thou wilt find merciful if thou ceasest not to be faithful in his Service Hermogenes overjoyed embraced these wholsome Admonitions and Promised to comply with every one most faithfully then falling down at the Apostles feet I know saith he the wrath of the Divels will tear me in pieces unlesse you give me something to S. Iames defend's Hermogenes from the rage of Divels secure me from their rage Take this my walking Staffe replyed S. James and no Divel shall annoy thee Much more followes of Hermogenes his working Miracles with the Apostles Staffe of his Zeal in preaching JESUS Christ and proving Christ out of the old Testament to be the true Son of God the long expected Messias and converting many to the true Faith Some dayes after these great Conversions wrought Abiathar the Priest of that year Seditiously raised à storm of persecution against S. James who violently haled to Herode the Son of Archelaus was by his command beheaded 8. Will you briefly hear what Sport our Dr makes with this Relation First saith he You must never ask from whence they had it it is fully enough that the name of Hermogenes and Philetus are in the new Testament I answer the Dr had more for the small parcel he relates than these two bare names set down in Scripture otherwise he will be thought the first Contriver of it In à word the Story is collected out of so many Manuscripts dispersed up and down several parts in Europe that unlesse you say all conspired to register à Fable you ought upon humane The whole Story proved Authentick Faith to yeild assent First it is extant in Codice Osnaburgensi Mendensi 2. In the Queen of Swedens M. S. preserved yet at Rome 3. It is taken out of the ancient Manuscripts of S. Audomarus 4. Out of certain M. S. in Marchia and lastly to omit others out of Cardinal Mazarins Manuscripts An Extract or collection of all these and many other particulars gathered by two worthy Judicious men about 14. years Since I have now on the Table where I write and hope this comes to more than à proof taken from the two names of Hermogenes and Philetus recorded in the new Testament 9. The Dr's Objections proposed against this Story are so profoundly simple that they deserve nothing but contempt One is the mention made of Hermogenes in the present Roman Breviary seem's very lean and bare That is he would have had the fifth Lesson there enlarged which some who are obliged to their Canonical houres might perhaps have thought too long and well content themselves with the substance of the Story there expressed Viz. S. Iames returned to Hierusalem when among The Doctors simple Objections others he had instructed Hermogenes à Magician in the Truth of Christian Faith c. Another Objection takes all its force from the Dr s memory who forsooth remembers no Abiathar high Priest since the Dayes of King Solomon Had he had but à smal portion of Solomons wisdom he might have reflected that many things are now out of his remembrance which were once in it and far more there are which never got thither One Abiathar was in Solomons time and why might not there be another in Herodes dayes The Relation expresly saies it and That 's enough for me I said just now that the Apostle to secure Hermogenes from the rage of Divels lent him his walking staff Is not this saith our Dr very wisely like one of the Apostles Miracles to give men Instruments for the cudgelling of Divels Pray Sr tell me when à Saint as Eliseus the Prophet was gave his staff to Giezi did that necessarily imply any Cudgelling Businesse I hope not though if by Cudgelling in this place you mean nothing but à lessening of Power I wish the Divel for your sake soundly cudgelled Ludovicus à S. Carolo Bibliothe Pontifiprinted at Lyons 1643. lib. 1. pag. 36. 10. A word now of Pope Calixtus his Writings where you have the Miracles of S. James largely recorded in five Books Ludovicus Jacob à S. Carolo testifies that the Miracles Written by Pope Calixtus the second are also preserved in M. S. at Oxford in Bibliothe Balliolensi n. 213 and at Cambrige in the Colledge of S. Benedict Moreover that à Book is kept there concerning the Translation of S. James Body Bellovac spec Hist lib. 26. à cap. 26. usque ad cap. 41. n. 41. The most of them add's Ludovicus we find in Vincent Bellovacensis 11. The five Books now mentioned of Pope Calixtus are had also in M. S. in the Library of S. Peters Church at Rome over the Sacristy belonging to the Canons of that Church whereof à Collection was made some years agone by two worthy learned men Godefridus Henschenius and Daniel Popebrochius famous all over the world upon the Account of their industrious labours These Writings I have before me And shall to the honour of this great Apostle briefly select some few of the choisest matters there contained To transcribe all would swell to à larger Volume than this whole Treatise is 12. The Argument of the Preface of B. Pope Calixtus to his second Book of 22. Miracles wrought by S. James begins thus Summopere pretium est S. Iacobi miracula c. It is à thing of great worth to set down in Writing the Miracles of S. James the Son of Zebedee and Patron of Gallicia because they highly conduce to the Honour of our Lord JESUS CHRIST and the Advancement of his Glory Soon after saith the Pope VVhat I have attentively taken From whom Pope Caliâ—tus gathered his writings notice of as I past through several Nations relating to the Apostles Miracles wrought in Gallicia what I have learned of others and seen with my own eyes I here commit to VVriting Some of these great wonders I took out of Books in France some out of Codicills found in Germany in Italy Dacia and in other remote Parts of the world yet I recount not all for that Task would be immense but only such Miracles of this great Apostle as are undoubtedly certain and proved true by Authentick Books and most faithful VVitnesses Reader Observe in passing that à whole Book of S. James his Miracles related by Calixtus is approved in à Breve of Pope Innocent directed The approbation of his writings to all faithful Christians where the Book is stiled Authentick and of undouhted Credit In confirmation whereof the Subscription of eight Cardinals followes adjoyned to the Breve And the first is Albericus Bishop of Ostia with these words Ad decus S. Iacobi c. To the Honour of S. James I do testify that this Book is approveable and praise worthy The original Testimony of the Breve and Subscriptions also you have in the Library of the King of France n. 1815. What thinks Dr Still of this Will he say what I quote is false Let that be proved which shall never be and I have done
there cited Nec quidquam opsonii intra admisit He eate no meat which is not to Say he eate nothing for he might well feed upon bread Fruit and such like things Now if as some Criticks note Opsonium properly signifies Piscis assus broyled Fish there needed no Miracle to refrain from that à whole hundred years For as much as concern's the long lives of many not only mentioned in Scripture but in known History also see Colganus his large Notes where Colgan in vita S. Kieran 5. Mart. page 466. num 42. you have his Authors Quoted and here he meets with à Dr who repeats much of what he Writes and thinks to refute all by à simple Narration or barely telling us He writes so and so VVas there ever such à way of impugning Authors found out before this new Invention of Mr Dr Yet thus he hold's on Page after Page now he makes sport with the raising of à dead Robin-redbreast to life now with S. Juo's boots Now he brings in à Story of à Bull giving Still page 527. as much milk as any Cow And which I casually omitted Ask's whether any thing was ever done by Christ and his Apostles like the turning of Butter into à Bell as S. Oudoceus Capgrave in vita S. Oudocei page 258. Bishop is said to have done VVitness Capgrave Yes Mr Dr both you and I have heard of as great Changes Viz. Of Lot's wife turned into à Pillar of Salt and water changed into wine In case these Examples satisfy not you shall have more Authentically recorded 6. Here methinks being quite wearied in following the Dr thus far it is high time to An Atheist may reject the Miracle in Scripture upon the Dr's Principles leave the remainder of his Collections to the Judgement of every prudent Reader with this true Observation upon them that if Jeers and Derisions can do it the Dr has behaved himselfe manfully and taught every Atheist by his Procedure to slight all the Miracles God hath done upon this principle Miracles seem wonderful to his short Knowledge ergo ought to be vilifyed If he has any better Argument blame me boldly Hence proceeds his frequent and no lesse impertinent Interrogatories where speaking of S. Mochteus long Abstinence he Ask's whether it be not à pretty reasonable Fast for à man Mentioning some that speak in their Mothers wombe he would know whether the Baptist Leaping in his Mothers belly was comparable to this And in recounting other Miracles he wisely Demand ' s are not these now pregnant Instances how such Saints exceeded Christ and his Apostles And this Question comes over and over Did Christ and his Apostles any thing like to these Miracles Pitiful Impertinent neither he John 20 30. John 21. 25. nor I know what Signs and Miracles Christ wrought Witnesse S. John Nay more were the many other things saith the Apostle Christ did Written in particular the whole world would not contain the Books that might be Written notwithstanding the Dr remit's us to what Christ and his Apostles did 7. For an upshot of this whole matter the Still p. 565 Dr leaves the Reader to Judge whether the Testimony on which these Miracles have been received ought to be compared in point of Credibility with that Testimony on which the Christian Church hath believed the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles I Answer the Dr cheats the Reader For the true Christian Church believes the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles upon Divine Testimony by How the Dr cheat's his Reader à certain act of Faith These other Miracles mentioned by Colganus and Capgrave rely at most upon humane Authority And If they force from us à probable Assent wherein there is à great Latitude That 's all and aboundantly enough because I am apt to think that when Cronology and other main Circumstances come to the Test chiefly about the long Lives of some Saints and other strange Wonders much may occurr to à diligent Searcher not too well grounded But to Decry all as the Dr doth whilst he Examins none is foul play and above measure blamable For it seem's morally Impossible that after so great pains taken by Authors who carefully remit you to Their Manuscripts and other Testimonies all should prove Forgeries though some Perhaps may be doubtful or in à mean Degree propable If evinced False we utterly reject them 8. The Dr in the Close of his Discourse to gain credit for his pains Tell 's us he has not raked the Kennels of Iacobus de Voragine of Cantipratanus and such like Writers of no Account it seems with him But made choise of latter Authors praysed and highly approved by learned men Capgrave saith he was esteemed one of such excellent parts that he had scarce any equal none Superiour to him in England in his time Colganus his first Tome containing the Acts of the Irish Saints was published with great Approbations from the General of his Order the Professors at Lovain from the Ordinary Censor Librorum and four Jesuits having besides the commendatory Epistles of Vernulaus and Erycius Puteanus Now saith he the Jesuits collections at Antwerp begun by Bollandus and continued by Henschenius and Papebrochius were Published with as much Ostentation of care and Judgement as any thing can be set forth in that kind Thus the Dr. 9. Reader I would willingly know what harme is done to these Authors by Mr Dr wherein I beseech you has he lessened rheir credit Has he clearly shown the Original copies from whence they took Miracles Forged Has he disparaged in the least Degree the Authenticalness The Dr disparages none of these Records but is apt to think something may be à misse in them of those Records Has he upon any good Authority proved so much as one of these Miracles false or improbable No he never fall's upon this solid way of reasoning What then dos he I told you he barely relates what Authors write and there forces in à Jest or an impertinent Question leaving every matter of Fact unexamined just as it was before If true then it is true still if doubtful t' is yet doubtsul if probable still probable Here is all you have from our Doughty Dr who confesses his own lost labour plainly enough So that what ever judgement saith Still page 567. he be passed upon the Miracles they cannot deny the Books I have made use of to be of greatest Authority of any extant in this kind and yet after all I am apt to think they will meet with à great deal of Infidelity from all that have not captivated their understanding to the Obedience of the Roman Faith I am apt to think Mr Dr What à faint Expression is this Who holds himselfe obliged to captivate his understanding to your Thoughts Had you truly told us that these Miracles upon due Examination have been proved false or improbable had you shown their Original Records unauthentick you
