THE REFLECTIONS Of the Reverend and Learned Monsieur jurieu, Upon the strange and Miraculous Exstasies of ISABEL VINCENT, THE Shepherdess of SAOV in Dauphiné; WHO Ever since February last hath Sung Psalms, Prayed, Preached, and Prophesied about the Present Times, in Her TRANCES.  
AS ALSO Upon the Wonderful and Portentous TRUMPETINGS and SINGING of Psalms, that were heard by Thousands in the Air (in many Parts of France) in the Year 1686: Taken out of the PASTORAL LETTERS of the 1st and 15th of October last.  
To which is added, A LETTER of a Gentleman in Dauphiné, to a Friend of His in Geneva; Containing the Discourses and Prophecies of the Shepherdess.  
All Faithfully Translated out of the French Copies, for Public Information.  Discite Justitiam moniti, & non temrere Dives. 
LONDON, Printed for Richard Baldwin in the Old-Baily, 1689.   

REFLECTIONS Upon the MIRACLE Happened in the Person of A Shepherdess of Dauphine. MADE By the Reverend and Learned Mons. Jurieu, IN HIS PASTORAL LETTER Of the 1st of October, Anno 1688.  
YOU may perhaps think it very strange, my Brethren, that being accustomed to entertain you with all such extraordinary Matters as relate to Religion, we have not yet acquainted you with what hath happened in Dauphiné; where GOD (for so many Months past) hath made use of the Ministry of a simple Shepherdess that can neither Write nor Read, (a Child of about Fifteen or Sixteen years of Age) to declare his Marvels, and to publish his Truth. The occasion of our so long Silence, hath been the Time and Care we have taken to be fully informed of the Reality of the Fact, that so we might not build our Reflections upon false Grounds. After all the Assurances imaginable, we have found the Matter of Fact in short to be thus:  
She is but a young Girl of about Fifteen or Sixteen years of Age; her Name is Isabel Vincent, a Countryman's Daughter near Saou, within two Leagues of Crêt in Dauphiné, by Profession a Shepherdess, dwelling with her Uncle, having been born of a Father, who (several years before the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes) had left his Religion in consideration of Money: She fell into an Exstasy upon the Twelfth Day of this present February. Her Exstasy did not seem at first to be any thing else, but a sort of Apoplexy, or Natural Lethargy; into which she fell without any appearance of a violent Motion. She returned out of it again after having been in it some hours, her Health not being in the least impaired by it. In this first Fit, she neither said nor did any thing extraordinary. Upon the following Night, which was that of the Second or Third of February, she fell again into those Fits, that have held her ever since that time. They did not seem to be any thing but a kind of a profound Sleep, out of which it was not possible to fetch her: They pulled her, they thrust her, they called her, they p●…t her till the Blood came, they pinched her, they burned her, yet nothing would awake her: So that she was in an entire and absolute Privation of all Sense; which is the true Character of an Exstasy. In this Condition she spoke, and uttered many Excellent and Divine Matters. She can neither Write nor Read: She never had learned any other Prayer in her life, but her Pater Noster and Credo: She could speak no other Language, but the Vulgar one of her own Country, which hath nothing of French in it. The first Five Weeks she spoke (during the time of her Ecstasies) no other Language, but that of her own Country▪ because she had no other Auditors but the Country People of her own Village: For by all the Relations that we have seen it is apparent that she speaks according to her Hearers. After these first Five Weeks, the Noise of this Miracle being spread abroad, there came People that could Speak and Understand French: Then she fell a speaking of French, and that in as an exact and correct a Dialect, as if she had been brought up at Paris, and that in one of the Families where they speak French best. The Subject of her Discourses is always about Religion, and therein she uses to follow very near the Order and Manner of Our Divine Service; and though she never in her life learned one Psalms, nor over understood one Tune, yet notwithstanding this, she Sings them without missing one Syllable or on Note: yea, she Sings them very sweetly, and agreeably too; and for the most part quite through. And here it is that she ordinarily gins. After this she makes Prayers, which are very admirable and excellent ones. Oftentimes she names certain Texts of Scripture, which she takes for the Subject of her Discourses. She explains them, and speaks upon them, and that not after the manner of Preachers, or in a set Method; but in a manner very singular, and always full of good Sense; and it being out of the ordinary Rules of Method, it gives the greater Character of Divinity to what she saith: For we do not find, that Inspired Persons use to follow. Human Methods in their Discourses Her Expressions are always very vigorous and touching. She is quick in her Reprehensions, which she Addresses above all others, to such as through Baseness have changed their Religion for Interest, and so have sold their Souls for Money. She very often Addresses herself to the CONVERTERS (as they call them) calling them Merchants and Truckers for Souls She endeavours to make them see the Foulness of their Conduct, and of the Means they use to make their Conversions by. If there be any one among her Auditors that is found to be distinguished by any Baseness of this kind, she never fails to direct her Discourse to him. Her own Father confessed, That coming one Night into her Chamber, she cried out aloud, as he was coming in, without ever seeing him, That they would take away that Wretched Judas, who had sold Jesus Christ for Money. Sometimes she handles the Controversies betwixt Us and the Papists, and she handles them with a great deal of strength, though without any Method; and with Reasonings (as it were) broken and unjoined, but such as are always very Just, and principally by applying several Passages out of the Holy Scriptures. After having Encountered against the Sacrifice of the Mass, she concluded one day with these Words; In one word, There can be no Sacrifice, where there is no Remission of Sin. Another time she would condemn the Idolatry of the Church of Rome, by such Texts of Scripture as appoint the Worshipping of One GOD only. Sometimes she repeats a part of the Mass, or of the Office in Latin; and the refutes it, by showing the Abominations contained in it. She Pronounces the Latin she speaks very truly, and very intelligibly. Her Motions in Delivery are not at all violent, neither doth she use any strong agitation of her Body: She puts her Arms out of Bed, and with them forms certain graceful and well-ordered Gestures. Her Voice is clear and intelligible; but without any Affectation: She moves her Lips, but it is but slowly, and without any appearance of a Convulsion. There have been some Physicians to View and Examine her in this Condition; but they could observe nothing in her that savoured of any Sickness or Bodily Infirmity. Among the many Menaces, which she makes against the Wicked, she mixes also Promises to the Faithful and to such as shall Repent. And her Promises are not only General and indeterminate ones; but it is very certain, that she hath made some very particular Predictions also. But as the Wise men of that Country do not think it proper at present to say any thing of her Predictions, I shall say nothing neither This much is most certain, That she hath promised the Church a very sudden Deliverance. When she is come out of her Exstasies, she remembers nothing at all of what hath passed, nor of what herself hath said. She affirms, That she hath slept very well, and seems not at all Tired after having talked sometimes three, four and five Hours together: For her Fits are of no less continuance. True it is that she speaks but by fits all this time, and her Discourses are not always connected. And although the Motions and Actions, which the Holy Spirit of God causes in her, make not any impression on her Imagination and Memory (since she remembers nothing of them) yet it is notwithstanding certain, that her Natural Sense becomes thereby more clear and resined. For in the beginning she was observed, after her Waking, to return to her Natural Simplicity, and to the Ignorance of a poor Shepherdess, and of a Country Girl without any Education, and whose Instruction hath been wholly neglected. But it is now apparent, by several Relations that her Sentiment is become solid; nay, that she hath something in her that even sparkles. Which hath been more especially noted since her falling into the hands of our Enemies. She was Apprehended upon the beginning of the Month of June, and carried to Crêt; and examined three several times, both at Crêt and at Grenoble. It is very easy to imagine, that there hath been nothing omitted to lay her open, and to find her a Counterfeit, and to induce her to discover her pretended Accomplices. But she hath still answered all these Interrogatives with so much Justness and Discretion, and with so many Marks of Sincerity, That the most able Advocate in the Kingdom could not form a better Reply after fifteen days study upon the Interrogatives. These are the very words of our Relations, and of the Officers of Justice that have Examined her. She Answers to every thing they ask her with very good Sense, and not without quickness of Wit; the renders a Reason for her Faith, and easily confounds all such as come to Pose her with Questions. She hath been removed from place to place; first to Crêt, then to the Hospital at Grenoble, and then to a Convent of Nuns near Grenoble. In all which places she continues to fall into her Trances, and to discourse in her Fits. They have shaved her Head, and taken away all the  and Linen she had, pretending she might have some Charm hid somewhere about her: Nay, some Priests came and Exorcised her with Holy-Water, as though she had been possessed with some Evil Spirit. But to no purpose at all, she is still the same. Sometime they have given way to some of the New Converts to approach her in the day time, while she was in Prison, or in the Hospital of Grenoble: But they would never give leave to any of them to pass the Night in her Company, nor to be Witnesses of what she said when she sell into her Exstasy. The last Letters say, That the Rage of the false Devotees was so great against her, that she could not be thought secure of her life, but for certain Persons of the first Note in that Country, who gave Orders about her. All that I have here said is the Naked Truth; but it is not all the Truth: For we give you no particulars of what She hath either said or done. There are some discreet, able and unprejudiced Persons of that Country, who labour to make an exact Collection of all that is certain and well-proved about her. And we have most assured hopes, that the Time is now coming, in which it will be both safe and free to see it.  
