c. And thus all dissenting Christians stand as it were equally ballanced in their Plea for Truth one is no more advanced than another nor shall any ever know where Christ's Truths are taught unlesse he first find out à Church evidenced by Christ's own Signatures I mean glorious Miracles 19. Some may here Ask whether God cannot set other Marks on à Church besides Miracles Sufficient to distinguish it from all false Conventicles I answer the Question by another like Demand Could not God have set other Marks on Christ and his Apostles excluding Miracles sufficient to distinguish them from all false Prophets Reader we enquire not in this place what God can do his Power is Omnipotent but speak of what he has already done and Say that as his Power and Wisdom marked Christ Apostles and the Church marked by Miracles out our blessed Lord and the Apostles by many clear Signs as great Sanctity Purity in Doctrin admirable Conversions and one most choise Gods own Signatures glorious Miracles So also he has set all and every one of these Signal Marks upon his own Oracle the Catholick Church the chiefest and choisest whereof are illustrious Miracles by these she is clearly distinguished from all false and misled Teachers 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 grat Miracles yet obvious to all mens eyes S. Bernard's known Miracles proved most certain 1. MIracles being Matters of Fact and Objects of sense cannot but gain credit when Authors of unquestionable Fame produce many faithful Ey-witnesses who upon Oath attesâ—ed they saw them done Of these I shall chiefly speak in this chapter and remit the Reader to my former Book as also to some ensuing Chapters in this Treatise Reas. and Relig. Dis 2. cap. 8. where I bring to light à whole Torrent of most ancient Fathers not lightly but upon set design teaching That God in all Ages has adorned his Church with renewned and undeniable Miracles Cardinal Bellarmin begin's from the Bellar. lib. 4. de notis Ecclesiae Cap. 14. first Century with the known Miracles wrought by Christ and the Apostles and showes à continuance of them ever after to the 16.th Age when that learned man lived The exact Brerely Protes Apol Tract 2. c. 3. Sect. 7. Sub. 3. pag 534. having proved à confessed want of Miracles in Luther and Calvin and other Sectaries lead's you from the eight Century downwards and points out Miracles so manifestly attested by approved Authors that our very Adversaries as Osiander the Centurists and others cannot for shame either Question the sincerity of these Witnesses or deny the matters of Fact but shamefully recurre to à desperate Plea and say plainly God had no hand in them No. All were done by the Divel's power Now to the Task we have undertaken 2. One glorious and most certain Miracle being but lately done at Calais à Town in Picardy neer England shall first give the Reader entertainment The whole Processe whereof the rigid Examination made the Depositions taken from many Ey-witnesses and every particular at last confirmed by Episcopal Authority those two laborious Writers Godefridus Henschenius Acta Sanct. Mens April Tom. 1. 2. April pag. 229. and Daniel Papebrochius have amply drawn out to whom I must remit you for further Satisfaction and briefly recount the Miracle visibly wrought upon à Gentlewoman in Calais by the intercession of that great Servant of God S. Franciscus de Paula Founder of à most Holy Religious Order Vulgarly called Minims 3. In the year 1661. the forenamed Gentlewoman The nature af Peronna's Infirmity about 30. years old by name Peronna Raoult daughter to an honourable man called Lewis Raoult had been 13. whole years griveously afflicted with à violent cough and stoppage at her lungs caused by á continual Defluxion of humours comming from her head Physicians though often consulted found no remedy saying ingenuously they well knew not the cause and nature of her strange Asthtmatical disease which for the four last years more and more encreasing brought frequent and fearful convulsion fits upon the afflicted Patient whence followed such à contraction of nerves and Sinewes in her left Leg that first it became four fingers soon after halfe à foot shorter than the other This innumerable Witnesses saw and gave Evidence of as also that the bone of her right Leg and Hip put out of joynt gave her such intolerable pain that the could not sit without drawing her body into à round lump in which Posture she suffered many Sowing fits and unexpressible Torments When the most Christian King came to Calais anno 1658 His Majesties chief Physician Mons t Valet and three other expert Doctors were there also and several times visited the infirm creature which done all unanimously concluded the infirmity to be incurable and that poor Peronna was to remain Paralitick all the dayes of her life 4. Thus left confortles still enduring excessive Torment she thought it high time to implore help from Heaven and resolved to make à Novens or nine dayes of prayer by her Peronna implores assistence from Heaven selfe or others to the glorious Saint Francis of Paula and began it in the Minims Church at Calais the fift day within the Saints Octave Now because of her great weaknes she could not repair thither without much pain she often sent her Maid servant to perform the Devotion for her yet encouraged to doe some thing herselfe during the Novens though usually carried to the Church in à chair she called that day for her Crutches and with the help of her Maid to hold her up after many à wearisom step and stop in drawing breath at last got to the Church where she heard Masse said for her intention and communicated When behold at the reading of the last Gospel Peronna felt an excessive pain all her body over but chiefly in her left Leg and both hipps then all her nerves were violently stretched out by à humour as she thought dispersing it selfe through every member and heard the noyse of her bones long out of joint brought again to their natural posture Immediatly after these Torments Peronna Cured in an Instant by Miracle the vigour and agility of her whole body were perfectly restored in à moment in so much that without help or the least sign of weaknes she rose up and knelt before the Altar to the great admiration of all the Beholders The Priest who said Masse by name F. John de Beaumont when he saw her kneeling wondred at it and because he yet knew nothing of the Miracle advised her to fit down O Father said she blessed be God that is now needless for I am perfectly cured and as well as if I had never been infirm Then she went to the
All is Dr p. 613. Contrary The Saint as you may read C. 3. produces à stupendious Miracle done upon à Roman incredulous Matrone to confirme the Doctrin of the Real Presence It is false That Didacus Stella vvho expresly ovvn's great Miracles saith That the Povver of Miracles is ceased It is false That according to Suares Dr p. 686. such Miracles as vvere vvrought upon Father Mastrilli and the young Man of Zaragoza vvere only done for the Benefit of those vvho received them and not to confirm the Churches Infallible Doctrin It is false That Maldonate confesses That since Christian Religion has been confirmed Dr p. 687. by Miracles in the Churches beginning there is no necessity of Miracles for that End It is false That either Iosephus Acosta or S. Hippolitus teach That Antichrist shall do far greater Miracles Dr p. 688 than the Cures vvrought upon F. Marcellus or on the restored Leg at Zaragoza It is false That the bleeding vvounds of S. Francis imprinted on his Dr p. 504. side hands and feet vvere so concealed That no man could ever fully discern them in his life time only Fryer Ruffin once thought he espied the vvound in his side Thus much of false Citations for an Essay only the Treatise vvill afford many more Should I now trace the Dr though his gross perverted Quotations quite contrary to the meaning of Authors the work would be long One or Two only at present shall suffice The remainder you have afterwards And first what man in his Wits would ever have cited S. Augustine as one that opposes latter Miracles when he could not but know that no Catholick Author in this Age said more in their Defence as appear's by his large Dr P. 582. prosecuting this Subject in his 22. Book de Civit. C. 8 ◠yet forsooth Miracles are no Proof of the true Church though the Saint plainly professes Miracles held him in the Church Nor in rigour to be called Miracles But some extraordinary Things among them in their time That is the Dr would have us believe Dr p. 584. the restoring Sight to the blind raising the dead to life curing incurable Maladies for of these S. Augustine expresly speak's are not like the Apostolical Miracles but of an Inferiour rank Extraordinary things forsooth and no more Is nor this à plain Corruption of an Authors significant words and meaning None hitherto in any Age maintained the Churches Miracles with greater Zeal than S. Chrisostom Abbulensis and our learned Bishop Fisher as is amply proved in this Treatise yet the Dr by the help of an open Cheat depraves their meaning and will needs perswade us that they teach Miracles to have ceased in the Church Reader the Cheat is thus As S. Chrysostom and the other Authors now cited grant à special Prerogative to the Twelve Apostles in Writing Canonical Scripture by Divine Inspiration so also and most truly they yeild them à power of working all manner of admirable Miracles particularly in laying hands on the lately Baptized and visibly giving the Holy Ghost the like Priviledge the Primitive Christians participated in some measure These singular Graces say Authors annexed to the Twelve were never entailed upon any like set number of men though Prelates and Pastors in the Church and therefore ceased VVhence the Dr would conclude That all other Miracles whatever as raysing the Dead and curing desperate Infirmities had à stop in after Ages and ceased also Which is to tell us because God honoured not the Churches Prelates with the very like or so great à Prerogative as he did the Apostles All Miracles Seem so suspended that no more are wrought A foul Cheat worse than à Mistake quite contrary to the Quoted Authors words and Doctrin See C. IX from n. 11. and C. XI from n. 7. The impertinent Citations or such as look from the matter now disputed are innumerable All those whether true or false produced against forged Miracles known as forged no more concern the present Controversy than the Dr's pretty Verse cited out of Virgil. Speluncam Dido c. His other Testimonies Quoted from Paulus Zaccheus Fortunatus Scacchus and Contelorius are meer insignificant Cyphers take up roome and that 's all the good they do These and the remainder you will have laid forth in the Treatise It is therefore needless to insist on more at present Another grand Mistake or gross Errour you meet with in the Dr where He sayes The greatest number of Miracles in the Roman Church have been believed upon the Credit of Fables and uncertain Reports And this hee offer 's to show upon strict Examination I Answer first VVere all Fables which the Dr deem's so the Proposition confutes it selfe For Miracles upheld by Fables are no Church Miracles But I boldly assert that Mr Dr through his whole Book has not proved so much as one received Church-Miracle much less the greater number to have had their Origen from Fables or ever gained repute in the world upon uncertain Reports nor shall he hereafter in any low degree make his Assertion Probable His strict Examination fall's first upon the Miraculous Translation of the House of Loreto from Nazareth thought by him fabulous whereof I spake largely in my last Treatitise Here I require that all diligently observe whither this rigid Examination is brought at last Reader it comes to two or three Idle Questions attended with some Saucy Schoffs and there is all VVhat saith the Dr after he had recounted Teremanus his Table concerning the Translation Is not this à pleasant Story to be matched in point of Credibility with the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles Again what do these men think in their hearts that dare avouch such ridiculous Fictions as these Such simple Demands Reader which have neither weight nor Bottom nor Principle to stand on set forth with Bobs and Ieers give force to our Dr's Swinging proofs finish his fearful rigid Examination and must be thought powerful enough to throw down the House of Loreto The like strain He hold's through his whole Book It seem's by the Dr that our Venerable Bede relates some strange Miracles wrought upon S. Cuthbert One is to be brief that Angels appearing to the Saint on horseback when he was young prescribed à Poultess to cure his Sore Knee Another is of his Seeing à Troop of Angels conveying the Soul of S. Aidan into Heaven The Dr to perfect his strict Examination only Asks there 's all what must we think of these Angels appearing And that he is of à good easy Faith that can believe them He might as wisel◠have demanded what shall we think of those Visions of Armies fighting in the Air ouer Hierusalem fourty Dayes together Machabees 2 C. 5 VVhat must we think of the Angel Raphael that prescribed No Poultess but the gall of à Fish for the Cure of old Tobias his Eyes Tobit 11. Such VVonders recounted in History never contradicted are wholly as
England and the Indies to the Catholick Faith were as I pleaded done by Miracles or not if so done we have our Intent if not it was the greatest Miracle of all to see so many Aliens from Christ gained to the true Faith without Miracles Again those painful Missioners whom God made his Instruments to work so many admirable Conversions through the whole world were in the vulgar esteem of the Nations converted held Sots Impious and Cheats or contrarywise Loyal and faithful Messengers of Christ and his Church if loyal and faithful none can cast à blemish on them if judged Impostors Sots or impious you utter the most shameful Improbability that ever Tongue spake or heart harboured and must say that the wisest Nations of the world were all stark mad when listening to the Doctrin of these supposed Fools they abandoned their Errours believed in Christ and ever afterwards lived and dyed in the Roman Catholick Faith This Argument alone is so stronge that twenty Dr Stillingfleets shall never break it in pieces 7. Lastly for à Close of these rational Arguments I introduced à Stranger yet far from yeilding assent to our Church Miracles and because he knowes that Iewes and Sectaries lay no claim to that gift nor ever did any since the Apostles dayes this man much of Dr Stillingfleets mind stand's earnestly for à cessation of all Miracles though if misled he is willing to quit his errour My endeavour is to unbeguile him and therefore I ask whether he denies or grant's the Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles In case he stumbles here you have his full refutation already set down if contrarywise he owns those as true upon publick Fame and the great Conversions God wrought by them I put into his hands the best and choisest Records whereby we prove prodigious Miracles to have been wrought in the Church and am content to undergoe publick Disgrace before à whole learned University if I make not this Assertion good viz. No other rational exception shall this An application of the last Proof insisted on above man bring against the verity of these Catholick Records than à Iew or Heathen produces aginst the Truth of the four Evangelists where our Saviours Miracles are recorded That is to say as à Iew or Heathen shall never speak rational word against the first wonders registred in the Gospel so our supposed Stranger will be as much silenced in his undertaken quarrel against latter Miracles recorded by Authors of unquestionable Fame The Fame of these Wonders by reason of the larger extent of the Church now than anciently is more Universal and the