A DISCOVRSE OF MIRACLES WROUGHT IN THE ROMAN CATHOLICK CHVRCH OR A full refutation of Dr Stillingfleets unjust exceptions against Miracles together with à large discovery of the Doctors unexcusable frauds Manifest in his many false perverted and impertinent Quotations BY E. W. ANTWERP Printed by MICHAEL CNOBBAERT at the Sign of S. Peter 1676. Permissu Superiorum THE PREFACE TO THE READER A Year and more is pas't since it pleased Doctor Edward Stillingfleet to move some difficulties about Two main points in Controversy and to Show his Skill in Both. The one speculative relates to the Churches Infallibility and the Resolution of Faith The other in the Second Part touch'd upon à plain Matter of Fact the Miraculous Translation of the Hâ—ly house of Loreto from Nazareth to the place w 〈…〉 now stands honoured by à frequent Concourse of People from all Parts of Europe In my last little Treatise I endeavovred to Satisfy the Dr in the Speculative Part and as I think cleared all Difficulties objected against that Miraculous Translation And did this to please the Dr though hitherto He never gave mee thanks for my pains much less returned any Word of Answer Having ended that short Treatise I promised à Satisfactory Reply to the rest of Dr Stillingfleet's many Cavils carelesly thrown out at Miracles wrought in the Roman Catholick Church And here comply with my Promise where I show that never man had worser luck in any Engagement than the Dr in this undertaken Enquiry His chiefest Aime was as every one see 's so to manage matters as not only to cast à blemish upon some latter Miracles but to disgrace all wrought in the Church though in the Pursuit he shrinks so far as never to meddle with the true State of the Question proposed or rationally to oppose one clear and approved Miracle as you shall see hereafter The Method held by me in this Treatise is as followes I first Evince the Truth of our Saviours Miracles by Arguments drawn from rational Principles For we may I hope suppose this to bee à rational Princiciple That some Books of History universally received are for the Substance true and not wholly forged Thus much only granted I Discourse and require no more 2. I prove upon the same rational Grounds hereafter alledged true Miracles to have been wrought in the Roman Catholick Church and produce many most clear ones seen by Ey-witnesses whereof none ever yet doubted 3. I waite on the Dr in his other Pilgrimâges made to Compostella and S. Maximin's in France and upon that occasion defend Pope Evaristus his VVritings 4. I produce the Testimonies of Ancient Fathers so manifest and pregnant for the Churches Miracles that no Catholick Writer of this Age ever yet did or can speak vvith greater Energy 5. I examin such Authorities and herein have taken some pains as the Dr thinks make most against the vvorking of new Miracles since the Apostles Dayes And I did more vvillingly engage in this particular upon the Dr's ovvn Provocation I desire them saith he in his Epistle Dedicatory not to spare me in this present subject of Miracles wherein I profess to relye on their own Writers If they show me any wilful mistakes therein I will endeavour to give them publick satisfaction Stand to your vvord Mr Dr And if I do not shovv à vvhole large List of many gross mistakes driven on by Malice Ignorance or both I 'le crave your Pardon and vvillingly ovvn my Errour before the vvhole vvorld Reader in this Contest there can be no long debate the comparing Authorities after you have opened the Dr's Book and mine vvill clear all and afford Great Store of Mistakes Now Seing the Dr relies on our ovvn Writers and hopes he err's not my Demand is In vvhat doth he rely on them for Has be any Catholick Author that opposes approved Miracles So it is saith the Dr. The Testimony of those who Dr p. 440. deliver Miracles hath been contradicted by men of greater Authority than themselve I Say contrary The Proposition is manifestly untrue Such men of greater Authority vvere never yet heard of nor can one be named as is made out in this Treatise vvhere you vvill se that the Dr fraudulently introduces Authors contrary to Miracles vvho vvith all might and main in express Terms allow them It is true Dr Iohn Launoy one of little credit as appear's afterwards quibbles at many matters of Fact reputed Miraculous yet never hitherto durst deny the Church to have had true Miracles wrought in it What the Dr Quotes from Melchior Canus and Ludovicus Vives relating to à suspension of all latter Miracles is more than most profoundly simple as you may read C. 10. n. 16. Now if the Dr in Lieu of relying on true Miracles lean upon this fallacious Principle That there have been Many forged by ungodly men and will list these among the Churches true Signs he is unworthy to be dealt with and doth not only Mistake but most grosly Calumniat's Some who they are I know not thought the Dr not to deal fairly in his Quoting Authors whereof be seem's very sensible in his Preface and deem's it so groundlesse à Calumny yea so void of Proof that he desires no better Argument of à bafled Cause than such impertinent Clamours Soon after followes à Brag of à larger Size Do they indeed think me à man so void of Common sence as to expose my selfe to the contempt of every one that will take pains to compare my Citations Have I Books only in my own keeping Or are they so rare that they cannot get à sight of them How then come they to know them false cited Reader I have beâ— me Thanks be to God the Books the Dr remits me to I have compared with my own eyes his Citations and after that pains taken certainly know that the Dr has grosly erred or to use his own words exposed himselfe to publick Contempt For Proof hereof I must speak plainly though little to the Dr's comfort and do make my Assertion good in the ensuing Treatise Not one only but all the Dr's Citations produced against the Churches approved Miracles are either very falsely Quoted Or peevishly perverted to à sinister Sence or finally wholly impertinent to the matter here debated False Citations are many perverted ones more and the impertinent almost numberless To prove every part of my Assertion in this place were to bring back one great Piece of this whole Treatise into the narrow compass of à short Preface However à few hints at some cannot take up much roome It is false though the Dr assert's it That Gerson Saies in à certain Epistle That now the working of Miracles is wholly taken away and none but false Christians Dr p. 688. pretend to it It is salse That according to S. Gregory whatever Miracles we Suppose to remain in the Church we do not look on them as wrought for the confirmation of any necessary Part of Christian Faith
our Saviours Miracles and the Apostles to have been really wrought by Arguments not taken from Scripture or if he make use of the new Testament against the Iew he is to lay aside that Question wether it be God's word or no Unlesse before the dispute the Book be evinced written by Divine inspiration Thus much premised 6 I argue against à Iew and ask whether he Christ's Miracles proved against à Iew. allowes the Historical part of the new Testament where the Miracles of Christ and the Apostles are recorded to be as good and as true à Story as the relation made in the old Testament of Mose's Miracles And now I trouble not his head with the Question about the Divine Inspiration of either book but only enquire after their truth In case he yeild's equal truth to both he must grant that Christ cured the blinde raised the dead and that the Apostles wrought such Miracles as S. Luke recount's in the Acts of those blessed men c. If as is most likely he bluntly reject's the Gospels relation as not true I ask what answer will he give à Heathen that no less boldly cast's off the Story of Moses Miracles as false and plainly assert's that the same reason let it be what you will whereby he attempts to discountenance the truth of one Narration will every whit as much enervate the truth of the other and thus all Miracles related in Scripture goe to wreck which is to say God never wrought any by Moses and the Prophets by Christ and his Apostles This the man of the Synagogue proves or nothing In case he reply Christians that admit Mose's Miracles are tongue tyed and cannot plead against them I answer we plead not against any for we hold all most true yet justly tax à Iew of à grosse Inconsequence which à Heathen laies before his eyes and once more say the same proofs and reasons whereby he endeavour's to reject the Miracles of Christ and the Apostles destroy at one blow the truth of the greatest Miracles which Moses or the Prophets ever wrought that is in à word there is neither proof nor reason to deny either all are most true and Strongly made out by reason supposing this one rational ground which none can deny viz. That books of History known and received all over deserve credit upon humane faith 7. In discoursing with à Heathen about Miracles Heathens also Convinced recorded in Scripture à rational demand is whether he yeild's as good credit to the History of this Book as to Titus Livius Caesars Commentaries or any other ancient writer If he affirm the Miracles there set down are with him upon moral certainty believable in case he denies I am not to take his bare word but must know the ultimate reason of his denial which will ever be Petitio Principii or in real truth no reason but à selfe conceipted fancy just as if one should sencelesly reject what ever Livy or Caesar has written because he will bluntly A reply answered do so upon no reason The Heathen may reply There is à great difference between all natural history and the Miracles registred in Scripture for these because strange and unusual so strongly check and abate beliefe that reason cannot but boggle and hold all forged by à few simple men that wrote them whereas no such extravagant wonders are found in natural History I answer first we read of innumerable great wonders in natural History as of Mountains rising up and justling together of certain Cities in Syria seated on hills and thence violently thrown into à Plain some miles off without any dammage c. Things certainly unusual though not so strange as à true Miracle I answer 2. All matters of Matters of fact in Scripture not feigned but manifestly proved true fact recorded in Scripture most evidently are not feigned however admirable and above the force of nature therefore it s highly against reason to hold the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles forged because strange and wonderful I prove demonstratively that matters of fact recorded in Scripture are not feigned upon this ground The Prophets long before Christianity was established foretold clear matters of fact which some thousands of years after evidently proved true as that Christ should be born of à Virgin that the old Priesthood should fail and à new Priest and King raign forever that the greater people the Iewes should become the less and the Gentils far lesser become the greater all strange and wonderful Predictions whereunto we may add our Saviours most certain Prophesy in that known Parable of the vineyard where speaking to the chief Priests and Pharisies he clearly foretold their ruin and rejection before it happened and no lesse clearly the destruction of Hierusalem These Prophesies the whole world has now seen for many Ages fulfilled and verifyed Hence I discourse whoever fortel's wonderful future things long before the event which afterwards visibly come to passe speak's truth and cannot forge nor feign because Facts exactly agreeing with the Predictions take away all suspicion of forgery but this you see is evident if you compare the Prophesies of the old Testament with what the Writers of the new have expressed and we se fulfilled with our eyes therefore all wonderful matters recorded in Scripture however strange are neither false nor forged A Heathen cannot deny the evident and now known fulfilling of these Prophesies because the Book of the old Testament was extant and read by Iewes long before the Evangelists wrote their Story 8. I argue 2. with Lingendes and rationally Ling. cited pag. 44. evince the truth of our Saviours Miracles by the Testimony of Writers in several nations most different from one another and further Ancient writers and Publick Fame prove the primitive Miracles ground my discourse upon an universal publick Fame received the whole world over which own 's those primitive Miracles as undoubted For ancient Writers this Author first remit's us to Joseph the Iew who speaking of our Saviour saith Eodem tempore c. In those dayes Iesus à wise Josepus l. 18 Antiquit c. 4. man lived if yet lawful to call him man only that wrought strange wonders and had many followers both Iewes and Gentils This Christ whom the chiefe of our Nation accused Pilate condemned to dy upon à Cross Euseb lib. Hist Eccles c. 11. Hieron de Script in verbi Josephus rose again the third day as the Prophets had foretold and as we read in the Jerosolimitanian Talmud named Gavoda Zara Miraculously cured innumerable diseased though the latter Iewes attribute this power of working Miracles not to any virtue in Christ nor to the Divel as their Progenitors impiously did but say they were wrought at the pronouncing of an ineffable name called by them Sem Hammaphoras or à name expounded The Turks Alcoran witness de Lingendes recount's at large the Miracles of our Saviour where you read of his cleāsing