The long time for which we have deferred to speak of this Miraculous Event, hath given us Opportunity to understand the different Judgements of other Men about her, and to make our own Reflections upon these different Judgements. It is no marvel at all, if from the side of the Esprits forts (or Strong Heads) there have proceeded an infinity of things, in which Sense and Reason can never give men any better satisfaction than Religion can: Since even from the Side of those that are truly good, and that have a great sense of Religion on their Minds, there have come to us many things that have very much startled us, so terrible they appeared to us. To speak in general: As Incredulity was never seen to be pushed to that height, nor (with respect to the present Matter) to fall into so great an Excess; (from which even discreet and wise Persons have not been preserved:) So the Papists have certainly nothing at all to apprehend on Our part, nor have they any Reason to be afraid, lest Our Reformed should get any advantage hereby against them; for They do all they can possibly do to disparage and ruin the Story. This is such a sort of Ingratitude against the Providence and Goodness of God, that it ought not to be any longer endured. We must therefore at length plead the Cause of God, and let these Incredulous Spirits understand, into what a danger they throw themselves; either while they deny a Matter of Fact so apparent, or while they turn into Ridicule this Story, when they even allow of the Verity of the Fact. Jesus Christ accused the Pharisees of sinning against the Holy Ghost, because they attributed to Beelzebub (Prince of the Devils) those Miraculous Actions which he had produced by the Spirit of God. In very deed, this makes me Tremble for these Mockers, who at this Day laugh at this great and wonderful Accident: I wonder they do not consider, that if peradventure this should come from God, they do despite to the Spirit of Grace, by attributing its Works either to Human Contrivance or Fraud, or else to a Diabolical Spirit, as some do. It is indeed a Mark of great Discretion, not to believe any thing lightly: And therefore any one may very lawfully suspend his Judgement, if he find not the Proofs of Fact sufficiently convincing. But a Good man (much less a Christian) ought never to run the Risque of doing Despite to God's Blessed Spirit, by attributing to Impure Spirits the Works that appertain to him. Some there are that have gone so far as to say, That allowing the Fact to be true, and that the Work moreover did proceed from God, yet it should not be divulged, by reason of the hurt it may do. Certainly, one knows not how to christian such Extravagancies as these. This is no other than to raise one's self above the Wisdom of God; that is to say, That he does certain Extraordinary Works, which not only do no good at all, but a great deal of hurt. In one word: It is as much as to say, That God had done wiser to have let them alone. For it is very plain that Wisdom requires, that one should omit the doing of such Actions; as when they are done, aught to be suppressed and kept silent: And since we have employed ourselves so long time in hearing the Opinions of other People, we hope it will not be imputed to us as a Fault, if we give our own; and offer our Reflections upon these different Sentiments.  
In the first Place, There are some People who support themselves upon the Falsity of the Matter of Fact; and this perhaps is the greater Number. And it may be also, that this is the best Retrenchment that our Bold Wits can shelter themselves in; and yet notwithstanding it is good for nothing at all. For I cannot imagine, how they can call in question a Fact of so great Notoriety as this is; a Fact, whereof there is an infinite Number of Witnesses; a Fact, that hath continued so many Months together; a Fact, whereof our very Enemies are at this Day witnesses, and the Truth of which they have sufficiently convinced us of by their own Conduct.  
It is now Three whole Months that this Girl hath been in their hands; since which time she is altogether inaccessible to all such as are styled New Converts. If the Matter of Fact be Fabulous, ought they not to call together all the People of Dauphiné, to let them see this Girl sleeping quietly, like another Person, without Talking? Or, if she doth Talk, that they may see she Talks nothing but Extravagances, and Matters of no Connexion or Coherence, as has been given out by some People? Would the Papists have failed to have sent for the New Converts, that they might take notice of these Extravagances; and that they may see how they have been imposed on hitherto? Instead of this, What Instance soever an infinite Number of New Catholics, have at any time made to be present at this Girls sleep, they would never grant it to any one of them. Here we declare to the Enemies of the Truth, That as long as they shall persist in this Conduct, they will still the more persuade us, that this Girl continues to Talk against their Religion, and to confound them. Besides this Proof, which alone is capable to convince People as to the Reality of the Fact, we have several others that are Positive ones; that is. So many Declarations and Relations of discreet Persons, who are enlightened, knowing, and intelligent; and not at all Superstitious, or preingaged by any Prejudice; who were present upon the Places, and who have seen and heard with their own Ears. An Account of all hath been Written in Dauphiné, by very considerable Persons of that Country, who have Addressed themselves to Men of Letters, both wise and knowing; and that after having Examined the Girl very carefully in their own Persons, and with their own Eyes. Several Questions have been sent them; and they have returned back the Letter, together with the Questions that were sent them, with their Answer subjoined to them; by which it appeared plainly, That the things were very true as they were at first represented, except certain little Circumstances, which made no change or alteration in the Miraculous part of this Accident. After all this, they who are not willing to give Credit to these Relations, may furnish themselves with what other Assurances they shall think fit. They will not fail to say, That this pretended Public Notoriety, and that these Testimonies of Discreet and Worthy People, is not without some danger of Illusion, for that we have an hundred Experiences of Facts, that have passed for Notorious and Certain, which notwithstanding have been found false. To which we Answer, That what they suppose, neither is nor can be true, that a Matter of Fact of equal Notoriety with this, should ever be found false. It is true, That this sometimes happens in such transient Facts as happen but once only, and which are of no long continuance. A great Company of People may possibly suffer as great an Illusion, as two or three Persons. And thus an Accident which appears surprising, may deceive an infinite Number of Spectators, and so make a false Notoriety, when it is of no continuance, and when People have neither Leisure nor Liberty enough to examine it. But an Accident that continues for the space of Eight Months, and that all the World hath had the Liberty carefully to Examine, and that without any suspicion of Prejudice; such an Accident, I say, never yet produced a false Notoriety: And I challenge any one to give me an Example of it. Some indeed have produced several Letters that have either called in question the Matter of Fact, or else extenuated it: Some of them urge, That this Girl says nothing, that hath any Connexion in it; Others, That she hath spoken but very little, and that she hath not spoken above two or three times in all. All these Suppositions are not only false, but notoriously so; for the contrary of all this is notoriously true. However, ought it to be any matter of Astonishment, that there are such various Accounts about it in Letters? Are there not in all Places, a sort of Spirits that value themselves much upon calling in question, yea, and Ridiculing all such Events as seem to bear an Extraordinary Character? Who can doubt at all, but that there are in that very Province, a sufficient number of this sort of Spirits, who do all that ever they can to call in question what they themselves have a mind to doubt of? If some do but see a Letter from one of these Gentlemen, that alone will be sufficient to ruin the Attestations of any hundred Grave and Intelligent Persons, that shall say, We have seen and heard it. Besides all this, We should examine well from what side the Stories of Miracles come, in order to judge of their Truth. When they come to us from People whose Trade and Profession it is to forge Fables, it must be confessed, that all aught to be suspected. Popery hath lost all Shame upon this Chapter: It is an unexhaustible Fountain of Lie. So that whatever comes from that Side, aught to have a thousand and a thousand irreproachable Testimonies before it be believed. But since We of the Reformed Religion, have never yet been Reproached with having contrived any Pious Romances; We are therefore to be looked upon as People in a quite opposite Extreme: For we would have nothing at all believed, that is not within the Rules of Nature. Last of all, The Doctrine taught aught to be to us an infallible Touchstone, to judge of Miracles. For we believe, and have good reason to believe, That Miracles are not designed to prove the Truth, but only to awaken men's Spirits, and to render them attentive to the Truth: and therefore when they tell us a Miraculous Story, to maintain the Idolatries of Popery, how