Page:The most ancient lives of Saint Patrick - O'Leary.djvu/321

 saint delayed not to do what might prove the virtue of Christ, and instruct in the faith many Christians: for he changed an hard stone into a soft mass of curdled milk, and of this milk, in the name of Christ, he changed two soft pieces into hard stones. But lest these should be accounted false and like unto the signs of the magicians, the stones continued in the same hardness whereunto they were transformed. But this which was corporally done before the eyes of men, doth the divine virtue spiritually do in the conversion of believers; inasmuch as the worshippers of stones, men of hardened hearts, become soft unto the faith and love of Christ, and as if again born infants, they desire the milk of the apostolic doctrine, that thereby they may grow up unto salvation. So did it happen unto the magician, who beholding this miracle believed in the Lord and was baptized.

And Saint Patrick requested of a certain man, that he would bring unto him two wagons laden with twigs, for that such were required for certain needful uses. And the man fulfilled his request, and brought the twigs unto the appointed place. But a fire seized the two wagons and burned one thereof, yet left it the other unharmed of the flame. And all the beholders marvelled, that the fire should exercise its natural power over the one wagon, and on the other have no effect; as of yore it happened unto the three children which were cast into the fiery furnace, but which