course whereof saith Boord was so Stupendious and above all reason And the cure so evident that it cannot but be attributed to the virtue of those Holy words which the Priest did speak over that Daemoniack Thus our professed Adversaries 3. Is it true that the Miracles of Christ and the Apostles plain Objects of Sense were first proved by the Testimony of those that beheld them and that those who saw them distinct Ey-witnesses at different times cannot be imagined willingly to have conspired in à Forgery or basely given out Lazarus for à dead man raised to life that was not dead Is it also true that the Evangelists who afterwards registred these seen Wonders had they told so many horrid Lyes in matters of Fact open and publick where fiction has not easily place would not only have prejudiced their own cause but also been lyable to Publick infamy and the disgraceful Clamours of Iewes and Gentils If these Truths be undeniable we have the like rational Evidence for Miracles wrought in the Roman Catholick Church Reader consider An application of the third Proof things seriously Was not that Miracle wrought by the Reliques of S. Gervasius and Protasius in Milan witnesse S. Ambrose an Object of S. Ambros Epist 85. Sense and seen by many Were those stupendious wonders effected by the glorious Martyr S. Stephen whereof S. Austin speak's largely S. August lib. 22. Civit cap. 8. done in the dark without the Attestation of innumerable that saw them Was not S. Bernard's Miracle after his blessing certain loaves of bread whereof we shall speak presently so memorable and manifest to Sense that whole Multitudes having eaten of the bread finding themselves cured ran forthwith to the Saint and with all submission praysing God owned the Favour John Clements cure at Montagu the young youths restored Leg at Zaragosa and the Miraculous cure of F. Mastrilli at Naples were all Sensible and visible Works of à Divine power Say now I beseech you to goe on with the Parallel can any Imagin that either those who saw or wrote these Miracles damnedly conspired among them selves to delude the world with open Lies It is impossible because Spectators or writers of such matters lived far more distant for time and place from each other than the Apostles that registred our Saviours wonders If therefore those blessed men cannot be supposed wickedly to have feigned Christ's raising Lazarus to life or cleansing the Lepers it is more impossible to conceive that S. Austin for example perswaded those who lived many Ages after with S. Bernard to tell à forged Story of his miraculous Loaves Did those think you who saw the youth 's restored leg at Zaragosa suborne the Ey-witnesses of John Clements cure at Montagu to feign that matter of Fact which happened many years before the Miracle at Zaragosa It is Folly to Judge so 4. O but say Sectaries we doubt much whether the supposed Ey-witnesses of Latter Miracles and the Writers of them spake truth in what Those first are said to have seen That is They 'l doubt whether any saw the Miracles recounted by S. Austin and S. Ambrose and Question as much these Saints Sincerity in writing them And cannot á Iew or Heathen move all these doubts Concerning to Eywitnesses of our Saviours Miracles and the Evangelists Sincerity that wrote them Yea every whit as wisely Reader in this place we only compare the humane Testimony of those who saw Christ's Miracles before Scripture registred them with the humane Testimony of latter witnesses that visibly beheld the Miracle at Milan at Montagu or Naples and say no more rational exception can be made against the latter Ey-witnesses than the first Now because in discoursing with the Adversaries of Christ and his Church it were folly to suppose the Gospel God's Divine Word we clearly evince by reason that the Book at least deserves as great Credit upon No exception can be made against those who write of approved Miracles humane Faith as any other true plain History And then tell Sectaries that they in reason can-no more except against the approved Writers of our Church Miracles S. Austin for example or S. Ambrose than à Iew or Heathen against the Evangelists that wrote Christs Miracles and hence you have the Primitive Miracles and those in the Church prove alike Lastly would not the Evangelists now supposed to write candidly their Story without any fraudulent Combination have justly exposed them selves to publick Infamy in setting down matters of Fact had they singly considered recorded things newer Seen or heard No lesse publick Infamy Censure and Clamours those would have justly Incurred in relating Church Miracles had they brought to light strange Wonders never known in the world Would publick Clamours think ye or Censures have spared S. Austin or those that recorded John Clement's Cure if forged and feigned Stories No certainly men both wise and prudent would have excepted against them as Impostures had not Evidence cleared their Truth 5. Is it true that the Miracles of Christ first seen by Ey-witnesses and afterwards recorded raised them to à Publick Fame the whole world over which hitherto continues in force by à never interrupted Tradition The like publick Fame say I first grounded on Sense and hitherto continued by Tradition we have for Miracles wrought in the Church Speaking of Fame alone or of à humane universal Report these The fourth Proofe above applyed to the Churches Miracles Miracles are as certain as that the Historry of the Gospel recorded by the four Evangelists is Gods word or written by Divine Inspiration Sectaries it is true are found that Question the Truth of some Church Miracles none for ought I know unlesse Dr Stillingfleet denies all and no few Desertors of the Church Question also whether many Parts and Passages in the new Testament are God Sacred Word But the great Fame of clear Miracles and the new Testaments Divinity is even upon the Churches humane Authority upheld as indubitable by all called Catholicks and therefore very universal yea answerable to the Fame of Apostolical Wonders 6. Is it true that Positive proofs alledged for this Affirmative Christ truely wrought Miracles quite discountenance and bear down the contrary Negative barely vented without any appearance of proof Christ never wrought any The Principle is undoubted and clearly evinces that God has wrought many true Miracles by the Professed members of the Catholick Church Our Positive proofs you shall have afterwards more fully and the contradiction of those who deny Miracles demonstrated an improbable Attempt yea void of Sence and ridiculous In this place we only Argue as we did above and show the cause Miracles I mean by the real Effects which followed in the Conversion of Nations far more numerous after the Apostles dayes and all those wrought by The fift Proof applyed to our Churches Miracles the Roman Catholick Church than before Such remarkable Works of God over Italy Germany France Spain
Thaumas Tom. 2 sub Titulo Miracula perpetua of his Epistles to the Tolosians tacitly insinuat's what he had done amongst them where modestly like the Apostle to the Thessalonians he remind's them of his Preaching and Saies it had not been in word only sed in virtute but in the Power of Miracles and the Holy Ghost Read also Bernard the Abbot of Bonevallis of the same Age with the Saint and William the Abbot of S. Nicodoricus and you shall find most glorious Miracles recounted of S. Bernard And thus much of à few choise and most clear Miracles You have innumerable more excellently well set down by F. Silvester in his Book often cited And as great Ones most certain if not greater Del Techo Historia Provins Paraq Soc. Iesu Lâ—â—dy impressa anno 1673. you have likewise faithfully recounted in the late History of Paraquaria Written by Nicolas Del Techo à long time Missioner among those Barbarians The admirable Conversions wrought there the painful labours of those Missioners and the Miracles which God pleased to Manifest for the reducing that uncivilized People to our Catholick Faith are so Prodigious that unlesse they were attested by innumerable Ey-witnesses as all have been some of à far easier Faith than Dr Stillingfleet the most obdurate man I ever met with might perhaps at the first reading boggle à little But their Evidence clearly laid forth takes all doubt away and makes them certain Besides Miracles and innumerable Conversions you have often à Relation of strange Wonders in Nature which may seem to some as incredible as true Miracles do to Many Sectaries CHAP. IV. How true Miracles may be discerned from false VVonders VVhether Heathens and Hereticks ever wrought true Miracles For what End true Miracles are wrought Of the difference between Antichrist's Miracles and those wrought by Christ and in the Church 1. I Here Suppose that true Miracles have been wrought by Moses Christ our Lord and his Apostles and consequently are discernable from all false Signs done by Divels and Impostors or if they be not discernable by some clear Marks but still remain Equivocal or lie so far out of sight that none can difference them from jugling Charms They are useless unworthy God and worthless to all rational men 2. The reason hereof given in another Treatise Protest without Princi Disc 1. c. 8. was much to this Sence God by working Miracles in behalfe of true Religion engages as it were in à Dispute against the Divel and all Adversaries that oppose it and after such an Engagement cannot but Convince and Conquer by the strength of rational Motives but his own Miracles justly and chiefly numbred among these Perfwasive Motives are upon that Account known and made discernable from all False and fallacious Signs Hence I also said No false Sect can either surpasse or match the true ReligioÌ„ in the Evidence of rational Motives that no false Sect can either surpasse true Religion in the Evidence of rational Motives or so much as match it in the lustre of Signal Miracles For had à false Religion more glorious Miracles wrought in it or the like equal Signs all things considered God would not only Stand guilty of arguing lesse efficaciously for his own Verities but natural Reason also would be left in à state of Indifferency no more determined to embrace what is true than false And thus you se if true Miracles ever more speciously set forth true Religion and cannot with the like splendor belong to any false Sect They are upon that Account distinguished from the Legerdemain and all illusive Signs of injust Pretenders to Truth 3. I hold it here time lost to insist long upon the pretended Miracles done by Heathens and Hereticks you shall not produce one wrought by them as Infidels and Hereticks that goes beyond à Legerdemain trick an ordinary Conjures jugling or at most what Spirits can do by natural Causes Wherefore S. Augustin Medina de rectâ in Deum fide lib. 2. p. 65. cited by Michael Medina expresly teaches that neither men nor Divels can by Virtue of Magick effect any other thing Quam id quod antea in utero naturae per Seminales rationes delituit than that only which before lay as it were hid in the wombe of nature Now as God limit's these Evil Spirits so in like manner he stint's the Power of Infidels and Hereticks when assisted by Divels they show wonders Again examin rigidly the Authority alledged for these Signs you will find nothing besides this or that Single Writer who talk's upon bare Hear say only which is far different No Authority for the pretended wonders of Heathens from our Proceeding for we allow no Miracles but such as have been attested by the Solemn Oaths of Ey-witnesses and made good upon all other Proofs possible for mankind to require in à matter of greatest Consequence Observe well the Comparison 4. The Miracles wrought in the Church as we have already proved and shall hereafter demonstrate have been innumerable the pretended wonders of Heathens and Hereticks quite contrary penurious and very few The first wrought by men of eminent Virtue and members of that Holy Society which God in all Ages has illustrated with Miracles have gained renown over all the world Those other dull Works if yet ever done had their being either from no Christians or very bad ones and to this day lie buried in Obscurity The How different our Catholick Miracles ars from others were those pretended ones true first far above all force in Nature show à Majesty in the Resuscitation of the dead and the known cures of desperate Infirmities The other mean and Slender are not when true above the Power of invisible Spirits The First rigidly examined we find as I said upon humane Faith most certain Those other done by Infidels and Hereticks without Oath or Examination are not only doubtful but Judged by grave Authors false Counterfeit or at the S. Greg. lib. 1. 6. Regist Epist 31. most works of Necromancy Wherefore S. Gregory plainly averr's that Sozomenus related many false things of the Novatians Miracles the like Judgement others make of Socrates whether Novatian or no little concern's our S. Austin lib. 10. de Civit. c. 16. present Controversy 5. S. Augustin having summed up the Wonders of Gentils of dead Images moving from place to place of à whetston cut in two by à rasor and such like Trash speak's conformably to what is now said Haec ergo atque alia hujuscemodi nequaquam illis quae in populo Dei facta legimus virtute magnitudine conferenda sunt These and other like Maruels are not at all comparable with the Miracles wrought amongst God's People either in Power Virtue or Greatnes Then the Saint add's Though there be some Wonders that look like things done by Holy men yet the very End for which they are done showes our Christian Works he means Miracles to be in all respects
