A N \ -930
E X A M I N A T
OF
Dr. Middle torts Free Inquiry
INTO THE
MIRACULOUS POWERS
OF THE
PRIMITIVE CHURCH:
In which is proved at large,
As well from prefumptive Evidence as pofitive Teftl-
mony, that we have fufficient Reafon to believe
the Continuance of Miracles after the days of
the Apoftles ;
All the Objections of Dr. Middle ton are (hewn to be
groundlefs and infignificant j and a plain diftinction is
.pointed out between the Credibility of the Later and the
Earlier Miracles of the Primitive Church.
- v '
By Z. BROOKE, B.D.
Fellow of Si John's College in Cambridge.
t • ' • — t
H TOIS MEN AAAOIE IIISTEYEIN EYAOrON, MONOIS AE
TOYTOIE AniZTEIN; KAI TinZ OYK EM4>ANHS O 4>0O-
NOS » Eufeb. Dem. Evang. III. 7,
Quae eft ifta calliditas, res vetuftate robuftas calumxiando velle
pervertere ? Cic. de Di,and the reft of the Deacons felected from the
multitude, and endued with power from above.
By fuch means were Timothy and Titus diftin-
guifhed and appointed to the Epifcopal dignity :
and there is the fame reafon to conclude, that
the fame thing happen'd to the reft of theGover-
nors andPaftorsof the church, and that through-
out the whole miniftry of all the Apoftles. Se-
veral of the Apoftles and their Fellow-labourera
were directed by immediate revelations from
heaver
of the Continuance of Mir achs. 19
heaven, where they were to go, and what they
were to do ; and therefore 't is not to be fuppo-
fed, that they were deflicute of the fume extra-
ordinary guidance, in their ordinations of proper
perfons to fucceed them in the government of
the church. Particularly St. Paul x admonifhes
the Elders of the Afiatick churches, that the
Holy Ghoft had made them overfeers of the
flock. And fome of thelafl m acts of St. John's
apoftolical office were, vifiting the churches in
Afia^ and ordaining fiich of Thofe throughout
that country, who were efpecially pointed out to
him by the Spirit of God. Dr. Middleton "al-
lows, that the former part of the account relating
to St. John is at lead probable, " the fpendingthe
" laft years of his life in writing hisGofpel and
" Revelations, and in vifiting and confirming all
Cc thofe churches of^yfo, which had been planted
" by himfelf and his brethren, and were allotted
reafe the more, and even improve in
ftrength, is to me, I mufl confefs, a thing ut-
terly incredible. - I can-
of the Continuance of Miracles. 27
I cannot perfuade myfelf, that the beha-
viour of the primitive Martyrs, under the
uncommon feverity of torment, which they
underwent with fo much courage, conftancy,
and patience, carries with it no genuine marks
of a fupernatural and divine aiTiftance. I think,
there is great reafon to conclude, that God
would not leave his faithful fervants, defencelefs
and unfupported in fuch difaftrous and afflict-
ing circumftances j and that nothing lefs than
an uncommon influence of his Spirit could have
inlpired thole holy men with fo much extra-
ordinary firmnefs of mind, and fleadinefs of re-
folution. The Scriptures have taught us to be-
lieve, that God will fupply every fincere Chrii-
tian with fuch a portion of his Grace, as fhall
enable him to bear up againft, the force of temp-
tation, and to overcome the difficulties and dis-
couragements, which he may chance to meet
with, in the courfe of his duty. Is it then to be
fuppofed, that God mould liberally bellow upon
every faithful difciple of Jefus the necelTary af-
firmances of his Grace, in ordinary cafes, and in
the common occurrences of life -3 and yet upon
extraordinary occaiions, in the moil perilous
circumftances, and in times of the greatefl; trial
mould not vouchfafe to them any extraordina-
ry communications of his Spirit, any helps,
pro-
2 8 *Ihe prefumptive "Evidence
proportionate to their exigencies? The promiies
of the Gofpel, and the very genius of our Reli-
gion will juftify us in faying, that the Primitive
profeffors of it did receive fuch a meafure of
the divine Grace, as the conditions of their du-
ty made neceffary. But if ever a more than or-
dinary mare of this divine Grace was wanting,
it mud be in thofe times of perfecution and
diftrefs, when all worldly comforts failed, and
when the honour of God, and the credit and
eitablimment of his true religion required an
uncommon degree of perfeverance in that faith,
which they had profeffed.
Chrifl: had promifed, that he would be con-
tinually prefent by his Spirit with his Apoftles,
throughout their miniftry, and upon every
emergency would give them fuch confidence
and utterance, as no earthly power, or eloquence
{hould withfland. The effects of this promile
were not confined only to thofc prime Agents
in the Gofpel-difpenlation ; but did reach even
to Thofe, whom they appointed to arTifr. and co-
operate with them in their labours. St. Stephen
experienced thefe effects in fo copious a man-
ner, that neither the oratory, nor the fubtility
of the moft profefs'd wits and difputers of this
world, could get the better of his fuperior rea-
soning j nor the moft outrageous malice and
furv
of the Continuance of Miracles. 29
Fury of his perfecutors fubdue his courage and
refolution. The power of the Holy Ghoft had
fo wholly polTefTed all the faculties of his foul,
that no mortal was able to redft the wifdom
and the fpirit, by which he fpake. And an ex-
traordinary appearance in the Heavens, juft at
the time of his execution, had infus'd into his
heart an unconquerable intrepidity of fpirit and
joy unfpeakable.
There does not feem to be any thing fo lin-
gular in the office or the character of St. Ste-
phen, as to induce us to think Him, the only
perfon worthy of fuch diflinguifhed marks of
the divine Favour. From this part of the facred
Hiftory it may reafonably be prefumed, that in
the fame diftrefsful and perfecuted circumftan-
ces, where there is the fame found piety and
admirable fanctity of manners, there were like-
wife the fame extraordinary communications
of the Spirit of God ; and that not only to the
reft of his fellow- Deacons and the other mi-
niflers of the Gofpel, who were contempora-
ries with this holy man ; but alfo to Thofe, who
lived in the ages immediately fucceeding, and
were engag'd in the fame great work of falvati-
on, and laid down their lives in fupport of the
fame righteous caufe.
The
30 The ■prcfumptive Evidence
The probability of this reafoning will rife
very high, will amount almoft to a cer-
tainty 3 if we confider the wonderful behaviour
of fome perfons in thofe Primitive ages, under
the higheft degrees of torture and mifery. The
hiftories and writings of thofe times are filled
with relations of the moft horrid and unheard
of cruelties, which were daily exercifed upon
the difciples of Chrift ; and of the aftoniihing
Ipirit of meeknefs, of patience, of courage, and
of joy, difcoverable in the midft of their ex-
treme mifery, which the bittereft torments, the
moft exquifite and repeated fufferings could not
overcome. cc They1 were immutably refolved
4 to maintain their ftation, notwithftanding all
c the attempts made to beat them from it.
f They entertained the nerceft threatnings with
1 an unfhaken mind, and fearlefsly beheld the
' racks and engines, prepared for their deftruc-
' tion. They imiled at torments, appear'd un-
£ affected in the midft of rlames, and undaunt-
£ edly met death, in its blackeft drefs. They
1 died rejoicing, and triumphed in the midft of
* the greateft tortures. Now thefe things hap-
c pening, for fome ages, almoft every day,
' Cave's primitive Cbriftianity, Part. II. ch.7. Intro-r
dutftion to his Lives of the primitive Fathers. §. 17.
tc could
of the Continuance of Miracles 31
" could not but convince their enemies, that
" they were in good earned, that they
" heartily believed their religion to be true, and
" that there muft be a divine and fupernatural
' itu-
uiouily avoided all Thoughts of ambitious and
vain- glorious defigns, indultrioufly declin'd all
* Sec Cure's Primitive Chrifiianity, Pjrt. II. ch. I. 2.
advantage:
of the Continuance of Miracles. 41
advantages of Fame and Credit in the world,
and inftead of affuming to themfelves the title
of Martyrs, they would not fo much as fuffer
it to be given to them, but even declared them-
felves unworthy of it.
The other Particular, mention'd by D> , Mid-
dleton upon this head, could have no effect up-
on the Chriftians of thofe days. Certainly the
thoughts of a Veneration, next to Divine, being
paid to their reliques, could then be no Motive
to Martyrdom. z They could not have the leaft
notion or apprehenfion of any fuch thing. No
fuch Cuftom or Practice was as yet introduced
into the Chriftian Church.
However the Primitive Chriftians, under per-
fection, might be vifited in their prifons by
Perfons of all ranks, profeffing the fame com-
mon Religion, who were proud to minifter
unto them in the very lowed offices, and to kifs
their chains ; yet furely it cannot be fuppofed
by a rational Inquirer, that fuch trifling and
unmanly considerations could have any fort of
effect upon the minds of men, who, by a Supe-
rior greatnefs of foul, and thro' a juft fenfe of
duty, had entirely drawn off their affections
from all worldly things, and appear to have
z See Fred. Spanbeim's Introd. ad Hill. Nov. Teftam.
Sec. II. cap, iv. §. 5.
been-
42 The prcfumptive Evidence
been acted only, throughout their whole con-
duct, by the calm and fober principles of the
Gofpel : at leaft thefe confederations cannot be
fuppofed to have had any more effect upon
Them, than they had upon St. Peter and St.
Paul, and fome of the reft of the Apoftles, who
met with the fame affectionate treatment from
their Difciples ; and yet the receiving fuch
kind and friendly offices from their brethren
has never been efteem'd by men of fenfe any
derogation to the real merit, and jufl praife of
their martyrdoms.
IA Clarendon, % that Great and Good Man,
propofes the example of the Chriftians in thofe
ao-es to our imitation ; and confirms the ac-
count here given of them : " Let us, in God's
" name, appeal to and imitate the fimplicity,hu-
" miltty, and charity of the Primitive Chrifti-
*' ans, upon whom neither ambition, nor riches,
" nor love of life could prevail, to decline the
" Uriel: path of virtue, or to fwerve in any de-
" gree from the profeflion of the truth. Let us
Ct learn of them to defpife thofe temptations of
" the world, which perplex, and diffract, and
" obftruct our journey to Heaven. Let us imi-
* See his pofthumous Tra&s of the Reverence due to.
Antiquity, p. 238. Fol. Edit.
M rate
of the Continuance of Miracles. 43
" tate their courage and conftancy, in adhering
" to what is right, and to what is juft, to which
" their examples mould encourage us.
As to thofe Circumftances, mentioned by the
Author of the Free Inquiry, as incentives to
Martyrdom, and as capable of infpiring men
with courage and refolution under it -,(viz.) that,
if they happened to efcape with life from their
tortures, their authority was ever after mod
highly refpected ; in the decifion of all contro-
versies ; in abfolving men from the ordinary dis-
cipline of the Church 3 in granting pardon to
lapfed Chriftians, and reftoring them to com-
munion, on what terms they thought fit : Cer-
tainly thefe things could have no effect at all
upon the firft Martyrs of the Primitive Church.
They were things, of which Thofe Men could
have no conception at all 5 no fuch Cuftom or
Practice, as here fpoken of, prevailing in the
Church at that time.
Whatever power Another Notion, which, it
is faid, was diligently inculcated, and generally
believed among the Chriftians of thofe days,
might have, in effacing the terrors of Martyr-
dom, and in making men unmoved at the
threats of it, or even defirous of fubmitting to
it, (viz.) that the Martyrs themfelves were
freed from all fenfe of pain, and filled with un-
com-
44 'The frefumptive 'Evidence
common degrees of comfort and joy j yet This
Ngtion would be fo far from being of any fer-
vice under actual fufterings, that, unlefs it v/as
found upon tryal to be true, the diiappointment
of their juft expectations would have been a
neceffary means of making Some of them, the
more uneafy and impatient under the fenfe of
racking pain, and Others the more ready and
willing to relinquish their Religion, in order to
be relieved from it.
And, it is no more an Argument, that no ex-
traordinary affiitances were granted to the Pri-
mitive Martyrs, becaufe they had an aflurance,
not only of an immortality of glory, but of ex-
traordinary and diftinguifh'd rewards, and of a
degree of happinefs, proportionate to the degree
of their fuffering, (which Dr. Middle ton makes
the Principal Incentive to Martyrdom) than it is
an Argument, that the fpirit of God did not reft
upon Jefus, and in Him dwell the fullnefs of
the Godhead bodily, becaufe he endured the
Crofs,defpi(mg the (hame, for the glory, that was
fet before him , or, that no particular communi-
cations of God's Holy Spirit were vouchfafed to
St. Stephen, or no uncommon portions of Divine
Grace were beftowed upon St. Paul, and the reft
y Epift. to the Hebrews, xiii. 2.
reward,
of the Continuance of Miracles. 45
of the Apoftles, becaufe, in all their tribulations,
they had refpect unto the Recompence of
Reward, and efteemed thofe light afflictions,
which were but for a moment, not worthy to
be compared with the Glory, that was to be re-
vealed.
But, if we were even to grant All, That this
Writer contends for in this place ; if we were
even to allow, that the feveral Motives here
mention'd, might have fome influence, either in
exciting the Primitive Chriftians to Martyrdom,
or in fupporting them under it ; yet it does by
no means follow, that there was no Concurrence
of any extraordinary affiftance from the Spirit
of God. Mr. DodwelL from whofe Writings
Dr. Middleton has drawn All, that is advanced
upon this head, is plainly of This Opinion.
He reckons up indeed the various reafons, not
Which did in fact animate the Firft Chriftians
under Martyrdom, but Which might pofTibly
happen to have fome effect in fuch cafes \ yet
at the fame time, he has fhewn by irrefragable
arguments, that All Thefe Confiderations were
altogether infufficient, to account for the beha^
viour of the Primitive Martyrs. Nor is he An-
gular in This Belief. Eufebius likewife mentions
SeveralReafons, which might enable men even
to afpire to martyrdom ; yet thinks, that the ex-
traordi-
46 T'/je preemptive Evidence,
traordinary influence of the Holy Spirit was ab-
folutely neceflary to their encouragement and
fupport, under the actual furTerings of it. The
uncommon and unaccountable behaviour of the
Primitive Martyrs was fo notorious, as to leave
the deepeft impreffion upon the minds of their
greateft enemies, and to excite their admiration :
and, in truth, was One of the principal reafons,
which brought about their converfion.
Upon the whole matter I cannot perceive, to
what purpofe this account, which Dr. Middle-
ton has given of Martyrdom, doth ferve. Indeed,
at his ntft a fetting out upon this particular In-
quiry, he declares, "that the venerable name of
" Martyrs makes no real difference in the per-
" fonal Characters of men, nor ought to give any
" additional weight to the authority of a Chri-
" ftian Witnefs." Notwithstanding, afterwards
he contradict this very Aflertion, by acknow-
ledging, that the circumftance of Martyrdom
does add fome weight to the teftimony of the
Primitive Chriftians, in preference to that of
any other jufl and devout Chriftian whatfoever,
For tho', as it muft be confeffed, it adds no-
thing to the Character of their knowledge, or
their fagacity ; yet ftill, there is another Necef-
* Sec Fret Inquiry* Sec. p. 200.
fary
of the Continuance of Miracles. 47
fary Requifite in every Witnefs, to which it
certainly adds a great and real weight. It gives,
as he declares b Himfelf, the nrongeft proof of
their fincerity. And let it be remember'd, that
in examining the credibility and authority of
the Earlier Writers of the Church, the circum-
ilance of their Martyrdom is not made ufe of
to ferve any other purpofe, but only to eftablifh
the Integrity of their Characters.
Thus it will appear, I think, from the Hif-
tory of thofe extraordinary and divine powers,
with which the Apoftles and other Chriftians
were endued, during their miniftry ; from the
Ends, for which thefe powers were given ; and
from the Manner, in which they were exerted,
that there is a Strong Prefumption of the Con-
tinuance of Miracles, after the time of the A-
pottles. This Prefumption is much heightened
by the confideration of the State of the Chrifti-
an Church at that juncture; from the Situation
of the Chriftians themfelves; and from the Par-
ticular Circumflances of thofe times. And Mar-
tyrdom, fo circumftanced, as it was in the Ear-
lier Ages of Chriftianity, is, I muft confefs, to
me, an indication of an Extraordinary Pro-
vidence ; and therefore gives an additional
v See Fru Inquiry > &c. p. 213,
llrengtb
48 the prefumptive Evidence
ftrength and weight to that Prefumptive Evi-*
dence.
Altho' the fpirit and freedom of a Modern
Inquirer will allow nothing more than what is
barely pofiible, or evidently certain ; yet the
more fober and rational part of Mankind are
convinced, that, as there are various forts of
Truth in the world, fo there muft of confe-
quence be Various Degrees of Credibility) and
therefore, that the aflent of the human mind
is not to be regulated by the Poflibility, or the
Certainty of things only. Probability in many
cafes hath, and ought to have great influence in
its Determinations. Some Events may be look'd
upon, as in themfelves indifferent. There is no
more a prefumption for them, from the Nature
of things, than there is a prefumption againft
them. Such Events may be deemed poflible.
But other Events there are, whofe Nature and
Circumftances may fuggeft fome manifeft and
fubftantial reafons for our belief of them, and
no apparent reafon may be found againil the
fuppoial of them. In this cafe, there is, and
will ever continue to be a flrong prefumption
of their truth and reality. Thefe Events
may be reckon'd Probable in themfelves. And
the Credibility of Thefe Events becomes great-
er and greater continually, in proportion as
the
Of the Continuance of Miracles. 49
the prefumptive evidence of them encreaf-
eth.
Dr. Middleton> and every other man who
profefleth himfelf to be a Chriftian, muft allow,
that Miracles were wrought in great abund-
ance, during the lives of the Apofties ; and that
the Chriflian Religion was at firft published
and propagated by an extraordinary Providence.
The queftion then will be, Whether we have
any probability of rcafon to conclude, that the
fame extraordinary Providence did continue af-
ter their deceafe. If the probability of an event
is to be determined, by the likelyhood of its hap-
pening j and if that thing is allowed to be like-
ly to happen, which has frequently and in a
variety of in dances already come to pafs ; then
it may reafonably be prefumed, that, if there
were frequent interpoutions of the Deity in the
times of the Apoflles, for manifeft and impor-
tant reafons, it is likely, that in the Ages, imme-
diately fucceeding to the Apoftolic, the lame
extraordinary interpositions mould be continued,
in fimilar cafes, and where the fame manifeft
and important reafons prefent themfelves*
Probability, according to a x late fubtle Wri-
ter, who has endeavour'd to undermine the
* See Hume's Philof. Eflfay on Miracles, vi<
D very
$o The frefumptive Evidence
very foundations of all religion, and hath re: -
foned himfelf out of all the Principles of Rea-
ion, " arifes from a fuperiority of chances on
" any fide ; and, according as this fuperiority
" encreafes and furpaiTes the oppofite chances,
(t the probability receiveth a proportionable en-
" creafe, and begets a higher degree of belief
" or afient on that f de, in which we difcover
<{ the fuperiority." Therefore, where an event
has been frequently brought about, in parti-
cular circumftances, there is a probability of
the fame event being brought about again, in
iimilar circumftances.
Thefe Obfervations on the circumftances of
the Gofpel, and the Pagan world, in the firil
Ages of Chriflianity, and upon the nature of
probable evidence, will be fufficient to fhew,
that Dr. Middle ton widely B miftakes the mat-
ter, when he affirms, that the Hiftory of Mi-
racles is of a kind totally different from that of
common events. Extraordinary events may be
focircumftanced, as to be upon the lame foot-
ing, in point of evidence, with ordinary facls.
And it may be fo far from being true, that
they are to be fufpected always of courfe, as the
Author of the Free Inquiry would have us be-
* Free Inquiry, bV. p, 217.
lieve,
of the Continuance of 'Miracles, 51
lieve, that, when related by credible WitnefTes,
they are to be admitted of courfe, and in fuch
circumstances do furnifli no caufe of doubting:*
from the nature of the thing. Whatever be-
comes of the Hiftory of later Miracles, this is
certainly true ef trie Miracles of the earlier
Ages of the Chriitian Church. They are pro-
bable in themfelves. There is a Strong pre-
emptive evidence of their truth and reality.
There is no fufficient reafon to Sufpcct that
evidence. Of confequence, when well atteSted,,
they are equally to be believed with any other
common historical Facts. They are not there-
fore to be fet afide, where there is the una-
nimous testimony of credible witnefTes, with-
out destroying the faith of all Hiftory, without
introducing an univerfal Scepticifm.
If the Free Inquiry had been the production
of an Infidel Writer ; one, who has infuperable
prejudices againft the belief of All Miracles
whatfoever ; one, who will not be prevailed
upon by any arguments, however convincing
they may be to an ingenous mind, to attend
ferioufly to any other Revelation, except That
only, which God made of himfelf from the Be-
ginning, and hath placed continually before our
Eyes in the wonderful Works, and beautiful
Fabric of this vifible World ; it would b^ no-
d 2 thing
52 the prefumptive "Evidence
thing ftrange, to find frequent Declarations
in it, that All Miracles are to be fufpected of
courfe, that in all fuch extraordinary events
doubts Naturally arife, and in proportion, as they
approach towards the marvellous, thofc doubts
ftill encreafe and grow ftronger : the confe-
quence of which declarations appears plainly to
be, that an higher degree of evidence is required
in Such Cafes, than any human teilimony is
able to afford. But in a Writer of Dr. Middle-
ton's Character, who mutt be fuppofed to be-
lieve All the Miracles of the Gofpel, and the
wonderful propagation of the Chriftian Religi-
on ; it is doubtlefs matter of great furprize to
perceive, that there are any expreffions drop-
ped from his pen, which have the leafl: tenden-
cy to fuch an opinion, or that can bear any
fuch conftruction, or that may give any um-
brage to a fincere believer : fuch a Reflection
updn the Hiftory and Evidence of Miracles
will undermine the foundation of the Gofpel -
hiftory ; and therefore, as it is inconfiftent with
his profefTed lentiments in b another place, can-
dour and charity do require us not to fufpect,
that he was aware of the mifchievous effects of
this reflection, when purfued to its rcmoteft
b Sec Introductory Difcourfr, tsfc. p. 94.
confc-
of the Continuance of Miracles. 53
confequences. For, if fuch be the nature of all
truth, as this Writer0 has fet forth with his
ufual ftrain of eloquence, " that they all par-
have in themlelves,
coniidered ieparately from the teitimony, on
which they reft, equal degrees of Credibility.
Can any one, for inftance, fay, that there is
the fame propriety and neceflity of Thole va-
rious and extraordinary Events, pretended to
1 Preface to the Free Inquiry , iffc. p. 9.
have
of the Continuance of Miracles. 63
have been brought about in the Heathen
World -j and of the fpecial interpositions of the
Deity, faid to have happened in the Firft Ages
of Christianity ? Is there not a Ridiculoufnefs
and Abfurdity in the One, which does by no
means attend the Other ? May it be as reafon-
ably prefumed, that the wife Author of nature
mould endue the tomb, and dead body of Ab-
be de Paris with fupernatural virtues j or fend a
Vial from Heaven by a dove, for the baptifmal
unction of Clovis, and confirm this divine de-
fcent by this miracle ; that, as foon as the coro-
nation is over, the oil in the vial mould begin
to wafte and vanim, and be as conflantly re-
paired of itfelf, for the fervice of each new co-
ronation ; are any of Theie Things as reafon-
able to be believed, as that he mould commu-
nicate miraculous and divine powers to Some
of the faithful Difciples of Jeius, in the Ear-
lier Ages of Chriftianity ? Do the ends and pur-
pofes of fuch extraordinary interpoiitions of the
Deity appear equally important, in Both Cafes ?
Are there as fair conclufions, as fubitantial rea-
fons from the Scriptures of the New Tefta-
ment, and from the circumftances of the
times, for our belief of Witchcraft, at the
time, when it is faid principally to have pre-
vailed j or for our belief of the Surey Daemo-
niac 3
64 The prefumptive Evidence
niac j as there are for our belief of the reality
of the Christian Miracles, in the Ages imme-
diately fucceeding to the Apoftolic j or of thofe
Exorcifms, which are reported to have been
then excrcifed ? Are there the fame marks of
Impofture in the rcfpe&ive relations ? Is there
the fame reafon to fufpecl the Evidence, by
which thefe relations are fupported ? Is there
the fame Impertinence and Abfurdity in the
Facts Thcmfelves ? Is there the fame Ridicu-
lous Extravagance in the circumftances, that
attended them, in the One cafe and in the
Other ? I dehe any man, tho' he be pofleffed
of the Art, and of the Eloquence of a Middle-
ton, to make out all Thefe Points, to the fa-
tisfacYion of a rational and impartial Inquirer.
I have dwelt the longer, and have been the
more particular in my examination of the Pre-
emptive Evidence, which there appears to
be, of the Continuance of Miraculous Powers
in the Chriftian Church, after the Days of
the Apoillcs ; becaufe the particular dilcuf-
fion of this Point, furnifhes us with a full con-
futation of the moil: plaufible part of the Free
Inquiry ; and, at the fume time, lays the
mod fure and folid foundation, for grounding
and eftablilhing the Credibility of that Tefti-
mony, which Dr. Middkton haft taken fo much
pains
of th Continuance of Miracles. 65
pains to weaken and ridicule. The Prefump-
tive Evidence in this cafe will appear, I think,
to every unprejudiced man, great and unexcep-
tionable. And I am perfuaded, that the Poll-
tive Teilimony will be found alio upon a fair
inquiry, to be as little liable to any material
objections,
E CHAP,
66 *tbe pofitioe Evidence
CHAP. II.
Of the pofitive Evidence of the Conti-
nuance of Miracles after the Days of
the Apoftles.
TPIE genuine remains of the Apoftolic
Fathers, that is, of Thofe, who had
lived and converfed with the Apoftles, who by
their fpecial appointment were ordained to fuc-
cede them in the government of the Church,
are Few in number. "Dr.1 Middle ton indeed de-
clares, but upon what rational grounds, I know
not, that there are feveral of This Character,
whofe Writings ftill remain to us : St. Barna-
bas, St. Clemens, St. Ignatius, St. Poly carp, St.
Hennas. But it is obfervable, that out of the
Five perfons, whom this learned Gentleman
has heen pleafed to mention, and to ftile Apo-
ilolic Fathers, there are Two, whofe authori-
ty it is at this time impoiiible to afcertain. The
various in opinions of the Learned, among the
Ancients, as well as the Moderns, concerning
the real authors of the Epiftle imputed to Bar-
1 See Free Inquiry, 2:c. p. 2.
Wake's Preliminary Difcouifcs to the Apoflolical
Fathers, vn. viit.
nabas
of the Continuance of Miracles. 6y
nabas} and of the Paftor afcribed to Hennas,
render their Characters extremely doubtful. It
cannot be known, Who they were, When they
lived, or at what Time thefe their reputed
Writings were publifhed. However, if the
Hiftory of thefe feveral Perfons here mention-
ed, was as certainly known, and as indifputa-
bly acknowledged, as Dr. Middleton would
make his Readers to believe j yet it is only to
the Writings of Ignatius and Polycarp, that in.
the Prefent Debate any appeal can be reafon-
ably made. That Epiftlc of St. Clemens, which
is confeffedly authentic, appears to have been
"written, not only before the Death of Si. John,
but even at a time, when moft of the Apoftles,
in all probability, were ftill living : and there-
fore it cannot with any propriety be made ufe
of, in fettling a Queflion concerning the Conti-
nuance of Miracles, after the times of thofe
Apoftles. And, if Barr.abas and Hennas were in
reality thofe Apoftolical men, which Dr. Middle-
ton fuppofes them to be ; yet it is highly pro-
bable, that the ° death of all the Apoftles did not
* See IFotton's Pref* ad Epift. Clem. §, 3. Grabe's Spe-
cileg. Patrum.
• See Gudinui in Comment, de Script. Ecclef. Ssec. I.
Ann. 34. Tiilemont's Mcmoires pour fervir a l'Hiftoirs
Ecclefiaflique. T. II. p, 121. et Not. I. Grebe's Speci-
leg. Patrum.
e z happen
68 tfbe pofithe Evidence
happen before the publication of the Epiftle of
the One, or of the Paflor of the Other j and by
confequence, that the authority of thefe Writ-
ings mull be equally inefficacious, towards the
eftabliihment of the fame point. The obferva-
tion then, which is made in the Free Inquiry
upon All the reputed Writings of the Apoitoli-
cal Fathers indifcriminately, can be understood
to relate only to the Epiitles of Ignatius and
Poly carp ^ (viz.) " that p if the miraculous gifts,
" which are fo much celebrated by the Writers
tc of the New Teftament, had been actually
c< fubfifting in their days, it is highly probable,
" that they would have made fome appeal or
trodutfory Dlfcourfe. Remarks on two Pamphlets, fef>.
&c. 6fc.
£ 4 When
72 the pofitive Evidence
When a late Learned u Author had charged
the Writer of the Letter to Dr. Watcrland,
with infidelity j becaufe, in explaning fome
pafiages in Jojephus, where the miracles of
Mofes feemed to be reprefented, as not real but
pretended ones, and the Divine Origin of the
Law and the Infpiration of Mofes to be contra-
dicted, he had not declared, that his own i'en-
timents were different from thofe, which he
had imputed to Jofephus, but was altogether
filent upon thofe heads ; it was w then thought
by that learned Gentleman's Antagonift, and
I fuppofe, he ftill continues to be of the fame
opinion ; that No Arguments could be drawn
from the filence of a Writer upon any parti-
cular point to his real opinion about it j and that
the whole was a groundlefs and fpiteful charge.
And indeed any method of reafoning about the
Truth or Falfity of Facts or Opinions, merely
from the filence of Writers, has always been
and will ever be efleemed, by the fair Inquirer
after Truth, a very precarious and inconclufive
way of arguing.
Inftead of there being, as Dr. Middleton
ns to apprehend, the ftrongefr. reafon to
" Sec a Reply to the Defence of the Letter to Dr. TVa-
■J. p. 48.
me Remarks on that Reply, pnjjim,
prer
of the Continuance of Miracles 73
Fathers, that the extraordinary gifts and ope-
rations of the Holy Ghoft were in their time
actually withdrawn ; there does not appear to
be in reality the leaft ground for any fuch pre-
emption. The Nature and Defign of their
Writings fuggeft to us fome obvious and juft:
reafons, why we fhould expect from them no
explicit teftimony to the Point in Queftion. On
the contrary, if we conflder the Dignity of their
Characters, the Eminence of their Stations, and
the Circumftances of the Times in which they
lived; Thefe Things muft rather difpofe us to
conclude, that the ftanding Power of working
Miracles did then actually refide in the Church ;
even tho' it fhould appear, that they had made
no exprefs mention of it.
But it happens, that in one of the Epiftles
of Ignatius , there is a plain reference to the
Extraordinary Gifts and Operations of the
Holy Spiritj with which fome Chriftians were
at that time plentifully endued. In the addrefs
of his Epiftle to the Church of Smyrna, he
makes ufe of thefe remarkable expreflions :
"\oq xaofofAKlog. Dr. Middle ton x feems firmly
perfuaded, that thefe words, which have been
* Free Inquiry, &c. p, 5.
always
74 T'he pofiti-ve Evidence
always underftaod to iignify the Extraordinary
Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, may be interpreted
more rationally to denote only the ordinary
Graces of the Gofpcl, Faith and Charity ;
and that in truth they plainly mean nothing
more.
I know that the fubtlety and refinement of
fome Men have rendered thofe rules of inter-
pretation, which common kni'c dictates to every
man, fo exceedingly precarious in many cafes,
that it is a difficult thing to afcertain the true
ienfe of almoH. any author. A learned and in-
genious man will ever be able to ftrike out fuch
a meaning from a controverted paiTage, as (hall
bed: fall in with his own particular purpofe. A
fmall acquaintance with the Commentator?,
the Critics, or the Controverfialifb, either an-
cient or modern, and that in Points of Anti-
quity, both Sacred and Prophane, will eafily
convince any man of the Truth of this obferva-
tion. It would be no ftrange thing to find in
them any conftruciion given, however forced
and unnatural, of the place above-cited from
Ignatius. They oftentimes labour more to dii-
play their own parts and fagacity, in the inter-
pretation of a paflage, or to ferve a particular
turn, than to difcover the true meaning; of it.
But it is matter of real adonifhmenr, that a
Writer,
of the Continuance of Miracles. 75
Writer, who profeffesyhimfelf a fair and inge-
nuous Inquirer after Truth, and unprovoked
declares, that it was an honeft and difinterefted
view to this, which alone induced him to write
and publifh the Free Inquiry j who therefore
difclaims all fubtle refinements, all forced con-
frructions, and every other art, which is com-
monly employed by Difputants, either to per-
plex a good caufe, or to palliate a bad one -, the
wonder is, I fay, that a Writer of this ftamp
and character mould be difpofed to give That,
as the moil fair and rational interpretation of
the place above mentioned, which is fo foreign
to its obvious and natural meaning 5 an inter-
pretation indeed, which neither the circum-
ftances of the time, in which the Epiftle was
written, will bear ; nor the then Well known
and ordinary iignification of the words will ad-
mit. And yet, thefe Two Things furnifh out
to us confeffedly, the moll reafonable, and the
moft certain rule of interpretation.
The Extraordinary Gifts and Operations of
the Holy Spirit were vouchfafed in great abun-
dance to the Church of Corifith, in the time of
St. Paul. And there does not appear to have
been any thing fo peculiar in the circumftances
y Free Inquiry, &c, pref. p. 31.
Of
j 6 The pofjtive Evidence
of the Corinthian Converts, as to make it ne-
ceflary to believe, that thefe fupernatural powers
and communications were granted to Them on-
ly. It may be fairly prefumed, that the fame
extraordinary providence openly exerted itfelf
in the Church of Rome, in the Church of
Ephefus, in the Church at Philippi, in the
Church at TheJJ'alonica, and, in fhort, in all the
other Churches throughout the World, where
the Gofpel was then preached and embraced.
Nor is there any reafon to think, that this ex-
traordinary providence was confined to the time
of St. Paid alone. The exercife of thofe divine
powers, which vifibly refided in the Church of
Corinth, did not depend upon the prefence of
St. Paul with them ; they continued in their
full vigour even in his abfence; and the Scrip-
tures themfelves allure us, that thefe extraor-
dinary interpolations of the Deity did not ceafe
among that people immediately after their con-
verfion to Chriitianity ; they enjoyed the privi-
leges of them at leait Some time afterwards. It
is therefore rather rcafonablc to conclude, that
this fame providence continued to fhew itfelf
at different times, and upon proper occalions,
in This Church, as well as in the reft of the
Chriftian Churches, during the whole Miniftry
of all the Apoftlcs. Hence it will appear, that
there
of the Continuance of Miracles. 77
there is no reafon to fuppofe, that the Church
of Smyrna was left deftitute of thofe fuperna-
tural gifts and affiflances, which were granted
to all the Chriftian Churches in common, and
did continue in them, as I have mewn it to be
probable, not only during the Lives of the
Apoftles, but even fome time after their De-
ceafe. On the contrary, if we confider, that
this Church was eftablifhed in the very infancy
of the Gofpel, and that God himfelf vouchfafed
to give fome fpecial directions concerning it to
2 St. John j there is rather the ftrongeft reafon
to believe, that This Church enjoyed a laro-e
fhare of the extraordinary favours of a divine
providence, fo long as that providence did con-
tinue to eilablim and fupport the Chriflian
Churches, after an extraordinary manner.
This makes it no unlikely thing, that Igna-
tius mould mean by the word %#^V««, fuch
gifts, as the Church of Corinth had before ex-
perienced, and in all probability did at that
very time enjoy j the Extraordinary Gifts of the
Holy Ghoft. St. Paul, a in the beginning of his
Epiftle to the Corinthians, reminds them of
thofe extraordinary bleiTings of the divine pro-
vidence, which had been vouchfafed to them,
Revefot. 11.
* iCerlnth, i. J.
in
7 8 'The pofltive Evidence
in fuch a manner, ^Ve yA us-epela-Qcu (fc. cturvg)
\v u^-.u) xwjvpw1- The meani ig of the
paw ofthis&ntence, c> jeeq&ti xado-p-xli, is fuf-
iiaently evident from the flate and circum-
flances of that Church, at the ime when this
Epiftle was written. For it is exprefsly faid,
that a great variety of ^ap/o-^aja then refided in
it; and thefe ^ap/o-^aja, as appears from St.
Pants account of them, were the extraordina-
ry gifts and fupernatural operations of the Ho-
ly Spirit. And in the former part of the fame
fentence, there is a plain intimation, that Other
Churches alfo at that time did enjoy the fame
privileges. For the expreflion, ^ ugtMMrQcu,
implies a comparifon of the flate of the Corin-
thian with that of Other Churches -, and fets
forth to them, that They were as much as
Others under the immediate and fpecial pro-
tection and favour of the Almighty.
Now Ignatius, who appears to have been
much converfant in the Writings of the New
Teltament, cannot be fuppofed to be ignorant of
this Epiftle of St. Paul, nor confequently to be
unacquainted with the defcription, which is
given in it, of the (late and circumflances of
that Church. He muft therefore know, that St.
Paul has uied the word xufopxict, to denote all
thofe various diipenfations of an extraordinary
provi-
of the Continuance of Miracles. jq
providence, which are afterwards mentioned.
