which is not sufficient in these things to be relied upon. And lastly (to our present purpose here) he doth not record it as a thing of his own certain knowledge, but of hear-say from _Epitherses_, who was but a single Relator, and a man of no certain veracity; and therefore we can have no rational ground to believe the truth of the story, but it may be rejected with more reason, than it can be affirmed by. Of no greater credit can his story be of _Brutus_ his _malus Genius_ appearing unto him, because he received this by meer Tradition and hear-say, neither could it have any other rise, but from the relation of _Brutus_ himself, whose guilty confidence, and troubled brain, fancied such vain things; for those that were near _Brutus_ neither saw nor heard any such matter, and therefore must have been a deception of Phansie, and no real Apparition _ad extra_. [Sidenote: The invisible World, p. 245, 246, 247.] [Sidenote: _Jo. à Jesu Mar._ _lib._ 5. _de Vit. Theres._ _cap._ 3.] [Sidenote: The invisible World, p. 305.] [Sidenote: _Ibid._ _p._ 284.] 2. And as evidence of the matter of fact recorded from the relation of others, is of no validity to a judicious person: so if the matter of fact be witnessed but by one single testimony (though an eye or an ear-witness) it is not sufficient, because one single person may be imperfect in some senses, or under some distemper, and so be no proper Judge of what it sees or hears; and the Word of Truth tells us, _That in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established_; and therefore we are not (especially in such abstruse matters as these) to trust the evidence of one single testimony. To make clear this Particular, we shall relate a story or two from the credit of the Reverend and Learned Bishop _Hall_, joyned with his judgment of such weak and feigned Tales, one of which runs thus: “_Johannes à Jesu Maria_, a modern Carmelite, writing the Life of _Theresia_ (Sainted lately by _Gregory_ XV.) tells us, that as she was a vigilant Overseer of her Votaries in her life, so in and after death she would not be drawn away from her care and attendance: For (saith he) if any of her Sisters did but talk in the set hours of their silence, she was wont by three knocks at the door of the Cell, to put them in mind of their enjoyned taciturnity. And on a time appearing (as she did often) in a lightsome brightness to a certain Carmelite, is said thus to bespeak him; _Nos cœlestes, ac vos exules amore ac puritate fœderati esse debemus, &c._ We Citizens of Heaven, and ye exiled Pilgrims on earth, ought to be linked in a League of love and purity, &c. Methinks the Reporter (saith the Bishop) should fear this to be too much good fellowship for a Saint; I am sure neither Divine nor Ancient story had wont to afford such familiarity: and many have misdoubted the agency of worse, where have appeared less causes of suspicion. That this was (if