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
Sacristy doore and desired another Masse to be said by way of Thanskgiving for the wonderful cure wrought upon her F. Peter Hullin said the Masse whereat she knelt the whole time though as the custome is rose up by her selfe without difficulty at the reading of the Gospel Masse done She left her Crutches in the Church and walked home as sound and strong as ever she had been in her life All these particulars Peronna deposed upon Oath as most true when she was most rigidly examined and obliged by Oath to speak nothing but Truth of the state and continuance of her malady as also of the cure whereunto she subscribed her name Peronna Roault 5. Now if any suspect Fiction or jugling in this Deposition made by the Gentlewoman though methinks it is very unlikely that one who stood in no need of any temporal reliefe should juggle so long or feign an Infirmity for thirteen years together I answer all fear of fraud is taken away upon the manifest proof of these two things 1. That the disease was such in the main particulars as the Patient her selfe deposed 2. That she was restored to perfect See these witnesses named in the first Tome of April already cited health as is now said But no fewer than 16. or 17. sworn Witnesses all named in the Processe or full information of this Miracle gave in Evidence of these main particulars To produce every one in order would be needlesse while hundreds yet living in Calais conscious of the Miracle are ready to Testify it These few therefore shall suffice One à maid Servant deposed she was present when Peronn'as Limbs were so violently rack't out of joynt that she heard à noise much after the like manner as if bones had been broken in her body and swore also she had often handled and seen one of her Legs much shorter than the other the like Attestation other Witnesses gave Fr. John Beaumont appointed to hear the infirm Gentelewoman's Confession at her own house the last Lent before her cure deposed upon Sworn Witnesses of this Miraculous Cure Oath that her voice by reason of the obstruction in her breast often intermitted by continual coughing was so low and inarticulate that though most attentive he had much A doé to understand her Others gave Testimony of her frequent Convulsion fits Others present when the Kings Physicians visited her after à long consultation had upon the disease deposed they heard those knowing Doctors say no Cure could be hoped for So Mons t Valet Judged and the Ordinary Physician then of Calais Mons t Crocque deposed that after many frequent Visits made he had often discovered Peronna so fearfully assaulted with sharp Accesses of her malady and the corrupt humours of her strange distempered Body that he Judged her incurable by humane Art and therefore left all to God's Divine Providence and assistance Now for as much as concern's the Truth of Peronna's speedy recovery perfectly wrought in the Church of the F. F. Minims by the Intercession of the glorious S. Francis de Paula not only the forementioned Witnesses but innumerable other Inhabitants of Calais can and will depose to this day So that if humane Faith be not utterly extinct or of no account among rational men the Relation here briefly set down is upon moral Certainty most indubitable 6. The whole Processe and Information of the Miracle the Original whereof is yet extant in the Convent of the FF Minims at Calais two worthy Priests Robert Feubre Bachelour in Divinity and Curate also in Calais and John Tiffaine Cantor in the great Church there by Commission of the most Reverend Lord Bishop of Bologne presented to his Lordship which done his Lordships Approbation is as followes 7. Having seem and examined the Information given by our command which Mr Robert Feubre Curate The Miracle approved by Episcopal Authority and Dean of Calais offered us concerning the cure of Madamoiselle Peronna Raoult wrought in the Church of The FF Minims this present year 1661. the 9.th of April within the Octave of S. Francis de Paula we willingly acknowledge the Cure to have been truely Miraculous and obtained by the merits of that great Saint And because God requires that his Glory be manifested for favours done above the ordinary course of Nature VVee to stir up Devotion in all faithful People towards the blessed Saints in Heaven and mereover to Convince the Heresy of those who forbid Saints to be invocated have permitted and do permit this Miracle to be made publick and thanks rendred to God and the Saint in what ever Solemne manner shall be Iudged meet and convenient In VVitness hereof we set our hand and Seal Given at Bologne April 29.th in the year 1661. subscribed ✚ FRANCISCUS EPIS BONONIENSIS 8. From Callais we passe into England once à happy Nation no lesse shining with innumerable glorious Saints and Miracles than now God knowes made dimne yea fearfully dark by Sin and Heresy Two monstrous Evils The Sinner want's goodnes and seldom cast's à thought on the Saints in Blisse But Hereticks want Justice and honesty who violently Rob the blessed in Heaven of those Wonders which God Manifestly works by them here on Earth While Heaven and earth abhor's this open Plagiary I call for Justice and due Restitution if any be found so gracelesse as to deprive one English Saint of those very many most certain and clear Miracles which God wrought by him in life and after death I mean our ever renowned S. Thomas Cantelupe Cambden in Britānia pag. 461. London print 1607. that worthy Bishop of Hereford nobly born saith Cambden speaking of Herefordshire who for his Sanctity was Canonized and publickly held so pious à man that he came not short of King Ethelbert Martyr in virtue Nay perhaps