These nuns,[334] astonished at what is said, that they are in the way of perdition; that their confessors are leading them to Geneva; that they suggest to them that Jesus Christ is not in the Eucharist, nor on the right hand of the Father; know that all this is false, and therefore offer themselves to God in this state. Vide si via iniquitatis in me est.[335] What happens thereupon?  This place, which is said to be the temple of the devil, God makes His own temple.  It is said that the children must be taken away from it.  God heals them there.  It is said that it is the arsenal of hell.  God makes of it the sanctuary of His grace.  Lastly, they are threatened with all the fury and vengeance of heaven; and God overwhelms them with favours.  A man would need to have lost his senses to conclude from this that they are therefore in the way of perdition.

(We have without doubt the same signs as Saint Athanasius.)

841

Si tu es Christus, dic nobis.[336]

Opera quae ego facio in nomine patris mei, haec testimonium perhibent de me.  Sed vos non creditis quia non estis ex ovibus meis.  Oves meoe vocem meam audiunt._[337]

John vi, 30. Quod ergo tu facis signum ut videamus et credamus tibi?—­Non dicunt:  Quam doctrinam praedicas?

Nemo potest facere signa quae tu facis nisi Deus._[338]

2 Macc. xiv, 15. Deus qui signis evidentibus suam portionem protegit.

Volumus signum videre de coelo, tentantes eum._ Luke xi, 16.

Generatio prava signum quaerit; et non dabitur.[339]

Et ingemiscens ait:  Quid generatio ista signum quaerit?_ (Mark viii, 12.)
They asked a sign with an evil intention.

Et non poterat facere.[340] And yet he promises them the sign of Jonah, the great and wonderful miracle of his resurrection.

Nisi videritis, non creditis.[341] He does not blame them for not believing unless there are miracles, but for not believing unless they are themselves spectators of them.

Antichrist in signis mendacibus, says Saint Paul, 2 Thess. ii.

Secundum operationem Satanae, in seductione iis qui pereunt eo quod charitatem veritatis non receperunt ut salvi fierent, ideo mittet illis Deus optationes erroris ut credant mendacio.

As in the passage of Moses:  Tentat enim vos Deus, utrum diligatis eum.[342]

Ecce praedixi vobis:  vos ergo videte._[343]

842

Here is not the country of truth.  She wanders unknown amongst men.  God has covered her with a veil, which leaves her unrecognised by those who do not hear her voice.  Room is opened for blasphemy, even against the truths that are at least very likely.  If the truths of the Gospel are published, the contrary is published too, and the questions are obscured, so that the people cannot distinguish.  And they ask, “What have you to make you believed rather than others?  What sign do you give?  You have only words, and so have we.  If you had miracles, good and well.”  That doctrine ought to be supported by miracles is a truth, which they misuse in order to revile doctrine.  And if miracles happen, it is said that miracles are not enough without doctrine; and this is another truth, which they misuse in order to revile miracles.