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The Suppressed Evidence:
Or, Proofs of the Miraculous Faith and Experience of the
Church of Christ In All Ages From Authentic Records, Fathers, Waldenses,
Hussites, Reformers, United Brethren, and etc. An Historical Sketch
Suggested by the Hon. and Rev. B.W. Noel's Remarks on the Revival of
miraculous powers in the Church.
By The Rev Thomas Boys, M.A.
Published -- 1832
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page 20
CHAPTER II.
THE FATHERS.
The reason why the authority of the Fathers carries so little
weight in controversy, is because, in most questions, being many
and voluminous, they admit of being quoted on both sides.
Nevertheless, if we wish to know what were the ecclesiastical
events of the age in which they lived, or what were the
ecclesiastical doctrines then held, we must come to them for
information; and, whatever be their authority as a body, we seldom
retire from consulting the more distinguished among them, without
feelings of Christian affection and reverence. In attempting, on
the present occasion, to ascertain their sentiments on the subject
of miracles, I proceed on the plan already intimated; taking from
the work of Mr. Noel the citations from the Fathers which it
contains, and examining them. It will also be necessary to make a
few further extracts.
Having enumerated various classes and individuals in the
church of Christ, who, as he conceives, did not expect miracles,
Mr. Noel thus proceeds:
" All these have agreed that it would be enthusiastic to
expect the gifts. Nor was that expectation universally cherished,
if it was cherished at all, in earlier and more superstitious
times, except by some Roman Catholic traffickers in wonders."—pp.
18, 19.
THE FATHERS. 21
It is then added in a note:--
" 1. St. Augustine, in the 4th century.—' Modo caro caeca non
aperit oculos miracuio Domini, at cor caecum aperit oculos
sermoni Domini. Modo non surgit mortale cadaver, resurgit anima
quea mortua jaceba in vivo ca-dayere. Modo aures corporis surdae
non aperiuntur, sed quam multi habent aures clausas cordis, quse
tamen (verbo Dei penetrante) patescunt.'—(Augustine, cited by Huss
in his Commentary on 1st Epistle to the Corinthians.)
" Augustine certainly believed that miracles occasionally took
place in his day, but not in virtue of the promises in Mark xvi.
and elsewhere, nor by the communication of supernatural gifts to
men, for he prefaces his narrative of miracles, in his work on the
Church of God, thus: 'Cur, inquiunt, nunc ilia miracula qua
pmdicatis facta esse, non fiunt. Possem quidem dicere necessaria
fuisse prius quam crederet mundus, ad hoc, ut crederet mundus....
etiam nunc Hunt miracula in ejus nomine, sive per sacra-menta
ejus, sive per orationes, vel memorias sanctorum
ejus.'—(Augustine: de Civitate Dei.)
" 2. St. Isidore, in the 6th century. —' Quod nunc ecclesia
Dei miracula non facit quse sub Apostolis faciebat causa est, quia
tune oportebat mundum miraculis credere, nunc vero credentem
oportet bonis operibus coruscare.'— (St. Isidore, cited by Huss in
his Defense of Wickliff.)
" See also Du Pin, ' Bibliotheque des Auteurs
Eccle-siastiques,' tom. iv. p. 3, &c."
Mr. Noel then goes on to say:—
" St. Chrysostom, in his twenty-third Homily on St. John, as
quoted by the historian Fuller, has these words:—
(GREEK OMITTED)
' Now also are there those who seek and say, Why are not
miracles done now also? If you are a believer, as you ought to be,
and loved Christ as you ought to love him, you have no need of
miracles; for miracles are given to unbelievers.' And Augustine
ranked the miracles of his
22 THE FATHERS.
age under two heads: 1. Figruenta mendaciura hominuiu, '
Forgeries of lying men;' 2. Portenta fallacium spirituum, '
Prodigies of deceitful devils.'"
Of the authorities thus cited by Mr. Noel— namely, St.
Augustine, St. Isidore, and St. Chrysostom, the first to be
considered by us is St. Augustine. As this eminent Father is
quoted by our author, in a note upon his statement that the
expectation (of the gifts) was not " universally cherished, if it
was cherished at all, in earlier and more superstitious times,
except by some Roman Catholic traffickers in wonders," I presume
the immediate design of the note to be, to shew that no such
expectation was cherished by Augustine in particular. The passage
first cited from Augustine may thus be rendered:—"The blind flesh
does not now open its eyes by a miracle of the Lord, but the blind
heart opens its eyes to the word of the Lord. The corpse does not
now rise, but the soul experiences a resurrection, which was lying
dead in the living corpse. The deaf ears of the body are not now
opened, but how many persons have the ears of the heart closed,
which nevertheless open, when the word of God penetrates them."
The second runs thus:—" Why, say they, are not those miracles
wrought now, which, you allege, were wrought formerly? I might,
indeed, answer, that they were necessary before the world
believed, in order that the world might believe.....Even now miracles are wrought in His name, whether by his
sacraments (ordinances) or by prayers, or the tombs of his
saints."
From this last sentence it is at once apparent,
THE FATHERS. 23
that these passages would be useless, to prove that no
miracles happened in St. Augustine's days: nor does Mr. Noel,
indeed, quote them for that purpose. But are they of any service
to prove that miraculous gifts were not conferred in St.
Augustine's days, according to his judgment at least, "in virtue
of the promises in Mark xvi.?"
The explanation is shortly this:
that in Mark xvi., gifts are promised, to attest the preaching of
the Gospel throughout the world; and, according to the idea of
Augustine (as well as of some of the Reformers, a point to be
considered hereafter), this general preaching of the Gospel was a
transaction confined to the Apostolic age, and then completed;
and, after that, the church ceased to be missionary. The end,
then, being accomplished, the gifts' would not be wanted. For
example: immediately before the passage (cited by Mr. Noel from
Huss) " The blind flesh does not now open its eyes," &c, we find
Augustine saying, respecting the miracles of the New Testament, "
These things the Lord did, therefore, that he might draw men to
faith. Now faith is fervent in the church, spread throughout the
whole world*."