excelled him Thus Cambden who it seem's had heard of the Saints glorious Shrine or Monument but saw it not being before his time destroyed by impious hands 9. You have also an exact account of some Entituled the life and Gests of S. Thomas Cantelupe by R. S. printed at Gant 1674. Chap. 20. Surius de S. Tho Here. in à manuscript I have by me great Miracles wrought by the Saint in à late English Book with many excellent Observations made upon his admirable life I esteem the Book and shall hereafter make use of it I likewise much value what Surius recount's of our renowned Bishop's Miracles who made his Collections out of approved Manuscripts yet exstant in Rubrâ valle à Convent of Canon Regulars neer Bruxels where many learned Volumes are preserved and brings to light almost innumerable done after the Saints death He raised to life saith Surius threescore dead and restored sight to 41. blind He cured 21. strucken with Palsies I saw add's this Author in one Volume kept in the forenamed Monastery à Relation of other wonderful Miracles which altogether amount to 425. 10. But Reader the Records I most rely
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
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
call to mind how the Divel had like to have strangled him in the attempt had not violence been used to rescue Luther The story written by Staphilas Luther's Luther's and Calvin's Iugling own Scholar is known as well as Calvins fourb who suborning one Bruleus to feign himselfe dead pretended to raise him from death crying out Adolescens tibi dico Surge Young man I say rise up when behold à just punishment of God manifested the double fraud Bruleus was dead indeed and Calvin Shamed You Bosius de signis Ecclesiae liâ—sig 11. have another fearful story recounted by Bosius of à chief man among the Anabaptists neer the borders of Polony that Called many to be present at his Baptism and said they should see wonders that day the Holy Ghost descending and what not No sooner had the wretch set his foot in the Bath but in place of the Holy Ghost à fearful Divel appeared and first carried him into the air then to the horrour of all the Spectators strangled him in the water These things I briefly relate out of approved Authors chieflly to show how different the genius of these men was from our Dr s they fancied Miracles so strong à support to their new Gospel that nothing could set it off better or more advance it our Dr contrary to his Progenitors spirit will have all later Miracles blasted or of no account because forsooth he has none to glory in Thus much only in passing 3. We now go on in our discourse and show an absolute necessity of Miracles chiefly at the first propagation of the Gospel because the high Mysteries of our faith which require à firm assent and an humble submission to the first Verity revealing truth cannot stand fast unless it rely upon à most certain foundation and this must either be an Evidence of the truth revealed not granted in this life or the most Supream Authority imaginable I mean the Divine veracity which neither can deceive or be deceived To advance By what Motives God induces to beliefe therefore our faith to the highest certitude and infallibility whilst God gives us not Evidence of the sublime Mysteries believed far above our reach and natural Capacities it was necessary to lead us on by Sign 's and Motives suitable for that end but no external Signe or Motive can be more perswasive or make à stronger impression upon minds than Gods own Seals and Signatures of truth undoubted Miracles By these great lights he raises us out of our natural drowsinesse and by them as most attractive Inducements prepares hearts to believe without hesitancy though the Mysteries of Faith seem strange to nature and would be rejected unless set forth adorned and confirmed by prodigious Sign 's Hence all De Lingend Fer. 4. Domin 1. quadrag P. 7. acknowledge à mighty force in Miracles nay some Authors observe that God never proposed any new Doctrin without rational Inducements in making it credible by manifest Sign 's and wonders Who saith De Lingendes is ignorant of the stupendious Miracles wrought by Moses All How and when Miracles were Shoâ—â—n know when the Law was published in the Mount how many new and great Miracles were exhibited The new Priesthood of Aaron had its confirmation by Miracles Solomon's Temple gained great repute upon the sight of Evident Miracles when S. John the Baptist preach't the Baptism of Pennance himselfe was the Miracle Miraculously conceived Miraculously exulted in his Mothers womb Miraculously loosened his Father's tongue and many years lived in the desart more like an Angel than à man without house cloths meat or humane conversation Thus Miracles strengthened and made every new Modern Sectaries never wrought Miracle Doctrin truly proposed credible only our Sectaries are the priviledged persons that without Mission or commission brought à new learning into the world yet never had the good luck I use Erasmus known words to cure à Lame horse much lesse to work à Miracle on man woman or child 4. Courteous Reader please now to consider à little Is it true that God endued his Prophet Moses with the grace of working Miracles Did he manifest great Sign 's at the Promulgation of the law in Mount Sina Did he the like when Aaron was ordained Priest Did he shew wonders at the Baptists preaching Pennance Did he ennoble Solomons Temple with illustrious Miracles Ecce plus quam Salomon hic We are now to mind you of à more miraculous Prophet than Moses of à more Miraculous Priest than Aaron of à more Miraculous Preacher than the Baptist of à Lawgiver as Miraculous as ever published law finally of