THE MIRACLES
802
_The beginning._--Miracles enable us to judge of doctrine, and doctrine
enables us to judge of miracles.
There are false miracles and true. There must be a distinction, in order
to know them; otherwise they would be useless. Now they are not useless;
on the contrary, they are fundamental. Now the rule which is given to us
must be such, that it does not destroy the proof which the true miracles
give of the truth, which is the chief end of the miracles.
Moses has given two rules: that the prediction does not come to pass
(Deut. xviii), and that they do not lead to idolatry (Deut. xiii); and
Jesus Christ[318] one.
If doctrine regulates miracles, miracles are useless for doctrine.
If miracles regulate....
_Objection to the rule._--The distinction of the times. One rule during
the time of Moses, another at present.
803
_Miracle._--It is an effect, which exceeds the natural power of the
means which are employed for it; and what is not a miracle is an effect,
which does not exceed the natural power of the means which are employed
for it. Thus, those who heal by invocation of the devil do not work a
miracle; for that does not exceed the natural power of the devil.
But ...
804
The two fundamentals; one inward, the other outward; grace and miracles;
both supernatural.
805
Miracles and truth are necessary, because it is necessary to convince
the entire man, in body and soul.
806
In all times, either men have spoken of the true God, or the true God
has spoken to men.
807
Jesus Christ has verified that He was the Messiah, never in verifying
His doctrine by Scripture and the prophecies, but always by His
miracles.
He proves by a miracle that He remits sins.
Rejoice not in your miracles, said Jesus Christ, but because your names
are written in heaven.[319]
If they believe not Moses, neither will they believe one risen from the
dead.
Nicodemus recognises by His miracles that His teaching is of God.
_Scimus quia venisti a Deo magister; nemo enim potest haec signa facere
quae tu facis nisi Deus fuerit cum eo._[320] He does not judge of the
miracles by the teaching, but of the teaching by the miracles.
The Jews had a doctrine of God as we have one of Jesus Christ, and
confirmed by miracles. They were forbidden to believe every worker of
miracles; and they were further commanded to have recourse to the chief
priests, and to rely on them.
And thus, in regard to their prophets, they had all those reasons which
we have for refusing to believe the workers of miracles.
And yet they were very sinful in rejecting the prophets, and Jesus
Christ, because of their miracles; and they would not have been
culpable, if they had not seen the miracles. _Nisi fecissem ... peccatum
non haberent._[321] Therefore all belief rests upon miracles.
Prophecy is not called miracle; as Saint John speaks of the first
miracle in Cana, and then of what Jesus Christ says to the woman of
Samaria, when He reveals to her all her hidden life. Then He heals the
centurion's son; and Saint John calls this "the second miracle."[322]
808
The combinations of miracles.
809
The second miracle can suppose the first, but the first cannot suppose
the second.
810
Had it not been for the miracles, there would have been no sin in not
believing in Jesus Christ.
811
I should not be a Christian, but for the miracles, said Saint Augustine.
812
_Miracles._--How I hate those who make men doubt of miracles!
Montaigne[323] speaks of them as he should in two places. In one, we see
how careful he is; and yet, in the other, he believes, and makes sport
of unbelievers.
However it may be, the Church is without proofs if they are right.
813
Montaigne against miracles.
Montaigne for miracles.
814
It is not possible to have a reasonable belief against miracles.
815
Unbelievers the most credulous. They believe the miracles of Vespasian,
in order not to believe those of Moses.
816
_Title: How it happens that men believe so many liars, who say that they
have seen miracles, and do not believe any of those who say that they
have secrets to make men immortal, or restore youth to them._--Having
considered how it happens that so great credence is given to so many
impostors, who say they have remedies, often to the length of men
putting their lives into their hands, it has appeared to me that the
true cause is that there are true remedies. For it would not be possible
that there should be so many false remedies, and that so much faith
should be placed in them, if there were none true. If there had never
been any remedy for any ill, and all ills had been incurable, it is
impossible that men should have imagined that they could give remedies,
and still more impossible that so many others should have believed those
who boasted of having remedies; in the same way as did a man boast of
preventing death, no one would believe him, because there is no example
of this. But as there were a number of remedies found to be true by the
very knowledge of the greatest men, the belief of men is thereby
induced; and, this being known to be possible, it has been therefore
concluded that it was. For people commonly reason thus: "A thing is
possible, therefore it is"; because the thing cannot be denied
generally, since there are particular effects which are true, the
people, who cannot distinguish which among these particular effects are
true, believe them all. In the same way, the reason why so many false
effects are credited to the moon, is that there are some true, as the
tide.