On this supposition, then, that the whole world had been
evangelized in the beginning, once for all, miracles, in virtue of
the promise of them in aid of evangelizing the world, were less to
be looked for. But more on this subject, when we come to speak of
the view of the Reformers. That same miracles were wrought in
St. Augustine's
*"Haco ergo fecit Dominus ut invitaret ad (idem. Haec fides
nunc fervet in ecclesia, toto orbe diffupa."—Dp V&rbit Domini,
Sermo xviii. Op. Ed. Par. 1531. tom. x. p. 16. col. 4.
24 THE FATHERS.
days, was evidently the opinion of that Father; and any one
who carries away an opposite opinion from a cursory view of the
above quotations, will fall into a great mistake. But a third
reference to Augustine remains.
" Augustine," it is said, " ranked the miracles of his age
under two heads: 1. Figmenta men-dacium hominunj, ' Forgeries of
lying men;' 2. Portenta fallacium spirituum, ' Prodigies of
deceitful devils.'" And, in support of this assertion, Mr. Noel
refers us, in a note, to " Fuller's Church History, p. 330." Now,
as it is clear, even from the other quotations before us, that
Augustine believed and alleged some miracles in his own days, one
feels curious to know where, and under what circumstances, this
Father can have made a classification, which apparently passes
such a general sentence of condemnation on all the miracles of his
times. The fact is, that Fuller, in the passage quoted, seems both
to have fallen himself, and in some measure to have drawn Mr.
Noel, into a great mistake.
The case stands thus. The words of Augustine (as Fuller
correctly informs us in the place referred to by Mr. Noel) occur
in his work On the Unity of the Church*. But what is the real
character of this work? It is a work against the Donatists,
especially written to impugn their exclusive claims to be the true
church"+ He has occasion to mention the miracles vaunted by the
Donatists; and of them he observes, and not, as Mr. Noel has been
misled to think, of " the miracles
De Unitate Ecclesite, cap 10. Op. tom. Vii. p. 104. col. 3. +
See Cap. 2.
THE FATHERS. 25
of his age" generally, that they are either Forgeries of lying
men, or Prodigies of deceitful spirits. So far is it from being
correct, that he gives any such general character to the miracles
of his own time, as Fuller, and the citation from Fuller in Mr.
Noel's work, would lead us to suppose.—Augustine," then, does not
rank the " miracles of his age," generally, under these two heads,
as Forgeries of lying men, and Prodigies of deceitful devils; but
only the miracles of the Donatists.
The, passage from Chrysostom's twenty-third Homily on St.
John, is quoted by Fuller with no very material error or
misrepresentation: I mean, as far as respects the words, or
rendering, of the passage itself; for, if any man infer from it
that Chrysostom denied, or entertained the least doubt, that
miracles were commonly wrought in his own times, he will be led
into another great mistake. In using these expressions, Chrysostom
by no means intends to give up miracles: he has merely been
arguing, in the former part of the Homily, that faith in the words
of Christ, is better in kind than a faith in miracles only, which
surely no advocate of modern miracles will deny; and saying, what
all will admit, that " Those were the more decided disciples, who
attached themselves to Jesus, not on account of his miracles only,
but also on account of his doctrines *." That he did not
altogether deny miracles, indeed, might be inferred in some
measure from the very passage which Fuller and Mr. Noel quote:
for, while he argues,
*(GREEK OMITTED) MONON,
26 THE FATHERS.
merely, that miracles are of no use to believers (an
unscriptural position, by the bye), he says expressly, that "they
are given" (or granted) "to unbelievers." Elsewhere, however, in
arguing with unbelievers, Chrysostom plainly alleges miracles as
undeniably and notoriously occurring in his own days. In his
Liber contra Gentiles, he begins at once to urge the heathen
with John xiv. 12, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do
shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do;
because I go unto my Father:" (not, by the way, a very likely text
for him to bring forward, if he had no works to allege.) He then
goes on to observe, That Christ used such words as these, but What
if any heathen teacher had used them? Then, be it observed, he
refers to some wonders alleged by the heathen, and does not
entirely deny these, even; but adds, that none could say what
Christ said (i. e. in the above passage from St. John's Gospel);
plainly intimating that he had greater wonders to produce, than
any that could be produced by his opponents, and that he appeals
to them as proofs of the greater glory of Christ. Nor does he
appeal merely to any past miracles; for though he refers, for an
accomplishment of the above text, to the miracles recorded in the
Acts of the Apostles, he adds, " But if any one assert that these
are mere smoke, and a fictitious wonder unworthy of credit, let us
view those of the present day, which are calculated both to stop
and to put to shame the blaspheming mouth, and to check the
unbridled tongue. For, throughout our whole habitable world,
there is not a country, a nation, or a city, where these wonders
THE FATHERS. 27
are not commonly spoken of, which, if figments, would never
have occasioned so much admiration. And you yourselves, indeed,
might testify for us to this. For we shall have no occasion to
receive confirmation of what we assert from others, seeing that
you yourselves, our opponents, supply us therewith *."
Of so little service, then, to Mr. Noel, is the assistance
from Chrysostom and from Augustine, afforded him by Fuller.
And—what is also worthy of observation — Fuller himself did not
deny all miracles, alleged, in his own day, as having occurred
within the memory of man; as will be shewn in its proper place.
Mr. Noel also appeals to " St. Isidore."
"St. Isidore, in the fifth century." Then follows the passage
already given from Huss, as cited by him " in his defense of
Wickliff."
This passage, however, will prove nothing respecting "the
fifth century;" as it is cited by Huss, not from St. Isidore of
Damietta, who flourished in that century, but from St. Isidore of
Seville, who flourished in the close of the sixth and early part
of the seventh. The passage from which Huss cites, will be found
in the Latin works of the latter, in his work " De Summo Bono +; "
not in
*. (GREEK OMITTED)
+. Isidori Hispalensis Episcopi Opera, Edi Colon. Agrip. 1617,
p. 424.
28 THE FATHERS.
the Greek works of the former: so that, as far as the fifth
century is concerned, we must look for information to others.
Mr. Noel refers us, in his next note, to Du Pin. " See also Du
Pin, • Bibliothe que des Auteurs Ecclesiastiques,' tom. iv. p. 3,
&c." In turning then, to tom. iv. (that is, to the second part of
tom, iii.), we there find an account of the St. Isidore of " the
fifth century "—" St. Isidore de Damiette "—but not the St.