Conversions made by Her laboriours Messioners sent up and down the world in latter Ages are far more numerous than those the Apostles wrought Now if we appeal to Witnesses as we pleaded above for the Apostolical Signs and Miracles there is no Kingdome under the Sun that ever brought to light so many grave Writers against whom no exception can be made for any matter of Fact that happened in it as we produce in the present Controversy For all the learned Doctors and vigilant Pastors of Christs own far extended Kingdom no lesse numerous than worthy credit teach and have ever taught that true conspicuous and undeniable Miracles have been wrought in this great moral Body and the Church Herselfe upon her own humane Authority still we abstract from Divine Relation asserts the same and to this day preserves à Memory of her long since past and present Wonders in the minds of all her Children Therefore he or they who undervalve so many incomparable clear Giveâ—â— in of Evidence never excepted against by Orthodox Christian what Gods Enemies and the Churches Adversaries babble out upon no rational Proof carries little weight I say such men ought to be dismissed without Reply as unworthy to be dealt with and reckoned among Protest without Princ. Dis 1 cap. 1. Reason and Relig. Dis 2. cap. 8. those in whom the light of reason iâ— fearfully eclipsed I quoted many of these approved Witnesses in my two Treatises and am now lesse willing to transcribe all again You shall have more and choise ones hereafter And thus much of the Parallel of Arguments Rational proofs For Miracles alledged in my other Treatises 8. We are now as the Title promises to insist upon other proofs and these following I chiefly urged in the Treatises cited 1. We find by experience à strange confusion of different Sects in the world and se that all pretend to serve God in Spirit and Truth whereas most certainly one only Society doth so for as there are not many Gods but one true so there cannot be many Religions dissenting Miracles denote and mark out that Society wherein God teaches truth in Fundamentals true but one only or none at all In this horrid Confusion while every one laies claim to Truth it is as I said absolutely necessary to have that happie Society clearly marked out wherein Divine Faith is taught but no Mark can be more palpable or better avail to discern this Society from false Sects than glorious Miracles Gods own Seals Christs own Cognisances and the clearest Characters of Apostolical Doctrin 9. I Argued 2. A Church not marked with these illustrious Signs is as dark à thing as à Sun without light whence it is that though Two unlucky Rebels Luther and Calvin laboured with might and main to set à false Glosse of Miracles upon their new Doctrin yet God crossed their designe made the Authors of the fraud infamous and would have the new Monster appear as it truly was dark without light dull without life and so totally strip't of all Supernatural Signs that Shame and ignominy only covered that naked nothing whereas his Sacred Providence for the quickening of Faith and Devotion in the Church both inwardly plyes our hearts with Divine grace and outwardly also excit's us to fervour by à frequent sight of such visible wonders as made the world Christian I Argued Iewes and Infidels gained to the Church by the force of Miracles 3. If Miracles as all confesse were necessary for the Conversion of Iewes and Infidels when Christ and his Apostles taught the world it is à Paradox to hold them uselesse or unnecessary in after Ages when Iewes as hard hearted and Gentils as barbarous and uncivilized that never knew Christ have been instructed and innumerable gained to our holy Faith not because they barely heard Verities preached but upon this Inducement that they often saw all confirmed by Evident Signs and wonders from Heaven 10. To goe on in this discourse I would know whether Dr Stillingfleet can allow the Divel liberty to ranger up and down and to do much mischiefe upon innumerable possessed with unclean Spirits and whether he will grant also that Christ our Lord like one carelesse The freeing possessed Persons from Divels proves Miracles leaves his Militant Church destitute of all help and means whereby such enslaved Persons
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
Perseverance and constancy in any other Society but in the Roman Catholick Church only Most reasonably Therefore may we apply our Saviours sacred Words to this Church and say Had She not done greater Works had She not exhibited more glorious Miracles in the Open view of the world than any other those rebellious Spirits that oppose Her would not have committed so hainous à sin but having seen the palpable VVonders wrought in Her and by her their sin is supra modum peccans enormously great and unexcusable 13. Thus much said of true Miracles I would willingly know to what purpose doth Dr Still produce the Wonders of Infidels and Hereticks against the great Works of God Manifest in our Church Can he hope by these lesser Signs to extinguish the Light of great Miracles Or will he suppose the Heathens Miracles true and ours false If so he is above measure blamable unlesse he first prove their Records Authentick and ours forged Will he say that all the Miracles pretended by Gentils Hereticks and the Church are à like false and feigned He Speaks at random without proofe and dos open wrong to Manifest Truth You will better understand what I would An Instance Shewing that no comparison can be made between the Churches Mirucles and those done by Infidels Say by this one clear Example Imagin it were certainly known to us all that it pleases Almighty God for the ending of debates about Religion to have matters decided by à visible sight of Miracles in an open Contest between two men Suppose likewise that God should say these men shall appear among you to Morrow The one à false Prophet à great Magician The other my Servant commissioned to work in my name but none before hand shall distinguish between them save only by the Strength and greatnesse of their Signs Upon these make your Judgement The one having without violence set open à prison Gate fast shut endeavours to resuscitate à man stark dead but cannot The other by à Word only spoken recal's him to life The one after he had shown an Image walking up and down Offers to cure the born blind but in vain The other presently gives him perfect sight and thus the Strife goes on in exhibiting many like Wonders Is it not think ye as easy to distinguish the Magacian from the other in this contest as is to discern between à Blazing star and à glorious Sun The very like is our Case in the Comparison made between Miracles wrought in the Church and those other done by Infidels and Hereticks when Divels have à hand in them The Iudgement of Authors Concerning Miracles wrought by Christ's Adversaries 14. The ancient Irenaeus expresly denies Iren. lib. 2. cap. 56. Hereticks the power of working true Miracles Nec enim donare possunt saith he c. They cannot give sight to the blind nor hearing to the deaf nor cure the Infirm the Lame or Paraliticks S. Augustin S. Aug de unitat Eccles speak's more plainly Aut figmenta mendacium hominum aut portenta fallacium Spirituum They are either the Fictions of lying men or monstrous things done by Fallacious Spirits And elsewhere Aut falluntur aut fallunt Hereticks Aug. Hom. 13. in Joan. either deceive by their Miracles or are deceived Thanks be to God our modern Sectaries who pretend to no Miracles herein easily quit themselves of Fraud 15. Other Authors grant à Power of working some weak kind of Miracles to wicked men to Hereticks and Heathens and chiefly ground themselves upon several passages in Holy Writ presently laid forth and explained In the mean while 16. I say first God never wrought Miracles God Cannot work à Miracle to confirme false Doctrin by Heathen or Heretick in confirmation of any Doctrin opposite to his own revealed Verities which Christ the Apostles and the Church have delivered The reason given above is clear The first Verity cannot contradict himselfe but God would Do so could he by clear Signs establish à Doctrin Contrary to his own known and received Truths if as we now suppose he speak's as well by Signs as by words Hence it also followes that in case he permit à Miracle to be done by any out of the Church as was by Balaams Asse no member I hope of the true Church that ever yeild's in worth and Greatnesse to his own glorious Miracles 17. I say 2. The Divel that brought in The Divels Power in doing wonders Limited this Confusion of Signs between false and true Miracles and would fain do something like God can work no wonder but either by dazling mans fancy or by à swift and subtle Application of natural Agents together in order to some unusual effect as is already noted All true essential Transmutations therefore All Generations of perfect living Creatures as of men horses and the like not subject to any Magick are above the Divels Power hence saith Medina cited above what some Write of men changed into Wolves is to be accounted feigned and fabulous The Divel you know is called the Prince of the Air and can as Ludovicus Vives tom 2. lib 2 de unit fidei pag. 379. Vives well observes afflict men with Infirmities speak in an Idol Assume an Airy Body and exhibit himselfe visible c. God permit's no more Good I am sure he never did to any without à Cheat at the end 18. I say 3. No Passage in Holy Writ Nothing in true Ecclesiastical History or in any approved Author ascribs the like Power of working real Miracles to faithlesse men assisted by the Divel as have been wrought by Christ the Apostles and in the Church 19. Some Argue out of Scripture and too Thessalon 2. v. 9. Apocaly p 13. v. 13. much extolling Antichrist's Signs produce the Apostles words concerning that false Prophets appearing in all Power and lying Wonders S. John point's at these Signs as bringing down fire from Heaven and seducing the Inhabitants on the earth I Answer if we speak of the great Antichrist Antichrist's wonders no true Miracles that shall appear before the end of the world his Wonders will be great but far from the worth of true Miracles whence it is we are forewarned of his lying Prodigious Signs and one Lowd Lye is That he will deny JESUS the Son of MARY to be true Christ and consequently endeavour to enervate the Truth of the whole Gospel He will come saith Holy Scripture in his own name showing himselfe as John 5. 45. if he were God yea extolled above all that is called God or that is worshipped But that man 2. Thes 2. 4. losses all reason that can be brought by à sight of foreknown lying VVonders to deny the true God JESUS CHRIST and the Gospel when he has at hand not only more but far greater Miracles registred in Scripture and evidently wrought in the Church to confront the Divels pride Vanting by Antichrist 20. In this weighty matter therefore when
Balaam and Caiphas of our Saviour was perfectly fulfilled in him rightly called the bright Morning star that illuminated the world And God most wisely would have this Truth made known by an Infidel for the Conversion of Infidels Caiphas an unjust man being saith S. John high Priest Ioan. 11. 51 of that year Prophecyed that JESUS should dye for the Nation and not only for the Nation but to gather into one the Children of God that were dispersed Two great Things were here intended the one to set forth the glorious effect of our Saviours Sacred death the other to teach us that God can preserve Truth in the Church as well by an unworthy as à worthy Prelate his special Assistance following not the merits of the Person but the Order and Office 28. If therefore Judas the Traitor who received Power of working Miracles with the other Apostles wrought any as most suppose he did though à Thiese had the purse and carried Iohn 12 6 the things given yet the Gift only followed his Dignity and proves that Dona Dei sunt sine 1 Regum 19 24 poenitentiâ God's favours once given are not easily recalled But what shall we say of Saul deserted by Almighty God when stript of his Garment he Prophecied with others before Samuël and sang naked all that day and night I Answer with S. Augustin that Gift in Saul S. Austin ad Simplic l 2. quaest 1. though above all Power in nature was not permanent or Inherent but only Transitory granted because he was among the other Prophets granted I say then once only but never afterwards 29. By these few and the very like few Instances taken from Scripture the Reader may discover à vast disparity between Miracles done by wicked men and those others far more Numerous wrought by Christ and in the Church Lay them together you will find no comparison at all so true it is that Miracles wrought by faith and faithful men ever carry with them more strength à greater VVorth and value If you ask why then doth not God alwaies make use of these Instruments to show his Power by with exclusion of Sinners from this Favour I Answer this is to teach us that Miracles derive not their worth from the weak Instruments whereby they are done but from God the Principal cause that does them Now should they alwaies and only be wrought by holy men some lesse Considerate might mistake lib. 83. quaest 79. and ascribe them to the merit or Sanctity of him that does them which is an Errour for Gratiae gratis datae are Gods free Gifts not ever imparted to the most holy and virtuous S. Augustin speaks much to this Sence Sed ideo non omnibus Sanctis ista tribuuntur ne errore decipiantur infirmi existimantes in talibus factis majora dona esse quam in operibus Iustitiae c. 30. Yet some perhaps may think the glory of Miracles much lessened if done by Infidels and wicked men I answer not one whit when as I said they are but few and not comparable either in worth or greatnes to those innumerable Miracles which have been wrought by men famous for vertue and Sanctity Suppose therefore that Vespasian the Emperour as Suetonius Writes cured the blind and lame That one Wonder is not comparable to the many blind and lame cured by blessed S. Thomas Cantilupe But Bellarmin citing Tacitus removes Bellar de notis Eccl lib 4 c 14 Si Ad quartam all scruple and saies that Physicians being Questioned whether the Infirmity in those two pretended miraculous cures was naturally curable Answered that was very feasible and Consequently not Miraculous Tertullian there also cited ' thought the Divel who had placed himselfe Tertullian's Iudgement of Vâ—spasian's two Cures in the Eye of the one and Leg of the other and so hindred their use would seem forsooth to cure them by the Emperours jugling when he left off to doe them more mischief The like flawes we shall find in other Wonders when done by the Divel alwaies mean and of à lower sort because as I said his Power is limited and can do nothing but only by à dexterous use of natural Agents applyed together and this when God permit's for Reasons best known to himselfe not otherwise Of pretended Miracles done by Hereticks we shall speak more hereafter I never yet read any worth the scratch of à pen the least Notice or Refutation Or if Miracles be supposed frequent among Hereticks how fall's it out that our Modern Sectaries work none at all 31. Others Say if wicked men by God's Miracles wrought by wicked men nothing lessen the Credibily of the Churches Doctrine permission and Power work Miracles How can we prove Christ's and the Churches Doctrin Credible by an Argument taken from Miracles I Answer very easily 1. Because all done by wicked men when God concurr's tend as I said at last to the Glory of Christ and his Church 2. Such Miracles are but few Christ's Miracles and the Churches many great and most illustrious From these we Argue and show how Powerful they have been by their admirable effects manifest in the conversion of whole Nations to Christ and his Church And hence rationally conclude with Richardus de S. Victore that à Doctrin propagated by the Lustre of so many known Signs cannot but be from God and Consequently true 32. Though therefore this Inference be Null One work 's à Miracle Ergo his Doctrin is true yet this other way of Arguing convinces I see à whole ample Society of Christians constantly priviledged Age after Age with the Grace of working innumerable great Miracles in so much that the Power granted seem's in à manner Ordinary This Inference I say hold's good The Doctrin taught by that Society is from God and sound Thus we was never yet nor will be permitted because rationally Argue for the Truth of Apostolical Doctrin and the Churches also and further evince that no Society of men since Christ's time whether Heathens Iewes Hereticks wicked or smooth Pretenders to Piety hath been in any low Degree much lesse constantly favovred with the like Grace in working Miracles as our one only Roman Church Therefore her Doctrin is from God and Orthodox Wonders done by the Divel are no Miracles 33. By what is hitherto said you may easily distinguish three sorts of Miracles Those done by the Divel as the Principal Agent ever of the meanest rank are not properly Miracles because they Surmount not some hidden virtue contained in natural causes and such by the Divels malice or his Instruments may be said to prove à false Doctrin contrary to Christ Those other which God wrought by Balaam and impious men were true Miracles and can neither be intended for à proof of false Doctrin nor perverted to à sinister End The Third sort wrought by Christ the Apostles and the Church have upon à double account an incomparable Value First they
