[\"Theymayindeedappeartobe;letthemnotbeaffirmed（Letthemstatetheprobabilities，butnotaffirm。）\"
——Cicero，Acad。，n。27。]
butintherealconsequencetheydrawfromitthesehavemuchtheadvantage。Tokillmen，aclearandstronglightisrequired，andourlifeistoorealandessentialtowarrantthesesupernaturalandfantasticaccidents。
Astodrugsandpoisons，Ithrowthemoutofmycount，asbeingtheworstsortofhomicides:yeteveninthis，’tissaid，thatmenarenotalwaystorelyuponthepersonalconfessionsofthesepeople;fortheyhavesometimesbeenknowntoaccusethemselvesofthemurderofpersonswhohaveafterwardsbeenfoundlivingandwell。Intheseotherextravagantaccusations，Ishouldbeapttosay，thatitissufficientaman，whatrecommendationsoeverhemayhave，bebelievedastohumanthings;butofwhatisbeyondhisconception，andofsupernaturaleffect，heoughtthenonlytobebelievedwhenauthorisedbyasupernaturalapprobation。TheprivilegeithaspleasedAlmightyGodtogivetosomeofourwitnesses，oughtnottobelightlycommunicatedandmadecheap。Ihavemyearsbatteredwithathousandsuchtalesasthese:\"Threepersonssawhimsuchadayintheeastthree，thenextdayinthewest:atsuchanhour，insuchaplace，andinsuchhabit\";assuredlyIshouldnotbelieveitmyself。HowmuchmorenaturalandlikelydoIfinditthattwomenshouldliethanthatonemanintwelvehours’timeshouldflywiththewindfromeasttowest？Howmuchmorenaturalthatourunderstandingshouldbecarriedfromitsplacebythevolubilityofourdisorderedminds，thanthatoneofusshouldbecarriedbyastrangespirituponabroomstaff，fleshandbonesasweare，uptheshaftofachimney？Letnotusseekillusionsfromwithoutandunknown，wewhoareperpetuallyagitatedwithillusionsdomesticandourown。Methinksoneispardonableindisbelievingamiracle，atleast，atalleventswhereonecaneludeitsverificationassuch，bymeansnotmiraculous;andIamofSt。
Augustine’sopinion，that，’tisbettertoleantowardsdoubtthanassurance，inthingshardtoproveanddangeroustobelieve。\"