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
might yet have called to mind that the very gravest of the English Clergy pretend vvhether truly I dispute not to have received the Order of Priesthood from the hands of our Catholick Bishops and I am sure the Dignity of à Priest necessarily implies the Povver of offering up Sacrifice though the Dr has been so far from complying vvith that one duty his vvhole life long that had his povver equal'd his Malice neither Priest nor Sacrifice had novv remained in the vvorld Believe it Reader for this and many other Clamorous Sins Multum deferet ad Iudicem The Dr vvithout Serious Repentance vvill have much to Ansvver for at his dying Day Had He in Lieu of opposing Miracles told us that his beloued Puritanisme though lately brought into the vvorld may notvvitstanding be bugg'd by him as his Dearest Benjamin or ovvned as the svveetest Religion being never invented to Curbe Passion or trouble any vvith Austerity but chiefly to pamper up à fevv Ministers vvith their Feminine follovvers None could have vvondered The very most might have said the man spake as he thought Nay more had he been so wise as to leave this Bustle of Polemicks to others far above him in learning or only kept within the Bounds of Speculative Matters and there blundered and erred as he has done The subtility of that knowledge and his little skill in speculation would have born out an excuse and pleaded in his behalfe But to run headlong and proclaime open war against plain Matters of fact seen by thousands and furiously to encounter God's own Signal wonders clearly shovvn to the vvorld is an Offence of so high à nature and so contrary to common Prudence that though the Dr lived Ages he shall never vvash off the stain vvhich his unruly passion has cast upon him One vvord and I end My hope is Mr Dr vvill take courage and Ansvver this Treatise if so I heartily vvish he talk no more of dravving off the vvhole Substance here set dovvn into the narrovv compass of à fevv lines That 's impossible vvhen so many plain Matters of Fact as are novv offer'd him to examin necessarily require no doging but à full and serious Reply Neither is it enough to tell us he hold's not himselfe obliged to take notice of every Idle Book that comes forth and bear 's his name in the Title That vvill bevvray his Ignorance and too plainly confirme the Opinion most have of him vvhich is That he cannot Ansvver But above all let him not run to one of his Hocus Pocus Tricks or Say He vvould fain fly at his Adversary but novv cannot being vvholly taken up with some other great work against Popery Such far fetcht excuses Argue à cowardly Proceeding For Reader euer to be brandishing his sowrd and threaten without hurt to any and neuer to defend himselfe when attacked is contrary to the Stile and strain of all Writers ancient and Modern who first endeavour their Adversaries Satisfaction And then begin with vvhat nevv attempts they please The Dr I am sure has vvork enough cut out for him First those particulars clearly laid forth in the Preface to my last Treatise all waved by the Dr are many That excellent learned Book entituled Dr Stillingfleet against Dr Stillingfleet lately printed highly methinks deserves an Ansvver and I am sure to say nothing of others he is yet behind hand vvith his vvorthy Adversary N. O. We liue in hopes these Debts vvill be paid at last And that the Dr vvhen his Passion is allayed may give such honest men as have taken pains for him some reasonable Satisfaction Novv in case he turn's all off vvith Quibbles pritty Ierks and such like Artifices The vvorld vvill Iudge as I do that Dr Stillingfleet vvas most unfortunate in beginning à Quarrel about Polemicks vvhich as he has not hitherto so never shall be hereafter End vvith Credit Farewel Courteous READER THE CHAPTERS IN ORDER CHAP. I. VVat is meant by a true Miracle God only the cause of supernatural Miracles Of their absglute necessity VVhether the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles can be rationally proved against Iewes and Gentils Dr Stillingfleet hit's not on these rational proofs You haue them hereafter clearly ser down against all exceptions and Cavils 1 Chap. II. The same rational Arguments whereby the Miracles of Christ and the Apostles are proved evince also true Miracles to have been wrought in the Roman Catholick Church Other clear proofs for Church Miracles A contest between Antichrist and Dr Stillingfleet The Dr is worsted If the Church doth Propose Forgeries for true Miracles none can believe Christ's Miracles upon the Vniversal humane Testimony of all called Christians True Miracles distinguish the Church from all false Conventicles pag. 26 Rational proofs For Miracles alledged in my other Treatises 35 Chap. III. Some Choise Manifest Miracles proved upon