1.
A termination was at length put to the persecution of the Church of
Milan by an occurrence of a very different nature from any which take
place in these days. And since such events as I am to mention do not
occur now, we are apt to argue, not very logically, that they did not
occur then. I conceive this to be the main objection which will be felt
against the following narrative. Miracles never took place then,
because we do not see reason to believe that they take place now. But
it should be recollected, that if there are no miracles at present,
neither are there at present any martyrs. Might we not as cogently
argue that no martyrdoms took place then, because no martyrdoms take
place now? And might not St. Ambrose and his brethren have as
reasonably disbelieved the possible existence of parsonages and pony
carriages in the nineteenth century, as we the existence of martyrs and
miracles in the primitive age? Perhaps miracles and martyrs go
together. Now the account which is to follow does indeed relate to
miracles, but then it relates to martyrs also.
Another objection which may be more reasonably urged against the
narrative is this: that in the fourth century there were many
miraculous tales which even Fathers of the Church believed, but which
no one of any way of thinking believes now. It will be argued, that
because some miracles are alleged which did not really take place, that
therefore none which are alleged took place either. But I am disposed
to reason just the contrary way. Pretences to revelation make it
probable that there is a true Revelation; pretences to miracles make it
probable that there are real ones; falsehood is the mockery of truth;
false Christs argue a true Christ; a shadow implies a substance. If it
be replied that the Scripture miracles are these true miracles, and
that it is they, and none other but they, none after them, which
suggested the counterfeit; I ask in turn, if so, what becomes of the
original objection, that no miracles are true, because some are
false? If this be so, the Scripture miracles are to be believed as
little as those after them; and this is the very plea which infidels
have urged. No; it is not reasonable to limit the scope of an argument
according to the exigency of our particular conclusions; we have no
leave to apply the argument for miracles only to the first
century, and that against miracles only to the fourth. If
forgery in some miracles proves forgery in all, this tells against the
first as well as against the fourth century; if forgery in some argues
truth in others, this avails for the fourth as well as for the first.
And I will add, that even credulousness on other occasions does not
necessarily disqualify a person's evidence for a particular alleged
miracle; for the sight of one true miracle could not but dispose a man
to believe others readily, nay, too readily, that is, would make him
what is called credulous.
Now let these remarks be kept in mind while I go on to describe the
alleged occurrence which has led to them. I know of no direct objection
to it in particular, viewed in itself; the main objections are such
antecedent considerations as I have been noticing. on original] But if
Elisha's bones restored a dead man to life, I know of no antecedent
reason why the relics of Gervasius and Protasius should not, as in the
instance to be considered, have given sight to the blind.
2.
The circumstances were these:—St. Ambrose, at the juncture of
affairs which I have described in the foregoing pages, was proceeding
to the dedication of a certain church at Milan, which remains there to
this day, with the name of “St. Ambrose the Greater;” and was urged by
the people to bury relics of martyrs under the altar, as he had lately
done in the case of the Basilica of the Apostles. This was according to
the usage of those times, desirous thereby both of honouring those who
had braved death for Christ's sake, and of hallowing religious places
with the mortal instruments of their triumph. Ambrose in consequence
gave orders to open the ground in the church of St. Nabor, as a spot
likely to have been the burying-place of martyrs during the heathen
persecutions.
Augustine, who was in Milan at the time, alleges that Ambrose was
directed in his search by a dream. Ambrose himself is evidently
reserved on the subject in his letter to his sister, though he was
accustomed to make her his confidant in his ecclesiastical proceedings;
he only speaks of his heart having burnt within him in presage of what
was to happen. The digging commenced, and in due time two skeletons
were discovered, of great size, perfect, and disposed in an orderly
way; the head of each, however, separated from the body, and a quantity
of blood about. That they were the remains of martyrs, none could
reasonably doubt; and their names were ascertained to be Gervasius and
Protasius; how, it does not appear, but certainly it was not so alleged
on any traditionary information or for any popular object, since they
proved to be quite new names to the Church of the day, though some
elderly men at length recollected hearing them in former years. Nor is
it wonderful that these saints should have been forgotten, considering
the number of the Apostolic martyrs, among whom Gervasius and Protasius
appear to have a place.