à more Miraculous Edifice than Solomon erected I mean the noble house of God the Militant and Triumphant Church of Christians founded by no other than our great Thaumaturgus our ever glorious and renowned Lord JESUS God and Man whose Miracles manifested here on earth surpassed in true worth and excellency all the wonders of men and Angels Of this subject I am now to speak and will endeavour so to clear our Saviours Miracles and those the Apostles wrought from all doubts and Cavils that none shall hereafter oppose them upon any rational Principle This performed we will proceed to the Miracles done in the Church 5. Dr Stillingfleet Seem's to make short work Dr Still pag. 66. with the Miracles of our Saviour and his Apostles It is saith he agreed on both sides that the Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles did sufficiently prove that they were Teachers sent from God Then he insist's something of the assurance we have for them by the universal Testimony of all Christians and that Christ and the Evangelists declared they were wrought for this end that men might believe Dr. Still Slip's by the main difficulty Christ was sent from God It is agreed saith our Dr on both sides c. But Sr give us the rational Ground of this agreement otherwise you prove nothing against Iewes and Heathens who here undervalve the agreement of Christians neither are the passages of Scripture produced by you in behalfe of those primitive Miracles or the end they were wrought for of any account with these Aliens from Christ You tell à Iew that our Saviour cured one born blinde and did it for this end that men might believe he was sent from God the Iew answer's the Divinity of that Scripture cited has no more weight with him than the Miracle has you would prove by it yet you know à Proof should be alwayes clearer than the thing proved Here is an equal uncertainty for no more doth such à man believe your alledged Scripture to be truly Gods word than the Miracle to be à true Miracle Whoever therefore pertinently handles this matter must in à contest with these Adversaries of Christian Religion first distinguish between the different Principles of Iewes and Heathens those admit the old Testament as true Heathens no true Scripture at all Next he is to prove
our Saviours Miracles and the Apostles to have been really wrought by Arguments not taken from Scripture or if he make use of the new Testament against the Iew he is to lay aside that Question wether it be God's word or no Unlesse before the dispute the Book be evinced written by Divine inspiration Thus much premised 6 I argue against à Iew and ask whether he Christ's Miracles proved against à Iew. allowes the Historical part of the new Testament where the Miracles of Christ and the Apostles are recorded to be as good and as true à Story as the relation made in the old Testament of Mose's Miracles And now I trouble not his head with the Question about the Divine Inspiration of either book but only enquire after their truth In case he yeild's equal truth to both he must grant that Christ cured the blinde raised the dead and that the Apostles wrought such Miracles as S. Luke recount's in the Acts of those blessed men c. If as is most likely he bluntly reject's the Gospels relation as not true I ask what answer will he give à Heathen that no less boldly cast's off the Story of Moses Miracles as false and plainly assert's that the same reason let it be what you will whereby he attempts to discountenance the truth of one Narration will every whit as much enervate the truth of the other and thus all Miracles related in Scripture goe to wreck which is to say God never wrought any by Moses and the Prophets by Christ and his Apostles This the man of the Synagogue proves or nothing In case he reply Christians that admit Mose's Miracles are tongue tyed and cannot plead against them I answer we plead not against any for we hold all most true yet justly tax à Iew of à grosse Inconsequence which à Heathen laies before his eyes and once more say the same proofs and reasons whereby he endeavour's to reject the Miracles of Christ and the Apostles destroy at one blow the truth of the greatest Miracles which Moses or the Prophets ever wrought that is in à word there is neither proof nor reason to deny either all are most true and Strongly made out by reason supposing this one rational ground which none can deny viz. That books of History known and received all over deserve credit upon humane faith 7. In discoursing with à Heathen about Miracles Heathens also Convinced recorded in Scripture à rational demand is whether he yeild's as good credit to the History of this Book as to Titus Livius Caesars Commentaries or any other ancient writer If he affirm the Miracles there set down are with him upon moral certainty believable in case he denies I am not to take his bare word but must know the ultimate reason of his denial which will ever be Petitio Principii or in real truth no reason but à selfe conceipted fancy just as if one should sencelesly reject what ever Livy or Caesar has written because he will bluntly A reply answered do so upon no reason The Heathen may reply There is à great difference between all natural history and the Miracles registred in Scripture for these because strange and unusual so strongly check and abate beliefe that reason cannot but boggle and hold all forged by à few simple men that wrote them whereas no such extravagant wonders are found in natural History I answer first we read of innumerable great wonders in natural History as of Mountains rising up and justling together of certain Cities in Syria seated on hills and thence violently thrown into à Plain some miles off