the Deposition of many Sworn Ey-witnesses Of à Late famous Miracle wrought at Calais in Picardy None can call into doubt the Authentick Miracles done by S. Thomas Cantilupe our renowned Bishop of Hereford Other great Miracles yet obvious to all mens eyes S. Bernard's known Miracle proved most certain 46 Two great Miracles wrought by Saint Thomas 59 A fourth Miracles 60 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 77 The Iudgement of Authors Concerning Miracles wrought by Christ's Adversaries 86 Chap. V. In what manner the body of S. Iames was translated to Composlella The Conversion of Hermogenes and Philetus by S. Iames Of Pope Calixtus his VVritings Miracles wrought by S. Iames manifestly proved against Dr Stillingfleet 98 Chap. VI Of the Dr's Pilgrimage to the Vial of S. Mary Magdalen in France The Truth of that Miracle Proved Cavils answered Holy Reliques vindicated from the Dr's Calumny VVhether Protestancy be à grave Religion Of Dr Iohn Launoy's Virulency 117 Chap. VII Of Dr Stillingfleets rude hold and shameful vilifying two renowned Saints The Glorious S. Dominick and the Seraphical S. Francis of Assisium 156 Chap. VIII The Dr's large Muster-Role of the Brittish and Irish Saints Shewed à meer Parergon or à weightless Cavil against Church Miracles Several Degrees of certainty observed concerning Miracles 168 Chap. IX VVhether impartial Authors in former Ages ever taught that Miracles ceased in the Church S. Chrysostom most plain for latter Miracles VVhether there be no comparison between our Saviour's Miracles and those wrought in Latter times Of Dr Stillingfleet's frivolous Distinction between Sings and Miracles 187 Pretended Objections taken out of S. Chrysostom Answered Dr Still grosly abuses Iohn Gerson Chancellour of Paris 195 None more stoutly Defend's Miracles wrought in the Church Than blessed S. Augustine 207 Chap. X. Of De Stinllingfleet's shuffling and unworthy dealing with S. Augustine Not one Testimony produced by the Dr makes
so much as probably against great Miracles wrought in the Church The like Account we give of other Authors falsifyed by the Dr. 215 Chap. XI A briefe Account of the Dr's large Excursion from his Page 595. to Page 664. Of his false Quotations and fallacious way in Arguing The rest Shewed à long list of impertinencies 236 Of Dr Stillingfleets Flawes in his false and faulty citing Tostatus Roffensis Didacus Stella and Iosephus Acostà 24 Chap. XII Of S. Xaverius his admirable life and most glorious Miracles VVitnesses of these Miracles and undoubted Testimonies produced The Dr's simple Exceptions against them demonstrated vain and frivolous His unjust Aspersion laid on Iesuits discovered 259 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 Exortisms rejected as improbable A VVord of Hazenmillers lowd Lyes 277 Chap. XIV An Answer to one of the Doctors Exceptions against Miracles VVhether Miracles in the first Age of Christianity were but few How Miracles are proved by true Doctrin and true Doctrin by Miracles No counterfeit Miracles can passe the Churches Tribunal vvithout censure Of à late VVriters exceptions against Miracles The admirable Propagation of Christian Religion convinces that Miracles have been vvrought 296 Chap. XV. How Miracles are to be examined Christ wrought not his Miracles by natural Magick or Necromancie by stronge Imagination or the different Aspects of Stars VVhatever rational Argument proves Christ to have wrought true Miracles by Divine Virtue as forcibly proves Church Miracles to proceed from the very same cause Though Divels nay work some strange wonders they cannot raise the Dead or cure desperate Infirmities Of the Aegyptian Magicians Feates A word of the witch at Endor Other matters handled 313 Chap. XVI Why Miracles are wrought in the Church Of their twoo fold End Miracles rationally prove the Doctrin of Christ and the Church infallible Clear Miracles have been wrought in confirmation of every Doctrin taught by the Church Of Dr Stillingfleets simple Reply to two known and renowned Micles Whether Aesculapius cured à woman in the Temple of Epidaurus The Dr's Story of Pythagoras his golden Thigh examined found à fourb or at most Necromancy 326 Chap. XVIII Of many other Quotations partly impertinent partly false produced by the Dr Arguments against Miracles Answered pag. 345 Chap. XVIII Whether it be reasonable to have Missionaries novv sent into England and vvork Miracles there The Dr vvishes this done More of the Dr's many false and impertinent Quotations Antichrist's Wonders no true Miracles Miracles knovvn upon Moral Certainty sufficiently induce to Faith 358 Chap. XXIX The Conclusion 373 COVRTEOVS READER THe Erratas in this Impression however small are many Wonder nothing better could not bee expected from à Printer that knowes not à word of English The