Associates who transported the Holy Body of S. James to Spain Can you perswade your selfe that to laugh at the Story as you doe is à weighty refutation though all this while I propose it not as Gospel What I find besides in this Relation is that S. James's Body was buried neer to the Mountain Illicinus now called Mons Sacer not far from à Fountain and there left by those Holy men who carried it thither 4. Thus much said we return to Baronius Num. 71. where we are told that by reason of the great persecution raised against Christians in those parts of Spain All long since dead who Conveyed the Sacred Body thither the Sepulchre likewise where the Treasure lay being hid and all the Memory of it forgotten Behold saith Baronius Num. 72. Magno Dei beneficio Factum c. by à Special Favour of Almighty God after à large Circuit of Ages in the time of Alfonsus Castus à most pious Prince the Apostles long concealed Body discovered it selfe by clear Signs of light shining over the Bryers where it lay The light was seen for many nights together not by one only but several By-witnesses Episcopus Iriensis Chiefly by Theodorimus Lord Bishop of Iria who like another Moses approaching the burning Bush found the precious Body of the Son of thunder so our Saviour named S. Iames which God in due time revealed to free Spain How the Body was discovered from the thraldom of Infidelity as the happy event of great Wonders wrought there has made manifest For ever since the Discovery People from all Parts of the World flocked to the Apostles Sepulchre which God had enobled with the singular Grace of innumerable stupendious Miracles And these great Works of Divine Power as Baronius notes well are better proofs than all that can be Written 5. Now comes Dr Still with à simple Objection You have saith he à Body buried among thorns and Bushes What then must this without any Inscription or Characters upon it needs be S. Iames his Body and none els I Answer Gods One Objection answered own characters glorious Miracles were then and still are upon it these Written by à Divine hand surpasse in real worth all other humane Inscriptions imaginable Pray you tell me had the other Apostles when they preached to remote Countries carried this or the like Inscription upon their Breasts VVe are Apostles of JESUS CHRIST and done no Miracles or wrought Miracles as they did without such Inscriptions Tell me I say whether of these two think you would have drawn Infidels sooner to the Beliefe of JESUS CHRIST I hold God's own Characters far more prevalent and so they are in our present case O! but we yet prove not that it was S. James his Body why may it not be the Body of some other I Answer first it is à Body whereby God is pleased to work prodigious Miracles evidently seen by innumerable Eye-witnesses and Miracles are the Scar-Crowes our Dr fear 's most whether done by S. James or any other makes nothing for his purpose Again supposing the Evidence of Miracles wrought at Compostella which is undeniable why should we not rather ascribe them to the Power of God working by the Apostles Body than to any other unknown Saint that may perhaps Lie interred thereabout And thus much the Proofs for the transporting of S. James his Body to that place seem to evince 3. Joannes Mariana tells us the Signes Mariana lib. 10 de â—eb Hispani c. 10. n. 10. we seek for were known and shewes by whom and in what manner yet what they were in particular after so many Ages and the former cruel persecution raised against Christians in that Part of Spain there is now saith he little certain memory of them 6. Dr Still Page 471. Quotes Mariana and Mariana de reb Hispan lib 4 c. 6. thinks he find's no Argument for S. James's comming into Spain but Tradition only Again the Dr cites his 5.th Chapter de Adventu Iacobi In my Book printed Anno 1605. I find nothing like these Testimonies in either place but quite Dr Still p. 473. different matters handled Lib. 4. c. 6. He speaks of Antoninus Pius and add's Quid rerum gesserit in Hispania Clam est What things he did in Spain is not known and it is certain that he treat's of S. James his comming into Spain not in any fifth chapter of my Edition The Dr err's in his quotations but in the 10.th now cited As blind à Quotation the Dr gives us where he referr's us to Mariana Cap. 12. de Adventu Iacobi That is you must run over thirty whole books so many Mariana wrot de Rebus Hispaniae and find out if you can that 12.th Chapter If Mr Dr have 25. Iuly any newer Edition of Mariana it will be no great labour to say when and where it was printed The most Mariana hath of this subject is in his own Epistle sent to Pope Paul the V. à M S. I have now by me where with great Submission he mentions many weighty Arguments collected by him concerning the comming of S. James into Spain which he hoped with leave to make publick and cast both Himselfe and labours at the feet of his Holinesse More I have not 7. A word now of Hermogenes's strange Dr. Still p. 465. Conversion to Christ by the endeavour of the B. Apostle S. James The Dr relates part of it and after his manner jeer's at all Briefly the Story is thus After S. James had visited Judea and Samaria and proved by Scripture in several Synagogues that JESUS CHRIST is the true Son of God Hermogenes à Magician sent his Disciple The Conversion of Hermogenes and Philetus Philetus to the Apostle who told him that his Master Hermogenes could enervate all he had said of Christ But Philetus seing the strange Miracles S. James had done in restoring sight to the blind and cleansing the Lepers and hearing also of his raising the dead upon his return told Hermogenes what he had heard and seen and that now he resolved to be one of S. James Disciples whereat the Magician highly enraged commanded the Divels to bind Philetus so fast that he could not stir But the Apostle who sent his handkerchief to Philetus soon released him and enjoyned the Divels to bring Hermogenes without hurt fast bound to him This done Hermogenes clearly seing the wonderful Power of God working with S. James much humbled and confounded became Poenitent Accipe said he Poenitentem quem invidentem detrahentem hactenus sustinuisti Accept of me great Apostle whom you have hitherto patiently borne with as à most spiteful and unworthy Detractor If replyed S. James thou be truly poenitent burn all thy books of Magick Go from house to house where thou hast wrought mischiefe and recall all thou hast done restore the money unjustly got by thy Charms follow JESUS CHRIST seek to please him whom
Grave and serious We ask where are the indefatigable Missioners sent by you for the Conversions of Heathens and Gentils to the remotest Parts of the world à noble Function where in the Catholick Church only and most justly glories You like lazy Drones not daring to wet à foot sit at home well clad and better fed dallying with your Wives and Children Yet all must be thought Grave and serious Let any impartial man cast à serious thought upon our Nation one Age since unfortunately divorced from Christ and his Church and compare its present condition with that it once was when Catholick Religion florished there he is blind and besotted who see 's not à Notorious difference What ruins followed Protestancy and now much to the worse More Atheistical Principles have poysoned mens hearts more Phantastick Opinions have been vented more Kingdoms undone more temporal Lords deprived of their Soveraignity in Germany France and Netherlands more Churches overthrown more Bishops banished more havock made of all that Good is more Innocent blood shed since this new Tragical Gospel troubled Christendom than à thousand years before had shown in time of Popery These are evidences clearly laid forth by Brâ—rely whether Grave and pious let the world Judge And. Brerely Protest Apol tract 3 sect 2. But chiefly in his Preface to the Reader As also in à little Book printed at London 1653. called Hierusalem and Babel The II. Edition 10. Here Mr Dr because you tell us à severe Account must be given to God of what we say concerning Religion I hold with you and am sure That no less severe account is to be given of VVhat you and men of your Gange have done against it Our Eyes as I told you in another Treatise yet se the horrour and our hearts bewail the sad Doings of your impious and worse than barbarous Reformation You have turned the Ancient Bishops out of their Sees Religious out of their Cells Nobles out of their Estates and men out of their Wits You have turned unity into Schism Religion into Policy and Virtue into Hipocrisy You have defaced Our Churches demolished our Monasteries pulled down our Altars as if the memory of Christ and the Temples where God was once worshiped were hateful and abominable to you Yet contrary to all The Reformation of Protestants barbarous conscience and Justice you enjoy the Incomes devovre the Substance left by Ancient Catholicks to those only who said Masse adored the Sacrifice of the Altar Prayed for the Dead honoured Saints and served God in the Religion called by you Idolatry How can you do this without publick Cor. 1. 8. 7. Scandal and open Injustice S. Paul in one Epistle tell 's us of some much Scandalized when they saw others eate meat offered to Idols and yee Gentleman make no Scruple to feed upon the temporal Goods given as you say by Idolateâ—â— our Ancient Catholick Benefactors to maintain Idolatry These Goods never God knowes and you know well left to you or any of your race by express will and Testament of the Doners entailed upon the Catholick Clergy and Religious you unjustly appropriate to your Selves And thus forsooth Idolothyta Things offered to uphold Idols such are our Images say you and the blessed Sacrament we adore relish well and please your Appetite The Procedure Mr Dr is not only Scandalous to your weak Brethren but besides as I said now plain Theft and open Injustice Of this Injustice as also of all your impious Sacriledges you are to give à strict Account before an Impartial Judge in the Vale of Jehosophat where it will appear whether you have wronged those Bountiful long since deceased Catholicks whose bread you eate I or you in drawing up this dreadful Charge against you 11. To conclude the Point hitherto pressed Nothing in Protestancy either grave of serious Tell me Sr I beseech you what is it that appear's Pious Grave and Serious in this your new nothing of Protestancy Where are your mortifyed Religious that keep strict Abstinence and Spend their time in Prayer day and night â— Where are now your retired Hermits your Solitary Virgins shut up in Cloisters without hope of enjoying Friends or acquaintance any more How many have you drawn by your Protestancy not only from Heresy to Faith but from vice to Virtue from à Sensual Life to Austerity and mortification Catholicks give you yearly yea Monthly à large Catalogue of such selfe Deniers The Rich freely become poor the avaricious Liberal the Proud humble the Impatient meek the Secular Religious and often quit amples Fortunes to enjoy God in à retyred Cell These real and generous Actions the old Catholick world and we yet highly esteemed Things Pious Grave and serious as known and owned Marks of true Religion but your Dull and barren Protestancy yeild's no such Fruits wherefore Erasmus cited by me in another Treatise one of great account with you Speak's home and pertinently Givè me the man saith he whom this new Gospel of à Gurmandizer hath made abstinent or sober of Fierce and cruel Tractable of an Extortioner Liberal of an unchast Liver continent and I will Shew many that are grown worse than they were before 12. But there is none I ever read that with Catholique Apology from p. 259 greater Energy laies forth the known Vertues obvious to Sense in Catholick Religion never practized or heard of among Protestants than that noble Person of Honour in his late incomparable Book intituled the Catholick Apology with à Reply c. Reader peruse this excellent Authors discourse directed to Dr Sill. Here in The gravity and piety of Catholick Religion laid forth by à Person of Honour Catholick Religion we shall find Saith he great Generals and Captains who being made sensible that after all their Victories they were notâ—withstanding Cowards and Captives to their own lusts and Passions turning presently their fury upon the new discovered Enemy and retiring to some Desart or By-place there to begin à Cruel combat never to be left of till by God's assistance for whom they fight they become more than Conquerors Here we shall see à delicate Courtier clad in soft Cloathing and abounding in all excesse Imaginable awakened on à sudden out of his Sensual Lethargy and then instead of accustomed indulging Passion c. We shall hear that he is become à Servant of the most Abject and that his dwelling is in Lazarettos Pesthouses and the like loathsome places no service being waved by him of Comfort to those distressed whether it be to dresse their stinking wounds or to receive their last infected breath whilst he hear's their Confessions and prepares them for another world What have we like this among Protestants Here we shall see a rich Merchand à dding house to house and field to field for many years opening in the End his Eyes and selling all he has for the reliefe of the poor and needy To purchase that inestimable Iewel so often