It is the same with prophecies, miracles, divination by dreams,
sorceries, etc. For if there had been nothing true in all this, men
would have believed nothing of them; and thus, instead of concluding
that there are no true miracles because there are so many false, we
must, on the contrary, say that there certainly are true miracles, since
there are false, and that there are false miracles only because some are
true. We must reason in the same way about religion; for it would not be
possible that men should have imagined so many false religions, if there
had not been a true one. The objection to this is that savages have a
religion; but the answer is that they have heard the true spoken of, as
appears by the deluge, circumcision, the cross of Saint Andrew, etc.
817
Having considered how it comes that there are so many false miracles,
false revelations, sorceries, etc., it has seemed to me that the true
cause is that there are some true; for it would not be possible that
there should be so many false miracles, if there were none true, nor so
many false revelations, if there were none true, nor so many false
religions, if there were not one true. For if there had never been all
this, it is almost impossible that men should have imagined it, and
still more impossible that so many others should have believed it. But
as there have been very great things true, and as they have been
believed by great men, this impression has been the cause that nearly
everybody is rendered capable of believing also the false. And thus,
instead of concluding that there are no true miracles, since there are
so many false, it must be said, on the contrary, that there are true
miracles, since there are so many false; and that there are false ones
only because there are true; and that in the same way there are false
religions because there is one true.--Objection to this: savages have a
religion. But this is because they have heard the true spoken of, as
appears by the cross of Saint Andrew, the deluge, circumcision,
etc.--This arises from the fact that the human mind, finding itself
inclined to that side by the truth, becomes thereby susceptible of all
the falsehoods of this ...
818
Jeremiah xxiii, 32. The _miracles_ of the false prophets. In the Hebrew
and Vatable[324] they are the _tricks_.
_Miracle_ does not always signify miracle. I Sam. xiv, 15; _miracle_
signifies _fear_, and is so in the Hebrew. The same evidently in Job
xxxiii, 7; and also Isaiah xxi, 4; Jeremiah xliv, 12. _Portentum_
signifies _simulacrum_, Jeremiah l, 38; and it is so in the Hebrew and
Vatable. Isaiah viii, 18. Jesus Christ says that He and His will be in
_miracles_.
819
If the devil favoured the doctrine which destroys him, he would be
divided against himself, as Jesus Christ said. If God favoured the
doctrine which destroys the Church, He would be divided against Himself.
_Omne regnum divisum._[325] For Jesus Christ wrought against the devil,
and destroyed his power over the heart, of which exorcism is the
symbolisation, in order to establish the kingdom of God. And thus He
adds, _Si in digito Dei ... regnum Dei ad vos_.[326]
820
There is a great difference between tempting and leading into error. God
tempts, but He does not lead into error. To tempt is to afford
opportunities, which impose no necessity; if men do not love God, they
will do a certain thing. To lead into error is to place a man under the
necessity of inferring and following out what is untrue.
821
Abraham and Gideon are above revelation. The Jews blinded themselves in
judging of miracles by the Scripture. God has never abandoned His true
worshippers.
I prefer to follow Jesus Christ than any other, because He has miracle,
prophecy, doctrine, perpetuity, etc.
The Donatists. No miracle which obliges them to say it is the devil.
The more we particularise God, Jesus Christ, the Church ...
822
If there were no false miracles, there would be certainty. If there were
no rule to judge of them, miracles would be useless, and there would be
no reason for believing.
Now there is, humanly speaking, no human certainty, but we have reason.
823
Either God has confounded the false miracles, or He has foretold them;
and in both ways He has raised Himself above what is supernatural with
respect to us, and has raised us to it.
824
Miracles serve not to convert, but to condemn. (Q. 113, A. 10, _Ad._
2.)[327]
825
_Reasons why we do not believe._
John xii, 37. _Cum autem tanta signa fecisset, non credebant in eum, ut
sermo Isayae impleretur. Excaecavit_, etc.
_Haec dixit Isaias, quando vidit gloriam ejus et locutus est de eo._
_Judaei signa petunt et Graeci sapientiam quaerunt, nos autem Jesum
crucifixum. Sed plenum signis, sed plenum sapientia; vos autem Christum
non crucifixum et religionem sine miraculis et sine sapientia._[328]
What makes us not believe in the true miracles, is want of love. John:
_Sed vos non creditis, quia non estis ex ovibus._[329] What makes us
believe the false is want of love. II Thess. ii.