well proved soever; it may appear, we ought to be sure that there is some Illusion in it, from what side soever it may come. But the Spirit of the Devil never makes any Illusions to encounter against Superstition, Idolatry and Error, which are the only Props of his Empire. One cannot be sufficiently astonished at the Opposition that is made by Men, to the receiving the Truth of this Story. And this hath given me occasion to study carefully the several Tempers of men's Spirits, and the several Reasons that induce them to this strange Incredulity. I have found that there is a great Number, that are thus disposed by a certain peculiar Character of an Esprit fort, (or Bold Spirit, as they call it:) This I confess is the Name they use to give to certain Persons that do not believe overmuch in God. But it is none of my design, to accuse the Persons whereof I now speak of the Crime of Atheism, or Irreligion. But the Vulgar sort of Mankind, and even of the Learned part, have a false Idea of Providence; and this same false Idea is one Branch of that they call Esprit fort, and an effect of the little Devotion which we find in most People. They who are replenished and enspirited with God, look for him every where, and find him every where: But the Irreligious neither look for him, nor find him any where. They believe one God, and one Providence, and that bona fide in some sense: But according to the Idea which they have form themselves of this Providence, God is always confined to the Machine. It is he that hath given Laws unto it, it is true; but he always follows them, and is (as it were) a Slave to them by confining himself never to departed from them, or to act without them. Every thing hath its Natural Causes, according to these Gentlemen; and whatever hath not such, is false, fabulous, and impossible. I shall omit at present to say, how mischievous, how false, and of how dangerous a Consequence such a disposition of Spirit is: For it may bring one to any thing. The Truth is, That God in the most part of his Actions, hides himself (as it were) behind his Creatures; and yet notwithstanding this, he acts both in his Creatures, and by his Creatures; and that almost as immediately as if he acted without his Creatures; for he is in such a manner the Soul of the whole Machine, that it cannot advance one Line without him. It is he that determines their Motions, and makes them all to tend to his Ends: He makes the Laws of Nature, but yet sometimes he quits them when he sees good. There are an hundred and an hundred Accidents, where one thinks that one sees nothing at all above Nature, where notwithstanding it is very certain, that God comes in freely, and by a special Dispensation. Those Souls that are touched by God perceive this, though others feel it not; but think they see nothing but human and natural Efforts in all. It cannot be denied, but that this holy disposition of Mind, that finds God in every thing, doth sometimes degenerate into fond Superstition: And that there are certain Tempers that receive every thing for Truth that they hear, and that fancy with themselves, that they see a Miracle every where: This is a Vicious Extremity; but the other is infinitely worse. The Wise will take the Middle Way betwixt these two Extr●…, and so will neither be Credulous nor Superstitious. They will examine with a great deal of Care, such Facts as are Extraordinary: They will not give Ear to all Persons, nor believe the first Reports that are made unto them. But when a Fact is attested by a great Number of Witnesses of all sorts, and that after a most careful and severe Examination, then to value one's self upon being Incredulous, is in my Opinion, (to speak my Mind freely) to value one's self upon a Temper of Mind, that has (to say no worse of it) very little of Reason in it. I have but one Question to ask of these Gentlemen, who with so much disdain look upon us of another Sentiment, as poor little mean Spirits. My Question is this; Is God able to work this Miracle, or no? It may be they believe he is not, and that he has been long ago too Old to do such great and extraordinary things as these are. Yet I believe they will rather choose to say, that he is able but not willing; and then I will entreat them to tell me, Where God hath said, That he will no more do any Extraordinary thing?  
These Gentlemen, whereof we speak, being overwhelmed by the many Proofs of Fact that have been given them, to acquit themselves of the business, are fain at last to retreat themselves into places where there is not so much as a shadow of Sense or Reason. Some there are that say, That it is very possible that this young Shepherdess having heard certain Sermons in times past, had retained something of them: and that so her Imagination being heated, it brought them again to her Remembrance in time of Sleep. This is well thought, that a Child of Fifteen years of Age, that perhaps never heard any Sermons in her life; and that could not possibly hear any, but about the Age of Ten or Twelve; should Three or Four years after repeat them in her Sleep. Besides, what she says cannot possibly pass for a Repetition, or an Effect of Memory: For her way of Delivery hath nothing in it of the nature of Sermons: She speaks things that are very singular, and in a manner as singular, it bearing no Resemblance with the Discourses or ways of Preachers. Is it by the help of her Memory that she so often speaks Latin, and that she mixes it with her French so appositely? Is it by the help of her Memory, that she treats of Matters of Controversy? By what lucky hit comes it, that all her Images, whereof not the least Footstep appears in her Brain when she is awake; yet appear so exact and distinct while she sleeps? Whence did she Learn this Correct French which she speaks in the Night, and of which she cannot speak one word by Day? Yet these Gentlemen will not yield for all this. They say, There are so many Effects in Nature for which we can give no Reason at all, and of which for all that, the Machine is the only Cause. And hereupon they tell us the Story which Monsieur lafoy Motte le Vager gives us in part, of a certain Countryman, That at certain times spoke all sorts of Languages; of which at other times he understood not one word. They also add, the History of the Country man of Burgundy, who in his Sleep heard a certain Verse repeated out of Homer, which he remembered very well, though he could not understand it. This Countryman applied himself to a Learned man, whose Name is still alive, and will for ever live in the Commonwealth of Learning: He told him his Dream, or rather his Vision, together with the Words, which he still remembered. This Learned man found, that it was a Verse out of Homer, which foretold him, that his House should fall in a little time; which did not fail to happen accordingly. Behold say they, a thing no less Miraculous than your Shepherdess. We are not bound to grant, That these two Facts were as Miraculous, as that whereof we Treat: But the Examining of this is not necessary. It is sufficient to maintain to these Gentlemen, that these two Facts did nor happen by Natural Causes. Whether indeed it was the Holy Ghost, or the Wicked Spirit that possessed them, that is the only Question: But it can be no Doubt to any Reasonable Mind, whether the Machine alone either did, or was able to do this thing. And it is still much more certain, that our Miracle could not be perform by the Machine; for it is much more Miraculous to Talk whole Nights, to speak what one never knew; and to speak things Divine and Heavenly too, and that in very good order and sense; than to hear something one time in a Dream, or to pronounce certain Words form as by another's Tongue: The Wicked Spirit might produce this; but it could never inspire into a single Soul the wonderful things of God. In the mean time, It is certain that the Fact related by Monsieur la Motte le Vager, and such others like it; are not done by Natural Causes. But, say they, how know you how far the Powers of Nature may go? Wretched Objection! We know it by Experience; we know it by the use of Reason. It is true that Nature doth an hundred things Mechanically, whereof we can give no Reason. But it does them always, and always alike: If it varies sometimes, it is no surprising thing, if while we know not the Causes, we are ignorant of the Principle of these Variations. When Extraordinary Accidents consist but in Corporeal Motions, one may then with less Injustice refer their Causes to the Machine: At least it will be more difficult to persuade the Incredulous in this Case, than in others; although many times they have no more Truth and Reason on their sides here, than elsewhere. But to Reason and Discourse Divinely, without having learned any thing at all, and without having so much as the Images of what one says impressed upon the Machine of the Brain; This, I say, is entirely beyond the Powers and Action of the Machine. Moreover, this wicked Solution of theirs may be justly looked upon as an open way to the most Criminal of all Incredulities. For we may then with the same Freedom say, of the Miracles of Jesus Christ and of his Apostles, that we cannot determine, whether they are true Miracles or no; for that one does not know how far the Operations of Nature may go.  
This may suffice for an Answer to the Esprit sorts (or Strong Heads, as they call them:) We will answer the Objections of others in our next.  
Oct. 1. 1688.   

A Continuation of the REFLECTIONS Upon the MIRACLE OF DAUPHINE: WITH An Examination of the Question, Whether the Time of Miracles be absolutely ceased?  