recommended to him by his Saviour and so after incessant labours he laies up à certain Treasure in Heaven where neither Moth nor Rust can Corrupt nor Theives break through and steal Was ever the like example Shown by Protestants Here we shall have à lewd Lais or Messalena that own 's no God but Pleasure that dream 's of nothing but Dressing Balls Feasting and what may seem to satisfy her unsatiable appetite ..... We shall have such an one I say wounded to the Soul in the height of her glory throwing into the fire her Bracelets and tinkling Ornaments c. Nor doth this Penitent Magdalen rest thus but taking hair-cloth for her Attire and à sharp Discipline for her Companion call's her selfe often to account for her past Abominations and with bread and water or à poor Claresses diet dayly blesses her merciful Father that she has time to repent Long may you search all the Annals of Protestants before you find but one only of these Penitent Magdalen's whereas most certainly Catholick Religion gives in Evidence of many 13. Our Person of Honour goes on There is no English Traveller but will Affirme that in any one Popish Town of our Neighborhood as in Paris Gant Antwerp Liege c. there is more Praying more Receiving more Fasting more watching more Almes-giving more visiting of Prisoners more exposing in time of Infection and in short more of any thing els that either Revelation or reason call's Piety than in all the Protestant Countries they ever saw in their lives Yet more Did ever any of those sublime Wits here the Noble Person alludes to the very Poets of Dr Stillingfleet's own Religion When they are to represent à Holy and heavenly man speak of à Minister or bring him on the Stage No certainly 'T is his part to be there if they intend to make the Auditors merry But vvhen they expresse Sanctity and devotion in its greatest Lustre vve then hear of nothing but of Ancorits of Hermits of Capucins of Carthusians or some such mortified Religious men all great Strangers to Protestant Religion however Dr Still will forsooth have this Dull stupified Protestancy to be thought à serious Business and Popery God wot à hindrance to Good life That is when Monarks and Princes quitted their Crowns and Scepters to live in à poor little Cell when Emperesles and Queens exchanged their Palaces contenting themselves with an humble private Oratory These and the like Heroick admirable examples of Vertue are in the Dr's opinion to be look't on as hindrances to à Good life Novv since the Dr will have Popery so destructive add's this Person of Honour and his Religion so conducing to good life I defie him to show one Conversion or Mortification in his Church that would move the least Wonder in any one whereas the Primitive Christians struck the very Infidels with admiration by their Heroique and pious Actions most of which have been equal'd in every Age by their Catholick Successors and sometimes Outdone 14. Thus and much more the Person of Honour once à University man whose Wit I am sure and most excellent natural Abilities fully reach as high as the very best the Dr can glory in and should we mention the known Improvement gained by his great Travels c. we may with modesty say there is no more comparison between the Dr and this noble Adversary The great natural Talents anâ— abilities of this Person of Honour than between à Owl close in an Juy bush and à Soaring Eagle that sees what 's done in other Nations All the Dr can reply for his Protestancy when we produce these Evidences of Mortification and contempt of the world in Popery comes at last to this so some have pleaded that the Protestants mortification and contempt of earthly things is forsooth all Inward lives in Souls though not seen outwardly This pritty Shift remind's me of à pleasant Story related not many years since A Virtuous simple man I knew well lent his horse fat and in Good case to one that borrowed him for à Journey of nine or ten dayes the poor horse returned to his Master quite changed was very lean little remaining but Skin and bone The Owner much wondring at the Change Askt how his horse became so meager O said the Traveller Sr though the poor beast outwardly appear's as you see very thin and starued yet he is fat and well to passe Within The Story whether true or no import's little well expresses our Protestants Mortification and Vertues kept from appearing within dores though our saviour command's quite Contrary Sic luceat lux vestra c. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your Good Works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven A Dunce may defend his Duncery and the most griping Userer in the world his Liberality if the one by saying he is learned Within and the other interiourly liberal may serve the Turn 15. In à word Reader summon up the very most or best that beares à Semblance of Religion amongst Protestants it amount's only to much Vain and Idle talk now and then bawl'd out on Sundayes whereof you have Instances Good store in those late Books Written by one that want's neither Wit nor Judgement I mean that Ingenious Author of the Contempt of the Clergy One saith he preaches Observations upon the Answer page 125. of Christ and tells his Hearers That Christ was the Christ that vve must lay out for Christ close vvith Christ rest and lean role toss tumble and vvallovv on Christ c. Another preaches of Meditation and makes great Discoveries Meditation Page 125. is like chevving of the cud like climbing up into à tree like digging Spiritual gold out of the Mine of the Promises like the Selvidge vvhich keeps the Cloth from ravelling like à Hammer that drives the nail to the head like going to Plough like à Gun full of povvder with much more A third takes for his Text. But his delight is in the Lavv of the Lord and gravely observes an Emphasis in every word and that the first Word But is à But indeed or à Hogs-head full of Spiritual wine he will broach it tast à little and then proceed But I leave him to his broaching and tasting and must tell you briefly of à fourth great Preacher who taking that of Gen. 42. 2. Grounds of the contempt of the Clergy page 69. And one told Iacob and said Behold thy Son Ioseph cometh to thee presently made it out that his Text vvas à spiritual Dyal for here saith he are tvvelve vvords vvhich represent the tvvelve hours and the vvord Behold is the hand of the Dyal that point's at every vvord in the Text. Novv as it must needs be one of the clock before it can be tvvo or three So this Bawler will handle this first word And à small Particle but small things saith he are not to be dispised Matt. 18. 10. Take heâ—d you dispise not
the whole world over an undeniable Miracle This Mr Dr the only Thing I insisted upon page 478. you shamefully wave and neither grant nor The Dr waves what I insisted upon plainly deny well content to cheat your Reader with à few dull dark words of Miracles done in corners and shewed to ignorant People who have no skill in Opticks nor Iudgement to difference the boyling up of à thing from à natural cause and by à Miracle What 's here but one witlesse Calumny after another Have all who for so many Ages have Shown the Vial to others practized like Rogues and Impostors False dealing or Legerdemain Were there never any Spectators all this vast while judicious enough to discern between jugling with an Optick if yet such à jugling be possible and the real boyling up of concrete Blood But above all Mr Dr Satisfy my Curiosity in one doubt Point me out that natural Cause whereby Blood mingled and congealed with earth boyles up upon good Friday in the Holy week at such à precise Nothing in nature can cause congealed blood to boyle up at such an hour on good Friday houre and you will show your selfe more skilful in Nature than ever Aristotle was There goes à pretty story of Galen the Physician who once meeting with S. Mary Magdalen understood by Her that Christ restored sight to one born blind If so replyed Galen Christ knew well the Virtue of mettals fetcht out of the veines of the earth No sooner Sr shall you find out the Natural cause of the boyling of this Blood but Galen will be ready with his Minoral that cured the blind mans Eyes which is to say never Yet upon this fourh and the now mentioned Calumnies you vainly exhort For Truths sake if your Church hath such Miracles as Christ and his Apostles had never send us to Loreto or Compostella or S. Maximins in France 27. Thus much noted concerning the true State of the Question between the Dr and me which is whether there be such à Miraculous Vial at S. Maximins we might were we minded to Write as I said Volumes further enquire how it came thither whereof I shall give some few hints leaving the Decision of the whole matter to Authors who have largely handled this difficulty 28. Joannes Launoy à learned Dr of the Launoy de commentitio Laz Maxim Mariae Martha in Provinciam appulsu Dr Still page 486 Sorborn saith our Dr hath proved in à set Discourse that for à thousand year 's after Christ it was the constant Tradition of the Greek aod Latin Church that Lazarus Martha and Magdalen all dyed in the Eastern parts and not à word of Maximinus and that the whole Story is taken out of à fabulous Book pretended to be Written by Marcella the Servant to Martha in the Hebrevv tongue translated by one Synthex into Latin Hence followes à grosse Forgery not only in the whole Story of these Saints comming into Provence But this is also consequent as Launoy and the Dr pretend That the fourth and fifth Lesson in the present Roman Breviary of S. Martha are meer Fables unworthy to be registred and so likewise is all that Vincentius Bellovacensis recount's of this Subject Vincen specu tom 4 Histor lib 9 cap 94 95 and more in the ensuing Chapters out of the Gests of S. Mary Magdalen of Lazarus and that whole Holy Company 29. Courteous Reader Note in the first place the fraud of Dr Still who guilfully Seem's to content you with relating à Story by halves He tell 's you indeed what Launoy Saith without The Dr's fraud the least mention of three other grave Authors who have made it their work to refute Launoy This Dr Still could not be ignorant of if he ever read Launoy One is Joannes Baptista Guesnay otherwise called Peter Henry in his Elaborate Annals printed at Lyons Anno Guesnay Annal sive Masilia Gentilis Christian 1657. Towards the End of this Tome you will find the Authors close Observations made upon à Decree set forth by the Supream Senate of Aix against Launoy implying à full Condemnation of all he has Written against the Arrival of S. Mary Magdalen at Marseils calling it false impious and pernicious Doctrin and finally commanding that his Writings be suppressed that no Stationer sell them nor any read Them for the future All this was done upon long Deliberation and consultation had with the most learned of the University at Aix John Launoys second Antagonist is Monsieur Denys de la Saint Baume in à French Treatise entituled Le Triomphe de la Magdaleine en la creance veneration Denys Gentil homme Provancal second Edition des ses Saintes Reliques â—n Provence suivie embrassé par toutes les Nations du Monde c. The last Adversary Launoy meets with upon this Subject is Theophilus Raynandus potens opere Sermone one that can both Write and speak home when justly provoked and occasion requires Raynaudi Polemica Tom. 18. sub Titulâ— Hercules Commodianus page 332. As it is not saith Raynaudus citing Irenaeus necessary for any to drink up the vvhole Ocean to knovv whether that Water be salt so it is needless to cloy you with too much of Iohn Launoy's Elucubrations à tast only of them rudely disgested by this turbulent and seditious mans VVit born to make discord in the world will be enough Thus Raynaudus 30. Have you ever heard saith Launoy of Se Rayn quaesito 1 old women sitting by the fire side in à long winters night and telling Tales No better is the Story of Mary Magdalen and Martha recounted in the Roman Breviary Again As Dr Still slights the Relation of S. Mary Magdalen's preaching to the People at Marseils because forsooth S. Paul allowes not à woman to preach so Dr Launoy deeply reproves the Roman Martyrologe Rayn quaesito 2. 15. Decemb. where we read that S. Christiana à Servant woman preached to the Iberians and converted many to Christ Raynaudus tells you how this frontless man Opposes no lesse than twenty Popes who approved the Reliques at S. Maximins Church Saying they all erred and were fâ—lthily deluded by the Dominicans grosse Lyes and Impostures Launoy's unworthy dealing with general Councils chiefly the Councils of Florence and Trent you have Rayn quaesito 3. laid forth by the same Author Of his vilifying Saints Canonized by the Church se Raynaudus Rayn quaesito 4. cited where he calls S. Antoninus Arch-Bishop of Florence pecus mulus à beast sheep or Mule as you Please Speaking of S. Lewis Launoy's boldnesse the IX the Gem of Kings who devoutly came to visit the Solitary place called the Holy Balme where Blessed Magdalen retyred herselfe in the height of Contemplation Sic saith Launoy Mendax fama incepit Thus the lowd Lye of Magdalen began imposed on the too credulous King by the Dominicans Whoever desires more of Launoy's siding with Hereticks