very most I hope of these faults are Corrected In case the Reader discover more which is likely He will I am confident either passe by them or charitably amend them A DISCOURSE OF MIRACLES WROUGHT IN THE ROMAN CATHOLICK CHVRCH Or à 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 CHAP. I. VVhat is meant by à true Miracle God only the cause of supernatural Miracles Of their absolute necessity VVhether the Miracle of Christ and his Apostles can be rationally proved against Iewes and Gentils Dr Stillinfleet hit's not on these rational proofs You have them hereafter clearly set down against all exceptions and Cavils 1 By à true Miracle we understand not every wonder that causes admiration but an effect or supernatural work of God far surpassing all created power which neither Angel Divel nor man can do by their own forces and therefore necessarily depends on God infinitly powerful Whence it followes that à Miracle has à necessary connexion withtruth and when known as such gives us Infallible certainty of that for which it is primarily intended The reason hereof seem's clear because God speaks by his works as men do by words God infinitly wise yea truth it selfe and as we now suppose the sole principal Author of Miracles can no more attest à lye by his own supernatural works than by the words he speak's in Holy Scripture Now that he speak's by works is manifest out of Holy writ The Heavens Psai 28. Rom. 1. 18. Austin Egist 49. declare his glory The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven And S. Austin confirm's it as we saith he speak's by words ita Divina potentia factis loquitur so God doth by his works and if he speak's by works Miracles for exemple he delivers truth God saith the Apostle to show the Heb 6. 17. 18. heires of his promise the stability of his Counsel hath interposed an Oath that by two things unmoveable whereby it is impossible that God should lye we have à most stronge comfort who have fled to hold fast the hope proposed c. Pray you reflect would an Oath in à mortal man though liable to deceipt be horrid if taken to depose à falshood None doubts it Much more say I would the exhibiting à Miracle whereby God as it were swear's he speak's truth be horâ—â—d could he that cannot deceive work one for example raise the dead to testify à lowd untruth Hence also followes à second impossibility and 't is The power of working Miracles not tyed to men's fancy that God cannot give the power of working Miracles to any when and in what manner man's fancy likes best for could this be done He would not only deprive himselfe of his own absolute Dominion but also rashly subject it to the will of another who by malice or ignorance may abuse it and publich errour in stead of truth As great an impossibility is it if not greater that an infinit wisdom ever work à Miracle to confirm à false Doctrin because an Infinit truth cannot contradict himselfe or give Testimony to à lye nor force an errour upon rational creatures subject to him by his own noble and glorious works 2. Hence also it is that none of our late Reformers in Germany or England ever wrought à Miracle to confirme one of their Novelties No wonder saith Petra Sancta Desertores Silvest Petra Sanct. Tom. 2. Thaumasiae c. 3. Pag. 26. verae fidei c. The singer of God whereby Miracles are wrought leaves Sectaries that forsake God and his Church Here you have also the true reason why Dr Stillinfleet though without successe sett's so briskly against Miracles Alas the poor man has none to embellish his new faith with and therefore would fain have those glorious wonders valued of as needlesse superfluities worth little but contempt He may yet remember how earnestly Luther endeavovred to work à Miracle in freeing one possessed with à Divel and also
but Saith some one we Protestants credit Papists when they tell us that the Gospel is à true Story and believe them also in the Report they make of Christ's Miracles Most unreasonably done for if those men never told you true word of Miracles wrought in the Church but quite contrary cloy'd your eares with forged Stories their credit utterly lost deserves nothing but contempt as to Christ's Miracles if false in the one of mighty consequence hold them boldly fallacious in the other 15. What will you say if Dr Still to help himselfe in à present Exigency draw back à little and tell us He never yet plainly denyed all our Church Miracles Very good newes if true whence it followes that unless he will quite suspend his Judgement as doubtful of all he must necessarily grant some great Miracles those chiefly approved by the Church my desire is to know which and how many he will yeild us having upon his Concession certainty of so many I shall thence infer that either All approved Church Miracles are to bee admitted or None Some perhaps Either