3521. For so it is with anything that becomes familiar - at length it makes no more impression than the sight of lush meadows, which arouse as little wonder when the causes are unknown as did the manna with the Jews when they saw it every day. Therefore faith cannot take root by means of miracles, much less convince, but this must happen without miracles if they are to be convinced. After this they said, when left to their own thoughts, that if they saw a priest resuscitating a dead person being laid to rest, they would first ascribe it to fraud, and when convinced that it was not fraud, they would say that the soul of the dead person had had a secret communication with the priest by means of which he resuscitated the one raised up. But if they saw this done repeatedly, then they would continue to maintain that there was some secret they did not understand, for in nature many things happen when we do not see how. So they would never believe the priest's assertion that this was done by a heavenly force - thus ascribing it to nature. This all shows what kind of faith they have even if miracles were performed. Their faith is such that they believe neither that the spirit exists, nor heaven, nor hell.
3521. Continuing to converse with them respecting the operation of their sphere, some of them said they would believe if they should see me resuscitate a dead person who was lying on a bier. But is was given to reply, that even if they should see a dead person revived, they would not believe unless they should see me resuscitate a number, and even then they would ascribe it to natural causes, and so would believe less than before; for so it happens with anything which becomes familiar, that it makes no more impression than the sight of green meadows, which excite as little wonder when the causes are not considered, as did the manna with the Jews, though they saw it every day. Therefore faith cannot be rooted in a man's mind by means of miracles, nor even persuasion; if they are ever persuaded, it will be without miracles. They afterwards said, when left to their own thoughts that if they should see a priest raise [and reanimate] a dead body that was being borne to the burial, they should ascribe it to fraud; and when they were convinced that it was no fraud, they would say that the soul of the dead man had some secret communication with the priest, by means of which the resuscitation took place; and if they saw this happen in repeated instances, they would be confirmed in the idea that there was some secret in the case which they did not comprehend, as many things occur in the course of nature which are not well understood; but they would never believe the priest's assertion that the effect was wrought by a celestial power, and so would ascribe it to nature. The quality of their faith, even though miracles should be wrought, may hence appear. It is such that they neither believe in spirit, nor heaven, nor hell.
3521. prius, nam ita se habet sicut omne familiare, quod tandem nihil aliter aestimatur ac dum vident prata virentia nescientes causas, quod non magis mirentur, [quam] sicut populus Judaicus cum vidit quotidie mannam, quare fides per miracula non radicari potest, minus persuadere, sed erit absque miraculis, ut persuadeantur: ii dicebant postea, cum relicti essent suis cogitationibus, quod si viderent sacerdotem excitantem mortuum elatum, adscriberent primum fraudi, et cum evicti quod non esset fraus, quod dicerent animam mortui secretam communicationem habuisse cum sacerdote, unde is excitatus resuscitavit: at si viderent hoc pluries factum, tunc manerent in eo, quod cogitarent aliquid secreti esse quod non comprehenderent, nam in natura multa quae non percipiuntur fiunt, sic nusquam crederent quod sacerdos fateretur, quod ex coelesti vi hoc factum, ita quod naturae adscriberent: exinde constat, qualis fides eorum, si vel miracula exstitissent; fides talis eorum, ut non credant spiritum dari, nec coelum nec infernum.