And it is remarkable, that in this addrefs of
Ignatius to the Church of Smyrna, there is a ma-
nifest reference and allufion to this very paflage
in St. Paul. There is the fame fenfe conveyed
in them Both. There is almoft the very fame
phrafe ufed ; there is at ieaft a very great fimi-
litude of expreffion. There is, I think, no doubt
to be made, but this Writer had the paSTage of
St. Paul in view; and therefore there can be as
little doubt to be made, that he intended to de-
clare, that the fbte and circumftances of the
Church at Smyrna were exactly the fame Then,
with Thofe of the Church at Corinth, in the days
of St. Paul; and that at That Time the Chri-
stians of that place, as well as thofe of other
Churches, really experienced, what the Corin-
thians had done before, the gracious effects of
an extraordinary providence.
This interpretation of die place, now under
confideration, feems to be the moft obvious
and natural, and therefore the moil: fair and
reafonable one, that can be given. And confe-
quently it is in itfelf a plain indication, an ex-
prefs testimony, that the extraordinary provi-
dence of God, which cherifhed and fupportec!
the Chriftian Churches in the Days of the
ApoStles, by fundry gifts and powers of the
mira-
80 I'he pofitive Evidence
miraculous kind,, was not Yet actually with-
drawn.
There is a b paflage in the Epiftle of Igna-
tius to Polycarpy which (hews almoft to a de-
mon fixation, that the fenfe of the word %ap/cr-
pK) which I have been here contending for, is
the only true and genuine meaning of it, in That
place. This holy man advifes his friend and
fellow-labourer, to pray to God for fome fpe-
cial revelation, in fuch matters, as lay beyond
the reach of his natural faculties; i>« ^Iv
cot "hiw*\-> fays he, xou -zirocvjog 'xjx^icr^o^og 7rspta--
csvYig. Here not only the fame word, but the
fame turn of expreflion is likewife ufed, as in
the Former place ; and the context fully ex-
planes and clearly determines the fenfe, in which
this Writer is wont to ufe this expreflion.
Befides this, it is to be obferved, that the
fenfe, which I have here given to the word
%ap/o-^a, was the well known and ordinary
iignirication of it in the days of thofe Earlier
Writers of the Church. This exprelTion fre-
quently occurs in Jujlin Martyr, and is always
ufed to fignify Extraordinary Gifts and Power-.
Particularly in one place, the word ^cc^cr^xx
ftands, jufl as it does in the Epiille of Ignatius,
> Epift. j
with-
of the Continuance of Miracles. 81
without any other word annexed to give it a
peculiar conft ruction. And in This place it has
not, nor can have any other fenfe. I mould not
be fo peremptory in afligning the precife mean-
ing of the word in this paflage of Jujlin Mar-
tyr i had I not fuch an authority for it, as the
Author of the Free Inquiry^ I am fure, will
not difpute ; it is that of Dr. Middleton him-
felf, who has c thus rendered the whole fen-
tence; " Both men and women are endued
" with extraordinary powers by the Spirit of
" God."
Irenteus ufeth the d fame word jutt in the
fame manner. In fpeaking of the virtue of
humility, which St. Paul recommends, he
reckons up three of the mod likely things, to
infufe into the heart of man a contrary fpirit
and temper of mind ; the Holynefs and In-
tegrity of their lives, the Eminence of their
ftations in the miniftry, and the Privilege of
Extraordinary Gifts and Powers ; yet declares,
that not even any thing of This Sort is fuffi-
cient to juftify a man, in being high-minded or
elated with pride. And St. Chryfoflom, in his
Comment upon that Chapter in St. Paul's Epif-
c See Free Inquiry, &c. p. 10.
d In fublimitate pofitos univerfiCharifmatis, vel inope-
ribus juftitiae confidentes, vel miniftrationis fupereminen-
tia adornatos nequaquam extolli, &c. Iren, adv. Har. v. 22.
F tie
8 2 *£he pojitive Evidence
tie to the Corinthians, where the various ^a-
pio-pccjcc of the Holy Ghofl are fpecified, fpeaks
of the word %ap/ they are perfuaded, that it is
a corruption of the true reading. And indeed,
if the text has been corrupted, the moft pro-
bable and the moft ingenious emendation is, I
think, that of e Le Mcyne > who reads l?j\87
lit afis-epci irXrfias eufjutjog. In Manufcripts,
where the words ftand clofe together, undiftin-
guimed by any accents or interpunctions, as is
the cafe in many Manufcripts, it was eafy for
a carelefs and ignorant tranfcriber to write
IfyxQe inftead of tPix6\ and then rinding the
next word written 7rap/s-ep«> ** was natural to
change it 'into ^pig-epa; and as natural to infert
afterwards the particle xm> as thinking it want-
* See Smith's Note on the place.
• Sec Le Moynt's Prolog, ad varia facra.
ing
of the Continuance of Miracles. gg
ing to make out the fenfe and conftruction of
the pafTage. And from one fuch tranfcript, it
is eafie to imagine, how this text might fpread
itfelf thro' the reft of the copies, and appear in
thofe Manufcripts, out of which UJher and Hol-
land made their editions, and which gave au-
thority to the prefent reading. What St. f Jerom
obferves of the Copyers of his days, might here
be true ; they were ufed to write, not what
they found, but what they underftood. This
is not meer conjecture or fpeculation, but what
all, who are converfant in Manufcripts, find
confirmed and demonstrated by fact and expe-
rience.
Thefe are all the testimonies, which Dr.
Middleton has been pleafed to mention, of the
continuance of extraordinary gifts and miracu-
lous powers, to the times of the Apoftolic Fa-
thers j and fuch are the exceptions, which he
has made to the validity of them. How frivo-
lous or unreafonable thefe exceptions are, any
impartial man will eafily be able to judge, from
the few obfervations, which I have made upon
f Librariorumque incurije, qui fcribunt non quod in-
veniunt, fed quod intelligunt ; & dum alienos errores e-
mendare nituntur, oftendunt iuos. Hitron, ad Lucin.Tom,
jv. p. 578.
g 2 them,
I oo lJ'he pofitive Evidence
them. But thefe are not the only authorities in
this cafe. There is another unexceptionable tef-
timony, which Dr. Middleton has not thought
proper to take notice of. Eufebius g, and all the
Primitive Ecclefiaftical Writers arc unanimous-
ly agreed, in afcribing to Quadratus the extra-
ordinary communications of the Spirit of God.
Particularly, he is faid to have been illuftrious
for the gift of prophecy. This concurrent tes-
timony of Antiquity is freed from all reafon-
able exception, by the h fragment of an anony-
mous indeed, but very ancient Writer, which
Eufebius hath preferved. This Writer, as it ap-
pears from the fragment itfelf, lived in the fe-
cond Century ; for he was contemporary with
Montanus. The book, from whence Eufebius
made his extract, was written againll Mon-
tanilm, and particularly addrefTed to the Cata-
phrygesy who were the firil converts and pro-
pagators of that herefy. Among other argu-
ments, by which this Writer endeavours to
fubvert the fundamental principles of the Mon-
taniils, (viz.) their prefumptuous claim to the
gift of prophecy, he particularly infids upon
this j that the extafies and frantic fits, which,
« Hift. Eccl. 111-37.
* Sec Eufeb. Hift. Ecclcf. v. 16. 17.
according
of the Continuance of Miracles. 101
according to their own confeflions, pofTeffed
them in their prophecying, were convincing
proofs of the vanity of their pretenfions ; and
fhewed fufficiently, that they were not acted
by any true and Divine Spirit of prophecy, but
were lead away with the vifionary and wild
fallies of an heated and enthufiaftic imagination.
In confirmation of this, he introduces various
inftances of prophets, and demonftrates their
cafe to be very different from the extatic ftarts
of thefe pretenders. After mentioning many of
the Prophets recorded in the New Teftament,
particularly Agabus, Judas, Si las, and the daugh-
ters of Philip, the Deacon, he then fubjoins
Ammias of Philadelphia and Quadratics.
Now it is not to be fuppofed, that this Writer
in a difpute with Heretics, his open and avowed
enemies, would appeal to an inftance, in proof
of the main point, he was endeavouring to
eitablifh, which was not confefTedly true.
Much lefs can it be thought, that he would
reckon Quadratics in the number of the Pro-
phets of the New Teftament, and put him upon
the fame footing with them. Nothing but the
notoriety and unexceptionablenefs of the fact ;
nothing but the moft certain and jndifputable
authority could induce any Author in his fenfes,
to reft the whole merit of his caufe upon fuch a
foundation. g 3 The
102 rfhe pofithe Evidence
The fmall interval of time, which had then
lapfed fince the fact happened, renders the au-
thority of this witnefs ftill the more warranta-
ble. In the fpace 'l of forty years, which pro-
bably is the utmoft extent between the time
o(&uddratuSy and the time of this Anonymous
Writer, it is impoffible, but the knowledge of
Quadratus and the hiftory of his life mult have
been ftill frefh in every man's memory ; and
in all probability, when this book was published,
there were many perfons yet living, who
had been eye- witnefles of the occurrences of
that time j and who therefore, as this Writer
muft be fenfible, were able to confirm the
truth, or prove the falfity of fuch an afTertion,
from their own knowledge.
As to Quadratus himfelf; from thecircum-
ftances of the time, in which he lived, there
is the ftrongeft reafon to prefume, that he
was really porTefled of the gift of prophecy,
which was exprefsly attributed to him, and
of other extraordinary powers and afiiftances
of the Holy Ghoft.
In the Apology k, which he prefented to the
Emperor Hadrian, he declares, that there was
no room todoubt of the truth of the miracles of
i See Eufeb. Hift. Ecclcf. v. 16..
» Euffb. Hifh Ecclef.iv. ?.
of the Continuance of Miracles. 103
Jefus. The Perfons, who were healed or railed
from the dead by him, had been feen, not only
whilft he himfelf lived, but even after his death ;
infomuch that there were many of them yet
living, even in his time. This account makes it
highly probable, that Quadratus lived at the latter
end of the firft. Century, during the miniftry of
many of the Apoftles ; while miracles, and all the
other extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit were
frequent in the Church ; and confirms the tefti-
monies ofEufebim and l Jerom, who ftile him
the Auditor and Difciple of the Apoftles.
He was placed in a very eminent and diftin-
guiihed ftation, dignify 'd with Epifcopal Autho-
rity, and fet over the Church of Athens. For
this, I think, is made evident beyond all difpute,
by the learned m Grabe, againft the trifling ob-
jections of n Valejius^ and afterwards of Dupin
and T!illemont ; who have borrowed from that
great Scholar and Critic all that they have faid
upon this Subject, ^uadratus was appointed
1 See Jercm. de Script. Ecclef.
0 See Grahis Specileg. Patrum in Praef. ad Frag. Qua.
drati. Secalfo Halloix'm Vit. illuftr. Eccl. Orient. Script.
c. 3. de £>uadrato.
* Tiilemont's memoires pour fervir a Phiftoire ecclefiaf-
tique. Tom. II. Article 7. et Not. 7. Dupin's Ecclef
Hift. in the life of £htadratus.
g 4 Bifhop
104 *fhe pofitive Evidence
Bifhop of Athens, ataTime, it feems, when extra-
ordinary gifts and powers were much wanted, to
bring back That Church to its priftine State of
Piety and Purity. The difcipline of the Athe-
nian Converts was then fo much relaxed, and
the manners of the People were fo greatly
corrupted, that there wanted but little of a total
apoftacy from the Chriftian Faith. And what
ftill heightens the prefumption, that extraordi-
nary afiiftances were actually granted to Qua-
dratus at this juncture, is the hiftory of Philip's
Daughters. They, we are allured from Scripture,
were really endued with the Spirit of Prophe-
cy j and Ecclefiaftical Antiquity gives us reafon
to believe, that they were dill living in the time
of this Apologift.
All this reafoningis confirmed by the exprefs
testimony c of Eufebius, who puts Quadratics in
the number of thofe Evangelifts and immediate
iuccefTors of the Apoftles, who made it the
great bufinefs of their lives, to preach and pro-
pagate the Chriftian doctrines in different re-
gions of the World ; whofe labours were attend-
ed with uncommon Succefs, by means of thofe
miraculous powers, and extraordinary alliftan-
ces of the Holy Spirit, with which they were
fuccourcd.
0 See Eufcb. Hift. Eccl. ill. 37.
This
of the Continuance of Miracles 105
This account is the more probable and au-
thentic ; as it was p taken from Hegefippus, a
Writer of lingular ufe to Eufebius, in the com-
piling his ecclefiaftical Hiftory ; who was not
far q removed from the very times here men-
tioned ; and who with great care and induftry
had collected together into five Books every
thing of any moment, that had happened from
the death of our Saviour unto his own time.
Whatever filence, in Dr. Middletoris opinion,
there may be in the Writings of the Apoftolic Fa-
thers, with regard to the prefent argument ; he
does however 'acknowledge, " That their Suc-
" ceiTors have cleared it from all obfcurity,
c< by their ftrong, explicit, and repeated attefla-
" tions of many extraordinary gifts and miracu-
" lous powers, which were constantly and
" publickly exerted in the Chriftian Church,
" thro* each fucceeding age/' Yet ftill there is
ibmething very lingular in this declaration. The
manner, in which this open acknowledgement
is made, is itfelf a tacit reflection on the in-
tegrity of thefe Writers. He would insinuate,
that the difference, which he pretends to have
difcovered, between the teftimonies of theApo-
9 See Eufeb. Hift. Eccl. III. 22.
* Eufeb. Hift. Eccl. iv. 22. Huron, de Script.
Ecclef. c. 22.
r Free Inquiry ^Uc. p. 10.
ftolic
io6 The pofitive Evidence
ftolic Fathers, as to the point before us, and
thofe of their immediate Succeflbrs, renders the
authority of theLatterqueftionableandfufpected.
The truth of the matter is, he feems to require
ftrong and exprefs teftimony, in Circular Epif-
tles and Paftoral Exhortations, compofcd merely
for the ufe and inftruction of the Chriflian
Converts and Difciples ; where little or no fuch
teftimony can reafonably, and from the nature
of the Thing be expected : and in Apologies,
drawn up purpofely either for the proof and
iiipport of the truth and divine original of the
Chriftian Religion, or in vindication of the au-
thority of this Religion and the profefTors of it,
from the calumnies and exceptions of their in-
veterate and open enemies ; in Difcourfes
particularly addreffed to the unbelieving Jew or
Gentile, and defigned only to bring about their
conviction and converfion ; inthefe Parts of the
Primitive Writings, he thinks it ftrange and fuf-
picious, to find fuch ftrong, explicit, and repeat-
ed atteftations of an extraordinary providence,
where alone in all reafon, in all propriety they
were to be looked for. How fair and impar-
tial a proceeding this is, in One, who is con-
stantly profefiing, that in every controverfy or
inquiry, in which he may be engaged, he has no
other motive, view, or intention whatfoever,
than
of the Continuance of Miracles. 107
than to fearch freely and impartially for the
truth, I will leave any man of common under-
standing to judge.
There is one thing however, which I cannot
but remind this Writer of, upon this Occafion.
Cicero , the great mailer and patron of reafon,
in fpeaking of matters of evidence, in the cafe
of ' Archias the Poet, with fome kind of warmth
and indignation, thus animadverts upon the
conduct of his Adverfaries, " Eft ridiculum ad
' aAAa ifxxirov fAfrpw, »va pi lv
xaup^wn aire, Aw pott' Mr] ou $vva,uxi (lC. vpTv) rd
fmspxvtx ypxyxi ; aAAa C/ofes/xaj, fxrt vrpno*? oy«r»v vpiv
(3a«6t)v tsxpx^w j Ka» yxp \yu> xj Swdptv®* (ic.
vosTv) t« £7r*^av»a, x) T3tf T07ro9s(r»af txc ayfisAocac, xj
tx$ ^ £u w iiSspot^
cti aVo cacx&g av0pW7r/v>K oJx fyvww* to that he is, ycaxog 'nrpoj
TOf Sotipovotgi and then ailigns This Reafon for
fuch a profeffion, becaufe through the power of
Chrift he is enabled xc&jaXveiv tv? $aipovug. St.
John in one h of his Epiftles exprefsly fays, that
One Reafon of the manifestation of God in the
flefh was, ]'vcc AuVij rcc \ayot. t£ $ia.&oXx. The
Hiftory of the Life of J ejus has informed us,
how this \u r*V ^oti^ovug defigned to inti-
mate, that the fime power was inverted in Him-
felf. This conjecture is rendered ftill more pro-
bable, by the common ufe and ordinary accep-
tation of this phrafe KaJccXving ruv doaucvuv, in
Eccleiiaftical Writers. "Juftin Martyr in l fpeak-
ing of the Incarnation of Chrift, makes ufe of
the fame expreffions almoft, which the Apoftle
St. John had done before, upon the fame occa-
fion, affirming that the Son of God was mani-
fested in the flefh, partly em (rul^ia. tZv -artg-ev-
ovluv, ( as the paflage Should doubtlefs be read,
and not as it is in the common Editions uVep
ruv 7ng"Svovluv)J and partly \rt\ jcctjaXvarei ruv ) that it is indeed exactly hmilar 10 it.
jfujiin Martyr, Irentei's, and Origen reprefent
juftSuch a State of Things in their own days,
as is defcribed in the Gofpel account of t"ie
Apoftolical Times.' The celebrated pafLge in
the Prophet Joel is allowed by all, to be a plain
prediction of the times of the NLJ/iah; that is,
according to the Chriftian interpietanon, of
the ftate of the Chriftian World, upon the
firft publication and eftablifhment of the Re-
85 See Free Inquiry, &c. p. 24.
i 2 ligion
132 T^he Perfons endued
ligion of Jefus. In this Prophecy God has
bound himfelf by promifc in the following
manner ; " It {hall come to pafs afterwards,
" that I will pour out my Spirit upon All
" Flefh, and your Sons and your Daughters
" (hall propheiie ; your Old Men fhall dream
" dreams ; your Young Men fhall fee vifions.
" And alfo upon my Servants, and upon my
" Handmaids in ThofeDays, will I pour out my
" Spirit." Now if this Prophecy hath had an
exact accomplifhment, then it muft follow by
aneceffary and undeniable confequence, that Dr.
Middletons account of this matter is not true-
Inftead of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy
Ghoft, and the power of working miracles be-
ing committed to None but the Apoftles, and
to a Few of the mod: eminent of the other
Difciples, who were particularly commiiTioned to
propagate theGofpel, and prelide in the Church
of Chrift; this Scripture teacheth us to believe,
that thefe gifts and powers were granted pro-
mifcuoufly to the Chriftians in general.
Pooi^', whofe authority mHebrew and Rabbi-
nical learning is allowed to be of great weight,
in his commentary upon m Joel, has fully fhewn,
that ~&2 Sd in the above-mentioned Prophecy,
■ See his Commentary on Joei. 11. 28. p. 103- 104.
denotes
with Miraculous Powers. 133
denotes Some of All Sorts of men with-
out exclufion of Any, by reafon of their
Country, their Sex, their Age, or their Condi-
tion. This Interpretation is authorized by n St.
Peter, whofe phrafe ttolvu. crap| is underftood by
Grotius to mean diver fee Jbrtis homines j and
with him all the Commentators agree.
Thus much is certain, that Chrift himfelf, in
his laft inftruclions to the Apoftles, did not con-
fine the extraordinary and miraculous powers of
the Holy Ghoft to Them only, or to Thofe of
their SuccerTors, who were to be the Paftors, the
Bifhops, the Martyrs, or the Principle Champi-
ons of the Chriftian Caufe. All thofe in ° gene-
ral, who fhould believe upon the preaching of
the Apoftles, were to be empowered thro' his
name, to caft: out Devils j to fpeak with new
tongues ; to take up Serpents ; to drink any
deadly thing, without receiving hurt j to lay
hands on the Sick, and to reftore them to their
Health. In this original promife of thefe mira-
culous gifts and powers, as there is no intima-
tion of any particular period, to which their con-
tinuance is limited j fo neither is there any dis-
tinction whatfoever of the particular circumftan-
ces and conditions of the Perfons, to whom they
were to be communicated.
n Jftsll. 17. ? Mark xvi. 16, 17,
I 3 And
134 The Perfons endued
And in fad:, we find that St. Peter does ° ap-
ply this very Prophecy in Joely to what hap-
pened at Jerujalem upon the feu ft of Pentecojl.
" This is that which was ipoken by the pro-
" phet Joel ; And it (hall come to pais in the
cc Lift days, faith God, I will pour out my
" fpirit upon all rleih ; and your fons and
" your daughters (hall prophe'ie, and your
" youn^ men mall fee vifions, and your
" old men lhall dream dreams : and on my
" fervants and on my handmaidens, Iwill pour
" out in ihofe days of my fpirit, and they (hall
" prophefie. Hammond indeed underftands that
paflage in the fecond chapter of the A5tsy " and
C£ when the day of Pentecoft was fully come,
x in writing,
is not determined by the particular Opinions,
* See Free Inquiry, &c, Pref. p. 9.
which
Jiated and confidertd. 141.
which the WitnefTes may cfpoufe, in other mat-
ters, but by their knowledge of the Things,
which they atteft, and by their own Integrity.
In Courts of civil Judicature, where the nature
of this fort of evidence is belt underftood, and
moft fairly examined, the Character of a Wit-
nefs, and the competency of his Knowledge, as -
to the particular Point under debate, is the only
fubjed of inquiry ; not his Dodrines or Perfua-
fions. No diftindion is made between a Mem-
ber of the Church of England, and a Sedarift ;
between a Romanift, and a Proteftant ; between
a Deift/and a Chriftian. If their Knowledge
and Veracity is unqueftionable, the evidence of
them All is admitted, without exception. The
fame Method, is conftantly purfued, in all the
dealings, which men have with one another.
When we are once allured, that the Perfon,
with whom we converfe, had fufficient capacity
of knowing the Fact, he mentions j and we can
find no reafon to fufped his Sincerity, in the rela-
tion, we reft fatisned with his Teftimony, and
readily admit the truth of the Fact.
The meafures of credibility, in Hiftorical
Fads, are exadly of the fame nature. The
whimfical and extravagant Dodrines of an Hif-
torian, his ftrange and erroneous Opinions in
Matters of fpeculation, do not at all affed the
truth
142 The Teflimony of the Fathers
truth of his Hiftory ; if his teflimony, as a
Witnefs, that is, if his knowledge and veraci-
ty be unexceptionable. For, where thefe two
Qualities, which are the genuine teft of Hifto-
rical Evidence, are difcoven.ble in a Writer j
his authority in the facts, which he records, is
admitted without farther difpute or inquiry,
whether he be a Jew, a Pagan, or a Chriftian ;
whether he be an Heretic, or an Inndei. When-
ever this is not the cafe, our want of belief is
not occafioned by want of Evidence j for, no
Human Teflimony can have any greater degree
of Evidence ; but either by the force of fome
ftrong prejudices upon the mind of the Perfon,
to whom the thing is related, which the faireft
and moll: reafonable Evidence will never fub-
due j or by the improbability of the Fact it-
felf, which no human teflimony is able to fup-
port.
Whatever Evidence is fair and reafonable in
common Hirlorical Fads, will likewife be fair
and reafonable, in Facts of an extraordinary and
miraculous kind ; if the nature and circumstan-
ces of Thefe Facts are Such, as not to render
them liable to any material objection. For in
fuch a cafe, they are upon the fame level with
Ordinary Events ; and therefore can require no
higher degree of Evidence.
If
Jlated and confidercd. 143
If then the Gofpel Hiftory be true, which
is a point, that no Chriftian, I fuppofe, will
pretend to difpute ; the Miracles, reported by
the Earlier Writers of the Church, mull: be al-
lowed to be not improbable in themielves. It
is not unlikely, that the Dead, for initance,
mould have been raifed ; various Cures of an
extraordinary kind mould have been perform-
ed j the gift of Tongues and of Prophecy, to-
gether with many other fupernatural commu-
nications of the Holy Ghoft, mould have been
granted to men, in the days of the Earlier Wri-
ters of the Church. It is confefled, that many ex-
traordinary Events of this kind had been brought
about by the providence of God, for wife and im-
portant reafons, during the miniftry of the Apo-
flles. No objection therefore, drawn from the
nature of Thofe Miracle?, which are attefted by
the Chriilians of the Ages, immediately fucceed-
ing the Apoflolic, can reafonably lie againft our
belief of them. It is remarkable, that the extra-
ordinary gifts and Miraculous Operations of
That Age are exactly of the fame fort with
Thofe, recorded of the times of the Apoflles ;
and there is as flrong, prefumptive evidence of
their truth and reality, in the One cafe, as in the
Other. The hiflory of the Apoflolic Miracles;
the fituation of the Chriftians, in the Ages im-
mediately
144 ^je ^eJ^mony tfthe "Fathers
mediately fucceeding that of the Apoftles;
and the circumftances of Thofe Times, fugged
to us manifeft and important reafons for our
believing them, as has been fhewn at large in a
preceding chapter. Whatever arguments may
be urged for the exiftence of an extraordinary
providence, in the days of the Apoftles, hold
equally ftrong for the Ages immediately fuc-
ceeding ; and do demonftrate the necefiity and
propriety of fuch an extraordinary adminiftra-
tion of things, as is reprefented by the Writers
of Thofe Times. And let it be remembered,
that the bufinefs of this Book is not to unfettle,
or fubvert the opinions of Infidels, who main-
tain, that Miracles are things of Such a Nature,
as to be abfolutely incredible in themfelves ;
and therefore utterly infupportable by Human
Teftimony. With Such Men I have nothing
to do ; who queftion the very fundamentals of
our holy Religion. My defign is only to mew,
that the true Believer, if he acts confiftently
with himfelf, if he does not contradict his own
avowed principles, muft admit the Miracles,
which are attefted by the Earlier Fathers, to
be neither improbable, nor incredible in Them-
felyes ; Such Miracles,, fo circumftanced, hav-
ing as much of the internal prefumptive evi-
dence, as the Miracles of the Apoftles } or in-
deed
Jlated aud confidered. 14.5
dttd as any common Historical Facts either
have, or can have.
Thus much being once admitted, which will
appear, I think, to every fincere Chriftian no.
groundlefs or unreasonable pofition $ it will be
an eafie matter to vindicate and eftablifh the
credibility of That Teftimony of the Earlier
Fathers j upon which thofe facts of an extra-
ordinary and miraculous nature, laid to have
been produced in their Days, do depend.
The only rational proof of Facts, not im-
probable in themfelves, is the concurrent tefti-
mony of various Writers of different principles
and periuafions, who lived in the very Times,
when thofe facts happened ; and were them-
felves eye-witneffes of them. Such a general
atteftation of matters of fact, which are in
themfelves unexceptionable, is ever thought au-
thentic, and fubfbntial. Nothing indeed, but
the force of Truth itfelf, and the reality of the
things themfelves, thus related, is able to create
fo unanimous, fo univerfal a confent. The Ear-
lier Writers of the Church are All unanimous
in teftifying, that the fame extraordinary pro-
vidence, which vifibly exerted itfelf in the days
of the Apoftles, did continue as vifibly to exert
itfelf in the Chriftian Church, for two fuccef-
five Ages after their Deceafe. This Teftimony
K is
146 'The Teftimony of the Fathers
is often repeated, and that in the moft explicit
and folemn manner. And it is a teftimony too
of Fads, of which they had the moft certain
evidence, the information of their own fenfes.
They profefs, that they are allured of the Truth
of their relations, from their own knowledge
and obfervation. Nor does this unanimous, ex-
plicit, and repeated atteftation of matters of
Fact, of which the Chriftian Writers were eye-
witnelTes, want confirmation from the teftimo-
ny of Thofe, who were the open and inveterate
Enemies of Chriftianity. And what gives an
additional ftrength to this proof, is, that this
external evidence is ftill farther corroborated by
internal and prefumptive evidence. The proba-
bility of the Facts themfelves is even a fup-
port of the poiitive teftimony.
Jnjtin h Martyr, Irenaus, Origen, and Cypri-
an learnt from their own experience, that va-
rious gifts of an extraordinary kind, and a
power of working Miracles did fubfift in the
Church, after the days of the Apoftles, even to
their Own Time. They frequently declare in
the graveft and moft folemn manner, that they
had feen and obferved a variety of fupernatu-
ral cures to have been performed, and many
b Sec Free Inquiry , Sec. p. 10, 11, &c.
Devils
Jlated and confidered. 1 47
Devils to have been ejected -, that they had
heard men untaught, on a fudden, fpeak with
different kind of tongues, and lay open the hid-
den thoughts of the human heart -, that they
were certain from their own knowledge, that
Chriftians did then receive extraordinary Illu-
minations, Prophetic Vifions, and Divine Im-
preffions. Thefe things they conftantly profef-
fed and published to the world, in the face of
their mod virulent Enemies, at a time, when
the truth of the Facts, which they attefted,
might eafily have been difproved -, and a de-
tection of the leaft fraud or fiction would mofl
effectually have ruined their own credit and
authority ; have heightened the malice and ca-
lumny of their adverfaries 5 and have proved at
laft the eternal Opprobrium of that Religion, to
which they adhered.
Befides this confident and publick declaration,
which the above mentioned Writers have made,
and in which they are joined by fome Others,
and contradicted by None ; there are fome cer-
tain circumftances, attending their teftimony,
that free it at once from all fufpicion and dis-
pute.
Minucius^ who was contemporary with Ori-
geny addrefling c himfelf to Offavius} a profeffed
c Free Inquiry , £ffc. p. 13.
k 2 Pagan,
1 48 the teftimony of the Fathers
Pagan, particularly appeals to his own know-
ledge, and to the experience of his Heathen
Brethren, for the truth and reality of thofe
Miraculous Powers, which, he fays, then re-
(ided in the Chriftian Church; with a kind of
defiance to him to mew the contrary.
Origen d affirms, that, tho' he is fenfible, the
mention of thofe many Miracles, which had
been performed in his own prefence, might ex-
pofe him to the ridicule of Unbelievers ; yet
he (till infifts upon it, that they are fuch evi-
dent and notorious Facts, as were plainly dif-
tinguifhable from Any of thofe forgeries, which
then prevailed in the world ; and at the fame
time calls God to witnefs, for the llncerity of
his own intentions, in relating thefe Facts ; and
protefts wkhall, that, if they were fictitious,
nothing fhould induce him to betray the truth
of a righteous caufe by fuch impious and frau-
dulent means, and thereby expofe it to calum-
ny and contempt.
yuftin Martyr, in an Apology, addrefled to
the Emperour and Senate of Rome, makes fre-
quent and ipecial appeals to Them, and to
every other perfon in that Metropolis, for the
exiftence of an extraordinary providence, in fa-
* Free Inquiry 5cc. p, 14, 15.
vour
ftated and confnlered. 149
vour of the Chriilians of thofe days ; telling
them, that every man, from his own obferva-
tion of what palled publickly and daily before
his eyes, in every part of the world, and parti-
cularly at Rome itfelf, might be fufficiently
convinced of the truth of Thefe Things, which
he attefted.
T-:rtziJIzany in confirmation of the fame thing,
challenges the Heathen Maginrates, to difprove
the truth of what he afferts, in relation to the
continuance of Miraculous Powers at That
" Time, among the faithful Difciples of Jefus ;
and with the utmofr. confidence perfifts in de-
claring, that if He or any Chriftian whatfoever
was not able to work a Miracle, even before
their very tribunals, when called upon for that
purpofe, he would be willing to forfeit his own
life upon the fpot, and engage likewife, that
any other true Chriftian, upon the fame failure,
mould readily fubmit to the fame kind of pu-
nishment.
Thefe confident appeals and challenges of
the Primitive Chriftians to their greatefl Ene-
mies, whom they knew by fad experience, to be
forward enough of themfelves, to lay hold of
every thing, that might blacken their characters,
and make them chargeable with fraud and for-
gery ; and that too, in thofe very Writings,
k 3 which
ico ?he Tejlimony of the Fathers
which were compofed with no other defign,
than to vindicate themfelves and their Religion
from the calumnies and afperfions of their ad-
veriaries, and to recommend them Both, to the
attention and approbation of the world s fuch
confident and open declarations, in fuch circum-
flances, are the moft genuine tokens, that could
be given, of their own fmcerity j and the mofl
Irrefragable and Convincing arguments of the
truth of their affertions. Nothing but their
own perfect knowledge of the frequency of
thofe Miraculous Fads, to which they appeal,
and a full and well-grounded conviction of the
reality of them, could difpofe any men of com-
mon fenfe, or common honefly, to give in fo
Unreferved, fo Confident, fo Public an attesta-
tion of them.
What a candid, and ingenious c Writer,
whofe mafterly fenfe, acutenefs, clearnefs, and
force of reafoning have procured great credit to
himfelf, and been of fingular fervice to the
caufe of Chriftianity ; what this Author, in a
late performance, has obferved of the Apoftles
and firft Preachers of the Gofpel, may with
much juftice and propriety be applied to the
Earlier Writers of the Church : " To fuppofe
« 6ee IVeJl on the Rcfurre&ion,-bV. p. 324, 325.
"the
Jlated and confidered. \r\
" the contrary, is to fuppofe, that thefe Chri-
ix;uoiv S^x^xq "OAON rov
KOLMON, y.x\ lx\ TO TEPMA T«{ AYIEfiL iA0IW* Epift.
ad Rom. v.
St. Paul
Jiated and confidered. j 50
St. Paul, that he preached the Gofpel, and gain-
ed multitudes of Converts, in the Eaft and in
the Weft, and in the Iilands, and throughout
all the Continents.
And that there is no Rhetorical flourifh in
this Place, no account given of the Preachings
of St. Paul, beyond what truth and Hiftory
will authorize, is evident ; becaufe the fame
thing is confirmed by the concurrent teitimony
of many r ancient Writers of the Church, Je-
rom3 Theodoret, Epiphanius, Cyril \ChryfoJlom.
If the Chriftians were thus numerous in every
part of the known world in the Firft Century ;
and they were, as it is reafonable to fuppofe, a
growing Sedt j frefh accerlions being continu-
ally made to their party 5 then it is evi-
dent, that the Chriftians were in the Firft and
Second Century, a powerful and flourifhing
people ; and the account of their Numbers, in
Tertullian, is not fo exaggerated a relation, as
two ingenious and learned s Gentlemen would
r Hieron. Comment, in Pfalm. 116. et Comment in 2
Tim. iv. 17. Theod. De curandis Graec. affeft. Serm. 9.
Hieron. de Ecclef! Script' et Comment. in Amos, v. Epiph.
/for. xxvii. Cyril. Cathech. 17. Chryfojt. de Laudibus
Pauli. Seneca confirms the lame account. See Aug. de
Civ. Dei vi. 11.
8 See Moylis DifT. on the Thundering Legion. Wejlmti
Did. on the Thundering Legion, p. 93, 04, c$V.
make
1 6o Tihe rfeJHmony of the Fathers
make us to believe -, from one of whom Dr.
Middleton has borrowed and adopted the mod
paradoxical part of his Syftem, without admit-
ing the reafonable part of it ; has given into the
Errour with him, that the Pagans neglected both
the Christians and their Miracles, without the
ingenuity of ConfefTing with Him, that many
Miracles of the Primitive Times were real. It
is by no means improbable, that the Roman
Empire in the time1 ofTertullian, mould be full
of Chriftians, that they fliould abound not only
in Iilands, and in the Villages, but upon the
Continent, in their Municipal Towns, in all
places of Publick Refort, in their Cities, in their
Palaces, in their Publick AfTemblies, in their
Camps. There is indeed nothing lingular in this
Tepi nor y. 'Tertull: an has (aid no more than what
all thcWritcis of thofe Times, Heathen as well as
tOhfciTam vociferantur civitatem ; magris, in cafteUii,
in injulis Chriftianos, omnemfexum, ceiatem, conditionem ct
jam dignitatem tranfgrcdi ad hoc nomcn quad detriment')
maerent. Tertull. Apol. I. et ad Scap. vcrf. fin.
Hcfterni, (al. extend) fumus, ttvejlra omnia implcvi-
mus, Urbes, lrJidas,CaJlella,Mun\apia,Conciliabula, Cr.j-
tra ipj . curias, Pahtium, Senatum, Forum, cVc.
ibid, xxxvii.
Quid fades ce tantis tnillibus hominum, tot viris nc
foeminis, omnis fexus, omnis atatis, omnii dignitatis ,offeren-
tibus fe tibi. Tertull. ad Scap. v.
Chriftian
Jiated and confidfred. 1 6 1
Chriftian, juftify and confirm. That they were
very numerous in the time of 'Trajan about the
beginning of the Second Century, is manifeil
from the authority u of Pliny •, who, when he
found fuch numbers daily under profecution
from the Heathens, thought proper to flop all
farther proceedings againft them, and to confult
with the Emperor himfelf what was to be done
in the affair. He tells him upon this occafion,
that it was a matter highly deferving his con-
fideration ; more efpecially as great Numbers
muft be involved in the danger of thefe profe-
cutions j this inquiry having already extended,
and being ftill likely to extend, to Perfons of All
Ranks and Ages, and even of both Sexes. For
this contagious fuperflition is not confined
to the Cities only, but has fpread its infection
among the Country Villages.
Jujlin Martyr tells w Trypho the Jew, that,
whatever they might boaft of the univerfality of
their
* Vifa eftmihi resuigna confultatione, maxime propter
periclitantium numerum. Multi enim omnh atatis, orrmis
ordims, utriufque fexus, etiam vocantur in periculum, et
vocabuntur. Neque enim civitates tantum, fed vlcos etiam
atque agros fuperftionis iftius contagio pervagata eft. X.
