An
Antidote
against
Atheism.
Book III.
Chap. I.
1. That, good men not always faring best in this world, the great examples of Divine Vengeance upon wicked and blasphemous Persons are not so convincing to the obstinate Atheist. 2. The irreligious Jeers and Sacrileges of Dionysius of Syracuse. 3. The occasion of the Atheists incredulity in things supernatural or miraculous. 4. That there have been true Miracles in the world as well as false. 5. And what are the best and safest ways to distinguish them, that we may not be impos'd upon by History.
itherto I have insisted upon such Arguments for the proving of the Existence of God as were taken from the ordinary and known Phænomena of Nature; for such is the History of Plants, Animals and Man. I shall come now to such Effects discovered in the World as are not deemed Natural, but Extraordinary and Miraculous. I do not mean unexpected discoveries of Murthers, a conspicuous Vengeance upon proud and blasphemous Persons, such as Nicanor, Antiochus, Herod, and the like, of which all Histories, as well Sacred as Profane, are very full, and all which tend to the impressing of this divine Precept in the Poet upon the minds of Men, Discite Justitiam moniti & non temnere Divos.
Such as Æsop and Socrates, the Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs, with sundry other wise and good men in all Ages and Places, who yet being not so well aware of the ill condition and restiness of this wicked World, of which they have truly profest themselves no Citizens, but Strangers, have suffered the greatest mischiefs that can happen to humane Nature, by their innocent meaning and intermeddling in aliena Republica: It having usually been more safe, craftily and cautiously to undermine the Honour of God, then plainly and honestly to seek the good and welfare of Men.
2. Nay, outragious affronts done on purpose to Religion, will the Atheist further reply, have not onely past applauded by the World, but unpunish'd by Divine Justice: As is notorious in that Sacrilegious Wit, Dionysius, of Syracuse, who spoiling Jupiter Olympius of his costly Robe very stiff and ponderous with Gold, added this Apologetical jeer to his Sacrilege, That this golden Vestment was too heavy for the Summer, and too cold for the Winter, but one of wool would fit both Seasons.
So at Epidaurus he commanded the golden Beard of Æsculapius to be cut off and carried away, alleging, that it was very unfit that the Son should wear a Beard, whenas his Father Apollo wore none.
That also was not inferiour to any of his Sacrilegious jests, when taking away the golden Cups and Crowns held forth by the hands of the Images of the Gods, he excused himself, saying, that he received but what they of their own accord gave him; adding, that it were a very gross piece of foolishness, whenas we pray to the Gods for all good things, not to take them when they so freely offer them with their own hands.
These and other such like irreligious Pranks did this Dionysius play, who notwithstanding fared no worse then the most demure and innocent, dying no other death then what usually other Mortals do: as if in those Ages there had been as great a lack of Wit as there was here in England once of Latin, and that he escaped a more severe Sentence by the benefit of his Clergy. But others think that he was pay'd home and punish'd in his Son that succeeded him. But that, will the Atheist reply, is but to whip the absent; as Aristotle wittily said to him that told him that such an one did unmercifully traduce him behind his back.
Wherefore I hold it more convenient to omit such Arguments as may intangle us in such endless Altercations, and to bring onely those that cannot be resolved into any Natural causes, or be phansied to come by Chance, but are so Miraculous, that they do imply the presence of some free subtile understanding Essence distinct from the brute Matter and ordinary power of Nature.
3. And these Miraculous effects, as there is nothing more cogent if they could be believed, so there is nothing more hard to the Atheist to believe then they are. For Religionists having for pious purposes, as they pretend, forged so many false Miracles to gull and spoil the credulous people; they have thereby with the Atheist taken away all belief of those which are true. And the childish and superstitious fear of Spirits in Melancholick persons, who create strange Monsters to themselves and terrible Apparitions in the dark, hath also helped them with a further evasion, to impute all Spectres and strange Apparitions to mere Melancholy and disturbed Phansie.
4. But that there should be so universal a fame and fear of that which never was, nor is, nor can be ever in the world, is to me the greatest Miracle of all.
For if there had not been at some time or other true Miracles (as indeed there ought to be, if the Faculties of Man, who so easily listens to and allows of such things, be not in vain) it is very improbable that Priests and cunning Deluders of the people would have ever been able so easily to impose upon them by their false. As the Alchymist would never goe about to sophisticate Metalls, and then put them off for true Gold and Silver, but that it is acknowledged that there is such a thing as true Gold and Silver in the world. In like manner therefore as there is an endeavour of deluding the people with false Miracles, so it is a sign there have been and may be those that are true.
5. But you'l say there is a Touchstone whereby we may discern the truth of Metalls, but that there is nothing whereby we may discover the truth of Miracles recorded every where in History. But I answer, There is, and it is this.
First, if what is recorded was avouched by such persons who had no end nor interest in avouching such things.
Secondly, if there were many Eye-witnesses of the same Matter.
Thirdly and lastly, if these things which are so strange and miraculous leave any sensible effect behind them.
Though I will not acknowledge that all those Stories are false that want these conditions, yet I dare affirm that it is mere humour and sullenness in a man to reject the truth of those that have them; for it is to believe nothing but what he seeth himself: From whence it will follow, that he is to read nothing of History, for there is neither pleasure nor any usefulness of it, if it deserve no belief.