all peradventure as if he had read where an Image is there is no Religion without all peradventure the good man is deceived I say no more To what he next cites out of Origen we shall answer hereafter Now to the Doctors Chapters and Sections CHAP. I. Of the Doctors ungrounded discourse to the wrongful charge on Catholicks for making new Articles in Faith TOugh my task be chiefly to follow the Doctor in his Quotations and note as he goes along some few of his many Errors Yet touch I must a little on a discourse he is pleased to begin with Chapter the first It seems to enervate much our Christian Faith and weaken the Authority of the most Ancient Councils Page then the fourth and first Section he holds the two Testaments the words of Christ and of the Apostles the Fountains of Faith which none denies but next he adds Whatsoever caeme in after these foris est is to be cast out it belongs not unto Christ This latter assertion to say no more hath too much of the harshness in it for the difinitions of the Nicen Council and of the other three general Councils with St. Athanasius his Creed came in after the words of Christ and Holy Scripture are these Think ye like old Garments to be laid a side or cast out as not at all belonging to Christ belong they do most certainly as Rivers to their Fountains though not own'd as Original Springs and the first Foundations of our Faith Observe therefore I beseech you how the Doctor deals with us how he leads us on in darkness whilst he sets men a seeking after the Fountains of Faith but with it turns by the Stream cuts of the Torrent of Authority whereby to find them that is in a word he makes null all Authority that can assert with certainty Such were the Words of Christ such the Doctrine of the Apostles c. Judge whether I say not aright and demand of the Doctor upon whose certain proposal can he rely or indubitably admit of Christ's words as sacred If he answers Scripture the Question return's again and he is asked a new who it is that doth ascertain him of Scripture If the Fathers they are with him Fallible yes and full of ambiguous sences If the Church that saith he is changeable hath brought in novelties contrary to Ancient Faith if Councils not one is found but lyable to Error Turn by therefore these intermedial Streams running between us and the Fountains of Faith destroy the certainty of such Witnesses say that no man or society of men since Christ and his Apostles hath without a possibility of erring assured us that Christ spake that the Evangelists writ as they did the whole Scripture God knows will be cast aside also yes and become a comfortless an unwarranted Book Whence follow 's a total ruin of Christian Religion This is not my assertion but the great St. Austins the Quotation is known Tom. 6. contra epistolam Manichei cap. 5. Ego vero Evangelio non crederem c. I would not believe the Gospel unless the Authority of the Church moved me to believe it Our Doctor may think he salves this objection in his next ensuing lines pag. 4. where he saith To these that is to Scripture we add not as Authors but as helpers of our Faith and Heirs of the Doctrine Apostolical the sentiments and Catholick Doctrine of the Church in the Ages next after the Apostles not that we think c. I Answer Here is no man knows what confusedly shut up in two Ambiguous VVords Heirs and Helpers to get out of darkness I might first demand how knows the Doctor now exactly what the Sentiments or Catholick Doctrine of the Church Anciently were in the Ages next after the Apostles The Proposal of our present Church overgrown as he saith with a thousand Errors is an infufficient warranty Both Fathers and Councils were even then Fallible and had they been Infallible their writings since that may perhaps have fallen into ill hands and lost their purity But I wave this discourse and propose to our present purpose this Question only Are we Christians now being obliged under Damnation to believe those Sentiments of the Ancient Church as undoubted Helpers as certain apparent Heirs of Divine Truth or no if not They cast us wholly upon uncertainties and may as well help us on to Err as hit right if we are bound to own them as certain Heirs of Divine Truth Scripture must assure it for saith the Doctor To believe any thing Divine that is not Scripture is a divillish spirit and undoubtedly affirm that at least in the Ages next after Christ there was a society of men not lyable to Error that kept our Christian Faith entire without spot or blemish faithfully transmitted it to Posterity c. Now all I can desire of the Doctor is to produce that Scripture which purifies the Ancient Church only and makes the next ensuing Ages of that Church Spurious in Doctrine fearfully despicable and lyable to Error Thus much I am confident he shall never shew for our dearest Saviour that Established a Christian Church promised he would be with it to the end of the World Gods alseeing providence drives not