Epift. 97.
ll^uTov y.tv adz vvv airo ocvxIoauv »A»k, tug ou OAflS £$-« TO
TEN05 avOpwVwv, urt BAPBAPX1N, tin EAAHNHN,
ure (xttAw? flTINIOTN ONOMATI wporayo^eyojtAivuv,
71 AMAZOBiaN, n 'AOIKHN KAAOTMENIlN, 3 b
2KHNAIS KTHNOTPOfcnN OIKOTNTHN, Ii off
[a* Six t« ovlfActlQr t» rxv^uUvli^* Inr* tv%x\, *) t»Xx~
fi »$-*'»* tw rial^i x) uro»»)]>7 t«» oAwv ylvuvlxi' Jujlin. Mart.
Dial. part. poft. §. 345-
x Neque hae, quae in Germanid funt fundatae, ecclcfiae
alitor credunt, aut aliter tradunt j neque hae, quae in
Hiber'u funt ; neque hae, quae in Celtis ; neque har, quae
in Oritnte ; neque hae, qux in Mgypto ; neque hae, quae
in Libya ; neque hae, quae-in Media Mundi funt confti-
tutae. Iren, adv. Har. I. 3.
V Enumerari enim poflunt, atque in ufum computatio-
ns
Jiated and conjidered* 163
Parthians, the Syrians) the Grecians, and all the
Iflands and Provinces of the Eaftern and Weft-
em World.
Origen declares2 in his book again ft Celfus0
that the Gofpel had gone farther, and the doc-
trines of it were more known in all parts of the
World, than any opinions of any of the Philo-
ibphers ; that thefe do&rines prevailed through-
out all Greece, and in the greateft part of All
Thofe countries, which were called Barbarian,
and had made innumerable converts in them
All.
All thefe accounts are confirmed by feveral
records and monuments of the Church, which
are prefer ved in the Eccletiaftical Writers of the
three firft Centuries, concerning the fucceflion
of
nis venire ea, quae in India gefta funt apud Seras% Per/as,
et Medos ; in Arabia, in /Egypto, in Afia, in Syria j apud
Galatas, Parthos, Phryga$\ In Achaia, Macedonia, Epiro ;
in itifulis et provinciis omnibus, quas Sol oriens atque occi-
dens luftrat ; ipfam denique apud dominam Romam, in qua
cum homnes fint Numae artibus atque antiquis fuperftitio-
nibus occupati, non diftulerunt tamen res patrias linqueret
et veritati coalefcere Chriftianae. Adv. Gentes. II.
* Eit' liraSri -sroXXaxj? ovopoif^u x^ufpiov to Soy^x, xj h
t*'t« eiiflov \ktyAin' vxetiv nANTOS TOT KOSMOT
l,yvuxoT<&> xripu^aa Xpij-tavooy [aocXXov, n rx toIV (piXo-
e£(poi$ dgiaxovlx' Orig. contr. Celf. I. p. 7. Edit. Spenc.
1 2 Uoivlx
1 64 The Tejlimony of the Fathers
of Bifhops, and the Epifcopal Sees, which are
faid to have been founded in all parts of the
World at that time.
It is a poor Evafion to fay, as a Dr. Middleton
does, that " the accounts of Pliny and Tertullian
u relate only to the provinces of Bitlywa and
" Africa, where the dignity of the mod eminent
" was but very little confidered, or refpected in
" the great republick of Rome." For, what rea-
fon can be afhgned, why we fhould not believe,
that there was a proportionable number of
Chriftian
Tlxvlx Ji tx -stxtlxxv pvrvgu* *x1x THN EAAAAA,
x) Tfjv BAPBAPON, xpfpix ovlx i hxtiMxi. Ibid,
p. 8.
TLxvluv yxp xoyrfitv xvli7rpxTlQvlu\> Ta vxi tov Xoyov
«wT»(fortafle xm) bn th\ OAHN OIKOTMENHN, t«w
ti xotlx xocipBf ftxcriXiuv, xx\ Ttav V7T avrx; xp^rpxlnyuv
xai yyiuoiocv., ztxAwj t£, u>q nroq £j7rnv, tuv Dih'jxv e£h-
er/av iyyi^apurixtvoiVy rr» S\ xxi rwy xxlx tzoXh; xp^ojiuv
xj S-pxliultxuv -Kj JV'^uav, ENIKHSE, [aj\ ZTifpvxus xwAufc-
8a«, a'f Aoy(§y 0s«, xai jTJOjtAiv^ Totriruv xvTxyuvifu*
liry^jooTCP^'' ITASHS juti EAAAAOS, ixi zjXiTov 21
rv; BAPBAPOT UeoLrDrt, xx\ pilnninn MTPIAI
OIA2 ¥YXA2 £7rt tv,v xxr xvtov SeoirtGeixv. Ibid.
p. 22.
^*XfA]) «V, 0T» T» IlXT8 TO E^CV »1 IIA2A f^fl aV0£U-
wwv OIKOYMENH, H nAPOIKOTSIN xl t« 0j J.*
iTicit 'EKKAH2IAI rm piTx£x\6\luv xtto [j.vpiuv eV«»
xxxw Ibid. p. 53. & p. 69.
, * Free Inquiry, &c. p. 195. Not
Jlated and confidered. 165
Chriftian Converts in All Other parts of the Ro-
man Empire ? Why muft there needs be a large
party of Chriflians, and that of men of the firft
Rank and Quality there, and no conliderable
number of them in other places.
It appears from other paflages in cTertulliany
that the number of Chriftians was very great not
only in Africa and Bithynia, but likewife in
hScythiay Sarmatia, Dacia, Germania&allia,
Hifpania, and throughout all Ajla.
Lucian fhewscthis account to be true of Ponfus,
by laying, \h2xP0ntus is full of Chriflians. And
TertullianAhimk\f tells Scapula the Pioconiul
of Africa, that the Proconful of Afia had de-
* In univerfa, inquit, terra exiit .forms eorum, et ufque
ad terminos terrz verba eorum. In quern enim aiium
univerfa gentes crediderunt, nifi Jn Chriftum, qui jam
venit ? Ut Getulorum varietates, et Maurorum multi
fines, Htfpanuirum omnes termini, et Galllarum diverfe
nationes et Britannorum inaccefTa Romanis loca, Chrifto
vero fubdita, et Sarmatarum, etDacoru?n, ttGermanorum,
et Scytbarum, et abditarum multarum gentium, et provin-
cjarum, Qtinfularummultarum nobis ignotarum, etqus enu-
merare minus poflumus ? In quibus omnibus loch Chrifti
nomen, qui jam venit, regnat ; utpote ante quern omnium
civitatum portae funt apertse, et cui nulls funt claufae.
TertuU. adv. Juda-os. vii. See alio, ad eofdem. xn. et de
Corona Militis xn.
c See Pfeudo?nant.
? Ad. Scap. c. iv.
L 3 clared
2 66 The Tefiimony of the Fathers
clared, there were fuch crouds of Chriftians
continually offering themfelves to Martyrdom
in his Province, that tho' he at rlrft fet out with
a determined rcfolution to extirpate the Seel by
the feverity of perfecution j yet afterwards upon
tryal he found, there were fuch multitudes of
them, as to aftonifh him above meafure, and
at once convince him that the attempt was
endlefs and vain. The fame thing is recorded of
the Chriftians e in Pakjiine long before that time ;
infomuch that theGovernor Tiber ianus fent Tra_
jan word, that he was quite tired out with put-
ting his orders againft That People in execution ;
fuch and fo great were the numbers of them.
The various and bloody perfections, that
befell the Chriftians, from the time of Nero
thro' three fuccemve centuries, are a ftrong
confirmation of all this. In every part of That
Period, innumerable multitudes of Chriftians
were facrificed in Every Province, throughout
the whole compafs of the R oman Empire. This
point has been of late very f fubftantially prov-
ed by the learned Ruinart, from all the various
Writers of thofe and the fucceeding ages, both
• Apud VJher. Append. J gnat. p. q. ex Jcannjs Maid*
Chron. xi. Vid. Annot. in tpift. ad PbilaJdp. not. 82.
Ct Suid. in voce Trajanus.
f See his Pref. general, in A3 a Martyr urn.
Pagan
Jlated and confidercd. 1 67
Pagan and Chriftian, againft a groundlefs and
extravagant opinion s of Mr. Dodwell, concern-
ing the paucity of Martyrs in the primitive times
of Chriitianity.
What Dr. Middleton h obferves of the little
regard or attention, that was paid to the Chri-
tians, is not lefs groundlefs and untrue, than what
he would infinuate, concerning the number of
them. This obfervation is grounded merely
upon the calumnies of Thofe, who were pro-
fefTed Enemies to Chriiiianity ; whofe authori-
ty therefore, in the Accounts which they have
given of them, is very little to be depended up-
on 5 as has been already (hewn, in a variety of
inftances. Indeed is it poffible, that when the
Chriftians were fpread thro* the whole known
World, and had eftablifhed themfelves in large
parties, through every part of the Globe; is it
poffible, in fuch circumitances, that little or no
attention fhould be paid to them ? Whence a-
rofe thofe frequent and great alarms, which the
Heathen Governors in all parts of the Roman
Empire experienced, thro' This people ? What
account is to be given, upon Dr. Middleton' $
fuppofition, of the many Imperatorial and Pro-
vincial Edicts concerning them? How came
fuch violent perfecutions to beconftantly raifed,
« Sec DiiT. Cyprian, xi.
* Frtt Inquiry, &c. p. 193.
L 4 and
1 6 8 The 'Teftimony of the Fathers
and carried on with fuch vigour and obftinacy,
throughout almoft every finale reign of all the
Roman Emperors, for three fncceihve Centu-
ries ? What other reafon can be given of the
wonderful encreafe of Chriftians every where,
in fpite -of all oppofition ? Notwithstanding
fuch numbers were continually taken off; yet
This h very Thing inftead of diminishing the
number of Chriftians, rather added to it. Ttr-
tullia?i l obferves of his own times, that the
.Chriftians grew up fafter than they were mowed
down ; The blood of the Martyrs being indeed
the Seed of the Church. It is probable, that in
allufion to this very thing, Conftantiuss who
was a Chriftian, and the great encourager and
protector of k the Sect, was called by the Apof-
tate jfulian an Hydra with many heads. And
the Compliment, ' which was paid to Herculius
Maximianm, a great enemy and perfecutor of
the Chriftians, carries with it the fime meaning.
A Medal was ftruck in honour of that Empe-
ror, upon which he was reprefented, as engaging
with an Hydra, where was this infeription,
*' Herculi Debellatori."
h Sec Tertull. Apol. L. Toeodorct. Scrm.dc leg. ix.
> Plu res efficimur, quoties metimura vobis ; femen e{l
fanguis Chriftianorum. Apol. l.
k See "Julian. Epift. 23.
} Sec Haver camp, Not. in Ttriull. Apol. l. p. 436.
ft
flated and confidered, 1 69
It is certain, that this was the reafon of Ju-
lia?! s mild conduct towards the Chriitians. He
* thought it policy not to put them to death ;
for he found by experience, that "they were
,, like new mown grafs, the oftner it is cut
„ down, the fafter and the thicker it grows."
It is obferved moreover by m Dr. Middleton,
that the Gofpel made a confiderablc progrefs at
that time only among the Vulgar ; Few of
a more diftinguifhed Rank, paying any regard to
it. This again is a reprefentation, made from the
authority of Thofe who are convicted of many
falfehoods, in their accounts of the Chriitians ;
I mean, the profeffed Enemies of Chriftianity.
Certainly it is not to be imagined, that out of
fuch numbers of people, who were continually
coming over to the Side of the Chriftians ; and
that in all parts of the World, both Civilized
and Barbarian, none but the more defpicable
part, the fcum of mankind, the very refufe of
the people, mould be amongft thefe numerous
Converts from every quarter. This is fo far from
being true, that ctertullia?i n fays exprefly, and
his teftimony is confirmed by Pliny, that many
* See Greg. Nazianz. Orat. in Julian.
m Free Inquiry. &c. p. 193. 197.
» See Tertull. Apol. I. xxxvu. et ad, Scap, verf. fill*
flin, Epift. x. 99.
of
170 The 'tefiimony of the Fathers
of both fexes, and of all ages, of all ranks and
conditions of men had embraced Chriftianity.
Hegefippus ° has left it upon record, according
to the extract, which Eufebius has made from
his Ecclefiaftical hiftory, that Domitian among
many other fpecimens of his cruelty, extended
it even to a number of the moft illuftrious per-
fons in Rome, and men of the firft rank and dig-
nity in the ftate ; fome of whom, as it is pro-
bable from what follows, felt his fury for be-
ing converts to Chriftianity.
Particularly Dion Caffius p mentions, that in
the time of Domitian FL Clemens the Conful, and
his Wife FL Domitilla, and Actlius Glabrio,
who had been conful with Trajan the year be-
fore, fufTered upon pretence of ' Atheifm, and for
embracing the rites and religion of the Jews.
This Eu/ebius * and all other learned men fince
his time have underftood, to mean the doc-
trines and profeffion of Chriftianity.
Eufebius r teftiftes, that in the time of the Em-
peror Commodus, even before Tcrtullian wrote
his
• See Eufeb. Hift. Ecclef. in. 17.
p Hift. lxvii. in Dom. p. 766. See alfo Eufeb. Chron.
Ann. 97. et Can. Chron. ad annum eundem.
*Se; Eufeb. Hift. Eccl. iv,. 22. et v. 28. Sec alfo
Fabric i Comment, in Hieron. de Script. Ecclef. xxii.
' 'On ^ 0 ffwlrf:^ ?^¥& fu'«^ t3
ruv oXwv 0£* Sfna-xstxif wrt r.Sn xj TXIN wri PX1-
MH2 ET MAAA nAOTTU KAI TENEI AIASA-
NX1N nAEIOTS m top opoVc xu?'~v nANOIKI n
xx\ IIArrENH 0-wnjfiav Hiit.Ecclef. v. 21.
s See an Account of their Lives and Writings in Cave's
Lives of the Fathers ; and in his Hift. Liter. Dubin. Til-
lemont, &c.
• See lib. ii, adv. Genus, p, si.
Dr.
172 ^he Tcjlimony of the Fathers
Dr. Middleton u obferves, from the condition
of publifhing books in thofe Primitive Times,
" There is great reafon to believe, that the A-
u pologies of the Chriftians, how gravely foever
" addreffed to Emperors and Senates, lay con-
c{ cealed and unknown to the Public, for many
" years, in a few private hands, and among
" the Faithful only ; efpecially as the Chrifti-
" ans were neither able to bear the expence of
" copying, nor the Heathens difpofed to buy
" them. "
This Obfervation, in its moft material part,
is utterly without foundation j and the whole
of it is full of improbability. Eufcbius w and
Jerom affure us, that during the ftay of Ha-
drian at Athens, the rage of perfccution broke
out afreih againft, the Chriftians of that place.
And in order either to fupprefs it entirely, or
at leaft to mitigate the fury of it, Arifiides and
Quadratus waited upon that Emperor in perfon,
and prefented Apologies, in behalf of Them-
felves and their fuffering Brethren. In the fame
x manner Melito, Athenagoras, and others, of-
fered their Apologies to the Emperor M. An-
u Free Inquiry, &c. p. 199..
w Hift. Ecclcf. iv. 3. Hieron. de Script. Ecclef. in
^uodrato. & Epift. ad Magn. Orat.
* Sec Evfeb. Hift. Ecclcf. v. 24. 4V. 26.
toninus
Jldted and confldered. 173
toninus. And thus it was, that T'ertullian pre-
ferred his Difcourfe to Scapula, Proconful of
Africa.
Indeed this appears, from the authentic Ac-
counts of Thofe Times, to have been the com-
mon method of proceeding in fuch cafes. Par-
ticularly, it is exprefsly yfaid of Jujiin Martyr,
that during his refidence at Rome, not only his
Apologies were prefented to the Emperor and
Senate ; but that fome z regard and attention
was paid to them ; infomuch that the Emperor
was prevailed upon, to ifTue out * orders imme-
diately in favour of the Chriftians ; that they
fhould for the future be treated in a more mild
and regular way, than had been obferved hereto-
fore. And tho' the Apology of T'ertidlian was
written in Africa, and only dedicated to the
Magiftrates of the Roman Empire ; yet effectual
y O (J' avrog »t(^* lvr,~v<&, x) Trgog EWrivxg Ixxvu-
a.7ro\oyiocv jf^ovlaf, BottriXeT Avluvivu, tm eT»j l-TrmX^evlt
y«p lta-1 t^? PHMHS TAS AIATPIBAS EnOIEITO.
Eufeb. Hift. Ecclef. iv. n. See dhjuftin.'m Apol. fub
initio. Ada Martyr. Jujiin. Hieron. de Script. Ecclef.
2 See Or of. Hift. Ecclef. vn. 14.
a See Jujfin Martyr, ad Calc. Apol. II. Eufeb. Hift.
Ecclef. iv. 13. Chron. Alexandr. Ann. 2. OJymp. 237.
Ind. 7. p. 608.
care
174 ^:e Tejiimcmy of the Fathers
care was taken by himfelf and his friends, to
publifh and difperfe it throughout the whole
extent of that Empire.
The publication indeed of Books was not fo
eafy a thing in former times, as in the prefent,
when we can provide and difperfe, what num-
ber of Copies we pleafe, by the opportunity of
the Prefs. But ftill in Thofe Times it was no
very difficult, nor very expen five thing for a man
to publifh and difperfe large numbers of Copies
throughout the whole Roman Empire, by his
own means, and by the help of his friends.
Large collections of books had been made
and depofited in Libraries, at Athens , at Perga-
?nus, at Alexandria, at Rome, and in every other
place of any considerable note, throughout the
Greek and Roman Empires. This made the bu-
finefs of tranferibing books, a very neceffary and
a very beneficial employment. Accordingly, as
it was reafonable to be expected, numbers of
Scribes b of different claries ufually lodged them-
felves in every populous city and in all places
of public refoit. ^elides thefe perfons, whole
fole profeffion it was to make tranferipts of
books for public ufe, and who by a confrant
practice had acquired an habit of doing it, with
wonderful application and difpatch j every pri-
w Sec Montfaucon i> Palacogr. Groec. I. .5.
vate
Jiated and confidered. 1 7 £
vate perfon of any fort of tafte for books or
learning ; every man of the leaft figure or for-
tune in the world, was furnifhed with his own
particular Amanuenfes 5 numbers of which
were kept in the houfes of the rich and great,
merely for fuch purpofes.
Thus it is eafy to conceive, how upon the
publication of a book, a great number of Co-
pies might be provided and difperfed abroad in
a ihort time. And there is the greateft reafon
to believe, that among fuch multitudes ofChri-
flians, with which every place abounded in the
times of the Chriftian Apologifls, no pains or
cxpence would be wanting, to fpread the Wri-
ings of the principal Advocates of the Chriftian
Caufe, into the hands both of friends and ene-
mies ; more efpecially fuch parts of their Writ-
ings, as were compofed for no other purpofe,
except only, for the ufe and conviction of Un-
believers.
The concurrence of Enemies is hot wanting
to ftrengthen ftill farther that Evidence of the
Continuance of Miracles after the Days of the
Apoftles, which I have been hitherto endea--
vouring to eftablifh.
yujlin Martyr compofed two Dialogues,
which are ftill extant, upon the fubjecl: of
the Chriftian Religion. In thefe Dialogues a
Difpute
176 The Teftimony of the Fathers
Difpute is introduced between himfelf, and
ctryphoi a Jew, concerning the comparative
excellence of each others Religion. In the
courfe of this debate, Ju/lin infifts upon the
Continuance of that Extraordinary Providence
in the Chriftian Church, even in His Days,
which had been fo vifibly manifefted to the
World, in the Days of the Apoftles ; by enu-
merating the various fupernatural Gifts and
Miraculous Powers, which Then refided a-
mong the Chriftians. Particularly he tells c his
Antagonift, " that the Gift of Prophecy is now
" transferred from the Jews to the Chriftians."
To thefe Allegations no Anfwer is given, nor
the lead Objection made, on the part of the
Jew.
In two other d Dialogues written on purpofe
to vindicate the conduct and the characters of
the Chriftians, from the many afperfions and
calumnies of their Pagan Adverfaries, amidft a
variety of objections, which are brought by
Autnlycus and Ofiavius, there is not the lead:
intimation of Thofe Miraculous Powers being
questionable or fufpected; to which Theophilus
and Minucius particularly appeal.
c See Dial, cum Tryphone.^zr. poft. p. 30S.
* Sec Tljioph. ad Autolycum, ScOtfavius Minucii.
Now
JIated and confidered. i yy
Now, whether thefe feveral Dialogues were
the fubject of any real converfations, that had
patted between Jujlin and Trypho, between
1'heopbilus and Autolycust between Minucius
and Oftavius ; or whether they are fictitious
names and feigned characters, invented merely
for the fake of the Dialogue : yet in works of
this fort, it is natural to expect, and indeed the
defign of the performances themfelves, and the
propriety of the Characters introduced, do ne-
cefiarily require, that all the material exceptions
mould be mentioned, which were at that Time
ufually made to the ChrifHan Religion. The
filence therefore of Thefe Writers, in fuch cir-
cum (lances, is a ftrong prefumption of the truth
and reality of the Facts, to which they appeal.
It is a tacit acknowledgement, that thefe things
were then well known and uncontested.
This argument drawn from the tacit conceiTions
of Trypho, of OSlaviits, oiAutolycus, Enemies to
the ChriftianName, will be thought to have the
more weight ; when it is found to be confirm-
ed by the exprefs teftimony of ftill more open
and virulent ones, Celfus, Porphyry, zndLuczan.
Celfus ' acknowledges the power of Chrifti-
ans in the ejection of Demons, and in the pro-
AAIMONHN TINftN ONOMA2I ^ KATAKHAH-
M 2E2I
178 Vhe Tejlitnony of the Fathers
duclion of many wonderfull and extraordinary
effects ; but, in order to be confident with his
own principles and profeflion, he declares, that
the former of thefe facts was owing to the force
of Charms and Incantations ; and the Latter
to fome Magical influence. However it is ma-
nifeft, that nothing but the genuine force of
truth, and the notoriety of the thing itfelf, could
have induced this Writer to make fuch a decla-
ration ; who from thofe fragments of his Book,
which Origen has preferved, appears determined
to lay hold of every opportunity of calumnia-
ting the Chriftians, and ridiculing their religion j
and accordingly has ranfacked all the treafurcs
of Learning, both Sacred and Prophane ; in
order to raife thofe unreafonable cavils, and dis-
ingenuous exceptionsto the truth of ourReligion,
which have been ever fince the grand ftore-
houfe of Infidelity, from the days of the Apof-
tate Emperour, down to the prefent Time.
One of the mofl dangerous enemies, which
the Chriftians ever had to ftruggle with, was
2E2I 3oxt7v I2XYEIN XPI2TIANOT2- Si oijuat,
a»vi* rx zrt(>\ r«y xxTtirxSovlbiv t»; Sxijxovxq xxi
ijriXxvvovluv' Contr. Ce!f. I. p. 7.
AAA' ooufxtv Jji ■era xai th? h tx7$ ay&pai? EniPPHTO-
TATA EniAEIKNTMENOT2 xj aytlpvlatc, &c. lb.
p. 14.x.
O* ft TOHTA2 r/*a? xx\i7, &c. lb. p. 284.
Porphyry,
Jlated and confidered. j yg
Porphyry. His many performances in every
branch u of Literature had met with univerfal
applaufe in the Gentile World, and made his
authority of great weight among the People.
A multiplicity of erudition, and various preju-
dices, which had been early and deeply imbibed
in favour of Paganifm, and a rancorous hate of
the Followers of Je/us, rendered him a very
able and zealous defender of the Religion of
his Country, and a moft furious and powerful
adverfary to the Chriftian. Yet this Writer, in
the extremity of his rage, has furnifhed us with
an argument in fupport of the Point now under
debate. In one part of his Writings, which wEu-
febius has fele&ed, he plainly intimates, that the
Chriftians in his time had a power of diipoiTefling
u Holflenlu^ in a DifTertation upon the life of Porphyry ,
has given an account of various pieces, which he compe-
red, upon Grammar ; upon Rhetoric j uponLogic j upon
the Mathematics ; upon the Hiftory of Philofophy ; upon
Philofophy itfelf, both Moral and Natural j upon Theo-
logy; upon Theurgic.
w Tltf) & rZ pWri AYNA20AI TI x) I2XYEIN
t»5 $ATAOT2 AAIMONAZ, /a/Ja t^ t2 2w7^®»
nfxuv e»? avfyte-rnsq zraflaJov, x) auros o xaO' npots run
//>£. Praep. Evang. v. i.
M 2 Damons
1 80 The Tejlimony of the Fathers
Damons, and expelling them from the fociety of
men. In another part, which * Jerom has quoted
in his Book againft Vigilantius, he faysexprefly,
that wonderful things were then performed by
the Chrifttians ; only to preferve a confiftency
of character, he will not acknowledge them to
be the production of any divine power > but the
mere effects of Magic Operations.
If the Philopatris in Lucian be a genuine
piece j and the arguments, by which y Gejncr
has attempted to prove it fuppofititious, are, I
think, far from being z unanfwerable : then we
may add to the foregoing authorities, the tefti-
mony of that fatyrical and facetious Epicurean.
But whether Lucian be the author of the Phi-
lopatris or not ; it is fufficient to our prefent
purpofe, that it is acknowledged to be the pro-
duction of fome Writer, who lived in the earlier
Ages of Chriftianity, and mod probably before
the converfion of the Roman Empire. -|~ In this
Dialogue
x Nifi forte in morem Gcntilium, impiorumque,P0r/>&y-
rii et Eunomii, has praeftigias Dsmonum effe confingas, et
non verc chinarc Daemonas (fcil. cum a chriftianis ex
hominum corporibus ejiciantur.)
y See his Differt. tie setate et auctore Philopatridis ad
calc. oper. Lucian.
' See Fabricii Biblioth. Grac,. iv. 16.
"|" Ek AoJ^c ft ravroc. -SuX^sxltlvccvli^ZTBi^n f*t to» xaxa-
**»'/*otf» tU TOHTA2 AN0PnnQT2; 'vatf&ym&aiy *J
CCTTQ-
ftated and confidered. \ 8 r
Dialogue Critias is introduced, giving an ac-
count of his admiffion to the myfteries of the
Chriftians, who areftiled yoyreg avQpuiroi.
It appears from a paflage in the life of Apol-
lonius, and from the anfwer, which was given to
it, in the book againft Hierocks ; that it was the
current opinion of the Heathens in thofe earlier
Ages of the Church, that real Miracles might
be performed by the power of Magic. Philojlra-
tus a tells us, that the great Impoftor of Tyana,
when he was tryed for a Magician, put this
qucftion to the Emperour Domitian, " If I am
" yovig, how will you bind me ? but if you bind
<{ me, how am I y^ ?" To this h Eufebius
makes anfwer in the following manner j " If
" you are not yoyg, how was your leg freed ?
<{ But if your leg was freed 5 how are you not
" yov;$" Nor is it lefs evident from c another
Writer, who lived about the fame time, that it
a-urotpfxfo to &? teyofjLsvov fl/x^«, jT>u$i>j.i))& rx i7r^t^n<&, zrx£ o\> t£r] 5Cfoi>ov,
tpyov vStv xxorii 7T0 Ttf ■Srxl^O^ JtJ £fo)g yiVUlTKSl TOV ZTxli^Oi^
*» fj-n c vie?, a$t tov u»ov, ti pvi o zrotlrio, xai olq ocv o
vicg a,7rQXX,\Ci\>Y)' 'ATrfJtaAuvJ/Ji/ ?i» ypTv IIANTA o, EN XAPITI. iTheJf. II. 16.
d See Frte Inquiry, &c. p. 2?.
' Kayw tl-rrov, ygxfpxs vulv xvn~0£t7v jiaiAAw, £ xxlx-
rutvriv \6ywv iv pcwi riyvvi £7riaVxw&a» xtyOo-
vuf zruQxxxXu yivs&ai' oirwf fj.r\ x^ t»t» %af iv k^ktiv o(£-
*fae%&c Jujlin. Dial. part. poll. p. 258,
will
ft cited and conftdered. 193
will it be lefs evident to the English Reader
from the following Tranllation -, I mall there-
fore lay the whole paffage before him, a part
of which is only cited by Dr. Middleton, with-
out making any obfervation upon it. " I will
" endeavour to explain to you the Scriptures,
" without labouring to (hew merely any artifi-
" cial ornament of Language ; for I have no
" talent of that fort -3 but Grace only is given
" to me of God, to underftand the Scriptures ;
" of which Grace I pray that All Men may
" be freely and fully partakers, that I may not
" upon this account be liable to the judgment
"of God."
The fame fenfe is moft evidently conveyed
by the word X#p^ in the laft palfage, which is
quoted by Dr. Middletony with defign to mew
that Jujiin infifts, that his feveral interpretati-
ons of Scripture were all fuggefted to him, in an
extraordinary manner from Heaven.
What Mr. Dodwell has very b excellently ob-
ferved upon this part of the Free Inquiry, is a
full confutation of it ; and indeed has rendered
any farther obfervations upon that head unne-
ceffary. As to the fir ft palfage, from whence
Dr. Middleton would perfuade us, that jujiin
k See his Anfvver to the Fret Inquiry, p. 60, 61, 62.
N claimed
194 The Teftimony of the Fathers
claimed the particular gift of expounding the
Holy Scriptures, as granted by the fpecial
grace of God to himfelf, it is plain, as he fays
" That Juftin is neither fpeaking of himfelf in
" particular, nor of any Special Grace, but of the
" happy knowledge, which all Chriftians were
" blefTed with, by the Revelation of the Got-
" pel. In the fecond paffage, Juftin prays, that
" All Men may be partakers of That Grace,
" which, he fays, was given to Him of God,
" to underftand the Scriptures. Certainly he
,c was not obliged to pray, that All might
" be infpired, if he had fpoken of his own
" proficiency in the Scriptures in That Senfej
" but he thought himfelf bound to pray, that
" All might be favoured with the knowledge
" of thofe facred Writings j and that the Jews
11 in particular, with whom he was difcourfing,
V vvho admitted the authority of the Old Te-
" (lament, might through grace fo far under-
li ftand the true fenfe of it, as to difcern the
" predictions of an univerfal Redeemer, and
" the completion of them in the perfon and
" offices of Chrift. This is the point that he
" labours throughout the whole conference j
" wifhes them the grace and favour, that him-
" felf had received, ill the difeovery of a Savi-
" our; and intimates that hc-fhould finagainft
n the
Jiated and confidered. 195
" the Lord, if he mould ceafe to pray for
" them. The other citation from Jujlin al-
u ledged to the fame purpofe, is as follows. The
" Martyr himfelf had cited a paffage from
" Ifaiah, which his Jewifh Companions allow-
" ed to be of weight ; upon which he c re-
" plies, Can you ever think, that we could un-
" derftand thofe things in the Scriptures, if we
" had not received Grace to underftand therri
" from the Author of them ? The Jews ac-
4
to Dr. Waterljnd. p. 52. 53.
which is a manner of fpeakino-
very different from This, gfr ^ 9tari ri^
m*XWm, or, from This, T?, ^ T^ov ^
tmtXwme j One of which Phrafes it ought to have
been, according to Dr.Mddkton's interpretation;
for thus he has rendered it, « in every parim,6 or
" place, where there was aChriftian Church;—.
" inevery partof f the world, where there was a
' Church, or an aiTembly of Chriftians." The
* Free Inquiry, &c. p. 72
'Ibid. - --
P" .
P2
meaning
228 I'ht Miraculous Gifts and Powers
meaning of the paffagc, as it flands inh Eufebius,
certainly is nothing more than this j viz. upon
fomc neceiTary and important occafions,thefpirit
of a dead man has returned into him, and again
animated and informed the lifelefs corpfe, thro'
the united prayers of the Whole Church, in
That Place, where the perfon had lived. To
this fenfe is the old Latin text of Ircnau s \ " ea,
" qua? eft in quoquo loco, ecclefia poftulante."
In the fame manner the learned Valefius, plainly
underiiood it, as appears from his tranflation of
the place, " tota fimul unius loci ecclefia ob ali-
" quam necefiitatem id flagitante cum jejuniis
" multis et orationibus." And fo Langus and
Fronto Ducaus underflood it ; two very learn-
ed Jefuits, who have publiibed Nicepkorus with
a Latin verfion : For thus they both have ren-
dered it, " ecclefia ejus loci omni orante." And
fo indeed Dr. Middletonl\\\vnk\{ underilands it,
in another place. When he is laying before the
Reader the principal teftimonies, which relate to
the miraculous gifts of the Church, as they are
found in the writings of the Fathers, from the
earlieil: ages, after the days of the ApohMes; the
paflage in Irenaus, which we are now confider-
» Hift. Ecclef. v. 7.
'i Free Inquiry, faff, p. 12.
in£
JiJoi
of the Primitive Church. 229
ing, is thus tranflated, <{ the dead have been
<£ raifed upon neceflary occasions, when by
" great Fafting, and the joint fupplication of
" the Church of That Place, the fpirit of the
1 { dead perfon returned into him, and the man
" was given back to the prayers of the Saints/
Nor has Dr. Middleton fucceeded better
m the interpretation of another paffage in kEufe-
bius. In fpeaking of the perfon raifed from the
dead, which is mentioned by Eufebius from the
books of PapiaSy l he obferves, that the hiftorian
feems to rank this miracle, recorded by Papiasy
among the other fabulous ftories delivered by
that weak man.
There is nothing in the place here referred to,
which can give us the lead: reafon to think,
that Eufebius meant to intimate any fuch thin°\
He only fays, j£ aZvuhn (fc. ;rope?) ^epoj/ ffa.
^olov. The context plainly (hews, that wa§ci-
2o%ov does not here fignifie a fabulous ftory. It
is another expreflion, but of the fame fignifica-
tion with what went before. m e„vf«un* <^Vt
a-ig and irupz$o!~ov are in this place fynonimous
expreffions, and denote the relation of an extra-
ordinary or miraculous event.
* Hift. Ecclef. III. 39 .
1 Free Inquiry^ &c. p. 72.
* See Eufeb. as above.
* 3 The
230 The Miraculous Gifts and Powers
The filence of Antiquity, upon this article of
the dead being raifed, is thought by nDr. Middle-
ton fufficient to overturn the exprefs teftimony
oflrcnteus. I know, the filence of Antiquity is
an argument, which may be made ufe of to
good purpofe in fome particular cafes ; but in
the prefent cafe, I cannot apprehend that it is of
any force at all. InCriticifm, the filence of Ma-
nufcripts is an objection to Thofe Emendations,
which are grounded upon mere conjectures j ef-
pecially where a found fenfe may be given of
the prefent reading, and that confiftently with
the context. In this view many of Thofe E-
mendations, unfupported by any Manufcript,
may juftly be rejected, which Dr. Bentley has
published, of pafTages in the New Teftament,
in Terence \ in Callimachus, in Ariftophanes ; and
fome of Thofe conjectures, which Mr. Mark-
land has given, upon places in Ly/ias, in the
New Teftament, in Maximus Tyrius, in Sta-
tius, and in Horace. No exprefs mention being
made in any ancient Geographer, or in any an-
cient 7T£p/7rX^ of the Continent, or Coaft of
America, may furnifh out a good argument
againft ° Turnebus, or p Cluverius, who contend
* Free Inquiry, &c. p. 72. "74.
• Sec Turntb. in Adverf. III. 11.
» Spe Cluyer. Gcogr- VI, U,
that
of the Primitive Church, .231
that this part of the habitable world was not
unknown to the Ancients.
" A manner of argumentation, fays a very
c< judicious qand learned Writer, would be very
" rational and folid, that mould conclude that
££ Thofe Means of falvation, which are propofed
" by a Mahomet fuppofe, or a David George ■
u or the like Sectaries, are null and contrary to
c< the will of our Saviour; feeing that none of the
Si ancient Chriftians fpeak fo much as one fyl-
C£ lableof them, and are utterly ignorant of thofe
c ' fecrets, that thefe wretches have preached to
* xx\ AATNATONY Cont. Celf. v. p. 240.
See alfo IX. p. 70.
■ See Spencer in Not. ad Origen. contr. Celf. II. p. 70.
lin. 46.
Dead
of the Primitive Church. 235
Dead was at That Time actually withdrawn
from the Church ; becaufe the Christians either
did not, or could not work fuch a Miracle,
when their Adverfaries were defying them to
fhew any effects of it, and putting the merits
of the controverfy upon that very iffue. But
might it not with equal probability of reafon
be concluded, that the power of working Mi-
racles was entirely ceafed at a time, when our
x Saviour did not, at the earneft requeil of the
Jews, fhew them any iign from Heaven ; or
at a time, when St. Paul y left his friend Tro-
phimus at Miletum fick ?
The collation and exercife of miraculous
powers, even in the times of the Apoftles, ac-
cording to Dr. Middletoris z own account of the
matter, was merely temporary and occafional,
adapted to particular exigencies, thought wor-
thy of them by our Lord, and imparted only
at the moment of their exertion, which by
fome fpecial impulfe was notified at the fame
time to the Agent ; and as foon as thofe
particular occalions were ferved, that they
were withdrawn again or fufpended, and the
Agents reduced to the condition of all other
x Matt. xii. 38. 39. and xvi. 1. 4,
i 2 Tim. iv. 20.
2 Free Inquiry , &c. Pref. p. 23.
Men,
236 The Miraculous Gifts and Powers
Men, and left to the guidance of their own
prudence. And why may it not be fuppofed,
that this was the true cafe of Thcophilus at the
time, when Autohcus made the demand ?
