iar as such miracles; how many cures done
by our lady of Loretto, at Sichem! of old at our St. Thomas's shrine, &c.
[6382]St. Sabine was seen to fight for Arnulphus, duke of Spoleto.
[6383]St. George fought in person for John the Bastard of Portugal, against
the Castilians; St. James for the Spaniards in America. In the battle of
Bannockburn, where Edward the Second, our English king, was foiled by the
Scots, St. Philanus' arm was seen to fight (if [6384]Hector Boethius doth
not impose), that was before shut up in a silver cap-case; another time, in
the same author, St. Magnus fought for them. Now for visions, revelations,
miracles, not only out of the legend, out of purgatory, but everyday comes
news from the Indies, and at home read the Jesuits' Letters, Ribadineira,
Thurselinus, Acosta, Lippomanus, Xaverius, Ignatius' Lives, &c., and tell
me what difference?

His ordinary instruments or factors which he useth, as God himself, did
good kings, lawful magistrates, patriarchs, prophets, to the establishing
of his church, [6385]are politicians, statesmen, priests, heretics, blind
guides, impostors, pseudoprophets, to propagate his superstition. And first
to begin of politicians, it hath ever been a principal axiom with them to
maintain religion or superstition, which they determine of, alter and vary
upon all occasions, as to them seems best, they make religion mere policy,
a cloak, a human invention, _nihil aeque valet ad regendos vulgi animos ac
superstitio_, as [6386]Tacitus and [6387]Tully hold. Austin, _l. 4. de
civitat. Dei. c. 9._ censures Scaevola saying and acknowledging _expedire
civitates religione falli_, that it was a fit thing cities should be
deceived by religion, according to the diverb, _Si mundus vult decipi,
decipiatur_, if the world will be gulled, let it be gulled, 'tis good
howsoever to keep it in subjection. 'Tis that [6388]Aristotle and
[6389]Plato inculcate in their politics, "Religion neglected, brings plague
to the city, opens a gap to all naughtiness." 'Tis that which all our late
politicians ingeminate. Cromerus, _l. 2. pol. hist._ Boterus, _l. 3. de
incrementis urbium._ Clapmarius, _l. 2. c. 9. de Arcanis rerump. cap. 4.
lib. 2. polit._ Captain Machiavel will have a prince by all means to
counterfeit religion, to be superstitious in show at least, to seem to be
devout, frequent holy exercises, honour divines, love the church, affect
priests, as Numa, Lycurgus, and such lawmakers were and did, _