It seems to have been usual in that day to verify the genuineness of
relics by bringing some of the energumeni, or possessed with
devils, to them. Such afflicted persons were present with St. Ambrose
during the search; and, before the service for exorcism commenced, one
of them gave the well-known signs of horror and distress which were
customarily excited by the presence of what had been the tabernacle of
divine grace.
The skeletons were raised and transported to the neighbouring church
of St. Fausta. The next day, June 18th, on which they were to be
conveyed to their destination, a vast concourse of people attended the
procession. This was the moment chosen by Divine Providence to give, as
it were, signal to His Church, that, though years passed on, He was
still what He had been from the beginning, a living and a faithful God,
wonder-working as in the lifetime of the Apostles, and true to His word
as spoken by His prophets unto a thousand generations. There was in
Milan a man of middle age, well known in the place, by name Severus,
who, having become blind, had given up his trade, and was now supported
by charitable persons. Being told the cause of the shoutings in the
streets, he persuaded his guide to lead him to the sacred relics. He
came near; he touched the cloth which covered them; and he regained his
sight immediately.
This relation deserves our special notice from its distinct
miraculousness and its circumstantial character; but numerous other
miracles are stated to have followed. Various diseases were cured and
demoniacs dispossessed by the touch of the holy bodies or their
envelopments.
3.
Now for the evidence on which the whole matter rests. Our witnesses
are three: St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, and Paulinus, the secretary of
the latter, who after his death addressed a short memoir of his life to
the former.
1. St. Augustine, in three separate passages in his works, two of
which shall here be quoted, gives his testimony. First, in his City of
God, in an enumeration of miracles which had taken place since the
Apostles' time. He begins with that which he himself had witnessed in
the city of St. Ambrose:—
“The miracle,” he says, “which occurred at Milan, while I was
there, when a blind man gained sight, was of a kind to come to
the
knowledge of many, because the city is large, and the Emperor
was
there at the time, and it was wrought with the witness of a
vast
multitude, who had come together to the bodies of the martyrs
Protasius and Gervasius; which, being at the time concealed
and
altogether unknown, were discovered on the revelation of a
dream to
Ambrose the bishop; upon which that blind man was released
from his
former darkness, and saw the day.”—xxii. 8.
And next in his sermon upon the feast-day of the two martyrs:—
“We are celebrating, my brethren, the day on which, by Ambrose
the
bishop, that man of God, there was discovered, precious in the
sight of the Lord, the death of His Saints; of which so great
glory
of the martyrs, then accruing, even I was a witness. I was
there, I
was at Milan, I know the miracles which were done, God
attesting to
the precious death of His Saints; that by those miracles
henceforth, not in the Lord's sight only, but in the sight of
men
also, that death might be precious. A blind man, perfectly
well
known to the whole city, was restored to sight; he ran, he
caused
himself to be brought near, he returned without a guide. We
have
not yet heard of his death; perhaps he is still alive. In the
very
church where their bodies are, he has vowed his whole life to
religious service. We rejoiced in his restoration, we left him
in
service.”—Serm. 286. vid. also 318.
The third passage will be found in the ninth book of St. Augustine's
Confessions, and adds to the foregoing extracts the important fact that
the miracle was the cause of Justina's relinquishing her persecution of
the Catholics.
2. Now let us proceed to the evidence of St Ambrose, as contained in
the sermons which he preached upon the occasion. In the former of the
two he speaks as follows of the miracles wrought by the relics:—
“Ye know, nay, ye have yourselves seen, many cleansed from evil
spirits, and numbers loosed from their infirmities, on laying
their
hands on the garment of the saints. Ye see renewed the
miracles of
the old time, when, through the advent of the Lord Jesus, a
fuller
grace poured itself upon the earth; ye see most men healed by
the
very shadow of the sacred bodies. How many are the napkins
which
pass to and fro! what anxiety for garments which are laid upon
the
most holy relics, and made salutary by their very touch! It is
an
object with all to reach even to the extreme border, and he
who
reaches it will be made whole. Thanks be to Thee, Lord Jesus,
for
awakening for us at this time the spirits of the holy martyrs,
when
Thy Church needs greater guardianship. Let all understand the
sort
of champions I ask for—those who may act as champions, not as
assailants. And such have I gained for you, my religious
people,
such as benefit all, and harm none. Such defenders I solicit,
such
soldiers I possess, not the world's soldiers, but soldiers of
Christ. I fear not that such will give offence; because the
higher
is their guardianship, the less exceptionable is it also. Nay,
for
them even who grudge me the martyrs, do I desire the martyrs'
protection. So let them come and see my body-guard; I own I
have
such arms about me. 'These put their trust in chariots and
these
in horses; but we will glory in the name of the Lord our God.'