all approved Miracles must be allowed or none may here propose this Question what if the Church had never had Miracles done in it would not our Saviours admirable Wonders either written in the Gospel or conveyed down by Tradition have been sufficient to check Antichrist's pride and the legerdemain of that false Prophet Were this supposed Christians would have been in no worse condition than now though the Church tell false Stories of her Miracles I Answer the Supposition which notoriously impaires the Churches humane Authority and consequently takes off that high respect all bear to Christ's Miracles is à meer Impertinency Observe my reason It is one thing to Argue upon à false Supposition by imagining no Miracles wrought in the Church and another What followes if the Church had been without Miracles to make this Oracle an upon Lyar. In the first case had none been wrought the Church would never have divulged any but in the other Supposition She is perfidious while she ascertain's us of Miracles which Sectaries say were never done and therefore loses all credit and can gain beliefe of none 16. We come at last to the true fundamental Ground of Miracles wrought in the Church and prove them absolutely necessary None upon à bare owning those ancient Wonders wrought by Christ and his Apostles true can show who among so many dissenting Christians in the fundamental matters of Faith make at this day Profession of Christ's Doctrin Therefore other Miracles are absolutely necessary to mark out and distinguish Miracles proved necessary in the Church she true Professors of Christ's Doctrin from false Sectaries Whoever denies Miracles absolutely necessary for this end must either say that the Christian Societey where Christ's Doctrin is truly professed cannot be known or distinguished from false Sectaries though it gives in Evidence of undoubted Miracles Or which is as bad he must grant that all Hereticks are here-upon proved true Professors of Christ's Doctrin because forsooth they acknowledge Christ and his Apostles to have wrought such and such Miracles and this is evidently false for condemned Hereticks as Arians and Pelagians easily assent to that owned Truth but are not therefore to be listed among the true Professors of Christ's Doctrin Much more therefore is required and it is that Christ's true Society doth not only talk of primitive Miracles or own them true but besides really show you the like admirable distinctive Signs as raising the dead curing the blind and lame manifested by Christ and his Apostles peculiar to it selfe not Common to others of à contrary saith But this Prerogative whereby Faithful Believers are marked out and differenced from Hereticks belong's only to one living Oracle the Roman Catholick Church which took its rise from Christ and his Apostles and ever since stood Age after Age gloriously illustrated by known and renowned Miracles And thus we have it clearly distinguished from all Hereticks Whenas Sectaries men utterly forsaken like dirt cast out of the house of God lie under disgrace altogether unable to confirm their Novelties by one true supernatural wonder Thus Providence showes them no lesse naked and bereft of true Miracles than cold inefficacious and unlucky in their Conversions and drawing Infidels to Christ 17. By what is now Said you may discover Dr Still p. 665. no little lamenesse in Dr Still Discourse The Doctrin of Christ saith he being confirmed by the Miracles wrought by them there cannot be any such necessity in succeeding Ages to confirm the Much Lamenesse in Dr Still Discourse same Doctrin by Miracles The same Doctrin Sr You speak at random pray you tell us in this confusion of different Religions while every one lay's claime to Christ's Doctrin who are proved the true Professors of it by avouching Christ to have wrought great Miracles Or make this Consequence good Christ Cured the blind lame and deaf Ergo Arians who contradict Protestants in the Essentials of Faith or Protestants that contradict the Arians are proved the faithful Professors of Christ's Doctrin because both Judge well of Christ's Miracles If so Catholicks may come in with the best and show themselves sound in Faith upon this account But thanks be to God we can say more for our cause and rest not only in à bare Beliefe of those ancient great Wonders but as I noted above demonstrate à Church Characterized and gloriously marked out by the like supernatural Sign 's which those first great Masters evidenced when they preached to the world and thus our Church is distinguished from all false Conventicles 18. There is no shifting of the force of this Argument but by one of these two desperate evasions Either it must be said that publick Miraculous works evidently done by one or many Authoritively sent to teach Christ's Doctrin are not at all marks of Truth and this is contrary to the Gospel Our Lord working with them the Apostles and confirming the Mark 16. ◠19. John 20. 