The truth of Christian religion in six books / written in Latine by Hugo Grotius ; and now translated into English, with the addition of a seventh book, by Symon Patrick ...

SECT. XV. Answer to what they say about Miracles.

THEY pretend indeed abundance of Mi∣racles wrought in their Church, as a suf∣ficient condemnation of those who obstinately refuse to invocate Saints, to worship their I∣mages and the consecrated Hoste, to believe Purgatory and all other things, for the proof of which these wonders are alledged. But herein also they imitate the Pagans, who were guilty of the like deceit: and the same answer will serve here, which Grotius gives there (L. iv. Sect. 8.) in his confutation of the old Ido∣latry. For First, the wisest Men among them have rejected many of these Miracles, as not supported by the testimony of any credible witnesses; nay, as plain fictions. Others also of them, which are pretended to be of

better credit, hapned in some private place, in the night, before one or two Persons: whose eyes crafty Priests (as he speaks) might easily delude with false shows and counterfeit appea∣rances of things. And further, there are o∣thers which only raise admiration among Peo∣ple ignorant of the nature of things; and are no true miracles.

I deny not, but there may have things been done among them, which no humane power could effect by the strength of natural causes; and yet no Divine, that is, omnipotent Power be needful to their production. For those Spirits, which are interposed between God and Man, are able by their nimbleness, cun∣ning, activity, and strength to make such strange application of things (very distant) one to ano∣ther, as shall astonish the Spectators with won∣derful effects. But there is too great reason to think they are not good Spirits, that do these feats; because they revive hereby the ancient superstition, or uphold the Image of it still in the Christian World; to the great dishonour of our Saviour, and the indanger∣ing the Souls of his People. Who have been so far misled, as not only to fancy great Vir∣tue in the Images of the Saints; and to cry up also some Images, particularly of our Lady (of Loretto for instance) as indued with some singular power and vertue, which is not to be found in others: but to honour them so high∣ly,

as for one Miracle said to be done by a Cru∣cifix, to report a hundred to be wrought at such or such a Shrine of hers.

It is very considerable also (to omit the rest) which he notes, in the V. Book, out of the Law of Moses; that it supposes God might permit some wonders to be done, only for their trial; whether the People would persist in the worship of the true God; which had been confirmed by undoubted and far greater and more numerous Miracles. Read Deuteron. xiii. 1, 2, 3, &c.

This is excellently expressed, and with ad∣vantage, by a great Man of our own; in these words, or to this effect. The Doctrine which we believe, that is, the Bible, hath been con∣firmed, as is confessed on all sides, by innu∣merable supernatural and truly Divine Mi∣racles; and consequently the Doctrine of the Roman Church, which in many points is plain∣ly opposite to the Bible, is condemned by them: I mean the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles. And therefore if any strange things have been done in that Church, they prove nothing but the truth of Scripture: which foretold, that (God's Providence permitting it, and the wickedness of the World deserving it) strange signs, and wonders should be wrought, to confirm false doctrine; that they which love not the Truth might be given over to strong de∣lusions. So that now we have reason rather to

suspect and be afraid of pretended Miracles, as signs of false Doctrine; than much to regard them, as certain arguments of Truth. Neither is it strange, that God should permit some true wonders to be done, to delude those who have forged so many wonders, to deceive the World.