Isidore cited by Huss. Du Pin gives a high character of him; says
that he embraced the monastic state, and lived an angelic life;
but mentions nothing, that I can perceive, calculated to throw
light on the subject of miracles. If we refer to his works *, we
shall find some expressions, which, taken alone, like those in
Augustine and Chrysostom, may be viewed as discountenancing
miracles: but others which favour them; as where he tells a
person, who had obtruded himself from carnal motives into the
ministry, that even his working of miracles would not help him.
So much for the St. Isidore of " the fifth century." Now,
then, for the St. Isidore of the seventh century (i. e. he was
made bishop of Seville 595, died 636), the writer really quoted by
Huss. An account of this St. Isidore will be found in Du Pin's
fifth volume; and, as Mr. Noel has followed Huss in citing him, a
short consideration of the passage cited may not be here improper.
It may throw light on a later period, though it has little to do
with the fifth century.
Let us, first, examine it by itself; and, secondly,
*Sancti Isidori Pelusiota, &c. (Paris. 1638).
THE FATHERS. 29
view it in connection with the context, as it stands in St.
Isidore's treatise.
1. The passage itself, as cited by Huss, and from him by Mr.
Noel, runs thus:—" The reason why the Church of God works not now
the miracles which it used to work in the Apostolic age, is, that
at that time it was necessary for the world to believe in
miracles, but now, that it does believe, to shine in good works."
Here we may observe, first, that we again meet with the idea,
that the world was now evangelized, that the work was done, and
that the occasion for miracles was on this account not the same as
formerly.
But, secondly, Huss appears to have somewhat misquoted the
words of Isidore: and, though the alteration which he makes is in
itself but slight, and does not materially affect his own course
of argument, yet it is one of great importance, if the passage he
now brought against us, by Mr. Noel, as discrediting all miracles
in St. Isidore's days. The words are given by Mr. Noel exactly as
we find them in Huss, from whom he cites them*;
" The reason why the church of God works not now the miracles
which it used to work in the Apostolic age," &c. But the words, as
I find them in St. Isidore, run thus: " The reason why the church
works not now those miracles which it used to work in the
Apostolic age," or " such miracles as it used to work in the
Apostolic age +."
*. Hus et Hieronymi Pragensis Confessorum Christi Historic et
Me-numenta. Ed. Noriberg. 1558. Pars i., p. 116.
+ Huss, or his editor, seems to have substituted Dei for ea.
The words of St. Isidore are, " QuotJ nunc ecclesia non ea
miracula faciat, qusE sub Apostolis faciebat." (Opera, Ed. Colon.
Agrip. 1617, p. 424);
30 THE FATHERS.
That is, Isidore means only to say, that the miracles of his
day were not of the same description as those of the Apostles;
inferior perhaps in splendour, inferior in number, &c.; and that
this may have been the case, I am very ready to admit. But the
passage, as cited from Huss, would almost lead us to think, that
the church in his days wrought scarcely any miracles, or no
miracles whatever. This, it is clear, is not St. Isidore's
meaning. 2. But, secondly, from St. Isidore's context this will be
still clearer. Isidore is plainly speaking, throughout the
chapter*, on the supposition that miracles continued to be wrought
in his days. Thus he says, just before: " Even in the Apostles
themselves, the grace of good works was more admirable than their
miraculous powers: so, now also, in the Church, it is of more
importance to live well, than to work miracles +." Thus he no more
denies miracles in his own days, than in the days of the Apostles.
Afterwards, he plainly recognizes the use of miracles, at least
for unbelievers: " Behold, a sign is not necessary for the
faithful, because they have believed already; but for the
unbelieving, that they may be converted ++" And, at the end of the
chapter, he plainly speaks of the time when miracles should cease,
as not come when he wrote: " Before Antichrist appears,
for which Huss, as we have seen, has, Quod nunc ecclesia Dei
miracuia non facit, quae, &c.
*De Summo Bono, cap. 27. (The edition of Huss, to which I have
referred, quotes it as cap. 25).
+ " Et tamen in ipsis Apostolis plus erat mirabilis virtus
operwn, quam virtus signorum, ita et nunc in Ecclesia plus est
bene vivere, quam signa facere.
t++" Ecce signum non est fidelibus necessarium, quia jam
crediderunt, sed inndelibus, ut convertantur."
THE FATHERS. 31
powers and signs will cease from the church *." And that he
regarded the time of Antichrist, when miracles were to cease, as
future, may be clearly seen in his next chapter +, where he
expressly speaks of Antichrist as yet to come. He says, even, that
there are many members of Antichrist, who shall not see the times
of Antichrist ++.—So utterly insufficient is this proof from St.
Isidore against miracles, not to say in the fifth century, but in
any other.
In this century happened the miracle recorded by Milner, of
the faithful confessors of the truth, who had their tongues cut
out by the roots, but were afterwards enabled to speak plainly.
This miracle has recently been impugned; for no other reason,
which I can discover, except that it makes so decidedly against
the unhappy cause of those who impugn it. Here, however, I must be
permitted to insert the narrative, were it only for the purpose of
recording my conviction of the necessity of not giving up truth
merely because it has been attacked. It stands, in Milner, with
the marginal notes, "A miraculous interposition," opposite the
first paragraph, and " Proofs of the miraculous interposition,"
opposite the second. §
" At Typasa, the secretary of Cirila was ordained bishop by
the Arians. The inhabitants, seeing this, transported themselves
into Spain, as the distance was but small:
*" Antequam Antichristus appareat, virtutes ab ecclesia et
signa cwsabunt:" and again, " Cessabunt sub Antichristo ab
ecclesia mira-eula."
+ De Antichristo et ejus Signis.
++ " Plerique autem Antichristi tempora non visuri sunt, et
tamen in membris Antichristi inveniendi sunt."
§ Milner's History of the Church of Christ. Ed. 1820, Vol. ii.
p. 505. (cent. v).