The foundation of religion. It is the miracles. What then? Does God
speak against miracles, against the foundations of the faith which we
have in Him?
If there is a God, faith in God must exist on earth. Now the miracles of
Jesus Christ are not foretold by Antichrist, but the miracles of
Antichrist are foretold by Jesus Christ. And so if Jesus Christ were not
the Messiah, He would have indeed led into error. When Jesus Christ
foretold the miracles of Antichrist, did He think of destroying faith in
His own miracles?
Moses foretold Jesus Christ, and bade to follow Him. Jesus Christ
foretold Antichrist, and forbade to follow him.
It was impossible that in the time of Moses men should keep their faith
for Antichrist, who was unknown to them. But it is quite easy, in the
time of Antichrist, to believe in Jesus Christ, already known.
There is no reason for believing in Antichrist, which there is not for
believing in Jesus Christ. But there are reasons for believing in Jesus
Christ, which there are not for believing in the other.
826
Judges xiii, 23: "If the Lord were pleased to kill us, He would not have
shewed us all these things."
Hezekiah, Sennacherib.
Jeremiah. Hananiah, the false prophet, dies in seven months.
2 Macc. iii. The temple, ready for pillage, miraculously succoured.--2
Macc. xv.
1 Kings xvii. The widow to Elijah, who had restored her son, "By this I
know that thy words are true."
1 Kings xviii. Elijah with the prophets of Baal.
In the dispute concerning the true God and the truth of religion, there
has never happened any miracle on the side of error, and not of truth.
827
_Opposition._--Abel, Cain; Moses, the Magicians; Elijah, the false
prophets: Jeremiah, Hananiah; Micaiah, the false prophets; Jesus Christ,
the Pharisees; St. Paul, Bar-jesus; the Apostles, the Exorcists;
Christians, unbelievers; Catholics, heretics; Elijah, Enoch, Antichrist.
828
Jesus Christ says that the Scriptures testify of Him. But He does not
point out in what respect.
Even the prophecies could not prove Jesus Christ during His life; and
so, men would not have been culpable for not believing in Him before His
death, had the miracles not sufficed without doctrine. Now those who did
not believe in Him, when He was still alive, were sinners, as He said
Himself, and without excuse. Therefore they must have had proof beyond
doubt, which they resisted. Now, they had not the prophecies, but only
the miracles. Therefore the latter suffice, when the doctrine is not
inconsistent with them; and they ought to be believed.
John vii, 40. _Dispute among the Jews as among the Christians of
to-day._ Some believed in Jesus Christ; others believed Him not, because
of the prophecies which said that He should be born in Bethlehem. They
should have considered more carefully whether He was not. For His
miracles being convincing, they should have been quite sure of these
supposed contradictions of His teaching to Scripture; and this obscurity
did not excuse, but blinded them. Thus those who refuse to believe in
the miracles in the present day on account of a supposed contradiction,
which is unreal, are not excused.
The Pharisees said to the people, who believed in Him, because of His
miracles: "This people who knoweth not the law are cursed. But have any
of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? For we know that out
of Galilee ariseth no prophet." Nicodemus answered: "Doth our law judge
any man before it hear him, [and specially, such a man who works such
miracles]?"
829
The prophecies were ambiguous; they are no longer so.
830
The five propositions were ambiguous; they are no longer so.
831
Miracles are no longer necessary, because we have had them already. But
when tradition is no longer minded; when the Pope alone is offered to
us; when he has been imposed upon; and when the true source of truth,
which is tradition, is thus excluded; and the Pope, who is its guardian,
is biased; the truth is no longer free to appear. Then, as men speak no
longer of truth, truth itself must speak to men. This is what happened
in the time of Arius. (Miracles under Diocletian and under Arius.)
832
_Miracle._--The people concluded this of themselves; but if the reason
of it must be given to you ...
It is unfortunate to be in exception to the rule. The same must be
strict, and opposed to exception. But yet, as it is certain that there
are exceptions to a rule, our judgment must though strict, be just.
833
John vi, 26: _Non quia vidisti signum, sed quia saturati estis._
Those who follow Jesus Christ because of His miracles honour His power
in all the miracles which it produces. But those who, making profession
to follow Him because of His miracles, follow Him in fact only because
He comforts them and satisfies them with worldly blessings, discredit
His miracles, when they are opposed to their own comforts.