on his work by halfs nor leaves his Church when the Doctors fancy listeth Souls are now as dear to Christ as they were in the Primitive Ages He shed his Sacred Blood for All if then he secured his Church from Error and directed Souls into Truth he doth the like favour now and will not permit his Immaculate Spouse to beguile them with falshood All therefore the Doctor saith here is a deceitful Paralogism yes and Paradoxes not to be tolerated A Paradox it is to talk of Heirs and Helpers of Apostolical Doctrine and rob them of their Infallibility A Paradox it is to say that these Heirs and Helpers sent Milions of Souls into the Bosom of Christ and cast more Milions in after Ages out of his Bosom for want of true Faith A Paradox it is that Christ only remained with his Church for a time and then left it destitute of Divine Assistance yes and in points most Fundamental But the greatest Paradox of all which amuses every one is That now towards an end of the World a new sort of unknown men the Doctor is one will become our Teachers and tell us exactly how long Christ was with his Church and when he leap'd out of it He was with it say they for some three or four hundred years and then left it fluctuating tossed and at last saw it without Mercy overturned with a deluge of Errors And credit this we must upon their bare word because they say it without Sctipture without Reason yes expresly contrary to both and all Ancient Authority The Doctor to prove the Church by Scripture only quotes St. Austin in his Margent pag. 4. de vnit ecclesiae cap. 3 4. 5. but both mangles his words and conceals the
Truth Will out OR A Discovery of some Untruths Smoothly told by Dr. IEREMY TAYLOR In his DISSWASIVE From POPERY With an Answer to such Arguments as deserve ANSVVER By his Friendly Adversary Ed Worsley Ergo inimicus vobis factus sum verum dicens vobis Gal. 4. 16. Printed in the Year 1665. THE EPISTLE To the READER WE say all is not Gold that Glisters and that Most worth lyes not ever hid under a fair Outside A Comet seems sometimes as glorious as a Star a Parelion like the Sun and Falshood got under a handsome Visard well trim'd up may take with many and pass Disguised for current Truth But such slight Beauty beguiles not long True Worth undoes it The Suns lasting Glory the Stars constant Brightness enough Dislustres both Parelion and Comet And Truth though perhaps it may not here quite vanquish Falshood for Some will Defend it to the Worlds end is able at least to pull of it's Gaudy Visard and put it out of Countenance A World of this Counterfeit Lustre we have now a days in Books set forth as is pretended to Beautifie the Heaven of Christianity and Englighten a People that sit in Darkness One I have met with 't is the Disswasive from Popery that Parelion like in a Triple Cloud is as I am told Gloriously out in three Editions and lately appeared in the two Kingdoms of England and Ireland More I believe have been Gazing on it then well discovered the faulty Lustre Real Worth I cannot mention for what find we I beseech you considerable in this Book but a useless Repetition of old defeated Objections which have now for a whole Age run through a few Vulgar worn-out Controversies and in Rigor require only a Return of the Old Answers given a hundred times by Catholick Writers new Arguments which one might have expected from so Great a Doctor seldom appear You have moreover more then a few Mistakes relating to Catholick Doctrine Want enough of Divinity A seeming Zeal 't is true but ill season'd with Jeers and harsher Language Calumnies vented Talk and no Proof Here is what I think the Doctor must own the Inside and best substance of his Disswasive The Flash therefore and fair Lustre of his Book lies neither in the choice of Matter nor manner of handling it but in specious Quotations that flourish in the Margents These set down in the ensuing Treatise I have carefully examined Read with my own Eyes in the Original Authors not one have I taken on trust and after a diligent search must profess with all Candor not one worth notice have I found but 't is either wholly impertinent to what he would Prove or strangely wrested to a sinister Sence or not found at all in the Original nor a Word like it Or finally which is most usual and to be pittied in a Doctor unpardonably corrupted To insist on every less valuable Authority or on such as shew themselves Profless even Read in the Disswasive would be Time mispent and weary a Reader These I offer to your View are of the grosser Sort and Numerous enough to Evidence that the Doctors pretended Faultless Book is Proved Faulty and no more powerful to Disswade from Popery then Error is to draw men from Truth Far am I off from the Doctors Humour in Judging this small Treatise Faultless I willingly acknowledge many Faults but know not how to mend Them One is no little want of English but this I hope dear Reader you will easily Pardon I am sure you would did you but know