afford Miracles in abundance However grant which is not true that God in any one latter Age favovred his Church with á greater number of Miracles than he did the Primitive who can repine at his Providence he is Lord and may do what he pleases Or who dare censure us as Lyars and over credulous if by real Proofs taken from undoubted Records we make our Assertions good and evince the Truth of every Miracle in particular 5. Dr Still after à tedious rambling much Page 667. to this Sence That God would contradict himselfe should he confirm à Doctrin by Miracles contrary to Christian Religion already proved by Miracles à Truth known to all makes this Inference Therefore although in the beginning of à Religion the Doctrin is to be proved by Miracles yet that being once supposed Miracles afterwards are to be tryed by the Doctrin Would Dr Still either prove his Protestant Miracles by Protestant Doctrin or Protestant Doctrin what ever it is by Protestant Miracles I should be better Satisfyed But the Good man offer 's at neither I Answer How Miracles are proved by the Churches Doctrin and that Doctrin by Miracles this common Doctrin often proposed by our Divines All new Miracles wrought in the Church are to be examined and proved by the Churches Authority is True and therefore whatever Miracle after due Examination is found contrary to the Churches Doctrin as it is established and proved Orthodox by the Ancient Signs of Christianity the Ancient Prophesies also by the Sanctity of thousands and thousands and the large Extent of this great moral Body Such à Miracle I say ought to be rejected as false though an Angel from Heaven which is impossible should visibly exhibit the greatest 6. Some hereupon will say Not only new but all Miracles though now old are to be tried and proved by the Churches authority For the first Miracle wrought in the Church was then new so was the second and all other ensuing respectively to the time and place they were done in But all these together cannot if we make á right Analysis be proved by the Doctrin The Difficulty proposed or the Authority of the Church because the Churches Doctrin and Authority is Primarily proved by her Miracles which seem's impossible For who can first prove the Churches Doctrin true or Evidently credible by Miracles and afterwards without à vicious Circle prove her Miracles true by the Doctrin which is not proved true or evidently credible But by Miracles 7. Shall we in this Trial of Miracles try also Dr Stillingfleet's speculative faculty à little Has the like Force against our Saviours Miracles and propose the same Argument against the Miracles wrought by Christ and the Apostles using the very same words The first Miracle Christ wrought was then new the like is of the Apostolical Signs the second also ensuing respectively to the place and time when done was new and so of the rest But all these taken together if we make à right Analysis cannot be first proved true by Christ's Doctrin because that Doctrin is primarily proved true or evidently credible by Christ's Miracles which seem's as I said to imply à Vicious Circle For what can be more Circular than first to prove Christ's Doctrin by Miracles and afterwards to prove the Miracles true by the Doctrin not otherwise proved true or evidently credible than by Miracles What Answer gives the Dr to this Argument Will he say Christ's Miracles are now supposed true I may say as much of Church Miracles But believe it if we make à right Resolution of Faith we are obliged to show our Suppositions reasonable and goe deeper into matters than only to Suppose and prove nothing 8. My Answer conformable to what I delivered Part. 1. c. 6. num 17. in the last little Treatise against Dr Still is thus All Miracles whether wrought by Christ or in the Church may be considered two wayes First as Objects of Sence seen or known by undoubted Witnesses and under this Notion as previous to Faith they illuminate the mind and only rationally move to accept Christ's Doctrin anciently delivered and now taught in the Church But are not the last ground or only Formal Object of Beliefe and therefore Faith depend's not on the sight or bare Appearance of this The difficulty solved or that Individual Miracle 2. Miracles may be considered as most certainly true and this full Assurance of their Truth we have not from any outward appearance for Divels may delude us But from the Churches Approbation which Church is not only supposed but rationally proved God's own Oracle by the glorious light of external Motives Miracles chiefly Thus far led on by reason we prudently receive her Doctrin and say that all new Miracles are to be tryed and proved by the Churches known and received Doctrin what 's Contrary we reject as spurious and false What is conformable when the marter of Fact is made Morally certain we rest in and own as undoubted after this Oracle has sealed Chap. 17. from n. 1◠and n. 38. all up in à Legal Trial and given in her Approbation Se more here of afterwards 9. You will Say if the Churches Approbabation be required as necessary before we yeild An assent though sure implies not the certainty of Faith à sure Assent to the Truth of à Miracle How can we Show that the Doctrin of Christ or the Church is made evidently Credible by Miracles not yet known evidently true when meerly considered as previous Inducements or not firmed by any certain Oracle They move to Believe I Answer Those who heard of Christ's Miracles only relyed on Moral certainty very easily Tell me I beseech you Had all those who only heard of Christ's Miracles and Doctrin far distant from the place where they were wrought any previous clear Evidence of their Truth or did they then believe them by Faith fixed only upon the humane Testimony of such as made à Relation of them It is impossible because Faith requires à more noble Motive The knowledge therefore they had was then only morally certain which as I shewed in the last Treatise is enough with other helps to Assent to Christ's Doctrin upon this Motive that God revealed it 10. By all hitherto noted the Reader may Why the Churches Censure is necessary concerning Miracles see how necessary it is to have an Oracle ever ready at hand by whose Censure and Judgement true Miracles are discerned from the illusive Charms of Divels and wicked men Nothing that is counterfeit can passe this Tribunal Though therefore the Divel often Transform's himselfe into an Angel of light and may dazle mens Eyes with à false Lustre of fair Wonders yet the Church will find him out and lay open the Legerdemain 11. Dr Still told us just now That in the beginning of Religion the Doctrin is to be proved by Miracles Upon à meer Accident I met with à Protestant Brother who
he never undertook to prove that Miracles are wrought to confirm the Churches infallibility in Doctrin Mr Dr err's grosly E. W. has handled Reason and Relig. Disc 2. c. 9. n. 3. this point upon several occasions For your Satisfaction Reader peruse only Reason and Religion where I proposed this Question If Miracles as the Dr often intimates only mark out à Doctrin The Dr again mistaken common to all called Christians hovv comes it to passe that that the Nestorians and Protestants have not Miracles more frequently done among them Why is this favour only annexed to the Catholick Church I said 2. There is not any one Doctrin taught by our Church which is not Sealed signed and confirmed by manifest Miracles and named particular Doctrins whereunto the Dr never yet replyed nor can reply hereafter Yet forsooth E. VV. never handled this matter 9. The Dr in the same page quotes Maldonat Maldonat in Marc. 16. 17. as one confessing that since the Christian Religion hath been confirmed by Miracles in the Churches beginning there is no necessity of Miracles for that End Here the Dr Juggles Maldonat makes no such confession He saith indeed which is à great Truth that Miracles were necessary for the Propagation The Dr wrongs Maldonat of Christian Faith But doth not therefore exclude them for being useful and necessary in after Ages his words are so plain that I wonder the Dr passed by them without notice Neque vero existimandum est c. VVe are not to think Saith he the Power of working Miracles exstinguished in S. Aug. 22. de civit c. 8. sermo 7. de sanctis in Episcopatu suo faithful Believers for many have been done as S. Austin proves by innumerable Examples which the Saint beheld vvith his ovvn Eyes for the space of Two whole years at the Reliques of Blessed S. Stephen Thus you have Maldonat's Confession Now if as the Dr pretend's Maldonat Quotes S. Gregory and Bede for this Confession he introduces both their Testimonies as strong proofes of latter Miracles wrought in the Church These Maldonat stoutly defend's And who ever yet doubted but that S. Gregory and Bede stood as earnestly for them as ever Catholick Authors did Nay more doth not the Dr in this very Treatise bitterly Dr Still Page 586. inveigh against S. Gregory and Bede upon the Account of their over much Credulity and want of Iudgement in giving encouragement to all the Monkish Tales and Impostures afterwards He would Say if he speak's Sence That because these two great Doctors wrote so copiously of Miracles the one in his Dialogues the other in several Passages of his works they taught Monks to tell their Idle Stories concerning Miracles yet here forsooth they are brought in as great Adversaries to Miracles 10. A word now to S. Gregory The Saint mentions three sorts of Miracles peculiar to most S. Gregory Homil. 29. in Evangelia post initium Christians in those Primitive times First they cast out Divels 2. Spake different Tongues And 3. By laying hands on the diseased cured them Thus much said S. Gregory demand's What my good Brethren will not you believe because you Ordinary Observe well of what Miracles S. Gregory Speak's Christians work no such Miracles Know those Signs were Necessary in the beginning of the Church to the End that Faith nourished by Miracles might encrease among the Multitude of Believers VVe saith S. Gregory water à plant till it take root but when that 's done irrigatio cessabit we water it no more Therefore S. Paul tells us that the gift of Tongues is not for Believers but for Infidels Observe Reader à double cheat The Dr first pervert's the true Sence of S. Gregory who speaks as you see of particular Miracles which God then usally wrought by all sort of ordinary Christians and such Signs saith the Saint were necessary at the beginning for the Suppression of Infidelity then rife in the world as also for the firm Establishment of Christian Faith But now that great Work being done The plant needs no more The Dr's two fold Cheat discovered watering That is it is not now necessary that the faithful generally be assumed to work such Miracles as they did in those Primitive Dayes Hence the Dr fraudulently infer's that all Miracles cease in the Church because either all or the most of Christians speak not different Tongues cast not out Divels lay not hands on the Infirm and cure them Is not this Jugling 11. What is here Said Maldonat whom the Maldonat's Doctrin Dr cites so fully expresses that more cannot be desired Viguit quidem in initio Saith he tantopere Miraculorum usus c. The use of Miracles was so frequent and flourishing in the beginning that seldom could you se à Christian who wrought not all Miracles Two chiefly were most common Viz. To speak different Languages and to cast out Divels Though these Graces were not given presently upon Baptism But by the Imposition of hands or in the Sacrament of Confirmation Thus Maldonat But the Dr's Eyes were shut and would not see Judge Reader whether this be not à second Fraud 12. The Dr Quotes Andradius we call him Dr Still page 688. Dandrada Defens Trident. Fidei lib. 2. Payva Dandrada and remit's me to his second Book which contain's à vast number of leaves from folio 98. to folio 270. And here I must seek out these few words of the Dr. Andradius saith that Miracles are often times false but alwaies weak proofs of à true Church The Authors own context Dandrada page 205. will afford the best light When saith Dandrada S. Augustine disputed against the Donatists who confined the whole Church to Africa He proved that the true Church could be Demonstrated by the Testimonies of Holy Scripture Hence Kemnitius thought the Saint asserted that all things are expresly contained in Scripture never considering what S. Augustine contend's for Viz. That the most firm proofs for the Church free from all suspicion of falsehood are to be taken from Scripture He goes on For vvhen Miracles vvhich Holy men often do may vvith the Divels help be exhibited by the most vvicked and the Prediction of future things may not only happen to the pious but to the impious Falsa Profecto haec sunt plerumque infirma etiam semper Ecclesiae verae indicia Such Miracles not comparable to the Testimonies produced from Scripture are often times false and ever weak Marks of the Church The only difficulty is when this Author distinguishes two sorts of Miracles some wrought by good men others by the most vvicked whether those Particles Falsa profecto haec sunt relate to both or are only restrained Dandrada his Doctrin explained to Miracles done by the vvicked And the whole Context seems to clear all Seing Miracles and Revelations saith Dandrada Non modo piis sed flagitiosis hominibus accidere aliquando possunt may happen