“Elisæus, as the course of Holy Scripture tells us, when hemmed
in
by the Syrian army, said to his frightened servant, by way of
calming him, 'There are more that are for us than are against
us.'
And to prove this, he begged that Gehazi's eyes might be
opened;
upon which the latter saw innumerable hosts of Angels present
to
the prophet. We, though we cannot see them, yet are sensible
of
them. Our eyes were held as long as the bodies of the saints
lay
hid in their graves. The Lord has opened our eyes: we have
seen
those aids by which we have often been defended. We had not
the
sight of these, yet we had the possession. And so, as though
the
Lord said to us in our alarm, 'Behold what martyrs I have
given
you!' in like manner our eyes are unclosed, and we see the
glory of
the Lord, manifested, as once in their passion, so now in
their
power. We have got clear, my brethren, of no slight disgrace;
we
had patrons, yet we knew it not. We have found this one thing,
in
which we have the advantage of our forefathers—they lost the
knowledge of these holy martyrs, and we have obtained it.
“Bring the victorious victims to the spot where is Christ the
sacrifice. But He upon the altar, who suffered for all; they
under
it, who were redeemed by His passion. I had intended this spot
for
myself, for it is fitting that where the priest had been used
to
offer, there he should repose; but I yield the right side to
the
sacred victims; that spot was due to the martyrs. Therefore
let us
bury the hallowed relics, and introduce them into a fitting
home;
and celebrate the whole day with sincere devotion.”—Ep.
22.
In his latter sermon, preached the following day, he pursues the
subject:—
“This your celebration they are jealous of, who are wont to be;
and, being jealous of it, they hate the cause of it, and are
extravagant enough to deny the merits of those martyrs, whose
works
the very devils confess. Nor is it wonderful; it commonly
happens
that unbelievers who deny are less bearable than the devil who
confesses. For the devil said, 'Jesus, Son of the living Son,
why
hast Thou come to torment us before the time?' And, whereas
the
Jews heard this, yet they were the very men to deny the Son of
God.
And now ye have heard the evil spirits crying out, and
confessing
to the martyrs, that they cannot bear their pains, and saying,
'Why
are ye come to torment us so heavily?' And the Arians say,
'They
are not martyrs, nor can they torment the devil, nor
dispossess any
one;' while the torments of the evil spirits are evidenced by
their
own voice, and the benefits of the martyrs by the recovery of
the
healed, and the tokens of the dispossessed.
“The Arians say, 'These are not real torments of evil spirits,
but
they are pretended and counterfeit.' I have heard of many
things
pretended, but no one ever could succeed in feigning himself a
devil. How is it we see them in such distress when the hand is
laid
on them? What room is here for fraud? what suspicion of
imposture?
“They deny that the blind received sight; but he does not deny
that
he was cured. He says, 'I see, who afore saw not.' He says, 'I
ceased to be blind,' and he evidences it by the fact. They
deny the
benefit, who cannot deny the fact. The man is well known;
employed
as he was, before his affliction, in a public trade, Severus
his
name, a butcher his business: he had given it up when this
misfortune befell him. He refers to the testimony of men whose
charities were supporting him; he summons them as evidence of
his
present visitation, who were witnesses and judges of his
blindness.
He cries out that, on his touching the hem of the martyrs'
garment,
which covered the relics, his sight was restored to him. We
read in
the Gospel, that when the Jews saw the cure of the blind man,
they
sought the testimony of the parents. Ask others, if you
distrust
me; ask persons unconnected with him, if you think that his
parents
would take a side. The obstinacy of these Arians is more
hateful
than that of the Jews. When the latter doubted, at least they
inquired of the parents; these inquire secretly, deny openly,
as
giving credit to the fact, but denying the author.”—Ibid.
3. We may corroborate the evidence of those two Fathers with that of
Paulinus, who was secretary to St. Ambrose, and wrote his life, about
A.D. 411.