But in truth, no fuch difficulty arifes from
the pafTage in Tbeopbilusy as Dr. Middleton men-
tions. If it is a difficulty, it is one, which is
only the production of his own fancy.
238 The Miraculous Gifts and Powers
ters of Philip the Deacon, who were living not
long before that time : he might have referred
to thofe perfons, whom ^uadratus particularly
takes notice of. For this Writer in his Apology
to Hadrian, in order to prove the reality of
our Saviour's Miracles, from the permanency of
the effects produced, obferves f, that the per-
fons, who had been raifed from the Dead by
Chrift, furvived him many years ; infomuch
that fome of them were even at that time ftill
living. And it is remarkable that from the
writing this Apology to the time of Theophilus,
the fpace of twenty years was the utmoft, that
could have intervened ; and therefore thefe in-
flances could not but be yet frefh in his me-
mory, when the demand was made.
The fhewinga perfon, who was faid to have
been raifed from the Dead, could have given
but little fatisfattion to the Infidel Autolycus.
*}, AAAAXOT ETEPOI. Oupw & »AX« a£ xl ©IfTA-
TEPE2 ty/.:oi/ rx iofx clu 7rXPr\\i' aArjOr? yx9
7,-j' — ol ANISTANTES tx vsxouv" 01 a u(pQri.x x) AriAAAArENTOr,
t,
that this Refurredtion was not pretended, but
real. His prejudices againft the thing itfelf
would give fuch a biafs to his under/landing, as
to make him to fufpend his affent, in the clear-
eft evidence, and ever to fufpecl fome fraud
and collufion. At leaft it would have been as
eafy for Theophilus to have proved to him the
Refurreftion of Chrift, or of thofe perfons men-
tioned in the Gofpel ; and Antolycus himfelf
muft have perceived, that there would be as
much reafon for believing the one as the other ;
fince both depended only upon the credibility
of teftimony.
But fuppofing that this was the meaning of
Auto/ycus's demand >, and that this was the
fenfe in which Theophilus understood it ; yet
there appears nothing in the anfwer given to
this demand which can induce us to think, that
there was no inftance of that nature then to be
found. There might be feveral perfons even
then living in different parts of the world, who
had been raifed from the Dead 3 although ' Theo-
philus either did not, or could not give Autoly-
cus an inibnee in the manner he requefted. It
is plain, Theophilus could not have convinced
Aufolycus of the reality of a Refurredion,
which
240 'The Miraculous Gifts and Powtrs
which was the point in difpute, by bringing
into his prefence a Man, who had been raifed
from the Dead ; unlefs fuch an extraordinary
event had happened in their own times, and in
or near the very place, where they lived. And
it is not likely, that he or any man upon fuch
an occafion would have given himfelf the trou-
ble of doing it, if it had happened in a diftant
country. He attempts therefore, juft as any
wife man would do in the fame circum fiances,
to mew in three different views the unreafon-
ablenefs of the demand itfelf. In the firft place
he exprefsly tells him, which is indeed a
firong confirmation of the truth of what I am
contending for; that, if he g was to fee the
thing done in his prefence, there would be no-
thing meritorious in believing, what he could
not but believe, upon the information of his
fenfes. In the next place, he puts him in mind
of the inconfittency of his own conduct, in de-
manding a ftronger proof of the Refurrection
from the Chriltians, than from his Pagan Bre-
thren ; for he admits the truth of it in his own
religion, and yet difputes the reality of it in the
Chriftian. And in the "laft place he takes h no-
* tySnv (**», tJ piya, 11 0EAXAMENO2 TO TE-
TONOS zrirtvo-HS'y 1'heoph. ad Autol I. p. 34.. Edit. Ox.
h iTug k, ES-iAtJu 0-04 fityty tys$vrt* Xj.\ £mVT«, xj
t«tq awn-* is, I muft own, beyond
my
of the Primitive Church. 243
my comprehenfion. Nay, I am perfuaded, it is
more than what the confummate art and ex-
quifite fubtlety of the moil hackneyed Contro-
verfialin: will be able to fupport.
In the Free Inquiry \ if we take ! the Au-
thor's own word for it, there are none of thofe
arts, which are commonly employed by Difpu-
tants, either to perplex a good caufe, or to pal-
liate a bad one ; no fubtle refinements, forced
confiru&ions, or evafive diftinctions : but plain
r^afoning upon plain facts. And yet it is noto-
rious, that when this Writer comes to fpeak of
the cure of Difeafes, and of the cafe of the De-
moniacs, in the Primitive Church; the whole
of his reafoning confifts of nothing elfe, but
palpable evafions, falfe and unwarantable con-
clulions. Take an initance or two in the parti-
culars, juft mentioned. Becaufe the bite of Vi-
pers is known to have been checked and cured
in a (hort time, by the application of Oyl ;
therefore, fays he, k the cure of a certain Dif-
eafe performed by Proculus upon the Emperor
Severus, by the ufe of Oyl, may be accounted
for without a Miracle, by the natural power
and efficacy of the Oyl itfelf. Whereas it is not
certain, that the Ancients knew any thing of
1 Free Inquiry, &C Pref. p. 31.
i See Free Inquiry, &c. p, 76.
<^2 this
244 fflje Miraculous Gifts and Powers
this virtue of Oyl, in expelling poifon ; and if
they did, yet there is no ground for fuch a
conclufion, as is here drawn. Severus had not
been bit by any poifonous animal ; and though
Oyl may be a fovereign antidote againft the ill
effects of poifon ; yet how does it appear to
have any fuch natural power and efficacy, in
curing other diftempers ? A man might with
lefs impropriety conclude, as Spinoza l does,
that becaufe the Scripture relates feveral cir-
cumftances, in the production of Thofe Effects,
that are commonly held to be fupernatural, it
is an intimation, that Such Events were brought
about by Natural Caufes. For inftance, becaufe
the fprinkling Ames is made a requifite to pro-
duce One of the plagues of Egypti and the
qualities of a Rod in the hand of Mofes, to pro-
duce the Reft j becaufe a Wind was made the
instrument to bring and carry back the Locufts,
and to feparate the Waters in the Red Sea j
becaufe Clay and Spittle were the immediate
inftruments applied by our Saviour to the Eyes
of the Blind, and to the Tongue of the dumb
Man i therefore that great impugner of found
reafon and religious principles affirms, that fuch
1 See Brown's Pamphlet, entitled Miracles, Works
above and contrary to Nature, p. 5<)- &c »
reputed
of the Primitive Church. 245
reputed Miracles of Scripture are not to be
considered, as effects of an extraordinary kind ;
for unlefs we knew more precifely, in fuch cafes,
the real bounds between Nature and Mira-
cle, we cannot determine, that they might not
be owing to Natural Caufes. Whereas every
Man of fenfe, whofe mind through proper cul-
tivation, like a well weeded Garden, is not
overrun with prejudices, muft know, that the
circumftances commonly mentioned, as concur-
rent to the production of Miracles, are by no
means qualified to produce the effects afcribed
to them, in the order, and by the force of na-
ture j and therefore they muft be qualified for
it, by a fupernatural power, which can make
any thing inftrumental to what purpofes and
effects it pleafcs.
So again ; becaufe many m miraculous cures
were pretended to have been wrought in the
Pagan World ; therefore there never were
any inftances of True Ones, in the Chriftian :
or, becaufe there may n have been fome coun-
terfeit Exorcifms, among the Jews and Gen-
tiles j therefore there never were any Genuine
Ones, among the Chriftians: or, becaufe0 by a
» Free Inquiry, &c. p. 77. &c,
» Ibid. p. 80. &c.
0 Ibid. p. 91, 92.
0^ 3 certain
246 T'bt Miraculous Gifts and Powers
certain formation of the Organs of Speech,
managed by art and practice, Some Perfons
may have been enabled, fo to direct their Voic-
es, as to make them feem to come from what
part of their Body, or from what part of the
Room they pleafed ; therefore all the diabolical
poflefTions, faid to have prevailed in Thofe
Days, were nothing but the effects of human
art, or natural caufes, and the removing them
was entirely owing to the juggling Tricks of
Eyyois-ctfjLvQoi, or Ventriloquifts. As if there was
any fort of connexion between the Cures and
Exorcifms in the One cafe, and the Cures and
Exorcifms in the Other ; or, as if any rational
conclufion would hold good, from the truth or
falfity of the One kind of instances, to the truth
or falfity of the Other. Let us fee, how fuch
premifes and fuch conclufions do agree, in a fi-
milar cafe or two. An Otho-Medal is consider-
ed by a Virtuofo, as a thing of ineftimable va-
lue j though indeed its intrinlic worth be quite
inconfidcrable. It is the fcarcity of thefe ancient
pcices of Money, that principally inhances
their value, in the eftjmation of thefe Men.
And yet feveral of thefe Medals have, by a
dexterity of art, been fo nicely imitated, as to
impofe upon numbers- of people, and even upon
thz very Adepts in this part of Antiquity. Now
is
of the Primitive Church. 247
is it any confequence at all, becaufe Some of
thefc Coins have been thus counterfeited, that
therefore there never was a real One, ftruck in
honour of that Emperor ? Will Dr. Middleton
fay, becaufe the p mod furious Winds have fud-
denly been laid, and almoft in an inftant a Calm
has fucceeded to a violent Storm ; that there-
fore when our Saviour, in the midft of a Tem-
per! at Sea, rebuked the Winds and the Sea,
and inftantly there became a great Calm 5 no-r
thing miraculous was to be apprehended >, that
the event was nothing more, than what might
have been brought about, by natural means ?
Dr. Middleton feems fully perfuaded, that his
opinion concerning the Primitive Miracles can
do no manner of hurt to the Chriftian Religion.
On the contrary, I think, it is obvious to every
one, who reads his book with any decree of
attention, and confiders the tendency of thofe
principles, advanced in it ; that it faps the very
foundation of Chriftianity. But whatever be-
comes of the opinion itfelf 5 it is certain, that
in many places, particularly in that part of the
Free Inquiry, which we are now confidering,
his manner of handling the fubjecr, if once ad-
mitted, cannot fail of weakening the credit of
* See Fleetwood's Effay on Miracles, p. 141, 142.
0^4 ' the
248 *fhe Miraculous Gifts and Powers
the Gofpel Miracles. Whatever he has faid of
the natural power and efficacy of Oyl, in curing
Difeafes ; of the pretended Cures among the
Heathens; of the Jewiih and Gentile Exorcifts;
and of the ancient Ewparpfcu^ or Ventrilo-
quifts 3 is a method of reafoning, which, if juft
and true, is not only applicable to the healing
of Difeafes, and to the Demoniacal poffeffions,
in the Primitive Church -y but will alfo extend
its dcftru&ive influence to the Demoniacs, and
to the fame fort of Cures, which are mention-
ed in the Gofpel. But if thefe inftances do not
at all affect our belief of the Gofpel Cures, and
the Gofpel difpoffelTions of Demons ; which is
a thing, that Dr. Middleton, if he acts confid-
ently, as a Chriftian, muft allow ; what reafon
is there, or can there be to think, that they
ihould leflen the credibility of the fame kind
of miraculous operations, recorded by the ear-
lier Fathers.
In the conclufion of this article, on the De-
moniacs of the Primitive Church, Dr. Middle-
ton recommends q the two following obferva-
tions to the attention of the Reader, (viz.)
Firfiy " That the pcrfons, thus pofleffed,
" and in whom the Devils ufed to hold dif.
*l Frte Inquiry , &c. p. gi. 94. (
" courfes
cf the Primitive Church. 249
courfes, were called by the primitive Chrif-
tians, Eyjp«£-p/jt*u0w, or Vcntriloquifts; becaufe
they were believed to fpeak out of the belly,
or thro' the navel.
Secondly, " That the chief habitation of thefc
primitive Daemoniacs was within a part of the
church, allotted to them for thatpurpofe j in
which, as in a kind of Hofpital, they were
committed to the care of the Exorcifts -, whofe
bufinefs it was, to pray over them on fome
occafions, and to provide their daily food, and
keep them employed in fome bodily exercife
and innocent bufinefs, of fweeping theChurch
and the like, to prevent the more violent agi-
tations of Satan, and left he fhould be tempt-
ed by their idlenefs to renew his attacks upon
them : Which method of relieving fo mifer-
able a tribe of helplcfs mortals, will account
for the Numbers with which the Churches
were ftored ; as well as for the Confidence of
Thofe Challenges, made to the Heathens, by
the Chriftian Apologifts, to come and fee at
any hour, and any warning, how they could
torment, la(h, and burn, and drive the evil
fpirits out of them ; while they kept fuch
numbers of them in conftant pay, always
ready for the fhew j tried and difciplined by
their Exorcifts to an habit of groaning and
11 howling
250 I'he Miraculous Gifts and Powers
" howling, and to give proper anfwers to ail
" queftions, which mould be demanded of
" them."
Dr. Middleton will therefore give me leave in
return,to recommend the twro following remarks,
to the attention of the Author of the Free In-
quiry', and to the attention of every other perfon,
who may have imbibed any prejudices from thofe
obfervations, againft the teftimony of Demonia-
cal pofleffions, in the earlier Ages of Chriftianity.
Firji, It is well known to every man, who
has the leaft acquaintance with Antiquity, that
there was a fetof men among the Greeks, called
Gsopotvleisy who were fuppofed to prophefie, by
the immediate and extraordinary influence of
ibme fuperior Being. Of thefe pretenders to
fuch infpiration one fort got the name r of
'Eyfcc^i^vdoi, from the particular manner of de-
livering their anfwers and predictions. But how
does it appear that the primitive Dasmoniacs
were fuch Eyfarp'^o' ? Di(i tnev ever pretend to
have any fuch fpiritof prophecy ? What autho-
rity is there for faying, that thefeDsemoniacs had
any fuch appellation ? The only teftimony, pro-
duced in fupportof that aflertion, is taken from
a book, the writer of which neither is, nor can
' SceS/^r'sThefaur.Ecclef.in voce.Seldende DiisSyr.
Bulenger dc Divinat. III. 6. VandaU de Div.IJotolatr. Jud.
pap. 10. Le Mcyne in Not. ad Var. Sac'r. p. 993, &C.
be
of the Primitive Church. 251
be known at this day, nor yet the time of its
publication. Thus much is all, which can be
collected from the book itfelf, with any kind of
certainty j (viz,.) That it was written after the ef-
tablifhment of Chriflianity by the civil Power.
It is clear beyond all doubt, according8 to Oudinus,
that it could not be written before the conclufi-
on of the fourth Century. M.v.tDodrwell con-
cludes from the filence of all the writers of the
fourth and fifth Centuries, that it was not pub-
lished, till the end at lead of the fifth Century.
Dupin is of opinion, that it was written about the
iixth Age of the Church. And Dr. Grabe"
thinks it probable, that this book was not writ-
ten long before the beginning of the fourteenth
Century ; when Joannes Sapiens CypariJJiota
lived, who was the firft writer of Antiquity, that
makes any mention of it.
Secondly, The learned w Bingham, in the
very place, whence the greateil: part of the ob-
fervations, upon Demonical porTerTions,are taken,
would have informed the Author of the Free
Inquiry, if his fentiments upon this head had not
been overlooked thro' negligence, or fuppreffed
s See his Hilt. Ecclef. in the life of Jujiin Martyr.
t See Cave's Hift. Liter. Tom. I. Saec. II. p. 36.
0 See Grabe's fpecileg. Patrum. Vol. II. p. 155. 156.
* See his Antiquities of the Church. IIJ. 4,
by
252 The Miraculous Gifts and Powers
by dcfign, that in the earlier Ages of the Church,
there was no certain order of Exorcifts appoint-
ed, nor was the power of ejecting evil fpirits
confined to any particular fet of men, but grant-
ed promifcuouily to Chriftians, as well among
the Laity, as the Clergy. " There is nothing
" more certain, fays that x Writer, than that in
" the Apoftolical age, and the next following,
<{ the power of exorcizing, or caflingoutDevils,
" was a miraculous gift of the Holy Ghoft, not
" confined to the Clergy 3 much lcfs to any
" (ingle order among them, but given to other
e< Chriftians alfo, as many other extraordinary
'* fpiritual gifts then were. Origen fays, private
" Chriftians, that is, Laymen, did by their
11 prayers and adjurations difporTefs Devils. And
" Socrates obfervcs particularly of Gregory Thau-
" maturgus, that whilft he was a Layman he
" wrought many miracles, healing the Sick, and
tC cafting out Devils. And that this power was
"common to all orders of Chriftians, appears
" further from the challenges of the ancient
Ci Apologifts, Tcrtullian, and others j wherein
" they undertake, that if they would bring
11 any perfon poffefled with a Devil into open
" court, before the Magiftrate, any ordinary
" Chriftian mould make him confefs, that he
»
T See Bingham's Antiquities, &c. II!. 4.
" was
of the Primitive Church. 253
" was a Devil and not a God. Minucius fpeaks
" of this power among Chriftians, but he does
" not afcribe it to any particular order of Men ;
TPE^ANTOS
AYTON TO HrEMONIKON,_ai(p»iJ»o» a.™ t» fxia-eTv
TOV XoyoV, £7T» TO U7T£f XTToQ(X.\)t7v aVT», Xy OANTASIflN-
T02 auT¥f, vTroi^ tj <,va£. Cont. Celf. I. pag. 35.
" that
of the Primlihe Church. 2yi
*f that we do not endeavour by fabulous ftories
" but by evident Facts and real Examples, to
" recommend the Divine Doctrine of Jefus
" Choir."
Some little time after the death of Cyprian,
towards the latter end of the third Century,'
Arnobius was converted to Chriftianity; one,
who had been a mod zealous advocate for Pa-
ganifm, which he maintained with all the ad-
vantages of wit and learning. The converfion
of this fierce Bigot for the Pagan religion was
brought about, partly by the conduct and beha-
viour of the Christians, under the moft bloody
perfection of Diocletian, which awakened
his mind to a fober and impartial inquiry
into the nature of their religion; and partly by
feveral ° Vifions and Divine ImprefTions, by
which he was oftentimes incited to embrace
it.
The gift of expounding the Scriptures, or the
Myfteries of God, according p to the Author of
the Free Inquiry, is one of thofe miraculous
Gifts, which were claimed by the Primitive
• Arnolius rhetor clarus in Africa habeturj qui, cum
in civitate Sicca ad dedamandum juvenes erudiret, & ad-
huc Ethnicus ad credulitatem fomniis compclleretur, &c.
Hitron. ad Eufeb. Chron. Ann. 327.
I See Free Inquiry } &c. p. 116,
*? Fathers,
274- ffic Miraculous Gifts and Powers
Fathers. But this is laid, I think, without any
authority. I do not find, that there is any refer-
ence, or pretention made to fuch kind of extra-
ordinary aili (lances, in all Ecclefiaftical Antiqui-
ty. Iraiaus q ipeaks indeed of certain DiBiones
Prcpheticse, which were communicated to the
Chriftians of his time. But what particular
kind of Gift this was, is now hard to fay.
There is fuch an obfcurity in the phrafe, as
renders it a very difficult, I had almoft faid, an
impoffible thing to afcertain the true meaning
of it. Jujlin Martyr is the only perfon, fingled
out r by Dr. Middleton himfelf, upon this occa-
cafion. And the obfervations, which I have
made already upon the fever.il pnffoges, quoted
from his writings, do, I think, plainly mew,
that he never intended to lay any claim to this
gift, as conferred upon him by the fpecial grace
of God.
Dr. Miidleton s pronounces with great per-
emptorinefs, that in the Second and Third Cen-
turies a mod fenfelefs, extravagant, and enthtr-
fiallic method of expounding the Scriptures, or
the Myilcries of God prevailed, which has ever
* Adver. Haer. ".57.
r«See Frtt Inquiry , &c. pag. 117.
• cc Frtt Inquiry, &c. pag. II 6.
»
iince
of the Primitive Church, 275
flnce been utterly ilighted and rejected. Dai He
is of a very different opinion, who had been
much converfant in the writings of the Fa-
thers, and who is confefTedly a very proper
judge in the prefent cafe j whofe mod ex-
cellent Treatife upon the right ufe of the Fa-
thers has been of Angular fervice to the Author
of the Free Inquiry, whofe authority therefore,
I mould imagine, Dr. Middleton is not inclined
to dhpute; and laftly that it did fubfift among
the Chriftians, during the whole miniftry of all
the Apoilles.*
* Ibid. XIX. 6.
»
v i Cor. x 1 1 . 1 2. ,
* See Bafr.uge"s Annah Hiftorico-Polit. Vol. i.
What-
of the Primitive Church. 279
Whatever the exigencies of the Church might
be, which made the Gift of Tongues necefTary
in the times of the Apoftles ; whether for the
converfion of unbelievers ; for the manifestation
of the immediate prefence of the Holy Ghoft ;
or for the comfort and fupport of the Faithfull ,
the fituation of the Chriflians, in the Ages im-
mediately fucceeding to that of the Apoftles,
and the circumftances of Thole Times, give us
reafon to believe, that the exigencies of the
Church werealfo then the very fame ; and there-
fore it may be fairly prciumed, that this fame
Gift, as well as the other extraordinary powers
of the Holy Ghoft did itill continue in it. Ac-
cordingly we find, that this preemption is ex-
prefly confirmed by the teftimony of a Writer,
who lived in thofe very times. Irenaus z declares
that many perfons were endued with the Gift
of Tongues in his days. Neither does he fpeak
this from the report of others only. He affirms
that even he himfclf had heard feveral perfons,
ipeaking with all kinds of languages in the
Church. Here again Dr. Middletqn a recurs to
his old argument, the filence of the Fathers up-
on this article. How little weight fuch an ob-
jection can have, to invalidate the force of an ex-
plicit and public teftimony, delivered by a
* Adver. Bar, V. VI.
a Free Inquiry^ &c. p. 120.
S 4 competent
280 7& Miraculous Gifts and Powers
competent witr.efs of a fact, not improbable in
itfelf, has been fhewn already. To which ob-
fervations we may now add another no lefs fi-
milar and pertinent. Dr. Middle forty I fuppofe,
does believe upon the teftimony of St. Paul,
that the Corinthian Converts were endued with
the Gift of Tongues. Yet the fame principles
of reafoning:, which are made ufe of aeainft the
teftimony o£ Irenaus, would difpofe us to con-
clude, that no fuch Gift did really fubfift in that
Church j becaufe no mention at all is made of
it in any of his other Epiftles.
" It is very remarkable, fays the a Author
'" of the Free Inquiry, that this primitive Bilhop
" who afcribes the Gift of Tongues fo liberally
" to others, appears to have been in great want
"of it himfelf, for the propagation of the
" Gofpel, in his own Diocefc, among the
" Celtc? or Gauls, and b laments like Xavier, the
" Rornifli Apoftle of the Indies, his own want
" of it, in the wcrk of propagating the Gofpel
" among a rude and barbarous People." This
argument is the only one, which is produced
under the preient article, that is at all worth at-
tending to j all the reft being nothing but mere
harangue and flourifh, unfupported by any facts
or teftimonies : and it is urged with an air of
»
* Free Inquiry, &c. p. 119.
. h Frtt Inquiry, &c. Prgf, P. 21.
felf
of the Primitive Church, 28'f
felf-complacency and triumph. Indeed there is
fuchakind of plaufibility in the argument, as it
is managed in this place, that many Readers
have laid the greateft flrefs upon it, in forming
a judgement of the teflimony of Ire?i;?, croi -ri.xai uram To7q fj.tlot *, HMflN tuv eu KEATOI2 AIATPIBON-
TftN, ^ BAPBAPON AIAAEKTON T0V vrteTrn A2-
XOAOTMENftN, AOmN TEXNHN, ft „'* £>*'0O-
ptv' ?r£ ATNAMIN STITPAfcEnS, #v ix aVxuVa^w
»t* KAAAXiniSMON AEHEX1N, fa zrtiQxvorJlx, ft
*x oftapev* AAXa AIIAX22 xj AAH0X22 ^ IAiriTI-
KXi2 Ta ptloi xydLirnq cro\ yfatyivlot, /xela tt,ydirn<; (ru
w^of^tjf, &c. Prsef. adverf. H
and
ih the Chriftian Church. 289
bnd inveterate prejudices to the Fathers in par-
ticular may have difpofed others, to receive it
with fatisfaction and applaufe. But the genera-
lity of thofe Readers, who have been gained
over to his party, have been influenced and mif-
led by a vain perfuafion, that fuch a method of
reafoning is the beft defence of the Proteftant
caufej an impregnable fortrefs either againft
the open force, or, the fecret ftratagems of the
Romifh Church. There are numbers of good
Chriftians and fincere Proteftants, who either
thro' a natural indolence of temper, a ftrong
averfion to any fludy and application of mind,
are unwilling to give themfelves the trouble of
examining ; or thro' the want of a capacity,
ieifure, and the opportunities of inquiring, arc
•unable to difcover the difference between the
MiracleSj recorded by the Earlier Writers of
.the Church, and thofe of Later Ages.
Now the Author of the Free Inquiry fur-
nifhes fuch Men with a ready anfwer, by af-
furing ° them, that we are to admit no Mira-
cles, but thofe of the Scriptures ; that all the
reft are either juftly fufpe&ed, or certainly
forged j that in particular there is no other
way of filencing the objections of a RomaninV,
t Introduft, Difcourfe. &Y. pag. 95,
T who,
2 go The Continuance of Miracles
who, in order to difprove the Proteftant Religi-
on, and to confirm and introduce Popery, mould
urge us with the Miracles of his own Church,
and mew the fucccriion of them from the Ear-
lied Ages ; fince by granting him but a finglc
Age of Miracles, after the times of the Apoit-
les, we (hall be entangled in a feries of difficul-
ties, whence we can never extricate ourfelves,
'till wc allow the fame Powers to the prefent
Age.
Thus it is an eafy matter for a Writer,
much lefs expert and artful than Dr. Middle-
pm3 firft by alarming mens breads with fears,
and perplexing their underftandings with diffi-
culties j and then with an authoritative air,
like Davus p in the Play, by inftantly removing
their fcruples, and adminiftring immediate re-
lief, to procure at once their aflent and appro-
bation.
Thole very Writers, it mud be confeffed,
who alfert and maintain the Continuance of
Miracles after the days of the Apoftles, are not
agreed about the precife time of their duration.
Yet fuch a difference of opinion is no fort of
argument, as Dr. Mlddkton q would infinuate,
p Terent. A'ndr. Aft. II. Seen. II. 1. 13, 14.
1 Sec [ntroduft. Difcourfe,f5Y. pag-8^9,^. Remarks
on Obfervations, &c. pag. 37, 38.
that
in the Chriftian Church. 2 9 1
that Miracles did not fubfift at all after that
period. The well known Author of a Difcourfe
on tree-thinking was defervedly • rebuked and
that with fome degree of feverity, for attempt-
wg to call in queftion the Canon of Scripture
the Attributes of God, and feveral Points of
Dodnne m the Chriftian Religion, from the
difagreernent of the Teachers and Profeflbrs of
this Religion, concerning thofe Articles. This
« indeed an argument, which after it has been
tried Age after Age, never had influence on
mankind, either in religious concerns or com-
mon life. Certainly, a Man might with asjuft
reafon conclude, from the difputes and contro-
verhes in the learned world, about the Age of
Homer' or Hefiod, that no foch perfons ever
exifted ; or about the beginning of the "Trojan
****, NIP„, Paurculm, Pli„y the elder> y,
wh.ch was pnor ,n time, Homer or Hefad. See Llpfi
& Jcf. Scal.g. Ammadv. in Eufil. Chron
• So uncertain is the precife period of the TryanVT„,
or the Mn of OmrH nativity, that Hercdon, places the
fWhfr™ TZ"Z" m'lkeS the ^Epoelm coincident;
CmlS the Grammars fap, that there was a fpace of 80
T 2
2gz 1'he Continuance of Miracles
war, that there never was any fuch memorable
Epocha ; or concerning the u antiquity of Letters
in Greece j that this Learned Nation never had
any Letters at all j as to infer from the dif-
fenlions of Writers about the precife duration
of Miracles in the Church, after the time of
the Apoftles, that no fuch Miracles continued
at all after that period.
It has been well obferved by a late Writer,
that, " if from the divifion of the Defenders of
" thefe Miracles among themfelves, concerning
" the precife iEra of their continuance in the
" Church, the Author of the Introductory Dif-
" courfc thinks to prove the invalidity of them
"all; we may eafily prove the fame of Chrifti-
cc anity itfelf ; or indeed of any other truth in
" the world."
years intervening ; Eratojlhenes extends it to ioo ; and
Jrljlarcbus to 140. See Eufeb. Chron. & Scaligeri Ani-
madv. Prouji in Not. ad (Tic. de clar. Orat. pag. 16.
■ Diodorns SUulus, Paufanias, EuJIathiusy & Tzetzes
arc of opinion, that there were Letters in Greece of more
ancient date than the time of Cadmus. See Anonymi Dif-
fers de ort. & prop. Graec. Lit. ad fin. Palaeogr. Grace.
Alcntfaucon.
The contrary opinion is flrenuoufly maintained by
Plutarch^ PbiloJJratus^ and Clancns Alcxandrinus among
the Ancients ; and by 1'ojfius^ Scaligrr, Bocbart^ Grotius,
and Kircher among the Modems. Sec Shuckford's Conne-
xions. Vol. 1. pag. 225.
Arch-
In the Chriftian Church. 293
ArchbXhop tflloffon, Dr. Marfiall, Mr. Dod-
well, Dr. Waterland, and the other Protejiants,
who have publifhed their fentiments on the
continuance of Miracles, after the days of the
Apoftles, all agree in making ufe of the fame
principles of reafoning, in fupport of their ref-
pedtive opinions. They only differ about the
extent of thofe principles. Nor indeed are the
principles themfelves at all different from thofe,
which Dr. Middleton™ has adopted,in difcuffing
the fame point. He declares, that Miracles con-
tinued as long as the real exigencies of the
Church made them neceflary. Thus far they
join iffue with him, and maintain the fame
thing. He x thinks, that there were no exigen-
cies of the Church, important enough to re-
quire the continuance of Miracles after the
times of the Apoftles, or even to the end of
the Apoftolic Age. Here they diffent from him,
and contend; that Miraculous Powers were
ftill wanted after that period 3 that the Church
had not yet gained fo firm an eftablifhment in
the world, as to render the ufe and exercife of
them unneceffary; that even after the labours
and miniftry of the Apoftles, yet the Gofpel,
if left to itfelf, would have been unable to have
w Free Inquiry, &c. Pref. pag. 28, 29. Introduft. Dif-
CQurfe, &c, pag. 77. * Ibid.
t 3 made
294 fflje Continuance of Miracles
made the reft of its way, by its own genuine
ftrength, and the natural force of thofe Divine
Graces, with which it was ftored, Faith, Hope,
and Charity.
All that can with any appearance of reafon
be concluded, from the difagreement of Wri-
ters about the continuance of the Chriftian Mi-
racles, is only this, that the precife point of
their duration cannot at this time be fettled.
Nor do I apprehend, that it is at all necenary,
in the prefent queflion, to determine the exact
limit of Miracles ; fo as peremptorily to fay,
hitherto mall they come, but no farther j and
here mall their imperious power be frayed. It
anfwers all the purpofes of fuch an Inquiry ; it
is a fufficient defence againft the inroads of Po-
pery, and a proper fecurity of the caufc of Pro-
teitantifm3to point out the difference of credibi-
lity, in the Miracles of the earlier Writers of
the Church, and thofe of later Ages. To fettle
a rule of difcerning the true Miracles of Eccle-
iiaftical Antiquity from the falfej to be able to
ailign a proper reafon for admitting the Mira-
cles of fome of the firft Ages of Chriltianity,
and rejecting thofe of the fubfequentones ; cer-
tainly to do this, is to give a rational iblution
A fatisfactory account of the difficulty, which
was the principal object of, Dr. MuUktoiis at-
tention
in the Chrifiian Church. 295
tention, thro* his whole Inquiry ; and is the
chief reafon, that now prevails with many both
of the Clergy and Laity, to efpoule the fame o-
pinion with him. Thus, in an inftance not un-
iimilar in fome refpects : altho' learned men
may be divided in their opinions, concerning
the particular time, when that molt elegant
Writer and great proficient in the knowledge
of Metre, Terentianus Maurusi compofed his ex-
cellent Treatife on that fubject ; altho' it may
be now perhaps impofilble to fettle precifely this
point of Antiquity ; yet any real purpofes of
Literature will be fufriciently anfwered j if it
is determined, that he lived between the time
of Setieca and the time of St. Auguftinc -, the
former of thefe being one of the lateil Writers,
whom he quotes j and the latter one of the ear-
lier!:, by whom he is quoted. In like manner,
altho' it cannot be affirmed, that the converiion
of the Roman Empire is the precife point of
time, in which true Miracles inftantly ceafed ;
altho' the witneffes, who atteft fupernatural
operations, cannot be faid to be worthy of all
credit, from the times of the Apoftles down to
that ftate-revolution -} and unworthy of any
immediately after it ; altho' it be not poilible
to determine to a fingls year, or even to the
compafs of a few years, when and in what
T 4 manner
266 ¥be Continuance of Miracles
manner they did ceafe j yet this may be clear-
ly and convincingly mewn, that there is a great
difference to be obferved, in the credibility of
fchofe Miracles, which are faid to have been
wrought in the three firft Centuries, and thofe
which are recorded afterwards. Thus much
may upon very rational principles be advanced
and maintained, that the extraordinary Provi-
dence, which appeared in defence and fup-
port of the Chriftian Religion, thro' the eai>
Her Ages of the Church, was actually with-
drawn between the time of Origen and the time
of Chryfqfiom.
We may, with fome degree of probability,
judge of the propriety and necefTity of Divine
interpofitions, from the particular ftate and cir-
cumftances of the world, and the real exigen-
cies of human nature. If God is the great Go-
vernour of the Univerfe, and difpofeth all things
by an overruling providence ; it is reafonable
to believe, whenever the importance of the oc-
cafion makes it necefTary to introduce a new
fcheme of providence ; and the ordinary me-
thods of his difpenfations are inefficient to ex-
ecute his defigns, that, in fuch circumftances,
he mould manifeft in an extraordinary manner
(lis immediate power and prefence.
Therp
m the Chrijlian Church. dg?
There is a ftill greater and more reafonable
prefumption, if the Supreme Being has already
interested himfelf in the affairs of men by an
extraordinary Providence, in order to conduct
fome important part of his government, that
he mould continue to exert the fame extraor-
dinary Providence, 'till that end be fully ac
complifhed.
We may with fome kind of certainty con-
elude, when thefe purpofes, which gave occa-
fion to the exiftence of an extraordinary Pro-
vidence, are really ferved ; and things are got
into fuch a train and procefs, as to render no
other than ordinary means neceffary, that in
fuch cafes all extraordinary interpofitions mould
ceafe j and things for the future be permitted
to make the reft of their way, by their own
natural force and efficacy. The plain dictates
of Reafon, and the exprefs words of Revelation,
concerning the nature and perfections of God,
aflure us, that as the concurrence of his Provi-
dence is never wanting, upon important and
neceffary occafions j fo is it never exercifed, in
a fuperfluous and impertinent manner.
Thus it may be eafily feen, what fubftan-
tial reafons may be given for the belief of the
exiftence of Miracles in the Chriftian Church,
from the firft entrance of the Apoftles upon
their
2p8 The Continuance of Miracles
their miniftry, after the afcenfion of their Ma-
iler, down to the time at leaft of Origen : On
the contrary, what weighty and cogent argu-
ments may be urged againft the reality of an
extraordinary Providence, from the days of
CLryfiftom downwards, thro' all the following
Ages.
Upon the firft publication of the Gofpel,
fupernatural Gifts and miraculous Powers
were wanted, to enable the Apoftles and thofe
other Difciples, who were ordained to be the
primary inftruments of that great work, the
more eafily to overrule the inveterate prejudices
both of the Jews and Gentiles, and to bear up
againft the difcouraging mocks of popular rage
and perfecution j in order the more effectually
to execute their grand com million.
Thefe reafons will extend our belief of the
propriety and neceflity, of extraordinary and di-
vine interpofitions, to the end of the firft Cen-
tury.
Where the fame circumftances of things are
difcoverable, there in all equity the fame rea-
fons muft be allowed to hold equally good.
The real exigencies of the Church, during the
fecond and third Centuries, appear to have been
exactly the fame j fupernatural afliftances were
as necefTary then to the defence and fupport of
the
in the Chri/lian Church, 299,
the Chriftian Religion, as they had been before:
and therefore it is probable, as I have fhewn at
large in the firft chapter, that the fame extra-
ordinary providence did ftill continue. At leaft
thus much may fairly be afferted, that fuch an
extraordinary Providence in thofe days was by
no means unneceffary and impertinent.
After the time of Cbryfojlom, the whole pof-
ture of affairs was quite different, in every rek
peel:. The many difficulties and difcourage-
ments, which the Apoftles and other Chrifti-
ans, for three fuccerlive Centuries, had met
with from the oppofition and authority of the
civil power, were all effectually removed. The
flames of perfecution had fpent all their fury,
and were now become utterly extinct. Every
hoftile force, which might endanger the fafety
of the Church, was totally fubdued. The Chri-
ftian Religion had gained a firm eflablifhment
in the world, both by the number of its forces,
and by the extent of its conquefts. The Chri-
flians themfelves were in quiet poffeffion of the
whole Roman Empire ; and remained in a fe-
cure and flourifhing condition, under the favour
and protection of the greateft, power on earth.
