw . all the company being in a mazement , she led the way alone , and now had no need of any body to lead her . lucillus bishop of synes happened to carry in procession a relique of the same glorious saint which is kept in a castle of the same place , not farr from hippo , the people , some going before , others following ; vvhen , by the carrying of so holy a thing , he vvas suddenly cured of a fistula , vvhich had caused him much trouble for a long time , and vvas novv in expectation of the coming of a physician his particular friend , for the lancing of the place , certain it is that from that very time he could never discover any thing of it . eucharius a priest , a spaniard by nation , dvvelling at calama , by the relickes of the foresaid saint , which the bishop possidius had brought thither , was cured of an habitual infirmity of the stone . the same person aftervvards falling into another violent fitt of sickness , was so farr given for dead , that they began to tye his thumbs together , when his own gown which had been carryed to touch the reliques of the forenamed saint , being brought back again , and laid over his body , by the help of the glorious saint he was restored to life and health . there was a certain man , called martialis , who was of prime note amongst those of his quality ; he was now well in years , and had a great aversion from christian religion ; he had indeed a daughter who had embraced the faith , and a son-in-law , who had been baptized that very year . these , when they found him struck with a dangerous sickness , beg'd of him most earnestly , with many teares that he would become a christian . but he would by no means hear of it , and putt them off with great indignation . his good son-in-law took upon him , to get to the place where the reliks of blessed st. stephen were decently kept , there to pray for him , with all the earnestness he could , that god would be pleased to inspire him with his holy grace , that he might believe in christ . he performed this with many sighs and teares , and with great fervour of devotion . then returning he took with him some of the flowres which lay upon the altar , and , at night , laid them under his pillow . he went to sleep : but before day he cryed out ( with much earnestness ) that they should make hast to the bishop , who was then accidently with me at hippo. but having understood that the bishop was absent , he desired the priests might come vnto him . they came , and he presently declared that he did believe ; and to the great joy and astonishment of all , was immediatly baptized . and ( which was strange ▪ so long as he lived after , had these words perpetually in his mouth : christ receive my soul : although he was wholy ignorant that these were the very last words which were uttered by the most blessed martyr st. stephen , when he was stoned to death . these were also the last words of this happy man , who lived not long after . there were also cured , by the intercession of the same martyrs , two who where sick of the gout , the one a citizen , the other a stranger . but the citizen was absolutely cured without any more adoe : the stranger , as i understood , had by revelation what he was to apply when the fitt took him ; so that upon application , his pain immediatly ceased . at a place called audituras , where there is a church , and in it a relique of st. stephen , a certain little boy being at play in the court-yard , some resty oxen coming with a cart , runne the wheel over the child , who presently gasping , dyed . his mother immediatly took him , carryed him to the holy reliques , and he did not only recover , but seemed to have received no hurt at all . a certain nunn at a house called castiniana not farr from the same place falling very sick , so as to be given over by all , they carryed her gown to the same reliques , but before it was brought back again , she dyed . notwithstanding her parents would needs lay the same gown over the dead corps , upon which she , recovering life , became a sound woman . at hippo one bassus a syrian made his earnest prayers at the shrine of the aforesaid martyr for a daughter of his who lay very weak and in great danger , and he had brought with him one of her garments ; when , behold , some of his servants came in great hast to tell him that his daughter vvas dead ; but some of his friends meeting them , vvhilst he vvas at his devotions , forbad them to deliver their sad tydings , lest he should not have been able to conceale his grief from the notice of the world . but coming home , and finding all in lamention , he cast his childs garment upon her , and she was immediatly restored to life . again in the same city of ours there dyed , of sickness , the son of one ireneus a collectour . and now when the dead corps was laid out , and some were mourning and lamenting , whilst they were preparing for the funerall , a friend of his amongst others who endeavoured to comfort the afflicted father , suggested this advise ; that they should annoint the body with the oyl of the holy martyr ( i suppose which was burning in the lamp before his holy reliques . ) they did so , and the young man came again to life . with us also , one eleusinus , who had born the office of tribune , layd his dead child upon the reliques of the same martyr , which are kept in his house neere the city , and there offering up his most earnest prayers , accompanyed with many teares , he received him again a live . what should i say , or do ? the desire i have of drawing to an end of this my intended , treatise , gives me not leave to mention all i know of this kind : and without doubt , most of my friends , who shall happen to read what i have here sett down , will resent my omitting so many other particulars which themselves are very well accquainted with as well as i. whose pardon i must begg ; and desire them to reflect what paines and labour it would require to do that , which the work i have here vndertaken , will by no meanes allow me . for to omitt others , if i should now only sett down the miraculous healths restored to the sick by this holy martyr , ( i mean the most glorious st. stephen ) as well in the town of calama , as also in our own , many books were to be written , neither could we possibly make a perfect collection of them all , but only of such as memorials have been written of , to the end they might be read to the people . for it was our desire to have it done so , that since it pleased almighty god to honour this our age with miracles not inferiour to those of former times , the knowledge and memory of them might not be lost . it is not yet full two years since that holy relique was first plac't at hippo the royall ; and although it be most certain , that many miraculous things have happened , of which there have been no memorials given in , yet the number of such as have been in that manner attested , amounted to about threescore and ten , at at such time as i was writing this . but at calama , where a relique of the st. had been longer kept , and where the good custome of giving in memorialls ▪ was more used , there is an incomparably greater number . at uzali also , which is not farr from utica , we are assured of many strange things wrought by the same holy martyr , there having been placed a relique of the said saint by the bishop evodius , a long time before we had any . but it is not the custome there to give in memorials , or , as i may rather say , it has not been formerly , though now , happily they have also brought in that good practice . for , we being lately there , a certain noble woman , called petronia having been miraculously cured of a great and tedious sickness , for remedy whereof all the art of physick had come short , we perswaded her , with the consent of the bishop of the said place , to give up a memorial which might be read to the people , and she most readily complyed with our desires . in which relation she inserted also this particular , which i must not omitt , although i am obliged to make what hast i can towards a conclusion of this work . she tells us there how she was induced by a certain jew to put a ring upon a hair girdle , and to weare it next her body , vnder all her cloaths , which ring was to have , vnder the other precious stone , a stone found in the reines of an oxe . being thus girt , by way of naturall remedy , she came towards the church of the holy martyr . but being come past carthage , and having lodged at a farm of hers neer the river bagrada , rising up to go on her journey , she saw the ring lying before her feet , and wondering , she viewed the hair girdle , which the ring had been fastned upon , and finding it as fast and firm as ever , without any one knot being loosed , she imagined the ring it self might be crackt or broken ; but finding that also perfectly whole and entire , she presumed to take that strange accident for a happy presage and pledge of her future miraculous recovery , and untying the girdle , threw it with the said ring , into the river . those , haply , who do not believe our lord jesus to have been born without the least violation of the pure virginity of his b. mother , or to have come into the roome where his disciples were , the doores being shutt , will have much difficulty to believe what here is related . but let them , in the name of god , make farther inquiry into the matter , and if they find it to be true , let them hereby be induced to believe those other things . she is a lady of great quality , nobly born , and nobly married , she is now dwelling at carthage ; so famous a city , so noted a person , must needs afford their curiosity full satisfaction . most undoubtedly the holy martyr himself , by whose intercession she received health , did did believe in the son of an ever-pure virgin ; he did believe in him , who came in to his disciples , the doores remaining shut ; and finally ( the truth whereof is the scope and aim of whatever we have here rehersed ) he believed in him who ascended into heaven with the same flesh , with which he rose again from the dead . and therefore it is , that he worketh such great wonders , because for that faith it was , that he was so happy as to lay down his life . many miracles then are wrought even in these our dayes ; the same god working them by whom he pleases , and by what meanes he pleases , the same god who has wrought all these which we have read : but yet even these are not known a like to all , neither is there that care taken that by often reading of them , the memory of them may not be forgotten . for even in those places , in which ( according to the custome now used by us ) authentick relations are given up , by those who have received speciall favours , to the end they may be read and notified to the people , those , indeed , who happen to be then present , hear the same read ; but many more prove to be absent . so that even those who were present , do hardly remember , after some short time , what they heard , and scarcely is there one to be found , who takes the paines to give notice , of what they had heard , to others whom they know to be absent . one thing there is which happened in our city , which though it be not greater in it self then some of those things which i have already related : yet it is so clear and so noted a miracle , that , i believe , there is no one person in all hippo , who did not either see it with his own eyes , or has not been sufficiently informed of it , so as never to be forgotten by any . there were ten children , seven brothers and three sisters , of good rank amongst the citizens of cesarea in cappadocia , who , by the curse of their mother , who had extreamly resented an injury done her by her children , upon the death of their father her husband , had so heavy a punishment inflicted upon them by god , that they went about miserably trembling and shaking every joynt of their bodies . in which wretched condition being not able to endure the sight of their fellow citizens , they went wandering over all the roman dominions , as each one thought best . of this number two of them came into our city , a brother and a sister , paul and palladia , being now too much taken notice of in many other places by their own remarkable misery . they arrived here about a fort-night before easter ; they were every day at the church , and particularly at the shrine of the most glorious st. stephen , they offered up their most fervent devotions , begging pardon and mercy of