“About the same time,” he says, “the holy martyrs Protasius and
Gervasius revealed themselves to God's priest. They lay in the
Basilica, where, at present, are the bodies of the martyrs
Nabor
and Felix; while, however, the holy martyrs Nabor and Felix
had
crowds to visit them, as well the names as the graves of the
martyrs Protasius and Gervasius were unknown; so that all who
wished to come to the rails which protected the graves of the
martyrs Nabor and Felix, were used to walk on the graves of
the
others. But when the bodies of the holy martyrs were raised
and
placed on litters, thereupon many possessions of the devil
were
detected. Moreover, a blind man, by name Severus, who up to
this
day performs religious service in the Basilica called
Ambrosian,
into which the bodies of the martyrs have been translated,
when he
had touched the garment of the martyrs, forthwith received
sight.
Moreover, bodies possessed by unclean spirits were restored,
and
with all blessedness returned home. And by means of these
benefits
of the martyrs, while the faith of the Catholic Church made
increase, by so much did Arian misbelief decline.”—§ 14.
4.
Now I want to know what reason is there for stumbling at the above
narrative, which will not throw uncertainty upon the very fact that
there was such a Bishop as Ambrose, or such an Empress as Justina, or
such a heresy as the Arian, or any Church at all in Milan. Let us
consider some of the circumstances under which it comes to us.
1. We have the concordant evidence of three distinct witnesses, of
whom at least two were on the spot when the alleged miracles were
wrought, one writing at the time, another some years afterwards in a
distant country. And the third, writing after an interval of twenty-six
years, agrees minutely with the evidence of the two former, not adding
to the miraculous narrative, as is the manner of those who lose their
delicate care for exactness in their admiration of the things and
persons of whom they speak.
2. The miracle was wrought in public, on a person well known, on one
who continued to live in the place where it was professedly wrought,
and who, by devoting himself to the service of the martyrs who were the
instruments of his cure, was a continual memorial of the mercy which he
professed to have received, and challenged inquiry into it, and
refutation if that were possible.
3. Ambrose, one of our informants, publicly appealed, at the time
when the occurrence took place, to the general belief, claimed it for
the miracle, and that in a sermon which is still extant.
4. He made his statement in the presence of bitter and most powerful
enemies, who were much concerned, and very able to expose the fraud, if
there was one; who did, as might be expected, deny the hand of God in
the matter; but who, for all that appears, did nothing but deny what
they could not consistently confess, without ceasing to be what they
were.
5. A great and practical impression was made upon the popular mind
in consequence of the alleged miracles: or, in the words of an
historian, whose very vocation it is to disbelieve them, “Their effect
on the minds of the people was rapid and irresistible; and the feeble
sovereign of Italy found himself unable to contend with the favourite
of heaven.”[366]
6. And so powerfully did all this press upon the Court, that, as the
last words of this extract intimate, the persecution was given up, and
the Catholics left in quiet possession of the churches.
On the whole, then, are we not in the following dilemma? If the
miracle did not take place, then St. Ambrose and St. Augustine, men of
name, said they had ascertained a fact which they did not ascertain,
and said it in the face of enemies, with an appeal to a whole city, and
that continued during a quarter of a century. What instrument of
refutation shall we devise against a case like this, neither so
violently à priori as to supersede the testimony of Evangelists,
nor so fastidious of evidence as to imperil Tacitus or Cæsar? On the
other hand, if the miracle did take place, a certain measure of
authority, more or less, surely must thereby attach to St. Ambrose—to
his doctrine and his life, to his ecclesiastical principles and
proceedings, to the Church itself of the fourth century, of which he is
one main pillar. The miracle gives a certain sanction to three things
at once, to the Catholic doctrine of the Trinity, to the Church's
resistance of the civil power, and to the commemoration of saints and
martyrs.
* * * * *
Does it give any sanction to Protestantism and its adherents? shall
we accept it or not? shall we retreat, or shall we advance? shall we
relapse into scepticism upon all subjects, or sacrifice our deep-rooted
prejudices? shall we give up our knowledge of times past altogether, or
endure to gain a knowledge which we think we have already—the
knowledge of divine truth?
FOOTNOTES:
[366] Gibbon, Hist. ch. 27.