32 THE FATHERS.
some, who could meet with no vessels, remained in Africa. The
new bishop laboured by courtesy to win their favor; but they, in
contempt of his ministry, assembled themselves in a private house
for public worship. Huneric, hearing of this by a message from the
bishop, ordered their tongues to be cut out, and their right hand
to be cut off, in the public market-place. He seems to have
permitted them to retire to Constantinople, but to have been
determined to prevent their open confession of the Trinity. Shall
I, in compliance with modern prejudices, throw a veil on the rest,
or shall I proceed according to historical veracity? Imperosa
Trahit Veritas*. A miracle followed, worthy of God, whose majesty
had been so daringly insulted, and which must at that time have
much strengthened the hearts of the faithful, who needed indeed
some peculiar consolations amidst such scenes of horrible
persecution. The miracle itself is so well attested, that I see
not how it can be more so. The reader shall have both the fact and
its proofs. Though their tongues were cut out to the root, they
spake as well as before. ' If any one doubt the fact,' says Victor
of Vita,' let him go to Constantinople, where he will find a
sub-deacon, called Reparatus, one who was thus treated, who speaks
plainly, and who has a particular respect shewn him in the palace
of the Emperor Zeno, especially by the Empress.'
" Aeneas, of Gaza, a Platonic philosopher, a cautious and
prudent person, was at that time at Constantinople, and writes
thus in the conclusion of his Dialogue on the Resurrection: "I
myself saw them, heard them speak, and wondered, that their
utterance could be so articulate. I searched for the organ of
speech, and, not trusting my ears, was resolved to have the proof
of the eyes. Causing them to open their mouths, I saw that their
tongues were plucked out even by the roots, and was then more
surprised, that they could live, than that they could speak." Is
this sufficient evidence? Hear more: Procopius, the historian, in
his history of the Vandalic War, says, Huneric
*Imperious truth constrains.
THE FATHERS 33
ordered the tongues of many to be cut out, who were afterwards
seen in the streets of Constantinople when I was there, talking
without any impediment, or feeling any inconvenience from what
they had suffered. Count Marcellinus, in his Chronicon, says,' I
have seen some of this company of faithful confessors at
Constantinople, who had their tongues cut out, but spake
nevertheless without any imperfection in their utterance.' To name
only one more witness, the great Emperor Justinian, in a
constitution published by him for Africa, after it had fallen into
his dominion, testifies, that he had beheld the same."—Milner's
History of the Church of Christ. Ed. 1824. Vol. ii. p. 505. (Cent.
V.)
But, though Mr. Noel would be the last man to wish to mislead
his readers, a person who formed his opinion, respecting the views
entertained by the Fathers on the subject of miracles, from the
few extracts given in his present work, would in all probability
receive a false impression, and come to an erroneous conclusion.
In the hope, therefore, of throwing some further light on this
subject, I must beg permission, ere I conclude the present
chapter, to offer a few more extracts from the Fathers, in
addition to those which he has brought, especially from Augustine.
With regard to Augustine, if a miracle or miraculous answer to
prayer be alleged, he does not reject it, even when the person to
whom it has been granted is not a believer. For example: he by no
means denies the reality of all the " prodigies of deceitful
spirits," even, which he speaks of in the passage, cited, and (as
we have already seen) wrested, by Fuller. On the contrary, he goes
on to say, in the. very same sentence, " for either the things
which are alleged are not true,
34 THE FATHERS.
or, if heretics have wrought any wonderful works, we should be
the more on our guard*." And just after, speaking of miraculous
answers to prayer, he says that many receive such answers, in
various ways; " not only members of the true church, but also
pagans, and Jews, and heretics, though abandoned to various errors
and superstitions. These answers to prayer, however, they receive
either from seducing spirits (who nevertheless can do nothing,
unless they are permitted by God, who supremely and ineffably
decrees what is to be allotted to each), or from God himself,
either for the punishment of their wickedness, or for the
consolation of their misery, or for admonition to seek eternal
salvation. But no one really comes to salvation, and to life
eternal, unless he have Christ for his Head +." Nor, because
Augustine sometimes speaks of miracles as being wrought at the
tombs of saints, &c. must we too hastily conclude that he
therefore takes a superstitious view of the subject: for he says,
" Moreover, if any one obtain an answer to prayer, praying at the
tombs of heretics, he receives good or bad " [as the case may be],
" not according to the merit of the place, but according to the
desert of his own petition ++."
*" Aut enim non sunt vera quae dicuntur, aut, si hsereticorum
aliqua mira facta sunt, magis cavere debemus."
+ " Exaudiuntur ecgo imiki et multis modis, non solum
Christiani Catholici, sed et pagani, et Judtei, et heeretici,
variis erroribus et snper-Stitionibus dediti. Exaudiuntur autetn
vel ab spiritibus seductonbus qui tameii nihil faciunt, nisi
permittantur Deo sublimiter atque ineffabi-liler judicante quid
cuique tribuendum sit, sive ab ipso Deo, vel ad pcenaca malitite,
vel ad solatium miseries, vel ad monitionem quse-rendit salutis
aetemse. Ad ipsam vero salutem ac vitam aeternam nemo pervenit,
nisi qui habet caput Christum."—-Tom. vii. p. 3, col. 4.
++ " Porro si aliquis in hsereticorum memoriis orans
exauditur, non pro merito loci, sed pro merito desiderii sui
recipit sive malum sive bonum."—Tom. vii. p. 3, col. 4.,
THE FATHERS. 35
But the truth, after all, is, that Augustine does most plainly
assert the doctrine of miracles, and allege miracles, as occurring
under his own observation; so that no person, who will be at the
trouble of ascertaining the fact, can feel the least doubt as to
this eminent Father's real sentiments on the subject, or even as
to his actual experience.
I appeal, for proof, to a chapter which commences with one of
the passages given by Mr. Noel himself. The first one or two
sentences of the passage in question, read apart from the context,
do certainly appear unfavourable to the doctrine of miracles; but
if we take with it the heading of the chapter, which stands
immediately above it, we shall find it somewhat qualified. Mr.
Noel's citation, as we have already seen, commences thus: —
"Why, say they, are not these miracles wrought now, which, you
allege, were wrought formerly? I might, indeed, answer, that they
were necessary before the world believed, in order that the world
might believe."
But compare, or rather contrast, with this, the heading of the
chapter, which stands just above it:
" Concerning the miracles, which were wrought in order that
the world might believe in Christ, and which continue to be
wrought, now that the world does believe*."
In the first part of the chapter, accordingly, having spoken
of the miracles of the New Testament,
* " De miraculia, quae ut mundus in Christum crederet, facta
sunt, et fieri mundo credente non desinunt."