almighty god , and humbly praying that they might , at length , be restored to their former condition . and now even there , and wheresoever they appeared , the eyes of the whole town were upon them , some , who had seen them in other parts , and had been informed of the cause of their trembling , gave notice thereof to others , as they were able . easter was now come , and upon sunday in the morning , when the people were in great number present , the young man who was holding by the railes of the chappel where the reliques of the h. martyr were kept , and praying most earnestly , upon a sudden fell down , and lay as if he had been asleep . at which sight some who were present were struck with admiration , some were frighted , others compassionated the poor creature's condition . and now some would have lifted him up ; others were against it , and thought it best to see what the event of the business would be , when , behold , he rose of himself , and trembled no more , being now cured , and stood a sound man , looking upon them who gazed upon him . who , think you , of all the company , could then contain himself from praising our great and good god ? the whole church was filled with the cryes and acclamations of the people . from thence they ran up to me , where i was sitting ready to go in procession . they crowd in upon me , one after another , every one as he came , telling the same thing as new , though we had heard it again and again from others before . and now when i was full of joy and rendering thanks unto almighty god within my self , the young man himself came to me , accompanyed with many others , and fell down at my knees , whom i raised again with a kiss of peace . i went forward to the people , the church was full , nothing to be heard but loud expressions of joy , of praise and thanks-giving to god , no man being able to contain himself , but every one crying out on all sides . i spoke to the people , and they fell again to their acclamations louder and louder . at length having obtained silence amongst them , the lessons were read out of the holy scripture according to the feast . but when the time was come for me to preach , i said but little , indeed , as the present solemnity , and the excess of joy in every one seemed to require ; for i thought it better to leave them to ponder the great power of god in his workes , then to trouble them with eloquence of words . the young man dined with us that day , related unto us exactly the whole passage of his mothers and his brethrens calamities . the next day , after sermon , he promised a narration of the whole matter to be read the day following unto the people , which being done accordingly on the tuesday after easter day , i caus'd them both , brother and sister , to stand upon the stepps of the pulpit , in which i was to preach , whilst the narration was reading . all the people saw them , one of each sex ; him , indeed , they beheld now free from that sad passion of trembling : which they saw as yet his poor sister tormented with in every joynt of her body . and they who had not happened to see him before , saw in the sister what the great goodness of god had miraculously wrought in the brother . they saw in him matter of joy and congratulation ; in her they beheld a subject of commiseration , and what their fervent prayers were to be offered up for . in the mean time , their relation having been read , i bad them retire from the throng , and began to frame a serious discourse concerning the whole business . when behold , whilst i was speaking , new exclamations of joy were heard from the chappel of the martyr . those who were hearkning to me , turned themselves immediatly , and began to run altogether towards the place . for the sister going from the stepps of the pulpit where she had stood , went immediatly to make her prayers to the h. martyr ; who , so soon as she arrived at the railes , fell down , in like manner , as in a sleep , and rose perfectly cured , whilst then we were inquiring what the matter was , and the cause of so great joy , they came with her into the body of the church where we were , bringing her from the chappel of the martyr whole and sound but then there began such an out cry of admiration in all the people of both sexes , that it seemed the noyse and their teares would never have an end , she vvas brought to the very place where she had stood shaking a little before . the people rejoyc'd to see her now become like unto her brother , whom they lamented before for remaining so unlike unto him . and they found the goodness of god had accepted already of their good intentions , though they had not yet actually offered up their intended devotions for her . the noyse of joy , without any articulate expression of words , was so great , that we were scarce able to endure it : and now , what do you imagine vvas in the hearts of those vvho in this manner did rejoyce , but only the faith of christ , for vvhich the blessed st. stephen had spent the last drop of his blood ? some few reflexions upon the foregoing relation , presented to a friend . sir. to give you some testimony of my readiness to serve you in some weightier matter , i here send you what i have done in complyance with your late commands . you have here therefore a faithfull and almost verball translation of the th . chapt. of the th . book of st. augustine of the city of god , into that language which the education of those you seem chiefly to desire it for , has made them best acquainted with . had that gentleman who many years ago undertook the whole work ( which is long since extant in print ) been as true to his task , as he was willing ( according to the mode ) to be favourable to his preresolv'd principles , i might have spared this little pain , at least of translating , though not of setting down in paper those few reflexions , which you have formerly , upon occasion , heard me make upon this subject , which because they were pleasing to you ( at least you were pleased to own them so ) your farther request of having them read at your command , for memories sake , has obliged me not to spare my labour , which can never be unpleasant to me , when any satisfaction of yours can be hoped for . if sometimes you find me , as it were personally arguing the case with him or them whom i pretend to oppose , i hope you will not be offended at the method , which is not unusuall , in discourses of this nature . first then i hope i shall not need to mind you that this whole treatise of st. aug. of the city of god is so universally , both by ancient and modern authours , owned to be the genuine ofspring of that great wit , that i cannot find any one so impudent ( though it contain many points , which some perchance would be willing enough to deny or conceale to have been this great doctors opinions ) who ever yet called this verity in question . sure i am that st. augustine himself in his . book of retractations owns it as such , alleaging also the reason of his vndertaking the work , and making bold to call it grande opus , as most certainly it is , in what acception soever you take it , either of laborious or learned . nay even those who seeme to have taken a resolution upon them to deny all things of this nature , and to have made it their business to pick up and cull out whatsoever may afford any possible matter of exceptions ; or be fitted , with their pleasant glosses , to make sport for a prophane reader ( such as possibly some one who would adventure to go a step or two farther , might make with some passages of h. writ it self ) and who , with great boldness have dared to lay fanaticisme and fondness at the dores of the great st. gregory , venerable bede &c , whom the world hitherto had looked upon as worthy and creditable persons : yet even these , i say , these daring men have thought fit to keep themselves within some bounds of modesty in relation to this account of miracles made by st. austin : nor have they ( so farr as hitherto they have made the world acquainted with their thoughts ) presumed to blast him in this , or any other relation of his of this kind , with fond credulitie , or proclaimed him a father of legends &c. now that which i remember raised admiration in us both , upon the perusall of this whole chapter , was , how any man can think the invocating of saints , the honouring their relicks , the use of the sign of the cross , the sacrifice of the body of christ &c. to be novelties , since they are here mentioned by this ancient doctor of the church as having been of use in his dayes ; and that without the least contradiction of any orthodox person then in being ; but rather with the attestation of , and approbation by so many miraculous events from heaven . the question is not here about doctrinall points , in which i know some are very ready , when it is to their purpose , to allot even to the ancient fathers themselves their errours and human failings , but about matter of fact , whither such things as are here related by this holy and learned saint , did really happen so or no. if they pretend misinformations , which this great person might be subject to , as well as other men ; let me first intreat them to have so much respect , at least for this great doctor , as to suppose him no fool . and secondly let me desire them to remember , that he writ in a time when the eyes of many friends and enemies , pelagians , manicheans , hathens &c. were upon him ; which consideration certainly would not permit him to stuff his writings with old wives tales ; but oblige him to make strict inquiry into the verity and certainty of such passages , as he was to make use of for the proof of such points of christianity as were then in contest amongst them . but thirdly , whatever his care was in the examination of the extrinsick attestations of the things related by him , which in such a person , and in such circumstances we cannot well ( without forfeiting both our charity and discretion ) suspect to have been inferiour to the weight and importance of the matter ; yet cannot i see how we can , with credit , refuse him our belief of such particulars , at least ( and they are not a few ) as his own eyes gave him evident information of ; unless we can find in our hearts to give so great a man the downright lye . and yet , if all this , to some wilfull pre-occupied person should prove uneffectuall , at least this cannot be denyed , but st. aug. without controule of any in those dayes , which were above a thousand years ago , speakes here very positively and confidently of many practices , now stiled , by some , novelties and superstitions , with approbation , and miraculous attestation . so that i cannot but think it a very pregnant proof , or indeed , demonstration , that they were esteemed no novelties nor superstitions , but lawfull and laudable practices , by him and all others in his dayes , so many years ago , as may well serve to vindicate them from the imputation of novellisme . this , only in passing , for the satisfaction of those who pretend a zeal for purity of religion , and are offended at such passages as are found in st. augustin , and such illations as most connaturally flow from them , not so much because they have any thing against the saint himself ( whom at other times they would willingly perswade the world to suppose to be of their party ) as because prejudice and education have gotten possession of their understandings , and are resolved to keep it in spite of reason and most powerfull authority . but there is another sort of men whom i think equally , if not more neerly concern'd in this relation ; i mean your pretended great masters of wit , who , i fear , many times make not that use of so precious a treasure , as it is truly capable of , relying so much upon that which they call reason , that they wholly lose their way to religion ; and whilst they please their fancies with some pretty nice speculatious , become themselves meer scepticks , and , too too often , downright atheists . they are not altogether behind hand with that great ambitious spirit , who not being able to reduce to known naturall principles , or comprehend the cause of the ebbing and flowing of the ; sea , is said to have cast himself as a very rash sacrifice into it . for these men finding the nature of god ( as it must needs be supposed , if we suppose him to be ) above the reach of their capacity ; to make short work , think it their readiest course to cast him quite off ; or , at least , make