how long I have been a Stranger to my Country An other is too tedious a length sometimes in Latin Sentences The Fault if any is unavoydable For while the Charge is laid on ill Quotations the Right ones must appear and in their proper Terms To give an Authors Meaning only and Wave his Words seems Forceless And in stead of laying Difficulties may Raise up more Where it most Imports I have done my best to English the Latin faithfully Ad pedem literae the Translation therefore cannot but look Rugged yet that is better then to have the Genuine Sence miscarry in smoother Language Lastly a harsher Word may perhaps through hast or unawares have casually fallen from me if so I here unsay it and Humbly crave Pardon And were my Papers now out of my reach in my Hands again I would in this Correct whatever might justly seem offensive If Doctor Taylor shall please to warn me of greater Faults I 'll thank him for his Charity And if he thinks it worth his Pains to take notice of my Exceptions against his Book my earnest Request is that he mispend not Time in Trifles nor weigh only lesser Matters while he hath greater charged on him that justly require Satisfaction For Example I have plainly tax'd him of wrong done to Sixtus Senensis to the Expurgatory Index to Petrus Lombardus Otho Erisingensis and others in the beginning of my Treatise let him as plainly Purge himself in these Particulars and shew me my Error for most certainly I have either wronged him or he these Authors I press him afterward with undeniable Authorities of most Ancient Fathers both for the Use and Worship of Holy Images His express Answer is herein required also chiefly to St. Basil and St. Iohn Damascen I have told him of his Forging strange Doctrines and Fathering them on Tolet Suarez Bellarmin Emanuel Sa and others If he be injured he can Right himself and shew where Sa affirms That if a man lies with his intended Wife before Marriage it is no sin or a light one Whether the true Sence of Bellarmin in his Quotation pag. 167. be not wholly perverted If the Pope should Err by Commanding c. These for an Essay only more you will have and of greater Concernment hereafter May it please the Doctor to clear himself by a solid Answer he 'll hearten me to Reply Or if he can produce against me but one Quotation so fowly amiss as that one Charg'd on Emanuel Sa to say nothing of many worse I do here profess a Readiness and will comply with it to publish my Fault to the Whole World O would he Encourage himself to proceed with like Candor and unsay only what his own Conscience knows Faulty in his Disswasive he might be Eternally Glorious And why should I forbid my self to hope for so Laudable a Retractation Justice requires it Conscience forcibly presses Truth that suffers strongly Pleads for it Christian Humility easily submits And Gods Victorious Grace is now no less Powerful to do this Work on him then once it was to Reclaim a Blessed St. Austin Quare Arripe obsecro te they are the Pious and well meant Words of this Saint Tom. 2. Epist 9. to a Great Doctor and my Submissive Petition to Doctor Taylor Arripe obsecro te ingenuan vere Christianam cum charitate severitatem ad illud tuum opus corrigendum atque emandandum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 ut dicitur cane Incomparabiliter enim pulchrior est Veritas Christianorum quam Helena Graecorum c. Such I say is my Petition presented to our Doctor and if the Love of Truth bears sway in his Breast yeeld he needs must to a speedy retractation Nothing can Retard him from so generous a Resolution but either Motives of interest drawn from a naughty World or his own once vented 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So forsooth he hath said in his Disswasive and so it must stand though all run to Ruin and Christianity suffers The Doctor I confess hath been most Unluckily in broaching Heresies and wanting Grace to retract them Some years are now past since he was so Unfortunate as to become a Patron of the Pelagian Heresie when ex professo he Writ a Book against Original sin and stoutly defended it and being Friendly told by his own Brethren that what he said was not only opposite to Catholick Faith but also to the very Doctrine of the Church of England expresly deliver'd in her Liturgy in 39. Articles in the Office of Baptism c. He had yet the boldness to deny all and assert that the Church of England held not Original Sin though both Prince and Prelate knew then and believ'd the contrary I know not that he ever yet Recanted this Heresie if not 't is now high Time to do it and with it to Weep for the Errors in his Disswasive if he fails in both Duties the World will say and say truly that Dr. Taylor is Notior peccans quam paenitens more known for his Sin then for his Repentance and may Prudently Judge that he of all others was the unfittest Man to Write against Popery that disowns the Doctrine of his own Church unless this makes him fit that being a Pelagian