36 THE FATHERS.
Augustine soon proceeds to speak of the ' miracles of his own
day, in words also cited, in part, by Mr. Noel:
" For, even now, miracles are wrought in His name, whether by
his sacraments (ordinances), or by prayers, or the tombs of his
saints. But they are not proclaimed with the same renown, so as to
be equally spread abroad with the former. For the Sacred Volume,
which was to be made known on all sides, causes the former to be
told every where, and to hold their place in all men's memories:
but the latter are known of, scarcely by the whole city or
neighbourhood where they may happen to be wrought*."
The chapter then proceeds to give instances: and I have no
hesitation in confessing, that, in some of the narratives, there
is an evident mixture of superstition. Their style, in fact, is so
inferior, and the chapter, also, so much longer than those which
precede and follow it, that very possibly it has been subjected to
Popish interpolation. Nevertheless there is one narrative so
affecting, and so entirely free from all superstitious reference
to martyrs or relics, that I feel no doubt of its coming from
Augustine himself, of whose style it is altogether worthy; and I
shall therefore proceed to give an abridgment of it, being
persuaded that no pious reader, whatever
* " Nam etiam nunc fiunt miracula in ejus nomine, sive per
sacramenta ejus, sive per orationes, vel memorias sanctorum ejus,
sed non eadem claritate illustrantur, ut tanta quanta ilia gloria
diffamentur. Canon quippe sacrarum literarum quern diffamatum esse
oportebat, ilia facit ubique recitari et memoriae cunctorum
inhaerere populorum: hsec autem, ubicunque fiunt, ibi sciuntur vix
atota ipsacivitate vel qnocunque com-manentium loco."—Tom. v. p.
299, col. 2.
THE FATHERS. 37
may be his sentiments on the miraculous subject, will feel
offended.
The case is that of Innocentius, a devout believer,
Ex-advocate of the Vice-prefecture at Carthage. Augustine, and his
brother Alippius, not yet in holy orders, were dwelling in his
house at the time. This man was afflicted with a painful malady,
for which he had frequently submitted to a severe surgical
operation. But, after all that skill could do, his malady so far
continued, that there was no hope of his recovery, unless he would
once more submit to the knife. His sufferings, on former
occasions, had been so terrible, that, on hearing this, he became
pale and agitated with fear, and dismissed his medical advisers.
At length, exhausted with weeping, like a man in extremity, and
knowing that there was no way of escape, he called in a celebrated
surgeon, by name Alexandrinus, who, after examination, decided
that the operation must be performed, as the only way of saving
his life; and suggested that the individuals, who had been
dismissed, should be recalled, and operate in his presence. This
measure was deferred to the next day; and after their departure,
says Augustine, the lamentation of the whole household was like
the cry raised for the dead. Innocentius was daily visited in his
illness by several holy men, Saturninus bishop of Uzala, Gelosus a
presbyter, and the deacons of the church of Carthage: among whom,
he adds, was Aurelius, now the only survivor, and a bishop; a man
ever to be mentioned with the greatest regard and honour, " with
whom, in calling to mind the wonderful works of God, I have often
38 THE FATHERS.
conversed on this occurrence; and I have found that he retains
the fullest recollection of what I now relate*." When these
persons paid their usual visit in the evening, the sufferer,
piteously weeping, besought them that they would kindly be present
the next day, at what he called his decease rather than his
sufferings. For, from the agony which he had endured on former
occasions, he felt no doubt that he should die under the surgeons'
hands. They did their best to comfort him, exhorting him to
submission and trust in God. The rest I must relate in the words
of Augustine. "We then went to prayer; and, while we were kneeling
and prostrating ourselves as on other occasions, he also
prostrated himself, as if some one had forcibly thrust him down,
and began to pray: in what manner, with what earnestness, with
what emotion, with what a flood of tears, with what agitation of
his whole body, I might almost say with what suspension of his
respiration, by his groans and sobs, who shall attempt to
describe? Whether the rest of the party were so little affected as
to be able to pray, I knew not. For my own part I could not. This
alone, inwardly and briefly, I said: ' Lord, what prayers of thine
own children wilt thou ever grant, if thou grant not these?' For
nothing more seemed possible, but that he should die praying. We
arose; and, after the benediction from the bishop, left him; but
not till he had besought them to be with him in the morning, nor
till they had exhorted him to calmness. The
* " Cum quo, recordantes mirabilia opera Dei, de liac re saepe
collo-cuti sumus, eumque valde meminisse quod commemoramus
invenimus."
THE FATHERS. 39
dreaded day arrived, and the servants of God attended as they
had promised. The medical men made their appearance; all things
required for such an occasion are got ready; and, amidst the
terror and suspense of all present, the dreadful instruments are
brought out. In the mean time, while those of the bystanders,
whose authority was the greatest, endeavour to support the courage
of the patient by words of comfort, he is placed in a convenient
posture for the operation, the dressings are opened, the seat of
the disease is exposed, the surgeon inspects it, and tries to find
the part to be operated upon with his instrument in his hand. He
first looks for it, then examines by the touch. In a word, he
makes every possible trial, and finds the place perfectly healed !
The gladness, the praise, the thanksgivings to a compassionate and
all-powerful God, which, with mingled joy and tears, now burst
from the lips of all present, cannot be told by me: the scene may
more easily be imagined than described*."
* " Inde ad orationem ingressi sumus. Ubi nobis ex more genua
figentibus atque incumbentibus terra, ille se ita projecit tanquam
fuisset aliquo impellente graviter prostratus, et ccepit orare.
Quibus modis, quo affectu, quo motu animi, quo tluvio lachrymarum,
quibus gerni-tibus atque singuhibus succutientibus omnia membra
ejus, et pene intercludentibus spiritum, quis ullis explicet
verbis? Utrum orarent alii, nee in haec eorum averteretur
intentio, nesciebam. Ego tamen prorsus orare nil poteram, hoc
tantummodo breviter in corde meo dixi: Domine, quas tuorum preces
exaudis, si has non exaudis? Nihil enim videbatur addi jam posse,
nisi ut expiraret orando. Surreximus, et, accepta ab Episcopo
benedictione, discessimus, rogante illo ut mane adessent, illisque
ut aequo ammo esset hortantibus. Illuxit dies qui me-tuebatur,
aderant servi Dei sicut se affuturos esse promiserant. Ingressi
sunt medici, parantur omnia quaj hora ilia poscebat, tremenda
ferramenta proferuntur, attonitis suspensisque omnibus. Eis autem
quorum erat major authoritas, defectum animi ejus consolando
erigentibus, ad manus secturi membra in lectulo componuntur,
solvuntur nodi ligamentorum nudatur locus, inspicit medicus, et
secandum ilium sinum armatus atque intentus inquirit. Scrutatur
oculis, digitisque contrectat. Tentat deni-que modis omnibus,
invenjt firmissimam cicatricem. Jam ilia laetitia et laus atque
gratiarum actio misericordi et omnipotenti Deo, quse fusa est ore
omnium lachrymantibus guadiis, non cst comniittenda meis verbis:
cogitatur potius quam dicatur."
