teftimony. For this would make way for a perpetual feries of delufion, if every pretender to divine infpiration was to be believed without proof. Now the proof is the extraordinary affiftance God affords to the perfon who really comes in his name, and this affiftance appears either in the fpirit of prophecy, or the power of miracles; both which, but efpecially the latter, were visible in the apoftles, and were an evident confirmation of the doctrines which they taught.

Now there can be no occafion for new. miracles, unless there be new dectrines; and here indeed the church of Rome feem to have made the first neceffary, by their plentiful introduction of the latter. But have they really any of these which may be depended upon? Have they fupported their additional articles of faith with confirmatory works beyond the power of natural agents? Here they glory, here they triumph. Their flock of miracles is inexhauftible, for there is not a relique of theirs which has not wrought mighty wonders, not a country faint (for they make a difference) but that the curate of the place fhall tell you more miracles of his performing, than you can read in all the acts of the apoftles. As if chriftianity wanted more evidences now a days, and that in a chriftian

country,

country, than when it was to ftruggle in its infancy against the cunning of the Greek, the obftinacy of the Jew, and all the perverfeness of a feduced, unenlightened world. But it is not only their living faints that do mighty things; there refides a power even in their afhes, in the minuteft trifles that the good men wore, to perform the fame; nay a hair of many of thera has worked as powerfully at a hundred miles diftance after their decease, as if they themfelves had been prefent, and upon the fpot. As the bones of Scanderbeg were to influence his followers to conquer their worldly enemies, fo thofe of their fain's by an equal virtue are piously bequeathed to fubdue fatar, and the powers of darkness. Here indeed I am upon a fad fubject of lies and fictions, but fuch a one as deferves to be difplayed in its proper colours. How fhamefully ridiculous are even their own accounts of their miracles? Was it a worthy piece of the angelical miniftration, for angels to go trotting over fea and land with a lead of timber and ftones of the Virgin Mary's boufe, till at length they fet it down at Leretto, that it might be honoured with greater devotion? This ftory feems the more filly, because if it had stood in the fame place where it was built, their religion gives them a warFant to have visited it at any distance, and the merit of the pilgrimage would have well

recompenced the tediousness of the journey. Is it not a goodly ftory to tell of a faint that walked a vast way after his head was cut off, with it in his arms, refting in fome places to draw breath? And yet any one would pass for an infidel that should doubt of this at St. Dennis's church. The miracles of the chriftian faith, were grave and folemn actions; but what scenical ridiculous flories, not to fay blafphemous ones, make up the miracles of their faints! Again, the miracles of Chrift and his apostles were acted in a public manner, in the view of all, and even before the face of their adverfaries; but moft of thefe wonders were tranfacted in corners, none be. ing witnesses but perfons concerned to own and vindicate the cheat: From hence it comes to pass, that they abound with fo many fables of Chrift's appearing in the hoft, fometimes. as a child, and fometimes as crucified, when but very few of the whole company present were honoured with that amazing fight. Now when once it has been received as a truth that something miraculous may be performed among a great multitude, and yet may be only difcernible by a select number, it foon becomes impiety to queftion any the most monstrous fiction that can be invented; and thus a foundation is laid for the juggling priesthood to trump up as many miracles as they pleafe, fince they

may

may be easily furnished from their own fociety. with proper evidences.

Further, the miracles of the chriftian faith were written in the times in which they were acted, to the end that enquiries might have been made into their truth, or their falfhood; and the powers who then governed, being adverfaries to the chriftian faith if there had been any forgery, it had not only been fafe but meritorious for its enemies to have discovered them, and published them to the world. But most of the miracles of: Rome, have flept with their prètended performers many years, if not ages, and are never heard of till they are fecure from the aftergame of difcovery, and then they are blazoned out with mighty pomp and devotion.. And here, when the inventor's head is at work, he may as well trick up his faint, with a hundred miracles as one; nay he has the whole creation before him, and nothing to obftruct his choice, and fo may pitch upon what wonders he thinks most likely to prove new and fashionable. But we may fairly afk the que-ftion how it comes to pafs, that in heretical countries (as they are pleased to call them); where there is a greater neceffity for those mi- racles, and where they might be proved, if true, by a more incontestable evidence, fince

.

the examiners of them were not to be fufpected, yet none of thofe mighty works do fhew themfelves forth? Are they confined to Italy, and Spain, and must we never be bleffed with one for the converfion of multitudes in Britain? This gives good grounds to believe their whole account to be a forgery, a bold impofition of a cunning imperious priesthood, working upon the ignorance, the credulity, or the fears of the laity. And indeed the contrivers of thefe ftories have not managed their design with fuch dexterity, as one might have expected from them; for they have beftowed as many wonders fometimes upon one perfon, as might have fainted half an order. And now, if any one is not fatisfied with fin's, and their performances, let him confider farther what conformity the prefent Rome bears to the ancient, and what a low debafed mimickry they have reduced the Christian religion to of Heathenish fuperftition. It will bear, I fear, too juft a parallel; let those who make it, tremble at the effects and confequences.

Yet there is fill fomething more dangerous behind in thefe miracle-morgers of the Remish church. For the people being taught to believe thefe forgeries, and the real miracles of the gofpel with an equal certainty,