by the very Page he cites 641. Answerable to mine Paris print 1606. 22. Now Reader you may Bless your selfe vvith the Sign of the Crosse at à strange Wonder Dr Stillingfleet will needs have it sink into our Heads that no lesse à man than the great S. Austin much opposed the Continuance of Miracles in the Catholick Church Should we slightly passe over this grosse Errour without reproof There can be no Paradox no Improbability so monstruous which our Dr. may not ere long hope to fashion better to varnish over and set forth as sound and saleable Doctrin In à word the Errour is Gross and in plain English more than intolerable None more stoutly Defend's Miracles wrought in the Church Than blessed S. Augustine 23. For your better Satisfaction turn to S. S. Austin lib. 22. de Civit. Dei c. 8. petrotum Austins Treatise entituled the City of God where in the first place he Asserts Twice over that â—tiam nunc even in those dayes glorious Miracles were wrought in the name of Christ our Saviour by the Sacraments by the Prayers and memory of Saints departed And although saith he They are not so famed the whole world over as Those we read of in Holy Scripture yet They are manifestly clear and cannot be denyed And he doth not only Assert this in general Terms But proves the Assertion by so many Examples that à Reader must either give S. Austin the Lye or confess himselfe evidently convinced 24. When I was à Milan saith S. Austin One Miracle wrought at Milan the Emperour being then there that Miraculous cure was wrought upon à blind man at the Holy Bodies of S. Protasius and Gervasius and this innumerable People who flocked to the bodies of those Saints were Witnesses of I omit that great Miracle there largely set down wrought in Carthage upon à pious woman called Innocentia who had à Cancer in her breast Judged by all Physicians incurable yet after She had powred out her earnest Prayers to God for assistance was in à moment of time heard and Miraculously cured This I passe by with Intention to recount yet greater Wonders and Ask what the Dr thinks of an other Popish Miracle there related Hesperius saith S. Austin Another on à house infested with Divels one of the Tribunes had his House much hanted with Evil Spirits to the great molestation of his Servants and desired some of our Priests to repair thither who did so one taking with him à Piece of the Holy Earth which was brought from Hierusalem where our Lord was S Austin's own Relation of this Miracle buried hung that up in the Chamber to secure himselfe from the danger of those Divels He said Masse offered up the Sacred Body of our Saviour and earnestly prayed that the Vexation Very afflictive to that whole family might cease And by Gods great mercy it ceased The house thus happily freed from Divels Hesperius out of Reverence not willing to keep that Holy Earth longer in his chamber Ask't me Saith S. Austin and another Bishop whether it were not best to preserve it in some place and erect an Oratory where Christians might meet together and serve God we condescended saith the Saint And all was done accordingly A third on à young man strucken with à Palsey When behold à young man strucken wlth à Palsey hearing of this Oratory petitioned his Parents to carry him to the Oratory where the Holy earth lay and after earnest Prayer made to Almighty God for his recovery in à moment stood upon his leggs wholly sound and perfectly cured Reflect Reader how many Points of Popery we have here approved by S Austin Vndoubted Miracles the unbloody Sacrifice of the Masse and the use of Reliques passe here for sound Doctrin Had Colganus Capgrave or any other Modern Writer told these wonders now related would our Dr think ye have spared his Jeers and not rather scornfully laughed at all Let us se whether he dare deal so rudely with S. Austin 25. There is yet one Miracle more which A fourth done for à poor Taylor may perhaps make the Dr sport done for Florentius à poor Taylor of Hippo. The Vertuous Good man saith S. Austin had lost his Cloak and not having wherewith to Buy another addressed himselfe to the Twenty Martyrs whose Memory was there Very famous and begged with à lowd voice that those blessed Saints would supply his want and procure him à cloak Certain young men then casually present hearing that simple Petition Jeered and followed and poor Taylor with biting words But he quietly went away and happily found à great Fish newly cast upon the Shore which he took and brought to à Cook called Carchosus à very good Christian who cutting the Fish open found in it à golden ring which he partly out of Compassion partly for conscience sake gave poor Florentius with these comfortable Words Ecce quomodo viginti Martyres te vestiverunt se how the twenty Martyrs have cloathed thee 26. S. Austin soon after recount's the famous More Miracles recounted by S. Austine Miracles wrought upon many at the Reliques of the glorious Martyr S. Stephen I only set down and briefly Three or Four most remarkable There at S. Stephen's Reliques à blind woman who brought with her flowers and presented to the Martyr soon after applyed them to her Eyes protinus vidit and forthwith had her sight restored There also Eucharius à Priest of Spain lay dead and by the help of this blessed Martyr was raised to life God wrought this Miracle by the Priests Tunick cast upon the dead Body There à little Boy playing in his Mothers Court-yeard had his tender Body so bruised by à cartwheel that he presently dyed The sorrowful Mother carried the Corps to S. Stephens Reliques where the Child saith S. Austin not only recovered life but appeared perfectly sound without Bruise or Scarr as if he had never been hurt There one Bassus of Hippo having his Daughter mortally sick hastned with the sick womans Garment to the Martyrs Reliques and earnestly prayed for her recovery while he was on the way or at his Prayers The daughter dyed returning home he found his whole Family lamenting the deceased What did he He cast the Garment presented to S. Stephen upon the dead Body which done She without delay revived and so also did another there mentioned whose dead Corps being anointed with the Martyrs Oyle came to Life again 27. S. Austin goes on What Shall I do saith he I promised to commemorate the Miracles wrought by blessed S. Stephen But cannot set down all and am sure no few when they read these will grieve because I have passed over many more known to me I Ask their pardon for if I should enumerate all the Miracles wrought by the Martyr S. Stephen to say nothing of others in the Colonie of Calama and here also many Books might be Written These I specify all upon Record to
denyed great and most Signal Miracles to have been wrought in the Orthodox Church of Christ None of them ever hitherto brought in S Austin as Opposite to our Catholick Miracles Many it's true assert That false wonders have by abuse often passed for true ones which all willingly acknowledge and Say the Church upon their Discovery hath severely punished those who gave the scandal and upon this unsteady Topick the Dr unworthily ground 's the most of his whole Discourse as will appear afterwards Now to S. Austins Testimonies 2. The Dr quotes his Book of true Religion S. Austin de vera Religion c. 25. where it is Said that the working of Miracles since the Church is novv established and diffused over the world becomes Vnnecessary yet God thinks Mr Dr might do them out of extraordinary kindness to his Church in à time when many Pagans vvere yet unreclaimed Reader here Dr Still page 581. is not all for S Austin in his Book of Retractations and the Dr saw it well enough declared his own meaning thus When saith he I S Aust lib. 1. Retract cap. 1 3. taught in my Book of true Religion That after the Churches Establishment Miracles vvere not necessary that 's very true because novv vvhen hands are laid upon the Baptized They receive not so the Holy Ghost Observe what Miracles S. Austin speak's of as to speak vvith the Tongues of all Nations neither are the Infirm now healed by the shadows of Christ's Preachers that passe by them These and the like Wonders cease But vvhat I said then mark the words is not to be taken as if no Miracles vvere novv vvrought in the name of Christ for I had assurance of à blinde man cured at Millan and of many other great Miracles done in These times that I neither knovv them all nor can enumerate those I knovv Thus S. Austin Say Reader doth not the Dr egregiously juggle in raising à Difficulty out of S. Austin which the Saint had solved long since and plainly laid before all mens Eyes 3. The next Quotation in S. Austins Book S. Austin de utilit credendi c. 16. of the Vsefulness of believing is nothing at all to the Dr ' s purpose There we are Told what great Miracles were frequently done by God made man while he lived on earth then S. Austin Demands Why they are not done now He Answers because they would not move unless they were wonderful for Saith he were they Things common or usually Shown they would not seem wonderful and he explain's his meaning by an excellent Instance vvaved by Mr Dr. Should one saith the Saint who never yet saw the Vicissitude of day and night the constant motion of the Celestial Orbes the four various Seasons of the year the mighty efficacy which lies in seed the Beauty of light of Colours c. Should such à man I say first behold these wonders He would be overwhelmed with à Sight of admirable Miracles Yet We. not because we knovv the Causes of these things for nothing is more obscure But because they are common and dayly seen make little or no Account of them And so it would Were Miracles vulgar and common they whould not move happen were the Miracles wrought by our Saviour continually shown or often laid before our Eyes S. Austins whole Drift therefore is to Demonstrate that if Christ's Miracles were so common or continually wrought amongst us like the incessant Motion of the Heavens or those other wonders already mentioned They would to use the Saints words grovv contemptible Yet hence contrary to all Logick and rational Discourse the Dr would inferr that Miracles are never wrought though God often vouchsafes Pro opportunitate temporum That 's also S. Austin's expression to do them by his Servants here on earth That is not so frequently by any one man or in any such manner as our Saviour did in the first Promulgation of the Gospel 4. Here the Dr to his own confusion remit's S. Austin lib 4. Retract c. 14. us again to S. Austin When saith the Saint I mentioned in another place the Miracles our Lord JESUS vvrought in his mortal flesh I asked vvhy the like are not done novv And ansvvered They vvould not move unless they vvere vvonderful and this I said because neither so great Miracles nor all the Miracles vvrought by Christ are novv done among us Non quia nulla fiunt etiam modo And not because God vvorks no Miracles among us novv in this present Age. These last words which prove that Miracles cease not in the Church our Dr vvisely conceal's and adds to S. Austins Text another Expression not extant there Viz. As vvere vvrought by Christ and his Apostles whereas the Saint in this Passage speaks only of our Saviours Miracles without mention made of the Apostles However after this double fraud you must hear the Dr triumph And can saith he any Sayings be more contradictory than this of S. Austin's and E. W. s asserting That as many and as great Miracles yea greater are wrought since as were in their Dayes Mr Dr deal plainly read in lieu of your words As are done in their dayes as were wrought by Christ and your supposed contradiction vanishes into smoak For do not I expresly Part. 2. c. 1. â—um 3. say in the last Treatise That Christ our Lord proved himselfe the greatest Thaumaturgus the world ever beheld and far surpassed all Angels and men Patriarks Prophets or Apostles in working Miracles all nature over which none ever did before or shall do hereafter None but Christ commanded à new Star to shine at their birth No man like our Saviour darkened the lights of Heaven split the rocks rent the vail of the Temple moved the earth or rose again to Life like Christ our Lord. Therefore Ghâ—ist our Lord for above all men and Angels in working Miracles S. Austin saies well and I also assert it that neither so admirable nor all the Miracles wrought by Christ are now done amongst us Notwithstanding to verify that certain Prediction of greater wonders I said more blinde have seen more dead have risen to Life again more poor have received the Gospel in the later Ages of the Church than before while our Saviour was upon earth and this is undeniable unlesse S. Austin's Authority and all humane Faith be banished the world Hence I often Paralled Miracles wrought in the Church with those done by the Apostles ever giving Preheminence to our Saviours glorious Wonders and withal yeilded as you may see above à singular Prerogative granted the Apostles in working Miracles by Ordinary Commission which none known to me in the Church ever had since or if any had it the favour was singular and not common 5. The Dr goes on It s true indeed S. Austin saith there were some Miracles still left in the Church and he produces several Instances else where but in the same place he Denies the