not only to the Godly but to the wicked also falsa profecto haec sunt Those vvrought by the vvicked are for the most part false sometimes true as in Balaam and others and alwaies weak proofs of the Church 13. Now if you will refer those words Falsa profecto sunt haec plerumque to Miracles whether done by good or bad men you may Say without offence That all nevv Miracles yet under debate and not easily differenced from the Signs of wicked men may before they are rigidly examined and approved in order to us appear often times false and are alwaies weak proofs of the true Church Never did Dandrada Say or dream that Miracles juridically examined and approved by the Church can be false yet this the Dr is to show or he fail's in the Main and evinces nothing 14. The Dr in the same Page cites Ioannes Ferus Ferus in Matth. 24. 23. 24. saying that the Doctrin of à Church is not to be proved by Miracles but Miracles by the Doctrin I Answer he speak's so and very pertinently if you ponder his connected discourse You may learn saith Ferus how to Discern false and true Ferus deliver's true Doctrin Mitacles For as true Miracles when done are never contrary to God's word so false ones oppose those Sacred Verities which have been long since confirmed by Miracles And for that reason c. 14. n. 5. Miracles are to be examined by the Churches received Doctrin Here is nothing but what I expresly deliver in à foregoing Chapter and Therefore it may well passe among Dr Still impertinent Quotations 15. The Dr soon after Quotes Iosephus Acosta Acosta de Tempor noviss c. 9. as one highly extolling the Miracles which Antichrist shall work in so much That it will be à hard matter to discern true and false Signs and he Quotes it from Hippolytus that Antichrist shall do far greater Miracles than the cure of Marcellus or the restored Leg at Zaragosa Viz. That he will raise the Dead cure the diseased and have command over the Elements Thus the Dr And almost err's in every particular First he mistakes the IX Chapter for the 18. and 19. where Acosta handles these Acosta ill cited by the Dr. matter In the IX Chapter he chiefly insist's upon Antichrist's raging Persecution in subduing the Kings of the earth c. 2. Neither Hippolitus Hippolit de consumma mundi de Antichrist Biblioth Patrum apud Bignium Tom. 2. Edit 2. nor Acosta ever said as the Dr unworthily writes that Antichrist shall do far greater Miracles than those wrought upon Marcellus and the Boy of Zaragosa Peruse Hippolitus and you will find Acosta's observation true that he speak's indeed so much of Antichrist's Signs ut vix credibilia videantur that all he brings to light seems not credible Antichrist saith Hippolitus will do prodigious Things he will cleanse the Lepers expel Divels raise the Dead change night into day and day into night he will turn about the Sun whither and to what place he pleases c. Yet this ancient Writer Scholar to Clemens Alexandrinus contemn's all these wonders three or four times over in that Oration as false feigned and counterfeit Signa saith he edet horrenda non vera sed falsa He will show strange Signs But all will be false Again Haec omnia faciet consilio simulato ac fraudulento quo circumveniat omnes ut se Regem creent There will be nothing in these Wonders Hippolitus and Acosta Slight Anchrist's Wonders 2. Thes 2. 9. but hypocrisy and dissimulation Thus Hippolitus undervalues Antichrist's Miracles 16. So also doth Acosta and every Christian that believes the Apostle speaking of that Man of Sin whose comming is according to the operation of Satan in all Power and lying Wonders Magnopere nos recreat saith Acosta The Apostles words Comfort us when he tell 's us that Antichrist's Signs will be nothing but Cheats Acosta cap. 19. Lying vvonders vvrought by the Divels assistance Real Miracles cannot be done by that Archenemy of God and Truth Soon after They are rightly called fallacious Wonders exhibited either by à secret Povver in nature or by the Ministry of Divels and done for this End to confirm Lyes contrary to God's eternal Verities The Servants of JESUS CHRIST never work Miracles after this manner nor can attest à Lye by any true Sign they do Thus Acosta Is not therefore the Dr ' s Question most ridiculous I The Dr's simple question retorted and answered would understand saith he from E. W. Whether Antichrist's Church will not be proved as Infallible in this vvay as the Church of Rome And I would as fain understand from Dr Still whether Antichrist's Church will not be proved as Infallible in this way as the Apostolical Church If the Dr dare assert That Antichrist shall work true Miracles in raising the Dead and curing all desperate Diseases I Ask how can he distinguish the Apostolical Signs and those If contrariwise he Teach with S. Paul and Catholick Doctors That all Antichrist can do will be only Lying Iugling and Hypocrital Wonders The folly of his own Question appear's as it is vain idle and vveightlesse unlesse he prove which neither Divel nor Dr shall doe That all the Miracles wrought in God's Church even those related by S. Irenaeus S. Augustin S Hierom S. Ambrose and other Fathers are to be esteemed base Cheats jugling Legerdemain In fine wholly as Lying and invaluable as Antichrist's wonders will be 17. The Dr in the next place cites Cajetan Cajet de concep Virg c. 1. But where to find the Treatise of the Conception though I have four Tomes of that Author by me I know not However the words as the Dr relates them contain no Difficulty Cajetan saith first The Church has no ground to determine any matter Cajetan cited makes nothing for the Dr. of Doctrin novv on the account of Miracles Very true because as he insinuat's the Church has no new Revelations and therefore hold's her Doctrin already Determined upon Infallible Tradition handed down Age after Age from the Apostles Dayes O but Cajetan gives another Reason Because the Divel may do such things vvhich vve cannot distinguish from true Miracles Answ His meaning may be that some true Miracles are not upon the first sight before full Examination easily distinguished from false Signs but that many are distinguishable as when the dead rose and conversed witness Irenaeus à long time with the living seem's clear enough And I Neither Cajetan any ever taught that the Divel can revive the Dead am sure neither Cajetan nor any Christian ever thought that the Divel called those Dead to life or did those great Cures which our Saviour and the Apostles wrought As therefore the primitive Christians differenced those admirable works from the Divels Lying Wonders we likewise set the same distinctive Marks upon our Churches Miracles whereof I have largely treated above No
Divines Though the Dr most likely will not allow me so favourable à Censure The Dr's way or mode in writing whilst Substance failes cannot but be worthless unsavory and distastful Peruse him Reader page after page you will find the man all along in à peevish Humour when you see his Book brim full of tare biting Ironies Drolleries Comical Expressions impertinent Demands Idle Stories c. As if the disgorging à little Gall were enough to bring into Contempt the Clearest Miracles God ever wrought Had he had but common Prudence He might well have thought that for one Petit private man hid in à corner of the world pertly to rise up against all ancient Fathers Doctors and Divines without Manifest Proofs reduced to sound Principles would never take But appear to every Iudicious Reader as it is an unluckly Management of an ill cause Herein without all doubt Passion blinded the man And I am sure left him no clear Ey-Sight when he too boldly tell 's us above That be relies on our own Writers in this Controversy and thinks himselfe not mistaken I say once more the Pretence is most false having not so much as one Catholick Author that opposes approved Miracles But suppose one or two could be racked to his Sence hitherto I neuer met with any might not the Dr haue called to mind his own Apology made in behalfe of Mr Thorndick Who as Zealously clear's the Catholick Church from Idolatry as the Dr fondly laies that foul Aspersion on Her If we should grant They are the Dr's words in his General Preface That He Mr Thorndick held some things singular in this matter what is that to the constant Opinion of our Church So say I should we grant which I shall neuer yeild that some one or other Catholick Author were singular in this matter now debated what 's that to the contrary Iudgement of all other Writers and the Sentiment of à whole Church besides But now when the Dr has none that sides with him His only course will be to sit down silent and talk no more of our Writers By what is hitherto said T' is hard methinks to conceive what moved the Dr to quarrel with our Miracles Has God angred the man in Showing so many clear Legible Characters Written by his own powerful hand intending thereby to make his Church glorious I say many For there is no Kingdom Saith S. Chrysostom no Country no common wealth no famous City in the world where innumerable have not either seen or heard of Miracles attested by most faithful Witnesses and upon that Account haue rendred humble thanks to God for so signal Testimonies of his favours It may bee the Dr thinks that those who have Written of Miracles are but à few only Vulgar and ignorant It is à Cavil Many stout Champions inferiour to none in knowledge have defended them These are our Combatants and Conquerours in this Controversy But perhaps these learned only recount some Trivial matters or as the Dr speak's à few extraordinary Things Quite contrary They mention most Signal Works great Wonders as raysing the Dead restoring sight to the blind and curing incurable Infirmities clear effects of God only Omnipotent But stay have not our Learned Writers willing to wave pains slightly passed over such Matters of Fact No. Never any were or can be more accurate in laying forth the Substance and all Circumstances relating to Miracles than S. Irenaeus S. Hierom S. Augustine S. Gregory Thaumaturgus and S. Bernard These Admirable Saints to omit latter Authors have either wrought great Miracles or Written of them with so much care and diligent Study That one with halfe an Ey may perceive As They themselves never doubted of what they wrote so they purposely strove to fix à firm Belief of them in the minds of others Hence S. Augustine cited afterward Lib. 22. de Civit. Cap. 8. assures us He vvrote the Miracles there specifyed for this End that they might be publickly read before the People and knovvn to all For saith the Saint Such was my express will Because when we saw the Signs and Miracles wrought frequently in our time like those which God anciently evidenced to the world I endeavovred that their memory should not perish If therefore Miracles have been frequent If knovvn the vvhole vvorld over If seen and attested by Many Ey-Witnesses if legible Characters Written by God's own hand if great and prodigious If finally wrought for this End that their Memory might be preserved and known to all VVhat could induce our unadvised Dr most rashly to publish his lame and imperfect Enquiry against Miracles This to me appear's à Paradox or rather à Riddle which no Oedipus can solve Had not this man shown Spight enough in his former Treatises vvhere he set's that Vile and Infamous Mark of Idolatry upon our Ancient Church though She drevv vvhole Nations from Idolatry to the Christian Faith But thanks be to God He has not as I hear gained three Iudicious men of his ovvn Profession to believe him Had He not spit out Venome enough in stiling the most Learned vvith in this great Moral Body Rebel teachers and Sowers of Divisions Had he not in some Frolick gnash't his teeth enough in his more than bold presumptious railing at the Saints in Heaven How could à renowned S. Benet S. Dominick or S. Francis fall under his lash and raise up so much unruly Passion in à Dr Could he not he have left these happie Souls in their eternal Rest free from his Scratches Taunts aend bitter Obloquies Without doubt he look't on them as some of old did on the wild beasts in Theaters publickly exposed to be bated and furiously encountred Yet to make the burthen of his sins more heavy he sports himselfe with all that can be serious Do but mention the Sanctity and Austerity of thousands yet living in the Church all with him is thought Hypocrisy Speak of our Catholick Doctrin taught his Progenitors for à thousand years and more it Led them forsooth into so many abominable Errours that 't is hard to say whether they are saved or damned Bring to light the clearest Miracles God ever wrought what are they Nothing but painted Strawes and Counterfeit Trances And thus he add's Sin to Sin without remorse or check of Conscience upheld by no other Principles than Drollery vain Florishes lowd untruths and Calumnies Dr Iohn Avila à man of great learning and à renowned Preacher hearing soon after the death of à Priest of one sole neglect and t' was that but once only he had offered up in his whole life time the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass spake these few but weighty words Multum defert ad Iudicem This man upon that Account carries much with him to be answered for before his Iudge VVhat was this little small Omission compared with Dr Stillingfleet's enormous Commissions Dovvn Cries He vvith their Sacrifice avvay vvith their Mass all is Superstition and the highest Idolatry He
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
Poem set forth in the prayse of Naples that no Scythian Incredulity can gainsay the Evidence of this clear matter of Fact Aspice palpa haec stat longum post Martyris aevum Incorruptus adhuc sine tabe Cruor Immo hilaris gliscît consurgit dissilit ardet Ocyor extremae est impatiensque tubae Perfidus an cernis Capiti ut Cruor Obvius ante Frigidus durus ferveat liqueat Caute vel asperior vel sis adamantinus Afer Sanguine quin duro Sponte liquente liquet Thus FRANCISCUS PETRI 30. Some to lessen the Miracle would forsooth ground the Motion of the blood upon à secret natural Sympathy between that and the head standing close by it It often falls out say These that one barbarously slain by natural Antipathy seeking revenge bleeds afresh at the presence of his Assassinate I answer were this experiment true I would rather ascribe that shedding of blood to the just Judgement of God who usually discovers Murther than to à strange occult Antipathy never yet found out by any I know of 31. However grant all our case is quite Petra Sancta cited pag. 103. different for S. Januarius blood often liquifies witness Petra Sancta when à great Calamity is at hand though the head be far distant from it This Liquefaction was seen some dayes together before the last fearful Flames of Vesuvius which threatned destruction to the City of Naples though the head still remained in its silver shrine not at all exposed Again though the Neapolitans deem it á wonder in case the blood placed by the head moves not this Motion being constant and usual yet some Pag. 131. years since saith Petra Sancta cited after à great injury done to Ecclesiastical Immunity the blood present with the head stood still concrete without the least Sign of Motion though the Sympathy was the same as ever It No secret Sympathy can cause this blood to move is thought God shewed this unexpected wonder in vindication of the Churches honour willing to maintain its Dignity by remonstrating à Publick Sign of displeasure 32. I have met with Sectaries of à more moderate Temper than Dr Still who thought that no man unlesse frontlesse Can deny true Miracles to have been wrought in the Roman Catholick Church But said these though done and often done They are only wrought to prove the common Tenets of Christian Religion owned by all called Christians and not in Confirmation of your particular Popish Doctrins the Sacrifice of Masse for example Transubstantion Purgatory praying to Saints for the Brerely Prot. Apol. Tract 2. c. 3. Sect. 7. Pag. with me 524. dead Images Chrisme c. No said I please to Peruse with me one learned Writer the industrious John Brerely Examin well the Quotations he remit's you to as I have done and you shall find every one of our Catholick Positions excepted against plainly Confirmed by undeniable Miracles They read and seemed not dissatisfied Nay more said I you have one great Miracle done by à Saint whom Brerely Brerely cited p. 536. mentions and yout Protestants deservedly call à true Saint indeed à very good man à worthy Father and one of the Lamps of the Church most clear and expresse for our Purpose I mean the renowned S. Bernard who by God's Assistance wrought à Miracle whereby the Sacrifice of the Masse Transubstantiation and all those other Articles you cavil at were proved and