without any dammage c. Things certainly unusual though not so strange as à true Miracle I answer 2. All matters of Matters of fact in Scripture not feigned but manifestly proved true fact recorded in Scripture most evidently are not feigned however admirable and above the force of nature therefore it s highly against reason to hold the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles forged because strange and wonderful I prove demonstratively that matters of fact recorded in Scripture are not feigned upon this ground The Prophets long before Christianity was established foretold clear matters of fact which some thousands of years after evidently proved true as that Christ should be born of à Virgin that the old Priesthood should fail and à new Priest and King raign forever that the greater people the Iewes should become the less and the Gentils far lesser become the greater all strange and wonderful Predictions whereunto we may add our Saviours most certain Prophesy in that known Parable of the vineyard where speaking to the chief Priests and Pharisies he clearly foretold their ruin and rejection before it happened and no lesse clearly the destruction of Hierusalem These Prophesies the whole world has now seen for many Ages fulfilled and verifyed Hence I discourse whoever fortel's wonderful future things long before the event which afterwards visibly come to passe speak's truth and cannot forge nor feign because Facts exactly agreeing with the Predictions take away all suspicion of forgery but this you see is evident if you compare the Prophesies of the old Testament with what the Writers of the new have expressed and we se fulfilled with our eyes therefore all wonderful matters recorded in Scripture however strange are neither false nor forged A Heathen cannot deny the evident and now known fulfilling of these Prophesies because the Book of the old Testament was extant and read by Iewes long before the Evangelists wrote their Story 8. I argue 2. with Lingendes and rationally Ling. cited pag. 44. evince the truth of our Saviours Miracles by the Testimony of Writers in several nations most different from one another and further Ancient writers and Publick Fame prove the primitive Miracles ground my discourse upon an universal publick Fame received the whole world over which own 's those primitive Miracles as undoubted For ancient Writers this Author first remit's us to Joseph the Iew who speaking of our Saviour saith Eodem tempore c. In those dayes Iesus à wise Josepus l. 18 Antiquit c. 4. man lived if yet lawful to call him man only that wrought strange wonders and had many followers both Iewes and Gentils This Christ whom the chiefe of our Nation accused Pilate condemned to dy upon à Cross Euseb lib. Hist Eccles c. 11. Hieron de Script in verbi Josephus rose again the third day as the Prophets had foretold and as we read in the Jerosolimitanian Talmud named Gavoda Zara Miraculously cured innumerable diseased though the latter Iewes attribute this power of working Miracles not to any virtue in Christ nor to the Divel as their Progenitors impiously did but say they were wrought at the pronouncing of an ineffable name called by them Sem Hammaphoras or à name expounded The Turks Alcoran witness de Lingendes recount's at large the Miracles of our Saviour where you read of his cleāsing
the Lepers his restoring sight to the blind raising the dead and curing all manner of jnfirmities And though both this and the other Testimony solely considered may seem to Some of lesse Account yet added to the true attestation of all called Christians they have weight and avail to illustrate the glory of our Saviours Miracles 9 The Testimony of Gentils alledged by many Beda Basil print Anno 1563. Tom. 2 in fine Pag. 351. ancient Fathers you have in the writings of those Prophetesses called Sibylls Our venerable Bede recounts one well worth the Readers knowledge It happened saith this Author that à hundred Senators of Rome had every one the same strange dream or saw an unusual vision of nine Suns in the Heaven The various Sign 's and different lights appearing in these Suns Bede What vision à hundred Senaters at Rome saw amply set's down The Senators moved with the wonder hearing great renown of the Sibyl Tiburtin as gift in Prophesy named Cassandra by Messengers invited her to Rome whither she came and was honourably entertained Upon her arrival the Senators meeting together declared their dream She adswered 't is best we retire to the Mountain Appenine here is no fit place and there I will interpret the whole Mystery and did so The nine Suns you saw said she presage the future Generations and because various in their aspects point out the different lives and manners in men to come The first Sun was splendid casting beams all over the earth which showes The Sybils â—nterpretation people in that generation will be candid in their dealing mild and benigne The second Sun yet more luminous represent's the second Generation when men wil much encrease live splendidly and converse here on earth without malice The third Sun all fiery and flaming portend's that Nation will rise up against Nation and cause great strife in this your City of Rome The fourth Sun expresses the fourth Generation when men will openly deny plain truth But then an Hebrew woman called Mary will arrise having à Spouse A Prophesy of Christ and his Virgin Mother by name Ioseph Of this Mary Iesus Christ true man will be born and she before and after his birth remain Virgin At the birth of Iesus Angels shall appear and sing Glory to God on high à voice also will be heard from Heaven This is my beloved Son hear him Iesus will change the Iewish ceremonial Lawes and establish