IN Our former Letter we have fully answered what hath been advanced by those called Strong Heads, to encounter with the Verity of the Fact happened in Dauphiné, in the Person of a Shepherdess: It is now time to take Notice of Persons that have much more Wit, and which we can by no means suspect of the least thought tending to Infidelity; but yet cannot without good Reasons do otherwise, than call in question the Accident here treated of. Let us now hear what they have to say: They say in the first place, That we are not now in the Age of Miracles, that being long since past. This Maxim of theirs, to which the Controversies of these latter Ages have given so much Authority among us, aught to be understood in a sound Sense. We are not, it is very true, in the Age of Miracles at present: That is to say, we have not any longer such Men among us, as God has bestowed the Gift of Tongues, or of Healing upon, and such as can ordinarily, and whenever they please, put the Omnipotence of God into act: This we must own to be true. And for this Reason it is, that when we see a poor sorry Friar running all Europe over to Heal the Sick, to give Hearing to the Deaf, and to restore Sight to the Blind, and pretending to Bless the Christian Armies; as if the Success of their Arms depended upon his Blessings; we dare boldly then pronounce, that such an one is a Knave, and an Impostor. When they tell us of Miraculous Cures▪ that have been done by the Image of our Lady, and by the Relics of such a Saint; we may then without Hesitation aver, That these are but Tricks and Illusions. And the Reason is very clear: For that God in the Ages of true and indubitable Miracles, never made use of such Ways as these in order to work Miracles. Did the Prophets and Apostles ever make use of the Images of their Predecessors? Did they ever Consecrate their Bones or their Ashes? Did they ever make use of them to work Prodigies or Extraordinary things? One single Resurrection▪ caused by a Dead man's touching the Ashes of Eliseus, can be no sufficient ground for these Vain and Idolatrous Superstitions: For this is but one single Instance, and one that had no Consequence founded upon neither. But I will assure you, my▪ Brethren, that the best way to unburthen ourselves of the Load of Popish Miracles, is not always that which our People ordinarily fly to; which is utterly to deny the Matters of Fact, and always to say, This is False; this is a Lie; or This is a Cheat of some Priest or Monk. This Accusation is indeed often very just: For it is certain, that the greatest part of the Miracles of Popery are but Fables and Impostures. But yet for all this we must not deny, that among these False Miracles there are many Matters of Fact that are true. The Writers of the Port Royal were extremely in the right, when they said, There would-never have been any False Miracles, if there had been none True. For Fictions and Cheats are but Imitations of the Truth. What hath been said by these Gentlemen of Miracles in general, that I say with much confidence of the Miracles of Popery; That had Images and Relics never done any true Prodigies, or Extraordinary thing at all, the Imposture could never have been supported so long. All these Cheats of Monks, and all the Tales of Legends, have been contrived and imitated upon the Platform of certain Extraordinary Accidents, which at some time or other have been procured in the presence of Images, and in the use of Relics. And the Scripture hath expressly foretold as much: It saith, That the False Christ's, and the Antichrist, shall work Signs and Miracles, so as to make Fire to come down from Heaven. It doth not say, That these will be always mere Impostures. It is not therefore to be doubted, but that the Spirit of Lies has sometimes by God's Permission wrought Real Prodigies, to maintain and establish a False and Idolatrous Worship. So that supposing that the Gentlemen of the Port Royal had those Incontestable Proofs, that they pretended to, for the Miracles of their Holy Thorn, I should not Conceit ever the better of Popery for that, nor should it be this that should induce me to think the better of Jansenism.  
Here than you have showed unto you the Sense in which that Maxim, That we are not new in the Age of Miracles, in true. But if hereby it be understood, that since the Apostles and their Age, God hath confined himself within the course of Second Causes, so that he doth no longer any thing, but according to the Laws of the Machine: That he speaks no longer to Man by the Extraordinary Actions of Providence; and so that all the Prodigies and Events that are accounted Miraculous, are either Counterfeit, or Natural ones. If, I say, this Sense be given to this Maxim, this is one of the greatest Mistakes that can be, and even the most Dangerous one. The quite contrary to which is precisely true; that is, That God never ceased to give Extraordinary Testimonies of his Goodness, or of his Justice, or of his Power; and that by such Miraculous Events, as being either against the Laws of Nature, or else above them, are notwithstanding this dispensed with by a singular Providence of God at certain times, to awaken the Attention of Mankind. Where do we find that God has Marked out certain Ages, out of which he hath tied his Hands from Working any thing Extraordinary more? If there ever have been such Ages as these, they were certainly those wherein the Covenants were established. I find not above two or three of these Ages: That in which God Renewed his Covenant with Mankind in general, in the Person of Noah; that in which God made a Covenant with Abraham, for his Posterity; and that in which Moses gave to the People the Covenant and Oeconomy of the Law. This Age of Moses abounded with Miracles, and those very great Miracles; if ever there were such. I am well satisfied, that this was very necessary to confirm the Covenant which Moses gave to a People Naturally Unbelieving, and that still called for Signs. But Moses and Joshua being new dead, and the People put in Possession of the Land of Canaan; and the Service of God now Established in the Form prescribed by the Law, without any Contradiction; behold now the Age of Miracles, according to the present Notion, quite past. For to what purpose should God continue his Extraordinary Operations, when he had no longer any Covenant to Establish; if it were true, that Miracles were only designed for the Ages of the Covenants? And yet one sees in the History of the Old Testament, That from the time of Moses, to the Destruction of the First Temple, Good gave from time to time certain Extraordinary Marks of his Power, by Miraculous Events▪ Nor was this any longer fixed to particular Persons, as formerly to Moses and Joshua; in whose Hands God seemed to have deposited his very Omnipotency itself. Had not the Prophets the Power of working Miracles? Do we not see that Samuel, Jeremy, Ezekiel, Daniel, and almost all the rest, confirmed their Words by Miracles? And not only so, but from time to time God (when he saw good) wrought Signs and Miracles before the very Eyes of the People. Why then would they have the Ages of the Gospel best favoured? The Apostles Age, was (I confess) the true Age of Miracles. And it may be that since their time there have not been any men, who could ordinarily work Miracles. But it is very false, That since that time God hath never wrought any Extraordinary Work, either by men, or without men. Neither is it only in the Church, nor only with respect to the Church, that God has in all Ages wrought Events above the Ordinary course of Nature; but with respect to Mankind in general, and to a general Providence. This is a Truth that might be supported by a Thousand and a Thousand Arguments drawn out of Histories, as well Sacred as Profane: From which it is apparent, that there have happened in all Ages Prodigies and Surprising Things, both against and above the ordinary Course of Nature.  
I know very well, that the Weak Heads, who suffer themselves to be carried away by the lively and extravagant Imaginations and Conceits of the Bolder Wits, treat all these Miraculous Accidents as mere Fictions. I know very well also, that among these Relations of Prodigies there are some that are altogether false; and others enlarged upon; and others again overmuch aggravated. I know very well in the last place, that by reason of the mixture of True and False, It is not very easy to know precisely what is True and what is False. But to conclude that all is False, and hereupon to set up a perfect Pyrrhonian Scepticism in History, which some of the Fine Wits of this Age go about to do; this is (in my Opinion) the greatest Rashness in the World, and one of the greatest Extravagances into which the Mind of man can possibly fall, and a sort of Madness, that seems to me to be scarce Human. And the more is the Pity, there is something in it besides that is worse than Madness. For these Wholesale Sceptics in History entice men by degrees into Impiety; and encourage a certain Spirit of Libertinism that is quite opposite to all Religion. These Gentlemen raise their own private Judgements above all the Testimonies in the World, whether Living or Dead; and will needs have it, That even men that shall say and affirm, I have seen it, I have heard it; must needs be Liars. Certainly this is to fall foul upon a great part of Mankind at once.  
I am so well persuaded of the Falseness of this Maxim, That God hath now left off all Extraordinary Operations, that I believe in my Conscience, that there is not any one Country or Town, that might not afford a true, a fair, and a very large History of such Supernatural or Extraordinary Accidents in their own Precincts and Territories: Such as are Sings appearing in the Heaven or in the Earth, Prodigies and Monsters, Miraculous Dreams, or other such like things, that betoken the Providence of God, and the Care He takes of Mankind. But men are in this respect regardless to a Prodigy, and even to Stupidity itself. When any thing very Extraordinary happens, the Common People startle at it for the present; the Wiser sort laugh at it; and in a few days they say no more of it. For Instance, There is a Public Notoriety of Fact which I find still in this Country; That in the Year 1672, when the English were upon the Coasts with a formidable Naval Army, just ready to enter into the Rivers and Ports of this Country, to finish what the French had already so far advanced; there were two Ebbs in one Day, and that without any Flow at all: Which retarded the Enemy's Fleet, and gave time to that of this Country, to oppose their designs. At that time every Body took notice of it; many Persons of good Credit assured me of it. But who is there, that gave any Attention to so great a Marvel? And did not this deserve well, to be formally put among the Public Records? The Inhabitants of Maesland-Slayce were more exact upon the occasion of a Prodigy, that was seen in the Air by certain Seamen, a little before the War which Cromwell made against this State: There were seen in the Air Armies, Engagements, and the Shapes of Lions coming from different parts of the Heavens, which made divers sorts of Motions: The Magistrates of the Place cited these Persons to their Town-Hall, where they took their Depositions upon Oath. And I myself have seen, and read a Copy of their Informations Never was there any sort of Prodigy, that has afforded more frivolous Stories than that of Apparitions in the Clouds. Notwithstanding, this Instance shows, that it is not Reasonable to hold all that is said of this kind for Fabulous. For there can be no Reason to Accuse men of Lying and Imposture, that Depose upon Oath what hath passed before their own Eyes.  
