Again, Marvels are taken sometimes for Miracles, which are merely and purely supernatural. For in ordinary acceptation of the word, a Marvell is only the heightening and sublimating of nature, or acting in the highest Sphere of nature; but a Miracle is a crossing or a contradicting of nature. A work altogether above, yea against Nature. Now we are not to take marvels here in that strict sense, for miracles; for the great works of God are called marvels or wonders which yet are but either the ordinary constitutions of Nature, or the extraordinary motions of nature, as Psal. 136. 4. O give thanks to the Lord, to him, who alone doth great wonders: What are these? In the 5, 6, and 7. verses, instances are given in natural things, as making the heavens and stretching out the earth above the waters. The making of those great lights the Sun and Moon*. One of the Ancients discoursing upon that miracle in the Gospel, The multiplying the loaves, observeth, that in natural things there are very great wonders, though we lightly pass them by; They were astonished to see the loaves multiplying, while they were eating: To see bread grow upon the Table or between their Teeth, made all wonder: but there is as great a miracle wrought every year, and no man takes notice of it: That is, when Corn cast into the ground, multiplies thirty, sixty, a hundred-fold, It is (saith he) a greater miracle for corn to multiply in the earth, then for loaves to multiply on the Table. And he makes a like Conclusion in his Book of the City of God, Whatsoever is wonderful in the world, is not so great a wonder, as the world; Yet men rarely wonder at the making of the world, the Earth, the Heavens, the Sea, the Air, every creature in them exceed in wonders▪ the things we wonder at. Ordinary works of Nature are marvellous. First, because they proceed from a divine power. 2. Because man is posed to give a reason of most of them, Canst thou tell how the bones grow in her that is with child? saith the Preacher. The bringing of an Infant alive from the Womb is a wonder, as well as the raising of a man from the dead: And the budding of a Tree, as well as the budding of Aaron's Rod†. The usualness of the one, and the rareness of the other is, though not the only, yet the greatest difference.
Againe, Marvels are taken sometimes for Miracles, which are meerely and purely supernaturall. For in ordinary acceptation of the word, a Marvell is only the heightning and sublimating of nature, or acting in the highest Spheare of nature; but a Miracle is a crossing or a contradicting of nature. A worke altogether above, yea against Nature. Now we are not to take marvels here in that strict sense, for miracles; for the great works of God are call'd marvels or wonders which yet are but either the ordinary constitutions of Nature, or the extraordinary motions of nature, as Psal. 136. 4. O give thanks to the Lord, to him, who alone doth great wonders: What are these? In the 5, 6, and 7. verses, instances are given in naturall things, as making the heavens and stretching out the earth above the waters. The making of those great lights the Sun and Moon*. One of the Ancients discoursing upon that miracle in the Gospell, The multiplying the loaves, observeth, that in naturall things there are very great wonders, though we lightly passe them by; They were astonished to see the loaves multiplying, while they were eating: To see bread grow upon the Table or between their Teeth, made all wonder: but there is as great a miracle wrought every yeare, and no man takes notice of it: That is, when Corne cast into the ground, multiplies thirty, sixty, a hundred-fold, It is (saith he) a greater miracle for corne to multiply in the earth, then for loaves to multiply on the Table. And he makes a like Conclusion in his Booke of the City of God, Whatsoever is wonderfull in the world, is not so great a wonder, as the world; Yet men rarely wonder at the making of the world, the Earth, the Heavens, the Sea, the Aire, every creature in them exceed in wonders▪ the things we wonder at. Ordinary works of Nature are marvellous. First, because they proceed from a divine power. 2. Because man is posed to give a reason of most of them, Canst thou tell how the bones grow in her that is with child? saith the Preacher. The bringing of an Infant alive from the Wombe is a wonder, as well as the raising of a man from the dead: And the budding of a Tree, as well as the budding of Aarons Rod†. The usualnesse of the one, and the rarenesse of the other is, though not the only, yet the greatest difference.
- *Mirabilior est grani in terra multipl•catio, quam illa quinque Panum. August. T•act. 24 in Joh in. Quicquid mirabile fit in mundo, profectò minus est, quàm totus hic mundus. Qua •vis ilaque miracula visibiliū natura•um videndi assiduitate vile scunt, tamen cum ea sapienter intuemur, inusitatissimis ra••ssimisque majora sunt. August. l. 5. de Civ Dei, cap 12.Mirabilior est grani in terra multipl•catio, quam illa quinque Panum. August. T•act. 24 in Joh in. Quicquid mirabile fit in mundo, profectò minus est, quàm totus hic mundus. Qua •vis ilaque miracula visibiliū natura•um videndi assiduitate vile scunt, tamen cum ea sapienter intuemur, inusitatissimis ra••ssimisque majora sunt. August. l. 5. de Civ Dei, cap 12.
- †Per multa sunt quae admirari nonsolemus propterea quod vulgo quotidieque fiunt. Renova & in solita commovetur animus.