him so pittifull an one , according to the model of things which their slender sense and experience has made them acquainted with , that he must have no care or providence of things of this world which are extrinsecall to his own being , lest he put himself into a condition of perpetuall trouble and disquiet . others , whom i think all their kind ought to be highly offended at , do so degrade , and even un-man themselves , and all their race , that they make them , as to their beginning and ending , little ( if at all ) superiour to the meanest of those creatures which enjoy a sensible being , and have a feeling of those pleasures they are naturally capable of , placing in them all their present , and renouncing all expectation of any other future felicity . and so are not at all to be wondered at , if having taken up such principles , either upon trust or design , they first look upon themselves as the chief , if not the only thing they are to observe and gratify , and then , as is too frequently seen , become in their lives and pursuit's like unto those brutes , whom they are by a very wise man rightly compared unto ( sicut equus et mulus , quibus non est intellectus ) without understanding or reason , wholly drowned in sensuality , and absorp't in bestiality . and yet , which is not only strange , but monstrous also , whil'st they thus become meer brutes in conversation , pretend still to be the only masters of refined reason , and speculation ; making it one great part of their witty and agreeable divertisements to devide , and laugh at all those , who having espoused better and nobler principles , endeavour to devest themselves indeed of the man , not by degenerating into the nature of beasts , but by raising themselves to the condition of angels , with whom they one day hope and expect to enjoy those pure delights which they know very well are not to be comprehended by poor mortalls here in banishment , but believe they are prepared for those faithfull servants of the great god , in whose power and will it is to provide for them never-fading , yet always satiating delights , when those their mortal bodies shall have put on immortality . and now to come close to what i would be at upon this account , i would fain know of any indifferent person who has not quite abandoned his reason , whether those great pretenders to , and monopolizers of wit be not at a great loss , in case these things prove true , which you have here seen related by the great st. augustine ? whether here does not manifestly appear ( so far as effects can manifest a cause ) first that there is some thing in the world above , or beyond nature : secondly that this some thing has a providence and kindness for mankiud : and thirdly , that there is some thing remaining after death in those blessed saints , whose prayers and intercessions obtain of the living god such miraculous favours for those , who humbly address themselves unto them ? against the verity , or certainty of these things thus circumstanced by the person relating , the witnesses attesting , all succeeding ages unquestionably accepting , it will be worth the seeing what the dissenting party , with some pretense of reason do usually object . for i take them for men of greater parts , and knowledge of the constitution of the world in these dayes , then , by their peremtory denying the whole story , to pretend to oblige mankind to a tame subscription and acquiescence to their ipse-dixit's : themselves having already banisht out of the world all implicite faith of this nature at least : for in an other kind , i presume , when the health of their dear bodies is concern'd , they will still think it necessary to advise with , and rely upon their physician in his art , though themselves dive not into the reasons , nor can give any just account of his proceedings . i presume also they will not apprehend that they have forfeited any share of their reason , when they give credit to , and rely upon their councel in point of law , though themselves , perchance , never read so much as littleton , or understand not the full import of all those great hard words those learned men insert into conveyances &c. in these and the like cases the great st. augustine confesses l. . confess c. . that after many doubts and perplexities , which himself , as well as some others in his days had been subject to , he found it absolutely necessary to have recourse to faith even in human , proceedings , much more was he convinced of the necessity of it in things supernaturall , which , as such , are ex terminis concluded to be above the reach and capacity of our weak-sighted understandings . in things therefore of this high nature we may confide ( though we penetrate not into the intrinsick principles of the things proposed ) that we proceed rationally , and as becomes prudent men , if , having discovered sufficient motives of the credibility of the things offered to be believed , we submit , and yeild assent , regulating our judgments and behaviours accordingly . thus much a good christian knowes to be his duty when ever things appear vested with gods revelation . but that only , which in our present case ( concerning things in themselves immediatly of an inferiour degree ) i think reasonable to demand , and necessary for the persons we are arguing with to grant , is , not to deny human or historicall faith , at least to matters of fact proposed with so many circumstances of unquestionable credibility , that peremptorily to deny them , without positive and clear evidence against them , would make the world believe their whole soules were turn'd fancy , or will , and that they had renounced all right to the noblest part of man , reason and vnderstanding . their only course then , if they purpose to maintain their pretentions to rationality , must be to argue closely with convincing proofs , both in matter and forme , with undeniable premises , and fairely deduced conclusions . one thing let me begg of them by the way , that they will please to be mindfull , that it is highly against reason , and the rules of reasoning , first to resolve upon and fix the conclusion , and then come lamely in with the premises . thus may you have heard many a good woman prove her child to be the fairest , because he is . thus may you see many a cause menaged with great earnestness at the barr , though the councell be not half so confident of his cause , as he is pleased at the liberality of his client . affection , willfullness , and interest , are the true premises and proofs in such causes and conclusions . many an odd argument is alleaged , not so much proving the thing in question , as evidencing our good will for it . but i expect better things from rationall men , and pretended lovers of truth . first then , they may perchance say , st. augustine was a man , and might consequently both deceive , and be deceived . that he was a man , and no angel , is without question : but withall you may take notice that he is held by the whole world to have been an honest , and a holy man , therefore he did not go about to deceive : he was ever esteemed a learned and a discreet man ; he had the testimonies of unsuspected , disinteressed persons , of whole communities , of whole cities ; nay of his own eyes in many remarkable particulars : ergo he was not deceived . if this be not a better consequence then any your might be can afford to your purpose , i must needs confess we are to seek for new principles of arguing . for to affirm positively upon so remote a possibility , that he was either deceiv'd , or design'd to deceive , would be a ready way indeed , but it must needs be a very rash one for never was a meer possibility yet admitted amongst rational men for a positive proof of either side of a contradiction , which does admit of a contingency : much less can it have place indifferently , where one side is fortifyed with such proofs , as greater cannot be required by any unbiassed judgement , to a determination in the subject matter of inquiry . and if this be not allow'd as exactly rational , then cannot i imagine upon what principles we can be induced to apositive crediting any thing of this nature , in any age of the world before us . for they all being contingencies , and the positive and negative not being possible to coexist , no might be , or may be can determine the judgement any further then to a meer suspension : which is not only prudent , but necessary , where proofs come equal on both sides . and as this is necessary , upon equality , so certainly is it most rational to incline to some one side upon the prevalency of motives , or even absolutely to assent , where they arrive to that degree , that no wise man can find , or hope to find greater in matters of this nature . demonstratiuely , no may be , or might be can be thought to be upon equall terms with it . but that which i suspect may make you so backward in giving assent to this relation of st. augustine , may be the generall prejudice you have against all things of this nature . and this , haply , has been bred , and nourish't in you by your aversion from those many legends stuff't up , as you imagin , with such kind of old-wives tales , which to you appear not only improbable by their number , but also very lyable to exceptions , by reason of circumstances . what if i should freely grant ( as i shall not make much difficulty to do ) what you seem here resolved to suppose : that there have been mistakes , and perchance abuses in this kind ? what if i frankly own , that some ignorant person has taken that for a miracle , which some more understanding man knowes very well to be within the compass of nature ; or some strong-fancied creature has taken her devout dream for a vision ? will your inference hold , ergo all are such ; ergo these related by st. augustine are such ? is there no true gold , because some , upon the touch , has been found false ? are there no true diamonds , because the skillfull eye of a lapidary , or the wheel has discovered some to be counterfeit ? then i pray call to mind whom you deal with , whose reputation you so severely call in question . it is that of st. agustine , out of whom i did purposely select these passages , not that i doubt but there are a thousand as unquestionable things of this nature , in other grave authors ; but because i did suppose ( and i imagined i had reason for it ) that the great esteeme and respect the world generally has for this great man , would gain him some credit with you also . 't is he that tells you here of many cures ( such as whole consults of physicians esteemed incurable ) wrought suddenly and permanently . 't is he that tells you of devills cast out by the force of prayer and exorcismes . 't is he that tells you of many dead persons rays'd suddenly to life and health . 't is he that tells you he saw many of these things when they happened with his own eyes . 't is he , that tells you of the testimonies of whole communities , whole towns and cities , in proof of many particulars . 't is he that tells you of memorialls given in , and read publiquely , and kept carefully , that they might be confirmed , or contradicted , if any thing occurr to any one of those thousands , who saw , or heard them . 't is he , that tells you that there were so many other miracles wrought in the places he mentions , and known by his brethren then living , to have been wrought , that he thought himself obliged to put down his excuse , for not specifying them also , as well as others , which he happens to mention . 