30. word with Signs that followed These Signs are written add's S. John that men might believe that Iesus is Christ the Son of God c. Or 2 You are flatly to deny the Church ever to had one true Miracle wrought in it which is evidently false as has been proved whereof more presently The only owning ancient Miracles Maintain's any Religion In the mean time you se that to plead for Christ's true Doctrin by only owning those ancient Miracles true licenses all dissenting Christians in Fundamentals to maintain any Religion true or false as they please The Arian may teach as he teaches and so may the Monothelit without Reproof if he tell us he hold's Christ's Doctrin confirmed by primitive Miracles though he cannot say upon à bare owning those Signs what Christ's Doctrin is whether for an Instance the Divine Word truly assumed Flesh or that God is one Essence and three distinct Persons
far greater 6. I say therefore the Miracles of Christ our Lord of the Apostles and all those certainly wrought amongst God's People or in the Now true Miracles are distinguished from false wonders Church These I alwaies joyn together are easily distinguished from the slight Signs of Heathens and Hereticks First by their Strength or powerful virtue manifest to all unbyassed Judgements 2. By their vast Number and incomparable Greatness 3. By the Quality of the Persons that did them 4. By the End for which they were wrought All and every one of these distinctive Marks the Signal great Miracles wrought by Christ the Apostles and in the Church ever had and will have And I chiefly speak here of great Miracles 7. Call now to mind all the Wonders done or thought to be done by Heathens lay by them the Donatist's Dreams and Visions suspected saith S. Augustin of fraud even Aug. de unit Eccl. cap. 19. by the most prudent and Judicious Grant which many think false that the Novatians had some slender Miracles among them Summe up I say These and many more like Greater Miracles wrought by two Saints than by All Heathens and Hereticks them what have we but the lowest sort of wonders Imaginable for none surmount's the Power of good or Evil Spirits I dare boldly avouch that only two blessed men S. Thomas Cantilupe and S. Francis Xaverius have by Gods assistance wrought not only more but far greater Miracles than all the Heathens and Hereticks that lived since the creation of the world were all true that 's Written of them whereas God knowes more than the halfe is false 8. Look on the Condition of Persons among Heathens and Hereticks that pretend to Wonders you find them all suspected and of little Credit Infidels knew not Christ and Hereticks like shamelesse Fugitives deserted his Church If Therefore such wicked men do any thing like à Miracle it is done as S. Austin prudently Observes per Signa publicae Iustitiae Lib. 83. Quest 78. 79. that is illegally or by no Lawful but à usurped Power as wrought by them So naughty Souldiers do saith the Saint when Contrary to Military Discipline they extort from honest men what is Publickly forbidden On the other Side the Just endued with supernatural Faith work Miracles by lawful Commission which God's Divine Justice approves because as those others were out of Christ's Church so these are professed members of it See S. Petra Sancta volum 1 prologom p. 27. Austins Quotations further enlarged by Petra Sancta and Judge whether God's Servants that truly doe Miracles are not very differently qualifyed from others cast out of the house of God 9. The end of Miracles ever intended for the Good of others is chiefly to strengthen Faith and encrease Charity whence it is that S. Gregory the Great writing to S. Augustin S Greg. lib 9. Epist 58. our Apostle of England gives this prudent Admonition For as much as concern's the working of Miracles know that whatever gift you have received in this kind it is freely bestowed on you for the Good and Saluation of those souls committed For what End Miracles are wrought to your Charge To this end all our Saviours Miracles and those likewise wrought in the Church were ever and are still chiefly directed Contrarywise Those supposed Wonders done by Heathens were most for à Show only or Ostentation without benefit to soul or Body for what good could the walking of dull Images up and down or the cutting of à wherstone in two produce in any Neither can Miracles as done by Hereticks if yet ever wrought avail one Whit for the encrease of Faith or Charity for how can men that have made Shipwrack of Faith and torn Charity in pieces by Separating themselves from Christ and his Church help to perfect these Virtues in others I say as done by Hereticks for if any good ensues when so wrought That ' meerly Accidental and cannot be ascribed to the Hereticks Faith or any Merit in them 10. Now we Argue further and show by the real Effects which true Miracles have wrought John 15. v. 2. 