his Words though he multiplies Volums will want weight against Catholicks For this is my reflection and I think a true one that this man who dar'd to say that the Church of England holds not Original Sin so plainly taught and believ'd by all will not Boggle to miscite the Fathers remote from our knowledge Read by few and Understood by fewer Farewel Gentle Reader with a thousand well-wishes for thy profitting by this Treatise I bestow as many on Dr. Taylor whose Enemy God knows I am not Nor can he think me one for laying out his Errors and telling Truth Upon this very Account he ought and I hope will to return me Thanks If now I Merit none I may hereafter have better Luck and deserve them If plain dealing may do it he shall have Reason to account me as indeed I am his Faithful True SERVANT and Friendly ADVERSARY E. W. QUOTATIONS Faulty in DOCTOR TAYLORS PREFACE To the READER TO destroy Tradition not contain'd in Scripture the Doctor cites Tertullian thus I adore the fulness of Scripture and if it be not written let Hermogenes fear the Wo that is destin'd to them that detract from or add to it I answer the Dr. turn's the true genuine sence out of this whole sentence chiefly by these guileful particles of his own making And if it be not written which seem exclusive of all unwritten tradition yet this Authority no more relates to Catholick Doctrine concerning Tradition then a Fable in Esop Briefly therefore Tertullian disputing against Hermogenes that held these visible things were created of I know not what prejacent matter speaks thus Lib. adversus Hermog Antwerp Print cap. 22. page 495. In principio c. In the beginning God made heaven and Earth then adds Adoro Scripturae plenitudinem I adore the fulness of Scripture Wherein in what doth he adore this fulness He answers Qua mihi factorem manifestat facta I adore the fulness of Scripture that doth manifest to me both the Maker and things made As who should say in this particular the Scripture is compleat and I adore its fulness c. Now these last words Qua mihi factorem c. which explain the Fathers sence our Dr. wholly omits and beguiles his Reader with these perverted particles if it be not written Tertullian after those words In Evangelio vero amplius goes on An autem de aliqua subiacenti materia facta sint omnia nusquam adhuc legi Whether all these things be made of a subjacent matter I never yet read Scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis officina Let Hermogenes his Work-house shew us that this particular is written Si non est Scriptum timeat vae illud adjicientibus aut detrahentibus destinatum If this thing now in controversie concerning the prejacent matter Hermogenes asserts be not written let him justly fear that Wo destin'd to them that detract from Scripture or add to it Here is exactly the whole context of Tertullian and it renders this sence Hermogenes holds the world made of a strange unknown matter The Scripture directly tells us how it was made and Created of nothing I adore the fulness of Scripture in this particular let therefore Hermogenes when the Scripture hath clearly said all that belongs to the first Creation of things prove by Scripture that unknown matter he defends if he cannot he may well fear that Wo threatned to such as detract from Scripture or add to it a prejacent matter never mentioned in it Judge good Reader whether this Quotation have so much as a likelyhood of gain-saying any constant received Tradition in the Church The Dr. may reply as Hermogenes added to Scripture his unknown matter so we add our unknown Traditions I answer first what Hermogenes defended was not only an addition but expresly contrary to Holy Scripture declaring that God made the VVorld of Nothing No Catholick Tradition is expresly or positively opposite to Gods written VVord unknown tradition we own not 2. Hermogenes had no such approved consent for his foolery as we have for our Catholick and ever received Tradition justly therefore did Tertullian oppugn him by the Authority of Scripture only for destitute he was of all warranted Tradition 3. The Doctrine of our Tradition not a pretended one or any superaddition of new Articles as the Dr. imputes to us is expresly allow'd of by Scripture it self the place is known 2 Thessa 2. 14. and enervates what ever hath the colour of an objection against us He cites next St. Basil de vera fide whose words are these Paris Print 1618. Tom. 2. page 251. Haud dubie manifestissimum hoc infidelitatis argumentum fuerit signum superbiae certissimum si quis eorum quae Scripta sunt aliquid velit rejicere aut eorum quae non Scripta introducere VVithout doubt this is a most manifest Argument of infidelity if one will reject any one of those things which are written these words our Dr. omits to make the Quotation sound to his sence or of those things which are not written introduce to wit into Scripture and so the St. explicates himself clearly in these following words Vehementissime