confirmed 33. This one Miracle Reader to the Confusion of our English Sectaries I shall briefly relate because it is most certain 34. There is in the Country of Tolosa in The relation of S. Bernard's most certain Miracle France à place called Sarlacum where the Henricians so named from one Henricus otherwise called Apostolici halfe Frantick made à great Noise and sideing with Protestants preached against the real Presence the Sacrifice of the Masse Purgatory Prayer for the dead Invocation of Saints and other Tenets of our Catholick Faith Hither was S. Bernard sent to reclaim them from their Errours and God blessed his endeavours by the Evidence of à most Signal Miracle Sermon ended say my Authors Those of Sarlacum offered S. Bernard as the custome then was and yet is in Several Countries many Loaves of bread to blesse which the Saint did by lifting up his hand and making the Sign of the Holy Crosse Blessing them in God's name said In this you shall know that those things are true which we teach and those other false which these Hereticks labour to perswade you viz no Transubstantiation no Sacrifice of the Masse no Prayer to Saints c. In this I say you shall know us to be the True Ministers of God that whoever is sick and diseased among you that tast's these Loaves shall be healed The Bishop of Charttes then present willing somewhat to moderate the Proposition which he thought too large told the People if they eate of those Loaves with Faith and confidence they should be cured S. Bernard presently replyed My Lord I do not mean so my meaning and saying is that all sick and infirme Many sick Cured by eating of the Blessed bread who eate of these Loaves shall recover their health to the end it may be known we are God's true Ministers What the Saint said was done and really fell out for vast Multitudes of sick People eating of the bread were perfectly cured 35. The Miracle divulged over the whole Country and proved real by its effects brought innumerable People to S. Bernard who all with thankful hearts admired the Powerful hand of God working by him but the number dayly encreasing S. Bernard to decline them left the common Road to Tolosa and sought Bywayes thither In passing he wrought another great Miracle on à Paralytick Priest that lay à dying called also Bernard and by only giving his Holy Benediction forthwith restored the dying Another Miracle wrought by S. Bernard man to perfect health in so much that he then rose out of his bed followed S. Bernard and was upon his humble Petition admitted among the Religious of that Holy Order These two Miracles converted many of the Henricians and so confounded their Impostor Henricus that finding no Refuge among those he had seduced he kept close out of sight for à time till at last apprehended they brought him fast bound in chains to the Bishop 36. For that First great Miracle wrought by Godefridus in vita Bernard◠lib. 3. cap. 4. the Loaves you have the expresse Testimony of S. Bernard's own Scholar Godefridus living at the same time who could not as Brerely cited well observes set down à matter of so great Importance known à whole Country over with such Variety of Circumstances had all been Fiction or fraudulent jugling Nay which is more S. Bernard himselfe in one Thes c. 1. 4 Bern. Bonevall in vita S. Benn lib. 2. c. 2. 3. Guliel Abbas S. Nicodor Rhemensis lib. 1. cap. 10. Petra Sancta
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
Necessity of these Miracles since the large Propagation of Christianity in the world and account's him à Prodigie that yet seeks after Prodigies to confirm his Faith Reader note first how faintly the Dr speak's Some Miracles forsooth but durst not name them fearing they might appear Great ones For so They truly are in S. Austin if raysing the dead and restoring Sight to the blind be rightly accounted Great Thus much S. Austin de civit l. 22. c. 8. initio noted Turn to the Dr's Quotation you have it above where S. Austin's Adversaries proposed this Question Why are not the Miracles you preach done now He Answers Possem quidem dicere I might say Miracles were necessary before the world believed to the End it might believe And that whoever now seek's after Prodigies to believe when the world believes is himselfe à great Prodigie if he believes not with the believing World Thus I might Speak saith S. Austin which Expression as every one see 's exclud's not Miracles from being thought useful now but rather supposes them useful when God as S. Austin Testifies manifestly wrought them among Believers in those Dayes And therefore soon after concludes in the same context Etiam nunc fiunt Miracula Even now Miracles are done in our Age. Neither could S. Austin plead against those vain By what Argument Austin convinced his Adversaries Adversaries by Primitive Miracles for he Saith expressely They believed none were wrought Therefore he confutes them by S. Chrysostom's excellent Argument used above and known to every one The substance whereof is Either men believed our Christian Verities induced thereunto by Miracles or not If by Miracles God manifested them to the world If not the greatest Miracle of all is that the world believed the hard Mysteries of Faith without Miracles Thus S. Austin in this place plainly Discover's our Dr ' s fraudulent Proceeding 6. S. Austin next quoted upon the Psalms S Austin in Ps 130. v. 1. speak's of Simon Magus his pretended Miracles But has nothing like those words the Dr cites Though should the Saint either there or els where Say that the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles were vvrought for the benefit of future Ages he delivers à great Truth confessed by all neither ought any to complain had he done no more But humbly thank God for showing so many admirable Signs already manifested to the world whereunto none could lay just Claime much lesse rationally find fault had they never been wrought In like manner had God not Redeemed mankind by sending his only Begotten Son but done the work by an Angel or Some other way none could have justly complained or Challenged as Due that greater Mercy S. Austin deuitate Eccl cap. 16. Reason and Relig. Disc 2. c. 9. n. 4 shewed by JESUS CHRIST 7. Much lost labour followes in the Dr when he cites S. Augustine against the Donatists whereof I spake largely in another Treatise and cleared every Difficulty he falls upon in this place yet you must have it again like à fresh Objection Wonder nothing Sectaries will never leave off an old Idle Cowardly Trick nauseously to repeat what they once layd hold on though they see it solved Twenty times over Well but what Saies S. Augustin He bid's Donatus and Pontius plead no more by the Visions of this Brother or that Sister because all are Fictions Lyes and monstrous fallacies Then he discourses Either these visions spoken of among you are false Or if any wonders be wrought there we are the more to beware of them our Lord having foretold us that false Prophets should arise and vvork Signs which if possible might deceive the Elect. Here you see S. Austin would not in this place debate the Question with the Donatists whether God for reasons best known to himselfe work 's true Miracles by Hereticks Iewes or Heathens but prudently abstract's from that Controversy though he accounted them Lies and monstruous Fictions As who should say be they as you will true or false They are all worthlesse upon à Ground laid forth afterward Viz. Ye Donatists have not Christ your head because you are not of his Mystical Body the Catholick Church 8. The Dr replyes S. Augustine bring 's If the Church approve Miracles thoy are wrought there not the Evidence of Miracles to prove the Church by nor any visions or Revelations For he saith such things are to be approved because they are done in the Catholick Church not that the Church is proved Catholick because they are done in it Tell me Reader doth not S. Austin here plainly Suppose Miracles to have been wrought in the Church for if they require the Churches Approbation They are first wrought there Doth he not also assert above That maugre the spite of Hereticks Miracles held him in the Catholick Church Thus much is Proof enough against the Dr who denies Miracles Now if you Ask in what sence S. Austin teaches that the Church is not proved Catholick because Miracles are done in it I answered fully in the Treatise cited above Hee did so most prudently in his Contest with the Donatists who pretended as well to Miracles as S. Austin And therefore The saint waved that Argument not because Miracles are inefficacious to prove the Church by But upon this ground That the latter vvonders chiefly such as Optatus Melivitanus and S. Ambrose mention are not the first Sure Principle to manifest the Church against those Hereticks Hence the Saint appealed to Scriptute to the Testimonies of the Lavv of the Prophets and Psalms which the Donatists willingly admitted though they Cavilled at Miracles Haec sunt saith he Causa nostrae documenta haec firmamenta We plead why S. Austin pleaded not by Miracles but by Scripture by the strong Documents of Scripture where we have the Vnity the Visibility and large Extent of the Church over the world fully expressed These Testimonies you deny not though you slight our Miracles Produce therefore but one clear Passage of Scripture saith S. Austin without your Idle Glosses and interpretations whereby it may appear that the Church is only confined to Africa and you speak to the Purpose but if you fail herein and fail you must conticescite holde your Prattle believe the Truth c. In this Discourse the Saint Declares how grossy the Donatists strayed from the genuin Sence of those words in the Canticles Shevv me vvhere thou feedest and lies't ◠Cant. 1. 6. Noon most simply made use of by them to prove the Church confined to Africa Much more S. Austin has in this Chapter pertinent to the Controversy now in hand and further explained in the Treatise already cited 9. Some may Object 1. Miracles that need the Churches Approbation cannot prove her Doctrin Orthodox Why not I beseech you Christ's Miracles as seen or heard of by Report morally certain rationally induced the first Christians to believe his Doctrin and so I hope latter Miracles may much
avail to corroborate the Faith of Believers now The Churches Approbation impaires not in the least the Doctrin of the Church where they are wrought But of this more afterwards You will Say again if Miracles wrought in the Church make her Doctrin credible S. Austin did not well in omitting to plead by Miracles I answered the Saint proceeded most wisely in taking his recourse to Scripture For had he insisted upon Miracles not owned by those Hereticks The whole Contest would have been whether such as Optatus and S. Ambrose attested had been true or no which would have caused an endless Dispute and Therefore he falls upon an undoubted Principle The Testimonies of the Law and Prophets owned by the Donatists and upon that Ground strongly refutes them leaving Miracles to their own weight and Efficacy The Dr having very lamely cited this passage out of S. Augustine vainly Triumph's and thinks that never two more plainly contradicted each other in this Point than S. Austin and E. W. who saith he appeal's to Miracles for à Proof of the Catholick and infallible Church and such as are equal to those of Christ and his Apostles Of this Equality I have treated already and told Mr Dr wherein Church Miracles The Dr's vain brag as raising the dead curing the blind and healing the infirm are equal and how they differ from the like wonders done by Christ and his Apostles As for your Triumph Mr Dr before the least Shadow of Victory all I say is if it comfort your heart hold on Till you have better perused S. Austin and these my short Notes upon his Doctrin That done you will I am sure have little heart to brag the second time 10. The following Quotations our Dr gathers out of S. Austin are either not found at all in the Passages he cites or so wholly impertinent that I verily believe he never read S. Austin or set them down at random to the great vexation of à Reader For who would not be vexed to se an Author magnificently cited in different Characters and when he turn's to the Dr Still page 582. place pointed at find's nothing like it Thus the Dr Quotes S. Augustine to this purpose Viz. That Miracles are no Proof of the true Church for S Aug. trac 14. in Joan. cap. 3. though Pontius and Donatus might do vvonders and see visions yet Christ has forevvarned us not to be deceived by Miracles First there are no such words in this place or any thing like that Sence 2. Were the sence found els where you have thus much only Asserted and it is very true False Miracles are no Proof of the true Church 11. The Dr ' s next Quotation is nothing De verbis Dom. serm 18. to his purpose Briefly S. Augustine in that place compares the Miraculous cures wrought by our Saviour on Souls now with those which he anciently did upon Bodies here on earth and calls these the lesser cures grounding his Discourse upon this Principle As the Soul is more excellent than the Body so à cure wrought in that nobler part of man is greater than Miracles done upon à Body which our Lord did to draw men to Faith Now saith the Saint when Faith is spread all the world over He work 's those greater wonders in Souls And for Spiritual Cures esteemed greater than Corporal that cause shewed those lesser done on Bodies Now he open's not the Eyes of the blind yet open's the blind hearts of men by the Preaching of his Doctrin Novv he raises not dead Bodies yet brings à foul that vvas dead to life again Novv the deaf hear not yet the hearts of many shut to his sacred vvord are so opened that they Believe and live in obedience to his Lavves before neglective of that duty Thus S. Austin whose main Drift is not to deny Miraculous cures wrought upon the infirm for these he evidently own 's above but to give Preheminence to our Saviours own proper Spiritual cures dayly wrought in the Church of God by Divine Grace and the preaching of his word which the Saint deservedly esteem's greater wonders 12. To the End you may see this was the S Aug. l. 22 de Civit. c. 8. only thing S. Augustine aimed at Turn once more to his eight Chapter where you read of the dead raised to life of the blind restored to their sight and of desperate diseases perfectly cured You read moreover of one Martialis à Prime grave man most averse from Christian Religion Martialis cured in soul and body who by the earnest prayers of his Pious Sonin-Law made at S. Stephen's Altar from whence He took some Flowers and in the night time laid at his Fathers head With the successe he wished The very next morning He was found à Paenitent Convertite called for à Priest and was reconciled having ever afterwards S. Stephen's words in his mouth to his last breath Lord JESUS receive my soul Thus you see that both corporal and spiritual cures were wrought in those Dayes 13. The last Testimony our Dr Quotes out Quaest ex novo Testam c. 63. of S. Augustine may passe for one of the most famous or infamous rather That ever man cited You have the place pointed at in the margent where the Saint is supposed to Assert and he speaks fully to this Purpose saith the Dr that Signs and Miracles vvere vvrought by the Apostles to bring men from Insidelity to Faith c. No harme hitherto then followes this Addition for the Dr's purpose Amongst Believers Signs and Miracles are not necessary but a firm hope If this Author speak of an absolute Necessity it might be answered All latter Miracles are not so necessary though God of his great mercy hath pleased to show them for other Reasons and à main one is to distinguish the true Church from all Heretical Conventicles Yet I have not said all Know Reader 1 These Questions out of the old and nevv Testament full of grosse Errours are not S. Augustin's but the work of some Heretick as Bellarmin observes Perhaps of one Hilary à Roman Bellar. de Script Eccl. verbo Aug. Bell. verbo Ambrosins Deacon who wrote many Books and propagated the Luciferian Schism See Bellarmin cited Hence it is that these Questions in the Lovain Edition of S. Austin printed in à different Character are there also taxed of many grosse Errours the like you may se in Frobens The Dr's quotation not found at all Edition Yet here is not all Worse followes And t' is my greatest Exception against the Dr. Reader I have perused that 63. Chapter as the Dr Entitles it others call it the 63. Question which is very short and do assure you there is not so much as one word or syllable like that which the Dr imposes upon this Author Is this fair Dealing think ye 14. From these Testimonies of S. Augustin Dr Still page 584. saith our Dr laid together we observe