In forming a judgment of the Divine pro-
ceedings, in any given circumftances ; in de-
termining, when the immediate interpolations
of
30 o The Continuance of Miracles
of his Providence are neceffary, and when they
are not j as we may fairly prefume, that where
the power of natural caufes is itfelf altogether
infufficient, there fome extraordinary methods
are purfued ; fo may we reafonably believe,
that where fupernatural means are entirely
needlefs., there things are left to their own natu-
ral force and agency ; only with this difference,
that our conclufions will be better grounded,
will be more certain in the latter of thefe
cafes, than in the former. What hidden and fe-
cret caufes may confpire to the bringing about
events, it is frequently out of the power of our
faculties to difcern ; fo as peremptorily to pro-
nounce, what things are effected by the force of
Nature only, and what by the immediate in-
fluence of the Deity. Many Revolutions, both
in the natural and moral world, may happen}
without the interpolition of an extraordinary
Providence ; whofe latent caufes may yet be
infcrutable by us. But the nature and appa-
rent properties of things commonly lie open to
the apprehenfion of our reafon and fenfes ; fo
that we are able to judge, how far their natural
efficacy will reach, and in what circum fiances
the Supernatural agency of Superior Beings is
cot wanted.
»
We
in the Chrijlian Church* 301
We cannot think, that the great Lord of
Heaven and Earth ads with lefs wifdom and
forefight in the execution of the grand defigns
of his Providence, than a mere mortal would
do, in the administration of his temporal con-
cerns. It can fcarce be imagined, that an expe-
rienced commander, in the difpofition of an army,
and the conducting of an engagement, would
fend extraordinary detachments of fubfidiary
troops to that part of the field of battle, where
his own forces had manifeftly fo much the fu-
periority, as to have utterly defeated the Ene-
my j or in the defence of a fortrefs, would
think it neceffary to guard, by a variety of ftrong
outworks, that part of the citadel, which nature
itfelf had made impregnable.
The Supreme Being has furnifhed mankind
with thofe powers and faculties both of body
and mind, by the proper ufe and exercife of
which they may attain to all the various de-
grees of human knowledge. This is defervedly
thought a flrong prefumption againft the truth
of that opinion, which maintains the innatenefs
of the materials and principles of our know-
ledge; becaufe it appears unneceflary and vain,
that iiich materials and principles of knowledge
mould be originally imprefled upon the mind of
man, by the immediate power of God j when
every
302 'The Continuance of Miracles
every purpofe, which fuch pretended impref-
fions are defigned to ferve, might be effectually
anfwered, by an exertion and cultivation of
thofe powers and faculties, which nature itfelf
has bellowed. In like manner, we cannot fup-
pofe, confidently with any juft and true noti-
on of the wifdom of God, that his providence
fhould exert itfelf, by a vain profufion of Mi-
racles, in defence and fupport of the Chriftian
Religion, at a time, when it evidently needed
not any fuch extraordinary affiftance and pro-
tection.
The number of the Miracles, pretended to
have been wrought in the fourth and fifth Cen-
turies, is itfelf another juft exception to the
truth and credibility of them. It may reafon-
ably be prefumed, that as the benefit of Mira-
culous Powers began to be lefs andlefs wanted;
in proportion to the increafe and power of the
Christians ; (o the ufe and exercife of them be-
gan gradually to decline. At leaft it cannot, I
think, fairly be imagined, that as the real exi-
gencies of the Church were continually leffen-
ing, Miracles fhould become flill more and
more numerous. Yet in fact we find, if the
Writers of thofe Ages deferve any credit, that
the power of working. Miracles was more ex-
ten five and univerfal, in the time of CLryfojiom,
and
in the Carijlian Church. goo
and afterwards, than in the days of the Apoftles
themfelves.
After the converfion of the Roman Empire,
and the firm eftablifhment of Chriftianity, in
every quarter of the known world >a at a time,
when the authority of the civil power fupplyed
the place of an extraordinary providence, and
rendered any fpecial interpofitions of the Deity
altogether unneceffary ; even under thefe cir-
cumftances, the fupernatural gifts of the Holy
Ghoft are faid to have been granted, in fo co-
pious a manner, as to fill the world with mira-
culous operations. According to the hiftories
and writings of thofe times, every City, every
Town, and Village, almoft throughout the
whole extent of the Roman Empire, daily a-
bounded with Miracles. Nor was the benefit of
thefe Miracles confined to focietiesofmenonlyj
it extended itfelf even to the caves and dens of
beafts. The wonderworkers of thofe days were
not content to perform their feats, in the pre-
fence and view of Men, in private afTemblies of
Chriftians, or in places of public concourie and
refort. They retired from the company and
converfe of their fellow-creatures, fixed their
abode in mountainous and defart places, and made
the Brute-creation feniible of the extraordinary
power and prefence of the Almighty.
Pak/tine
304 *fhe Continuance of Miracles
Pahjline and all Syria were replete with
Miracles, performed by n Hilarion and the
bones of ° Babylas. p Paulas, q Anthony , and
the r Reliques of St. Stephen, wrought innume-
rable Miracles throughout Mgypt, and all the
known parts of Africa. The bodies s of Pro-
tafins and Gervafus were the caufe of a profu-
fion of Miracles at Milan, and in the whole re-
gion round about.
Rufinus fays t exprefly, that the Miracles per-
formed by Paphnutius, the Confeffor, were not
inferior, either in their kind, or in their number
to Thofe, wrought in the days of the Apoftles.
He mentions likewife numbers of others, which
were performed by u Spyridon in Cyprus, and
by a female w Chriftian Have in Iberia.
Evagrius, Socrates, Sozomen, and T^hcodorit
n See Hieron. in vit. Hilarion.
0 Sec ChryfojL in Baby I.
P See Hieron. in vit. Pauli.
*1 Atbanaf. in vit. Anton.
r Augujl. de Civit. Dei. xxn. 8- Retract, r. 13. Con-
feff. ix. 7.
* Ambrcf. Clafs. I. Epift. 22. ad Sororem Marcellinam.
Paulin. in vit. A?nbr$f. cap. 14.
■ Hift. Ecclef. I. 4.
* Hift. Ecclef. I. 5. See alfo. Sozomen. Hift. Ecclef.
I. u. Swraf.Hift. Ecclef. I. 12.
* Hift. Ecclef. I. 10. Socrat. Hift. Ecclef. I. 20. Sj-
S0OT. Hift. Ecclef. II. 7. »
have
in the Chrijlian Church, 305
have filled their hiftories with multitudes of Mi-
racles, which were wrought every day in xAfri~
cat y in Phcenicia, in z Apamia> at a Sergiopo-
lis, at b Conftantinople, in c Perfia, in d Arabia.
Sulpitius Severus e informs us, that St. Mar-
tin travelled through every part of the known
world ; and he enumerates a vaft number of
Miracles, which were performed by him in
Italy, in Ligicria, in Pannoniay in Gallia, and
in the Weftern Ifles , in /Egypt y in /Ethiopia, in
Syria, in Armeniay in Perjia, in Parthia, in
India,
All the mountainous and defer t places, every
plain and wildernefs, remote from Cities,Towns,
and Villages, throughout Syria and /Egypt,
were covered with the Cells and Caves of
Monks, of Hermits, and of Anchorets. And if
we may depend upon the authority of the Wri-
ters juft mentioned, we mufl believe, that thefe
reclufe Religionifts were endued with the power
x Sozomen. Hift. Ecclef. I. 13. 14. Ill, 14. VI. 20. 28,
29. 30. Socrat. Hift. Ecclef. iv. 24.
r Evagr. Hift. Ecclef. IV. 7. Niceph. XVII. 4.
z Evagr. IV. 26 Niceph. xviii. 33.
a Evagr. IV. 28. Niceph. ibid.
b Sozomen. Hift. Ecclef. II. 3.
e Socrat. Hift. Ecclef. VII. 8.
4 Ibid IV. 36.
« Dialog, de virtutibus Monachorura Orient, cap, 18.
& Dial, de virtutibus Martiniy et in vita ejufdem,
U of
go6 7 he Continuance of Miracles
of working Miracles j which power was accord-
ingly exerted, in the daily production of a great
variety of wonderful and extraordinary effects'.
A man, unacquainted with the date of the
Church in thofe days, and with the genius of
the Chridians themfelves, upon hearing that
fuch a multitude of Miracles are recorded by
the writers of thofe times, might juftly wonder,
to what ufe and purpofe fuch relations could
ferve. But this part of Ecclefiadical Antiquity
will no longer appear drange and unaccounta-
ble, when it is confidered, that this was the
Age, in which a fpirit of pride and ambition,
a fpirit of faction and contention had fpread it-
felf thro' the world, and had fo entirely poflefled
the hearts of far the greateft part of the Chri-
ftians j as to make all thofe inftruments of poli-
cy neceffary, to the fupport of their feveral par-
ties and perfuafions, which the mod; artful and
experienced head could invent, or the mod bi-
gotted and heated imagination could fugged .
that this was the Age, in which a mod: enthu-
fiaflic and extravagant Zeal for Reliques, and
the Monaflic Order, . had univciially edabliih-
» See Ore/ius. VII. 33. Ruf. Hifl Ecclcf. II. 4. Sterol.
Hlft. Ecclcf. IV. 24. Soxomen. Hift.' Ecclef. VI. 20. 28.
29. 30. &c. Sulpit. Sever, Dial. I. de virtutibus Monacru
Orient, ct Dial. H. de virtutibus Martini*
ed
in the Chrijlian Church. 307
ed itfelf throughout Chriftendorn ; that this was
the Age, in which the writing the lives of
Monks and Saints ; in which the making Creeds,
and the inftituting rites and ceremonies in the
Church was grown into vogue, was made a kind
of trade of, and become the grand object of al-
moft every man's attention.
Arius and Athanafuti\\2A raifed fuch tumults,
and caufed fuch irreconcileable dirTenfions in the
the Chriftian World, that the profeflbrs of the re-
ligion oijefus had almoft loft their original ap-
pellation. The name of Chriftian was nearly ab-
forbed in thofc invidious terms ofArian and Atha-
nqfian. It was not fo muchconfidered what cha-
racter a man was of, nor enquired what reafon he
had for adopting and maintaining fuch or fuch re-
ligious principles 3 as whether he was a follower
of the heretic Arms, or the orthodox Athana-
Jius. During this long conteft, which was ma-
naged with all the animofity and fury, that the
moft bigotted and inflamed zeal could produce ;
when each party feemed to be more follicitous
about their own power and authority, than
about the doctrines they efpoufed ; when the
whole ftruggle between them was more for
conqueft and dignity, than for the fake of truth
itfelf; it is highly probable, that in many cafes
where private arguments and public decrees had
U 2 not
308 T'be Continuance of Miracles
not their defired fuccefs; there appeals were
made to a pretended divine power, as openly
exerted in confirmation of them. That this ob-
fervation is true of both thefe parties, in fome
inftances, cannot be denied.
Pbilofiorgius, the Ariany who compofed
twelve books upon the fubject of ecclefiaftical
Hiftory, left upon record feveral Miracles of
Agapetus^ Aetius, Eunomius, Leontius, Evagri-
us,
»&>LT<3f.Hift.Ecclef. 1. 38. Sozomcn.Vl'dl'EcclcC 11. 2g-
» Nicefh. Hilt. Kcclcf. xiv.30.
Ceremonies
in the Chriftian Church; 315
liques, who were very numerous in thofedays,
did not lefs contribute to the multiplying rela-
tions of extraordinary events, than the Party-
Zeal of \hcArians and Athanafians. The whole
Chriftan World was at that time rent into va-
rious fa&ions, and diftra&ed with multifarious
opinions, concerning the articles of the Chrifti-
an faith j infomuch that every man of any dig-
nity in the Church or Empire made it theftudy
and bufmefs of his life, either to introduce Creeds,
or eftablifh Ceremonies in the Church.
There is no doubt to be made, but that the
ftorv ° of Gregory's vifion, as it is related by his
namefake ofNyffa, and the delivery of a Creed
to him by the Virgin Mary, and St. John the
Evangelift, was a forgery, contrived to fupport
the Athanafian doftrine, at a time, when it was
warmly controverted, and in danger of being
fuppreffed. And at a time when the*moft furi-
ous conteft imaginable, about the word opoxo-ioc,,
univerfally prevailed, and had raifed fo violent a
commotion throughout Chriftendom, as to occa-
fion many acls of hoftility, and even perfecution
itfelf among the Chriitians; it is no wonder, that
the two following idle, and contradidory ftories
• Greg. Nyff. in vit. Greg. ThautnaU Free Inquiry, &c.
pag. 147. 148. '. _
* Eoque his certaminibus proceflum, ut iitiufmodi pia-
culis, orbis terrarum implicaretur. Snip. Hift. Sacr. II. p.
4f6. See alfo Socrat. Hift.Ecclef.I. 18. V. 10.
f recorded
3 1 6 $%e Continuance of Miracles
recorded by Nicephorus, mould have' been in-
vented in favour of each party, and fludioufly
propagated.
" Before p the Synodical Ads of Nice were
C£ finifhed, two of the At han'afian Bifhops died,
" who had not fubfcribed the Articles of the
ct Nicene Creed. The reft of the Bifhops there-
" fore, after they had drawn up the Creed, and
€ ( figned it themfelves, carried it to the tombs
" of the two deceafed Prelates, and thus ad-
,€ dreffed them; As You have now an oppor-
*c tunity of knowing afluredly the truth of the
" Trinitarian doctrine, it is an indifpenfable du-
ct ty incumbent upon you to fignifie it to the
" World, by fubfcribing the fame Articles with
" Us. When they had faid this, they departed,
" having firft fealed up the writing, and left it
POTPOTMENHN to** ptyxXois ITTPrOIS r»i
MAPTTPnN.
w T«ut« & rZv AnnN 2XIMATA TEIXIZEI nfi
•sroXiv riixuv. Horn. 70. ad Pop. Antiochen.
* To (mv olyiov «uT« (rw/xa travlog -zjd^yu, x) ju.up/w»
tj-Jy zrpotoXuv atr^otAfj-fpov. Horn. 32. in Epift. ad Rom.
T Zwl»j£a? 4/uX"v *b x34 - - 137-
X influence,
'The Continuance of Miracles
influence. Accordingly, anniverfary c feftivals
were inftituted in honour of each Martyr, and
always kept with the greateft. devotion ; their
memories were celebrated in the moil: extrava-
gant manner by panegyrical orations ; and trans-
lations and procefiions of holy reliques were fo-
lemnized, with the greateft pomp and pagean-
try of devotion, by the Emperours, Bifhops,
People, and all the Chriftian Churches of thofc
times.
Now in an Age, when fuch a kind of Fa-
naticifm univerfally prevailed, there is the
greateft reafon to believe, that plain fads would
be oftentimes exaggerated into extraordinary
relations, and that any fictitious ftories, efpeci-
ally of the miraculous kind, which might do
honour to Monks, or Saints, or Martyrs, or
Reliques, would be eagerly embraced, and di-
ligently propagated. For the tranfition is eafy
and natural from a grofs fuperftition to as grofs
credulity. This consideration alone therefore
will be fufricient to enable us, to give a very ra-
tional account of the many Miracles, which we
meet with in the lives of Monks, of Saints, and
Martyrs, and in the other writings and hiltories
< See Fred. Spankeun* Introd. ad Hift. Nov. Tcft. Ssec.
iv. '6. J. 5. 7. &Sxc. v. 5. §.3,+.
Of
in the Chriftian Church. 323
of thofe times. What Ludovicu^ Fives fays of
the Romifh Saints, may truly be applied to the
Monks, and Saints, and Martyrs of the fourth
and fifth Centuries. " What has been written
" concerning them, a few particulars only ex-
:( cepted, is only fpoiled with fictitious ftories;
" whilft the author, indulging his own zea(
" relates not what the Saint has really done,'
" but what he wifhed, he had done." This cerl
tainly is very jultly obferved, it is hinting the
true caufe and real fpring of fo many imperti-
nent and ridiculous ftories, fo many abfurd and
incredible tales, with which the lives of Paulus,
of Antony, of H liar •ion, of Martin, of Ma car 7-
us, and of various other Monks, Hermits,
and Anchorets abound.
If we confider the genius and difpofition of
the Chriftians themfelves, and the circumftan-
ces of thofe times, there is no doubt, I think,
to be made, but that a weak credulity, a pious
and extravagant zeal, and reafons of policy had
a joint influence in difpofing men to infert thofe
many idle and imaginary relations of the mira-
* Quae de iis funt fcripta praeter pauca qusedam, mul~
tis funt commends fcedata, dum qui fcribit affeaui fuo
indulget, & non quae agit Divus, fed ejus ille egiiTe eum
veller, exponit : ut vitam diaet animus fcribentis, non
Veritas. £e tradend. Difciplin. V. pag. 360. & II. pag,
90, 91,
X 2 Culou?
324 I'he Continuance of Miracles
culous kind, with which hiitories and other
writings were then Co plentifully flored j partly
to extoll and aggrandize Tome favourite Saints,
and partly to make their lives agreeable to the
people, by falling in with the general talte and
vogue of the Age.
Thefe feveral arguments, drawn from the
general ftate of the Church in the fourth and
fifth Centuries, and from the particular temper
and complexion of the Chriftians, are the foun-
dation of a well-grounded prefumption againft
the truth and reality of the Miracles, which
the Church-writers of thole ages have recorded.
The views of ambition, the fpirit of faction,
the interefls of party, the prejudices of educa-
tion, a grofs fuperftition, a grofs credulity, all
very forcibly concurred to the invention and
propagation or them.
This ilrong and reafonable prefumption a-
gaintt the Miracles of the fourth and fifth Ages
of the Church, points out a difference between
the credibility of Miracles, pretended to have
been wrought after the conversion of the Ro-
man Empire, and thole which are faid to have
been performed before the time of Origen, a-
gainit which no fuch prefumption lies. In thofe
earlier ages of the Church, all views of ambi-
tion were abfolutcly precluded, by that true
Gofpel-
in the Chrifiian Church. 32 c
Gofpel-fpirit of meeknefs and humility, which
univerfally prevailed s and by the lingular hard-
ships and uncommon dangers, to which a flate
of dignity and eminence was conftantly expofed.
The Spirit of Faction and the fury of. party-
zeal had not yet inflamed mens patfions, and
carried them into extravagant excefTes. There
was then noArius to raife divifions and tumults
in the Chriftian world j no Athanafius, to fo-
ment and fpread them. The making Creeds,
the inflituting Religious Ceremonies, the writ-
ing the Lives of Monks, and Saints, and Mar-
tyrs was not as yet grown into fafhion. No
veneration next to divine was then paid to Saints
and holy Reliques ; no fuperftitious paffions
for them did prevail e.
There is another circumftance in the Mira-
culous relations of the Primitive Chriftians,
which makes fome difference in our belief of
thofe, recorded in the time of Conjlantine, and
afterwards ; and thofe of the earlier Ages. It
is that public appeal, which was made; that
confident atteftation, which was given to the
truth of them in both of thofe periods; which
may indeed be probably accounted for in the
one cafe j but is utterly unaccountable in the
other.
See Fred, Spanbemy as above.
x 3 After
-5 26 The Continuance of Miracles
After the converfion of the Roman Empire,
the Chriftians rauft have been fenfible, that it
would be no very eafy matter to difcover a
fraud or forgery in any of their relations. They
knew themfelves to be encompaffed with per-
fons, who were all well affected to their party ;
with perfons, whofe manner of education had
jnfufcd into their hearts ftrong prepoffefiions, in
favour of fuch flories j with perfons, who were
both willing and able to encourage, and fupport
them in any thing, which might feem to con-
firm and recommend the eftablifhed Religion.
And there was no likelyhood, that even a de-
tection of falfe facts, or falfe teftimonies, could
be attended with any bad confequences either to
their perfons or fortunes, or could bring any great
fcandal upon their Religion. The Emperours
themfelves, they might be affured, would be apt
to connive at fuch proceedings; and the civil
power would interfere, and prevent any infults,
which might be offered to their perfons ; and
difcountenance any malicious afperfions, which
might be thrown upon their characters. And a
well-meaning zeal, and- the laudablenefs of the
fign itfelf, would fully juitifie them, with the
frulk of the people.
Thefe circumftanccs would naturally difpofe
the Writers of thofe times, ' to be lefs cautious
in
in the Chriftia?i Church. 327
in admitting Relations of a Miraculous Kind,
and more confident in their atteftations of
them.
But in the Earlier Ages of Chriftianity, be-
fore the time of Origen, the ftate of the Church,
and the circumftances of the Chriftians, were
very different. It was then known, that they
were furrounded with the moll inveterate ene-
mies; with men, whofe minds were totally
pofFefl'ed with the ftrongeft prejudices againft
the Religion itfelf, which they profeffed ; and
whofe hearts were filled with the greater! ma-
lice and indignation, at their obftinate perfever-
ance in that profeffion. The fword of the civil
Magistrate was conftantly kept unmeathed a-
gainft them. All the engines of torture, which
the mod cunning and fagacious head, or the
moft diabolical heart could invent, were perpe-
tually made ufe of, to terrifie and afflict them ;
and every opportunity was moft induftrioufly
fought after, and moft gladly embraced, of mak-
ing any difcovery, that might tend to blacken
their characters, and render their punifhment
feemingly the more deferved.
Thefe difficulties, which the Chriftians of
thofe days had to ftruggle with, and which
common obfervation and experience muft have
made every man fufficiently apprized of, would
x 4 certainly
328 The Continuance of Miracles
certainly have {hewed them, at the fame time,
the abfolute necefilty of publishing nothing to
the world, if they had any regard for their own
welfare, or the intcreft of their Religion, that
might in any refpect contribute, to encreafe the
prejudices, to heighten the malice, and inflame
the fury of their avowed enemies. Such a fi-
tuation therefore would naturally put them up-
on their guard, and make them careful, not to
advance or propagate any thing, but what they
knew to be ftrictly true, and what was not in
the power of their enemies to difprove.
" Before we proceed (fays Dr J Middle 'ton\ to
" examine the particular facts and tcftimonies,
&i which Antiquity has furnifhed, for the deci-
ct fion of this difpute; our firfl care fhould be,
" to inform ourfelves of the proper nature and
" condition of thofe miraculous powers, which
" are the fubject of it, as they are reprefented
" to us in the Hiftory of the Gofpel: for 'till
" we have learnt, from the Sacred Records,
e< what they really were ; for what purpofes
: / ■ c, Prcf. p. io.,
"or
rathe Chriftian Church. 329
f* or confute their continuance in the Church ;
" and muft difpute confequently at random, as
" chance or prejudice may prompt us, about
" things unknown to us.
This is, it mufl be confefTed, a method very
proper to be made ufe of, in the prefent con-
troverfy ; it is indeed the moil: effectual way
of fettling, to the fatisfaclion of the rational In-
quirer, the grand Point in debate. But this is
a method, which the Author of the Introducto-
ry Difcourfe, tho' he has prefcribed it to others,
as the only means of forming a proper judg-
ment on thofe evidences, which the Fathers
have given of the continuance of Miracles, af-
ter the days of the Apoftles ; yet has not
thought proper himfelf to purfue.
This writer, tho' the only end andgprofeffed
defign of that performance was to give a gene-
ral plan of his intended fcheme ; and therefore
one mould fuppofe, to lay the ground work and
foundation of what was afterwards to be advan-
ced j yet inftead of following the method here
laid down ; inftead of beginning with the Mira-
cles of the Gofpel ; and confidering what they
were; for whatpurpofes they were granted; and
in what manner the extraordinary powers of
Chrift and his Apoftles were exerted ; in order
t Free Inquiry, &C. Prcf. p. I,
to
330 'The Continuance of Miracles
to difcover, whether the nature and circum-
ftances of the Miracles, faid to have been
wrought in the Ages immediately fucceeding,
were of the fame fort or not ; and by that means to
judge of their truth and credibility ; he launches
out at once into the very middle of the fourth
Century, examines the ftate of the Church
and the genius of the Christians at that time ;
and after attempting to fhew, from the religi-
ous principles and practices of that Age, that
the pretended Miracles of the fourth Century,
were not only in general and for the greateft:
part, but intirely and univerfally the effects of
fraud and impofture j he from thence concludes,
that the h other Miracles, which are record-
ed both before and after that Century, from the
very days of the Apoftles, down to the prefent
Age, are all without diitinction, of the fame
ftamp and Character.
It is evident to common fenfe, that the forg-
ed Miracles of the fourth Century, muft necef-
farily taint the credit of all the later Miracles,
down even to the prefent Age > not only be-
caufe they depend, according l to Dr. MiJJ/eton,
as it were upon each other, as the parts of one
uniform feries, or chain j fothat where-ever we
»
h IntroduR. Difc. kc- p. 76. 9 0-
'Ibid. p. 83.
draw
in the Chriflian Church. 331
draw out a link, all the red:, which hang upon
it, muft of courfe fall to the ground ; but princi-
pally, becaufe the fame corruptions both in faith
and worfhip, the fame fuperflitious principles,
and credulous turn of mind being derived from
thence, as from one common fource, were per-
petually propagated as it were in one continued
itream, thro' all the fucceeding generations : and
fo long as the fame caufes continue uniformly
to operate, fo long will the fame effects be con-
stantly and uniformly produced. But how the
forged Miracles of the fourth Century can taint
the credit of thofe in the preceding Centuries,
where the fame principles and practices did not
prevail, is furely beyond the power of human
apprehenfion.
However the method above prefcribed will
enable us to determine, what degree of credit is
due to thofe Miracles, which the writers of the
fourth and fifth Centuries relate.
The end, the nature, and condition of the fe-
veral miracles, pretended to have been wrought
in thefe Ages, make a wide difference between
Them, and the Miracles of the Earlier Ages of
Chriftianity. The defign and occafion of the
Miracles, faid to have been performed in the
days of the Apoftles, and in t:ie times of the
parlier Fathers of the Church, were fufficiently
important
332 The Continuance of Miracles
important in themfelves, and truly worthy of
the infinitely good and wife Governour of the
Univerfe; namely to promulge the grand fcheme
of man's redemption; to publifh the neceflary
means of our falvation ; to authorize a fet of
righteous laws; to recommend a fyftem of mo-
ral and religious duties, perfective of human na-
ture, and productive of our happinefs ; to pro-
pagate the Faith, and edablim the practice of the
true religion ; to defend and fupport the profei-
fion of Chriftianity. Thefe are reafons that do
no lefs juftifie the divine providence, in the ori-
ginal communication of extraordinary and mi-
raculous powers ; than they do fliew the indif-
penfable neceflity of them, at the time, when
they are faid to have been granted ; namely, to
alarm mens minds, and raife their attention to
the doctrines and duties delivered; to manifeit to
the world the immediate power and prefence of
God, in favour and recommendation of the true
religion ; to remove the prejudices; to overrule
the malice; and to flop the fury of its Enemies ;
to convert the unbeliever; to convince the doubt-
full; to confirm the wavering; and to comfort
and encourage the faithfull, under the trying
circumftances of popular rage andperfecution.
But to what purpofes can it be imagined, that
fo many Miracles fhould be wrought, as are re-
corded
iu the Chriftian Church. 333
corded in the fourth and fifth Centuries ? What
jufl reafons can be afligned, why Miracles fhould
abound flill more and more, while the occafions,
which made the production of them originally
neceffary, were growing lefs and lefs continu-
ally ? Can it be reafonably fuppofed, that the
Supreme Being, fhould exert his Almighty
Power by a vain profulion of Miracles, in fa-
vour of the religion of Jefus, and for the pro-
tection and encouragement of his Difciples ; at
a time, when the Church itfelf had gained a firm
and fecure footing in the world, and was be-
come fuperior to the whole united force of its
Enemies ; and was receiving every Day frefh ac-
cefiions of ftrength, and gaining a yet firmer ef-
tablimment, not only from the protection of the
Magiftrate, but from an authority and power of
its own, independent on the civil Government ?
The miraculous Itories, which are told by Je-
rom in his lives of Paulus and Hilarion ; by
Athanafms in his life of Antony \ by k Palladium
and Sulpitius in their lives of Martin and other
Saints, manifeftly took their rife from a fuperfti-
tious veneration and extravagant regard for
Monkery j and were related, with defign only to
patronize and recommend the monaftic rl;ate.
* See his Hift. Lauf.aca, and Sulpit, Dialogg.
And
334 ffie Continuance of Miracles
And the greateft part of thofe miracles which
are mentioned by the Church Hiftorians, by
Socrates, Sozomen, Evagrius, and Tbeodorit, ap-
pear plainly to have been recorded, out of the
fame fuperftitious turn of mind, and merely
with intent to ferve the fame purpofes. Certain-
ly under this clafs are to be ranked all thofe va-
rious Miracles, l of Paulas , Antony, Hilar ion,
Macarius, Paphnutius, Pachomius, and others of
the Monkifh order, with which their Hiftories
are filled.
Many of the other Miracles, which we meet
with in the Ecclefiaftical hiftories of thofe times i
and in St. m Bafil, St. n Cyrill, St. Gregory ° Nazi-
anzen, St. p Chryfojlom, St. q Augujlme, St.' Am-
brofe, were performed by fuch inflruments, and
1 See Swat, Hift. Ecclef. iv. 24. Sozom. Hift. Eccl. I.
13, 14. in. 14. v. 10. vi. 20, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34.
Theodorit. Hift. Ecclef. 111-24. iv. 26, 27,28.29. Evagr.
Hift. Ecclef. 111. 31. iv. 33, 34, 35.
m Horn. xix. in quadraginta Martyres. et paflim in
Oper.
n TOTTO Cfc. STATPOS) pi^i vfatpv 0EPA-
nETEINOSOTl^ TOTTO fX^u cv^po-j AAIMONAS
ATIEAATNEI- fcAPMAKXlN rt xal EriAOIAflN A-
NATPEI1EI rOHTEIAS.. Catcch. 13. fub fine. Sec
alfo Catech. 14. §. 10.
0 Orat. xviii. in Cyprian, Mait. 5c pafiim in Oper.
P Horn, in Baby/, et Horn, contr. Julian, et paflini in
Oper.
M De Civ. Dei xxn. 8. Rctraft. I. 13. Cpnfefl*. ix. 7.
r Claff. I. Epift. 22. Patdin. in vitv Ambrof.
were
in the Chrijlian Church. 33 r
were defigned to promote fuch grofs errours,and
toferve fuch fuperftitious purpofes, as juftly in-
ject very ftrong fufpicions of their truth and
reality ; unlefs it can be thought that God mould
openly exert a miraculous power, in order to
introduce, and recommend fuch palpable cor-
ruptions both in the faith and worfhip of Chri-
ftians, as were by thefe means eftablifhed in the
Church. Of this fort were all thofe Miracles,
faid to have been wrought by the virtue of the
Crofs, by the bodies, and blood of Saints and
Martyrs, and by other holy Reliques.
But in the times of the Apoftles, and in the
Earlier Ages of the Church, no fuch Order of
Men, as that of Monks, was inftituted,orhadany
beginning. No fuperflitious opinion of Monk-
ery prevailed. No enthufiaftic affedion for
Monks had poflefled the minds of Chriftians.
No veneration next to divine was paid to Saints
to Martyrs, and to Reliques. No extravagant
Fanaticifm of this or a fimilar nature had at all
taken place ; fo as to difpofe the principle Fa-
thers of the Church, either Greek or Latin, too
creduloully to admit Themfelves fuch kind of
forged Miracles, and by the influence of their
Authority,to fpreadand propagate them amongft
an over-credulous people; as afterwards met
with an eaiie reception both amongft theLearn-
ed
9^6 The Continuance of Miracles
ed and the Vulgar. Thefe religious principles
and practices, which had gained a firm and uni-
verfal eftablifhment in the fourth and fifth Ages
of the Church, and which had no beginning
in the earlier ones, muft neceffarily make a re-
markable difference between the credulity of
the Later, and that of the Earlier Fathers. For
Superflition and Credulity, like the two famed
Brothers, the tutelary Deities of the Roman
flate, conftantly make their appearance together -
and are moreover in fo clofe a league and com-
bination, as to be mutually a fupport and aflifr,-
ance to each other j infomuch that the former
cannot make any confiderable advances in the
world,butat the fame time, the latter will keep an
equal pace, and receive a proportionable increafe.
Yet Dr. Middleton, in fpite of this plain rea-
foning upon plain facts and plain teftimonies,
which was to have been the very teft and ftand-
ard of his Inquiry, ftill infifts, that the Later
Fathers, even under the influence of the above-
mentioned grofs fuperftition, had lefs Credulity,
than the Earlier ones, whofe minds were free
from any infection of it.
The nature and circum (lances of fir the great-
eft part of thofe Miracles, which are reported
by the Writers and Hiitorians of the fourth and
fifth Centuries are moreover evidently fuch, as
render
/* the Cbrijlian Church. 237
render them incredible. There is fomething fo
frivolous and impertinent in the occafions of
fome of them ; there is fuch a mixture of ridi—
culoufnefs and abfurdity in the condition of
others ; fo much monftrous extravagance, and
mocking impiety in them all ; that no man, I
think, can fo far betray his reafon, as to believe
them worthy the Majefty and Wifdom of the
Almighty.
From the furprizing likenefs of the Popifli
and Pagan Religion, from the exadl conformity
of the Romiih Ceremonies withthofe of their
Heathen Anceftors, from the people of modern
Rome having the fame Temples, the fame Al-
tars, the fame Images, the fame Ceremonies, as
the old Romans j it has been rightly * conclud-
ed, that there is thegreateit reafon to believe,
that the religious worfhip of the Catholics, in its
principal and diftinguiming parts, was original-
ly derived from the Gentile Ritual. In like
manner from the great fimilitude of the Pagan
Miracles, and thofe recorded in the fourth and
fifth Centuries, from the near refemblance of
their feveral relations, from the likenefs of the
nature, the circumftances, and the occafions of
them both ; it may reafonably be prefumed, that
n See Dr. Middkton\ Letter from Romt.
Y the
338 ''The Continuance of Miracles
the hiftories of the Miracles of Monks, of Saints,
and Martyrs in thofe Ages, were taken, for the
mod part, from the extraordinary accounts,
which are given of the ancient Sages, in the Gen-
tile world ; at lead that they both had one com-
mon fourcc and original, the grofs credulity of
mankind, which was the genuine offspring of a
prevailing and extravagant fuperftition.
Pythagoras and Apollonius, if we may believe
the writers of their lives, had the admirable
gift of converfing with the Brute-creation.
The r former Philofopher, fo much celebrated
among the Heathens, laid hold of a bear, which
had ravaged the Country of Apulia, and after
ftroaking the bead for a while, charged it upon
Oath, never more to touch a living creature. The
bear immediately hid itfelf in the hills and
woods, and obeyed the order moil religioufly.
He went to an Ox that was cropping beans,
and whifpering in the ear of the Animal bid it
abftain from beans. The Ox not only left the
beans immediately, but would never touch any
afterwards. He called to an Eagle, that chanc-
ed to fly over his head at the Olympic games,
and bid it come down to 'him. The bird inftant-
nldich. in vie Pytbag. cap. 13. Por{-i:y. in vit. ejufd.
png. 15. 16.
in the Chriflian Church. 339
\y alighted, perched upon his hand, fuffered it-
felf to be ftroaked by him, and then purfued its
flight. The latter impoftor, not lefs known in
the Chriflian World, is faid by s Porphyry and
Philofiratus to have underftood the language of
birds, and had the fame unufual faculty of con-
verting with beails, which he learned from the
Arabians.
Not lefs extraordinary and romantic things
are reported of Monks and Saints, in the fourth
and fifth Centuries. St. Jerom t tells us, that
Hilarion fpoke to a Dragon, which had laid
wafte the whole country of Dalmatia, and was
of fo enormous a fize and ftrength, as to fuck
up into his mouth, by the force of his breath,
whole Oxen and fheep, together with the
herdfmen alfo and fhepherds, and to fwallow
them down at once ; and bid it afcend a pile of
Wood prepared for the purpofe. The monfter
underftood his order and obeyed accordingly,
and there continued till it was confumed in the
flames : that u at another time, a BaBrian
9 Porpbyr. de abftinent. III. §. 3. Philoflr, in vlt. Apol-
lon. I. 20. Eufeb. contr. HUrocl. cap. 10.
1 See his life of Hilaricn, in Oper. Tom. IV. par. 2. p.
87. See aKoMidd/eton's Remarks on Obfervations, &c. p. 13.
u See his life of Hilarion^ in Oper. Tom. IV. par. 2.
pag. 82. 83. &c. See alfo Middkton'i Fret Inquiry, &o
fag. 89.
y 2 Camel
340 T'be Continuance of Miracle >
Camel was dragged to him by thirty people,
with the ftrongeft ropes, which had deftroyed
many perfons, and was then in the utmoft rage.
Immediately Hilarion ordered it to be let loofe,
and when every perfon ran away with the great-
eft confirmation, the Saint came forward alone,
and in the Syriac tongue faid, thou doft not
fright me, Devil, with all that bulk of body :
thou art one and the fame in a little Fox or in
a Camel ; the bead, tho' it was advancing to-
wards him, furious and ready to devour him,
flopped at once, and prefently fell down with
its head to the ground ; and on a fudden was
changed from the greateft liercenefs to the fame
degree of tamenefs.