interdicat ne quid corum quae in Divinis literis habeantur dematur aut quod absit addatur VVhich is in plain English to say Add we must not nor diminish any thing in Scripture No Catholick pretends to make that Scripture which is not Scripture Nor to diminish so much as one jot in that sacred Book You see therefore so forceless this Authority is to gain-say received Tradition that it doth not so much as touch upon the very Question As proofless also are those other two Quotations in the Doctors Margent out of St. Basil's Morals for regula 72. C. 1. in the same Edition page 372. He only speak's as the Apostle doth Though an Angel Preach another Gospel then what is Preached let him be Anathematized and reg 80. cap. 22. pag. 386. he saith no more but that we must believe the true force of those things that are in Scripture reject nothing or make any thing new extra divinam Scripturam that is as I interpret without the warranty of Scripture but the Scripture indubitably warrants the declarations of Councils witness the Nicen definitions and constant received Tradition of the Church Therefore this Authority also is wholly impertinent to the Doctors purpose VVho next to oppose Tradition cites Theoph. Alexandrinus in English thus It is the part of a devillish spirit to think any thing to be divine that is not in the Authority of Holy Scripture I Answer here are three faults in this one Quotation First The words are not faithfully cited Secondly They are weighed outof their circumstances and wrested contrary to the Authors meaning Thirdly VVere they as the Doctor would have them they prove nothing against Tradition Briefly all know how sharp an Adversary Theop. Alex. was to Origen and his followers He writ expresly against his errors but that work is not extant and in his 2. Epist paschali cited by the Doctor you have it Tom. 4. Biblioth Patrum Cullen Print 1618. pag. 716. after he had checked Origen for his rashness for broaching Fopperies of his own head and arrogantly making himself his own Master contrary to St. Pauls Humility who conferred the Gospel with other Apostles He speaks thus of Origen solely Sed ignorans quod Daemoniaci spiritus esset instinctus sophismata humanarum mentium sequi aliquid extra Scripturarum authoritatem putare Divinum But not knowing that it is an instinct of a Devillish spirit to follow the sophistry or deceit of mans VVit these words which fully express the Authors sence our Doctor totally omit's or to think any thing divine not authorized or without the Authority of Holy Scripture So Theophilus who as you see wholly here relates to Origen's private errors condemns his Pride opposeth his sophistry and boldness in making himself a master of new Fancies but toucheth not the least on Catholick Doctrine concerning unwritten Tradition and though the Doctor draws him to such a sence it is soon answer'd that Catholick Tradition so expresly approved by Scripture cannot be thought a Doctrine extra Scripturae authoritatem without warrant of Gods Word Now if he tells us that he opposeth not any ancient Tradition but our pretended one only that found 's New Articles New Propositions c. I Answer He meerly combates with shadows we neither own such a Tradition nor can the Doctor prove it He should have first named one or two of these New Articles and then assaulted us with the Authority of Fathers directly opposite to our Doctrine and not winck and fight as he doth against no man knows what If he says again that he impugns all Tradition in general all Doctrine not expresly contain'd in Scripture forced he is not only to throw away Scripture it self and the Nicen definitions not only to disclaim a Trinity of Persons in one Divine Essence Baptizing Children c. but every tenet of Protestant Religion as Protestanism E. G. the belief of two Sacraments only which is not at all contain'd in Scripture nor can it be drawn from Scripture by any probable discourse or gloss of Protestant testants though these are worse and less able to derive unto us a true belief then the poorest tradition were any such that the Doctor can except against in the Catholick Church When the Doctor pleaseth I am ready to discuss this sole point with him of proving Protestant Tenets by Scripture only I believe he will not accept the Challenge Against the worshipping of Images he cites Lactantius lib. 2 cap. de Orig. Error observe I beseech you Lactantius hath seven Books de Divin Instit adversus gentes the Title to his second Book is de Origine erroris which contains ninty Chapters and our Doctor unskilfully throws the Title of the whole Book into a Chapter not found at all in the Author either in my Copy ann 1465. or in that extent Biblioth Patrum saeculo 3. pag. 224. However Chap. 18. these words are found Quare non est dubium quin religio nulla sit ubicunque simulacrum est which the Doctor unworthily translates thus Without all peradventure wherever an Image is meaning for Worship