while he admit's these Testimonies and attestations and denies the Miracles attested by them For example 22. He believes upon humane Authority that King John gave Order that the Saints Miracles should be rigidly examined And hold's it true because Writers of good credit say so But the very same Authors say also that the Miracles already mentioned were really done in the sight of many Spectators Why doth the Dr boggle at this having no greater Evidence of the Truth of that Order given by the King For it may be à fourb Than he has of the Truth of those Miracles attested to have been really done which he must Say are false and feigned Nay more why is not all that 's Written of S. Xaverius far from Truth feigned false and counterfeit 23. F. De Lingendes cited proposes this De Lingendes Feria 4. Domin 1. Quadr. Question VVhat could move those Iaponians most averse from our Christian Lavves and manner of living to forsake the vvayes they had long follovved c VVhat humane Interest could induce them to feign innumerable Miracles wrought by S Francis Xaverius à poor needy and unknown Priest Who God knowes brought them no worldly Advantage yet they boldly asserted his Miracles and did it with so great Zeal that many of their Barbarians Converted by Miracles feigned not Much lesse could those Pious Missioners forge any own accord dyed willingly in the Fire to Testify our Christian Faith suck't into their Brests by the force of clear Miracles partly seen with their Eyes and partly experienced in Themselves The like add's De Lingendes I may say of innumerable other Barbarians converted to Christ by the efficacy of glorious Miracles Now if these Barbarians did so upon no humane Interest much lesse could these worthy Fathers à long time Missioners amongst the Indians after so much Zeal shown in propagating the Gospel when all had an Ample share in Tribulation and many dyed to attest our Catholick Verities avouch horrid Lyes and Damn their Souls by forging Miracles that never were CHAP. XIII The Dr ' s unjust Calumny laid upon F. Hierome Xaverius proved False Of his lost labour in telling impertinent Tales of forged Miracles His famous Story of twelve English Iesuits Showing Tricks in feigned Exorcisms rejected as improbable A VVord of Hazenmillers lowd Lyes 1. MR Dr is yet pleased to continue Dr Still page 617. fine his Harangue and Asks what will Iesuits stick at in matter of lying who have had the Impudence to insert fabulous Miracles and Stories into the History of the Gospel For proof hereof he tell 's us that Hierome Xaverius à neer Kinsman to S. Francis with his Associat's was permitted by Acabar Emperour of the Mogols to live in Agra the Residence of that great Monarck and to give Account of the life and Miracles of Christ But saith Mr Dr the Subtle Iesuit well understanding their own Doctrin about the insufficiency of Scriptures durst not put into the Emperours hands the four Evangelists but framed an excellent Gospel of his own declaring that he took it Historia Christi Persicè à Hier. Xavier conscripta latinè reddita à Ludov. de Dieu out of the Gospel and Books of the Prophets To make this Good the Dr remit's us to one like himselfe of the Ministerial Brood Ludovicus de Dieu son to Daniel de Dieu à new Gospeller who banished Bruxell's upon the account of his Pestilent Errours after the Duke of Parma had taken that City fled into Holland and there Preach't 22. years I have perused this Book Written first in the Persian Language by F. Hierome Xavier Ludov de Dieu Epist Dedicat. which this De Dieu afterward turned into Latin and verily perswade my selfe that never worthy Missioner was more grosly abused than the Zealous F. Hierome Xaverius is by this false Dieu and our fraudulent Dr. The Story briefly is thus 2. F. Hierome having gained the Favour of the forementioned Emperour to live in Agra offered to his View the life of Christ in the Persian language For the substantial Part exactly taken What F. Hierome offered to the Emperour out of the Prophets and the Gospel But willing to make the Relation full and acceptable he first used different Expressions from the precise words of Scripture which all Preachers and Interpreters do in their further Explanations of Holy Writ 2. As Occasion required he added many pious Considerations most Suitable as he thought to beget in the Emperours mind à high Respect and honour of our blessed Saviour 3. After he had laid the foundation of his History upon the Gospel and recounted exactly the Birth the Infancy the Circumcision the Miracles the Doctrin of Christ c. the substance I say according to Scripture for the perfecting of his History here and there he introduces other ancient Testimonies not Divine Now mark the Fraud of these two Adversaries Dieu and the Dr Because the Father kept not alwaies close to the exact words of the Gospel and made his pious Additions as is noted Dieu cryes out in his Title Historia Christi sed contaminata the History of Christ but defiled The Dr as lowd Dr Still page 623. the very Story of the Bible horribly adulterated It is à flat Calumny Mr Dr. 3. I say contrary F. Xavier neither adulterated the Sence nor any one word of the Holy Gospel For to deprave and adulterate the Gospel is either to Propose some thing as Gospel or as revealed by Almighty God which God never Spake in Scripture This the Father did not Or to Produce à true Revelation there expressed and to Pervert or contradict it Now Show me Mr Dr by the Help of your false Dieu where F. Xavier either pervert's à Revealed Truth which is The Father depraved not the Gospel And why in Scripture or proposes that as the Revealed word of God and mark my Expression which is not in Scripture and you touch the Point But this is impossible the Father being far from such Transgressions Therefore prudently Entitles his Book not the Revealed vvord of God but the History of Christ partly much enlarged by Circumstances which easily might occur to every Pious mind yea and probably happen and partly augmented with the Testimonies of other Authors 4. For an Instance of the first The Father De Dieu page 41. cited by De Dieu supposes our Lady devoutly on her Knees about Midnight bowing her head towards the ground when the Angel came to Salute her This no more but à piovs Circumstance was never Proposed to the Emperour as à Truth revealed by Almighty God Again when he relates upon humane Authority that in De Dieu page 74. the night of our Saviours Birth the great Temple of Peace at Rome fell down and that much about the same time three Suns were seen in Spain which closed at last together like one Sun He tells us Sapientes dicunt Wise men Say the Vision
pointed out the great light of the world then appearing in Bethlem Observe the Expression wise men whether then living or afterwards imports not Judged so Therefore he never proposed this as à Truth revealed by Almighty God in Scripture 5. And thus Reader you have briefly the intolerable fraud of De Dieû and our Dr discovered who will needs impose upon F. Xavier what he never said They avouch he told all these Particulars and more as Verities revealed by Almighty God and words contained in the Holy Gospel Whereas it is evident by his manner of Writing And own Expressions no such thing can be meant Though desirous to make the History of Christ compleat he grounded himselfe first upon the exact Truths recorded in the Prophets and the Gospel with à further Enlargement as you have heard The Dr therefore yet living is obliged to recall what he has falsely said And to take off his foul Aspersion unjustly laid upon à most laudable Missioner 6. In like manner I Answer to the Exceptions made against the Story of the B. Virgin Dr Still page 618. where the Dr as God would have it manfully refutes himselfe F. Xavier saith he took what he had out of à Silly Book attributed to S. Hierome rejected by Baronius and others Is it so Did he take Baron Appar n. 44. what he had out of à Silly Book Prove you Sr that he presented the contents of that Book to Acabar under rhe Notion of God's revealed Wherein De Dieu and the Dr fail Word or as Written in Scripture and you Satisfy us But this neither De Dieu nor you shall ever make Probable 7. In the next place our Dr falls foule upon the Father for asserting Issachar to have been High Priest when S. Joachim offered up his Sacrifice in the Temple It is true Baronius cited saies Issachar could be no high Priest Then But tell me Reader is not this à pardonable fault in à poor Missioner who if mistaken thought he had S. Hierom's Authority for his Assertion And then neither did nor could know what Baronius had Written of this Subject Were the Dr's grosse Errours when he Quotes Authors falsly as I have Demonstrated When he produces Testimonies for the ceasing of Miracles in the Church though he saw those very VVriters he cites most expresse for glorious Miracles in latter Ages When he looks back upon his Jugling and foul perverting the plain Sence of Authors When he call's to mind his unjust Calumny Laid on Jesuits as men Forsooth who think it Lawful to Lye for à good cause c. These and many more Abominable frauds I have discovered in the Dr though to use his own words upon another Occasion he little thought they would ever come to light Were such grosse falsities I say as minute and pardonable as that one small Oversight is of F. Xavier Mr Dr might rejoyce And read these my Writings over with à merrier heart than he is like to do But his Errours are horrible and without serious repentance unpardonable The rest that followes in the Dr of the Blessed Virgins retyred life in the Temple of her vow of Virginity which grave Authors affirm The Baron Appar n. 47. c. 56. Dr laughs at all you have plainly asserted and proved in Baronius 8. Our Dr willing to make his Imputations cast on F. Xaverius relishable and to gain his precious Author De Dieu credit cites Philip Alagambe who saies the Text of Dieu his Translation is not unfaithfully done some few things Alagambe Biblioth Scrip. Societatis page 188. Animadversiones De Dieu page 537. excepted It is very true But Alagambe add's That De Dieu's heretical Observations or Animadversions one great part of his Book comming from à naughty heart deserve to be burnt with his Preface and marginal notes This Mr Dr conceal's yet Methinks if Alagambe merits credit in the one his word also may well be taken for the other The Dr at the close of Dr Still page 623. his Discourse thinks he hath said enough not only to stop the mouth of E. VV. for the future but even of impudence it selfe An idle brag of à defeated Adversary Peruse Reader this Treatise and you will see to whom Impudence as due belong's in this place I say no more 9. The Dr from his Page 624. to 663. afford's little worth reflection or any Reply In à word he seem's much like some poor Fellowes in our Cities that goe up and down the Streets and cast into nasty Carts all the filth and Dirt they meet with And I verily think gain more by that Sordid Employment Than the Dr gets Forged Miracles introduced by the Dr. wholly impertinent by his long and tedious Narration of forgeries and false Miracles impiously Pretended to have been wrought when none were This I call Dirt busily Scraped up by the Dr and cast into the Pages now mentioned But for what End or Purpose is hard to say Is it to tell us that Cheats and Counterfeits have sometimes plaid their prancks and abused others No great Doctorship is required for that which the whole world knowes Is it to Decry true Miracles because false ones have been forged A plain Degree of Madnes For so we should decry true Scripture because false Scripture has been Fathered upon the very Apostles Is it to prove à Religion naught because some that professe it Se Eusebius Hist lib. 3. c. 19. and l. 6 c. 10. And S. Austin contra Adversar Legis prophetar lib. 1. c. 20. Se Reas. and Relig. Disc 2. c. 8. num 11. counterfeit Miracles By this Art and Arguing Protestancy is ruined For not only Luther and Calvin as I shewed feigned Miracles but others also of the English Ministery have done so Witnesse that egregious fourb practized by John Dorrell in his pretended Possessions and Dipossessions of William Summers at Nottingham of Thomas Darling the boy of Burton of Cadwall and of Katharine Wright at Mansfeild c. Whereof whole Books have been Written laying open the frauds as you may read in Brerely who also introduces Dorells notorious cheat of à Spirit Brerely Tract 2. c. 3 Sect. 7. subd 5. p. with me 546. speaking in à wall against Queen Mary with the sleeping Preachers forgery Discovered by his Majesty King James VVere it worth the while to gather up more of this filth justly attributed to Protestants we could easily match Mr Dr and bespatter as many Pages with it as he has done But who besides the Dr can endure this Nonsense Some of such à profession have plaid the Knaves and forged Miracles Ergo the Religion that decryes the Forgery is naught Or true Miracles whereof Christians never doubted are to be looked on as False 10. Mr Dr after two tedious Stories of Falco and Joannes de Vincentia held by many Impostors by others not so hardly thought of But rather freed from the guilt for our purpose it imports not to