The fame w writer fays, that as St. Antony was
travelling thro' the deierts of Mgypt, in fearch
of Paul, the Hermit, whom he was ordered to
vifit, by a divine revelation, he met with a
Centaur upon the Road. Being amazed with
the figure cf fo ftrange a Creature, he armed
himfelf with the fign of the Crofs ; and then
boldly demanded of the beaft, in what part of
the Defert, the Servant of God refided : to
w.hich the Centaur made fonie anfwer in a
w Sec his life of Paulus, in Oper. Tom. iv. par. 2.
pag. 70, ~\. MiddUton'% Rmarjis m Obfervatims9 &c#
it range
in the Christian Church. 341
ftrange and horrible tone of voice 5 and, with
geftures of great civility, pointed out the way
to him at the fame time, by ftretching out his
right hand, and then ran fwiftly away.
Ravenous beafts, according to x Athanafms,
came to St. Antony, in vaft numbers, during
his abode in the wildemefs, and encomparTed
him on every fide, open-mouthed, and with
great eagernefs to devour him ; but upon his
talking to them, and bidding them begone in-
ftantly, they all fled at once with the utmoft
precipitation.
Ruffinus y informs us, that one day, as Maca-
rius the Hermit was fitting in his Cell, a Lion-
efs came and knocked at his door with its head ;
the door being opened, the beaft entered and
threw down at the feet of the Saint one of its
whelps that was blind, putting itfelf at the fame
time in the pofture of a fuppliant. Macarius
understanding what was meant, took up the
whelp and prayed to God. The eyes of the beaft
inftantly opened, and it received fight. The Dam
took it from him and went her way : And return-
ing two days afterwards brought him the skin of a
Sheep,andmade him an offer of it. Whence could
You have this, faid the Saint, unlefs You had
* See his life of Antony, in Oper. Tom. I. par. 1. pag.
835.
t Hift. Ecclef. 11. 4.
Y 3 devoured
342 The Continuance of Miracles
devoured fome Sheep. What therefore is inju-
rioufly gotten, I will not accept. The Lionefs
bowed its head, and falling proftxate at his feet
laid down the skin. I will not accept it, reply'd
Macariusy only upon condition that You will
fwear to me never to deitroy again any ones
fheep. The Lionefs confented, by bowing its
head, and fo departed.
Palladius z confirms the feveral circumftan-
ces of this ftory, only afTerting that it was an
Hyaena and not a Lionefs , and adds moreover,
that he received it from Paphnutius, z. Difciple
and Companion of the Hermit himfelf.
Sulpitius a Sever us agrees with Rujpnus in
every particular of this ftory, except only that
he does not apply it to McXarius but to two
Anchorets, in a defert near Memphis, whom St.
Martin vifited. The fame extraordinary gift of
converging with hearts is afcribed alfo by him
to his favourite Saint, in a variety of inftances ;
particularly, he mentions b a Cow which had
left its herd, and had done much mifchief to
every thing, it happened to meet with. This
Animal came with great furioufnefs towards St.
f Hift. Laufiac, §. 17. towards the .end.
» Dial. I. 9.
» Dial. II. 9.
Martin -y
in the Chriftian Church \ 343
Martin -, at which he lifted up his hand, and
commanded it to advance no farther. The beaft
flopped inftantly, and became quite motionlefs.
The Saint then defcried a little Devil fitting up-
on its back; which he thus reprimanded : Leave
the bead, thou deftroyer, and do not torment
an innocent Animal. The Devil obeyed ; and the
Cow immediately, out of a grateful fenfe of the
benefit received, threw itfelf at his feet. He or-
dered it to return to its herd again ; which it did
accordingly, being more than ordinarily tame
and inoffenfive. One Day feeing c an Hare pur-
fued by a pack of Hounds, and almoft quite
fpent, St. Martin pitying the diftrefs of the
Animal, commanded the Hounds to purfue the
poor creature no farther. All the Dogs imme-
diately flood ftill at the word, and were fixed in
amaze, juft as if they were thunder-fir uck. A
Snake was d fwimming acrofs the river towards
the bank where the Saint was landing ; in the
name of the Lord, fays he, I order you to go
back again. No fooner had he fpoke thefe
words than the Snake changed its courfe, and re-
turned to the other fide of the river.
The fouls oi'AriJhas and Hermotimus, if any
cSulpitii Dial. II 10.
d Stttyitti DisAAU. 12.
c Herod. Hift, iv. 13. 14. Plin. Hift. Nat. vu. 53.
Y 4 credit
344 The Continuance of Miracles
credit is to be given to Herodotus, and Pliny,
were wont to leave their bodies, and return to
them at pleafure. St. Antony was no ways infe-
riour to them in this refpecl : his foul likewife,
according to f Athanajius, feparated itfelf from
his body, afcended to a confiderable height in
the Air, and left his body ftanding upon the
ground, and after fome time reporTcfled it, and
became united to it, as before.
Philojiratus g affirms, that Apollonius ftand-r
ing before the Emperour Domitian rendered
himfelf invifible, and in a moment remov-
ed himfelf to Puteoli. And Pliny has re-
corded the fame thing of a whole race of men,
inhabiting the African Deferts j " In thefe parts
" ( fays h he ) there is a fort of men, who at
" times appear, and vanifh in a moment, and
" then appear again, jufl as the fancy leads
,c them." Not lefs prodigious and incredible is
the ftory, which ' Sozomen relates of T'beotimus,
the Bifhop of the Scythians ; that as he, toge-
ther with fome other Chriftians, were travelling
on horfeback, near the country of the Huns,
* See his Life of Antony, in Opcr. Tom. I. paragr. i.
pag. 844.
6 See his Life of ApoUomui. vm 5. Eufeb, contr.i///-
rod. cap. 38.
* Hift. Nat. vii. 1,
\ Eufeb. Hift. Ecclcf. VII. 26.
an
in the Chriftian Church. 345
an uncivilized people, they happened to fee
fome of thefe Barbarians coming towards them.
While his companions were in the greater!:
fright imaginable, expecting nothing lefs than
immediate death; the Prelate leaped from his
horfe, and betook himfelf to prayer. On a fud-
den all the Chriftians, and their horfes too, dis-
appeared, and continued in that invifible ftate,
'till their enemies had parTed by, and then they
appeared again and purfued their intended jour-
ney. In the fame manner Gregory k cThauma-
turgus, and his Deacon, a Gentile Prieft, whom
he had converted, retired into a defert moun-
tain, and being clofely purfued by their ene-
mies, and in fuch numbers, they found it
impovTible to efcape. In this diftrefs their laft
refort was prayer. Accordingly they kneeled
down, and continued in that pofture fo long as
their perfecutors were in purfuit of them -, all
which time they loft their human ihape, be-
came invifible as men, and appeared under the
form of two trees.
Among other wonderful inftances of the per*
fection of fight in fome men, l Cicero takes no-
tice
k Greg. NyJJen. in vit. Thaumaturg, Tom, II. Oper.
pag. 1002.
l Acad. QuaEft. II. 25. In Pliny and SoUnus it is no more
than 135 miles, the diftance of the Lilibeean Promontory
from
346 TJje Continuance of Miracles
tice of a certain perfon, who could fee diftincT:-
ly to the diftance of one thoufand, eight hun-
dred ftadia, which amounts to two hundred and
thirty five miles, or thcre-abouts. But what is
this to the extraordinary power with which
St. Antony was endued? who is fud by mAtha-
nafua to have feen the foul of Amun the Monk,
as it was mounting to Heaven, immediately af-
ter it had left his body ; nay even to have feen
his own foul go out of his body, and enter in-
to it again.
There was a certain n family amongft the
ancient inhabitants of Italy, called the Hirpi>
who once a year, when they facrificed to Apollo
upon mount Soratle, uied to walk through the
inidft of fire unhurt.
But the Chriftian Monks far furpaffed thefe
Heathen Priefts, in fubduing the deftru&ive
power of fire. It is recorded by ° Sulpitius,
that St. Martin fet fire to a Pagan temple, in
order to deftxoy it. The wind, happening to
from the Port of Carthage. VII. 21. Valer. Max. I. 14..
Solin.i. p. 10. Strabon.vi. p. 267. /Elian, Var. Hilt-xi.
13. Hence Harduin and other Critics have conjectured,
that the paffage in Cicero fhbuld not be read, " mille &
et o&inginta ftadia, quod abeflct, videbat j " but<{mille&
*c odloginta ftadia."
■ Vit. Antonii. §. 60. 65. Sec alfo Sozom. \. 14.
• Ftrgil. JEndd. xi. 785.- Sil. Ital. v. 175. Plin.
Hift. Nat. vii. 2.
• De vit. Martini, cap. h
blow
in the Chriftian Church* 347
blow towards a neighbouring houfe, drove the
flames directly againft it, fo as to endanger the
dwelling. The Saint got upon the top of the
houfe, flood in the midfl of the flames, and
with his hand threw them back to the temple,
as fafl as the wind blew them towards him 5
and by that means fecured the building from
any damage. The relation, which is given of
Copres p the Abbot, is flill more extraordinary
that he made a pile of wood, ordered it to be
fet on fire, and then arming himfelf with the
fign of the Crofs, walked into the midfl: of the
flames, continued there for half an hour, and
yet received no hurt. Nor is the account lefs
wonderful, which Palladius q has recorded of
the fame perfon. Copres, it feems, had a garden
of herbs, which were his ordinary diet. A Pa-
gan flole fome of thefe, and carried them home,
with defign to boil them for his dinner 3 but
the fire would not affect either the herbs them-
felves, or the water, which was in the pot ;
altho' they hung over a large flame for three
hours together. This fo terrified the Thief,
that he carryed back the flolen goods, con-
feffed his crime, implored forgivenefs, and
became a Chriflian.
P Palladii Hift. Lau/iaca. §. 49,
!» Pallad. ibid.
If
348 ¥ht Continuance of Miracles
l£ Pythagoras q and Empedocles had the power
of fuppreffing winds and flopping hail, of
calming florms, of making rivers and even
the fea itfelf afford Them and their Compa-
nions an cafy and fafe paffage : Martin and
Gregory have not fuffered this power to go un-
rivalled. Sulpitius r fays of the Former, that in
a place where violent ilorms of hail ufed every
year to fall, and do great damage to the inhabi-
tants 3 upon the arrival of St. Martin, and at his
command, they ceafed, and that for twenty
years together ; but at the inflant of his death
they returned every year, as ufual: and ' Gregory
Nyjfen afferts, that the Latter flopped the over-
flowings, and reilrained the violence of a tor-
rent, and fet the bounds, which it did not pafs;
and that, ' in order to accommodate a differ-
ence between two Brothers, who both chal-
lenged a lake as belonging to that part of the
inheritance, which their father had left them,
he turned the water into dry and folid ground.
There was a people in Africa, and near the
Hellefpont, called u Ophiogenes, who by their
9 Porpbyr. in vit. Pythag. Jamblich, in vit ejufd.
'Dial. III. 7.
* In vit. Greg. Thaum. Oper. Tom. II. pag.991.
« Ibid. pag. 988.
u Plin. Hift. Nat. vii. 2. .xxviii. 3. >
touch
in the Cbriftian Church. 349
touch could extraft the poifon, and cure the bite
of ferpents. The fame power is alfo afcnbed to
a Chriftian Monk. A Boy - was brought to St.
Martin, who had been bit by a ferpent ; the
venom had diffufed itfelf thro' the whole mafs
of blood, infomuch that his body was fwoln to
a monftrous fize, and the Boy himfelf was
fenfelefs and juft expiring. The Saint by the
application of his finger drove the poifon be-
fore it from every part of the body to the
wound, which the bite had made in his flefh,
and there expelled it in fuch a manner as to
reftore the Boy to a perfed fanity both of mind
and body. . ,
Philofiratm * tells us, that Apollonms made
a mad dog, that had bit a boy at tmpt, ftand
ftill in the fields at a great diftance from him,
and kept him in that place, 'till fome of the
company went and feized him. The dog was
no fooner brought into the prefence of Apollo-
nius but he became perfeffly tame, and (hewed
great figns of concern for what he had done.
ThePhtlofopher ordered him to lick the wound,
which he had made in the boy's flefh. This
was inftantly done, and both the boy and the
w Sulpitii Dial. II. 3.
* In vit. Apollonii. vi. 43.
dog
350 *fhe Continuance of Miracles
dog recovered from their madnefs. The Eccle-
iiaftical y Hiftorians, Ruffinus) Socrates and Sozo-
meny have related a ftorymuch of the fame kind;
that fome Rogues attempted in the night time
to ftealthe fheep of Spyridon the Monk j but the
fecret power of the Saint was fo great, as even
without his knowledge to fix them motionlefs
at the fold, 'till they were difcovered and ap-
prehended by him in the morning. Some other
z perfons are faid by Palladius to have met
with juil the fame kind of fate, who went to
cTbeon's cell in the night, with defign to rob
him. They no fooner reached the door, than
they were fixed to the earth by an invisible
power, and continued in that manner, 'till the
holy man releafed them in the morning. This
wrought fuch a reformation in their life, that
they inftantly betook themfelves to the Monas-
tic (late.
The Brachmam, a according to Philojlratus,
were raifed into the air at two or three cubits
diftance from the earth, and continued pendul-
ous for fome time, in the prefence of Apollonius.
y Ruf.Hia. Ecclef. I. 5. ' Spcrat. Hift. Ecclef. I. 8.
Sozom. Hift. Ecclef. I. IX.
z Hift. Laufiac. §.46.
» Philojhat. in vit. ApoUon, III. 17. Enfeb. contr. llte-
roclem. cap. 19. *
Lucian
in the Chrijlian Church. 35 1
* Lucian allures us of a Miracle of the fame
kind, that was publicly performed in the temple
ofHierapolis. The image of Apollo was by fome
invifible power raifed from its pedeftal, and was
pendulous for fome time in the air. Several bDa>-
moniac«,both men and women,according to*W-
pitius, were caught up like wife into the air, with
their arms extended, in the preience of St. Mar-
tin -, fome of which, in that fituation, were
whirled about, with their heads downwards ;
yet their cloaths were fo held up, as not to dis-
cover their nakednefs. And c Ruffinus, Socra-
tes, and Sozomen, fpeak of a pillar, which, after
many people, with oxen and machines, had in
vain endeavoured to raife, was heaved up to the
diftance of a foot from the ground, and kept in
a perpendicular lituation for fome time, by the
prayers of a female Chriftian Slave in Iberia.
If Ctefias d and Pliny have mentioned a foun-
tain at Naxos, and in the Ifland Andros, whofe
waters at certain ftated times were turned into
wine; Epiphanius* czn furnifli us with instanc-
es of feveral fountains and rivers, to which the
* DeDea Syria- §. 37 .
b Sulpitii Dial. ill. 6.
e Ruf. Hift. Ecclef. 1. 10. Socrat. Eecl-.-f. 1. 16. Ss-
%om. Hift. Ecclef. II. 6.
d In Indicis. Plin. Nat. Hift. xxxi. 13.
f Adv. Har. 11. Har. exxx. Tom. I. pag. 451.
fame
352 The Continuance of Miracles
fame thing happened miraculoufly, every year,
in his days. If a Damon f, a Satyr, and Em-
pufa appeared to Apollonius j Devils and Spectres
prefented themfelves in a variety of 6 antic
fhapes to St. Antony : If Apollonius h wrote an
Epiftle to a Daemon j fo did * St. Gregory : If
a tall, black perfon, of a fqualid appearance,
came in a vifion to k Coffins Parmen/is, the
Heathen, and being afked his name made an-
fwer, KcatoXoupuv y a tall ' meager perfon came
in open day, while the Saint was awake, to
Antony's cell, knocked at the door, and faid,
his name was, Satan : If Fauns, and Satyrs,
and various other Wood-monfters, have ap-
peared to the Gentile World ; in the fame m
manner feveval creatures of that fort are faid to
have appeared to Monks and Saints among the
Christians.
In fhort, the greateft part of the Miracles,
with which the Writings and Hiftories of the
f Phikjhr. in vit. Apolhn. n. 4.. in. 3. Eufeb. contr.
Hieroclem. cap. 13. 18.
Z Athanaf. in v it. Anton.
h Philojlrat. in vit. Apoll in. 38.
» Greg. Nyff. in vit. Thaum. Oper. Tom. II. pag.981.
k Vahr. Max. de Somn. I. 7.
*' Athanaf. in vit. Anton. Tom.'II. pag. 451.
m Sec Hieron. in vit. Hilar. 6c Pauli. t
fourth
in tide Chrijilan Church. 353
fourth and fifth Centuries do abound, and of
which the above-mentioned are only a fmall
fpecimen, arc fo unufeful, fo foolim, and ab-
furd in themfelves, and performed upon fuch
frivolous occafions, and intended to ferve fuch
light, infignificant, and oftentimes even impious
purpofes j that (to ufe the words of a mafterly
c Writer, who by folid reafoning, and indifput-
able facts, has fully (hewn the grofs, Enthuiiafm
of the Romifh Church, by examining the Hi-
flory, and detecting the'Fanaticifm and Impo-
stures of Ignatius Loyola, the celebrated Foun-
der of one of the moft renowned of their reli-
gious orders ) " the very propofal of them de-
<£ ferves our indignation, rather than belief;
" fuch, as are injurious to the honour of God,
" and repugnant to his wifdom, and look ra-
" ther like the effects of vanity, or a trifling
in vit. ejufd. ' »
fuch
tn the Chrijiian Church. 355
fuch quantity of fiSh, as all the inhabitants of
the place were unable to gather up : and many
other Stories of the fame fort, to be met with
in Ctejias, are fo extravagantly odd and whim-
fical, as utterly destroy the whole credibility of
them. And fome of the Stories, which are told
by Philoftratus, are, as is obferved by s Euje-
bins, fo very portentous, as to exceed all belief j
particularly his account of tubs of wind and
rain ; and of a Magical FeaSt^ with which
Apollofiius was entertained ; where tripods fur-
nished with provisions came in of their own
accord, and were followed by brazen butlers,
who adminiftered by fpontaneous motion ;
whilfl the earth produced herbs, that were,
fofter than beds ; and the provisions were bet-
ter drelfed by fome invisible power, than they
could have been by cooks.
In like manner, there are numbers of * Mi-
racles recorded by Jeromy by Athanajius, by
Sulpitius, by Gregory of N\Jfat by Gregory the
Great, and Gregory of 'Tours , which are fo ex-
s Eufeb. contr. Hieroclem. cap. io-
* Hieron. in vitis Pauli & Hilarionis,
Athanaf. in vit. Anton.
Greg. Nyff. in vit. Thaimialurg.
Greg. Magn. Dialogg.
Greg. Turon. de gloria Martyr. & Confefs.
2 2 cecdingly
2 $6 T'hc Continuance of Miracles
cecdingly trifling and contemptible, fo mon-
ilrouily ridiculous and abfurd, as no man in his
fenfes, at this day, can believe. Such are the
many ftories of perfonal conrlicls, which St. An-
tony continually fuftained with all the feveral
Devils and Powers of Hell, who aflaulted him
in every fhape, which could imprint terrour,
and exerted every art, and even corporal pu-
nishments, to drive him from the monaftic life :
Of his meeting with a Satyr, with goats feet,
a crooked nofe, and a forehead armed with
horns ; who in token of peace offered him the
fruit of the Palm-tree, and being afked pre-
fently by the Saint, what he was, gave this
anfwer : I am a mortal, and one of thole In-
habitants of the Defert, whom the deluded
Centiles worlhip, under the names of Fauns,
Satyrs, andlncubi j and am now deputed, as an
Ambaifadour for our whole Tribe, to beg your
Pray^s and InterceiTion for us, to our common
Lord and Mafter, whom we know to have
been lent fur the Salvation of the whole World:
Of a certain Creauie approaching him in the
Wilderncfs, whole body and upper parrs were
of a human form, but whofe legs were all nine ;
at the fight of which St.yfafom', having firft
armed himfelf with the fign of the Crofs, (aid :
If you are fent againft m.e j lo* here I am ;
which
in the Chriftian Church, 357
which the Monfter had no fooner heard, but
he fled away in great haft, and in the hurry of
his flight happening to fall, he died upon the
ipot : Of his being able to find out a perfon
pofTefTed with a Devil, by his fcetid fmell : Of
Hilarion being capable of knowing from the
fmell of the bodies and the cloaths of men, or
of any thing elfe, which they had touched, to
what particular Daemon, or to what particular
vice they were fcverally fubject : Of Fauns and
Satyrs prefenting themfelves to Paid, the Her-
mit, confefllng their own mortality, and the
folly of the Gentiles in paying them any wor-
ship ; and begging his recommendation of them
to their common Lord, who came to fave the
world : Of a Raven, bringing half a loaf of
bread for fixty years fuccefTively to the Saint,
for his daily food in the wildernefs ; and then
a whole loaf, when St. Antony came to vifit
him : Of two Lions, coming to aflifl Antony
in the burial of Paul, by digging a grave for
him with their feet, and then departing with the
bleifing of Antony : Of Monks walking upon
water as freely, as upon dry ground j Of rivers
drawn by them from their natural courfes, and
following them into new channels, which they
traced out to them : Of inundations of water
riling up almofl to the roofs of Churches, with-
z 3 out
358 'The Continuance of Miracles
out entering the doors of them, which flood
open : Of the arm of an Executioner, fixed
upright in the air, as it was lifted up, to ftrike
off the head of one of thofe holy Men, and
reflored by him on condition, that it fhould
never again behead any Chriitian : Of veffels
of oil and wine miraculoufly replenifhed : Of
pieces of gold, as frefh as from the mint, drop-
ped from Heaven into their laps ; with num-
berlefs other relations, even as grofsly abfurd,
and as highly extravagant and notorioufly fa-
bulous, as any thing to be met with either in
Ancient Mythology or Modern Romance ; in
the Metamorphofis of an Ovid, or in the
Knight-errantry of a Quixot.
Let us now fland ltill a while, and take a
fhort review of what has been advanced upon this
head, in order to fee what important purpofes
it may ferve. From this reprefentation of the
itate of the Primitive Church in the days of
Chryfo/iom and afterwards, which is faithfully
drawn from the writings and hiitories of thofe
times : from the account, which is here given
of the genius and complexion of the Chriitians
themfelves ; of the 'end, the nature, and the
circumftanccs of thofe numerous Miracles, re-
corded for three fuccefiive Centuries after the
converfion of the Roman Empire $ it may be
eafijy
in the Ckrtjtian Church. 359
eafily discovered, what a wide difference there
is between the credibility of the Miracles, re-
ported by the Later Fathers, and the credibility
of Thofe, which are related in the Earlier Ages.
There was a great expediency of miraculous
powers and ailiftances, a maniferl: propriety and
necefftty of the extraordinary interpofitions of
Providence, from the firft promulgation of the
Gofpel, thro' the Apoftolic Age, down to the
times of Qrigen ; while Chriftianity was yet in
its infant ftate, flruggling to gain an efta-
blifhment in the world ; furrounded on all fides
with numbers of unconverted Jews and Gen-
tiles j and fubfifting in an afflicted and perfecuted
condition. On the contrary, the utter inexpe-
diency and even impertinence of Miracles in
the fourth, fifth, and fucceeding Ages of the
Church, is equally apparent : when the Chri-
flian Religion was grown to its full ffrength and
maturity; had fpread itfelf, and acquired afet-
tlement in every part of the known world;
had an authority and power of its own, vaftly
fuperiour to all the force of its enemies; was
under the protection of the civil government ;
and placed in the moft favourable and profper-
ous circumftances.
The Miracles, did to have been wrought in
the days of the Apoflles and the Earlier Ages
Z4 of
360 The Continuance of Miracles.
of the Church, were not very numerous j and
they were performed only upon neceffary and
important occafions j for the propagation and
eftablilhment of Chriflianity 5 for the fubduing
the power, and removing the prejudices, and
appeafing the rage of its inveterate and incenfed
enemies ; for the converfion of Unbelievers,
and for the comfort and encouragement of the
Faithful. Whereas the pretended Miracles of
the fourth, and fifth, and following Centuries,
are almoft innumerable. When the converfion of
the Roman Empire, and the firm eftablimment
of Chriflianity in every part of it ; when the
authority and protection of the civil Magiftrate,
and its own genuine force and ftrengthhad effec-
tually fecured theChriftian Religion ; by enabling
it to make the reft of its way in the world,
and rendering all extraordinary and divine fuc-
cours unneceffary 3 even Then it is affirmed,
that Miracles were not only more numerous,
than in the Ages immediately fucceeding the
Apoftolic, when the Church was in a feeble
and afflided flatc, and utterly incapable by its
own power and authority to defend and fup-
port ittelf j but alfo 'that they were more nu-
merous, than even in the. very times of Chrift
and his Apoflles: and moreover thefe very Mi-
% numberlefs as they are, plainly appear to
have
in the Chrijiian Church. 361
have been performed upon the mod foolifh
upon the mod frivolous, nay even upon im-
pious occafions. The production of them in-
deed anfwered no other end, and does not feem
to have been intended to ferve any other pur-
pofe, than to extoli and recommend the per-
fection of a Monadic ftate ; to advance the re-
putation of Monks ; and to introduce and efta-
blim in the Church evident corruptions, both in
the Faith and in the Worfhip of Chriftians.
Thefe numerous Miracles, fo unneceffary, fo
unimportant, fo trifling and impious, are like-
wife in their nature and circumftances, fo very
childifb, ridiculous, and abfurd, that it would
be difficult, one would think, to find any per-
fon in thefe days, fo weakly credulous, as to
believe them. They are evidently fuch, as no
authority upon earth, no force of human tefti-
mony can fupport ; fo long as we retain any
juft notions of the Wifdom and the Majefty of
God : at leaft they are fuch, as no evidence lefs
than that of fenfe can render credible. It is
certain, that a man, who has got fo far in a
ftate of credulity, has thus exceeded all the
bounds of a rational belief, as to admit the
truth and reality of fuch kind of Miracles, and
fo circumftanced, has nothing elfe to do, but
to believe on, and to admit for certain facts the
Arabian
362 The Continuance of Miracles
Arabian and Perfian Tales, the Feats and At-
chievements of Fairies and Giants, the Practi-
ces of Witchcraft, and every other idle, mon-
ftrous, and fabulous ftory, which has ever been
propagated thro' the folly, the ignorance, the
fuperftition, the enthufiafm, the cunning, or
the knavery of man, fince the foundation of
the world.
Befides all this, there is another thing, which
makes a confiderable difference between the
credibility of the Later, and of the Earlier Mira-
cles i which the ftate of the Church in the
Later and Earlier Times of Chriftianity may
iuggeft. There was a remarkable change both of
principles and practice, between the Chriftians
of the fourth, fifth, and following Centuries, and
thofe of the preceding Ages. The prevalency
of Faction, the fury of Party-zeal, the views
of Lucre and Ambition, an extravagant and
enthufiaftic regard for Monks, and Saints, and
Martyrs, and Reliques, a grofs fuperftition, and
as grofs credulity, with one united force con-
curred to prompt fome men, to commit,
and to difpoie the generality of other men
to receive and propagate any forgeries, in the
Later Ages -, none of which could confpire in
iucfxa manner, as to have any influence in pro-
ducing the fame effects, in the Earlier Ones.
But
m the Chrijitan Church, 363
But the number, the expediency, the occa-
iion, the nature and condition of the feveral
Miracles, recorded by the Earlier, and by the La-
ter Writers of the Church ; and the ftate of the
Church itfelf, and the genius of the Chriflians
in thefe two periods, are not only marks, by
which the preemptive evidence and credibility
of the former relations may be diftinguimed
from the prefumptive evidence and credibility
of the latter ones : there is alfo a very Angular
difference in , the pofitive teftimony itfelf, by
which the Earlier and Later Miracles are fup-
ported.
In the atteftation of Facts, of what nature or
kind foever, the unanimity and confiftency of
the feveral witnefles claims our fpecial notice and
attention. It is indeed one of the principal
marks, by which we are tojudge of the credibi-
lity of teftimony. Where there is a concurrence
of all the other qualifications, requifite in wit-
nefTes; yet this circumftance gives a greater
weight to their authority, is a Mill ftronger con-
firmation of the truth of their Evidence : but
where this circumftance alone is wanting, efpe-
cially in the material parts of the feveral relati-
ons, it deftroys at once the competency of their
teftimony. Indeed we may in fome cafes reafon-
ably doubt of the truth and reality of Facls ; al-
tho*
364 tfke Continuance of Miracles
tho' the relators are unanimous in their attefta-
tion of them. It may be, that there is a ftrong
preemption again ft the exigence of the Fact?,
which ouite outweighs the pofitive teftimony :
or the nature of the facts themfelvcs may hap-
pen to be fuch, as fhall render them utterly in-
credible. But we cannot have any good reafon
for admitting the truth of Thofe Facts, of whofe
exiftence the principal perfons appealed to as
Vouchers, are not agreed among themfelves.
Such a contrariety of evidence divides our belief,
and naturally throws the mind into a ftate of fuf-
pence. Diverfity of opinions in fuch a cafe, like
two motions in contrary directions, will weaken
in proportion, as either fide prevails, or abfolutely
deftroy the force and validity of the teftimony.
Let us then examine how far this reafoning
is applicable to the teftimony of the Primitive
Fathers, in the point now more immediately
under debate. Let us fee whether the evidence
of the Earlier and the Later Miracles in the
Chriftian Church may not be tried, and truly
adjuiled by this ftandard.
The principal Fathers of the Church in the
Earlier Ages of Chriftianity, whofe writings
have efcaped the injury of time, and come to
our knowledge, and who have born teftimony
to the point in queftion, are Ignatius^ J"Jh"
Martyr
in the Chrifti an Church. 365
Martyr ', Iretiaus, cTheophilus} I'ertullian^Minu-
cius Felix, Origen, Cyprian, Arnobius, Hegifip-
pus. Thefe writers with one uniform confent
have feverally attefted, in a folemn, deliberate,
explicit, and public manner, the continuance of
Miracles after the days of the Apoftles, thro'
their own refpective Ages. There is not the
leaft intimation given in any part of their writ-
ings, that the power of working Miracles was
then actually withdrawn from the Church.
There is no variation at all in their feveral tefti-
monies j but the mod perfect harmony and
unanimity.
Now this exact agreement in the atteftation
of matters of Fact, which are faid frequently and
publicly to have happened, and of which thefe
men could not but have the moft certain -intel-
ligence, from the information of their own
fenfes, is the lirongeft proof that can be given of
the truth and reality of the Fact, thus authentic-
ally witnefTed. Indeed it is fcarce polTible to
imagine, that a number of original Authors, in
different Ages, whofe writings were compoied
upon fo many different fubjects, and publifhed
upon fo many different occalions, fhauld not
fome of them now and then be difpofed to ac-
knowledge the difcontinuance of Miracles in
the Church , or at leaft at certain times, and
noon
366 cT/je Continuance of Miracles
upon certain occafions, fhould not incidentally
drop fome hints of the difcontinuance of them,
if the mofl evident marks and footfteps of an
extraordinai'y providence, fo exerted, had not
vifihly appeared. Nothing but the notoriety and
unconteftablenefs of the thing itfelf could have
prevented inconfiftency and contradiction, in
their feveral accounts of this matter. Truth is
always the fame fimple, uniform, and confident
thing ; but errour or falfhood is fo multiform,
varying, and irregular, as ever to betray itfelf.
However ufefull it might be to the Chriftians
in thofe earlier ages of the Church, that the
notion of a divine providence, exerting itfelf
after an extraordinary manner, in favour and
fuppoit of Them and their religion, mould be
propagated and inculcated : yet if policy alone
had given rife to fuch a notion; if there had been
no foundation in truth and nature for fuch a
belief, it cannot be fuppofed, bur, that negli-
gence in Some ; want of conviction, and a fincere
love of truth in. Others ; or prejudice or pailion
would have thrown men fometimes fo far off
their guard, as to make them, if not openly
contradict it ; yet to exprefs fome doubtfull-
nefs or fufpicion about it.
This thing cannot be better exemplifycd
than in the cafe of the "very Fathers themfelves .
thofe
in the Chrljlian Church. 367
thofe of them, I mean, who lived after the con-
version of the Roman Empire. The principal
writers and hiftorians of thofe times, it muft be
acknowledged, have all feverally recorded and
affirmed a great number of Miracles to have
been wrought in their days, many years even af-
ter the eftablifhment of Chriftianky, by the
civil power ; St. Athanafius, St. Jerom, St.
Aujliny St. Ambrofe, St. Epiphanius, St. Chryfo-
Jiom, St. Bafily St. Gregory of Nyjfay St. Gregory
Nazianzen ; Eufebius, Socrates, Sozomen, Eva-
grius, and T'heodorit. But then it is to be re-
membered, that Some of the moll: eminent and
diftinguifhed among thefe later Fathers have,
by contrary teftimonies, not only deltroyed
their Own authority, but alfo that of all their
Contemporaries. There is fuch a want of har-
mony and unanimity ; fo much plain inconfift-
ency and contradiction among themfelves, with
regard to the point in Queftion 3 as to render the
feveral relations of them All juftly fufpected,
and to make a wide difference between the cre-
dibility of Their teftimony, and that of the
Earlier Fathers, in whofe evidence no fuch dis-
agreement and contrariety is to be difcovered.
The teftimony of Origen is a very great and
iiift exception to the truth of thofe numerous
Miracles, which are recorded in after-Ages.
This
3 6 8 TZ'd' Continuance of Miracles
This Writer, who flouriihed in the third Cen-
tury, and compofed his book againft Celfus,
about the middle of that Century, exprefly af-
ferts, that thea (landing power of working Mi-
racles began even before That time to be gradu-
ally withdrawn; that the extraordinary powers
and afliftances, which were wont to be granted
to the Difciples of Jefus, in the Earlier Ages of
the Church, were Then in a great meafure cea-
fcd ; inftances of this nature being very rare in
His days. Now this explicit and public declara-
tion of a Friend to Chriilianity, in a Fact, which
happened in his Own time, and of which he
could not but be well acquainted, greatly weak-
ens the teftimony of All Thofe Writers and His-
torians, who have related fuch a multitude of
Miracles in the fourth, and fifth, and following
Centuries : unlefs it can be fuppofed, that mi-
raculous powers were again revived in the
Church, in Thofe Ages, for no other apparent
reafons, than to flatter the pride and vanity j to
heighten the ambition ; and to encreaie the ho-
nours of fome leading Churchmen j to raife
a 2HMEIA Si t* aytVwveujt**!®* wrr fyx** fo T~,;
Um riv «Vo SHMEIftN EXONTE2 I2XTN il Se
t« 'ph ATNAMEHS EKEINH2 OTAE IXNOS TIIO-
AEAEIIITAI, TsroAXol Si wavlaj^6" Sperwacnv ol zro-
Xiptoi x.ec\ cvve^sTg' t*'tw Xoittqv ii|W.a? ava^xn (PgaTl£ The Continuance of Miracles
that there were no footfteps of miraculous powers
Then remaining in the Church j that all the
Chriitians of His davs, with their united and re-
peated prayers and tears, were not able to per-
form Miracles, as the handkerchiefs of St. Paul
once could do. And in his books of c Confola-
tion, addrelTed to his Friend Stagirius, who
was fuppofed to be pofTefTed and horribly tor-
mented by an evil Spirit, it is exprefely lignify-
ed, that neither the tombs of the Martyrs, to
which he had often applied for relief, nor the
repeated endeavours of the mod holy and cele-
brated Exorcifls of Thofe days, were able to
drive the Devil out of him.
In one d of his Homilies on St. Matbew, he
fays, that the Chriftians of Thofe days did indeed
leek for Miracles, fuch as the Apoflles per-
formed ; they did defire to fee the Lepers
eleanfed, the Devils cad: out, the De.id railed ;
but this, fays he, is the greateft dcmonilration of
your generality and love, to believe God with-
« See Afi da le ten's Free Inquiry, Sec. pag. 131.
d AAA* tx \ \ \
iAcco'Jc^ivai;, x.xi tag lyncopivxi; v^xcv," •, cc/^Au. x, tbto *,
ms vlytvilxq vu.oc\i [j.iyif-ov ^sT.yy.x., Hj rr,<; xyxirr,;, to
y.r\ jueT ivt%VQWv urjf-fJnv tw ©va* x} yxo x^ AIA
TOTTO x) AI ETEPUN rx 2HMEIA EIXATIEN O
OEOI. Horn. xxii. in 'Matt, Tom. vir* pag. 375.
out
in the Chrijlian Church. 371
out thofe pledges ; and for this and other rea-
fons, God hath caufed Miracles to ceafe. And
in another c Homily on St. John, he affirms,
that it is tempting God Now to ask for Mira-
cles. This I fay, becaufe there are now Men
who feek them, and ask, why Miracles are not-
even Now performed ? Whereas if thou art a
faithfull Man, as thou oughteft to be, and loveft
Chrift, as thou oughteft to do, chou haft no
need of Miracles ; for thefe things are given
for the fake of Unbelievers. The fame writer has
a difcourfe f profeffedly upon this very fub-
jc to!* AIHXTOI2 AIAO-
TAI. Horn. xxiv. in Joan. Tom. viu. pag. 238.
i Horn, vi, in 1 Epift, ad Corinth. Tom- x,
A a z Now
372 The Continuance of Miracles
Now ceafed. The fame queftion is flatted in
one of his f Homilies on Timothy, and g in other
places : and the anfwers, which are feverally
given to it, arc fo many exprefs declarati-
ons, that Miracles were Then entirely ceafed ;
particularly, h in one place, he attempts to mew
at large, that Miracles were of great ufe in the
days of the Apoftles ; but that the mite of the
Church, and the circumftances of the times, in
which he lived, had rendered the miraculous in-
terpofitions of the Deity altogether needlefs ;
which is given therefore as a fatisfactory reafon
for the total ceflation of Miracles.
