IX AGNOSTICISM AND CHRISTIANITY 337 



history ; but this is by no means the case (p, Iv). . . . speci- 

 mens are not wanting in the history of the Church, of miracles 

 as awful in their character and as momentous in their effects as 

 those which are recorded in Scripture. The fire interrupting 

 the rebuilding of the Jewish temple, and the death of Arius, are 

 instances, in Ecclesiastical history, of such solemn events. On 

 the other hand, difficult instances in the Scripture history are 

 such as these : the serpent in Eden, the Ark, Jacob's vision for 

 the multiplication of his cattle, the speaking of Balaam's ass, 

 the axe swimming at Elisha's word, the miracle on the swine, 

 and various instances of prayers or prophecies, in which, as in 

 that of Noah's blessing and curse, words which seem the result 

 of private feeling are expressly or virtually ascribed to a Divine 

 suggestion (p. Ivi). 



Who is to gainsay our ecclesiastical authority 

 here ? " Infidel authors " might be accused of a 

 wish to ridicule the Scripture miracles by putting 

 them on a level with the remarkable story about 

 the fire which stopped the rebuilding of the 

 Temple, or that about the death of Arius but 

 Dr. Newman is above suspicion. The pity is that 

 his list of what he delicately terms " difficult " 

 instances is so short, Why omit the manufacture 

 of Eve out of Adam's rib, on the strict historical 

 accuracy of which the chief argument of the 

 defenders of an iniquitous portion of our present 

 marriage law depends ? Why leave out the 

 account of the " Bene Elohim " and their gallan- 

 tries, on which a large part of the worst practices 

 of the mediaeval inquisitors into witchcraft was 

 based ? Why forget the angel who wrestled with 

 Jacob, and, as the account suggests, somewhat 