I will Conclude after this, That no Soul (that has a true sense of God) will Temerariously pronounce. That the Age of Miracles is now past; so that God doth nothing any longer immediately, or above the Common Laws of Nature. All that has been Written against Presages in this Age are but so many Sport of Wit, that serve to no other End, but to call the Providence of God in question. These Gentlemen think they have done Wonders, when they have Tacked together a Parcel of Prodigies that were thought significant, and yet nothing followed them. They ought to remember, that their Knowledge is too narrow to comprehend every thing, and that they are not Ingenious enough to dive into the Designs of Providence, nor into all the Resemblances that are betwixt the Events and the Signs which God gives to Mankind, to Forewarn them of them. All Prodigies and Presages are not necessarily designed to Betoken dismal and sad Events; their use is to render men's Minds attentive to the Works of God, and to excite in th●m a Belief of a Divine Providence. If God leaves some Ambiguities in Presages; if he sends them not at all times; and if we cannot discern the reason why he sends them one time and not another; we ought not to be concerned▪ For this is the most usual Course of God Almighty, he Discovers himself in part, and Hid himself in part: He leaves some Difficulties in every thing, and Stones of Stumbling for Rebellious and Unbelieving Spirits. And this is the first thing I have to say upon the Occasion of this Maxim, That the Age of Miracles is now past.  
See here now a Second; who hath Informed these Gentlemen, That this same Time of Miracles is so past, as never to return again. I would not be thought absolutely to assure any, That an Age is now coming in which there shall be Men and Saints seen with Miracles, as in former Days. But really I see a great deal of likely hood of it notwithstanding; and it may be Miracles are as necessary to consummate the Establishing of the Reign of Jesus Christ, as they were to begin it. What is already come to pass, is nothing in comparison of what is yet behind: The Conversion of the Jews, and that of the rest of ●he Pagans, and the Fall of Babel, are such great Works, that according to the Order in which God ordinarily doth Extraordinary Works, they who shall accomplish them may very probably be furnished with Miracles to Amaze men, and beat down the Rebellion of their Spirits. Above all, The Conversion of the Jews can never be wrought without Miracles, I believe I may safely affirm it without Rashness. For this is the Character of that Nation, The Jew seeks a Sign. And the Opiniatrety of this unhappy People is now mounted to such a pitch, that God must be forced to employ all his most powerful Engines to overcome it. As to the Conversion of the Infidel Nations, which we also expect, it is true that it may be accomplished without Miracles, as there have been so many Nations Converted already (since the Death of the Apostles) only by the Preaching of the Gospel. Yet this great Work will never be brought about, until God shall advertise us of it by such Events and Signs, as being not performed by Men, will the better show us the Finger of God. For what relates to the Fall of Babylon, and the Resurrection of the Church, which we expect in a little time; this is so great a Work, that it is no wonder at all, that God gives us such Extraordinary Signs and Presages of it, and those so very significant. It may be, there were never seen so many as have happened within these Three Years, without looking nay higher. One must be very dull (in my Opinion) not to see, and not to feel the Hand of God, and his very Finger in what happened in the Church of St. Malo's, by the Fall of a Thunder-Bolt; and in the Strokes of Heaven, which have burnt and beaten down so many Churches within this two last years; in this dreadful shaking of the Earth, which hath overturned Great Cities in Italy, the Country of Antichrist; and which hath caused a Trembling to the very Root of the Vatican, the Seat of the Beast. And lastly, I see no cause why one should be so obstinate, as not to see a Miraculous Token of the Will of God in those Sing that have been heard in the Air at the beginning of this Persecution. Not to be touched with this Miracle, Men will be wilful Doubters: And yet there may be found in France above Thirty thousand Witnesses of it. Monsieur Vivens, who was a Preacher in the Cevennes, and held Assemblies there for the space of almost Two years, brought us about Thirty or Forty at one time; and we have it from his own Mouth, that he himself heard these wonderful Sing several times.  
Now to have the satisfaction of Treating this as a Fiction, it is suggested by some, That even in our Seventh Letter of the first Year of our Pastorals, we have related nothing but Hearsays. Yet notwithstanding, would they but take the pains to Read, they would find that I have given the Certificates of Monsieur Mai●poey, Monsieur Bergeret, Monsieur de la Bordette, Madamoiselle de Formalagues; Monsieur de Vallescure, a Gentleman of the Cevennes, who said he heard Sung in the Air five or six of the Verses of the fifth Psalm. Since which I have received▪ and have now in my Custody the Testimony of Monsieur de la Bastide of Tourtelon, Son to the said Vallescure, who Attests the same thing with his Father. I have also Reported the Testimony of Madamoiselle de Vebron; who assures me, that she has distinguished in these Miraculous Sing above Thirty of our Psalms. I have (besides all this) the Attestation of Monsieur de la Gardicalle, a Gentleman of Honour, who is now in this Country, who hath Deposed betwixt my Hands, and in the Presence of five other Gentlemen, all the Circumstances of these Sing, he having heard them himself, within Two hundred Paces of the Town of Vigan. The Truth whereof he assured me upon Oath, nay, with Tears in his Eyes; not being able to think of this Miracle, without being sensibly touched▪ I have also the Depositions of two Inhabitants and Burgesses of the Town of Mauvezin in Armagnac, who speak of it as Eye witnesses▪ And last of all, here is the Letter of one Monsieur de Bess, written from Switzerland: It is too Remarkable upon this Subject, not to be made public.  
SIR,  
THere are a Multitude of People that say, they have heard in France the Sound of a Trumpet, and the Singing of Psalms, all coming out of the Air. But perhaps I am the only Man of France, that is a Refugié in this City, that can say, that I have heard it myself in an infinite number of places. The first of April last was the first time that I had this privilege in a Place called Viane, which is in the Upper Languedoc. There it was that I heard the Sound of a Trumpet at Berlieres, which is in the Neighbourhood of Viane; I heard the Sound of a Trumpet, together with a Harmony bearing much Resemblance to the Singing of our Psalms: But I heard this Harmony in so admirable a manner near St. Sebé, hard by Rovergue; and so did the Sieur Calas, our Clerk, and an Uncle of his, as well as myself, that we all Three together lifted up our Hands to Heaven, being Ravished and Charmed with what we heard: I crossed Rovergue, Gevaudan▪ Auvergne, the Forests, the Lyonnois, and a part of Savoy; and in all these Places I heard either the Trumpet, or the Harmony: But I observed, that in the Plains it was always the Trumpet, and in the Vales always the Harmony: And this happened both by Day and by Night time; but in the Night in a more clear and distinct manner than in the Day; you may easily imagine the Reason of that. Before I had this advantage myself, I always slighted such as spoke of it; and I was used to tell them, That this would be a Miracle, and that it was not necessary for God to work such in these days; because he is not now to establish a New Religion, nor to authorise the Vocation of certain Persons to persuade men to it. But I am now convinced of the Truth of it by my own Ears. Some have imagined it to be the Singing of certain Persons met together in the Woods, or in the Caves: But they are deceived for I have heard the very same thing in an infinite number of Places; and even at the very time that I heard it at Viane, and at Berlieres, others heard it at Mazamet, and in the Cevenes; as appeared by many Letters written from these Hills. This is so true, that Five Gentlemen of Mazamet were brought into the Prisons of Castres', for having said, That they heard the Sound of a Trumpet, and the Singing of Psalms, coming out of the Air. And Monsieur la Poire● of Viane was brought into the same Prisons, by two Soldiers of the Regiment of Coningsmark, for having spoken the same Truth. But they were not there above Twenty four Hours; and when they were discharged, they were forbid to say any more of it. I was still at Viane, at Monsieur la Poires Return. I have also seen a Letter of Monsieur Descalmels, written to Mad amoiselle de Severac his Sister, where he takes Notice to her, that he had heard a Symphony that Ravished him; and that Monsieur de Mont-vaillant heard it also. I had a great desire to communicate this News to you, that you might acquaint our Friends with it; but especially the Renowned Monsieur Claude: Be so kind as to entreat them to make no doubt of it upon the assurance that you have of my Sincerity. I have forgot to tell you, that the Trumpet sounds always as if an Army were going to Charge, and that the Harmony is like a Composition of many Voices, and of an infinite number of Musical Instruments, and that sometimes more and sometimes less Ravishing, according to the situation of the Vales. You will oblige me exceedingly, to let me know what Conjectures you shall make upon it; in the mean time I will send you mine. I do believe that the Trumpet is a sign of a Cruel War, that will be made in a little time; and that the Harmony comes from the Mouths of Angels, who to put our Enemies in the last Confusion. Thunder out the Praises of God, at a time when these Wretched Men forbidden it to Reformed Christians. This War will most probably be made against those, who at this time make it against us in the most barbarous and unjust manner that can be: For we very well know, that God punishes (sooner or later) the Outrages committed upon his Children, as once appeared in the Example of Pharaoh and Herod, and many others. God grant us the gift of the Spirit of Consolation and Constancy, that we may bear up against these Evil days; and that he may bestow upon us the happiness of being in a Capacity to pass them together, is the most ardent desire of him, who is,  
Sir, Your most Humble and Obedient Servant, BESS. Lausanne, May 25. 1686.  