Neither is St. Chryfoftcm fingular in this point
St. Augiifiine has in fome meafure teftihed the
fame thing j by taking notice of the very fame
objection, with which the Chriftians were com-
monly urged in this Age. They ask us, ' fays
he, why are notthofe Miracles performed Now,
' Ilofirj Zv Xyjecn •s'/fWo-ou •, aVo SHMEIHN j AXAa
OY nrNETAI TATTA. Horn. X. in i Ep. z&Timotb.
Tom. XI. p. 6c2.
5 Oper. Tom. in. p. 65. Horn. vm. in Epift. ad
CohJ). Tom. xi. p. 387, 388. Expof. in Pfahp. cxlii.
P- 455-
k Hum. vi. in 1 Epift. ad ( *t into. Tom. x p. 45, 4.6.
i Cur, inquiunt, nunc iiia mirncula, quae praedicatis
fa&a cflc, now Sunt? l>e Civ. Dei. xxu. H.
which
in the Chrijlian Church* 373
which You declare to have been wrought For-
merly ? Now tho' this is a preface to an ela-
borate narrative, and folemn atteftation of great
numbers of them, faid to have been wrought
in thefe very times -, yet this queftion being fo
often put, and attempted fo often to be anfwer-
ed by the writers of thofe times, is itfelf a plain
proof, that the ftate of the Church had Then un-
dergone fome fignal alteration from what it was
Formerly ; that there was not Then fuch evident
and convincing marks of miraculous powers be-
ing refident in the Church, as there was in the
earlier Ages ; when not one fingle fyllable is heard
of any queftion of this fort being urged. And it
is remarkable, that the very anfwer, which St.
Augujline gives to the queftion in this place,
manifeftly fhews, that Miracles were Then be-
come needlefs j that the converfion of the Ro-
man Empire, and the firm eftablifhment of
Chriftianity in the world had wholly fuperfed-
ed the ufe and neceflity of them. I could k tell
them, that Miracles were neceffary Formerly,
before the world believed, for this very purpofe,
that the world might believe ; but he, who frill
k Poflum quidem fli<~ere neceflaria fuifTe, prius quam
crederet, ad hoc ut crederet mundus. Quifquisautem a'd-
huc prodigia requirit, ut credat, magnum eft ipfe prodigi-
um, qui mundo crcdcnte r.on credit. De Civ. Dei. ibid.
A a 3 requires
3 74 I'he Continuance of Miracles
requires prodigies,that he might become a believ-
er, is himfelf a prodigy j who dees not believe
now, when the world does believe. And to the
fame effect is that declaration, which he makes,
in feveral places of his Works j particularly in
that 1 place, where he is taking a ferious review
of his writings, in order to retract whatever
mould appear upon more mature confederation
to be falfe or groundlefs.
St. AmbroJey m in fpeaking of the Miracles,
pretended to have been wrought by the bones
of Gervafius and Protajius, acquaints his Sifter
Marcellina, that he told his people in the fpeech,
which he made to- them upon that occafion,
that the ancient Miracles were revived again j
a plain indication that Miracles before That time
had actually ceafed. To which there is a fimi-
lar expreffion in St. Augujiine, when he n fays,
that upon feeing the Refemblance of ancient Mi-
* De ver. Relig. cap. 25. De Utilit. credend. cap. 15,
Deunitate Ecclef. cap. 16. Tract, in Joan. cap. 3. De
verbis. Domin. Serm.xviii.QucefLexNov. Teft. cap. 63
1 Nee miracula ilia in noftra tempora durare permifTa
funt, ne anima femper vifibilia quaereret, et eorum con-
fuetudine frigefceret genus humanum, quorum vcritate
flagravit. Retract. I. 13. §. 7.
wRcparatavetufli temporis miracula. Clajf.l. Epift. xxn.
Edit. JBenedia.
» Id namque fieri volumus, cum videremus, Antiquis
fimiliadivinaium figna virtut'um etiam noflris»temporibus
frequer.tari. Dc Civ. Dei. XXII. 8. '
racles
in the Ckriftian Church. 375
racles, appearing even in His days, he ordered
an account to be taken of them.
Ifidore Peleufiota, one of the Difciples and
conftant Attendants of St. Chryfoftom in .his
preachings, expreily ° affirms, that miraculous
powers were in His time withdrawn from the
Church j and afcribes the ceflation of them to
the want of thofe graces and that conduct, in the
Paftors andBifhops of the Church, which adorn-
ed the Apoftolical Age.
Gregory^ firnamed the Great, who lived in
the fixth Century, defcanting upon this paflage
in St. Matthew's Gofpel, thefe figns fhall follow
them that believe &c. thus p expoftulates with
his brethren ; What, my brethren, will You not
believe, becaufeYou do not Now perform thole
Miracles ? But thefe Miracles were neceflary in
0 E» Toivvv Xf vvv 0 Toov uipmywuv Pi'^y ^wjAAkto TVJ
AIIOSTOAIKH nOAITEIA, Krw? pen k) 2HMEIA E-
TINET AN. Ei & MH EriNETO, ^xci -erfo $urw
fAov twk ovcwJ]wu. Ifid. IV. Epift. 80.
p Nunquidnam, Fratres mei, quia ifta figna non facitis,
minime crcditis ? Sed haec neceflaria in exordio Ecclefiae
fuerunt. Ut enim fides crefceret, miraculis fuerat Hutri-
enda ; quia et nos, cum arbufta plantemus, tamdiu cis
aquam infundinius, quoufque ea in terra jam convalui/Tc
videamus ; et fi femel radicem fixcrint, in rigando cefTa-
mus. Hinc eft enim, qucd Paulus dicit, " lingua in
fignumfunt non Jidclibus fed infidelibus. Lib. XI. Horn. XXIX.
in Marc, xvi. p. 1571. Edit. Paris.
A a 4 the
376 'The Continuance of Miracles
the beginning of the Church, for the increafe
of faith ; but Now when it is planted and root-
ed, they are not neceffary.
Ifidore, a bifhop of Spain, was contem-
porary with the Emperour Heraclius and Sife-
but) as appears from his own q Chronicle, and
therefore muil: have flou rimed in the feventh
Century.
Now thisilluftrious perfonage, fpeaking of the
miraculous powers of the Apoftles, and of the
force which they had in converting the world,
affigns this r reafon of Miracles being Then ceaf-
ed ; becaufe in the Earlier Ages of the Church,
Miracles were neceffary to bring over the world
to the Chriftian faith -3 but Now,|when this pur-
pofe is fully anfwered, they are no longer
wanted ; nothing more is Now neceffary, than
ChrifHan graces and a good life.
The Ccnturiators of Madgeburge, a combi-
nation of learned and induflrious men, who with
indefatigable
* Fiunt igitur ab exordio mundi, ufque ad praefen-
tem aeram DCLIV. hoc eft, in anno quinto Imperatoris
Heraclij et quarto gloriofllmi Sifebuti, anni quinquies
mille, octingenti quatuordecim. Chron. fub fine.
r Quod nunc Ecclcfia non ea miracula faciat, qua? fub
Apcftolisfaciebat, ea caufa eft ; quia tunc oportebat mun-
dum miraculta credere-, nunc vero jam .credentem opcr-
tet bonis opcribus corufcarc. >
Jam
in the Chrijlian Church. 377
indefatigable pains collected from the writings
of the Fathers and other ancient Ecclefiaftical
Monuments, whatever concerned the ftate and
circumftances, the discipline and doctrines of
the Church, and dividing their work into Cen-
turies, digefled it into an Ecclefiaftical biftory ;
thefe writers have related of St. John Damaf-
cene, who lived in the eighth Century, that his
hand was cut off by the Saracens for the profef-
fionofthe Faith ; but upon his praying to the
image of the bleffed Virgin, and falling afleep,
he found, as foon as he awaked, that his hand
was reftored, and only a feam of blood vifible,
where it was cut off and joined again. Yet this
Damafcene tolls us'himfelf, that the Doctors, and
Paftors of the primitive Church, who fucceeded
the Apoftles in their grace and dignity, having ob-
tained the enlightening grace of God's fpirit, did
Jam fide miraculaquicunquerequirit, vanamgloriamut
laudetur quserit ; fcriptum eft er.im, linguae infignum funt
non fidelibus fed infidelibus. Ecce ftgnum non eft necef-
farium fidelibus, qui jam crediderunt, fed infidelibus, ut
convertantur. Sentent. I. 27.
iovoh vroipivts r\ *, MaVxaXoj, rtjv «1&» **> HW«"»> '** rl tSw ®ATMATftN
ATNAMEI, tw r\ Xo'yw rni pc*?^' T« £ in Oper. Chrfofl. Tom. vi.
m Et tunc quidem ex hoc folo cognoscebantur falfi pro-
phets et veri, fi utilia fccerent figna. Nunc autem, quia
futurum eft, utetiam ex parte bond faciendorum fignorum
Diabolo detur poteftas, etiam aliud qujerere debemus ;
fi neceflarium eft fecundum tempus, aut non eft necef-
farium. Si enim mirabilia Chriftus propter confirmatio-
nem Infidelium faciebat, non propter ipfos quos fanabat ;
ipfos enim in fide fanare poterat, non in figno: manifeftum
eft, quia modo, cum nullus fit infide'is, faciendorum mi-
raculorum neceftitas non eft. In omnibus ergo fecundum
Chriftjt praeccptum difcutiendi funt fructus eorum ; fi bona
convcrfatio eft et vera confeflio. Horn. xix. in Matt a
>
VII.
inquire
in the Chriftian Church. 379
inquire, whether Miracles are neccfiary or
unnecefTary, as to the time of their being
wrought j For if Chrift performed Miracles for
the confirmation of Unbelievers, it is manifeft,
that Now when there is no Unbeliever among
us, there is no necelTity of doing Miracles. And
therefore we muft Now not take notice of Mens
Miracles, but their fruits, a good converfation
and a true confeffion. And in w another part he
fays, Formerly Chriitians did not empty but
real Miracles, not full of admiration only, but
alfo of advantage ; and by Thefe true Chrifli-
wItem antea et per figna cognofcebantur, qui erant veri
Chriftiani, et qui falfi. Quomodo ? Falfi quidem aut non
poterant facere, ficut veri Chriftiani ; aut talia non po-
terant, qualia veri Chriftiani j fed faciebant vacua, admi-
rationem quidem facientia, utilitatem autem nullam ha-
bentia. Chrifliani autem faciebant plena, non folum ad-
xnirationem facientia, fed etiam omnem utilitatem haben-
tia. Etperhaic cognofcebantur qui erant veri Chriftiani,
qui falfi. Nunc autem fignorum operatio omnino levata
eft ; magis autem et apud eos invenitur, qui falfi funt
Chriftiani, fieri ficta. Sicut enim Petrus apud Clement em
cxponit, Antichrifto etiam plenorum fignorum faciendorum
eft danda poteftas. Donee ergofuit vocatio ad fidem
ex infidelitate, fecerunt figna et ServiChrifti ; quia figna
divinas vocationis teftimonia funt, ut prsdicationis Veritas
miraculis commendetur; cefiante autem vocatione, feduc-
tio incipiet revocans homines afide ad infidelitatem. Inci-
piente ergo fedu&ione, tradenda funt feduclionis adjutoria
Diabolo, id eft, poteftas faciendorum fignorum, ut fignis
et prodigiis mendacia fua pro veri tate commendet. Horn.
xlix. in Matt, xxiv.
ans
380 The Continuance of Miracles
ans were known from falfc ; butNow the power
of working true Miracles is wholly withdrawn ;
and the doing feigned ones is chiefly found a-
mong falfc Chriftians > as St. "Peter in Clement
faith j for the full power of Working Miracles
is to be given to Antichrift. For whilft
there was a calling men from infidelity to the
faith, the Servants of Chrift worked Miracles ;
becaufe thefe teftimonies were a fign of their
divine vocation, that the truth of the doctrine
might be commended by Miracles j but their
calling being Now ceafed, the feduction calling
men back from the faith to infidelity will begin ;
and then the inftruments of feduction, that is,
the power of working Miracles is to be given to
the Devil ; that by Miracles and Prodigies he
may commend his lyes for truth.
I know indeed, that to the abovementioned
teftimonies of St. Chryfoftcm and St. Auguftine,
their own authority may be oppofed : the For-
mer of which writers has aiferted in x various
parts of his works, that Miracles were ftill
wrought among the Chriftians in His time, and
that in great abundance ; and the Latter in the
7 very place, where- he declares, that Miracles
* Horn. viir. ad Pop. Antiochen. Horn, in Babylam.
contr. Julian. Horn. I. in Maccabaos. Horn, in Julian.
Martyr, et alibi Tom. 'II. Horn. liv. in Matt. Tom. vu.
yJDe Civ. Dei. xxii. 8. Retract, 1. 13. §. 7.
were
in the Chriflian Church, 3S1
were not permitted to continue to Hit days, and
attempts to fliew the utter unufefullnefs of
them, makes I know not what kind of diitinc-
tion, and excepts a number of Miracles, which
he afterwards particularly mentions. But it is
obferveable, that befides the inconfiftency of
thefe two writers with themfelves, befides the
contrariety of evidence, in the fame matter of
Fact, which evacuates the whole force of the
teftimony of them both ; the Miracles related
by St. Chryjbftom, are of fuch a nature, men-
tioned upon fuch occafions, and faid to have
been wrought by fuch initruments, as give us
the greateft reafon in the world to believe, that
they were all the effects of fraud and forgery.
Thefe Miracles are recorded only in Orations,
made to the People, and made merely with de-
sign to cxtoll the merits of Saints and Martyrs;
in which a declamatory Preacher would natu-
rally exert all his art and eloquence, rather to
warm the paffions than to convince the reafon ;
and in which fuch a pompous and rhetorical
ftile was generally made ufe of, as inftead of be-
ing adapted to a fimple and true narrative of
plain Facts, would of courfe be apt rather to
convert any rumours and fictitious ftories into
real truths, and exaggerate plain Facts into Mi-
racles. And moreover thefe very Miracles are
all
- 8 2 The Continuance of ' Miracles
all faid to be wrought, not by the miniftry
of any living and holy men, for any important
purpofes of religion, as was the cafe in the days
of the Apoftles, and in the earlier Ages of
Chriftianity j but by fuch inftruments of which
wefind no mention made, before That time -} by
the2 bodies and reliques of Martyrs, and by the
fign or v/ood of the Crofs ; and that merely to
increafe and recommend a grofiy fuperftitious
and extravagant veneration of them.
What St. duguftint* fays himfelf of the Mi-
racles
2 T»to to £, £7rt tuv T&goyovuv
*>«i>, xj NTN, 0YPA2 ANEHHE KEKAEIIMENA2-
thto AHAHTHPIA E2BESE SAPMAKA' t«to Kft-
NEIOT ATNAMTN EHEAT2E" tSto GHPiaN AHr-
MATA IOBOAHN IAIATO. Horn. liv. in Matt.
Tom. vii. p. 552.
H TE$PA twu dyiw MAPTYPX2N zronovs aYtAao'-
vet Sxipovcif. Horn. VIII. ad Pop. Antiochen. Tom. II.
pag. 93.
Aagwv tux AAIMONflNTA *J MAINOMENON u-
(rxyxys -ar^os tou ATION TA$ON UeTvov, hQx tk MAP-
TYPOS t* AEIYANA, xj t^i nANTHS AIlOnH-
AHNTA xj *ETrONTA. Horn, ia Julian. Martyr.
Tom. II. p. 675.
T« xaO* EKA2THN IIMEPAN Jtto rm MAPTY-
PftN TINOMENA 0AYMATA. Horn, in Babyl. ct
contr. "Julian. Tom. II. p. 555. Vid. ctiam Horn, in
Satrtlos Alaccabssos. p. 623. Horn, in Drofid. Martyr, p
691. Tom. II. . >
* Emm nunc fiunt Miracula, — Sed non cadem claritare
illuftrantur
in the Chrijiian Church. 383
racles in general, of which he has given a long
detail, fufficiently (hews, that they were not fo
illuflrious and credible, as thofe of the Apollles
and Earlier Ages of Chriftianity. They were
not performed in fo public a manner -, being
known to a very few only -, and thofe very few
paying little or no regard to the recital of them;
for they were not received without difficulty
and doubting, even tho' reported by true be-
lievers to true believers.
The occafion of the Miracles, wrought at
Milan, which are the moil folemnly attefted of
them all, greatly derogates from the credit of
Them in particular, and fuggefts a ftrong fufpi-
cion of fome forgery in the cafe. St. Aujiin tells
us in his book b of Confeffions, that Jujiina the
Mother of ' Valentiniati, then an Infant, who was
very zealoufly attached to Arianifm, grievoufly
perfecu ted
illuftrantur, uttanta, quanta ilia gloria, diffamentur. — Et
quando alibi, aliifque narrantur, non tanta ea commendat
au&oritas, ut fine difficultate vel dubitatione credantur,
quamvis Chriftianis fidelibus a fidelibus indicentur. — Ut
nee illi, qui adfucrunt, pelt aliquot dies, quod audierunt
niente retineant, et vix quifquam illorum, qui ei, quern non
aflfuifTe cognoverit, indicet quod audivit. De Civ. Dei.
xxii. 8. §. 1. 21.
b Non longe caeperat MediolanenfisEcclefia genus hoc
confolationis et exhortationis celcbrare, magno ftudio fra-
trum concinentiun?. vocibus et cordibus. Nimirum annus
erat
3 $4 yfje Continuance of Miracles
perfccuted St. Ambrofe, the Bifhop of Milan,
upon account of his heretical principles, as (he
was wont to flile them. This was the caufe of
fome confufion and difturbance among the Mi-
lanefe^ and gave all the orthodox Chriftians of
that place great concern. While the City was in
this tumultuous and afflicted Rate, St. c Ambrofe
was follicked to dedicate the Bajilica Romana •>
which he refufed to do, u nlefs the remains of
fome Martyrs could be found, to be repofited
under the Altar, as was the cuflom of dedicat-
ing Churches in thofe days. Upon this it is faid,
d that he had immediate intelligence by a divine
revelation, where he might find what he want-
ed. Accordingly he ordered the People to dig
near the tombs of St. Felix, and St. Nabor the
Martyrs j by which means the bodies of Gerva-
fius and Protajiui were difcovered ; and they
erat aut non multo amplius, cum jfu/iina Valentiniani re-
gis pueri mater, hominem tuum Ambroftum perfequeretur
hscrefis lux caufa, qua fuerat fedu&a ab Arianis. Excuba-
bat pia Plebs inEcclefia mori parata cum Epifcopo fuo, &c.
Confeff. ix. 7.
e Cum ego Bafilicam dedicafTern, multi tanquam uno
ore interpellare ceperunt, Jicentes } ficut Romanam Bafi-
licam dedices. Rcfpondi ; faciam, ii Martyrum reliquias
invenero. Ambrof. Clail". I. Epift. 22.
4 Statimquefubiit veluti cujufdam ardor praefagii. Am-
brof. ibid.
Tunc AntifKti tuo Ambrojio per vifum aperuifti, quo
laterent Martyrum corpora Protalij.et Gervafij. Aug. a*,
above.
werd
in the Chrijlian Church. 385
were no fooner e conveyed to St. Ambrofe's
Church, and there depofited with great devo-
tion and lblemnity, than they became the in-
ftruments of numerous Miracles.
Now the circumfbnces of this relation afford
us great reafon to believe, that the whole affair
was contrived and tranfacted, in order to appeafe
the fury, and leffen the refentment of the Ro-
man Emprefs, and to advance the reputation and
authority of the maligned and persecuted Pre-
late. And indeed this is plainly intimated to have
been the fole ufe and deiign of thefe Miracles,
both by St. Augufiine and St. Ambrofe. St.* Au-
guftine fays, that the bodies of thefe Martyrs
were opportunely difcovered, " ad coercendam
" rabiem Fcemineam, fed regiam. And St*Am*.
brofe declares, that they were of fingular fer-
vice in defending him and his Church. And
e Cum enim propalata & e Sofia dignocum honore trans-
ferrentur adAmbro/iam bafilicam non folum quos immundi
vexabantfpiritus, confeffis eif .em daemonibus, fanabantur,
Sic. Auguji. ibid. See alio Ambrof. ibid.
f Auguji. Confefl*. ix. 7. §. 16.
g Gratiastibi,Domine Jefu, quod hoc tempore tales no-
bis fan&orum Martyrum Spiritus excitafti, quo Ecclefia
tua praefidia majora defiderat. Cognofcant omnes, quales
ego propugnatoresrequiram. — Tales ego ambio defenfores,
&c. Ambrof. Claffi I. Epift. 22. §. 10,
B b Paulinus
3 86 'the Continuance of Miracles
Paulinush obferves, that the defign in fome
meafure fucceeded. And (o the cafe was repre-
fented ' by others at the very time, when thefe
reports of Miracles prevailed. It was denied,
that thefe were the bodies of Martyrs ; the mat-
ter of fact itfelf was difputed by fome, that ever
any miraculous effects had been at all produced
by the virtue of them ; and it was faid by others,
that St. Ambrofe had hired perfons to feign
themfelves porTefTed, and to carry on and pro-
pagate an Impofture.
Far the greater! part of the Miracles, record-
ed by St. Augufti?iei are moreover faid to have
been performed by the bodies and reliques of
Saints and Martyrs > inftruments indeed of
Miracles, of which no traces are to be found
in the Apoftolic times, or in the Earlier Ages of
the Church ; and therefore fuch inftruments, as
make the feveral relations of thefe Miracles utter-
fc Ex hoc tempore fed-.ri C3?pit perfecutio, qucr 'Jujllna
furore accendebatur, ut facculos de Ecclciia pcllcretur.
Paul'm. in vit. AmhroJ. §. 15.
' Intra palatiuflp multitudo Arianorum cum Ju/Ii/iu
conftituta dcridebat tp.ntnrn Dei gratiam, quam Ecclefu-e
Catholics? Dominus y^yM/incritisMartyrum fuorum con-
feire dignatua eft : \>cMi:rab\\i:m(}ucvuum sfrnlrcf:um narra-
bar pecunia comparailc homines, qui fe vexar; ab immundis
fpiritibua mentirentur ;• atque ita ah illg, ficut et a Mar-
tyribus torqucri dicercnt. Paulin, ibid.
.
in the Chrijlian Church. 387
ly improbable -, and of confequcnce the Mira-
cles themfelves widely different in credibility
from Thofe, reported in the firft Ages of Chri-
ftianity, again ft which no objection of this fort
can be reafbnably made. Bat befide the great
improbability of any Miracles being wrought at
allbyfuch inftruments, at that time of the world;
fome of the circum fiances of the ftory concern-
ing the Reliques of St. Stephen, the pretended
caufe of many extraordinary cures vxferufalem,
at Conjlantinople, and at Carthage, are fo very
ridiculous and abfurd, and reft upon fo infirm
an authority, as to render the truth of the
whole relation very queftionable. Such are, k the
difcovery itfelf of thefe Reliques by the appear-
ance of a venerable old Man in a virion to one
Jjucian, a Presbyter, who firft gave informa-
tion to the Bifhop of the Place, where they
were to be found, and to whom they belonged y
the finding this infcription in Hebrew charac-
ters upon the tomb, " the Servant of God;"
the perceiving an Earthquake, and a wonderfull
fragrancy at the opening of the Sepulchre , their
k See Luciam Epift. de invcntione Reliq. Stephani apud.
Surium ad Aug. 3_etapud Baronium ad Ann. 415. Nicepb.
Hift. Ecclef. xiv. 9. Sezomen. Hift. Ecclef. ix. 16. 17.
Phot. Cod. CLXXI. Gennadius de Script. Ecclef. cap.
46. 47. Marcell. Com. Chron. Indiif. VII, dviti. Epift.
Prsef, Epift. Luciani.
B b 2 being
388 The Continuance of Miracles
being afterwards carried by Juliana, a Noble"
man's Wife of Palejli?iey thro* miftake for her
husband's* Coffin, to Conjlantinople ; and that
upon their arrival at Conjlantine's baths, the
Mules, which drew them, on a fudden flop-
ped, turned reflive, and could not be made to
go a ftep farther ; and being beaten they fpoke
aloud and told the perfons, who conducted
them, that the Martyr was to be interred in
that place. A portion of thefe reliques was con-
veyed back to jferufalem; and a portion of that
remnant carried by Orofius to Carthage , at all
which feveral places they are faid to have
wrought numberlefs Miracles, which were of
no ufe towards the advancement of true religion ;
but rather tended to corrupt and debafe it, by the
introduction of a grofs paganilli fuperftition into
the Chriftian Church. And it is remarkable, that
the whole account of the invention and trans-
lation of thefe reliques depends upon the autho-
rity of a Latin Epiitle, iuppofed to be the ver-
Jion of a Greek Epiftle of Lucian, by Avitus-,
who is faid to have received fome few bones
and a little duft from Lucian, which he deli-
vered to Orofius, For the other accounts, which
wc meet with in Nicephorus, in Pbolius, in
Marcellitms Comes \ and in Ge ■. . came all
inally from this Author.
The
in the Cbrijlian Church. 389
The reft of the Miracles, mentioned by St.
Augujline^ are liable to ftill greater exceptions :
the pretended occafions of performing them are
extremely frivolous, and the nature and condi-
tion of the Miracles themfelves fo very ridicu-
lous and abfurd, as to render them utterly in-
credible.
For inflance, " a pious * old cobler of Hip-
f poy where St. Augufiine himfelf was Bilhop,
* having loft his old coat, and wanting money
1 to buy a new one, betook himfelf to the
1 twenty Martyrs, whofe chappel or memorial
c was famous in that city; where he prayed
* to them very earneftly, that he might be en-
■ abled by them to get fome cloaths. Some
f young fellows, who overheard him, began to
* make fport with him, and purfued him with
c their feoffs, for begging money to buy a coat.
1 But as the old man walked away, with-
{ out minding them, he faw a large fifti lie
1 gafping on the fhore, which he caught by
c the help of the young men, and fold to a
c Chriitian cook, for three hundred pence ;
e and laying out the money on wool, fet his
1 wife to work, to provide cloaths for him :
1 but the cook, cutting up the fifh, found a
1 See Anguji, de Civ. Dei. xxu. 8.
B b 3 " gold
3Q0 The Continuance of Miracles
" gold ring alfo in the belly of it j which out
" of companion to the poor man, and theter-
Txg. Eufeb. contr. Hierocl. cap. in. Philojtrat.
in vit. Jpotton. I. 3.
■w This is acknowledged even by Olearius himfclf, the
Editor of PhiloJlratuSy who appears willing to defend his
Author upon all occafions j and therefore not much dif-
pofed to own any thing that might difcredit the work it-
fclf, where the notoriety of the Facl does not oblige him
to it.
are
in the Chriftian Church. 397
are laid to have been wrought by Gregory
Thaumaturgm^ who lived nearly an hundred
years before them. They are Miracles there-
fore, of which thefe Writers had their intelli-
gence only from oral tradition, a moft uncer-
tain and fallacious guide in fuch matters, efpe-
cially in a fuperftitious and credulous Age ; and
confequently they are Miracles, of which fuch
perfons could not be fo competent witneffes, as
the earlier Fathers were of the Miracles, which
they have attefted, from their own knowledge
and experience.
If the want of due atteflation and authority
is allowed to be an objection of any force a-
gainft the Miracles, reported by thefe Writers ;
and of itfelf puts a fufficient diftinction between
the credibility of Them, and that of the earlier
Miracles. Certainly it will be an objection of
flill greater weight to the credibility of thofe
Miracles, which are mentioned in the ancient
Roman Martyrology, or the Greek Meneolo-
gy, in Simeon Metaphraftes, and Nicephorus .
all whofe relations of the * extraordinary kind
are either barely extracted from other Writers,
who lived many Ages before them, or grounded
x See Difcours fur I'Hiftoire de !a Vie des Saints, par
Mr. Bailht.
only
3 9 8 "The Continuance of Miracles
only upon uncertain rumours, handed down
traditionally thro' feveral fuccefTive Ages, of the
grorTelf ignorance, credulity and corruption.
It has been obferved of Simeon Metaphraftes
in particular, by the y Catholics themfelves as
well as by the Protcftants, that he was the Fa-
ther of Legendary and incredible Tales j one
that has notorioufly impofed upon the world by
numbers of the moft fabulous reports; and yet
his Lives of the Saints have been the grand re-
poll tory of Popifli Miracles, and gave a vogue
to fuch kind of writings in that Church 3 and
has been the great pattern and ftandard, which
the Writers among the Romanics have fol-
lowed ever fince, in their collections of the
Miracles of Saints aud Martyrs ; particularly
James de Voragine^ the celebrated Author of the
y In particular Baronias has detected a variety of fal-
fifications in this Writer, and obferved, that he is
full of fables. Ruinart fays, that he has been guilty
of many forgeries. The fame thing is obferved by Tllle-
mont* And Bcllarminc declare?, that he made many
additions to the Lives of the Saints, and has reported
things not as they did happen in fa&, but as they might
have happened. The fpeeches of the Martyrs, their con-
ventions and difputes with their judges and perfecutor^,
the numerous and miraculous converfions of the Pagans
by their means, the unheard o\ prodigies, and many other
things, of which there is not the leart notice in ancient
Hiftory, are merely of his own invention. Sec Baillet>
as above, chap. xxix.
Golden
in the Ckriftian Church, 399
Golden Legend, Baromus, Suriust and Bollan-
Jus, the well-known Compilers of the modern
Martyrologies in the Weflern Churches.
Thus have I endeavoured to mew at large
the wide difference in point of credibility, be-
tween the Miracles, recorded by the principal
Writers of the fourth, and fifth, and fixth, and
following Centuries, and the credibility of thofe
Miracles, which are related by the earlier Writ-
ers of the Church.
There is a difference in the ends and occa-
fions ; there is a difference in the nature and
condition -, there is a difference in the attesta-
tion and evidence of the feveral Miracles, which
are faid to have been wrought in thefe two dif-
ferent periods of time : There is a difference
in the ftate and circumflances of the Church
itfelf : there is a difference in the principles and
practices of the Chriflians.
Thefe feveral diftinguifhing Marks of the
credibility of Miracles are ftill more vifible
and notorious, when the comparifon is made
between the Miracles reported in the ear-
lier Ages of Chriftianity, and all thofe Mi-
racles, which are recorded in the Romifh
Church, from the time of Pope Gregory the
Great, down to the prefent Pope. Every
thing that has been urged, or can indeed
be
4C0 The Continuance of Miracles
be urged with any truth againft the Miracles of
the fourth, and fifth, and fixth Centuries, be-
comes a much more reafonable objection to the
Miracles of the Roman Catholics. Are the Later
Miracles of the Primitive Church ufelefs ? are
they frivolous ? are they unimportant ? The
Popifli Miracles are ftill more unneceffary,
more trifling, more impertinent. Are the Mi-
racles reported by the Later Fathers nothing
but idle and filly tales ? are they extravagant ?
are they abfurd ? The Miracles mentioned by
the Romanifts are, if poflible, even more con-
temptible, more monftrous, more incredible.
Are the Former Miracles unworthy of God,
unbeneiicial to Men ? fo are the Latter. Were
the inflruments, faid to have been made ufe of
in the performance of the One, unheard of in
the times of the Gofpcl, and in the Earlier Ages
of the Church ? were they ruinous of the na-
ture of all true Religion, and introductive of an
univerfal corruption, both in the Faith and Wor-
ship of Chriftians ? fo were the pretended in-
flruments of the Other. Is there a plain con-
tradiction and inconfiftency in the feveral teiti-
monies of the principal Writers among the
Later Fathers, concerning the continuance of
Miracles in their own time ? fo there is in the
feveral accounts of Popifh' Miracles, which have
been
in the Chrljlian Church. 40 j
been given by Men of the greateft learning and
eminence in that Church ? Is there a want of
that atteftation and authority in the One cafe,
which is necerTary to eflablifh the truth and
credibility of extraordinary Facts ? So there is
in the Other. Had the Chriftian Religion gained
a firm eftablifhment in the world, during the
fourth, and fifth, and fixth Centuries? Was the
Church then in a fecure and flourifhing condi-
tion, thro' its own ftrength, and by means of
the civil Power, fo as not to need the defence
and fupport of an extraordinary Providence ?
The fame thing is equally true of the times of
Popery. Did a more than ordinary degree of
fu perdition, of credulity, of enthufiafm, univer-
fally prevail in the Former Periods of time ?
Was there in thofe days a general corruption of
manners, of doctrines, of worfhip ? The religi-
ous principles and practices of the Roman Ca-
tholics have been ft ill more extravagant and
more corrupt, throughout Every period of their
Church.
In fhort, none of the ftories in Herodotus,
in Ctefias, in /Elian, in Pliny, which have been
ever rejected with univerfal contempt and in-
dignation, are more idle and nonfenfical ; than
the reports of Miracles in Bede, in Nicephorus,
in Paulus Diaconus, in Zonaras, in Vincentius,
are filly and defpicable : none of the relations
C c of
402 'The Continuance cf Miracles
of wonders and prodigies, in Phlegon 'Traliia-
nuSj in Apollonius, in Antigonus, in Julius Ob/e-
quensy are fo frivolous and incredible ; as thofe
accounts of divine and extraordinary interpo-
lations are, which we meet with in the Romifh
Hiftorians juft mentioned : none of the Meta-
morphofes in ylntonius libcralis, out of which
the poetical fictions of Ovid are fuppoied to
have been made ; no part of the Mythology
in ApollodoniSy and Natalis Comes; none of the
Rabbinical or Mahometan tales are more extra-
vagantly fabulous, than moft of thofe Miracles
appear to be, that are recorded by Gregory the
Great, Gregory of Tours, Simeon Metaphraftes
and the Roman Martyrologies : nothing, that
occurs in the Hiitories of Pythagoras and ApoU
lonius lyanaus, in the Dialogues of Lucian, or
in the Lives of Gregory Thaumaturgus, Paulas,
Antony, Hilar ion and Martin, is fo monflrousj
ridiculous, and abfurd , as what may be found
in the Golden Legend, and in the ieveral Ads
and Hillories of the Popiih Saints : infomuch,
that Melchior l Canus, a profeiied Catholic, was
forced to acknowledge, and it is indeed what
every Man of fenfe cannot help obferving upon
the like occafion, that all the hiftones of the
japs
in the Chri/iian Church. 403
Pagans are written with more faithfulnefs and
truth than the Hiftories of the Romifh Church ;
that even Diogenes Laertim and Suetonius have
been more judicious and exact, in their lives of
the Philofophers and the Csfars, than the Pa-
pifts have been in the accounts, which they have
given, of their Saints, their Confeflbrs, and Mar-
tyrs.
But befide the great inexpediency, frivolouf-
nefs, extravagance, abfurdity, and utter incredi-
bility of all the Popifh Miracles ; befide their
wanting that authentic evidence in moft cafesK
which is neceflary to the fupport of their truth
and credibility ; befide the many notorious
frauds and impoftures, which have been detect-
ed, in many of the pretended Miracles of the
Romifh Church ; and which render all the reft
juftly fufpecled : there is a plain contradiction
in many of thefe Miracles, a manifeft incon-
sistency with each other ; fince fome are faid to
have been wrought in confirmation of one doc-
trine, others in fupport of jufl the contrary.
This is certainly true of many of the Dominican
and Francifcan Miracles ; particularly thofe ap-
pealed to in the decifion of that Point, which
was long agitated among the Catholics, and
managed with all the heat and acrimony of
Modern Controverfy, concerning the Immacu-
c c 2 late
404 The Continuance of Miracles
late Conception of the blefTed Virgin. Many
other of the Romifh Miracles are faid to have
been performed in proof of thofe doctrines,
which right rcafon abfolutely difclaims, and
Chriftianity itfelf utterly abhors ; fuch are,
Tranfubitantiation, Invocation of Saints and
Angels, Worfhip of Reliques, Prayers in an
unknown Tongue, Purgatory, 8cc. And others
of their Miracles are of fuch a nature, as the
greateil: authority upon earth, even the united
teftimony of the whole world, cannot render
credible ; fince they include contradictions in
them, and are deflructive of all the clear and
diftinct notions of the human mind ; of this
fort are the Legendary Tales of St. Benedict !,
St. Philip Neri, St. Francis, St. Ignatius : for
inftance, it is related, that St.* Benedict was feen
afcending into Heaven by the Bifhop of Brixia,
and a Pried of ft bur at the fame moment :
that St. b Philip Neri was frequently prefent in
diftant places at the lame time : that St. e Fran-
cis was bodily prefent at AJjiJJium in Italy, and
at Aries in France in the fame moment : that
he could turn himfelf into a Crols, and be pre-
fent at feveral chapters of his Order at the fame
a Sec Golden Legend, in the Life of St. Benec
b S. ill. 11.
c Bvaaventure in vit. ejufd, cap. 4, 11. -
time :
in the Chrijlian Church. 405
time : that he was feen d flying into Heaven in
Mount Garga?iusy and in Terra di Lovoro at the
very fame point of time : that Ignatius e Loyola
at the fame inftant appeared at Rome and at Bo-
logna ; and there are many others of a fimilar
kind, which have been felected and infifted up-
on by many of the Proteftant Writers ; particu-
larly thofe produced in proof of the doctrine of
Tranfubftantiation, in the School of the Eu-
charift.