there is no Religion I say unworthily and it pitties me to see so much want of candor for here a sence is rendered as if Lactantius declaim'd against the use and worship of Images among Christians whereas it is more then evident that he only speaks against Simulacra not Images against the Idols and Gods of the Gentils Non sub pedibus quaerat Deum saith he in the beginning of this eighteenth Chapter None is to seek for his God under his feet Nec a vestigijs suis eruat quod adoret Nor pull from under his footsteps what he is to adore Sed quaerat in sublimi quaerat in summo Let him look for God above in Heaven c. The Worship therefore of one Supream God Lactantius chiefly presseth in this whole second book In his first Chapter he tells us that he had above demonstrated the false Religion of many Gods and that in this second Book he declares against the Gentils the cause or Origen of their multiplying many gods In his second Chapter he saith That though the Image of a man absent be necessary yet to circumscribe God diffused every where in any form is both needless and superfluous afterward he shews that no deceased men nor any thing in this world ought to be adored as God In his fourth Chapter he gives this reason Unde apparet istos deos nihil in se habere amplius quam materiam de quâ sunt fabricati These gods have nothing but only the matter they are made of In his eighth Chapter he proposeth the question how these false Gods of the Gentils did work strange wonders and prosecutes the same subject in his ninth Chapter In a word Lactantius through this whole Treatise speaks no more against the Catholick use of Images then I do now while I defend them yet hear we must the Doctor talk and without
beautified the Church and gained millions to it I mean the glory of miracles And this is done by a Doctor to maintain his wordy Religion made up of a few abused Scripture phrases and I know not what other canting language without fruits of Religion without efficacy of doctrine without miracles or finally any one mark of credibility that may prudently evidence it to be Christian Now concerning our Doctors other exception against pious good people who seek the patronage of Saints in time of danger or otherwise I 'le briefly give you one instance taken out of S. Gregory Nyssen a worthy Bishop who was present at the first Council of Constantinople and writ the Symbolum Fidei there read him I beseech you in the Oration he hath de Stâ— Theodoro Martyre with me it is in his second Tome Printed at Paris 1615. pag. 1011. and pag. 1017. Because the impious Scythians threatned a war to the Country Timemus afflictiones saith S. Gregory expectamus pericula non longe absunt scelestes Scythae belluÌ„ adversus nos parturientes We fear afflictions we expect danger the wicked Scythians are as it were in labour for a war against us What doth the Saint he betakes himself thus by earnest prayer to S. Theodore a Soldier Intercede ac deprecare pro patria apud communem Regem Dominum Make intercession and pray for our country to him who is our common King and Lord. Again Vt miles propugna pro nobis ut Martyr pro conservis utere libertate loquendi As you are a soldier fight for us and defend us as a martyr speak freely for your fâ—llow servants here Finally a few lines after Quod si majori etiam opus fuerit advocatione c. And if more prayer be needful assemble together the whole quire of your brethren martyrs and jointly pray for us Admone Petrum excita Paulum Joannem item c. Put S. Peter in mind stir up S. Paul and that beloved disciple of our Lord S. John that these be sollicitous for the Churches they once wore chains passed dangers and finally died Thus S. Gregory If therefore this worthy Bishop sought protection and patronage of a Soldier Martyr in danger of war well may a frail woman in danger of sinning become a suppliant to S. Mary Magdalen which our Doctor likes not of And for Gods sake tell me what mischief is it to Christianity if Saints hear our prayers that a Painter have a special devotion to S. Luke skilful in that Art though our Doctor no man knows why holds it superstition I say if Saints hear our Prayers and that they do so this very Petition made by S. Gregory to S. Theodore is my warrant neither Doctor Andrews nor Chamier nor Whitby who vainly endeavour to make the Oration spurious because they know not what else to say shall utter so much as a probability against it CHAP. XXI Of Saints Canoniz'd excepted against by the Doctor Of his untrue quotations Of his Mistake concerning the Multitude of Holydayes AFter this long digression I return to my task imposed on me and needs must say a word of our Doctors quotations I find in his pag. 132. S. Austin cited for this excellent truth Tutius incundius loquar ad meum Jesum quam ad aliquem Sanctorum Spirituum Dei I 'le speak more safely and more chearfully to my Lord Jesus then to any of the Saints or Spirits of God And 't is worthily spoken but where find