't is he , who writ these things in a time , when he could not but know , that there were enemies enough , both at home and abroad , ( heathens and heretiques , manicheans and pelagians , &c. ) who would have been very glad of the opportunity of diminishing his credit , and authority , by disproving what he had writt with so much advantage to his own cause , and so much prejudice of theirs . this certainly must needs have obliged so discreet , and sober a person , to have used more care then ordinary , in the examination of those things , which he intended for publique view , in proof of those great mysteries of our faith , the resurrection , and glorious ascension of christ , our saviour , in body into heaven . and here by the way give me leave to tell you , that this ever has been , and to this hour is , the constant endeavour of prelates in the church , ( and it is their high obligation ) that nothing of this kind be taken , or divulged , as miraculous , but upon very strict examination , authentique proofs , and depositions of sworn witnesses , &c. so that , it cannot in reason be thought other , then willfull rashness in any man , positively to deny them all , upon no better ground , then meere prejudice , or suspicion . i pray taken notice of what i said last , to deny them all . for , to come a little home to you , i must take the liberty to tell you , that if any one of these hundred miracles , related here by saint augustine , or any one of those thousands related , examined , and attested by others , proves true , your business is done , you will be compelled to own something beyond the reach of your eyes , or perchance , understandings which has a beeing , and a power , above the force of nature , manifesting it self abundantly in such admirable , and supernaturall operations . but , i pray , sir , do you not find it smart ? have i not touch'd the apple of your eye ? for , whatsoever is pretended ( as becomes a man indeed ) of reason , and rationallity , is not sense ( id est , sensation ; ) your cheifest engine ; by which you would overthrow what the believing world submits unto . some , i confess , i have heard own it ; and i fear there are too many , who have it in their hearts , that it is great folly to believe any thing , of which their eyes , or some other of their material senses does not inform them . this indeed is plain english ; and such as makes them understood . it has enough of the ingenuity , though little enough of the pretended rationality . yet such as it is , it is the very language , ( as there is reason enough to imagine ) which most of that cabal would speak , if they durst permit their tongues to be true to their thoughts ; and their reputation were not at stake upon another pretended score . but let the whole rationall world judge , whether this be not the most desperate , and the most abject spirit of levelling that ever was ; to leave man , the noblest creature of this our sublunary world , upon equall termes , with the meanest of those others which enjoy the benefit of sense : nay amongst which many ( some in one , some in another ) so far surpass man , that unless he were enabled to challenge a superiority upon the score of his reason , and vnderstanding , he would be forc'd , in other respects , to yield precedency . but i pray , had not saint augustine eyes , as well as you ? were all the inhabitant's of hippo , carthage , millan , and other towns , and cities , blind ? to suppose that , would he very strange indeed , and beyond the spirit of an only-illuminated fanatique . to say they all conspired to cheat you , and that no body of those , whose concern was so deeply engag'd , should discover the cheat , is a thing beyond wonder . and yet one of these you are necessarily reduc'd to ; unless you have stubbornly resolved , that this alone must be your rule , to believe nothing , but what your own eyes are witnesses of . and if so , then i pray , first , suppose that yon are subject to be dealt with in your own kind , and to be trusted , or relied upon , no further , then men can measure you , and your actions by their eyes . secondly , you are obliged never to mention rome , or constantinople , &c. unless you have taken the paines to travel to see them . thirdly , never talk to us of your aristotles , epicurus's &c. for we take them from you as meer chimaeras . and fourthly , let us entreat you , to do the rest of mankind so much right , as to renounce hereafter your unjust pretensions to both use , and substance of reason . this i apprehend ought to be done in good consequence ; and i think you may be oblig'd to it by deduction , in as good form , as any logick is capable of . but that i may not appear too rigorous , and may have some hopes to enter again into your favour , i will deal plainly with you , and tell you my apprehension ; which is , that you are not all so black , as you are painted , whatever the world may be apt to think of you , grounding themselves ▪ upon the extravagant sallies of some desperado's of your partie . for , i make no question , but if some of you were men of trading , and had a design of improving your estates , you would either send , or go , up on likelyhood of advantage , to aleppo , scanderoon , or mexico , &c. though you had never seen those hopefull places , but by other mens eyes . you would be ready to do your king , or country , service , as ambassadours , or agents , either at venice , or constantinople , though you had hitherto never set foot out of little england , to assure your selves of the existence of such places , or of the princes , or states resident therein . be but consequent to your selves , and i hope we may be good friends again . you will send to aleppo , &c. by way of trading : you will go to constantinople , &c. in embassy : but where is your assurance all this while , that there are any such places in the world , as men here talk to you of ? and here i might alleadge all those seeming possiblities of being mistaken , or deceived , which are wont to be made use of , ( and is imagined with great applause ) in matters now indispute , much , or altogether , of the same nature . for , how do you know , but your factour , ( far enough out of your sight ) has a mind to dispose of your goods , for his own advantage , in some other place , better known to him , then aleppo is to you ? what certain ground have you for your confidence , that your prince has not a mind to be rid of you , and so sends you to some utopia , or other ? is this possible , or not ? you will , perchance , tell me , you are so morally certain in these your undertakings , as to the existence of place &c. all the world affirming it , no sober man questioning it , that it were a spice of madness , to entertain the least doubt concerning it . morally certain ! i pray , sir , what mean you by that ? i suppose , you never saw the places with your own eyes . if you had , that would have produced something more , then moral certainty , and would cut off all manner of doubt , and apprehension of doubt indeed . but i do not find , that your moral certainty , is alwaies ( if ever ) of that efficacy . for , though i am morally certain , i saw such a man in the market-place , whom i discovered by his stature , complexion , cloaths , &c. and am emboldened thereby to affirm , that i saw him , though , perchance , but in passing , and afarr off ; yet i will not venture my credit upon it . for one man may in stature , complexion , cloaths , be like another , and i may at a distance be mistaken . i hold such a man to be my friend , and an honest man , and am morally certain he will not break his word with me upon loane of a hundred pounds ; but will pay it again exactly at the day appointed : but yet for all that i will not venture my money , without some better security , then his bare word . this , i fear , is not the moral certainty you would be at . but now , suppose a question started , ( in which your inheritance were concerned ) whether such an one were your father , or ( to put it on the surer side ) such an one ( so ever reputed by your self , and all others generally ) were your mother ? here , i think , you would make out such a moral certainty , ( for i suppose , physicall certainty you could have none , either from self-evident principles , or perceptibility of sensation ) that you would venture your life , and fortunes upon it . here would be a certainty , which might send you to scanderoon or mexico , to the emperour , or grand signior , rather then lose an inheritance descended to you by so sure a title . and you could not faile of the applause of all wise men for so doing . no man would censure you for it , unless as full of malice and peevishness , as he must needs be of rashness , and ignorance . by this time then , i suppose , you may have discovered severall sizes , or degrees of assurance , in that you call morall certainty : of which though some is so weak , as to admit , both in speculation and practice , some fear and dubitancy ; yet others come to such a height , that albeit some detain them still within the limits of moral certainty , ( others allowing them something at least of a reductively physical certainty ) yet such an one , most assuredly , it is , as leaves the subject of its inhesion , in no more doubt , or perplexity , concerning the verity , or certainty , of its objects existency , and consequently , as prudently determined to act accordingly , as if cognizance thereof had been taken by the very eyes , or senses . this i apprehend to be the very case , in respect of this relation of the great saint augustin ; who affirms many of the things are here related , upon the testimony of his own eyes , ( which to him was a physical certainty ) and that of others , whole citties and townes , no man of that age , or many subsequent ones , contradicting , or raising any doubt thereof : which to us is a most prudential ground , of as much , and as great moral certainty , as things acted in former times are capable to derive unto following ages . and now i hope no man will undertake such a folly , as to go about to make any materiall disparity between time and place . for certainly both are subject to the same exceptions , where sense has not actually its operation ; and both equally to be assented unto , when they come attended with the same strength , and weight of probation . unquestionably all negative arguments , of not seeing , &c. must be cast out of doores , as of no force , or consideration imaginable ; unless you can think it reasonable , upon the same kind of proof , or motive , to deny the being of a caesar , or a pompey , or of a william the conqueror , or even of a henry the seventh , or eighth , &c. but now , to deal candidly , and not slubber over any thing , which may seem to have the least shadow of a probable disparity , i imagin this may be one thing , which by some may be reflected upon ; that though some former ages , descending from st. augustines daies , did not at all question these things , but allowed them as currant , yet have there not been wanting some in these latter times , ( and those , in profession at least , not at all of the party in this present discourse look'd upon ) who refuse to give credit to the things here related ; which by consequence become failing in a very materiall circumstance , which those other mentioned instances are invested with ; that they are by some questioned , and opposed . i know very well , there are some whose concern is so to do : but upon what grounds , besides what have already been mentioned , and i hope , to the satisfaction of any rationall man , disproved , i cannot imagine , ( supposing this to be the genuine work of saint agustin ; which i have not yet found any , even of these dissenters to disallow ) unless it be this one ; that this relation containes severall things , and practices , contrary to their supposed orthodox faith , or reformation : wherefore there must be , and is , deceipt , and mistakes in it . but i pray give me leave to mind such objectors of the caution i gave about the beginning of this discourse , concerning setling the inference or conclusion , before the premises or proofs came under consideration ; which is an exact kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which , me thinks , is worth the reflecting upon , and is here punctually put in practice . whereas i apprehend , the argument may , and ought to be inverted , and retorted thus . the great saint augustin writes these things , relates these practices confirmed by miracles done in his own sight , attested by thousands of eye witnesses ; no man , in those dayes , disproving the matters of fact : therefore these things are not contrary to orthodox faith , or true reformation . if this be not a more rationall deduction , then the former grounded upon meere conjectures , or a supposall of the question , let any impartiall man judge . there is yet one reserve ; and that seemes to have divided it self into two wings . the one is , that these things my possibly have been effected by the occult power of nature : the other , that he , who knowes the art of applying actives to passives , ( the devil , god bless us ) had a hand in them . the one savours strong of the physitian ; the other smells rank of the pharisee . but we must make as good a stand against them , as we are able . and first , me thinks , this is just the proceeding of that peevish , or ignorant boy ; who being bidd by his master to spell hugh ( a proper name of a man , in latin hugo ) first , fell upon that which was most obvious , h. v. hu ; then hew : but being told that he was quite out , and that there was a g. in it , presently it was hug ; then huge : any thing , but the right hugh ; though this would have cost him as little breath as any , or some at least , of the rest . but , for the love of god , gentlemen , ( 't is that i wish you , as the noblest exercise of your wills , and which will much facilitate your understandings ) if we must needs fly to occult meanes , or qualities , ( of which we can give but a very slender account , and can by such meanes only pretend to cloak our ignorance under certain pretty insignificant words ; such occult meanes or qualities , being things , we only guess at , and which are as remote from our sense , and understanding , as any thing we are press'd to ) why should we not rather betake our selves to him , whose omnipotency once owned , makes all things clear ? where as now we grope only in the dark , and are apt to stumble at a thousand blocks , before we are aware of them . is not this one great one , i pray , that a body once dead , that is , which had lost the principle of life , should live again , contrary to the experience , which we our selves have noted in thousands ? nay , as contrary to the inclination , and necessary tendency of nature to corruption , as it would be for fire to cool , or ice to warm ? but , which is more remarkable in our case , that this should be effected , by only laying a gown , or garment , upon the shrine , or reliques , of a deceased saint , ( with invocation of god by his intercession ) and then applying the said garment unto the party deceased , that he , or she should immediately recover not only life , but perfect health , is so unheard-of an effect , by way of any power , or vertue , which can be appropriated to pure nature , that i think , they must be desperately resolved , who dare allow it so much . as a probability , or indeed possibility . add to this the strange cures of those other diseases , the gout , palsy , canker , fistula , &c. whereof some were held absolutely incurable by the meanes of any naturall applications , according to the aphorismes of the great masters in the art of physick : to others , all remedies , though applied by very skilfull hands , proved very unsuccessfull : yet these were cured setledly , and permanently , and which was most to be wondred at , suddenly : and that by such meanes , as could not possibly be imagined , to carry any natural proportion with such unexpected effects ; viz. by earnest prayer , by the water of baptisme , by flowers , which had only touch't the bodies of holy men , by the sign of the cross , &c. you will say , perchance , that phansie can do much . surely , we need not go farr to prove it , if you can phansie , that such things as these were done by phancy . i confess , i have hitherto taken fancy rather for a disease itself , then a cure for any . i have heard of some indeed , who have fancied themselves kings , and queens , &c. but i never yet heard of any reall crowns they got by that their fancy ; unless it were crack't ones in bedlam . i have been told of others , who have brought upon themselves very malignant diseases , as the small pox , &c. by apprehension , or fancy : which i imagin very feasable , by an oppression of the spirits , weakening the resistance , which otherwise might have been made against the infectious atomes ; or through consent of parts , disordering the humours of the body , so as to prepare it for any distemper , which the aire was apt to infuse . but i never yet read , or heard , of a gout , canker , or fistula , &c. which was either got , or lost , by the force of fancy ; especially in an instant : much less can it enter into any sober mans fancy , how a dead man should rise from death to life , and perfect health , by that , which he was immediately before , as uncapable off , as a stone is of smelling , or understanding . certainly , if such philosophy , or divinity rather , ( for there must needs be something more then human in it ) be once held forth as current , our new sect of fanaticks need not doubt of a large encrease of proselytes . great-bellyed women will fancy strongly for cherries in december , and not lose their longing . no man will want wealth , health , or content , if fancy can prove so omnipotent . but i am apt to take this , ( for i cannot believe it is intended for any other , though some of the party make great flourishes upon it ) for a meer shift , or subterfuge or as a dark corner , wherein they would faine hide their nakedness , that they may not be discovered ; or rather that they may not be forced to discover him , who has put boundaries to nature universally , as well as to the sea , and who has reserved unto himself the power of working such wonders . now , as for the pharisees daemonium habet , i beseech those , who pretend to christianity , and the use of prayer , and some sacraments at least , to reflect , that these were not fit meanes , or instruments , for the sworn enemy of them , and the implacable hater of mankind to make use of , in order to so much good , as the restoring health to the sick , and confirming them , and all the spectators , in the faith of him , who took flesh upon him , for the destruction of him and all his works . this carries high improbability with it , if not impossibility . 't was never yet heard , he intended so much , even temperall good , to any of our kind , whatever his knowledge may possibly be of actives and passives . besides , that in some of these passages , he must have acted directly against himself , putting himself out of possession : and we know who tells us , upon the like occasion , luke . . . that his kingdome , so divided , could not stand long : which certainly his intention , and most malicious endeavours ever were , and are , to encrease , not destroy . again , the restoring the dead to life must needs be a thing , as remote from his sphere of activity , as it is improper for his malice . for thou , o lord , art he , in whom does reside the power of life , and death . sap. . . thou art true , and sole authour of life . acts. . . who wer 't pleased to offer up thine own precious life upon the cross , to free us from the tyranny of this prince of darkness , and purchase for us a life free from all danger of ever dying . but this little has been but too much concerning this point , in relation to those , who own christianity , and have any respect for the great servant of god , saint augustin : who certainly never intended to set forth to the world any thing , which either did belong , or could ▪ with the least shadow of just suspicion , be ascribed to , or esteemed the work , of that inveterate enemy of god , and his whole party . but now as to those others , who are yet to seek religion , and perchance a god too , i could heartily wish to hear an objection of , this nature made by them . i should then hope , they were something on their way towards the discovering something else about him , if their eyes , or fancies , could once permit them to suppose a being of him , whom this objection necessarily involves . but though an hundred publique exorcismes , a thousand convictions of witchcrafts at publique assizes , and other trials , have long since made this evident enough , yet i fear , they will try an hundred experiments more , before they will own his person , what ever kindness they may have for his works . men of these very principles i imagine they were , who came , not many years since , unto a worthy , learned gentleman , ( from whom i had the relation ) and told him plainly , that they were now satisfied , that there was no such thing , as a devil , either on earth , or in hell . for certainly if there had been , they should have heard some newes of him . for they had tryed all the tricks , charms , conjurations , &c. that ever they could hear , or read of , in all the books , that ever they could light upon , ( and they were not a few ) which had treated of that black art . but the devil of devil could they either see , or hear of . o gentlemen ( replyed this discreet person ) i thought you had had more witt , then to imagin the devil such a foole , as to make his appearance at your summons ; ( which no power of yours could oblige him to obey ) that you might be induced thereby , ( for it seems they had expressed themselves so farr , concerning their intentions ) to believe , or be confirmed in your belief of a god. i hope , you have already found , or may ( i am sure ) find better motives to ground your belief upon , then any that father of lies can , or will , afford you . his discourse certainly was very congruous ; and such as i presume , gave those gentlemen a much more pleasing satisfaction , then if their bold curiosity had been complyed with in some false assumed shape ; which was all could possibly be expected from him ; who is a pure spirit , and who , by consequence , is ( of himself , and in his own nature ) no more the object of our corporal eyes , then colour is of our ears , or sound of our tast . but indeed , in those circumstances , they had little reason , ( whatever pact , or compact they might pretend ) to expect even so much from that false seducer , when something was to be feared , or suspected , which might be in any way , beneficiall , or advantageous to those , whom he hates so mortally . farr then be it from us to imagin , that fiends could have any hand , or finger , in such health and life-giving wonders , as are here related by the holy saint augustine , in confirmation of christianity . one exception more i find made , and much insisted upon by some , by which ( upon a supposition of the present ) they would fain make the world believe , they have some reason to deny , or , at least , question things so long ago pass't . for why ( say they ) if the same power be still in being , are not the same , or the like miraculous events , heard of , or seen in these our daies , as did appear in the time of st. augustin , and other former ages ? this must needs be confess 't a bold undertaking , thus to demand an account of him , whose will is his essence , and whose actions ad ertra ( that is , in relation to creatures ) are all as free , as his great intrinsecall attributes of wisdome , goodness , omnipotency , &c. are necessary , and essentiall to his independent being . but it is noe improper result of that liberty these men assume unto themselves , or of the libertinisme they profess , and are such adorers of , to oblige even god himself , under pain of being denyed , or disavowed by them , to shew himself to their eyes , their corporal eyes i mean ; ( for to their intellectual he does sufficiently manifest himself , if they did not wilfully shut them ) when , and where their humour thinks fit to demand it of him . you may remember , that this was the very heathenish question , which was put to st. augustin himself , as he mentions it in the beginning of this his eighth chapter ; and which he answers , first with putting the prodigy upon them , who now demand miracles for their belief , having had sufficient testimonies of former miracles ; which have already setled the world ( for the most , and wisest part ) in a state of credulity . you know also , that the several relation of miracles , wrought in those very times , when this question was put to him , and are in this chapter summed up together , were ex abundante alleadged by this great doctour , to shew , that the hand of the same omnipotent god was not abbreviated . and all men , that have heard any thing of the passages of these our daies , and are not preresolved to believe nothing but their own eyes , may , if they please to take notice of them , or the design i have in hand , ( which was only to set down my reflexions upon this one chapter of st. agustine ) would permit me to mention them , be abundantly satisfied , that such supernaturall works have been in all ages , and are still wrought by the same hand , and by the same meanes , as may serve to convince any impartial sober man of the truth we are pleading for . and that i may not seem to say this meerly gratis ; as also , that i may , in some measure , comply with that method , which the great st. augustine made use of , though with some small encrease of unexpected paines , ( which may also engage you to an