his own in lieu of them and his Kingdome shall last in secula seculorum 10 Certain Priests among the Iewes being present grew angry and wished the Sibyl to surcease from such terrible words but she couragiously checked their incredulity and went on with her Prophecy relating to our Saviour In the dayes of Caesar Augustus said she Jesus will appear in mortal flesh and like other Infants come The Sibyl sortell's our Saviours Miracles his buffets and Crucifixion tò perfect growth Great Opposition will he suffer from the Kings and Princes on earth but those who honour him shall have eternal life Then she laid forth our Saviour Miracles of his curing the blind deafe and lame of his feeding five thousand with five barly loaves and specifies his other admirable wonders there recounted Soon after she foretold how barbarously the Iewes would use him in buffeting and spitting on his sacred face and finally crucifying him on à Crosse but all in vain said the Sibyl for the third day he shall rise from the dead visibly show him selfe to his Disciples and in their sight Ascend to Heaven Here you have some part of our venerable Bedes relation what is omitted you may easily find in the Author together with à larger description given of the other five Suns now not pertinent to my present purpose 11. To this Testimony you may well add what Euseb Histor Eccles lib. 1. c. 2. Eusebius writes of the Emperour Tiberius where we are told that He hearing of the Miracles wrought by our Saviour and upon the clear informations given by Pilates letter of Christs rising Tiberius the Emperour Striving to honour Christ was opposed from the dead after three dayes Tiberius would have placed him amongst the Gods but the Senate opposed the designe as à Novelty contrary to their Lawes notwithstanding saith Tertullian in his Apology for Christians Tiberius was so far from altering his judgement concerning the Sanctity and Miracles done by Christ that he ever thought most honourably of them and more over threatned punishment to all that accused Christians or hindred the Propagation of their Faith If therefore Iewes Turks and Heathens highly valued our Saviours Miracles as you have heard and all Christians conspire in à truth so openly received we may well conclude that their Fame is very universal and upon humane faith for still we keep within the bounds of arguing rationally morally speaking most certain 12. Hence I proceed to the second part of The force of publick Fame my Assertion and prove that à Fame so universal concerning matters of fact grounded upon sense or Ey-sight and never rationally contradicted is upon humane faith Without further debate most undoubted But the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles were once thus objects of sense seen by many distinct persons and at different times who cannot be supposed either Maliciously to feign innumerahle horrid Lies or clancularly to agree by common consent in avouching such matters to have been truly seen with eyes which never were seen this I say is morally impossible and observe my Proof Allow the Historical part of the new Testament so much worth as both Iewes and Gentils grant to any ordinary good Historian I require no more We read there that many saw Lazarus raised from the dead others the blinde man cured others the Lepers cleansed others the infirm made whole No forgery in those who saw Christs Miracles by à word of our Saviours mouth c. I ask whether any can prudently conceive that these different Ey-wisnesses at some time or other met together and conspired thus foolithly among themselves So many of us shall avouch and falsly they saw Lazarus raised to life that was not truly dead so many shall say they saw the Lepers cleansed the Sick restored to health though no such wonders were ever done by Christ yet let us boldly blaze these things abroad and stand to the hazard follow what will Is such à forgery likely or believable No it is improbable upon this convincing reason Forgery and fiction usually playes tricks in obscure matters à far of as in feigned visions or pretended Revelations not obvious to sense but in things sensible neer at hand publick and visible Fiction because most easily discovered becomes its own ruin and point blanck like witless policy frustrat's the end aimed at as plainly appear's in many pretended false Miracles which when made manifest as often falls ' out have not only brought condign punishment but more-over Shame and
more in the place Cited above was either brought to passe by Virtue of true Miracles or not if by Miracles we have our intent if not plain reason witness S. Austin teaches that no greater Miracle can be conceived than to behold à sinful and unbelieving World converted without the Miracles we plead for Answerable hereunto others Argue and methinks pertinently These Blessed men who wrote the History of the Gospel and registred our Saviours Miracles with their own at last as all know couragiously endured violent deaths to Testify that the Doctrin and Miracles they wrote of were no Leger-de-main but sincerely true In doing this we must either judge them horridly impious or stark mad if they registred matters of Fact that never were or contrarywise own them Divinly inspired and faithful Ministers of their great Lord and Master Say they were impious besotted or mad you utter the greatest Paradox that ever mouth spake and must confesse that whole multitudes wise and learned were converted to Christ by wicked and mad Impostors which proves him or them impious and utterly bereaved of Judgement that dare upon no ground avouch à Fiction so shamfully incredible These first followers of Christ therefore proceeded with all Sincerity and