as those recorded in Scripture. But I can see nothing like a proof of this. And all Persons of Judgment in their own Church, do grant there is a great difference between the Necessity of Miracles for the first establishing a Religion, and afterwards. This is not only as∣serted by Tostatus, Erasmus, Stella, Andradius, and several others formerly; but the very late French Author I have several times men∣tioned, saith it in expr••ss Terms. And he confesses the great Im∣postures of modern Miracles, which, he saith, ought to be severely punished; and that none but Women and weak People think them∣selves bound to believe them. And he cannot understand what they are good for: Not to convert Hereticks; because not done among them: Not to prove there are no corruptions or errors among them, which is a thing incredible; with much more to that pur∣pose, and so concludes with Monsieur Paschal, That if they have no better use, we ought not to be amused with them.
But Christ promised, that his Apostles should do greater Miracles than himself had done. And what then? Must therefore S. Francis, or S. Dominic, or S. Rosa, do as great as the Apostles had done? What Consequence can be drawn from the Apostles times to latter Ages? We do not dispute God's Omnipotency, or say his hand is shortned; but we must not from thence infer, that every thing which is called a Miracle is truly so; or make use of God's Power, to ju∣stify the most incredible stories. Which is a way will serve as well for a false as a true Religion; and Mahomet might run to Gods Om∣nipotency for cleaving the Moon in two pieces, as well as others for removing a House over the Seas, or any thing of a like nature.
But, he saith, their Miracles are not more ridiculous and absurd than some in the Old Testament. Which I utterly deny; but I shall not run out into the examination of this Parallel, by shewing how very different the Nature, Design, and Authority of the Miracles he mentions, is from those which are believed in the Roman Church. And it had been but fitting, as he set down the Miracles of the Old Testament, so to have mentioned those of the Roman Church which were to vye with them; but this he was willing to forbear, for certain good Reasons. If most of poor Man's impossibles be none to God, as he concludes, yet every thing is not presently true which is not impossible; and by this way of Arguing, there can be nothing objected against the most absurd and idle Fictions of the Golden Legend, which all Men of Understanding among themselves, not only reject for want of Authority, but of Credibility.