assert the latter to be as they are manifest Truths 8. To lay yet more open the Dr's fraud I Argue thus If the learned Tostatus plainly acknowledges true supernatural Miracles wrought in the Church after the Apostles time different from those which he saith ceased The Dr grosly abuses this Author But Tostatus most evidently own 's such true Miracles in the Church Therefore Mr Dr grosly abuses Tostatus For proof of my Assertion turn once more to this Author where he expresly teaches 1. That Tostat in c. 10. Mart. Quest 12. John 14. Christ impowred all that believe in him to work Miracles yea and greater than He wrought He teaches 2. That both Martyrs and Confessors long after our Saviours death preaching up and down the world Multa Miracula fecerunt did many Miracles though Christ spake not to them nor Specially gave them the Power wherewith the Apostles were priviledged He saies Tostatus plainly grants true Miracles 3. That all believing in Christ by invoking the Holy name of JESUS may work Miracles with much more that followes Tell me Reader is it not prodigiously strange that the Dr remit's us to this Question while he Wilily slips over all here noted point blank against him Is not Dr Still page 611. this Fraud and worse than jugling manifestly perceptible when upon this Principle Some Miracles have ceased he would conclude there are none at all wrought 9. If you Ask what it was that beguiled the Dr in à right understanding of Tostatus Thus it is Tostatus in the beginning of the Question now cited demand's why our Preachers in the Church who suceed the Apostles do not such Miracles now Talia Miracula Viz. By ordinary Commission as the Apostles did He Answer 's most profoundly that ordinary Power was readily given the Apostles to work Miracles every where in confirmation of Christ's Doctrin so it is said They went forth and preached in all places ubique Deo concurrente God Cooperating with Signs that followed Now saith Tostatus that ordinary Power was not only annexed to those first Apostolical men but also to the newly converted and baptized For these after their Baptism and conversion were impowred to work Miracles whereby the Truth and Holiness The Dr's Cheat discovered of Christ's Doctrin received much light And this Ordinary certain Power of working Miracles every where ceases in the Prelates of the Church Whence our Dr would inferr à cessation of all Miracles which as I said is worse than jugling and most opposite to the express Doctrin of Tostatus O but the Bishop saith Tostatus cited à §. Tertio fit this Power of working Miracles would not be profitable in the Church but rather serve for curiosity Very true For if as he observes Miracles were dayly wrought amongst us by the Prelates of the Church and new Convertits the merit of Faith would be much lessened and Therefore Tostatus §. secundo saies first it is unworthily done by à true faithful Believer to seek after Miracles to confirm the Faith which he actually believes as certain For this were to require à further probation of that which he hold's most undoubted 2. Though Miracles are not necessary when faith is preached to Believers yet they are profitable when it s preached Tostatus cited §. autem to Infidels or Hereticks Thus Tostatus 10. One may yet object The Doctrin of Christ of the Apostles and the Church is one and the same if therefore no Believer ought curiously to desire new Miracles to confirm the Doctrin of Christ and the Apostles why should they require new Miracles to confirm Church Doctrin Or to what End hath God wrought Miracles in every Age I Answer first No Catholick Believer ought to ask for more Miracles than Divine Providence hath already manifested because the Truth of Church Doctrin by what is done is made Evidently Credible notwithstanding God out of his abundant mercy may at his good pleasure illustrate this Oracle with new Miracles as we have proved above The Utility Miracles wrought in the Church much abate the Impudence of Hereticks whereof gathered from Tostatus last cited avail's much to convince Hereticks that impudently calumniate the Church Saying She hath changed the Doctrin of Christ and his Apostles God therefore to represse this Impudence as he made the Doctrin of Christ Evidently Credible by the Miracles which our Saviour wrought the Doctrin of the Apostles Evidently Credible by the Miracles They did so also he set's forth the glory of his own Oracle the Church and makes her Doctrin evidently credible by innumerable Miracles wrought Age after Age. And this I conceive to be à main reason why Providence will have Miracles continued in the Church to the worlds End 11. The Dr once more referr's us to Tostatus Tostatus in cap. 3. Matt 9. 10. where we are told that those visible exteriour Signs of the Holy Ghost descending upon the baptized in the forme of a Dove or Fire shewed in the Primitive Church cease now in such as receive baptism Though saith the Bishop Original and actual sins are as well taken away by that Sacrament in this present Age and Grace as well given to the baptized now as it was in the Baptism of the Primitive Christians Here is all the Dr has for his Purpose and it is Dr Still page 612. à very Cheat though he bragg as if he had done Wonders What saith he shall we say to the Testimony of this learned Bishop Had he never heard of S. Iames of Compostella and the Miracles pretended to be wrought there And could he believe them and write these things Had he never heard of Vincentius Ferrerius c. Mr Dr you still juggle still run on in your old mistake and Distinguish not between one sort of Miracles and others The Miracles wrought at Compostella and by S. Vincentius are quit different from the visible appearance of the Holy Ghost upon the Baptized and the Imposition of the Apostolical bands whereof Tostatus speak's And saith though many others might work Tostat q. 10. citat p. 164 E. Luc. 10. Miracles in raysing the dead and curing diseases which Power our Lord gave the Seventy two Disciples who were distinct from the Apostles◠yet to give Visibly the Holy Ghost by Imposition of bands was à Priviledge granted the Apostles only whereby Christ shewed them singularly favovred above all others Reflect Reader once more on the Dr's fraud and weak fallacy Was the seventy two Disciples Power in curing diseases and raysing the Dead any way limited because they could not visibly give the The Dr's fraud discovered Holy Ghost by the imposition of hands as the Apostles did Most certainly no saith Tostatus Why then should the Saints in God's Church be denyed the favour of curing diseases and raysing the dead because forsooth they have not that Apostolical Prerogative of showing visibly the Holy Ghost in forme of Fire Yet this is the
Miracles to have been the greatest Miracle of all Thus S. Augustin Argues and 't is à convincing Dilemma 16. You Ask next what were the stronge Arguments of Christian Religion before it was Propagated Those seemed convincing or not if not convincing it was Propagated by weak and unconcluding Arguments and we are not bound to believe it If convincing we know them or if we know them not how can we Judge they were convincing I Answer this whole discourse built upon two false Suppositions fall's to nothing One is that Miracles either seen or heard of preceded not the first conversions of Christians The other That there were some other rational Arguments as strong and convincing for Christian Religion before its Propagation as Miracles were 17. I say contrary and prove that Miracles preceded all great conversions made to true Christian Miracles were ever previous to all great conversions Religion Those Signal Wonders wrought by our Saviour sensible and visible as rational Arguments first induced the blessed Apostles and some few more to believe in him T is true Christ's Holy life and amiable conversation had great Influence upon minds to say nothing now of the attraction of Divine Grace working inwardly But the Lustre of his glorious Miracles Gods own powerful Language made the deepest Impression on men who were first led on by reason And therefore could not but Discover à mighty weight and efficacy in this one Motive of our Christian Faith Now if we speak of that ample and large Propagation which ensued upon the Apostles Preaching in several parts of the world or of those â— other great Conversions wrought by the Catholick Church in after Ages none can deny but that most Signal glorious Miracles not done to be gazed on ever preceded as à chief Cause and effected that great Work of God among most Barbarous Nations Finally that no other convincing rational Arguments greater or comparable with Miracles can be produced as previous to its Miraculous Propagation appear's by your silence Mr Burnet you alledge none neither are there any alledgeable of so great poise as Miracles were 18. You Say 4. There was good reason to believe the Gospel when our Saviour wrought his Miracles in the Sight of the Iewes and this great Argument the Apostles urged but that reason remain's yet good and still proves it true whether the world had embraced it or not I Answer the reasons were then good because Miraâ—les rationally prove à Doctrin good when an Infallible Oracle tells us what its meaning is the Apostles in those Dayes were living infallible Oracles and could not only ascertain every one of the Gospels Divine inspiration but also when Difficulties arose among the faithful declare its genuine Sence But now yee Protestants Say matters are much changed for there is no certain Oracle no Church taught by the Holy Ghost that can Infallibly avouch these Writings were from God that such and such in the more difficult Passages is their true Sence and meaning So that every man left to his private Judgement may draw what Religion he pleases out of Scripture And this we se done before our eyes by men called Christians yet differ in the Fundamentals of Christian Faith 19. Upon this ground your Question next proposed signifies little What say you if the Gentils had rejected the Testimony of the Apostles as the Iewes did Had we not been bound to believe the Gospel if those sacred Writings had been with à most religious care conveyed down to us Sr Methinks you goe too farr in your Supposition Saying if the world had not embraced the Gospel and both Iewes and Gentils rejected it we are yet bound to believe it Why so I beseech you Upon what Principle are we If all had rejected the Gospel how are we obliged to receive it obliged to admit à Gospel which the whole world all Iewes and Gentils rejected S. Austin you know teaches and I am wholly of his Judgement That he would not believe the Gospel unlesse moved thereunto by the Authority of the Catholick Church which Church I am sure embraces à great part of the world And had in it many who once were Iewes and Gentils Hence you see Sr it is very hard to Suppose the Gospel universally set at naught and that à strict obligation lies on us to receive it But let this passe 20. Suppose we receive the bare Word of the Gospel what Sence shall we make of it in à hundred abstruse Passages what Religion shall we suck out of it Arianism or Pelagianism Nestorianism or worse It is impossible to clear this Difficulty without recourse to an Infallible living Oracle upon whose Judgement all in this present State must rely or can believe nothing You put much force in those who carefully conveyed the Gospel The false Conveyers of the Gospel not found in the Principles of Protestants down to us Very good could such men be found But here we are at à stand The blessed Apostles who lived not alwaies left those Writings in the hands of the Church But this Church saies Dr Still above à thousand years since altered Christ's revealed Doctrin changed the Apostolical Faith and became as Idolatrous as Those who worshiped the Sun or à Red cloath All others out of this Church named Christians were known condemned Hereticks Were all this true no more would I take the Gospel from this supposed Idolatrous Church or these false condemned Hereticks than believe the word of à known Perjured Person or credit one esteemed à common Lyar. And thus in the Principles of Protestants the careful conveyance of the Gospel failing all Faith in Scripture fail's with it But enough of this Digression VVe return to Dr Stillingfleet 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 may work some strange wonders they cannot raise the Dead or cure desperate Infirmities Of the Aegyptian Magicians Feates A word of the witch at Endorâ— Other matters handled 1. DR Still thinks it very reasonable for page 668. and 669. us he means Protestants after so many forewarnings in Scripture of false Wonders to Examin all pretences of Miracles by trying whether they can be distinguished from deceiptful appearances which may be wrought by à Povver lesse than Divine Answ I think it also Very reasonable and wish Mr Dr that you who yet never went about to examin one Miracle would undergoe the pains you hold so reasonable Take courage therefore examin with greatest rigour either all or some of those you have in the 3. Chap. above And if you find à flaw in any shame me boldly But I tell you before hand you will have à hard Task For no sooner shall you discredit those by