4. their worth and visible Difference from those other dispirited dead Signs done by Heathens and Hereticks For the Readers better Satisfaction I here make use of our Saviours Powerful Argument against the Iewes whom he told If he had not done greater works among them than any other they had been without sin excusable but now having seen his Miracles and after all to hate Miracles proved by real effects him and his Father no Excuse could be made Pray Ponder seriously The Iewes had once great Miracles among them wrought by Moses and the Prophets yet our Saviour plainly Assert's he had then done greater and these words I conceive were spoken before the Miracles shown at his sacred Passion and Resurrection Is it true had he then done greater than Moses and the Prophets Far greater Therefore were they by much did they Surpasse in true weight and value all the pretended Wonders of Heathens then living or that afterwards should appear in the world This our Saviour Assert's or nothing 11. Some Iew or Infidel may reply Christ said here much of his Miracles but how prove we that he spake Truth I answer we prove this manifestly by Arguing from known Effects to the cause that is we evince the Cause Christ's Miracles I mean to be more vigorous Strong and attractive than all others by those real Admirable effects palpable to all Eyes which ensued upon their being wrought by the Son of God Cast therefore your Eyes upon the known Conversions made by Christ and his Ministers the blessed Apostles look also What these admirable effects are upon the large encrease and strange Growth of the Militant Church during the first Age of Christianity call to mind the Ruin and destruction of Idols Signal Effects of the primitive Miracles and you will find by these and the like innumerable Wonders that the Miracles then done never exhibited to be gazed on had Influence upon all Could ever yet Heathen or Heretick show you the like Miraculous Works following the Wonders they boast of 12. Hence we proceed to Miracles wrought in the Catholick Church and show also by many real Effects their Worth to be far above all the pretended Wonders done by Infidels and Hereticks Tell me did ever any of these or all together show you by Virtue of their Signs such à united Society of men in one Faith as our Church showes Did ever any fast Effects real and palpable prove the Churches Miracles pray and curb their Passions like those in this Christian Society Did ever any show the like Contempt of the world their whole life long as thousands and thousands have done amongst us No God knowes so many noble Heroick Actions fruits of Divine Grace and known Miracles Grace working inwardly Miracles more outwardly were never seen or heard of with the like
depend on God as the sole Principal cause and secondly proceed Ex fide being ever done by Persons endued with supernatural Faith and for the most part very Holy and Vertuous 34. Here upon we briefly solve one difficulty which may occurr If false Prophets like Balaam impowred by Almighty God can Prophecy or cast out Divels why may they not also raise the dead convert nations restore sight to the One difficulty solved blind and do all the other Miracles which Christ and his Apostles wrought I Answer all this if Providence to set forth the worth of Faith and to honour the faithful in his Church will have their Miracles great glorious and many Those wrought by faithlesse and impious very few and of lesse Account Perhaps the four or five already mentioned and registred in Holy Writ are the very most or rather all that have been wrought since Christianity began and therefore prove not that the like Shall be done in future Ages 35. Having hitherto spoken of many undoubted Miracles and further declared how they differ from Antichrist's Signs and all lying wonders I might here fitly bring in Dr Still weak Objections and also insist upon his strange Answers returned to two or three great Miracles clearly set down in another Treatise But because the Gentleman most busies himselfe about these matters towards the end of his Enquiry we shall God willing meet with him there and in the mean time to make innumerable most glorious Miracles better known will condescend to his humour and follow him as he lead's us on in his other Pilgrimages to Compostella S. Maximins and so on forward till we have travelled through all the rubbish which lies between his 465 page and page 665. That done we proceed to the end of his Book I call it rubbish it deserves no better name because you neither have one Argument proposed against approved Miracles nor one Authority which is not either openly