This Monsieur de Bess is a Minister, who had the Misfortune to be under Confinement in France, not being able to get out of the Kingdom; but at last found means to Escape.  
This is a True Copy, Extracted from the Original which I have in my Hands.  
F. MURAT, sometime Minister of the Church of Marseille, Aix, and Velaux.  
I do Avow, That after so many Testimonies of such as say, I have heard, and I have seen; I have not the hardyness to believe, that all these People are Liars: And am willing with all my Heart to pass for one of a poor Inconsiderable Spirit, without any Judgement, and for one overgone in Visions and Revelations. However, I hope, I have still sufficient Judgement to distinguish what is probable from what is not, and Doubtful things from certain: And for this Reason I shall forbear to say any thing of many other Prodigies that are much spoken of abroad, and whose Reality time may perhaps discover. However that may be; that much that is unquestionable, is sufficient to persuade me, That God is now ready to do his Work, and that therefore he will bestow Signs upon us to strengthen and confirm our Expectations, and to awaken the Enemies of our Holy Religion, that they may give the better Attention to the Truth.  
This is one of the Objections of our Infidels: To what end, say they, should God work Miracles in these days? We have no need of them to confirm our Religion: It is not a new Dispensation that we are going about to establish. If God had had any Reason to work Miracles, he should have wrought them rather in the Last Age, when our Reformers began to Preach their Doctrine first.  
In the first place I Answer, That when once one assumes to one's self the Liberty of ask Questions of God, and of demanding of him the Reasons of what he doth, one may then proceed far enough. Why did God cause the Israelites to pass over the Red Sea, when he brought them out of Egypt; and not rather conduct them by that slip of Land that parts the Mediterranean from the Red Sea? That had been the shortest Cut to the Holy Land. Wherefore did he make an Ass to speak? Why did he permit that Samson, so express a Type of Jesus Christ, should do so many strange and unjustifiable Actions? And, why did he confine this man's Strength to his Hair? Why would he trouble Himself to work so many Miracles before Men, in order to Convert them? He needed but to accompany the Preaching of the Apostles, with such a Victorious Grace, as should over come all the Contradictions of their Hearts. It's neither safe nor becoming to search for Difficulties in the Conduct of God Almighty, and to call him in question for his Methods. Why hath he Chosen a poor Shepherdess to be the Instrument of this great Miracle? Why did he do this in the further end of Dauphine? Why did he not rather choose a larger Theatre? All Persons that have but a little Penetration, will be sufficiently sensible, that an Answer may be made to all these Questions: But were there no Answer at all to be made to them, that would be no Reason to call in question matters of Fact that are well Attested, and whereof there are an Hundred and an Hundred Testimonies worthy of Credit. We ought to show God Almighty so much Respect, as to believe, That whatever he doth is very well and very wisely done. As to what is said, That in the Last Age God did not precede the Work of Reformation with any such Presages; I Answer, That what is here suggested is not perhaps very true; there were some then observed, and it may very well be, that many Signs and Notable Presages have escaped the Notice of History, by reason of the little Attention that was then given them; and by the great Prejudice men than had against every thing that was called a Miracle. Besides, the number of False Miracles being at that time infinite, and God having not then enlightened men's Spirits upon this Point, it may be he thought it not convenient to work any true Sign then, that they might not be enveloped in a heap of Impostures and Fables. In the last place I boldly affirm, That the Work that remains yet to be done, for the entire ruin of Antichristianism, appears plainly to me to be incomparably more difficult than what hath been done in the Last Age. At that time the World was weary of Popery, by reason of the horrible Corruptions of its Ministers. At that time the darkness of Ignorance was thick in the very Supporters of Popery. A small Light was then sufficient to discover to the People with ease the turpitude of Antichristianism. At that time the Defenders of the Romish Errors were neither Able men, nor Learned, nor fit to defend them. And that was the Reason that the Reformers baffled them so easily. But now adays Popery hath taken new Roots. Its Ministers are less impure; its Doctors are infinitely more Learned. They have studied out and invented wicked Sophisms, and wicked Answers to our charges; how wicked soever they may be in our Opinion, yet they have given them so plausible an appearance of Cogency, that they impose upon the Knowing as well as upon the Simple. Hereby Prejudices become more insuperable, and Popery hath recovered new strength every where. They are now fortified against our strongest Arguments: And their being no longer New, is now a Reason they should be no longer Effectual. And therefore I do not at all wonder, that the Providence of God gins now to interpose its Power, as having a greater Enemy to subjugate. It is alleged, That the Proofs from God's Word are sufficient; they are so without question; and therefore these Miracles are not intended in the least to Prove our Religion, but to oblige our Adversaries to give fair Attention to our Verities. It is impossible, but they must be astonished at so many Prodigies; and this Astonishment will oblige them to apply themselves, and to examine the Truth in its Nakedness, without Passion. We have no need of these Confirmations, say others. And therefore (say I) it is not for us principally, that these Signs are given. It is for Misbelievers; and yet should not we ourselves, (although our Faith have no need of such new Supports) yet be very glad, that God works such great Marvels in our behalves? Have not we great need to be fortified in our expectance of the accomplishing of God's Promises?  
Last of all, some say, Who is it that believes these Sings? and, why should God do Miracles for Persons that have no Faith in them? Where do you find any Converted by them? It may be they that Talk thus, have little Reason to esteem themselves for all the World. They ought not to conclude, That what does them no good, is therefore wholly useless to others. There are a vast number of Simple and Devout Souls, who behold in it the Finger of God, and give him the Glory of it. If there hath been none Converted by it as yet, it doth not follow, that it will be therefore always useless. The Crops of Corn are a long time hid in the Ground, before they make any appearance above.  
I know but one thing more, that these Gentlemen often tell us. To believe (say they) such Toys as these, would be to give room for Papists, to scatter about their false Miracles. Have we made so much noise against their Legends, and do we go to set up others in their steads? How shall we at another time deny our Belief to those numerous Fables, which Popery imposes upon us for Truths; if we once give credit to a Story in all respects like the Fictions rejected by us? I do avow, that I scarce have patience to admit of such Comparisons as these. What reason is there to compare the Fact whereof we now Treat, to the places where Popery sets up an Office of Miracles; where the Sick, the Blind, the Deaf, the Lame find a Miraculous Cure for having performed a Neufvaine, or Nine days Prayer only? To certain Miracles wrought betwixt four Walls, and whereof there are no better Proofs than Heaps of Crutches behind a Door, or some little Paltry Book, of as much Authority as Almanacs, or the Testimonies of some two or three Impo●…rous Monks or Priests? Is there any Justice, I say, to compare such things as these to a Notorious Fact, which hath happened and continued for Eight or Nine Months together, in the fight of the very Enemies of the Truth? The Miracles of the Legends are for the most part Ridiculous, Impertinent, and Unworthy of the Majesty of God: As for Instance; Here is a Friar assaulted and beaten by the Devil: Here is another Friar, that went about to Eat certain little Birds roasted upon a Spit, and afterwards repenting him of his Liquorish Tooth, drew them off again; and making the sign of the Cross upon them, made them recover their Lives and Feathers, and fly away: Here is again a certain Saint, that turned some Pounds of Butter into Gold; And a certain Dead Woman. that nourished an Infant with her Milk, and at her Breast. With many more Impertinences of this Nature. Now what is there in this Story that is Ridiculous, or any way like unto these? What can any one find here, that is not worthy the Greatness of God? In fine, Doth it follow, that because the Devil hath invented a thousand Fabulous Fictions, that therefore we are to deny Credit to constant, certain, and well-proved Truths? Is this Reasonable? If the Papists can make their Pretended Miracles appear to us with as great Evidence, as we can these, we will believe them; but we will not for all that believe their Doctrine. That is to say, We will believe the Facts; but not that these Facts happened for the Confirmation of their Superstitions and Idolatries; or, that it was the Power of God that produced them with any such intention. For Dogmes and Verities ought to have their proper Proofs, and their clear Evidence independent upon Miracles, which were designed for no other use, than to Combat with, and remove Prejudices. But we absolutely deny, that there are among the Miracles of the Roman Church, any one of the same kind with the Miracle of this Shepherdess, that hath been well proved.  