registred their great Masters Doctrin and Miracles most faithfully 17. A third Proof methinks Very convincing may be thus proposed Should à Stranger come amongst us from the furthest Parts of the world and tell us he hath heard much in his Travels of great wonders done by à man called Jesus Christ as also of Strange Miracles wrought by some poor followers Christ had named Disciples and very willing he is to be better informed concerning the truth of these divulged Wonders To give this man rational Satifaction I would in the first place put into his hands the History of the Gospel where these Matters of Fact are recorded and next demand whether he can more rationally call into doubt the truth of that History owned by innumerable How à Strâger may be satisfyed that doubts of Christs Miracles multitudes à true Book at least upon humane faith than in prudence Question the verity of any other History he own 's true In case he boggles at the History I must know Why and upon what rational ground he boggles Now this ground after some little discourse will appear so remote from being rational that it can come at last to nothing but à selfe conceipted Fancy because it is utterly impossible to make any more just or reasonable exception against the plain History of the Gospel than against any other known or received true Story Thus much cleared which no Enemy of Christ unlesse most unreasonable can deny our Stranger casts his thoughts upon Iewes and modern Sectaries and finds these by their own confession so destitute of Miracles that none among them can pretend to any since Christianity began Next he peruses the Gospel see 's with what Candour the Evangelists recount our Saviours Miracles and seems willing enough to hold all true upon humane Faith because he finds no reasonable exception against them yet stick 's much at one Passage where we are told of greater works to be Iohn 14. v. 12. done by those who believe in Christ than he had wrought If this can be made out and verifyed saith the Stranger Christ did not only foretel future things which is proper to God but it followes also that after his death and leaving the world He did as if present with some choise Servants impower them to perpetuate the like visible Wonders he had wrought Christ therefore Saith he was either very unwise in promising so largely while he lived if he never performed it or if he really made all good he worthily deserves credit and ought to be believed before any that hitherto taught the world for though we read of some Heathens who gloriously set forth their own Wonders yet none of them dared to Prophesy of doing Miracles after death by others neither did they for ought I know work any by men of the like Belief or Profession with them Thus the Travaller discourses and urges to have these latter Miracles wrought by Christs Servants rationally laid forth to an unbyassod Judgement To Satisfy the difficulty here proposed 18. All know that matters of Fact as Miracles where of we now discourse are not proved by Principles taken from natural Causes or the deep knowledge of Metaphysical learning for who will go about to show that Caesar was à glorious Warrier or Cicero an Eloquent Orator by Metaphysicks or natural reasoning None can attempt this All therefore that Argue pertinently must rely upon other proofs and plead as we have done for Apostolical Miracles by the publick Fame of them spread the whole world over or finally Reason thus It is manifest that those first Blessed men however weak in them selves without force of Armes ruined the Idols of the Gentils and converted innumerable to Christ Ergo they wrought great Miracles answerable to that Ruin and the admirable Conversions done by them 19. To give more force to these and the like Vpon what Principles Miracles are proved Proofs I doe not only as S. Chrisostom advises take into my hands the Apostles Acts written by S. Luke where we read of stupendious Miracles but I also reflect upon our Saviours antecedent Promise concerning greater Works and further evince the real truth of that Prophesy by the consequent visible Wonders which those first blessed men wrought here on earth And first I might tell you it is clear from the Prophesies of the old Scripture that the ancient Priesthood among the Iewes was to fail and à new King and Priest raign for ever that à Church once barren should have many Children as we proved above It is again clear that these Prophesies were fulfilled when Christ our Lord established his own glorious Kingdom the Christian Catholick Church and though Iewes seek to darken the light of those clear Predictions yet it is evident that Christ has had à glorious Church in the world above Sixteem Ages which as Tertullian observes stood not confined to one Tertull. lib adversus Judaeos cap. 8. or more places like the Empire of Nabuchodonosor or Alexander but Vbique porrigitur c. has à vast extent is believed every where Reign 's every where and is reverenced in all places Hence I Argue When innumerable worthy How Worthy Credit those VVitnesses are who defend Miracles Witnesses within one only Kingdom against whom never just exception was or can be made unanimously averr à matter of Fact assented to as an undoubted Verity That is held Unquestionable So all prudently judge such à Prince as Henry the. 5th to have once gloriously reigned in England because many worthy Witnesses never rationally excepted against Avouch it as à certain Truth but à far greater cloud of worthy Witnesses members of Christ's glorious Church against whom their was never any Just exception openly declare and
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