John ix: _Non est hic homo a Deo, quia sabbatum non custodit. Alii:
Quomodo potest homo peccator haec signa facere?_
Which is the most clear?
This house is not of God; for they do not there believe that the five
propositions are in Jansenius. Others: This house is of God; for in it
there are wrought strange miracles.
Which is the most clear?
_Tu quid dicis? Dico quia propheta est. Nisi esset hic a Deo, non
poterat facere quidquam._[330]
834
In the Old Testament, when they will turn you from God. In the New, when
they will turn you from Jesus Christ. These are the occasions for
excluding particular miracles from belief. No others need be excluded.
Does it therefore follow that they would have the right to exclude all
the prophets who came to them? No; they would have sinned in not
excluding those who denied God, and would have sinned in excluding those
who did not deny God.
So soon, then, as we see a miracle, we must either assent to it, or have
striking proofs to the contrary. We must see if it denies a God, or
Jesus Christ, or the Church.
835
There is a great difference between not being for Jesus Christ and
saying so, and not being for Jesus Christ and pretending to be so. The
one party can do miracles, not the others. For it is clear of the one
party, that they are opposed to the truth, but not of the others; and
thus miracles are clearer.
836
That we must love one God only is a thing so evident, that it does not
require miracles to prove it.
837
Jesus Christ performed miracles, then the apostles, and the first saints
in great number; because the prophecies not being yet accomplished, but
in the process of being accomplished by them, the miracles alone bore
witness to them. It was foretold that the Messiah should convert the
nations. How could this prophecy be fulfilled without the conversion of
the nations? And how could the nations be converted to the Messiah, if
they did not see this final effect of the prophecies which prove Him?
Therefore, till He had died, risen again, and converted the nations, all
was not accomplished; and so miracles were needed during all this time.
Now they are no longer needed against the Jews; for the accomplished
prophecies constitute a lasting miracle.
838
"Though ye believe not Me, believe at least the works."[331] He refers
them, as it were, to the strongest proof.
It had been told to the Jews, as well as to Christians, that they should
not always believe the prophets; but yet the Pharisees and Scribes are
greatly concerned about His miracles, and try to show that they are
false, or wrought by the devil. For they must needs be convinced, if
they acknowledge that they are of God.
At the present day we are not troubled to make this distinction. Still
it is very easy to do: those who deny neither God nor Jesus Christ do no
miracles which are not certain. _Nemo facit virtutem in nomine meo, et
cito possit de me male loqui._[332]
But we have not to draw this distinction. Here is a sacred relic.[333]
Here is a thorn from the crown of the Saviour of the world, over whom
the prince of this world has no power, which works miracles by the
peculiar power of the blood shed for us. Now God Himself chooses this
house in order to display conspiciously therein His power.
These are not men who do miracles by an unknown and doubtful virtue,
which makes a decision difficult for us. It is God Himself. It is the
instrument of the Passion of His only Son, who, being in many places,
chooses this, and makes men come from all quarters there to receive
these miraculous alleviations in their weaknesses.
839
The Church has three kinds of enemies: the Jews, who have never been of
her body; the heretics, who have withdrawn from it; and the evil
Christians, who rend her from within.
These three kinds of different adversaries usually attack her in
different ways. But here they attack her in one and the same way. As
they are all without miracles, and as the Church has always had miracles
against them, they have all had the same interest in evading them; and
they all make use of this excuse, that doctrine must not be judged by
miracles, but miracles by doctrine. There were two parties among those
who heard Jesus Christ: those who followed His teaching on account of
His miracles; others who said.... There were two parties in the time of
Calvin.... There are now the Jesuits, etc.
840
Miracles furnish the test in matters of doubt, between Jews and
heathens, Jews and Christians, Catholics and heretics, the slandered and
slanderers, between the two crosses.
But miracles would be useless to heretics; for the Church, authorised by
miracles which have already obtained belief, tells us that they have not
the true faith. There is no doubt that they are not in it, since the
first miracles of the Church exclude belief of theirs. Thus there is
miracle against miracle, both the first and greatest being on the side
of the Church.
