A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

to them we answer, because as the Apostles saith Signs are for unbelievers, not for them that believe. And yet the misadventure of it is, that the most of the Miracles which they report and build their faith upon, were wrought as by so amongst their chiefest believers. And what were the Miracles themselves ⟨p. 489⟩they boasted of? such a heap of trash, such a fardle of lies, as the like were scarce ever heaped together, unless it were in the Golden Legend. Hadrian insists on the leprosy and cure of Constantine, as loud a lye as any in the Talmud or Alcoran, Theodorus of Myra, tells us of a Deacon that dreamed he saw one in his sleep whom he took to be St. Nicholas, Ac. 4. Another tells us a tale of one that struck a nail in the forehead of an image, and was troubled with a pain in his head until it was pulled out. Another dreamed, that the blessed Virgin, brought Cosma and Damiana to him and commanded them to cure him of his distemper; One mans daughter, another's wife, is helped by those images. And they all consent in the story of the image of Christ made without hands, or humane help by God alone, ([Greek or Hebrew]) that he sent to Abgarus King of the Edessenes; as bellowing a lye as any in the heard. So true was it, that the Council of Frankfurt affirmed of this Idolatrous Conventicle, that they endeavoured to confirm their superstition by feigned wonders and oldwives tales.

to them we answer, because as the Apostles saith Signes are for unbelievers, not for them that believe. And yet the misadventure of it is, that the most of the Miracles which they report and build their faith upon, were wrought as by so amongst their chiefest believers. And what were the Miracles themselves ⟨p. 489⟩they boasted of? such a heap of trash, such a fardle of lyes, as the like were scarce ever heaped together, unless it were in the Golden Legend. Hadrian insists on the leprosie and cure of Constantine, as loud a lye as any in the Talmud or Alcoran, Theodorus of Myra, tells us of a Deacon that dreamed he saw one in his sleep whom he took to be St. Nicholas, Ac. 4. Another tells us a tale of one that strock a nail in the forehead of an image, and was troubled with a pain in his head untill it was pulled out. Another dreamed, that the blessed Virgin, brought Cosma and Damiana to him and commanded them to cure him of his distemper; One mans daughter, anothers wife, is helped by those images. And they all consent in the story of the image of Christ made without hands, or humane help by God alone, () that he sent to Abgarus King of the Edessenes; as bellowing a lye as any in the heard. So true was it, that the Council of Franckeford affirmed of this Idolatrous Conventicle, that they endeavoured to confirm their superstition by feigned wonders and oldwives tales.