additionall of patience ) i will make bold to touch upon some few remarqueable passages , ( amongst many ) in which either the undoubted authority , or unquestionable impartiality of the writers , or the things themselves so fresh in memory , as even to admit of living witnesses , ( some of them at least ) may justify me . but here , i suppose , i shall not be allowed to mention the miracles recorded by st. gregory the great , in his dialogues , and other works , nor those of his zealous , missionaries , sent for the conversion of , or establishing religion in our country , although mr. fox himself , in his acts and monuments , printed in the year . pag. . saith of st. austin , and those who accompanied him in that great enterprise , that the king was moved with the miracles , wrought through gods hand by them &c. and although the same are attested by many of the same age , and particularly by our venerable country-man , bede , in the age following , who adds many more , of his own knowledge some , others of unquestionable authority . those recorded by st. hierom , st ambrose , st. chrisostome , st. athanasius , palladius , theodoret , lactantius , epiphanius , st. cyprian , eusebius , evagrius , &c. all men of great prudence , and integrity ; although many of the particulars written by them , are owned by osiander and the centurists , &c. ( no friends of such wonders , which both in substance , and manner , make highly against them , and their up-start tenets ) would , i fear , be subject to the same exception , as being of too stale a date . and those of st. malachy , written by his samiliar friend , st. bernard ; as also those of st. bernard himself , written by his contemporary , and scholar , godefridus : as also those wrought by the two great founders of religious life , and orders , st. francis , and st. dominick , and many others , though not many ages since , yet because something at least out of ours , and our fathers memories , will hardly be admitted as current . but why those miracles wrought almost in our own daies , at the conversion of congo , a region of afrique , which are recorded by mr. abraham hartwell , in his book dedicated to the archbishop , anno . and done by gods omnipotency in the presence of a whole army ; ( lib. . cap. . ) and the same mentioned , and acknowledged by mr. john porey , not long since of gonvil and cajus colledge in cambridge , in his geographicall description of africa , published in the year . pag. . . where he approves of , and commends mr. hartwell for publishing his foresaid treatise ; why these , i say , and the like , should now be disputed , i see no ground , or reason , if there be any thing of credit , or belief , left in the world . again , those many miraculous passages , which have happened at lorett● , at our ladies of sichem &c. are so witnessed , and owned , by the whole christian world , as evident supernatural works of the omnipotent hand of god , that of him , who should now go about to contradict them , we might with all the reason in the world say , what the great justus lipsius has , in the preface of his diva sichemensis , or aspricollis , printed at antwerp , in the year . quid enim de hominibus dicam , &c. for what shall i say of such men who should go about to deny , or so much as doubt of these so evident things , but that they are not men ? or , that they wilfully shut their eyes , that they may not see so clear a sun-shine of truth ? for , most of these things have been evident to our very senses . and again , in the beginning of his fifth chapter ; behold , these things were done in our very sight , and hearing . they were celebrated with the concourse , applause , and spiritual profit of nations . what credit can be given to human things , if it be here denyed ? i cannot omit to put you in mind of that one particular passage , which you may have met with in this author , chap. . concerning one john clement , native of bruxelles , who was of so deformed a shape , his thighs and his feet being contracted and turn'd upwards towards the fore-part of his breast , so as his knees did grow , and stick thereto , his body round , or sphericall , unfit to stand , lie , or go ; and had been so , and known to be so , by the whole town of bruxelles , for twenty years ; that was , from his nativity , or rather from the time of his being cut out of his mothers womb , after she was dead in labour of so monstrous a creature . this poor man then , as justus lipsius relates in his foresaid book , and fourty fifth chapter , in the year of our lord . and moneth of july , being moved in his mind to go to our ladies chappel at sichem in brabant , where he had heard of many miraculous cures reported to have been done , was carried thither in a wagon , and having done his devotions with much fervour , and confidence , in conclusion he felt his contracted , and bound up thighs and feet to be loosed , and stretched forth , so as presently he stood on his feet , to the great amazement both of himself and the beholders , who had seen in what a sad condition he had entred into the holy place that very day . lipsius professeth , that he himself examined the ablest physicians he could meet with , about this accident , and they all confessed , ( though some of them , saies he , not at all credulous of things of this nature ) that this was certainly an effect of the powerfull hand of god. and the thing was made so publique by the discourse of all , that sundry gentlemen , attendants of the earle of hartford , then ambassadour in those parts made it their business to be satisfied of the truth of things , as well by seeing , and interrogating the party himself , as by other publick , and authentique testimonies of the fact , and could not discover any thing with reason to except against . this is fresh , as i may say ; having happened in the very age we live in . i might also think it very reasonable , to exact some credit to be given to those strange things done in the other world , i mean in the indies , by the meanes , and intercession of the great apostle of those parts , st. francis xaverius , in the times neighbouring close to our age also : the particulars whereof were examined with very great strictness , by the express command of the king of portugall , and attested by the oaths of so many persons of worth , and reputation , that the author of the book called rerum in oriente gestarum commentarius , may well be allowed to say , as he does pag. . and be believed , that upon execution of the said king of portugalls commission to his viceroy , for examining the said miracles &c. and certificate thereupon being made , it did appear , that xaverius , in testimony and proof of the christian faith , by him then preached , and taught , cured miraculously the dumb , the lame , the deaf , and with his word healed the sick : and ( fol. . ) raised sundry dead persons to life ; and that after his death ; ( as is there related , fol. ) anno . the grave being opened wherein his dead body for a time had lain buried in lime to the end his naked bones might be carried from thence to goa ( fol. . ) they found his body not only unconsum'd , but also yeilding forth fragrant smells ; although in the severe triall , and search , made by command of some great-ones , it was found , that he was neither embalmed , nor bowelled . his body is still kept at goa ; where to this day ( sayes the commentary ) it remaineth free from corruption : witness whereof ( saith the said treatise ) are all the inhabitants of that city , and travellers , that repaire thither . it is not many years since that commentary was written ; which speaks in this manner of that holy saints body , remaining incorrupt to that very day . and to our comfort the same wonder still continues even in our daies , as very late information assures us , especially from the mouth of a worthy grave person , whose care it was , for five years together , to see it decently kept ; and who was a daily eye-witness , during that time , of the miracle . neither has almighty god been backward in his favours to europe also , by the meanes of the same great apostle ; as might be evidenced by most authentique proofs , had i not transgress'd too farr in this point already . and yet in this ( i hope no very unpleasant ) subject , i must beg your leave to insist a little longer ; at least till i have minded you of that famous miracle , wrought upon the person of marcello mastrilli in naples , in the year . on the third of jan. in some of our memories , i am sure of it . you may see it more at large in bartoli , or in the late learned treatise of reason and religion , written by e. w. with the proofs , and unquestionable testimonies thereof . there are those yet living , ( as you may easily guess ) who were witnesses of the wonder , and saw with their eyes a man despaired of by all the physicians , and surgeons ; who having layn most dangerously sick of a violent feavour , caused by a terrible wound received in his head , twenty-four-dayes together , withall the symptoms imaginable of death upon him , insomuch that all things necessary for his buriall were put in a readiness , upon a sudden , and almost in a moment as i may say , by a visible apparition of that great apostle , st. francis xaverius , and by the application only of certain holy relicks , according to the direction of the said saint , so perfectly restored to health , that he , who for many daies before had not been able to turn , or stirr himself in his bed , immediately rose nimbly out of it , threw off the linnen , with which the wound of his head was bound up , cast himself down upon his knees , to give god thanks for his miraculous restauration , by the intercession of his holy patron ; and then refreshed himself with eating some thing , whereas he had not been able for many dayes before , to swallow so much as a drop of water . that very night he writ the whole relation , of what had pass't with him and the blessed saint , with his own hand , said mass in the church the next morning , and that very day , for many hours together , was obliged to be present at the juridicall examination of the fact , before the cardinall , archbishop of the place : and all this after such extremity of weakness , both from his long sickness , and almost continuall fits of convulsion , without the least difficulty , or decay of spirits . not long after , having first assisted the lady , his mother , in her last sickness , he prepared himself for the performance of the vow he had made , during the time of his danger , ( and which the blessed saint , who appeared to him , caused him to renew in his presence ) of dedicating himself to the assistance of poor soules in the indies , where ( as now at the time of his cure foretold him by the h. saint ) he , some few years after , suffer'd martyrdome for the faith of christ : which also was not without miracle . for , having by the power of god , escaped the ordinary cruel torture of water , used by those barbarians , and which none use to pass without certain death , he was at length beheaded , after the executioner had several times endeavoured to do his office , but without effect ; his strength failing him , till the holy man himself gave him leave , or commission , for it . and of this prophesie concerning his dying for christ , ( which could not be , but from the all-seeing providence of god ) there are many yet living , and among others my unworthy self , who can declare upon oath , that they had notice of it , some years before it came to pass . in so much , that as i have been informed from a very good hand , the late lord of caernarvan , that valiant and worthy person , who afterwards testified his loyalty to his prince by the loss of his life , happening to be in the court of spain , when mastrilli pass't by madrid in his way to take shipping for the indies , and in the presence , and by the command of the king of spain , was obliged to make relation of the whole passage of his miraculous cure , the said lord of caernarvan was heard to say , that if the man did go into the indies , and there lose his life , as he had said was foretold him , he would believe all he said for scripture . i would to god some of our nullifidians could be perswaded to believe it , at least as farr , as human faith seems to oblige them . i should hope , it would be a step , or disposition toward their believing something , in which they are more nearly concerned . but against much of this i hear