40 THE FATHERS.
We have nothing of superstition here, no praying to departed
saints or martyrs: but a prompt and complete cure of a dreadful
malady, in answer to prayer to God, within a very few hours after
a distinguished surgeon, being called in for the occasion, has
decidedly given it as his opinion that an operation of the most
dreadful kind is the only remedy that can save the patient's life.
That same compassionate and gracious Saviour, who refused not
himself to endure, for our sakes, the nails of the executioner,
rescued his trembling servant, in the hour of need, from the knife
of the operator. It may be observed, that many miracles seem to be
double. There is first a special impulse to seek and to expect the
mercy needed, and then a special power in granting it. Such
appears to have, been the case in the present instance. The
sufferer is first impelled to pray— for the circumstances and
manner of his joining in the prayers of his visitors seem, as
related by Augustine, to have been altogether extraordinary —and
then, as an answer to his prayer, and in a manner equally
extraordinary, the mercy comes.
Such is the testimony of Augustine. We have also seen that of
Chrysostom and Isidore. I pause not here upon the testimony of the
earlier Fathers, about whose opinion there can be no dispute.
THE FATHERS. 41
A few examples, brought together by Grotius, are given in
Poole's Synopsis.
" They shall cast out devils.—This gift is placed first by St.
Mark, because it was given alike to all believers, which is proved
also by the history of the times that followed. Thus Justin Martyr
says, in his Dialogue with Trypho, ' Now we also, who believe in
Jesus, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, exorcise, and have
power over, all devils and evil spirits:' and elsewhere, ' At the
power of whose name the devils themselves tremble; and even to
this day, being exorcised in the name of Jesus Christ,' &c. From
which passages we may also learn the formula anciently used in
exorcisms. Irenasus says, ' They also really and beyond a question
cast out devils, so that, not unfrequently, the persons thus
delivered become themselves believers,' &c.. Origen says, ' The
name of Jesus, uttered by true believers, avails against devils.'
Tertullian: 'Produce here some one, in your courts of justice, who
is known to be possessed by a devil. The spirit, on being
commanded by any Christian to speak, will as readily avow himself
to be a devil, which he really is, as elsewhere a god, which he is
not.' Minutius Felix: ' Most of you know that the devils
themselves make all these confessions concerning themselves, as
often as we expel them from men, by words that torture them, and
by speeches that burn them out. Then, they leap out at once, or
gradually disappear; according as faith helps the sufferers, or
the grace of him who performs the cure co-operates.' Origen: '
Many of the Christians cast out devils, not by curious and magical
arts, but merely by prayer, and adjuration alone: whence laymen,
even, can do this, nor is a wise and expert man wanted,' &c.
Lactantius: 'They' (the devils) ' dread the righteous, that is,
the worshippers of God, and go out when adjured by his name.
Scourged by their words, as if by stripes, they not only
acknowledge themselves to be devils, but tell their names, the
same by which they are worshipped in the temple. This they do, for
the most part, in the presence of their wor-
42 THE FATHERS.
shippers, to the disgrace, not of true religion, but of that
religious service which is rendered to themselves: not being able
to lie, either to God, in whose name they are 1 adjured, or to the
righteous, by whose voice they are tormented *.'"
How Grotius then proceeds to argue for more recent miracles,
remains to be seen in a subsequent chapter.
I now proceed to the testimony of AthanasIus.
This brave soldier of Christ was evidently a believer in
miracles, as wrought in his own times, and within his own
knowledge. The sudden and
" (GREEK OMITTED) —Primo loco hoc donum ponit Marcus, quia
com-muniter dabatur omnibus credentibus: quod verum esse etiam
secutorum temporum historia evincit. Justinus Martyr, Colloq. cum
Tryphone, (GREEK OMITTED)- (" Nunc etiam nos, qui credimus in
Jesum—sub Pontio Pilato crucifixum, daemones omncs et malos
spiritus exorcizantes nobis subdilos habemus.") (GREEK OMITTED):
et bodie exorcizati per nomen Jesu Christi, &c ") Ex quibus locis
etiam formulam in exorcismis antiquitus usurnatam est discere.
Iren. 1. 2. (GREEK OMITTED) . " Hi etiam daemonas vere et
indubitanter ejiciunt, ita ut non raro et ipsi qui ab iis liberati
siint, credant, &c") Origines ad Celsum ait, (GREEK OMITTED).
(Nomen Jesu a vere fidelibus prolatum adversus daemones valet,
&c.) Tertul. Apologet. " Edatur hie aliquis sub tribunalibus
vestiis quern dsemone agi constet. Jussus a quolibet Christiano
loqui spirilus ille tam se daemonem confitebitur de vero, quam
alibi deum de false" [Plura ex eo vide in G.] Minutius Felix, "
Haec omnia sciunt pleriqne vestrum ipsos dsemonesde semetipsis
confiteri, quoties a nobis et tormentis ver-borum et orationis
incendiis de corporibus exiguntur. Mox, exsiliunt statim, vel
evanescunt gradatim, prout fides patientes adjuvat, aut gratia
curantis aspirat." Origines adv. Celsum 7. (GREEK OMMITED) &c. ("
Daemoniorum genus non pauci Christianorum ejiciunt, non curiosis
aut magicis artibus, sed sola oratione, et simplici adjuratione:
quare etiam idiola? hoc praestant, nee opus est viro sapiente et
perito, &c.") Lactantius, " Justos autem, id est, cultores Dei,
metuunt " (dsemones,) " cujus nomine adjurati de corporibus
excedunt: quorum verbis, tanquam flagris verberati, non modo
daemones se esse confitentur, sed etiam nomina sua edunt ilia qua?
in templo adorantur; et quod ple-rumque coram cultoribus suis
faciunt, non utique in opprobrium religionis, sed honoris sui:
quia nee Deo, per quern adjuranlur, nee justis, quorum voce
torquentur, mentiri possunt."—See Poole's Synopsis, on Mark
xvi.17.
