Proph than Miracles. On the Saturdayafter &c. And on able Alit d his lifetime; but being put out ofthis his errour, in that other life, he prefent- Iy defiredAbraham to fendonein all haft from thedead, ro preach veto his kin- dred, that they mightforfake this their errour : but hee receiued this fhort an- fwer, HabentMoyien & Prophet,er, They beMoles andthe Prophets. Where there is Scripture, there is no needof miracles : And Saint Peter faith, That Prophe- cie hath more affurancein itthan the euidence of miracles. This isa truth hard to bevnderitood. Firft, Becaufe amiracle (as Saint Hierome faith ) is, as it were,theApoftoli- call Seale ; and theApoftles didconfirmetheir Faith by miracles : and thofemi- racles that were prophecied ofour Sauiour Chrift heretofore, diddeclare him tobe the Sonneof God. Saintc4ugujline treating at large vpon thisplace,faith, That Propheciesand Miracleshaue one and the felfe fame certitude , becaufe theyproceed from one and the felfe fame God : but thatProp'necie is the ftron- ger andmore forcible of the two ; fora Miracle maybee found fault withall,as the Pharifees didwith thatMiracle ofhim that was poffeffed with a Deuil, tel- ling our Sauiour,InBelzebub the Prince ofDeuils thoudooft 4 out DeuiII . And that famePythonifl'e,made theDeuill to appeare in the forme of Samuel: But AbrahamtellsDices, Theyhaue crifofês andthe Prophets. And noman can taxe the Scripture, or challenge it of any fault. Saint Chryfofiomeaskes the queftion, Whyhe didnot fetch force of the Dam- nedout ofHell e Firftofall,heanfwereth thereunto,That wehaue many piEturesofHel inthis life ; but of Heauen, very few : For although that the Worldbe,as it were, the Entrefuelo,ormiddle roome ofthefe twoextreames, Heauen,and Hell;yetmore arethe fumes & vapours that afcend vp from beneath, than thofesufles,&con- tents whichdefcend from aboue. Therewerea fort ofHeretickes that denied there wasaHell; itfeeming vnto them, thatthe lifeof a Sinner was a Hellofit felfe,and that itstood not with Godsmercie, that there fhould be twoHels;al- ledgingthat ofNahum, Godiudgethnotoneandthefamethingtwice. Secondly, God tomany ofhis friends difcouered the torments ofHell, and manyof his enemies hauebeene vifibly fnatcht awaythither. And thofe ..Et- na's of fire which arein the world,though happelyengendredby particularcau- fes, are,as it were,fymboles,re frefenting vntovs that eternall fire. God labors y, re, s botth hi re- Thirdly, It isanvfuallfafhion with God, todifcouerthe reward,and tocon- cealethe chaftifement forthat man would bee afhamedthat others fhould fee Wards and pu- him punifhed. God did (hut theport of Ngahs Arke without, andhung thekey ointments. at his owne girdle, becaufe hee fhould not haueany delre to fee that lamentable deluge,and generall deftruéìion ofmankind. He chargedLots wife, that thee shouldnot fo muchas looketowards Sodome, that themight not behold thofe flameswhich did voice out Godsvengeance. Attheend ofthewerld, at that dreadfulldayof judgement,whenGod !hall thew himfelfemoft angrie,theSun and the Moone (hall be darkened,becaufeGodwill hauehis chattifements infli- ¿ edin the darke. Hope more Fourthly,Hopédothworke more generouseffè is inour brefis, than Feare. Pr[hamn It cannot bedenied,but that Fearehath verse powerful! effeEts : Herodfor (care thanFora of lootinghis Kingdome, madethat butcherly (laughterof fo many innocent Babes, not fparing his ownechildren. Forfeare of looting his Citie, the King ofMoabwas his owneformeshangman, quitting himof his life vpon thewall. Forfeareof dyingby thecruel! hands ofhunger, many mothers haue eaten the birthoftheirowne bowells. For feare leaftthey thould bemade captiues,and led
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