reason or Authority but you will eo ipso enervate all our Saviour's Miracles which certainly were proved truly vvrought upon Humane Faith before Scripture registred them 2. In this laudable Examination two things may be Questioned The first concernes the matters of Fact whether for an Instance God raised the dead to life by the Intercession of blessed What this due Examination requires S. Stephen of S. Thomas Cantilupe and S. Xaverius The like is of desperate Diseases cured by the Prayers of Saints in God's Church Hereof we have great Evidence taken from Ey-vvitnesses and the undoubted Testimony of those who have left them upon Record Mr Dr certainly requires not when à Miracle is done That God tell us by à nevv Revelation it is à work above all natural Povver or that he work one Mito confirm the Truth of another This would imply à Processe in Infinitum when one may as well Question the second or third Miracle as the first Neither were our Saviours Miracles when done proved after this manner No. They were first seen by credible Witnesses afterwards divulged And that was proof enough The second thing Questionable is whether if such Miracles as are now evinced were visibly exhibited may notwithstanding that exteriour Evidence be held deceiptful Appearances only or wrought by à Power lesse than Divine This the Dr hints at and would fain have all our Miracles thought at most bare Appearances if yet so much 3. I Say in à word VVhat even Reason proves Christ and his Apostles to have vvrought true Miracles by Divine Povver evinces the Very same of all approved Miracles done in the Church God therefore was and is the sole Principal cause of all such Miraculous Effects 4. Before I prove what is here asserted reflect Irenaeus l. 2 c. 57. sine upon the Resuscitation of Lazarus who lived afterwards à long time Call also to mind those mentioned by Irenaeus that were raised from death and perseverantly lived saith this great Author multis annis many years vvith us So also no few did resuscitated by S. Thomas Cantilupe S. Dominick and S. Xaverius All these walked up and down conversed with otthers experienced in themfelves the real Operations of life and therefore either lived or vve Act. 3. 3. live not Now for strange Cures consider in the next place that man lame from his Mothers womb who lay begging at the Gate of the Temple called Beautiful to whom S. Peter saith The dead raised to life and desperate Discases cured Holy Scripture instantly gave health strength and vigour Compare his cure with that of poor John Clement born also à Criple from his Mothers womb that often sate begging at the Gate of our Ladies Church in Montagu And in à moment of time like the other in the Acts lifted himselfe up stood straight on his feet and was Miraculously cured by the Intercession of the ever Blessed Virgin 5. Hence I Argue Christ is rationally proved to have raised Lazarus to life by Divine Virtue if no Power in nature or Divels could produce that strange Effect Ergo those other Resuscitations now mentioned are as rationally proved wrought by Divine Virtue if no Power in nature nor Divels could produce them Again That cure wrought upon the Lame born All done by Divine Power Criple Sitting at the Temple gate is rationally proved Miraculous and done by Divine Virtue if no Power in nature or Divels did it Ergo that cure wrought upon John Clement no lesse à lame born Criple is as rationally proved Miraculous and done by Divine Virtue if no Power in nature or Divels did it But the Antecedents here proposed in both cases are most true Therefore necessarily infer Truth in their Consequences 6. I am first to Show that no Power in nature or Divels can raise the Dead to life and will not entertain the Reader with the open Folly of some Arabians who thought Christ wrought all his Miracles and consequently raised the Dead by the strength of his Povverful Imagination As wholly stupid are those Judiciary Astrologers that ascribe them to the different Aspects or Situations of Stars in which knowledge say they Christ was most conversant Michael de Medina both Medina de rectâ in Deum fide lib. 2. c. 7. largely and learnedly refutes these whymsies and showes that Imagination can indeed work strange Effects in the Body and mind of such as are liable to violent fancies whereof he gives prodigious Examples but can effect nothing Se his page 69. B. upon Things distant or wholly separated from the Imaginative Faculty If therefore one sit's Lame in à chair and see 's à Book à farr off in à Stationers Shop the strongest Imagination in the world will never bring that Book into his hands He refutes also the Astrologers upon this ground that not only our Saviour but the blessed Apostles also dispersed the whole world over under different constellations yea their very The fooleries of some refuted girdles handherchiefs and Garments and the Saints in Heaven when invoked at their Monuments work innumerable Miracles independently of the various motions and Aspects of Stars Finally saith Medina if à strong Imagination or Stars can produce such admirable Effects how comes it to passe that these talkative men were all born under so unluckly Planets as to doe none How happen's it they are so feeble in their Apprehensions that not one among them could ever yet work à true Miracle But enough of Fooleries 7. Some thought more wise tell us that all our Saviours Miracles the like is of those wrought in the Church may bee easily effected by à Secret art of Magick earnestly sought after by many Briefly All Magick is either natural or Ceremonial when done by evil Spirits it is called Necromancy The first Magick makes à Search into the hidden Things of Nature and by à ready application of active Agents to Passive often showes strange Effects yet no vvayes Miraculous For the attaining of this knowledge Empedocles Democritus Apollonius and Anaxagoras travelled far and viewed à great part of the Universe Some by virtue of it produce Roses and ripe Grapes in Winter others by Alchimy have long tried to find out the Philosophers Stone but with what successe I know not Now this Magick add to it that they call Astronomical Effects wrought by natural Magick and Cabalistical being only limited to natural Causes can do nothing that 's above all natural Power as most certainly the raising of the dead is Neither did those who so highly extol this Art ever yet pretend to call men out of their Graves and endue them with the like Operations of life they had before 8. Necromancy whether Goetick or Theurgick practized by Divels and Witches has its Necromancy has its Limits limits also and extend's no further than only to what is previously contained in natural Causes as S. Augustin cited above notes excellently well Now because Angels and Divels
by Christ or in the Church when attested by undoubted Witnesses and are known upon humane Faith as morally certain beget in every rational man an Evidence of Credibility and move to embrace Christ's Doctrin so far they lead us on but no further When the Church after à rigid Examination upon Her Humane Authority approves them as true and wrought by Divine Power we are raised to à higher Degree of certainty and upon this Oracles word own them not only in à vveak manner morally certain But without all Dispute Unquestionable though yet not known as evidently true For all Knovvledge implies c. 14. n. 8 9 not strict Evidence Reader turn if you please to what I have noted above and you will find this whole Difficulty cleared from all reasonable Exception 11. The Dr still remain's in his Confusion Hovv is it possible saith he that the Church should be certainly knovvn by Miracles if the Miracles cannot be certainly knovvn but by the Church I Ask likewise How is it possible that Christ should be certainly knovvn by his Miracles if his Miracles cannot be certainly known but by Christ or by some certain Oracles Approbation The fallacy lies in that word◠Knovvn which may either Signify à great moral Assurance such as the Primitive Christians had of our Saviour Miracles which prudently induced them to believe in Christ Or à higher Degree of certainty And this they attained when they heard an Infallible Oracle give full Assurance of our Saviours Miracles Thus we Discourse of Church Miracles The first moral knowledge previous to Faith induces us to believe the other grounded on the Churches Approbation takes all doubt away and in order to Believers gives full certainty as is further explained in the 14. Chapter already cited Upon this Page 6V7 Distinction that pritty Paralogism of the Dr comes to nothing but empty words We must Saith he knovv à man by such marks vvhich vve cannot knovv to be the Marks of such à man till vve first knovv the man He would say We must know the Church by her Marks That is by her Miracles The Dr's Paralogism dissolved which we cannot know to be the Marks of such à Church till vve knovv the Church I Answer we must know the Church by her Marks or Miracles upon moral certainty which yet we cannot know by à certainty excluding all doubt to be the Marks of such à Church till we know the Church That is till we have from her Approbation and Assurance concerning the real Truth and solid worth of her Miracles as proceeding from à Divine Power without fraud or false Illusion 12. To Satisfy the Dr I retort his Argument And instanced in our Saviours Miracles using the same formal words as to our Saviours Miracles We must knovv Christ by such Marks That is by his Miracles vvhich vve cannot knovv to be the Marks of Christ till vve knovv the man called Christ We must know Christ by his Miracles But hovv As the Primitive Christians knevv him when upon moral certainty they saw or heard of his Miracles And thereby were induced to believe in him Yet they could not know them by an indubitable certainty excluding all Dispute or That they were truly Miracles wrought by Divine Povver till some Oracle raised them to à higher Step of certainty 13. To clear what is now said Let us Imagin that Dr Still or some such like Incredulous man had been present with our Saviour when he cured the blind or cleansed the Lepers He would upon Moral certainty have Judged the vvorks Miraculous But withall might have doubted whether Christ did them by Divine Power or no hereof he had no Evidence at all Suppose that some other known Oracle owned infallible had told him These strange Cures thou sees't proceed from God He would without hesitancy have yeilded à firm Assent to their certain Truth and Judged them Miracles proceeding from God Thus we discourse of Miracles wrought in the Church A knowledge highly moral grounded on humane Faith first Proposes them as Works done by Almighty God though as yet not undoubtedly certain But when we hear that our Oracle approves them under the Notion of works done by Divine Power all further doubt ceases all hesitancy is taken away 14. From what we have said hitherto Two Two things deduced from the former Discourse things follow The first is that our Church Miracles as seen or heard of are easily distinguished upon Moral certainty from all Jugling Legerdemain Wonders pretended by Heathens and Hereticks Their exteriour Lustre even to Sense Their long and never interrupted Continuance in any Age Their prodigious Greatness and vast number vvrought in à Holy Society of Christians and by men of à most innocent life manifestly difference them from those other few and inconsiderable Wonders laid claim to by Gods professed Enemies Add to this exteriour visible Appearance the Churches Judgement and Approbation Though only Humane relating to the real Truth of Miracles all comparison ceases the Difference between true and false Signs is made most notorious 15. The second thing observable is That all Arguments Imaginable which either are or can be proposed against Miracles wrought in the Church have the very same force against our Saviours and the Apostles Signs That they are now registred in Scripture and thereby made matters of Faith weakens nothing the Strength of my Argument For I consider those Primitive Miracles as famed up and down the world and known upon humane Faith before the Holy Ghost sealed them up in the Book of Scripture Thus considered the Proofs are the same for Miracles wrought by Christ and in the Church And were there any Argument as there is none that could lessen the Credit of latter Miracles it would as I said be as forcible against the most Primitive Wonders Our Saviour all know wrought many Miracles not recorded in Holy Writ and so also the Apostles did Suppose these had been conveyed to us upon the Testimony of grave Authors as the very most of the Apostles Miracles are must such works of God be exploded as Fourbs because not recorded in Scripture It is no small Folly to Judge so But enough of this matter We now follow the Dr in his other Quotations 16. Dr Still cites Fevardentius who confesses Dr Stillî page 678. Fevardent in Irenaeum lib. 2. c. 86. the Church has never determined that Heretieks cannot work true Miracles and that those who hold the Affirmative have plain Testimonies of the Fathers for them Mr Dr relates not this Authors words or Sence sincerely Briefly Fevardentius having Quoted some Fathers only thought to favour the Opinion The Dr abuses Fevardentius concerning Miracles wrought by Hereticks though other Fathers are of à quite contrary Judgement Speak's thus Quibus vero magis adherendum sit pronunciet Ecclesia Let the Church here determine who we are to follow which is far from that round open Assertion which the Dr imposes