by invoking the name of God, provided it was spoken in Hebrew.

But the power to cast out devils is often alleged by them as one of the most convincing proofs of Christianity. Tertullian says If Christians were to retire from the Roman empire, where would be your protection against the devils, who make such havoc with your souls and bodies? It would be a sufficient piece of revenge if they should thus leave you open to the uncontrolled possession of Evil Spirits."

Justin Martyr, in his Apology, says to the people of Rome: "That the kingdom of Evil Spirits has been destroyed by Jesus, you may, even at the present time convince yourselves, by what passes before your own eyes. For many of us Christians have healed, and still continue to heal, in every part of the world, and in your city, numbers possessed of Evil Spirits, such as could not be healed by other exorcists, simply by adjuring them in the name of Jesus Christ."

Irenæus says: "All who are true disciples of Jesus, receive grace from him, and work miracles in his name. Some cast out devils, so that those from whom they are ejected often turn believers and continue in the church; others have visions, and a knowledge of future events; others heal the sick by merely laying their hands upon them. Even the dead have been raised, and have afterward lived many years among us. It is impossible to reckon up all the mighty works, which the church performs every day, to the benefit of nations; neither deceiving, nor making a gain of any, but freely bestowing what it has freely received." Again, speaking of raising the dead, he says: "It has been frequently performed on necessary occasions, when by great fasting, and joint supplications of the church of that place, the spirit of the dead person returned into him again, and the man was given back to the prayers of the saints." Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, cotemporary with Irenæus, though younger, was challenged by his friend Autolycus, an eminent Roman, to

produce one person actually raised from the dead, and he would himself turn Christian; but the answer of Theophilus implied that he could not furnish one satisfactory instance.

Origen says: "By prayers and the repetition of passages of Scripture, we drive Devils before us, out of men and beasts. This is not done by any magical arts, but by prayer alone, and plain adjurations, or exorcisms, which any simple Christian may perform; for common and illiterate laymen are generally the actors in these cases." "The miracles that began with the preaching of Jesus were multiplied after his ascension, and then decreased; but remains of them still continue with a few, whose souls are cleansed by the Word, and a life conformable to it." Some by a miraculous power, received through faith in Christ, heal the sick, by invoking over them the name of God, or of Jesus, with a recital of some story from his life. I have myself seen many difficult cases so healed: insanity, madness, and innumerable other evils, which neither men nor demons could cure." "There still remain among Christians many indications of that Holy Spirit, which was seen in the shape of a dove. For they cast out devils, perform many cures, and foresee things to come, according to the will of the Divine Word. Many people have been converted to Christianity, as it were against their wills, by the Spirit giving a sudden turn to their minds, and offering visions to them, either by day or by night; so that instead of hating the Word, they became ready even to lay down their lives for it. I have seen many examples of this sort. Should I only relate such as were transacted in my own presence, I should expose myself to the loud laughter of unbelievers, who imagine that we, like the rest, whom they suspect of forging such things, are also imposing our forgeries upon them. But God is my witness that my sole purpose is to recommend the religion of Jesus, not by ficti tious tales, but by clear and evident facts."

Visions and prophetic gifts are mentioned as of common occurrence. Justin Martyr says: "There are prophetical VOL. II.-27*

gifts among us at this day, and both men and women indued with extraordinary powers by the Spirit of God."

Tertullian says the greater part of converts came to the knowledge of the true God by means of visions. In an argument to prove that women ought to wear veils, he mentions a sister of the Church, to whom an angel, in a dream, revealed the proper length and breadth of the veil.

Cyprian says: "Besides visions of the night, even boys among us are filled with the Holy Ghost, and in fits of ecstasy, see, hear, and speak things by which the Lord thinks fit to instruct us."

The Fathers acknowledge that skilful magicians, by aid of Evil Spirits, could perform similar miracles; being able to infuse into people whatever dreams or visions they thought fit. Justin Martyr, addressing the Roman people, says: "Let their magical power to call up ghosts, especially of boys, and of those who died in some violent manner, convince you that the souls of men exist after death."