These nuns,[334] astonished at what is said, that they are in the way of
perdition; that their confessors are leading them to Geneva; that they
suggest to them that Jesus Christ is not in the Eucharist, nor on the
right hand of the Father; know that all this is false, and therefore
offer themselves to God in this state. _Vide si via iniquitatis in me
est._[335] What happens thereupon? This place, which is said to be the
temple of the devil, God makes His own temple. It is said that the
children must be taken away from it. God heals them there. It is said
that it is the arsenal of hell. God makes of it the sanctuary of His
grace. Lastly, they are threatened with all the fury and vengeance of
heaven; and God overwhelms them with favours. A man would need to have
lost his senses to conclude from this that they are therefore in the way
of perdition.
(We have without doubt the same signs as Saint Athanasius.)
841
_Si tu es Christus, dic nobis.[336]
Opera quae ego facio in nomine patris mei, haec testimonium perhibent de
me. Sed vos non creditis quia non estis ex ovibus meis. Oves meoe vocem
meam audiunt._[337]
John vi, 30. _Quod ergo tu facis signum ut videamus et credamus
tibi?--Non dicunt: Quam doctrinam praedicas?
Nemo potest facere signa quae tu facis nisi Deus._[338]
2 Macc. xiv, 15. _Deus qui signis evidentibus suam portionem protegit.
Volumus signum videre de coelo, tentantes eum._ Luke xi, 16.
_Generatio prava signum quaerit; et non dabitur.[339]
Et ingemiscens ait: Quid generatio ista signum quaerit?_ (Mark viii, 12.)
They asked a sign with an evil intention.
_Et non poterat facere._[340] And yet he promises them the sign of
Jonah, the great and wonderful miracle of his resurrection.
_Nisi videritis, non creditis._[341] He does not blame them for not
believing unless there are miracles, but for not believing unless they
are themselves spectators of them.
Antichrist _in signis mendacibus_, says Saint Paul, 2 Thess. ii.
_Secundum operationem Satanae, in seductione iis qui pereunt eo quod
charitatem veritatis non receperunt ut salvi fierent, ideo mittet illis
Deus optationes erroris ut credant mendacio._
As in the passage of Moses: _Tentat enim vos Deus, utrum diligatis
eum.[342]
Ecce praedixi vobis: vos ergo videte._[343]
842
Here is not the country of truth. She wanders unknown amongst men. God
has covered her with a veil, which leaves her unrecognised by those who
do not hear her voice. Room is opened for blasphemy, even against the
truths that are at least very likely. If the truths of the Gospel are
published, the contrary is published too, and the questions are
obscured, so that the people cannot distinguish. And they ask, "What
have you to make you believed rather than others? What sign do you give?
You have only words, and so have we. If you had miracles, good and
well." That doctrine ought to be supported by miracles is a truth, which
they misuse in order to revile doctrine. And if miracles happen, it is
said that miracles are not enough without doctrine; and this is another
truth, which they misuse in order to revile miracles.
Jesus Christ cured the man born blind, and performed a number of
miracles on the Sabbath day. In this way He blinded the Pharisees, who
said that miracles must be judged by doctrine.
"We have Moses: but, as for this fellow, we know not from whence he
is."[344] It is wonderful that you know not whence He is, and yet He
does such miracles.
Jesus Christ spoke neither against God, nor against Moses.
Antichrist and the false prophets, foretold by both Testaments, will
speak openly against God and against Jesus Christ. Who is not hidden ...
God would not allow him, who would be a secret enemy, to do miracles
openly.
In a public dispute where the two parties profess to be for God, for
Jesus Christ, for the Church, miracles have never been on the side of
the false Christians, and the other side has never been without a
miracle.
"He hath a devil." John x, 21. And others said, "Can a devil open the
eyes of the blind?"
The proofs which Jesus Christ and the apostles draw from Scripture are
not conclusive; for they say only that Moses foretold that a prophet
should come. But they do not thereby prove that this is He; and that is
the whole question. These passages therefore serve only to show that
they are not contrary to Scripture, and that there appears no
inconsistency, but not that there is agreement. Now this is enough,
namely, exclusion of inconsistency, along with miracles.
There is a mutual duty between God and men. We must pardon Him this
saying: Quid debui?[345] "Accuse me," said God in Isaiah.
"God must fulfil His promises," etc.
Men owe it to God to accept the religion which He sends. God owes it to
men not to lead them into error. Now, they would be led into error, if
the workers of miracles announced a doctrine which should not appear
evidently false to the light of common sense, and if a greater worker of
miracles had not already warned men not to believe them.