there is a certain english doctour , ( who notwithstanding would gladly see some of these things with his own eyes ; and then he would tell us more of his mind ) who for once is contented to enter into league with a roman doctour ; though otherwise he seems to hate ( as bad as hell does holy-water ) any thing , that has relation to that superstitious place ; and he tells us from his roman dr. that it is so ordinary an effect of nature to preserve bodies a long time from corruption , by the use of lime , &c. that it is meere ignorance to take the late mentioned incorruption of the body of st. francis xavier , ( which the rest of the world so much admires , as an effect of the divine goodness to that apostolical man ) for any thing extraordinary , and praeternatural . but with this doctours good leave , the general perswasion of the world , ( amongst whom we find some doctours also ) grounded upon experience , and the corroding , or rather caustick , quality , and force of unsleck't lime , ( not so properly , perchance , expressed by the roman doctours single word calx ) with which the body of st. xaverius was twice covered , is contrary . but then we would gladly know , from this learned empirick , how this dead body of the saint came to be preserv'd entire , fresh , moist , and sweet , ( more then ordinary living bodies ) many moneths , nay years , after that natural preserver of his was taken from it : or whether he has any thing in his own , or his roman doctours experience , which tells him , that bodies once covered with lime , do afterwards preserve themselves , or are preserved by some relict quality , from the lime for moneths and years . this , i am sure , would be new , and worth so great an english doctours invention . for his roman doctour does here absolutely desert him ; who in the same place , and number cited by our english doctour , concludes it to be miraculous , where there are found such circumstances , as were discovered by many curious inspectours into the incorrupt body of st. francis xavier . but any thing must pass , rather then god should seem to have any regard to the honour of his saints , or any miraculous thing be done by them , or at their intercession . and yet i am half of opinion , that this good gentleman , ( whether before he was well awars or no , i cannot well tell ) had some more respect then ordinary , for this great apostle of the indies ; seeing he is pleas'd to own , that if it were at any time reasonable to expect a power of miracles , it would be for the conversion of infidels ; and xaverius , and his companions ( poor romish priests and jesuits ) going upon so generous a design , might be favoured in it by some extraordinary effects of divine power . only he ( the good doctour ) would willingly have appointed god , what miracles he should have empowered them to work , in this , and the like occasions . vtinam saperet , & intelligeret , &c. but now the scene is altered again . for as to all those miracles , whose relation we have from the jesuits , we are ( saies he ) to consider , what credit their testimony deserves with us . for , if they are men , who think it lawful to lie for a good cause , ( as no doubt the honour of their society is such with them ) how can we with any tolerable discretion relie upon their words ? thus this severe doctour is pleased to preingage his reader . what credit they may have with such pre-resolv'd gentlemen , as himself , and his like , i know not : but we have a very ill account of things abroad , if very many ( who think themselves no fools neither , and who have had some reason to be better acquainted with these mens principles , and proceedings , then he , who ( for all that we know ) never saw , or convers'd with any of them in his life , ) have not another opinion of them , then the character here bestowed upon them seemes to allow . and yet i perceive the man is something wary too , and ushers in this pretty piece of civility of his with an if. if they are men , who think it lawfull to lye for a good cause , &c. it would be something satisfactory , to see in what authour of theirs ( and it is ten to one , he has seen more then one of them , in the libraries of the universities , or perchance in his own closet ) he finds this supposed doctrin of theirs , that it is lawfull to lie for a good cause . thus much i promise him , that if he can prove this to be their doctrin , i will joyn with him , and proclaim them not only knaves , but very fools also : ( and that is not the character the world generally gives them : ) for though a lie may take for once , when 't is handsomely told , and may bring some advantage with it ; yet to make a trade , and open profession of it , ( which they must needs be supposed to do , who hold it lawfull &c. ) and hope to thrive by it , were to take the rest of the world to be of very weak capacities , and to go about to impose upon all mankind , which were in effect to declare themselves , utterly void of all wit , and unfit for human conversation . it is true , omnis homo mendax . every man , one time or other , by the common corruption of nature , is subject to be false to his principles ; and to offend against some known verity : neither do i find , that black coates are excepted in the general clause . but to do it , and hold it lawfull to lie , for a good , or bad cause , is a thing , for which i am pretty sure , none of their authors can be quoted , whom the doctour is so civilly pleased to father it upon . i confess , it is a pretty odd passage ( especially with those pleasant comments upon it ) which the doctour , upon the back of this his unexpected caution , fetches as farr as persia . but , i find the doctour himself is pleased to furnish hierom xavier with several authors , ( good or bad , i am not now in humour to dispute ; for so much as his talent of inventing untruths is concern'd ) for part of which this one ( very possibly indiscreet ) jesuit did utter ; the doctour himself making up the rest of the story with several interpolations from others , whom we take to be none of xavier's tribe . but yet we do not find , that he was either so impious as to promulge this by way of a new gospel , or so insolent , as to insert many things , taking them even from the doctours own relation , ( which notwithstanding i begg his leave , with time and opportunity to examin a little further , before i enter it into my creed ) so maliciously false , as to ground so general a supposal , that those of his calling think it lawfull to lie for a good cause . but it is remarkably the fortune of this great doctour , to be alwaies undertaking , and endeavouring at great and extraordinary things : such as indeed many have soberly questioned , whether himself did in reality hold to be such truths , as he seems to set them out for . sure we are , most , or many of his own pretended party do not think themselves obliged to maintain or believe them as such . qui nimium probat , nihil probat , is an axiome , which every fresh man is soon acquainted with , and knowes , by the very light of nature , what such proofs amount to . but now , as to this particular , of the jesuits holding it lawfull to lie for a good cause , the thing appearing to me to be matter of fact , to be made good either out of their books , lessons , sermons , &c. or notorious general practice , me thinks i have reason to expect something more home , and positive , then has hitherto been alleaged , or brought to light . till this be effectually done , i must believe , i am obliged to confirm my judgment to that of the generality of knowing men ; who have heard them so often teach much better things in their schools and pulpits ; and who have found them more civil in their conversation , then either to practise any such thing themselves , or brand a large community with it : in which there be many , who by their quality in the world , as gentlemen , deserve more civil treatment , from those , who know , what breeding is . amongst others of them i find the forementioned marcello mastrilli ; upon whom was wrought that remarkable cure , described so lately , and which happened so few years ago . this good man was , and is , owned by the chief nobility of naples , to have been a near relation of theirs ; and one , who by his actions brought no stain upon his family : and yet he also must fall under the general censure of our kind doctour , and be reckoned among those , who make no scruple to lie for a good cause , &c. but could the doctour make this action good , of his being a lier , i should not stick to enter that other , of his being a fool . for , that a man should stretch a little too farr , in hopes of some profit , or preferment , is that , which perchance may pass for wit , as the world goes now a dayes . but that a man should invent a story , which should oblige him to leave his native country , where he was in good esteem , both for his birth , and parts ; which in probability had been attended with a fortune answerable , before he abandoned it , ( as many more are known to have done ) upon better motives , as may well be imagined , then to take up a trade of lying . that he should ( i say ) in this manner oblige himself to quit all these advantages , and expose his person to a long and dangerous journey , and to the cruelty of a savage people , from whom he could expect nothing , but what he found , barbarous usage , and a cruel death , is beyond any maxims of modern wit , or discretion . but the piercing doctour will ( perhaps ) tell us , that the honour of his society was the good cause , which put him upon the contrivance , and obliged him to the execution accordingly . if this could be made out , i should confess , it were something to be admired indeed , that a man in this age , for such meer human respects , should become so great a self denier : but i doubt , would hardly be imitated by any , but some of his own party ; who by his example have been moved to abandon likewise their native countries , and comforts , and venture their lives through sea and land , upon the only score of relieving the spiritual necessities of those poor desolate nations . could we once see an example of this kind in some of those , who pretend so much zeale for the gospel , we might , perchance , be moved to think better of their principles . but though their merchants , and factours , venture indeeed yearly into those eastern , and western parts , to fetch us home gold and silver , and silks , and spices , and jewels , &c. yet i never heard of any of the good doctours partizans , who ventur'd ( without , or with a viaticum ) to go to those remote parts upon the bare hopes of encreasing the flock of christ , and improving their stock no otherwise , then by suffering all manner of evil usages , dangers , wants , and many times death it self . but not to wrong the good doctour , nor put more incivility upon him , then some , perchance may apprehend he deserves , i must own , that i find him sometimes inclined ( as pag. . of his second discourse ) to suppose this passage of mastrilli's miraculous cure to have something of truth in it : and i am apt to think he has some reason for it ; there being such irrefragable testimonies of many , who were not jesuits , for the positive verity of it ; and so little to be said for the negative . for which notwithstanding , could it have been done , i believe , he might have found some curious wel-willers of the jesuits , who would have been industrious and ready enough to have furnished materials . but then he comes off again with e. w. and asks him , what this , or the like , would make to the proof of pope pius the fourth's creed ? as to that i shall leave him to e. w. and others ; who , i make no question , will do him reason . but i must entreat him in the mean time , that out of his animosity against e. w. he will not deprive us of such grounds , as make against atheism for christianity ; the supporting of which was my only design , whilest i mention this , and some few other late passages : some of which i hope , the kind doctour will not be two earnest against , but think well of , and allow ; at least of those mentioned by saint augustine : and then i have my end in substance : though these others , alleaged ( as i said ) ex abundante , should fall under stronger exceptions , then i find as yet brought by any body against them . having made so good a return , as i hope , out of these forreign parts , i must needs ingage your patience once