thou wilt find merciful if thou ceasest not to be faithful in his Service Hermogenes overjoyed embraced these wholsome Admonitions and Promised to comply with every one most faithfully then falling down at the Apostles feet I know saith he the wrath of the Divels will tear me in pieces unlesse you give me something to S. Iames defend's Hermogenes from the rage of Divels secure me from their rage Take this my walking Staffe replyed S. James and no Divel shall annoy thee Much more followes of Hermogenes his working Miracles with the Apostles Staffe of his Zeal in preaching JESUS Christ and proving Christ out of the old Testament to be the true Son of God the long expected Messias and converting many to the true Faith Some dayes after these great Conversions wrought Abiathar the Priest of that year Seditiously raised à storm of persecution against S. James who violently haled to Herode the Son of Archelaus was by his command beheaded 8. Will you briefly hear what Sport our Dr makes with this Relation First saith he You must never ask from whence they had it it is fully enough that the name of Hermogenes and Philetus are in the new Testament I answer the Dr had more for the small parcel he relates than these two bare names set down in Scripture otherwise he will be thought the first Contriver of it In à word the Story is collected out of so many Manuscripts dispersed up and down several parts in Europe that unlesse you say all conspired to register à Fable you ought upon humane The whole Story proved Authentick Faith to yeild assent First it is extant in Codice Osnaburgensi Mendensi 2. In the Queen of Swedens M. S. preserved yet at Rome 3. It is taken out of the ancient Manuscripts of S. Audomarus 4. Out of certain M. S. in Marchia and lastly to omit others out of Cardinal Mazarins Manuscripts An Extract or collection of all these and many other particulars gathered by two worthy Judicious men about 14. years Since I have now on the Table where I write and hope this comes to more than à proof taken from the two names of Hermogenes and Philetus recorded in the new Testament 9. The Dr's Objections proposed against this Story are so profoundly simple that they deserve nothing but contempt One is the mention made of Hermogenes in the present Roman Breviary seem's very lean and bare That is he would have had the fifth Lesson there enlarged which some who are obliged to their Canonical houres might perhaps have thought too long and well content themselves with the substance of the Story there expressed Viz. S. Iames returned to Hierusalem when among The Doctors simple Objections others he had instructed Hermogenes à Magician in the Truth of Christian Faith c. Another Objection takes all its force from the Dr s memory who forsooth remembers no Abiathar high Priest since the Dayes of King Solomon Had he had but à smal portion of Solomons wisdom he might have reflected that many things are now out of his remembrance which were once in it and far more there are which never got thither One Abiathar was in Solomons time and why might not there be another in Herodes dayes The Relation expresly saies it and That 's enough for me I said just now that the Apostle to secure Hermogenes from the rage of Divels lent him his walking staff Is not this saith our Dr very wisely like one of the Apostles Miracles to give men Instruments for the cudgelling of Divels Pray Sr tell me when à Saint as Eliseus the Prophet was gave his staff to Giezi did that necessarily imply any Cudgelling Businesse I hope not though if by Cudgelling in this place you mean nothing but à lessening of Power I wish the Divel for your sake soundly cudgelled Ludovicus à S. Carolo Bibliothe Pontifiprinted at Lyons 1643. lib. 1. pag. 36. 10. A word now of Pope Calixtus his Writings where you have the Miracles of S. James largely recorded in five Books Ludovicus Jacob à S. Carolo testifies that the Miracles Written by Pope Calixtus the second are also preserved in M. S. at Oxford in Bibliothe Balliolensi n. 213 and at Cambrige in the Colledge of S. Benedict Moreover that à Book is kept there concerning the Translation of S. James Body Bellovac spec Hist lib. 26. à cap. 26. usque ad cap. 41. n. 41. The most of them add's Ludovicus we find in Vincent Bellovacensis 11. The five Books now mentioned of Pope Calixtus are had also in M. S. in the Library of S. Peters Church at Rome over the Sacristy belonging to the Canons of that Church whereof à Collection was made some years agone by two worthy learned men Godefridus Henschenius and Daniel Popebrochius famous all over the world upon the Account of their industrious labours These Writings I have before me And shall to the honour of this great Apostle briefly select some few of the choisest matters there contained To transcribe all would swell to à larger Volume than this whole Treatise is 12. The Argument of the Preface of B. Pope Calixtus to his second Book of 22. Miracles wrought by S. James begins thus Summopere pretium est S. Iacobi miracula c. It is à thing of great worth to set down in Writing the Miracles of S. James the Son of Zebedee and Patron of Gallicia because they highly conduce to the Honour of our Lord JESUS CHRIST and the Advancement of his Glory Soon after saith the Pope VVhat I have attentively taken From whom Pope Caliâ—tus gathered his writings notice of as I past through several Nations relating to the Apostles Miracles wrought in Gallicia what I have learned of others and seen with my own eyes I here commit to VVriting Some of these great wonders I took out of Books in France some out of Codicills found in Germany in Italy Dacia and in other remote Parts of the world yet I recount not all for that Task would be immense but only such Miracles of this great Apostle as are undoubtedly certain and proved true by Authentick Books and most faithful VVitnesses Reader Observe in passing that à whole Book of S. James his Miracles related by Calixtus is approved in à Breve of Pope Innocent directed The approbation of his writings to all faithful Christians where the Book is stiled Authentick and of undouhted Credit In confirmation whereof the Subscription of eight Cardinals followes adjoyned to the Breve And the first is Albericus Bishop of Ostia with these words Ad decus S. Iacobi c. To the Honour of S. James I do testify that this Book is approveable and praise worthy The original Testimony of the Breve and Subscriptions also you have in the Library of the King of France n. 1815. What thinks Dr Still of this Will he say what I quote is false Let that be proved which shall never be and I have done