we this The Doctor points us to S. Austin Visitatione Minorum Sept. S. Aug. what this Sept. S. Aug. signifies no man knows and less know I where to find Visitat Minorum Perhaps it is an error of the Printer However these words are in S. Austin's 9th Tome lib 2. de Visitatione Infirmorum not Minorum cap. 2. which no way exclude praying to Saints but manifestly suppose it Tutius Iucundius clear all and render this Sence 'T is good and safe to pray to Saints but our Lord Jesus is eminently above them and therefore more safely and chearfully we pray to Jesus Page 133. he cites Cardinal Bessarion apud Bodin undervaluing certain Saints and our Doctor gives you a list of them thus S. Fingar S. Anthony of Padua S. Christopher Charles Borromeus Ignatius Loyola Xaverius then deceitfully adds and many others of whom saith the Doctor Bessarion complained that many of them were such persons whose life he could not approve c. observe here first the Context of our Doctor and how he cheats his Reader whom he would have believe that beside many others Bessarion reproved the life of S. Fingar S. Anthony of Padua S. Charles Borromeus S. Ignatius Loyola and S. Xaverius yet these three last blessed men were not in the world when Bessarion lived for he quitted this mortal life Anno Domini 1472. 2. I affirm that our Doctor shall never shew out of Bessarion that he unsaints any approved for Sanctity by the Roman Catholick Church S. Fingar though some say S. Anselm accounted him a blessed man was never yet canonized and I wonder what our Doctor hath against S. Christopher of whom little is known Certainly for I have run slâ—ightly over some works of Bessarion this Grecian Bishop and Cardinal employed in so many Embassies as we read of troubled not himself to cavil either with S. Christopher or S. Anthony of Padua 3. Our Doctor deals not wel with his Reader for he should for Bessarions assertion have remitted him to the Cardinals own book and not to Bodinus or Iohn Pudding a man of Atheistical Principles whose authority with the judicious is altogether as little as the Doctor 's Bodinus his Republick I have but yet cannot get a sight of his Method Historica to which the Doctor remits me Next he cites Augustinus Triumphus de Ancona affirming that all who are canonized by the Pope cannot be said to be in Heaven And where find we this assertion of Triumphus in two places answers our Doctor viz. quaest 14. ad quartum and quaest 17. ad quartum Observe here the Doctors ignorance For to say nothing of his unskilfull omitting the Article these two quotations ad quartum are the Authours Objections not his resolution The resolution follows no way asserting what the Doctor saith but contrary thus That the Pope in canonizing a Saint by the exterior evidence he hath of his Sanctity cannot err Although saith this Authour neither Pope nor Church can know certainly per certitudinem causae by the certainty of the cause that all canonized possess beatitude He saith per certitudinem causae because God who only endues a Soul with Charity causaliter is only conscious that it is enriched with this gift The Pope and Church know not this causaliter but by the effects of Charity shewed to the world Therefore saith Anconitanus quaest 14. cit art 4. Ad prim dicendum quod licet Papa non possit scire per certitudinem causae c.
had not wherewithall to buy an other What did he Ad viginti Martyres c. he prayed before the twenty Martyrs and begged with a loud voice that he might be clothed some young men heard him and scorned the good Taylor as our Doctor doth here vulgar people yet his prayer proved successeful heard he was and his want miraculously supplied This you may read in S. Austin lib. 22. de civit Dei cap. 8. circa medium Whence I argue if this poor man by addressing himself to deceased Martyrs for a cloak prayed wel and laudably yes and by such prayers got what he asked most blameless certainly are the common people while they petition any Saint in Heaven for their temporal goods whether sheep or oxen it imports not or if the Doctor jeer'd at these mens devotion he may if he like it also play the boy and laugh at the Taylor S. Austin did not so And Here without much digressing reflect I beseech you on that witty margent note Mr. Whitby hath in his book against S C. pag. 292. where to discredit this known miracle he speaks thus Further let it be considered that here we have no better president then a Taylor and he so simple as to bargain with the Martyrs how many half-pence he would have to buy his cloak Subtilely observed for first there is not a word in S. Austin of the poor mans bargaining with the Martyrs unless his earnest prayer be called a bargain Secondly Mr. Whitby saith in his context that the Taylor prayed not to the Martyrs but to God at the tomb of the Martyrs if therefore he bargained with any it was with God for so many half-pence Thirdly he slâ—ights this miracle upon the account of the Taylors simplicity