Thus it is plain that no other but God called up Samuel who by Divine illumination Prophecyed so exactly of that wicked King's End and the death of his Sons which Divels naturally could not foretel In like manner we read in Scripture that when King Ochozias lying 4. Reg. 1. v. 2. 3. sick sent Messengers to question Beelzebub the God of Accaron and enquired whether he was to dye or no Almighty God to prevent the foolery commanded Elias to tell the King he should not rise from his bed but dye And thus in raising Samuel the true Messenger he prevented the Pythonissa's Enchantment if yet she used any whereof Scripture gives no light at all My Assertion therefore remain's Firm that Divels cannot raise the dead 16. Neither can they cure any desperate Infirmity though in lesser matters much may be Desperate diseases not Curable by Divels done by natural remedies but to restore Sight to one borne blinde to take à Leg or Arm cut off and joyn it again to à maimed Body are cures above the power of Divels and were never yet wrought by Necromancie Again when circumstancies plainly show that all cures wrought by Christ and in the Church were done by Divine Virtue it 's madness to make the Divel Author of them Our Saviour cured the blind man and said he did it that God's works might be manifested John 9. had the Divel think ye any hand here Others implore help from the blessed Saints in Heaven and after earnest prayer recover perfect health suddenly can such works be ascribed to Divels or Necromancy when the very circumstances of their Prayers directed to Almighty God and his Saints evidence the contrary Reflect I beseech you Shall God and his Saints be called on for à Favour and must the Divel interpose his Art and do it All is ridiculous 17. The second thing gathered from this A Comparison between the primitive Miracles and those wrought in the Church whole Discourse and most to be reflected on is the comparison made between our Saviours Miracles and others wrought in the Church Those firâ—â— before Scripture registred them were rationally proved upon humane Faith works of à Divine Power and so are all Church Miracles when attested upon Oath or seen by many Ey-witnesses whose credit was never stained The Dr therefore must either prove such sworn Persons perâ—ured and those Ey-witnesses deluded in what they saw or if humane Faith be in the world he cannot but grant that the Church has had most glorious Miracles wrought in It. In case he say he will not yeild assent to any though svvorn Ey-vvitnesses of à Miracle I Ask what if he had lived in our Saviours time and only heard by à Moral certain report of Lazarus raised to life would he not upon humane faith have prudently yeilded assent to that known and much famed Miracle If not Why should any other rational man have then prudently assented to it upon humane faith Why should not all in like manner have suspended their assent and believed nothing till Scripture registred our Saviours Miracles which would therefore like dead Signs have lain in obscurity without Universal Fame never so much as prudently spoken of Neither could they then have had any Influence upon Faith in those Dayes before mens eyes saw them Written in Holy Scripture Such consequences if granted are desperate and would be decryed as pernicious the whole Christian world over 18. It may be the Dr will say the Reporters Latter witnesses as faithful as those were who saw the primitive Miracles of our Saviours Miracles were far more honest and faithful than those are who either saw or wrote of Miracles done in the Church And therefore upon their word he would have believed those Ancient Miracles Mr Dr let us not word it hut come to Principles Show me what you have against the honesty and sincerity of S. Ambrose of S. Irenaeus S. Austin S. Ierome and S. Bernard who both saw and have Written of Miracles What exception have you against those who saw Miracles wrought by S. Thomas Cantilupe by S. Xaverius to say nothing of others Discredit these Ey-witnesses if you can But fob us not off with à proof taken from your own Incredulity that signifies as little as your many empty words and simple Jeers doe we require stronger proofs from à Dr of Divinity but God only knowes when they 'le see light ever or never 19. The Dr thinks we of the Roman Church page 699. can give no evident Distinction between the Miracles we pretend to and such as we are bid to beware of he means Legerdemain Miracles This Cavil also impugn's our Saviours Miracles which the Iewes rejected as Hereticks doe the Churches My answer is Just as you distinguish between those Primitive Miracles and all false lying Wonders so we distinguish between our Miracles and those other pretended to by Heathens and Hereticks The outward appearance The Churches Miracles are as well distinguished from Lying wonders as the ancient Miracles were of Christ's Miracles and the Churches is the very same Lazarus raised to life lived afterward many year's and so did those of whom S. Irenaeus cited speak's Now if you credit not Irenaeus S. Ambrose and others who saw great Miracles we are out of all good Principles and must contradict these grave Ey-witnesses because you forsooth are incredulous and will not believe them 20. The true distinction briefly between Wherein this distinction consist's all true Miracles whether wrought by Christ or in the Church and lying Wonders is taken from the Greatness vast number and admirable Effects manifested in those first Ey-witnesses that saw them whereof I have spoken largely above And there noted that real Miracles ever show another Lustre Light and Majesty not perceptible in any Charms or jugling Wonders You Sr say again in the same Page We cannot prove that Miracles wrought in the Church could be done for no other End than to prove the Churches Infallibility I answer first They have been wrought that 's undeniable unlesse all humane Faith goe to wreck for what End we shall see in the ensuing chapter CHAP. XVI VVhy Miracles are wrought in the Church Of their two fold End Miracles rationally prove the Doctrin of Christ and the Church infallible Clear Miracles have been wrought in confirmatian of every Doctrin taught by the Church Of Dr Stillingfleets simple Reply to two known and renowned Miracles VVhether 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 1. DR Still in the page cited peremptorily concludes It must be shewed that our Miracles could be wrought for no other End but to prove the Church Infallible Why so Mr Dr Can you show that every Miracle which Christ and his Apostles wrought were done for no other End but to prove Christ's Doctrin Infallible Or did those first great Masters
of Christianity at every particular Cry out this Wonder Gods worâ—s for no other End but only to All Miracles usually wrought for à double End prove Christ's Doctrin Infallible It s Improbable I Say therefore those Miracles were usually done for à double End The one was the benefit of him they were done for whether afflicted or diseased And this our Saviour fixed upon when he cured the blindeman so also S. Peter did in the Cure he wrought upon the Lame Criple sitting at the Temple gate The other End ever intended by Almighty God though not alwaies explicitly declared was the manifestation of his Divine Power ut manifestentur Iohn 9. 3. opera Dei in illo saith our Saviour working by those he sent to teach the World Whence every one might have rationally discoursed as that Prince among the Iewes did Rabbi we know John 3. 2. thou art come from God For no man can do the Signs thou does 't unlesse God be vvith him But if Christ and the Apostles were rationally proved Teachers sent from God by Miracles their Doctrin was in like manner rationally evinced sound and infallible 2. And thus we discourse as to Church Miracles where you also have à twofold End the one is the benefit of him that receives it the other the manifestation of Gods Power working by his Servants whence also their Doctrin is rationally proved to be from God sound and true though not alwaies explicitly asserted true at every Miracle Ask saith S. Austin often Miracles have their Language cited what Miracles speak of Christ Habent enim vocem suam They have an audible Voice speak by them selves and tell us that Christ was the true Missias sent by Almighty God to teach and therefore proved his Doctrin true and sacred So say I Ask what Miracles speak of the Church They have their language and tell us She is à luminous Sun that disperses her rayes over the vvhole Vniverse She is Gods ovvn Oracle and therefore what Doctrin She teaches is proved by reason evidently Credible sound and true Thus much is easily made out in à rational Discourse In what Sence all Miracles have à respect to truth though he that works the Miracle saies nothing of its confirming Faith or of its distinguishing the Church from all Heretical Communities And in this Sence All true Miracles cannot but have à respect to Truth 3. Again many Saints have often publickly declared that the Miracles they wrought were done to confirm the Catholick Faith So speak's S. Bernard of the great Miracle done upon the Loaves of bread In this saith he you shall knovv that those things vve teach are true and Se Chapt. 3 above n. 33. se Chap 12. num 3. that vve are God's Ministers c. So also did S. Xaverius to prove they are his words the Verity of our Christian Faith you shall see this dead man raised to life again But what good will these and many more like Instances do upon an incredulous Dr who can jeer at all when he has nothing to Answer 4. I Argue 2. If we show all those Articles Every Article of Catholick Faith has been confirmed by Miracles of our Catholick Faith most opposed by Modern Sectaries to have been confirmed by illustrious Miracles we clearly Evince that one End of Miracles wrought in the Church though not ever the only End was and still is to strengthen Faith and withall to assure us that what Doctrin this Oracle Proposes is from God and consequently most certain But this we make out upon the irrefragable Testimony of as grave Authors as ever wrote and in the first place will remind the Reader of S. Bernard's indubitable Miracle wrought to confirm these Catholick Articles Viz. The real Presence Sacrifice of the Masse Purgatory Prayers to Saints and praying for the Dead which those Hereticks like Protestants now à dayes denyed This one Miracle I say alone supposing the matter of Fact which none can rationally Question no lesse now evinces Protestants guilty of grosse Errour than it anciently did those Henricians or Hereticks called Apostolici 5. If you yet desire more Satisfaction herein Brerely Pâ—ot Apol. Tract 2 c. 3 sect 7. subd 1. Fevard in notis ad 8. cap. Irenaei lib. 1. advers Heret read Brerely an Author ready at hand and peruse also Franciscus Fervandentius There is saith he not any one Catholick Doctrin or Article of our Faith but has been proved and confirmed by most evident Miracles From Heaven which the Saints in God's Church have wrought as grave Writers beyond all exception testify It is known saith Fevardentius that the Decrees of the most Holy Councils at Nice and Calcedon wherein the main Articles of Faith are contained were all ratifyed by open and manifest Miracles Then he remit's you to S. Augustin to Optatus Milevitanus S. Cyprian S Ambrose and other worthy Fathers who recount most clear Miracles by which not only our Catholick Doctrin but even the Rites of our Church have been confirmed I cannot insist upon all or the halfe the work is too long and therefore will only bring to light à few most clear and undeniable 6. S. Gregory Nazianyen relates how his Nazian Orat 11. de obitu Gorgoniae One Miracle related by S. Gregory Nazianzen Sister Gorgonia when past all hope of recovery was miraculously freed from an infirmity by prostrating herselfe before the Altar and calling on Christ our Lord there present there honoured and worshiped O Admirable wonder saith the Saint presently quit of her sickness She found herselfe well and returned home eased in Body and mind 7. Optatus Melivitanus relates à fearful Story Optatus l. 2. contra Donatistas of Hereticks who cast the reserved Holy Eucharist to Doggs and had for that wicked fact à condigne Punishment the doggs saith he furiously raging tore their Masters in pieces à just Judgement of God Answerable to their horrid Two more by Optatus Melsvitanus crime Another Miracle saith Optatus Almighty God evidenced when those wicked Hereticks threw out of à window à little Vial of Chrism or Holy Oyle with intention to break it in pieces upon stones lying under the window but Providence by an Angel's Hand preserved the Vial entire not à drop of the Crism was spilt which caused wonder in many 8. Guitmundus Bishop of Avarsan Petrus Diaconus Guitmund lib. 3. de Sacramento Euchar. Petrus Joannes Diac in vita S. Gregory and Ioannes Diaconus recount à Signal Miracle wrought by S. Gregory the Great in confirmation of the real Presence and Transubtiation A Roman Matron say they ready to receive the blessed Sacrament burst out into laughter S. Gregory perceiving that Sign of contempt Ask't why She laughed She Answered I cannot but do so when I hear the bread I lately made called the Body of Christ Whereupon S. Gregory laid the consecrated Host on the Altar and desired that the People then present
was in the Apostles The cap. 9. n 10. true meaning is as I have largely proved above That no set number of men in the Church had such an ordinary Gift in working Miracles as was annexed by peculiar Priviledge to the twelve Apostles Se more of this Priviledge in the Chapter cited it is here needlesse to transcribe what is there clearly set down 4. Mr Dr I must once more tell you you write you know not what For nothing but à Frolick or à height of impudence could have uttered The Dr speak's à lowd Vntruth this intolerable Proposition The Catholick Bishops of the Church of Rome pretended no more to à Power of Miracles than Protestant Bishops do now With what Conscience or Countenance can you Sr impose so manifest an Untruth upon mankind Were not S. Irenaeus S. Gregory Thaumaturgus The two vvorthy Cyrills S. Athanasius S. Augustin S. Chrysostom Bishops and learned Bishops All these and many more as is evident have either wrought Miracles or laudably written in their Defence Show me but one Protestant Bishop that has done the like or for stark shame Mr Dr fool us no more abuse us no more with manifest Fopperies 5. The Dr as I told you to set forth his Phylostorgius Photius Biblioth page 26. de Philostor ex lib. 40. remits the Reader to Photius But how wisely he did so I leave to every mans common Judgement for having perused Photius exactly I find much ill and not so much as one good word spoken of Philostorgius He began with Philostorgius proved à most impious Heretick the Heresy of Arius next adhered to the Errours of Atius and finally professed the Eunomian Heresy Thus much I gather also out of several great Authors Photius goes on Philostorgius vvas à lying VVriter and full of Idle Fables He extolls Aetius and Eunomius as if they had purged the Christian Doctrin fouly contaminated vvith Errours vvherein saith Photius he lyes prodigiously He vvas enraged against the most Orthodox Fathers and falsly calumniated the great S. Basil though his calumny made the Saint more Baron Annal Ecclesias tom 3. Anno 354. n. 14. 15. 16. Vossius de Historicis Graecis l. 2. c. 20. p. 210. renovvned Cardinal Baronius speak's home also Philostorgius vvas à most infamous Heretick the ancient Graecians abhorred the mans very name cur'st his execrable VVritings as deserving nothing but oblivion and perpetual silence Gerardus Ioannes Vossius rebukes him as one Deo invisum hated by Almighty God for his Heresy and excessive bitternes against all Catholicks loving none but Hereticks These Testimonies and many more you may read in the Epitome of Iacobus Godefredus who compendiat's the Twelve Books of Photius See also Godefred's Prolegomena where upon several Godefred printed at Geneva occasions he spares not to tell us what an impious Heretick Philostorgius was However Dr Still introduces him as à creditable Author and will not have him suspected of Partiality though no man more ruin's his credit than the Dr for he saith those Miracles whereof Philostorgius and other Hereticks write may be justly suspected because only pretended to If only pretended Mr Dr you cannot but mistrust the Sincerity of those who relate them unlesse you Say though the Miracles in Them selves are false yet the Hereticks that wrote them spake Truth 6. The Dr much intangled loses himselfe in Page 676. and p. 677. à lame and undigested Discourse He would forsooth fain know hovv Miracles can prove the Truth and Infallibility of the Church if the Truth of Miracles depend's upon the Churches Approbation And I Sr would as fain know and I hope do know How Miracles can prove the Truth and Infabillibility A difficulty proposed by the Dr. of Christ's Doctrin if the Truth of those Miracles depend's upon Christ's Sacred word and approbation 7. To clear this matter I must first know what you mean by this word Proving Would you Sr have us prove the Truth and Infallibility of our Church Doctrin evidently or by à clear Demonstration Neither you nor any man living can thus evince the Truth and Infallibility of Christ's Doctrin Had you seen all the Miracles Christ wrought could you upon their outward Appearance or the exteriour sight alone have demonstrated that Christ was the true Messias or that his Doctrin was thereby evidently proved true and Infallible It is impossible even in your Principles Because you Say an Evidence taken from the outward Appearance of à Wonder only gives no certainty of its Truth or the verity pointed out by it Speak otherwise and you will be forced to grant that all the Wonders you have collected from Heathens were as really true as ever any was which Christ wrought for you yeild them an Appearance Very Visible 8. Hence it Followes that besides the Exteriour From whence we have full certainty of à Miracle Sight of à Miracle some other Oracle must interpose it's Authority and ascertain all yet vvithout Evidence of its real Truth as wrought by Divine Povver and for such and End This full certainty Mr Dr we take from the Churches Approbation as the Apostles and primitive Christians tooke theirs from our Saviours own words That the vvorks of God saith Christ John 9. 3. speaking of the blind man may be manifested in him I must doe the vvorks of him that sent me These Things John 20. ◠3◠are vvritten saith the same Evangelist That you may believe not knovv evidently That Iesus is Christ and that believing you may have life in his name 9. The want of pondering one Distinction plainly laid forth in Bellarmin brought the Dr Bellar. de not is Eccl. lib. 4. c. 14. §. Est autē to this confusion By Miracles saith Bellarmin the Church is demonstrated Non quoad evidentiam aut certitudinem rei sed quoad evidentiam Certitudinam credibilitatis That is we prove not Evidently the Church or her Doctrin to be evidently true by Miracles But prove both by Miracles to be evidently Credible The Evidence of Credibility Mr Dr disposes to Faith and brings in an Obligation of Believing That other fancied Evidence relating to the Truth and infallibility of Christ's Doctrin or the Churches God in this state impart's not to any For we walke by Faith not by Evidence 10. But say you vvhat Evidence of Credibility can there be from Miracles vvhere no one can be certain vvhether they be Miracles or not I Answer The same Evidence of credibility which the Primitive The same Evidence of Credibility we now have of the Churches Miracles which the ancient Christians had of our Saviours Christians had of our Saviours Miracles as they were Objects of Sense we also have of Miracles wrought in the Church The outward Appearance alone neither grovvnded Faith for Faith relies on à surer Motive God's Divine Revelation nor gave more Evidence of their ovvn real Truth than Church Miracles have done All true Miracles therefore whether wrought