It is not impossible, but that a Sick Person might have been really Cured, after having performed the Neufvaine (or Nine Days Prayer) near some Saint, and after the touching of a certain Relic. But besides that, this might have happened by Natural Means; the Devil may very well work an Extraordinary Cure. And therefore these sorts of Sings, and all those that the Church of Rome showeth, are but Equivocal ones: But now here, there is nothing at all that is Equivocal; for it is impossible, that the Devil should destroy the Honour and Adoration of Creatures, where he so well finds his Account, and which hath restored him a true Paganism in the Place of that which he lost.  
Lastly, some may say, What is the Consequence of all this; and what is the Conclusion that should be drawn, and the use that should be made of the Sings that God bestows in favour of the Protestant Religion? The Conclusion that should be drawn from it is; That God showing (in favour of the Protestant Religion) such Signs as he never shown before, doth certainly intent to do that for it that he never did before. These Miraculous Sing, which have been heard in divers places of the Kingdom, and that precisely at the Beginning of the Persecution, and the Mission by Dragoons; and this ignorant and simple Shepherdess, whom he inspires to perform Divine Service in her Trances, exactly in the manner that we used to perform it before our Dispersion and Ruin, are so many certain and manifest Proofs, that God approves our Worship and Religion; and are such Presages to us, as I look upon as unquestionable, that he will not only not suffer the Work of the Reformation (which our Forefathers have so happily begun) to fall to the ground; but also that he will carry it on to its farthest Perfection. What we ask of the Papists is not, that they will (upon the Credit of these Miracles) believe the Truth of what we propose to them; but that they will be cured of their Prejudices by them, and that they will carefully examine the Signs, that they may see whether they proceed from the Devil, and the Spirit of Lies, or no. And that they will open their Eyes, that they may hear without Passion the Arguments we bring them, That their Religion is True and Real Antichristianism  
Last of all, After all that hath been said, whatever Difficulty may be found in the thing, we ought to hold to what shall be found both well proved and well known: For there is nothing that makes a man look more Ridiculous in Conversation, than after all the Proofs of Fact possible, still to pronounce This is impossible; and that without giving any other Reason: For Proofs of Fact can never be destroyed, but by other Proofs of Fact more strong and convincing. But now never any Event or Accident in the World, had more speaking or lively Proofs, than this hath. And since we spoke of this in our former Pastoral, there have appeared in Public many more Attestations of Persons that have both seen and heard it, and that were Eye-witnesses of it.  
Octob. 15. 1688.   

A LETTER From a Gentleman of DAUPHINE To one of his Friends at GENEVA, Containing what he heard said of ISABEL VINCENT THE SHEPERDESS.  
Printed first at Geneva, and Reprinted at Amsterdam, and now done into English from the French Copy.  
SIR,  
YOu were pleased to send to Me for the News about the young Girl that you were told of; and I had not deferred so long to give you an Account of this Wonder, had I not waited for some Particulars more at large. Her name is Isabel Vincent, Daughter to one John Vincent of the Liberty of Saou in Dauphine, Aged about Fifteen Years; She can neither Write nor Read. She was heard on the Third of the Month of February, as She lay in her Bed, to speak the Mighty things of God. Her Godfather, with whom she served as his Shepherdess, and who dwelled there and the other People that Lived in the said House with him, believed it to Proceed from some Lightness in her Head: but perceiving it to continue for several Nights, they went to her Bedside to awake Her, but were not able: She still spoke as before. She speaks with her Eyes Closed, putting out her Hands one after another; After which She sings Leave le Caeur (or Lift up your Heart) or some other Psalm to the End: After this She Expounds several Passages out of the Holy Scriptures, with a pretty strong Voice, and then makes Her Application on the present Good or Evil Circumstances of the Church; or on the Repentance of a Sinner, which is ever the principal End of all her Exhortations: She speaks very good French in all her Exhortations, excepting that ever and anon, when she falls upon the Abuses of the Roman Church, she speaks her own Natural Language: But when she awakes, she doth not remember that she spoke any thing, neither can she speak any French at all; And after her Exhortation she Sings again another Psalm without missing any thing, either as to the Words or Tune. After this she makes a very handsome Extemporary Prayer, and that either upon what she had Treated of before, or else upon the present Affliction of the Church, which she foretells will be but Short, but very Violent. At other times she Treats also of Matters of Controversy, in which she Expounds some Point or other with wonderful clearness, which she chooses according to the Occurrence of the time: As for Instance, Upon Easter Eve she chose the matter of the Eucharist for Subject, and spoke very pertinently upon it; But more especially she made certain Comparisons concerning the Mass, which I never heard any make before, whereof this is one, She clapped both her Hands together, and then turned them several ways, saying, Dear Christian Brethren (for so she gins most commonly) suppose these to be a couple of Silver Plates; look upon them on this side and on that, there can be nothing in the World more Gay or Glittering, the Workman hath Polished them and made them look very sine; but now open them and look withinside, It is a Void, there is nothing within; and this she shown by opening her two Hands again: Just such another thing is the Mass; There is nothing in the World more Gaudy in appearance, it promises much to the sight; But if you look but on the inside, there is nothing. We offend God by Adoring that which is but Bread, and by setting the Creature in the place of the Creator: Go you not after the Infidels (for so she culls them oftentimes) Above all, Communicate not with them; Rather Administer the Communion among yourselves. She would also repeat the Pater, the Credo, the Ave Maria, the Confiteor, all in Latin, and that without missing one syllable: After which she would say to those that stood by, by way of derision. Doth it not Edify you very much, my Dear Christian Brethren, that I have spoken to you so many Words that you understand not, when you repeat them yourselves? Look you, said she, how they abuse the poor People, appointing them such things as Good hath not Commanded, and omitting those things he hath Commanded! My Dear Christian Brethren, amend your Lives, God will have Mercy upon you; Search the Word of God wherever you find it. I should write to you more than one Letter to acquaint you with all that she said; It would have made great Volume, if any had taken the pains to Collect all: All her Discourses have a Marvellous Connexion in them. At times she ceases to speak for about a quarter of an hour, after which she resumes the Thread of her Discourse without missing any one thing: As she has not discontinued to speak since the time I before told you, so this has drawn into the places where she has been, People from many parts, as well within as without the Province, in so much that the matter could not be concealed. The Sieur Boudra Lieutenant Particulier to the Vicarial of Crêt, ordered her to be apprehended by the Arches at Saou, as she followed her Flock on Tuesday last, being the eighth Current: And thereupon after he had Interrogated her upon four several Heads one by one, she answered him Head by Head very Pertinently and in good French, which she had never done waking before. He ordered her to be conducted the next day, being the Twenty ninth, to the Prisons of the same City of Crêt, and Interrogated her several times; she answered him in very good and solid sense; I shall understand better the particulars of her Answers hereafter, and shall inform you. I am just now informed that she Preaches in the Prison, and that she hath spoken every Night of late: And although she is shut up in the uppermost part of the Prison, in a Chamber very near to the Roof, yet she may be heard in the Street. Her Enemies Treat her as a Mad Woman, but she is not in the least so. It is purely the Spirit of God that speaks by her, it is not the Spirit of Lies, as some have told you: For than he would labour to destroy himself, which would contradict the saying of our Saviour, That a Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. The end of all her Exhortation tends to the Conversion of Sinners, and the Destruction of the Works of the Devil: We shall see what consequence it will have, and I will communicate to you what shall pass on this Subject.  

The Following Words were related to me by persons worthy of Credit, who heard them themselves.  
THere will be a Year in which the Sacks will be dearer than the Corn; The Second Year, will be followed with a Famine; And the Third, with a Pestilence that shall begin one the side of Rome, the Friday before Easter day: Since you cannot Communicate at Easter, you would do well to fast: This was the Day on which Jesus Christ did Eat the Paschal Lamb; and if you cannot Communicate in public, do it in private, and what you have done in secret, he shall repay you openly.  
There is a little Root that shall increase by little and little; Our deliverance also shall come by little and little, like this little Root.  
If any come that are not of the Faithful, I shall catch them, for I will say nothing at all.  
Have a care you come not hither out of Curiosity; God will not be well pleased if the Wicked come to make them sport: Better it were for them that hot Coals of Fire should pass through their Mouths, than that they should mock at the Word of God; They had better swallow a Serpent with all its Poison; For a Serpent wounds but the Body; but Satan's Poison wounds both Body and Soul.  
If all were observed that I shall say, it would contain as much as three Bibles of a Cubit Height.  
It is not I that speak, but the Spirit that is within me: In the later Days your young People shall prophecy, and your Old Men shall dream Dreams.  