as if forsooth God could do wonders on none but the Learned or Doctors of Divinity Fourthly and chiefly he is pittifully out every way for no one takes this miracle upon the Taylors credit but upon S. Austins who recounts it as a wonder done in behalf of this poor man and so we credit what he adds of the Cook that opening the fish found a gold ring in it and pittying the distressed Suppliant gave it him with ecce quomodo viginti Martyres te vestiverunt See how the twenty Martyrs have clothed thee And thus much of good peoples devotion to Saints for temporals Now if you further inquire not only after the recourse made by devout Christians to the blessed See Bellar. cap. 20. Supra § Argumentum nonuÌ„ in Heaven for health and cure of Infirmities but also after the happy success they have had by their prayer volumes would not suffice to recount particulars The most I 'le do here is to remit any that doubts if judicious and prudent to S. Austin in the place now cited where he tells us next after those words ad Aquas Fibilitanas not of one but many miraculously cured at the relicks of S. Stephen There a blind woman received her sight There Eucharius a Priest of Spain tormented with the stone we freed of his misery and the self same man cast do 〈…〉 by an other infirmity lay so dead ut ei jam pollices ligarentur but was raised up miraculously and â—his saith S. Austin was done â—pitulatione memorati Martyris by the help and assistance of S. Stephen Learn therefore and 't is the main drift of S. Austin that Saints hear ouâ— prayers pray for us yes and obtain by 〈…〉 ir in 〈…〉 ssion many a large blessing So the Sainâ— in thâ—â—suing ninth Chaprer which relates to the miracles â—entioned in the precedent pro ista fide mortui sunt qui 〈◊〉 à Demino impetrare possunt for this Faith the Martyrs dyed who can get such favours of our Lord. Again a few lines after quare Martyres tanta possunt qui pro ea fide c. wherefore Martyrs can doe these great matters who were slain for that Faith which preaches Christs holy resurrection Finally he ends thus siue enim Deus ipse per se ipsum c. whether God by himself work after a strange manner or do these wonders by his Ministers or some of them by the Spirits of Martyrs eis orantibus tantum impetrantibus non etiam operantibus they onely praying for us and impetrating but not effecting or working these wonders immediatly cannot be comprehended of mortalls Thus S. Austin who undoubtedly here affirms that these blessed Spirits pray and obtain'd by their prayers orantibus impetrantibus mark the words both health of body and greater benefits Mr. Whitby page 292. cited above seems to make little account of S. Austins eighth Chapter now mentioned because of some corruptions so he speaks noted by Ludovieus Vives And what are these I Answer two or three differences in words only variously read in other copies as for Episcopo projecto other copies have Episcopo afferente projecto c. greater exceptions Ludovicus Vives hath not against this eighth Chapter nor questions at all the substance of one miracle there related by S. Austin No these stand as they are told and so doth the ninth Chapter entirely unexcepted against by Ludovicus or any body else do so powerfully prove that the Saints in Heaven pray for us and afford us assistance that none shall ever answer them with probability It were but lost time because they are vulgarly known to add to these ancient miracles others of undoubted credit wrought by the intercession of Saints in later ages and very universally There is not a Kingdome or Country where Catholick Religion florishes which will not evidence these wonders And England also anciently hath had this glory but now a new Faith hath outed all old miracles Blessed be Almighty God not onely our age we live in is renowned for miraculous cures done upon the infirm and diseased by earnest prayer made to the ever immaculate Virgin mother of God but this very year also and the last now over affords us most undoubted ones wrought in Antwerp and Mecklin by the intercession of the ever glorious Saint Xaverius a Saint our Doctor pag 133. would cast out of Heaven For the first see Justus Lipsius an erudite and learned writer in his third Tome towards the end printed at Antwerp anno 1637. page 687. intituled thus Diva Virgo Hallensis and page 721. with this title Diva Sichemiensis sive Aspricollis For the Second to wit for strange cures done on the diseased by the great Apostle of the Indies S. Xaâ—â—rius they are here most manifestly laid open to the eyes of all sick patients own them sworn witnesses testify them expert Doctors of Physick after long trial to cure them acknowledge the cures to be miraculous Bishops after a most â—igid examination have approved them none can doubt of them but such as either incline to a spirit of Atheism or vainly endeavour to make null the best proof of our Faith to extinguish the clearest light of Christianity which Age after Age hath