Thefe feveral arguments, which are fufficient
of themfelves totally to fubvert the credit and
authority of all the pretended Miracles among
the Romanills, are greatly corroborated by the
following consideration ; (viz.) that fome of
the mofr judicious and learned Writers of their
own Communion have either exprefsly, or in ef-
fect affirmed, that the Miracles of their Church
were nothing but lies and forgeries, contrived
merely to ferve fome political or religious pur-
pofes : amongft thole of more eminent note
were Ludovicus f Fives } Melchior g Canus3 h Ly-
d Ibid. cap. 15.
e Rlbadeneira in vit. Jgnat. & Gloria S. I gnat, cap. 17.
( De Trad. Difciplin. v.
g Loc. Theolog. xi. 6.
h Comment, in Da:i. xiv.
c c 3 ra,
40 6 'The Continuance of Miracle %
rat 5 Cajetan, k Launoy, 1 d'Achery, m loflatus,
nF/fier, ° Stella, and? Jcojia.
It would be an eafy matter to prove at large
the truth of the allegations, which are here
made only in general againft the belief of the
Roman Catholic Miracles, by particular Facts
and Teftimonies, extracted from the Writings
and Hiftories of the Papifls themfelves ; had
not the labours of much more able hands effec-
tually fuperfeded the ufe and neceffity of fuch
an undertaking.
This fubject indeed has been fo particularly
examined in this and a former Century, by
many very excellent Writers of our own
Church, who have been engaged in the Popifh
Controverfy, as to render any farther inquiry
upon this head quite fupernuous.
But none of all the Proteftant Writers have,
I think, more folidly evinced the vanity of all
the pretentions to a power of working Mira-
cles in the Romifh Church, than Dr. Stilling-
1 Opufc. Tract, x dc Concept. Beat. Virg. cap. 5.
k Dc Cura Ecclef. Art. 30. Coroll. I.
t. in Guibcrt Abbas de pignoribus Sanctorum.
m Comment in Levit. xix. & Comment. xwMatt. in.
• .
:1 Contr. Luther, de Captiv. Baby!, cap. x. §. 4;
o Comment, in Luc. ix.,2cj.
f Dc procurandsi Inuoium lklutc. II. 6. 10.
fleet
in the Chrijlian Church. 407
feet and Dr. Middleton ; the former great
Scholar and moft indefatigable Writer, by found
reafoning and fa&s uncontrovertable, has 1
(hewn at large, that there are no Miracles in
that Church worthy a rational belief. And the
latter elegant and much admired Writer, by
the fame fubftantial and decifive method of ar-
guing, has r fully proved, that all the Popifli
Miracles are evidently forged, or copied from
the originals of Paganifm ; and has fuggelted at
the fame time the true reafon of the greateft
part of the Romifh Miracles ; and that is, the
cuftom of creating and canonizing Saints, which
has lb long and fo generally prevailed in that
Church. For, as in the Pagan Deifications of
ancient Rome, the atteftation of Miracles was
held neceffary to the Act ; fo was the fame
thing required in the Popiih Canonizations of
modern Rome. And altho' feveral s regulations
were made at different times in that Church,
either to correct or prevent abufes in the inrcl-
ment of their Saints j and altho' it was made an
e his fecond Difccurfe in vindication of the Fro-
nt grounds of Faith, chap. ill.
ce his Letter from Rome, and the Prefatory Dif-
courfe.
e Bullet's Difcours fur 1'Hiftoire do la Vie des
Saints, chap. 94, 95, &c.
c c 4 exprefs
408 The Continuance of Miracles
exprefs condition in any perfon, to be intitled to
Saintfhip, that his Miracles mould have the
teftimony of credible witnefies, and that teiti-
mony be examined and allowed of by the Bi-
jmops and Clergy, in full Synod : yet in an
Age, that was overrun with the grofTeil: fuper-
ftition and credulity ; and in a country, where
there were fo many inducements to fupport
and propagate a cuftom univerfally approved j
where reafons of policy, views of ambition,
private friendship, and natural affection ftrong-
ly prompted men to have Popes and Princes,
Bifhops and Clergy, Friends and Relations
canonized and fainted -3 it is eafy to con-
ceive, how fuch teftimonials, in all cafes,
might eafily be procured, as would be fuffi-
cient to the purpofe. By this means fuch a
rabble of Saints were inferted by the Church
of Rome in her Calendars, Offices, Legends,
and Bulls of Canonization, that, as it has
been obferved by the Author of the Enthu-
fiafm of the Church of Rome, with great juft-
nefs and no lefs feverity j " If a Lucian or a jfu-
" Han fhould arife a-new, to write Satyrs a-
" gainft the inhabitants of Heaven, and criti-
" cife upon the vulgar conceptions of them, I
£t fear they would find greater matter of laugh-
ter among the Chriftian Saints, than the Hea-
" then
in the Chriftian Church. 409
" then Gods." Indeed the impofition of falfe
Saints, and of courfe falfe Miracles, has been a
thing fo notorious in the Romifh Church, that
even fome of the moil zealous Catholics have
been quite afhamed of them, and thought
it neceffary to prcteft againft the fcandalous ab-
ufes of canonization. Several reformations have
been attempted in their Calendars, Breviaries,
and Martyrologies, by t Baronius, by u Pape-
broch, and by w Launoy ; who have according-
ly endeavoured to uncanonize great numbers of
Saints, that have, as they declare themfelves, by
craft, by ignorance, and fuperflition, crept in-
fidioufly and undefervedly into them.
Thefe reafons therefore will enable us to ac-
count in a great meafure for thofe numerous
Miracles, pretended to have been wrought in
the Church of Rome. And there is another cir-
cumftance, mentioned by Valcrio^ a Bifhop of
Verona and Cardinal, in his book de Rhetoricd
Chrijliand ; which will mew us the reafon of
the futility, ridiculoufnefs, extravagance, and
abiurdity of many of thofe Miracles, that are
* See Ba'dlet. ibid. chap. 24.
u Baillet. ibid. chap. 47. and Papebroch's Reply to the
Exhibhio errorum of a Carmelite, named Sebaftian de
Saint Paul, printed at Antxuerp. 1666. 4to.
w See Elogium Joannis de Launoi, and the Sequel of the
Mcnagiana, See alfo Bayti's Life o' \ Launol.
recorded
410 Tloe Continuance of Miracles
recorded in the feveral Acts and Lives of the
Romim Saints.
" was fluffed with feveral additions ? The vul-
« ^te edition of which book is here and there
11 inter-
412 The Continuance of Miracle;*
u interpolated with fuch things, fays that learn-
" ed y Father, as might have been faid and
" heard extempore j as it is ufual in the fchools,
" when a theme is propofed, to invent what
" may be faid by the perfon who fuffered the
" injury, or who did it."
Thus much however may be obferved in fa-
vour of Metaphraftes, that many of thofe Lives
publifhed under his name, have been miferably
interpolated and corrupted, by tranflations into
the language of the Latin Church ; and many
others have been falfely afcribed to him : and
yet from this wretched treafury of ignorance,
iuperftition, and nonfenfe were thofe collecti-
ons in Surius z and Bollandus chiefly taken, that
have been fo highly efteemed in the Roman
Church, and upon which many of their pre-
tended Miracles are entirely grounded. It was
ufual, it a feems, in the later Ages of this Church,
to affix the Acts of any Saint, the Writer of
y Quern librum editio vulgata lacinofis hinc inde vcr-
borum finibus tradit, addcns ea, qux ex tempore dici po-
tuerant & audiri, ficut folituni eft fcholaribus difciphnis,
fumpto themate, excogitare quibus verbis uti potuit, qui
injuriam partus, vel qui injuriam fecit.
z See Baillet's Difcours fur l'Hiftoirc dc la Vic des
Saints, chap. 28.
a Baillet. ibid.
which
in the Chrijlian Church. 413
which was unknown, to the Lives of Meta-
phrases. And therefore Allatius, who had the
care of the Vatican Library, after the death of
Holftenius, with great pains, has attempted from
the Manufcripts which he there met with, to
diftinguifh the genuine pieces from the fpuri-
ous ; and has difcovered, as he thinks, five
hundred and thirty nine Lives of that Collec-
tion, which were not written by Metaphrases ;
many of which are anonymous, and others no-
thing elfe but merely panegyrical and declama-
tory Orations.
I cannot in this place omit the mention of a
curious obfervation, that has been made by
Mr. Bayle, which may perhaps furnifli us with
the trueft explication, at leaft a more rational
one, than has been hitherto given of the ftrangeft
and mod intricate part of Antiquity, the Pagan
Mythology j " If there had not been Annalifts
" at Rome, (fays this Writer juftly celebrated for
" his great fagacity and erudition ) long before
" Rhetoricians taught there, I mould have
" thought, that the Declamations, which the
" Soph iff s put their fcholars upon compofing,
cc were turned into hiftorical accounts ; for it
" is probable enough, that the young Rhetori-
" cians were permitted to invent all that they
" pleafed in their panegyrical efTays. Theie
" fictions
414 ^je Continuance of Miracles > &c.
" fi(flions were intended to difcover, whether
" they had an inventive genius, and knew how
ct to turn and to manage well a common place.
" They were not blamed therefore, if they
" fuppofed a divine, miraculous, and abfolutely
" furprizing origin of the perfons they were ce-
" lebrating. This would have occasioned great
" abufes, if the fineft pieces of thefe young men
" had been preferved among the Archives, and
" at the end of fome Centuries they had been
" taken for hiftorical accounts. Who knows,
" whether the greater!: part of the Ancient Fa-
" bles do not owe their origin to fome cuftom
" of making panegyrics of the Ancient Heroes
<{ on their Feftival days, and preferving thofe
c< pieces, which appeared to be b beft ?
b Bayle's Hiftorical Dictionary in the Life of Tanaqull.
Note B.
CON-
4i5
CONCLUSION.
TH E frequency of Miracles in the firft
Century, during the reiidence of Chrift
on earth, and the miniftry of his Apoftles, will
oblige every fincere Chriftian to acknowledge,
if he would preferve a confiftency of character,
that the Miracles recorded by the Earlier Wri-
ters of the Church are not incredible in them-
felves; that no objection can be made to his
belief of them from the reafon of things ; that
is, from the nature and perfections of God, or
from the well-known and eftablifhed Laws of
the Syftem. When fuch a man reflects further
upon the important occafions, which made Mi-
racles neceflary in the Apoftolic Age, at the
firft promulgation of the Gofpel, and the fettle-
ment of the Chriftian Religion in the World ;
and at the fame time confiders impartially the
ftate and exigencies of the Church for three
fucceflive Centuries; and that the extraordina-
ry interpofitions of a Divine Providence were
ufeful, and even neceflary in thofe times to the
defence and fupport of Chriftianity ; he will
find fufficient reafon for admitting the expedi-
ency of Miracles, in the fecond and third Centu-
ries, as well as in the firft.
The
4i6 CONCLUSION.
The Number of Miracles wrought at diffe-
rent times and upon various occafions,in the nrfl
Age of the Church, makes it no improbable
thing, that Miracles were performed in the
Ages immediately fucceeding j fince it may be
fairly concluded, that what has often happened
in the methods of Divine Providence, in fome
given circumflances, and for fome certain rea-
sons, is likely to happen again in the fame cir-
cumftances, and where the fame reafons occur.
This together with the great expediency of
Miracles, from the days of the Apoftles down to
the time of Origen, gives a ftrong prefumptive
evidence of the truth of any authentic relations
of them. Where no objection lies againft our
belief of Fads, whether ordinary or extraordi-
nary j but on the contrary, there is a very rea-
fonable prefumption of their truth and reality ;
there our alTent mud be entirely regulated by
the credibility of the teftimony, upon which
they are ftipported. In judging therefore of Mi-
racles, fo circumftanced, as thole were of the
Earlier Ages of the Church, the principal thing
to be attended to, is the politive Evidence, that
may be produced in attdiation of them.
The evidence of teitimonv in matters of
J
Fact, according to an ■ eminent Writer, who
a Locke's EfTay on the Human Undemanding. B. iv.15.
§•<■■
is
CONCLUSION. 4i7
is acknowledged by Dr. Middleton to be Angu-
larly qualified, by his talents and his fludies, to
difcern the exact nature and relations of things,
varies in proportion as the Number of Witnef-
fes vary, and according as thofe WitnefTes are
more or lefs unanimous and confident among
themfelves, and as there is more or lefs reafan
to believe, that they were competent judges of
the things they relate, and have no bafe defiga
of impofing upon the world.
Let but the earlier Writers of the Church
be put upon a fair trial ; let but their teflimony
be equitably examined, as in all other cafes of
Fact, by tnefe Hated Laws of Evidence ; and
I am confident, that, however the Advocates
againft them either by their Art may puzzle
and confound the real merits of the caufe, or
by their Rhetoric, may divert the attention, and
miilead the judgment of the Prejudiced and the
Unwary ; yet their Teftimony will be found
to be jufl and unexceptionable by the Wife and
the Impartial.
A confiderable number of good and learned
Men, who lived at different times, and publish-
ed their Writings upon different occafions, and
therefore not to be fufpected of any confedera-
cy or collufion, have feverally attefled, with-
out the ieaft variation or contrariety of Evi-
D d dence,
4i8 CONCLUSION
tknce, in a folemn, explicit, and public mannery
the truth of certain Facts, which frequently
happened in their own times, and in their own
prefence. And it is remarkable, that thefe ve-
ry Facts, thus attefled, are in no refpect impro-
bable, confidering the circumftances of the
Times, in which they arefaid to have happened :
on the contrary, there appears to be the great-
eft reafon in the world to expect them.
What then is there that can be reafonably
urged by their Antagonifls, why fuch rational
Evidence mould not be admitted ? why the
Public, at whofe tribunal thefe men have
lodged their Appeal, mould not immediately
proceed to give judgment againft them, and at
once to difmifs their caufe as frivolous and
vexatious? They have pleaded the incompeten-
cy of the WitnefTes, by whom the Point in dif-
pute is to be determined. But upon what
juft grounds, I pray you, is this plea itfelf fup»
ported ? why truly upon no other, than a long
and laboured Harangue, full indeed of art and
fophiftry j but altogether undecifive of the
main queftion, and wholly impertinent to the
Point in debate. For let that even be granted,
which the Author of the Free Inquiry fo ftrenu-
oufly contends for, and takes fo much pains to
eftablifh, (viz.) that there are abfurd doctrines,
whim-
CONCLUSION. 419
whimfical and erroneous opinions to be found
in the writings of thofe very perfons, to whofc
teitimony we appeal in the decifion of the pre-
fent Controverfy : yet of what ufe will fuch a
conceffion be in fettling the principal thing in
dilpute ? will it be faid, that fuch circumftances
utterly incapacitate thefe Writers, to be proper
Witneffes in the cafe before us ? This furely
cannot be faid without contradicting the com-
mon fenfe and common experience of man-
kind j both of which will convince every man,
who ferioufly and impartially attends to the
dictates of his own breaft, that a perfon may
err in matters of fpeculation; and yet be a
competent witnefs of matters of Fact. And let
it be remembered, that in the prefent queftion
we do not appeal to the judgment and learn-
ing of the Fathers, as reafoners or as fcholars $
but only to their integrity and capacity, as Wit-
neffes of Fact. Nay indeed, this truth is fo no-
torious, that even the Leader himfelf of the
party, formed againft the Fathers, with all his
dexterity cannot evade the force of it ; but
feems willing to acknowledge, that the feveral
b inftances, which he has given of their errours,
and weak reafonings in fpeculative matters, are
b Free Inquiry, &c. p. 39. 41.
pd 2 m
420 CONCLUSION.
no proof of their fraud or defign to deceive, no
impeachment of their veracity, as WitncfTes of
Fact. What is it then, that could give rife to
fuch a torrent of abufe, tending with all its
force to bear down and overwhelm at once the
whole credit and authority of the Fathers?
What private reafons there may be for the treat-
ing the Fathers, as a fet of Fools and Knaves,
and utterly unworthy of any fort of credit
with Men of Senfe and Letters, I know not ;
and therefore will not pretend to judge of the
juftnefs of them. But the pretended reafons of
this fevere charge, which has been brought
againft them, are now made public, and lie open
to the apprehenfion and fcrutiny of every man,
who will give himfelf the trouble to look into
them -, and every man has a right to examine
the truth, and to be fatisfied about the validity
of them. The principal of thefe reafons, and
indeed the only ones, that deferve the attention
of any man of fenfe, are, that thefe very
writers, who attefl the continuance of Miracles
in the Church, after the days of the Apoflles,
were either deceived themfelves, or elfe have de-
ceived others, in relating fome Facts, as true,
which are certainly and notoriously falfe -f and
therefore that fuch men are not to be trufted in
their accounts of any other Facts. Now the
Facts
CONCLUSION. 421
Facts, that have been mentioned upon this occa-
flon, are, the " altering the exigence of thofe
" Cells, in which the Seventy Interpreters were
" {hut up, and feparated to the task of
" tranflating the Bible"; tc the appealing to a
" Statue then fubfifting in ~Romey and publicly
" dedicated to Simon the Magician, with this
" Infcription, Simoni Deo San&o" ; " and the
" affer ting the old age of Jefi(s,-i the two former
of which Facts, is charged upon Jitftin Martyr 9
and the laft upon Irenaus. Thefe are the things,
upon which the Enemies of the Fathers ground
the whole ftrength of their caufe, and in which
they are wont to pride themfelves with all the
infolence of a triumph; declaring that thefe
inftances yield fo bad a c fample of the unders-
tanding or honefty of the Fathers, as to render
their teftimony of very little weight in any
other relations whatfoever ; fince they are Facts
notorioufly falfe or forged.
Now it happens unluckily for thefe mighty
boafters of reafon and impartial fearchers after
truth ; that there is but one of thefe very Facts,
upon which any kind of ftrefs can be laid iii
equity and truth.
I know indeed, it has been d faid that it is ma-
« Free Inquiry ^ &c. p. 41.
d Ibid. p. 40.
Ddj riifeft
422 CONCLUSION.
nifeft beyond all reafonable doubt, that Juftin
has committed an egregious blunder in the cafe
of Simons Statue. Eut this is fo far from being
true, that if the authorities only of Learned
Men be attended to, there is fuch an equal weight
of evidence on both fides as to make it juft mat-
ter of doubt, whether he was miflaken or not ;
and if the merits of the cafe itfelf be duly con-
sidered j it is manifeft, I think, beyond all rea-
fonable doubt, that he was not miftaken. In-
deed there are fo many circumftances and thofe
fo very different in the two cafes, that it is
fcarce pofiible to imagine, that any man of com-
mon fenfe, who was upon the very fpor, could
{lave been miftaken.
There was a e Sabine Deity, of ancient wor-
ship in Rome, Semo Sattcus : there was a Cha-
pell dedicated to this God with the following
infeription , Semoni Sanco Deo Fidio : there are
feveral other inferiptions of the fame fort in
Gruters collections : there was the Pedefial of
a Statue, dug up in the time of Pope Gregory
XIII. from fome ruins in the Ifland Tiber, with
the fame infeription. But what does all this
• Dion. Halicarn. Antiq. II. 49. IV. 58. Liv. Hift.
VIII. 20-
Gruter. Infcript. Vol. J. Vaidalt dt Statua Simcni
Jldfip cre^i Di.Tert,
prove
CONCLUSION. 423
prove ? That there was no Statue dedicated to
Simon the Magician ? Or that there was no
fuch infeription, as Jujiin mentions ? By no
means. The inferiptions of thefe two Statues
were different : that upon the Statue, which
jfttBin fpeaks of, was, Simoni Deo SanBo ; that
upon the Statue dug up in the I (land "Tiber a-
bout two Centuries ago, was, Semoni Sango Deo
Fidio : the Hiftory of thefe two Statues is dif-
ferent j the Former is faid by Jujiin to have
been erected by public authority and at the ex-
pence of the public; The Latter was the gift of
Sextus Pompeius, and erected at his own private
expence : The Materials of thefe two Statues
were different j the reputed Statue of Simon,
the Magician, was made of brafs ; the Statue
dedicated to Semo Sanctis, or Sangus was made
of Stone. And it is remarkable, that St. Auguf-
tine, who gives the fame hiftory of Simon' 's
Statue, as Jujiin does, diftinguifhes it from the
Statue of Semo Sanctis, which both he zxALac-
tantius particularly mention/
As to the Age of J ejus, afferted by Irenceus,
which has been thought fo flagrant a thing, as
to be utterly fubverfive of his authority. It is
plainly nothing more than an errour of tradi-
f See Defenfio S. Augujllni adv. Joan. Phereponi ani-
madver fiones. p. 176. &c,
Dd4 tion,
424 CONCLUSION.
tion, which took its rife, it is probable, from the
mif-interpretation of a paffage in St. John's
Gofpel. All therefore that can be laid to the
charge of Irenceus, is only his following too im-
plicitly fach a tradition. To fay the word
then, that can be faid of the three inftances
above-mentioned j which are urged as the
principal reafons to invalidate the teftimony of
fujlin and Irenaus : they can be fairly con-
fidered in no other light than as mere errours
of judgment ; which very wife and good men
might innocently fall into ; and yet be com-
petent witneffes of other facts of a more public
and indifputable nature. Might not any Man have
been impoied upon, in the fame circumftances,by
falfe reports or falfe traditions ? Why then muft
k be thought, that thefe particulars givegbut a la-
mentable idea of thofe primitive Ages, and
thofe primitive Champions of the Chriftian
caufe? Have not many Learned Men among the
Moderns oftentimes been impofed upon by falfe
accounts of men and things ? Have not noto-
rious blunders been frequently difcovered in
thofe tranferipts of ancient Infcriptions, which
were taken by Spon and Wheeler ? And yet
what lamentable idea doe thefe things give ei-
ther of modern times or modern Literati ?
* ffti Inquiry, &c. p. 59,
Put
CONCLUSION. 425
But let it be granted, that Juflin was impos-
ed upon in his accounts of the Cells at Alexan-
dria', and of the Statue in the Ifland Tiber ; let it
be owned, that Ircnceus was deceived in the
tradition, he has mentioned of the Age of J e fits :
What is the confequence ? that their Authori-
ty is of no weight ; that their credit is totally
destroyed in their atteftation of thofe extraor-
dinary and remarkable Facts, which they have
witneiTed from their own knowledge and expe-
rience ? Is there the fame reafon for rejecting the
teftimony of Jujiin or Irenaus, in the one cafe
and in the other ? Might not the former of
Thefe writers have been mifled in his judgment
of the Cells and the Statue, by too eafily truft-
ing to the confident alTeverations of the perfons,
he converfed with ? and yet, may he not be a pro-
per judge, a competent witnefs of the immediate
cure of Demoniacs, whatever their diforder is
fuppofed to be, and of the inftantaneous re-
moval of other diftempers, by a word-fpeaking,
and without the application of any medicine ;
when he confidently affirms This to have been
done in his own prefence, and appeals to the ex-
perience of his veryEnemies themfelves, for the
truth of his affertions ? Might not the latter
Writer be drawn into a miftake by paying too
great a deference to the authority of Tradition?
and
426 CONCLUSION.
and yet, may not his teftimony be fufficiently
authentic, when he folemnly avows, from the
information of his own fenfes, that daemoniacal
diforders were remedied by ufing the name of
jfefus only -, and other cures inftantly perform-
ed, by the bare impofition of hands -, when he
protefts, that he had feen fome men, raifed
from the dead, that he had heard others fpeak-
ing untaught, and on a fudden, with divers kinds
of Tongues.
But there is no neceflity to carry this reafon-
ing any farther. It is acknowledged that thefe
very Fathers, notwithstanding all their errours,
and all their weakneffes, are competent witnef-
fes of matters of Fact, which happened in their
own times, and within the compafs of their own
knowledge and obfervation. The immediate
and proper ufe of the Fathers, it is h faid, " is to
tl teach us the doctrines, the rites, and the
" manners of the feveral ages, in which they
ct lived j yet as WitnefTes only, not as guides 5
443
For if he had not this dcfign he could have no
confident defign at all. In every part of his Re-
marks, one may ea% #&**** aiW "£
great Archbiftops, and little Archdeacons, that
he has either fuffered by their power or
envies their preferments. And it might be ex-
pected, that in this temper and fituation, as the
power of fome Churchmen may have prevented
him from rifingtp the preferments, which he
wiihed for, upon account of fome fufpicions
about his .Chriftianky ; he would be glad to
prevent others from rifing to heights, that
would be inconfiftent with his peace of mind , ;
by endeavouring to blacken their charafters with
fufpicions of difaffedion.
In this view I can fee, how this infidious
Preface is connected with the angry Remarks,
which follow. But fuch a defign as this, any
Man, and I make no doubt, this writer hupfelt
would be apt to call in another per fon a mean-
and unfair art of Controverfy. It is indeed am
art which does not feem agreeable to the Cha- '
rafter, he has drawn of himfelf. It is fuch an
Art as ought not to be ufed by one, who pro-
feffes to judge for himfelf 5 who is perfuaded,
that he has truth on his fide, and declares, that
he (hall never be afraid of publifhing his
thoughts
444 CONCLUSION
thoughts upon any fubjedt, whatever the world
may think of him for it.
I mould be glad to be. informed, what the
fubject of the Preface has to do with the Re-
marks in any other view, but this, of black-
ening the adverfaries of the Author of the In-
tioduclory Difcourfe, andofraifing prejudices
againft their opinion; as groundlefs and unjuit,
as they are foreign to the real queftion in dif-
pute. If the Remarks were intended to fup-
port, what had been advanced in the Introduc-
tory Difcoutfe, it is but little to the purpofe to
enlarge upon fantaftic ceremonies, which a vi-
fionary Catechift has endeavoured to recom-
mend, whofehead, as has been juftly obferved
by a late writer, " is not more difordered by
" Fanatacifm, than his heart is corrupted with
" difafTeclion."
It is pfaid indeed, that the purpofe of this
CatechifVs book, as it is declared in the Title
Page, is " to give a true and comprehenfive
" view of Chriftianity ; or to fet forth the
f complete Duty of a Chriftian, in relation to
' Faith, Pradice, Worfhip and Rituals, with-
;c out regard to any modern Church, Sect, or
" Party j as it is taught in the Holy Scriptures,
• Prcf. to Remarks on Obfervations, &c. p. i.
{< was
CONCLUSION. 445
" was delivered by the Apoftles, and received
" by the univerfal Church of Chrift, during
" the Four firft Centuries.
Here then it may not be improper to afk
the Author of the Preface fome queftions,
which it is his bufinefs to anfwer, if he would
avoid the charge of being an unfair difputant,
and of raifing a mift of controverfy, in order
to miflead the unwary Reader, and to keep the
point in debate, as much as poffible, out of
fight. Has this Catechift fairly done, what he
promifes in his Title Page ? Has he given an
exact and true view of Chriftianity, as it is
taught in the Holy Scriptures, was delivered
by the Apoftles, and received by the univerfal
primitive Church ? If he has not, the confe-
quence will be, that his book is nothing to the
purpofe either of the Remarks, or the Intro-
ductory Difcourfe itfelf, which they feem in-
tended to fupport j and the conclufion, that is
drawn from it, is as falfe as it is unfair.
He has promifed indeed to give a true ac-
count of Chriftianity, as it is trught in the
Scriptures, was delivered by the Apoftles, and
received by the univerfal primitive Church ;
but inftead of performing his promife, he has
drawn out a fantaftic fcheme of his own : and
however Chriftianity, as he has explained it,
might
446 C 0 N C L U S I O If.
might lead to Popery and PifafFedtion ; we
may adhere to the authority of the Scriptures,
and of the earlier Fathers j and yet be both
found Proteftants and loyal Subjects.
The writer of the Preface ought to be aware
likewife, what will be the confequence, if he
fays, that this Catechift has done all, that he has
declared in his Title Page. For it muft be re-
membered, that he there promifes to explain
the doctrines of Chriftianity, not only as they
were received by the univerfal primitiveChurch,
but alfo as they were taught in the Holy
Scriptures, and delivered by the Apoftles them-
felves. If he has done this, and yet Chriftia-
nity, as he has explained it, will lead us to
Popery and Difaffection ; then we cannot be
found Proteftants, and loyal Subjects, though
we mould give up the primitive Fathers, un-
lefs at the fame time we agree to burn our
Bibles.
All that can be faid, as I apprehend, in an-
fwer to this, muft be, that he has performed
one part of his promife, but not the other ;
that he has indeed given an exact view of
Chriftianity, as it was received by the primi-
tive Church, but has not reprefented the doc-
trines of it, as they are taught in the Scrip-
tures, and delivered by the Apoftles. But this is
chufing
CONCLUSION. 447
chufing for a man's fclf rather too arbitrarily .
it is allowing the CatechifVs reprefentation to
be true, where it makes for the purpofe of the
Remarks, and of the Introductory T)ifcourfey
which, I fuppofe, they muft be intended to
fupport ; and denying it to be true, where the
confequences, which have been drawn in the
Preface from his opinions, would mew the
Writer of that Preface to have as little regard
for the Scriptures themfelves, as he has for the
authority of the Fathers.
However , if we even allow the Author of
the Preface a diftinction, which is wholly arbi-
trary; a diftinetion, which he ought not in
reafon to make ufe of, 'till it is either acknow-
ledged by his adverfaries, or eftablifhed by him-
felf upon good grounds j if we grant that Chri-
ftianity, as the Catechift fets it forth, is not
what the Holy Scriptures have taught or what
the Apoilles did deliver ; but is only a fyftem
of the faith and practice, the worfhip and ri-
tuals of the Primitive Church, during the Firft
Four Centuries j yet even with this conceflion
it will be found, I am perfuaded, that his book
will be of no weight in determining the queftion,
whether the Miracles, reported and attelted by
the Earlier Fathers of the Churth, are true or
falfe ; and much lefs will it juftify the confe-
quence
448 CONCLUSION.
quence, which the Writer of the Preface feems
to be fo much pleafed with, that all thofe per-
fons, who believe thofe Miracles, if they fol-
low the natural courfe of their principles, mufl
not only join with the Catechift in all his reli-
gious opinions, but likewife be difaffected to
the Government, becaufe he is.
The Author of the Preface feems to lay a
particular ftrefs upon thefe words, in the Cate-
chifl's title-page, " the FourFirfl: Centuries";
as if whatever happened in any part of that pe-
riod was equally to his purpofe. But let him
remember, that the Fourth Century is includ-
ed in the Four Firft ; and a fuperftitious cuf-
tom, that was introduced into the public wor-
fhip in this Century, will not affect the quef-
tion at all about the Miracles, which are faid to
have been wrought in the Three Former.
And as he could not but be fenfible, that the
principal part of the Controverfy, which has
been itarted, is confined to the Three Firfl
Centuries ; he mould have informed his Read-
ers, what was Then the practice of the univer-
fal Church. For no cuftom or opinion, how-
ever ridiculous and abfurd, which was intro-
duced or prevailed in the Fourth Century, can
at all invalidate the teftimony of the Fathers,
who lived in the Earlier Ages.
But
CONCLUSION. 449
But let it be even granted, that fome flrange
opinions and unmeaning ceremonies were in
ufe, within that period, to which the prefent
queftion about Miracles is principally confined;
what ufe can be made of fuch a conceffion ?
Will it be faid, that a fanciful Ritual is incon-
fiflent with veracity, and that men, who erred
in matters of Opinion, muft necefTarily be in-
competent witnefTes in matters of Fact ? To
repeat only for the prefent an inftance, which
has been mentioned before; I imagine this
Writer will agree with me and with wifer men
than either of us, to believe the teftimony of a
Pagan, giving Evidence upon oath in a Court
of Law ; notwithstanding the form of an oath,
by the cuftom of his Country, may be attended
with fome Rites, which are infignificant or ri-
diculous, and his opinion about the nature and
attributes of God is full of errour and falmood.
Might not therefore the Primitive ChriHians of
the Three firil: Centuries be miftaken, both in
fome opinions, which they embraced, and in
fome ceremonies, which they adopted in their
worfhip; and yet defer ve our belief, when they
allure us, that Miracles were wrought in their'
days, and that they themfelves were eye-wit.
nefles of them.
Ff But
450 CONCLUSION.
But fince the Writer of the Preface has
thought proper to judge of Principles, by tra-
cing them to their remoteft confequences ; he
will give me leave, I hope, to do juftice, as well
as I can, in a few words, both to the opinion
of thofe perfons, who differ from Him, and
from the Author of the Introductory Difcourfe,
and likewife to his own opinion and to the opi-
nion of that Writer.
He has mifreprefented the confequences of
their opinion, who differ from Him, and from
the Author of the Introductory Difcourfe; and
has neglected the confequences of that opinion,
which he undertakes to defend. Proteftants
may be confntent with themfelves, and may
be well affected to the Government ; tho' upon
the authority of the earlier Fathers they be-
lieve, that Miracles were wrought in the Primi-
tive Church, after the days of the Apoftles.
But Chriftians cannot be confident with them-
felves, nor well affected to the Religion, which
they profefs, if they entirely difallow that au-
thority, and totally reject thofe Miracles.
The confequences of the opinion, which this
Writer and the Author of the Introductory Dif-
courfe have efpoufed, are very manifeft ; not-
withstanding fo much Art and Sophiftry has
been
CONCLUSION. 451
been made ufe of to difguife and conceal them ;
(viz.) the fubverting and ruining the Faith of
Hiftory, and the weakening the Evidences of
the Gofpelj by attempting to mew, that Facts
may defer ve no degree of credit, tho' they are
folemnly, exprefsly, and publicly attefted by
perfons, who declare themfelves to have fre-
quently been eye-witnefles of them ; and tho'
the Fads themfelves are of fuch a nature, and
fo circumfianced, that there is a ftrong pre-
fumptive evidence of their truth and reality ;
and by endeavouring to fet afide the authority
and deflroy the whole credit of thofe Writers,
by which the Canon of the New Teflament
and the Authenticity of the books, it contains,
is to be eflablifhed. On the contrary, the con-
fequences of their opinion, who differ from the
Writer of the Preface and the Author of the
Introductory Difcourfe cannot bear any ill
afpect, either to the credit of Hiftory in general,
or to the credit of the Gofpel-Hiftory in parti-
cular, or to the caufe of true Religion, or to the
interefts of the prefent Government.
The opinion of thofe perfons, who maintain,
that Miraculous Powers did refide in the
Church, after the days of the Apoftles, during
the Earlier Ages of Chriftianity, is fo far from
hurting the Faith of Hiftory in general, that
Ff 2 ia
452 CONCLUSION.
in truth it puts it upon a proper and rational
foundation, by aflerting, that the hiftorical
Evidence of Facts, either ordinary or extraor-
dinary, is to be determined, partly by the cir-
cumflances of the Facts themfelves, which are
(aid to have happened, and partly by the credi-
bility of the witnefTes, who atteft them ; and
inftead of detracting any thing from the cre-
dit of the Gofpel-Hiftory and the authority of
the Chriftian Religion, it does in reality tend
to the confirmation of the former ; by afcer-
t-ining the truth and authority of thofe books,
in which that Hiftory is contained ; and is ac-
tually fubfervient to the real weight and true
merit of the latter, by affording a fubfidiary
proof of the Divinity of the Chriftian Doc-
trines. Neither can the caufe of Proteftantifm
be injured by it in any refpect ; nor yet the
intereils of the Prince and the loyalty of the
Subject: be at all affected.
It has been frequently and learnedly (hewn
by various and folid arguments j fuch indeed,
as the whole wit and fophiltry of the 'Jefuiti
themfelves have not been able to elude, that the
distinguishing doctrines of the Roman Catho-
lics, the abominable corruptions both in the
faith and worfhip of the Romiih Church,
which gave rife to the Reformation, which
have
CONCLUSION. 453
have been juft matter of offence to all true and feri-
ous Chriftians ever fince, and which fufficiently
juftify our feparation from that communion, had
no beginning in the Earlier Ages of the Primi-
tive Church. The ftate ofthisqueftion in its
full extent has been very minutely and circum-
stantially examined, and the point itfelf efta-
blifhed to the fatisfaclion of every rcafonable
man, by thofe Writers in particular, who by
making a glorious fland in a former reign againfl
the inroads of Popery, and by utterly defeating
the united attempts of the whole body of the
Romanics, rendered themfelves the lifting bul-
warks and guardians of the Protectant caufe,
and have become an eternal honour to the Eng-
lish Nation. A man therefore may now fafely
defend the authority of the Earlier Fathers,
without giving the fair Inquirer after Truth
even the lead: fufpicion of his fincere and firm
attachment to the Proteftant Religion j and may
confiftently maintain upon their authority and
the force of thofe principles, which have been
advanced in this book, that Miraculous Powers
did continue in the Church, after the days of
the Apoftles ; without affording any ground to
the pretenfions of the Popifh Miracles, or fur-
niming any caufe of umbrage to the prefent
Government ; fince there is a manifeft and
wide
454 CONCLUSION.
wide difference difcoverable between the credi-
bility of thofe Miracles, recorded by the Earlier
Writers of the Church, and the credibility of
thofe Miracles, which are reported by the Po-
pifh Writers ; and fince a firm and zealous ad-
herence to Proteftant principles is the moil ef-
fectual way to defend and fecure our happy
Eftablifhment.
FINIS.
T\EFENSIO Miracuhrum ; qua? in Ecclefia
Chriftiana facta efle perhibentur poft
tempora Apoftolorum ; quam in Scholis Theolo-
gicis Cantabrigia? Jan. XXI. M.DCC.XL.VII.
iufcepit, cum pro gradu Baccalaureatus in Sacra
Thcologia folenniter refponderet
Z. BROOKE, A.M.
Collegii D, Joamiis Socius.
I
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CAYLORD
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