The general tendency to view things in a supernatural light is indicated by the following circumstance, which Cyprian considered so remarkable, that he deemed it necessary to assure his readers he himself witnessed it. Certain parents, who fled hastily in time of persecution, left an infant in the care of a nurse. She carried it to the place where the people assembled to sacrifice, and the officiating. priests gave the child some remains of what had been offered to the gods; consisting of bread dipped in wine. The mother returned soon after, and carried the babe with her to the Christian Sacrament. "Being mingled with the saints, it was seized with fits of crying, with tortures of mind, as if it had been upon the rack; betraying all the signs its tender age could give of a consciousness of guilt. When the deacon offered the cup of wine, the infant, by a divine instinct, turned away, and shut its lips close. When he poured a little down its throat, by force, convulsions and vomitings ensued. The consecrated portion of the Lord's blood could not stay in a body and mouth so defiled. So

great is the power and majesty of the Lord! The secrets of darkness are detected by its light; for this happened to an infant too young to tell the crime practised upon it."

Irenæus says many in his day received the gift of tongues, and were heard to speak all kinds of languages in the church. He himself did not receive that gift; for being appointed Bishop in Gaul, he complains that one of the greatest obstructions in the way of his usefulness was the necessity of learning a barbarous dialect before he could communicate with his people.

Among innumerable miracles recorded is the following, wrought by Narcissus, who was Bishop of Jerusalem, about the end of the second century. During the vigil of Easter, the oil in the lamps was nearly exhausted, and the people were greatly troubled. The bishop ordered those who had charge of the lamps to draw water from a neighbouring well and bring it to him. He prayed over it, and then told them to pour it into the lamps with sincere faith in Christ. They did so, "and by a miraculous and divine power, the water was changed to oil." Eusebius recorded this in his Ecclesiastical History, a hundred years after; and he says that "numbers of the faithful still preserved small quantities of the oil."

In some cases, the stories of miracles performed by Gentiles, in the course of being repeated year after year, came to be transferred to the Christians. In the year one hundred and seventy-four, when the army of Marcus Aurelius was expecting an attack from the enemy, the blazing sun shone full in the faces of the soldiers, who were perishing with thirst, in consequence of a long continued drought. In this extremity, the emperor stretched forth his hands to implore aid from Jupiter, saying: "This hand, which has never yet shed human blood, I raise to thee!" This act of devotion was followed by an abundant shower of rain, to allay their thirst, succeeded by a tempest, which terrified their enemies. The Romans gained the victory, and ascribed it to the emperor's prayer to "Jupiter, god of gods." Marcus Aurelius commemorated the event by a medal, on which Jupiter was

represented hurling thunderbolts at the barbarian troops, many of whom lay stretched on the ground. There were also paintings in the temples, in which the emperor was represented in the attitude of prayer, while his soldiers caught the refreshing shower in their helmets. There were doubtless Christians in his army, and it is not unlikely that they crossed themselves, and prayed to their God, while others were invoking the aid of Jupiter. Perhaps Tertullian might have heard some of them say so, and have taken it for granted that only their prayers had any efficacy on the occasion; or he might have assumed that the phrase "God of gods," though commonly applied to Jupiter, must necessarily mean Jehovah. Giving an account of the event, in after years, he says: "Marcus Aurelius, during the German expedition, obtained, through prayers offered to God by Christian soldiers, showers of rain, in a time of thirst. When has not the land been delivered from drought by our genuflexions and fasts? In such cases, the very people who cried to the 'God of gods,' gave our God the glory, under the name of Jupiter." He states that the twelfth legion of the army was entirely composed of Christians, who fell on their knees and prayed to God. Thunder and rain were sent in answer to their prayers; in consequence of which the emperor named them "The Thundering Legion," ceased to persecute the Christians, and published an edict threatening with severe penalties those who accused them on account of their religion. But the severe persecution of Christians took place three years after the miracle; the twelfth legion had always been called The Thundering Legion, from the time of the emperor Augustus; and the medals and paintings prove that the emperor believed the rain was sent by Jupiter, in answer to his prayer.

A great number of miracles were ascribed to making the sign of the cross. It is not possible to ascertain at what period this custom was introduced into Christianity. There is no allusion to it in the writings of the Apostles; but it is conspicuous in those of the very early Fathers. It has been already stated that devotees of India have a perpen