If you pray, you shall obtain Mercy; for a Servant cannot receive his Salary if he hath not Faithfully served: Do not you like the Foolish Virgins: Keep your Lamps ready: Have a care lest the Measure being full, the Lot do not fall upon you, but that your Fervent Prayers may make it fall upon your Enemies. Our Lord hath given us Forty two Months of Persecution, we have no longer time to suffer, and our deliverance shall be in the time of the Vintage.  
The Day on which our Lord Jesus Christ was Crucified, which was upon Friday, in the beginning of the said Month there shall be a great Persecution, but it will not last: He will yet have Mercy upon such as have turned, but not upon such as have taken Pensions.  
Observe, that before she went to her Bed, she desired that certain Children that were unknown to her might be put out of the Room: And it was believed, that it was that that gave the Spirit occasion to say. That such should go out, that were not capable to understand the Word.   

A sincere and true Relation of what was spoken by the Mouth of ISABEL VINCENT, as she Slept on the 20th of May at Night, in the Year 1688.  
AFter she had Sung the 42d Psalms, Ainsi quon oit le cerf braire (or, As the Hart panteth, &c) unto the next pause, with a clear and Audible Voice, without missing one Musical Note, she then made a little stop, and then spoke of the necessity of hiding the Word of God; saying, that it ought not to be spoken to such as could not understand it; nay, that they ought to be bid go out of the Room. Then she presently fell upon the Persecutions, and Wrongs that had been done to the Faithful, and said, that it was Sin that was the cause of them, and that we ought to avoid the occasions of Sin; saying if you knew the uglyness of Sin, you would be much more afraid of committing it, than you are. And notwithstanding the Evils inflicted upon you, you ought always to say, I will praise the Lord; for God chasteneth whom he loveth, but God will tame all the Wild Beasts that persecute you. She said also That we ought to prepare ourselves for the Table of the Lord; saying, Let us go and taste of his Paschal Lamb: Take, eat this Body that hath been Crucified for you; and do not believe that Jesus Christ is there in Body and Soul, for he is in Heaven; It is by Faith that we are to penetrate into this Mystery. He should have a good many Bodies to be given to so many People at once: And continuing upon the Subject of the Persecutions made upon the Faithful, she Exhorted them to hold fast, and to Repent; and when God shall come, he will say to the Faithful, Come, etc. And continuing to speak of the Assurance we have in his Promises; she said, The Heavens and the Earth shall pass away, but the Word of God shall continue. The Wicked shall be mowed down like the Grass that is mowed; wherefore Christians hold fast, and let your Faith be always founded in Jesus Christ, who hath shed his Blood for our Sins. For he that shall persevere to the end, shall receive Eternal Life We must suffer for his Word, for he saith. He that will love me must bear my Cross. It is upon Jesus Christ that we must bestow our Love: It is he that hath said, He that shall love another more than me, is not worthy of me. The Angels and the Saints groan when they see you in Persecutions. But Christians, have a good Courage, and repent you of your Sins; search his Word, and you will find it by Repentance; obey the Commandments of God and not those of Men: For he that will follow the Commandments of Men, shall die the death. Be ye assured Christians, that if he loved not his People, he would not Chastise them The People of Israel was always persecuted; but he that shall persevere to the end, shall obtain Eternal life.  
Here was a Silence of about half an Hour, and then she resuming her Discourse said:  
Be not ye surprised, my Brethren, if you have felt the Anger of God; for we have trampled upon his Word, and put it under our Feet; but Repent and Seek God, and he will be in the midst of you. The Wicked shall perish: They shall have Courage enough to harm you now; but they will have no power at the Hour of Death. Have pity upon us O God We are poor scattered Sheep, thou hall gathered us, according to thy good pleasure, have pity upon us.  
Have she stopped for the space of about two hours, and after that she sung about two or three Verses of the Commandments of God in Rhyme; and continuing the Threaten against the Wicked, that persecute the Faithful, she said, their Efforts and Malice was like the Stones fling against Trees, and like Feathers cast against the Wind. The Wicked shall perish with their Wickednesses, and shall be mowed down like the Grass of the Fields, which is withered. And therefore, Christians, let us refer ourselves to God, and then God will refer himself to us, for his Mercy is not yet exhausted. O Lord, marvellous are thy Works; the Wicked shall make a loud enough Cry, but God will no more hear them; he will exterminate them under his hand: But as for the Good, he will say to them, Come ye Blessed of my Father, possess ye my Inheritance, the Kingdom that was prepared for you before the Foundation of the World. Let us go then to search the Word of God, and we shall find it; and persevere ye unto the End, and ye shall obtain Eternal Life: For when we search his Word, we search God himself. It is Earthly Goods that have occasioned our Purgatory, and our Destruction; but let us not rely thereon any more, and cease not to bewail your Sins. Look you, there are but two ways in all, that of Hell and that of Paradise: The former of these is a large and spacious way, by which the Wicked go in great Numbers; but the Way of Paradise is straight, they that are laden with Sins cannot pass by it because it is uneven and crooked. They must pass by Persecutions to come thither: But to you, Faithful Ones, he will one day say, Come ye Blessed of my Father. As to the Wicked, he will say to them; Go to the Eternal Fire which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels. The Wicked have persecuted you: but, O Faithful Soul! thou oughtest to be assured of this, That though thou diest, thou shalt yet live. Repent you, and Sin no more; for a day will come when you must appear before God. We ought then to fear offending of him, and not to follow the course of the Ungodly; for they shall perish. Let us search his Word, and hid it in our Hearts, and God by his Grace will make his Glory shine upon us. And hereby the Wicked shall be disabled from hurting us, their Arrows shall be broken. Let the Word of God be your Fortress, and then God will bless you, and preserve you from all the Evils that they can do you. He is always the same God, his Arm is not shortened, he has always the same Power. You may assure yourselves, that if the Wicked had the same power over God, that they have over you, they would do the very same to him: But God will pronounce the Sentence of Malediction upon them, and will say unto the Wicked, Go thou into Eternal Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels; for thou hast persecuted my Children and me. The Wicked cry to God continually, but God doth not hear them, because they have no Repentance: But thou, O Faithful Soul, bless the Eternal God, and say unto him: As long as I shall have a being, I will sing a Psalm unto thee. As for thee, O Wicked Man, thou  Agatha. 
Is it not known what she doth there?  Paulina. 
The last thing I could learn of Her, is, That she constantly Sings Psalms during her Exstasies; and that a certain Counsellor of Gren●ble chanced 〈◊〉 to say, That she did it very harmoniously.  Agatha. 
Tou do not question then, but that what they Writ of this Poor Girl, is really True▪  Paulina. 
No, for I have spoken with Persons of great Honour, that have passed the whole Night in her Chamber, and that have themselves heard what hath been told me of Her; there are above Two hundred Witnesses, who can Attest the same thing. It was first known upon February last, That a young Girl of a Place called Saou n●●r Crêt, about Fourteen years of Age, had certain Transports by Night time, which seemed much to resemble Exstasies; She was heard all on a sudden to Sing Psalms, and that in a due and Regular manner This Voice both Affrighted and Rejoiced those that heard it: For as she had been very much neglected in her Education, and therefore could neither Write nor Read, so they were very much affrighted at this Accident. But they were much more so when she made a Prayer in French, a Language she had never learned in hor life; and then took a Text of Scripture and handled it, and spoke very many excellent things upon it. Her principal Exhortation is, to break off all Commerce with Popery: She threatens God's severest Judgements against such as will not do it: She blames her Father much more than other Men, for having sold himself for Money, and Revolted without any compulsion. After this she treats of Controversy; upon which Subject we are assured, that she says many close and convincing things, and that she Cites Passages very pertinently out of Scripture.  Agatha. 
I have heard something muttered about, of a certain Able and Learned Physician, that should make her a Visit, to inform himself at the first hand, of what he had understood but confusedly before.  Paulina. 
You have been rightly informed in that particular: For that Physician went to the place, and both saw and heard the surprising Effects of the Ecstasy of this Shepherdess. She Sung, Preached, and Encountered the Sentiment of Rome, after her usual manner: She Expounded those Words of the Third Chapter of St. Matthew; The Axe is laid to the Root of the Tree, etc. upon which she spoke excellent good things, with relation to the Times in which we now live. The Physician that heard her Talk, felt her Pulse, to inform himself, what Effect this Effort of hers might produce in her Body; but he found it very uniform and regular, and such as is usual in persons of good Health, and that Sleep quietly. He observed her again the next Morning, and found that she had been awake all that Day, and that she had resumed the ordinary Care of her Flock.   
THE END.