THE FATHERS. 43
terrible death of his deceitful adversary, Arius, was clearly
regarded by him as miraculous, and with the greatest reason. The
Emperor said to Arius, on the day that the awful death of the
latter took place, and just after he had perjured himself by his
oath of orthodoxy, " If thy faith be sound, thou has sworn well.
If it be impious, and thou hast sworn nevertheless, the Lord
punish thy swearing*." Shortly after, his punishment came. Another
circumstance is remarkable. His friends aimed at introducing him
with triumph into the church; the believers prayed that he might
never come there. His friends boasted, that he should enter the
church the next day. Alexander, bishop of Constantinople, prayed
that, if so, he himself might die; or, if the Lord pitied his
people, he would remove Arius. Arius, meanwhile, passing vainly
and wantonly in triumph through the city, was overtaken, as is
well known, by a sudden and horrid death. Accordingly, Athinasiiis
himself uniformly speaks of the event as miraculous. He says of
it, for instance, " A miraculous and supernatural event took place
+." And, referring to the same event, " For the Lord himself gave
judgment between the threats of the Eusebians and the prayer of
Alexander, and condemned the Arian heresy ++." And once more,
still referring to Arius's sudden and dreadful death: " For no
other,
* Si Sana, inquit, est fides tua, probe jurasti; sin iinpia,
et tamen jurasti, de jurato Deus sumat pcenas."—Vita Atlianasii,
Op. Ed. Paris 1698.
+(GREEK OMMITED) .—Tom. I. p. 341. See also Athanasius's
account of the occurrence, at p. 289.
++ (GREEK OMMITED) .—p. 341.
44 THE FATHERS.
but the Lord himself, whom they had blasphemed, passed a
sentence of condemnation on the heresy ' which had risen up
against Him *." And again, " My opinion is, that when the miracle
of his death is known, not even those can dare to doubt, how
hateful to God is the Arian heresy, who formerly questioned this
+."—A faith in miracles appears in other parts of the works of
Athanasius. I refer not to the apparently superstitious narrative
which is mixed up with his writings, but which, I believe, exists
only in Latin, of miracles said to be done by an image in Berytho,
a city of Syria. The following passage, which we have in the
Greek, is doubtless from the pen of Athanasius himself; and
plainly recognizes the working of miracles in his own times. In
the " Questions," the inquiry is made, " How do heretics work
miracles?" He replies by referring to Matthew vii. 22; and adds, "
For, frequently, it is not the sanctity of him who works the
miracle that effects the cure, but the faith respecting him of the
person who comes to him ++."
EPHRAIM THE SYRIAN, again, plainly alleges miracles as wrought
in his days. If his testimony be objected to, because his belief
is apparently mingled with superstition, I ask, in reply, What
proof could we find, upon such principles, of the
*(GREEK OMITTED).—P- 342.
+(GREEK OMITTED).—P- 340.
++(GREEK OMITTED) . The word (GREEK OMITTED) appears to be
here used in its ecclesiastical sense, as including fastings,
austerities, &c.
THE FATHERS. 45
belief of any truth or doctrine of Scripture in the church of
his day? I will not claim much regard for what he says respecting
the martyrs, and their miracles wrought after death; though here,
it will be observed, he attributes all to the power of the Lord *.
But, in speaking of Basil, he refers to what he did while living;
and says that he performed " showers of miracles +."
Cyril of Alexandria gives the following as a reason why Moses
was ordered to work miracles for the Israelites: " For a miracle
is always conducive to faith, and is well suited to raise up to a
good hope even the mind that is plunged in the depths of sorrow
++:" evidently referring to the use of miracles, as if he was
accustomed to their occurrence while he wrote, and spoke of their
present effects as they came under his cognisance.
That Austin and his companions wrought miracles on their
arrival in Kent, seems to have been fully believed by Fox, of
whose sentiments we shall have to say more hereafter. " At
length," says Fox, " when the king had well considered the honest
conversation of their life, and moved with the miracles wrought
through God's hand by
* (GREEK OMITTED) Op. Ed. Oxon. 1709, p. Yta, &c.
+ (GREEK OMITTED) .—p. Yy.
++(GREEK OMITTED)—Op. Ed. Luteliae, 1638, tom. v. pars 2, p.
244.
46 THE FATHERS.
them, he heard them more gladly*." In the margin he writes, "
Miracles wrought by God for the conversion of the land."
St. Gregory has been appealed to (and more on this subject
when we to come to speak of Huss) as teaching that miracles are
withdrawn: but he does not mean to assert this absolutely. He
says, indeed, referring to his own times, " The low estate of the
faithful is in a manner bereaved of the multitude and notoriety of
miracles +." But it is clear that he means only to speak
comparatively: for he says before of miracles, " The Divine
appointment, indeed, does by no means withdraw them wholly; but it
does not manifest them so openly and frequently as in former times
++ ." This is all that I have ever contended for, with respect to
more recent periods. I have readily admitted that we have not had
of late such frequent or such splendid miracles as in former days:
denying, only, that miracles have altogether past, or, in other
words, that the Christian dispensation has ceased to be
miraculous.
In another place, again, Gregory says, " Be not therefore,
dearest brethren, enamoured of signs, which may be had in common
with the reprobate §." Here he clearly recognizes the possibility
of signs, though he warns his brethren not to lay too much
*Acts and Monuments (commonly called the Book of Martyrs),
London, 1684, vol. i. p. 128; An. 598—600:
+ " Dum igitur humilitas fidelium multitudine et
manifestatione sig-norum quasi destituitur."—B. Gregorius, 34 Mor.
++" Quse quidem nequaquam superna dispensatio funditus
subtrahit, sed non haec, sicut prioribus temporibus, aperte ac
multipliciter ostendit."
§ " Nolite, ergo, fratres charissimi, amare signa, quse
possunt cum reprobis haberi communia."