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
on him Fevardentius saith he confesses the Church has never determined that Hereticks cannot work true Miracles He makes no such open confession either in words or Sence much less doth he Say as you Sr unworthily Cite That those who hold the Affirmative have plain Testimonies of Fathers for them It is utterly false Fevardentius barely relates the Sentiment of others who seem to teach that Hereticks may work Miracles Some saith he think Tertullian favour's the Opinion others bring in Sozomenus and Socrates others seek Patronage from S. Augustin Doth this lessening way of speaking import that those who hold the Affirmative have plain Testimonies of the Fathers for them 17. Had you Sr perused Fevardentius in Fevard in cap. 8. lib. 1. Irenaei another place he remit's us to you might have been ashamed of this Jugling There he expresly denies the Power of working Miracles to Hereticks and grounds his Denial upon the Authority of Clemens Romanus Iustin Martyr and S. Augustin Then he tells you There is not one Doctrin of our Catholick Faith which Almighty God has not confirmed by most evident Miracles Which Miracles saith he wrought in every Age Some Chief Hereticks have gathered together written of and divulged to the world yet you Sr building upon one Testimony of Fevardentius would fraudulently perswade us that Miracles prove nothing as to the Truth and Infallibility of the Church And that they may be only wrought when the Communion of Christians are different from each other for the Verifying of some Common Truths received among all Christians With what Countenance can you avouch this when you see the Author quoted Miracles saith Fevardentius have confirmed Every Catholick Doctrin c. 16. n. 4. by you point blank against you Most evident Miracles saith Fevardentius have been wrought not only to attest some common Truths amongst Christians but to confirm every Doctrin held by the Catholick Church VVhereof see more in à foregoing Chapter 18. The Dr in the Page cited drives on à Lingendes in Conc. quadr to 2. Conc. 2. long Quotation borrowed From F. de Lingendes very true Doctrin as delivered by the Author But Mr Dr's Inferences drawn from it which as strongly impugne Miracles wrought by Christ and the Apostles as any done in the Church have been already weighed in the foregoing Chapter and are there fully Answered Lingendes saith the Dr grant's that to all outward Appearance Hereticks may do as great Miracles as any And you Sr grant or you cheat the Reader that Heathens have done Miracles to appearance as great as ever our Saviour or Apostle wrought Now Sr as you Difference Christ's Miracles from such false Signs we also difference and distinguish Of the Difference between all false Signs and true Miracles Miracles done in the Church and Oppose their vast number manifest in all Ages their Majesty and Greatnes in raising the dead restoring sight to the blind and curing mortal Infirmities to those few inconsiderable dull wonders pretended by Hereticks whereof if not all more than the halfe are False The Circumstances also accompaning our Miracles add à singular Lustre having been wrought in à Church ever owned Orthodox and by men of eminent known Sanctity who upon their invocating the Saints in Heaven obtained what they prayed for But enough of this particular in the precedent Chapter cited 19. The Dr think's we cannot show our Page 684. Church Miracles wrought for no other End but to prove the Church Infallible Answ No more can the Dr prove that the Apostolical Miracles were wrought only to prove Apostolical Doctrin Infallible as I have clearly shewed above Now that c. 16. n. 1. innumerable have been done to testify the Truth and consequently the Infallibility of Catholick Doctrin is so manifest that nothing but Impudence can deny it VVhy have so many glorious Martyrs joyfully suffered bitter Persecution before Tyrants why have they openly professed to dy for our Catholick Faith why has God evidenced so many Miracles not only at their death but afterwards at their Shrines and Monuments Were not these things done to testify that the Faith they dyed for was True and Infallible If any doubt be made hereof Ecclesiastical History will clear all Peruse Reader among others Victor Vticensis who Victor Uticens l 1 wrote three Books of the VVandals Persecution where he set's forth the admirable fortitude of Martyrs Se also Eusebius Nicephorus Tertullian and Eusebius lib 5 Hist per totum Niceph lib 3 c 29 l. 9. c. 17. Tertull in Apolog. S. August lib. 18 de civit c. 50. Chiefly S. Augustin who recount the horrid Persecution of Martyrs living after the Apostles dayes And Say that God made his eternal Truths known Signis portentis variis virtutibus by Signs prodigious wonders and sundry sorts of Miracles which those blessed men wrought before Kings and Tyrants that formerly endeavouvred to destroy the Church 20. In the next place the Dr has another fling at the poor Boyes restored Leg in Spain and most simply Ask's What signifies this to the Proof of the Roman Churches Infallibility I Answer it signifies very much and manifestly proves one Article of Catholick Doctrin The Invocation of Saints The Miracle surpassed all natural Power Divels when the blessed Virgin was called on did not doe it God therefore who cannot Employ his Power to confirm à falshood approved by that Prodigious Cure page 684 the Catholick Doctrin of praying to Saints CHAP. XVIII VVhether it be reasonable to have Missionaries now sent into England and work Miracles there The Dr wishes this done More of the Dr's many false and impertinent Quotations Antichrist's VVonders no true Miracles Miracles known upon Moral Certainty sufficiently induce to Faith 1 IN the same the page Dr Proposes what he would have done Let their Missionaries saith he come here among us whom they account Hereticks and do the same things that Christ and his Apostles did in raising the Dead and healing all manner of Diseases But let them not think to put us off with painted strawes and counterfeit Trances Good The Dr's uncivil Expression Mr Dr speak I beseech you more reverently were all the stupendious Miracles related by S. Irenaeus S. Augustin S. Hierome and S. Chrysostom painted Strawes and counterfeit Trances Was that great Miracle wrought lately at Calais upon cap. 3. n. 3 à young Gentlewoman whereof you have à full relation à painted cure or the Boyes restored Leg in Spain à painted Leg Were all those dead raised to life at the Intercession of Blessed S. Thomas Cantilupe manifest in your own England counterfeit Resuscitations Nothing but impudence can Judge so Know therefore Sr and it is your Duty to know it that all these admirable All the Miracles wrought in the Church were done for Hereticks Works of God with innumerable more were wrought for you and for this End that you if not perverse may se how gloriously Christ our Lord has beautifyed
his Spouse the Militant Church with the same Signal Marks of Credibility which he favovrably demonstrated while he lived here on earth Why then do you like that depraved and wicked Generation of men mentioned in Luk 11. 29. Scripture require more Signs than are done Why should Missionaries come to you and work Miracles If the greatest were wrought before your Eyes your Dulness would slight all and account them either fallacious Charms Necromancy Luk. 16. 27. or painted Strawes and Counterfeit Trances 2. Remember I beseech you Abraham's Answer given to that Rich man in Torments who would have one sent from the dead to doe good upon his Bretheren Abraham replyed No. They have Moses and the Prophets And in The Dr has an Answer in the Cospel case no eare be given to these neither will they believe though one should rise from the dead and Preach to them In like manner I discourse of Miracles wrought in the Church They speak witness S. Austin as plain à language as ever Moses or the Prophets spake And if such visible and manifest attested Signs work nothing upon your Incredulity neither would the greatest servant of God though he should raise the dead in the City of London mollify your hearts change your minds or make you better than you are So true it is Perversi difficilè corriguntur 3. Again you Propose that which if done would do you little or no good at all Suppose one or more were raised from the dead in London Imagin also that the Missioner should like S. Bernard or S. Xaverius declare that God raises those dead for this End that all may believe the Roman Catholick Churches Doctrin what Conversions would be wrought hereby upon thousand and thousand obstinate hearts in the remote parts of England who only hear of the Miracles Must God send Missionaries to every one of these and set before their Eyes à dead Carkass restored to life Neither Christ our Lord nor the Apostles did so 4. You may Say The Fame of some dead Miracles seen by innumerable Famed and written work little upon Hereticks raised among you would be so publickly divulged that none could rationally call such matters of Fact into Question when visibly seen by many I Answer Ex ore tuo te Iudico But innumerable more Resuscitations innumerable more Miraculous Cures have been and are still famed the whole Christian world over and besides remain upon undoubted Record yet this Fame and these Records make no greater impression upon your hard heart than painted strawes and Counterfeit Trances The like or as little effect would such Miracles as you seek for work upon your numberless incredulous People dispersed over the Nation had they not beheld with their eyes what some few are now Supposed to have seen And God only knowes whether that visible Evidence were it shown would change their minds or abate in the least the Obduracy which stick 's close to the hearts of Thousands 5. The Dr has not yet done with the Poor Page 685. Boyes Leg. If all saith he that had been pleaded in the Apostles time for their divine Commission had been only that à Boy had his Leg cut off and strangely restored would this have Satisfyed the world A more simple Question was never proposed Pray Sr is all that the Church plead's for her Commission reduced to this one Miracle of à Boyes Leg restored No. She offer 's to your view the like admirable Miracles which Christ and the Apostles have done You Sr triefle no less in this your Demand than if you should Ask whether all the works our Saviour did were brought to the curing of à poor Boyes Eyes born blind Compare the one Miracle with the other and you will find that the restored Leg was in itselfe as great à Miracle as that restored sight Give me the least disparity if you can Nothing in nature could more reunite that Leg to its own Natural Body than restore Sight to one born Page 686. Suares de Fide Disp 4. sect 3. num 10. blinde and I am sure the Divel had no hand in either cure 6. The Dr Quotes Suares and fouly perverts his meaning A Miracle saies this learned Author may be wrought Two wayes 1. Without any respect to confirm à Truth but only for the benefit of him that receives it as in case of à Miraculous cure or the like 2. It may be done purposely to confirm the Truth of à Doctrin The First sort of Miracles saies Suares wrought Suares perverted by the Dr. for the Benefit of others God may doe by wicked men though this happens very seldom or if it happen it is rather done ex Fide for the Faith of him that receives it than for any good in the wicked man that work 's it All these words which explain Suares his meaning and discover the Dr ' s Jugling the Dr omit's Observe the Jugling If saith he such Miracles as the cure of Mark the Words According to Suares F. Marcellus and the restored Leg at Zaragosa may according to Suares be vvrought only for the benefit of those vvho receive them vvhat can this prove as to the Churches Infallibility Mr Dr Suares saies nothing to this The Dr's Iugling Discovered your Sence but expresly the contrary He speak's there of Miracles wrought and very seldom by wicked men Were those two cures upon F. Marcellus and the maimed youth done by the wicked The Mother of God wrought the one and S. Xaverius à Canonized Saint the other are these now glorious in Heaven according to Suares to be listed among the wicked For stark shame retract this vast Untruth and know that such Miracles may be justly numbred with those Suares mentioneth which confirm our Catholick Doctrin as is already proved 7. The Dr to little purpose Quotes Delrio Page 687. Delrio l. 4. Dis Magic c. 4. 9. 5. Sect. 2. Saying that Faith being now established there is little or no necessity of Miracles to confirm it I Answer Delrio in that place replies to an Adversary who thought Miracles not so frequent now as formerly by reason of much coldness and inconstancy in Faith That is one cause Saies Delrio but à better is because Faith being now established Minor est vel nulla necessitas Miraculorum Can the Dr draw from this Expression of lesse or no necessity à Total abatement of Mercy as if God wrought none but such as are precisely necessary Did Christ our Lord indulge no favours or Graces to mortals but just so many as were necessary Were all the Prodigious Signs which the Apostles wrought of such absolute Necessity that if one had been omitted men could not have believed or if more had been done than are recorded the world would have been overwhelmed with Miracles The Dr it seem's had little to Say while he tires his Reader with these impertinent Quotations 8. The Dr in the page cited tell 's E. W.
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