Thus, if there were divisions in the Church, and the Arians, for
example, who declared themselves founded on Scripture just as the
Catholics, had done miracles, and not the Catholics, men should have
been led into error.
For, as a man, who announces to us the secrets of God, is not worthy to
be believed on his private authority, and that is why the ungodly doubt
him; so when a man, as a token of the communion which he has with God,
raises the dead, foretells the future, removes the seas, heals the sick,
there is none so wicked as not to bow to him, and the incredulity of
Pharaoh and the Pharisees is the effect of a supernatural obduracy.
When, therefore, we see miracles and a doctrine not suspicious, both on
one side, there is no difficulty. But when we see miracles and
suspicious doctrine on the same side, we must then see which is the
clearest. Jesus Christ was suspected.
Bar-jesus blinded.[346] The power of God surpasses that of His enemies.
The Jewish exorcists[347] beaten by the devils, saying, "Jesus I know,
and Paul I know; but who are ye?"
Miracles are for doctrine, and not doctrine for miracles.
If the miracles are true, shall we be able to persuade men of all
doctrine? No; for this will not come to pass. _Si angelus_[348]....
Rule: we must judge of doctrine by miracles; we must judge of miracles
by doctrine. All this is true, but contains no contradiction.
For we must distinguish the times.
How glad you are to know the general rules, thinking thereby to set up
dissension, and render all useless! We shall prevent you, my father;
truth is one and constant.
It is impossible, from the duty of God to men, that a man, hiding his
evil teaching, and only showing the good, saying that he conforms to God
and the Church, should do miracles so as to instil insensibly a false
and subtle doctrine. This cannot happen.
And still less, that God, who knows the heart, should perform miracles
in favour of such a one.
843
The three marks of religion: perpetuity, a good life, miracles. They
destroy perpetuity by their doctrine of probability; a good life by
their morals; miracles by destroying either their truth or the
conclusions to be drawn from them.
If we believe them, the Church will have nothing to do with perpetuity,
holiness, and miracles. The heretics deny them, or deny the conclusions
to be drawn from them; they do the same. But one would need to have no
sincerity in order to deny them, or again to lose one's senses in order
to deny the conclusions to be drawn from them.
Nobody has ever suffered martyrdom for the miracles which he says he has
seen; for the folly of men goes perhaps to the length of martyrdom, for
those which the Turks believe by tradition, but not for those which they
have seen.
844
The heretics have always attacked these three marks, which they have
not.
845
_First objection_: "An angel from heaven.[349] We must not judge of
truth by miracles, but of miracles by truth. Therefore the miracles are
useless."
Now they are of use, and they must not be in opposition to the truth.
Therefore what Father Lingende[350] has said, that "God will not permit
that a miracle may lead into error...."
When there shall be a controversy in the same Church, miracle will
decide.
_Second objection_: "But Antichrist will do miracles."
The magicians of Pharaoh did not entice to error. Thus we cannot say to
Jesus respecting Antichrist, "You have led me into error." For
Antichrist will do them against Jesus Christ, and so they cannot lead
into error. Either God will not permit false miracles, or He will
procure greater.
[Jesus Christ has existed since the beginning of the world: this is more
impressive than all the miracles of Antichrist.]
If in the same Church there should happen a miracle on the side of those
in error, men would be led into error. Schism is visible; a miracle is
visible. But schism is more a sign of error than a miracle is a sign of
truth. Therefore a miracle cannot lead into error.
But apart from schism, error is not so obvious as a miracle is obvious.
Therefore a miracle could lead into error.
_Ubi est Deus tuus?_[351] Miracles show Him, and are a light.
846
One of the anthems for Vespers at Christmas: _Exortum est in tenebris
lumen rectis corde._[352]
847
If the compassion of God is so great that He instructs us to our
benefit, even when He hides Himself, what light ought we not to expect
from Him when He reveals Himself?
848
Will _Est et non est_ be received in faith itself as well as in
miracles? And if it is inseparable in the others ...
When Saint Xavier[353] works miracles.--[Saint Hilary. "Ye wretches, who
oblige us to speak of miracles."]
Unjust judges, make not your own laws on the moment; judge by those
which are established, and by yourselves. _Vae qui conditis leges
iniquas._[354]
Miracles endless, false.
In order to weaken your adversaries, you disarm the whole Church.
If they say that our salvation depends upon God, they are "heretics." If
they say that they are obedient to the Pope, that is "hypocrisy." If
they are ready to subscribe to all the articles, that is not enough. If
they say that a man must not be killed for an apple, "they attack the
morality of Catholics." If miracles are done among them, it is not a
sign of holiness, and is, on the contrary, a symptom of heresy.