THE FATHERS. 47
stress on them. Just before, he speaks still more plainly: "
For those material miracles," (he seems to speak of them as
opposed to spiritual miracles, or miracles of grace,) " do
sometimes afford evidence of holiness, but they do not make it *:"
and again, " Even bad men may have them +." (i. e. work or
experience them.)
One word more, respecting the evidence of St. Gregory. I shall
have to shew, in the course of the present work, how the attempt
has been made to falsify the miraculous testimony of
ecclesiastical records, by means of small verbal iniquities (and
their frequent recurrence is most painful), by a specimen from
Morland. There appears to have been something of the same kind in
the present instance. A clause from St. Gregory, just noticed, as
it stands cited in Huss, has a word put in, which totally alters
its sense: " Dum igitur hurrrilitas fidelium omnium multitudine et
mani-festatione signorum quasi destituitur.' This spurious and
ambiguous reading, whether it means " of all believers," or " of
all miracles," seems to have been devised for the purpose of
making it appear that Gregory meant to deny the occurrence of any
miracle in his own days, which, as we have seen, is not the case.
I cannot suppose that Huss would make this alteration. Perhaps
some of his editors did it. The clause stands without " omnium "
(which, in fact, seems to be the interpolation of some very
ignorant person,
*" Nam corporalia ilia miracula ostendunt aliquando
sanctitatem, non autem feciimt."
+..... "ilia" (corporalia)'" habere et mali possunt."—S.
Gregorii
Magni Op. Ed. Rom. vol. iii. 1591. Horn, xxix.in Evangelia.
48 THE FATHERS.
for it goes far to make the whole passage nonsense) in two
editions, the only ones which I have been able to examine, of St.
Gregory's Works; namely, Ed. Antverp. 1572, and Ed. Rom. 1588.
This specimen will shew us how necessary it is to be on our guard,
and to suspect fraud; and to admit no testimonies which the
opponents of miracles may bring against us, till we have
thoroughly examined them.
I cannot conclude this chapter, as it relates to the Fathers,
without a word or two respecting the testimony of Mosheim; which
testimony, though on articles of faith of little value in itself,
acquires some importance from being appealed to by Mr. Noel, who
refers to him respecting " the miracle workers of the eighth
century *."
Of the miracles of the eighth century, Mosheim states that he
regards some as fallacious stratagems, and others as uncommon
events, taken for miraculous by the preachers, and the nations to
whom they went, through their ignorance and simplicity!".
On this opinion of Mosheim, referred to by Mr. Noel, I will
not enter in detail, but content myself with a few remarks which
seem particularly to be called for.
1. The miracles to which Mosheim refers, are " said to have
been wrought by Christian missionaries, who were sent to convert
the barbarous nations. +." He discredits their miracles; but there
is reason to think that, in this century,
* Remarks, p. 4.
+ English Translation. London. 1T68. Cent. viii. -
} Ibid.
THE FATHERS. 49
there were some real missionaries, and therefore it hardly
seems too much to believe some real miracles. Some, I say; well
knowing that it would be perfectly vain to contend for the whole
in a mass. Miracles they certainly claimed; and we cannot deny
their claims, without setting them down as either dupes or
deceivers.
I know it is a principle, in some quarters, that the word of a
Christian Missionary goes for nothing; and that he is not to be
heard as a witness in his own case, even should he write that his
stipend is insufficient to supply himself, his wife, and his
family, with the common necessaries of life. But it seems hard to
understand, why the testimony of the Missionary is of less value
than the opinion of Mosheim.
I have said that there were certainly some Christian
Missionaries in this eighth century; and for proof I refer to
Milner. See, especially, his fourth chapter, entitled " The
Propagation of the Gospel in this Century, including the Life of
Boniface, Archbishop of Mentz*." Of Boniface, or Winfrid,
sometimes called the Apostle of the Germans, Milner writes, " The
reputation of this Saint—such I shall venture to call him, from
the evidence of facts—was spread through the greatest part of
Europe +." Milner clears' his character from many unjust
imputations; proves that he was truly a devoted missionary, and
man of God; and observes, " That the reformation of the clergy,
and the conversion of infidels, were the objects of
* History of the Church, of Christ, vol. iii. p. 172.
+ Ibid. p. 177.
50 THE FATHERS.
his zeal, appears from his literary correspondence, no less
than from the whole tenor of his life*." In the same chapter,
Milner clears and establishes the character of many other devoted
missionaries and martyrs. If, then, miracles are alleged on behalf
of such men, I should really shrink from getting rid of the claim
by disposing of them as " men sunk in abject superstition," and by
calling them " the miracle-workers of the eighth century."
2. Mosheim, always malicious, is particularly charged with
malice, by Milner on this century: " That Mosheim should inveigh
against this missionary, is what might be expected from his
prejudices++: "—and again: " Men were not all without
understanding in those dark seasons.—The indiscriminating censures
of Mosheim on whole centuries, seem to shew more contempt
and ill-humour than discernment ++." Mosheim, therefore, in
drawing an argument against the miracles of this century from
no better grounds than the contemptuous views which he himself
happened to entertain concerning those who recorded, witnessed, or
wrought them, is not to be heard. But
3. As Mr. Noel appears to attach some importance to Mosheim's
sentiments, I would refer him to what that same writer says
respecting the miracles of the fourth century. Mr. Noel
believes, that no miraculous powers, with the exception, perhaps,
of the power to eject devils, " have been claimed in the church
since the second century §."
*Milner's History, p. 182. ++ Ibid- p. 184.
+. Ibid. p. 141. § Remarks, p. 4.
THE FATHERS. 51
But not so Mosheim. Of the fourth century, Mosheim writes
thus:—
" As to the miracles attributed to Anthony, Paul the Hermit,
and Martin, I give them up without the least difficulty, and join
with those who treat these pretended prodigies with the contempt
they deserve. I am also willing to grant, that many events have
been rashly esteemed miraculous, which were the result of the
ordinary laws of nature: and also that several pious frauds have
been imprudently made use of, to give new degrees of weight and
dignity to the Christian cause. But I cannot, on the other hand,
assent to the opinions of those who maintain that in this century
miracles had entirely ceased; and that at this period the
Christian church was not favoured with any extraordinary or
supernatural mark of a Divine power engaged in its cause*."
So true is it, that, in the present controversy, the opponents
of miracles are not contending for the general faith of the
church, but for something much below it.
* Cent. IV.
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