more , whilest i touch upon that , which happened so lately in spain , in the year . to one michael pellicer , who had his leg restored by the intercession of our blessed lady , after it had been cut off , some four fingers below the knee , and buried in the ground , above two whole years before . the particulars you may find also more at large , in the forecited reason and religion , pag. . certain it is , that there were many grave persons , as you may there read , who had the examination of the business , many , who knew the young man , whilest he was lame by the loss of his leg . ( the surgeon also well known , who cut it off ) as also when he went perfectly , and sound afterwards , upon both his legs ; the one being suddenly restored to him , by the intercession of the blessed virgin. certainly if this was so , it does demonstrate a power more then human , and above nature . that it was so , after the testimonies of so many eye-witnesses , and the strict examination made , and subscribed by so many grave persons , i cannot imagin , how any man in reason , or prudence , can call in question . i know , there have been those , who being very loath , ( god knowes , upon what motives ; they must one day give him a very severe account of them ) to own any thing of this nature ; and having nothing , either of authority , or reason , but only their own fancy , and prejudice , to object against it , have ( according to their custome in things of difficulty , or evidence brought against them ) endeavoured to avoid the force of it by a pretty piece of drollery , saying , that it is an easie thing for a stump to grow a leg , in its passage from spain hither . such raillery , i confess , might have been expected from a man of mirth upon the stage , or in a tavern , where it is not unusual for such slipperytong'd blades to make bold with the most serious , and the most sacred things , if they chance to come in their way , and afford them any subject of divertisement , or exercise of wit. but , that a grave doctour , in so serious a matter should have no other shift , and should dare to make use of so slight an one , or imagin any sober understanding man should be satisfied with it , is very strange , and indeed something prodigious . but i leave him to make his best of it : though i cannot but heartily wish , that both he and others would make that use of these , and many other events of the same , or like kind , ( which might have been alleaged ) for which they were intended by the omnipotent worker of them ; which certainly was , to raise in us a lively faith of the greatness and power of god above nature ; and consequently a resolution to observe the will , and commands of this our great , and good god , though it were necessary for this end , to renounce those inclinations of flesh , and blood , and sense , which are ( as is to be feared ) the real grounds , and motives of our denying , or waving such other principles , as do much more become the dignity , and worth of those rational soules , with which he has endowed us . but here i must make a discovery , and speak plainly my sense , which is , that , that which ought to be our cure , is the ground of our disease . the consideration of these extraordinary , supernatural works of god ought in reason to move us to reverence , and adore his greatness ; as also to check our unruly natures , in obedience to him , and his commands , who is the authour of nature . but on the contrary it falls out too too often , that discovering him , by these great works of his , to stand in our way , though our understandings ( at first at least ) cannot chuse but think it reasonable , to comply with the duty we owe to so great a god , his positive laws , and that of nature , obliging us to it ; yet the love we have of our own wills , and the extraordinary kindness we have for the sensual inclinations of flesh and blood , work so powerfully , by little and little , upon us , that we begin to be willing to deny him , not only a due subjection , but even a common being amongst , and providence over his creatures . for i take it to be as great a truth , as any in morality , that atheism seldome , or never , begins in the understanding ; but that it is bred , and born in the will ; and that when men are once resolved to abandon themselves to liberty , and sense , then they cast about , how to rid themselves of any thing , which may check them in this their pleasant course . and then away with reason , away with honour , away with conscience , away with god himself . and when they are once come thus farr , and feel something of that , which they call sweet liberty , what wonder , if they please themselves with it , as farr as it will go , and as long as it is capable of pleasing them ; and laugh at , and make sport with those , who take a more sober , and serious course . i shall never forget that pleasant passage between sir thomas moor's cavilier , and his honest frier . i pray pardon me for troubling you with a story , ( or tale , if you please to call it so ) which is so well known ; i wish only , the import of it were as commonly reflected upon . the good frier , going one day abroad into the country , either to beg relief for his convent , or about some charitable employment , for the spiritual assistance of his neighbour , was met accidentally by a gentleman , well mounted , and well and warmly clad , as the season of the year required . the poor frier was fain to make use of his own legs , and had but his single garment ; which , though course enough , yet was too thin to guard him sufficiently from the cold weather : his legs and feet bare , only saved harmless from the stones by a paire of woodden clogs &c. the frolick gentleman thought this a fit subject for his drollery , and so accosted him with the usual salute , of well met , father : how do you do ? the good frier had nothing to complain of ; and thanking god , and his worship , told him he was very well . ay , but father , replyed the gentleman , are you not a little cold , and something wet too ? me thinks that garment were fitter for warmer weather . and besides , your stockings ( i doubt ) do not bear out the wet and dirt , no more then the upper part of your shoes ; ( his feet were bare , the clogs being only made fast with a strap , which came over his foot ) which seemes to be made of calves leather . i can but thank you , kind sir , for the calfe you so charitably bestow upon me , replyed the frier : but as for the wet and cold i meet with , it is no more , then may very well be endured for gods sake . heaven , sir , is worth this , and a great deal more . ay , marry , replies the gentleman ; now you say something indeed . but what if there be neither god , nor heaven ; where are you then ? the good , zealous frier was quick to this , saying , ay but , my dear sir , if there be a god , and a heaven , and a hell , where 's your worship then ? my good gentleman had no more to reply , but march't fairly off , rubbing his hands , as if he had met with a nettle . will you give me leave to insist a little upon this zealous reparty of the good frier ? you are , perchance , a pleasant-humour'd gentleman , of a plentifull fortune , of a handsome feature , and healthy constitution , in the heat of your youth , in the prime of your age : you are unwilling to let any field , or place , or opportunity pass , without tasting , or taking your fill of all the pleasures they afford you right or wrong , with the allowance , or against the express command , and order of the living god. and for your greater encouragement in this , which you use to call enjoying your self , you say ( perchance ) in your heart , why not ? whom am i to please , but my self ? it may be , there is no such thing , as simple , or fearfull men talk of a heaven , for those , who live otherwise then i do ; or a hell for those , who think well of , and follow my pleasant practice : nay , perchance not so much as a god , who takes notice of these my waies , and intends to dispose of me hereafter accordingly . but now , i pray , sir , what if there be ? what if there be an eternity of restraint , and torment , reserved for those , who take the liberty you do ? what if there be endless joys and delights , prepared for those , who voluntarily abandon these fleeting , momentary pleasures , you so earnestly , ( not to say childishly ) pursue ? what 〈◊〉 there be an all-seeing eye over you which takes cognizance of each thoug● word , and deed ? and whos 's just●●● essentially obliges him to deal with y●● accordingly ? and you know not , 〈◊〉 all your wealth , and your health , a●● your mirth , and your jollity , h●● soon you are to come to an unavoidab●● tryal of it ? are you sure this is 〈◊〉 true ? is there any friend of you●● who pretends a demonstration , or 〈◊〉 much as a sober , solid , argument ●gainst it ? all your wilful sophist●● and weaker perhaps , will then lit●●● availe you . for the love of god th●● or ( if you will needs have it so ) 〈◊〉 the love of your dear self , be a lit●●● serious , and circumsp●ct . i shou● willingly wish you a man of so mu●● prudence , that if you were told by 〈◊〉 sober wel-wisher , that the infecti●● were in such a house , you should 〈◊〉 venture into it without better securi●● then your perhaps , it is not so : or you were told from a good hand o● jewel of enestimable value , intend●●● you for the going for , i hope you would in prudence leave your game at tennis , or what other pastime you please , though you loved the sport never so well , rather then forego the hopes of being made for ever . again if you were told , you were the son of a great king , and that that king , though never yet seen by you , had alwaies had a ●are of you , had given charge of you ●o his trusty servants , and that by this ●eanes you came to be so well provided 〈◊〉 present ; and that he also intended ●ou a considerable part in his kingdome ●●terwards : would you , upon some ●●ght , groundless suspicion , of a cheat ●●tended to be put upon you in some ●mall trifle , renounce your father , or 〈◊〉 your inheritance for a mess of pot●●ge ? i cannot take you for one , who ●●ve your self so meanly , or have so ●●●tle regard to your own interest . you ●●ould certainly , even in ordinary pru●●nce , take better resolves in a matter 〈◊〉 so great concern ; although you had 〈◊〉 notice of your danger , or hopes , 〈◊〉 from some one ordinary person : 〈◊〉 although you might possibly have 〈◊〉 ground to suspect , that he might have his little ends in it also . but now our case in all things , both substance and circumstance , is infinitely different , infinitely more considerable . our danger , or hopes , are of no less , then eternal consequence . the happiness or misfortune , excessive , and beyond all imagination : and this depending upon his decree , or doome , by whom all things have their being , and who is essentially , eternally , infinitely , his own never-begun , and never-ending being . our intelligence of these great things is not from one sceptick , or other , who talks only of possibilities , or probabilities ; but from the consent of all nations , from this great fabrick of the universe , which none , but an omnipotent hand could have fram'd , and designed with such order , and oeconomie , as even our very reason , well and closely managed , must needs convince us : whatsoever chance , or atomes , ( things ten thousand times harder to conceive ) some silly philosophers may have dream't of . and in conclusion , those several supernatural wonders , attested by innumerable , sober , understanding persons , and particularly ( which was my chief design from the beginning ) these miraculous events here alleaged by the great st. augustin ; which no sober man can , with any sh●w of reason , call in question , evidence , and demonstrate , that there is a superiour power to all that nature is acquainted with , and that he hath a paternall care , and providence over his creatures ; as also a special kindness , and respect for his servants , now stated with him in eternal bliss : at whose intercession , and by whose meanes , he has been pleased to bestow such extraordinary favours upon some needfull mortals . to him be all glory and praise both now and ever-more . amen . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e dr. stillingfleet , in his . discourse , in vindication of the protestant grounds of faith : pag. . and pag. . dr. stillingfleet , ibid. pag. . dr. stillingfleet , ibid. pag. .