Secondly, I call it a rare work of ⟨image 5⟩God, for of the works of God, there be some which are usual, common, & ordinary: as the preservation of mankind, is an ordinary and usual work of God, and it is truly said of the holy Ghost, that we live, move, and have our being in the Lord: yet because this is usual, ordinary, and common, yea daily and hourly, (for the Lord doth ordinarily every day and hour, preserve men, otherwise they could not live) I say because it is ordinary, daily, and hourly, we cannot properly call it a miracle, for it doth make men to marvel, to muse, to be amazed and astonied at it, seeing it is so usual and ordinary among them. For it is the nature of miracles, to make men, muse and marvel at them: and therefore when as in the Evangelists, any miracle which our Saviour Christ wrought, is set down, there also immediately followeth, that the people were astonied: therefore that which is usual, and common, cannot properly be called a miracle. A miracle therefore must be a rare work of God seldom ⟨image 5⟩brought to pass, and for this cause we cannot say, that repentance, or regeneration is a miracle, for although repentance be wrought in few, yet is it not properly a miracle, because it is ordinarily, & usually at one time or another, wrought in the hearts of all Gods children. There be also many strange and wonderful works of nature, yet because they are not rare but usual, and ordinary, they be no miracles. An Adamant stone (we know not by what force) will draw Iron to it self: Iron is heavy of it self, and of it self cannot possibly move from place to place, yet an Adamant if it be above it will draw it to it self, which is very strange and admirable, yet because it is usual and common, it cannot be called a miracle. So we may see the nature, and power of some water, to turn that which in nature is gold, into stone: that is known to be true by experience, yet no man can show any reason, why that water should rather do it, then any other. Although this be strange & ⟨image 6⟩wonderful, yet because it is usual and ordinary, yet in those waters, it is no miracle: for every miracle is a rare work that cometh to pass, not ordinarily, but very seldom.
Secondly, I call it a rare worke of ⟨image 5⟩God, for of the workes of God, there be some which are vsuall, common, & ordinary: as the preseruation of mankind, is an ordinary and vsuall worke of God, and it is truly said of the holy Ghost, that we liue, mooue, and haue our being in the Lord: yet because this is vsuall, ordinary, and common, yea dayly and hourely, (for the Lord doth ordinarily euery day and houre, preserue men, otherwise they could not liue) I say because it is ordinary, dayly, and hourely, we cannot properlye call it a miracle, for it doth make men to maruell, to muse, to be amased and astonied at it, séeing it is so vsuall and ordinary among them. For it is the nature of miracles, to make men, muse and maruell at them: and therefore when as in the Euangelists, any miracle which our Sauiour Christ wrought, is set downe, there also immediatly followeth, that the people were astonied: therefore that which is vsuall, and common, cannot properly be called a miracle. A miracle therefore must be a rare worke of God sildome ⟨image 5⟩brought to passe, and for this cause we cannot say, that repentance, or regeneration is a miracle, for although repentance be wrought in few, yet is it not properly a miracle, because it is ordinarily, & vsually at one time or another, wrought in the hearts of all Gods children. There be also many strange and wonderfull workes of nature, yet because they are not rare but vsuall, and ordinarie, they be no miracles. An Adamant stone (wee know not by what force) will drawe Iron to it selfe: Iron is heauy of it selfe, and of it selfe cannot possibly mooue from place to place, yet an Adamant if it be aboue it will draw it to it selfe, which is very strange and admirable, yet because it is vsuall and common, it cannot be called a miracle. So we may sée the nature, and power of some water, to turne that which in nature is gold, into stone: that is knowne to be true by experience, yet no man can shew any reason, why that water should rather doe it, then any other. Although this be strange & ⟨image 6⟩wonderfull, yet because it is vsuall and ordinary, yet in those waters, it is no miracle: for euery miracle is a rare worke that commeth to passe, not ordinarily, but very sildome.