false wholly weightless or wholly impertinent If I make this out in the ensuing Discourse Dr Stillingfleet will have little cause to glory in his empty Pamphlet if I do not Let all the shame He or any can wish fall upon me Now to S. James of Compostella CHAP. V. In what manner the body of S. Iames was translated to Compostella The Conversion of Hermogenes and Philetus by S. Iames. Of Pope Calixtus his VVritings Miracles wrought by S. Iames manifestly proved against Dr Stillingfleet 1. TWo things may be controverted concerning S. James the Son of Zebedee and Brother to S. John the Evangelist The one whether he ever preached in Spain and this Cardinal Baronius seem's lesse Baronius Tom. 9. Antwerp print ad ann 816. Num. 67. to approve grounding himselfe upon à Contest in the great Council of Lateran between Rudoricus Ximenius Arch-Bishop of Toledo and the Bishop of Compostella The latter thought the Arch-Bishop of Toledo had no right to lay any command upon him by reason of the Preheminence the Church of Compostella had above all other Churches in Spain which he endeavored A Centest between two Bishops to show both because the body of S. James is preserved at Compostella and upon this Account also that the Apostle yet living preached in Spain Rudoricus opposed his preaching in Spain and urged the Bishop of Compostella Num. 69. to make that out verum Succubuit saith Baronius herein he fail'd and gave no Satisfactory proof in that great Council 2. The second thing called into doubt by Dr Still is the Translation of this great Apostles venerable Body to Compostella which happened that very year he was beheaded by Herod at Hierusalem For this you have an Epistle Num. 71. of Pope Leo the third Cited by Baronius where it is said that the dead body being thrown out to doggs and ravenous fowle was Put into à Ship carried first to Iria Flavia and thence to Compostella The manner of its Translation I have now by me which is taken out of an ancient M. S. Cited afterwards The substance wherof is as followes When the Holy Apostles according to the Command of our Blessed Saviour resolved to Preach the Sacred Gospel to an unbelieving world they made choice of S. Tesyphon ordained him Bishop and sent him with other associated Bishops to Preach in Spain then wholly Heathenish and Idolatrous These God inspired to take along with them the The martyred Body cast into à small Vessel Came safe to the Frontirs of Galicia martyred Body of S. James which they decently placed in à small Vessel and more by the guidance of Divine Providence than by the help of any Pilote safely arrived in the last Frontires of Gallicia where then à great Lady called Luparia Lived To her these wearied Passengers addressed themselves and earnestly begged to have à Plat of ground allotted where they might decently bury the Apostles Body But She saith my Relation savage and barbarous in dirision fent them to à Mountain called then Illicinus where à number of wild Oxen ran up and down Goe said the Lady and take of these as many as you can and then bury your Apostle When the Servants of God drew neer the wild beasts their fierenesse ceased and they became gentle like Lambs much after that manner as S. Ambrose in his Haexameron recount's of those beasts that were designed to devour S. Tecla 3. Upon this Sight and another wonder which S. Tesyphon wrought in destroying à Cruel Dragon that ravaged there about by making only the Sign of the Crosse the Lady Luparia or Lupa was converted to Christ and turned Her Palace into à Church Dr Still cites Joannes Dr Sill. pag. 470. Beleth à learned man and Dr of Sorbon in confirmation of this Story concerning Lupa and when he has done as his fashion is refutes it very learnedly by à simple Demand Is not this à Miracle as great and as well attested as any wrought by Christ and his Apostles Good Mr Dr. though we are far from judging either this or any other like Story to be as well attested as Miracles in Holy Writ yet by your leave we may discourse and conclude I think upon grounded Principles that all such Stories deserve not contempt Pray Sr reflect we have in Scripture that Christ our Lord commanded his Apostles to spread his Holy Gospel Mark 16. v. 20. the whole world over we have that they did so we have upon Known History that some preached in the Indies others in England others in different Parts of the Universe and made great conversions justly accounted Miraculous VVe next enquire how or by what meanes these great Missioneries got into so remote places Do Dr Still refutes the Story by Laughing at it not you think Mr Dr were all particulars known that we should discover many great favours Shown those blessed men in their Travels which might justly seem extraordinary and Miraculous Here Sr you have one strange Passage related of S. Tesyphon and his