This way in which the Church has existed is that truth has been without
dispute, or, if it has been contested, there has been the Pope, or,
failing him, there has been the Church.
849
The five propositions[355] condemned, but no miracle; for the truth was
not attacked. But the Sorbonne ... but the bull....
It is impossible that those who love God with all their heart should
fail to recognise the Church; so evident is she.--It is impossible that
those who do not love God should be convinced of the Church.
Miracles have such influence that it was necessary that God should warn
men not to believe in them in opposition to Him, all clear as it is that
there is a God. Without this they would have been able to disturb men.
And thus so far from these passages, Deut. xiii, making against the
authority of the miracles, nothing more indicates their influence. And
the same in respect of Antichrist. "To seduce, if it were possible, even
the elect."[356]
850
The history of the man born blind.
What says Saint Paul? Does he continually speak of the evidence of the
prophecies? No, but of his own miracle. What says Jesus Christ? Does He
speak of the evidence of the prophecies? No; His death had not fulfilled
them. But He says, _Si non fecissem_.[357] Believe the works.
Two supernatural foundations of our wholly supernatural religion; one
visible, the other invisible; miracles with grace, miracles without
grace.
The synagogue, which had been treated with love as a type of the Church,
and with hatred, because it was only the type, has been restored, being
on the point of falling when it was well with God, and thus a type.
Miracles prove the power which God has over hearts, by that which He
exercises over bodies.
The Church has never approved a miracle among heretics.
Miracles a support of religion: they have been the test of Jews; they
have been the test of Christians, saints, innocents, and true believers.
A miracle among schismatics is not so much to be feared; for schism,
which is more obvious than a miracle, visibly indicates their error. But
when there is no schism, and error is in question, miracle decides.
_Si non fecissem quae alius non fecit._ The wretches who have obliged us
to speak of miracles.
Abraham and Gideon confirm faith by miracles.
Judith. God speaks at last in their greatest oppression.
If the cooling of love leaves the Church almost without believers,
miracles will rouse them. This is one of the last effects of grace.
If one miracle were wrought among the Jesuits!
When a miracle disappoints the expectation of those in whose presence it
happens, and there is a disproportion between the state of their faith
and the instrument of the miracle, it ought then to induce them to
change. But with you it is otherwise. There would be as much reason in
saying that, if the Eucharist raised a dead man, it would be necessary
for one to turn a Calvinist rather than remain a Catholic. But when it
crowns the expectation, and those, who hoped that God would bless the
remedies, see themselves healed without remedies ...
_The ungodly._--No sign has ever happened on the part of the devil
without a stronger sign on the part of God, or even without it having
been foretold that such would happen.
851
Unjust persecutors of those whom God visibly protects. If they reproach
you with your excesses, "they speak as the heretics." If they say that
the grace of Jesus Christ distinguishes us, "they are heretics." If they
do miracles, "it is the mark of their heresy."
Ezekiel.--They say: These are the people of God who speak thus.
It is said, "Believe in the Church";[358] but it is not said, "Believe
in miracles"; because the last is natural, and not the first. The one
had need of a precept, not the other. Hezekiah.
The synagogue was only a type, and thus it did not perish; and it was
only a type, and so it is decayed. It was a type which contained the
truth, and thus it has lasted until it no longer contained the truth.
My reverend father, all this happened in types. Other religions perish;
this one perishes not.
Miracles are more important than you think. They have served for the
foundation, and will serve for the continuation of the Church till
Antichrist, till the end.
The two witnesses.
In the Old Testament and the New, miracles are performed in connection
with types. Salvation, or a useless thing, if not to show that we must
submit to the Scriptures: type of the sacrament.
852
[We must judge soberly of divine ordinances, my father.
Saint Paul in the isle of Malta.]
853
The hardness of the Jesuits, then, surpasses that of the Jews, since
those refused to believe Jesus Christ innocent only because they doubted
if His miracles were of God. Whereas the Jesuits, though unable to doubt
that the miracles of Port-Royal are of God, do not cease to doubt still
the innocence of that house.
854
I suppose that men believe miracles. You corrupt religion either in
favour of your friends, or against your enemies. You arrange it at your
will.
855
_On the miracle._--As God has made no family more happy, let it also be
the case that He find none more thankful.