had done like one versed in Antiquity But to turn off with à lame I am apt to think they will meet c VVhile no flaw is found in the Manuscripts produced makes your Enquiry after Miracles ridiculous And no other is your earnest urging home the Authority and Approbation of those Books you tax of Forgery Say Sr I pray VVhat advantage gain you to your cause in telling us those Books are highly approved if that for which they are approved be no further discountenanced by you than by barely saying You are apt to think they will meet with à great deal of Infidelity This Supposed Infidelity should have been plainly made out but instead of complying with that hard Task you wave the whole matter and only Think many things are amisse I think many things amisse in your Voluminous Account But is this enough to refute it 10. Now because you insist so much upon the Approbation of these Books please to know Two things considerable in the approbation of Books Two things may be Questioned First whether all the particular Miracles recorded by Capgrave and Colganus be in them selves exactly true And to Assert this the Truth of those Records and Manuscripts made use of is to be maintained as undoubted which very few I am perswaded no not Colganus himselfe will affirme For to ascertain the unquestionable Verity of such Records much more is required than to find them Written in old Characters or in à simple Style In like manner to prove them False or forged much more is necessary than to jeer or laugh at them as the Dr doth The second thing observable in the Approbations is the exact Diligence or Fidelity of the Collectors of Miracles so far the Approbations given by learned men reach and no further as you may se by the Censure of those who have approved Colganus first Tome Which is to say They approved his Fidelity in relating what he read in some Ancient Martyrologies Though none of these kind Censurers dare Swear that all he read there ought to be owned manifestly true without further Examination Thus Mr Doctor you must Discourse when afterwards you tell us out of Aelianus Vopiscus and others of strange Wonders like Miracles wrought by Heathens If these Authors speake as you quote you are quit of Blame and so far speak Truth But it doth not therefore follow that either Heathens did Miracles or that the matters of Fact were so in themselves as those Authors recount Just so it is our present case Capgrave and Colganus bring to light I confesse Quotations may be approved as Exact though the matters quoted be not true many strange Things and quote their Manuscripts for every particular the Quotations are approved as exact but whether those Ancient Manuscripts which may be Written by too slight hands or in à long time perhaps altered from what they once were punctually relate Truth is another difficulty and cannot be approved without more Trial and further Inspection into matter so Prodigious as we find there 11. The Judgement of those two learned Bolland Henschenius tom 1. Febr. c. 3. Writers Ioannes Bollandus and Godefridus Henschenius differ's nothing from what is here noted For speaking of Colganus they first prayse his great labour amply shown in his many Collections made of Irish Saints 2. They prudently advised him first to set forth such Martyrologies and Ancient Copies as he had by him which being once Publick and approved by men versed in Antiquity would give both force and light to the Saints and Miracles there mentioned 3. Though Colganus did not upon Reasons set down follow that Good Counsel yet he courteously granted F. Bollandus two Martyrologies belonging to the Month of February whereof saith Bollandus we made use But How VVe only Transcribed the Lives of such Saints taken out of those VVritings as we had sound approved in the Lives of other Saints Minimae suspectae fidei not at all doubted of And Purposely refrained to own those stupendious Miracles perhaps done Though often so unslâ—ilfully pack't together without Notice given of the Saints Vertues that à Reader may rather smile when he peruses them than Reverence the Saints Colganus VVrites of Thus Bollandus speak's warily and it is worth the Readers knowledge 12. Moreover Bollandus and Henschenius Actâ— Sanct. Bolland Hensch mense Ian. in Praefaâ— Gen c. 3. observe that in recounting the lives and Miracles of Saints the like is in all other History There are several Degrees of certainty or great Probability First if Ey-witnesses lyable to no exception attest upon Oath that they saw such à VVonder The matter of fact related cannot be prudently called into doubt For thus our Saviours own Miraclcs gained credit and I think without Oath from innumerable before Several degrees of certainty for Miracles Scripture recorded them But we as I noted above have the like clear humane Testimony for Miracles done in the Roman Catholick Church seen by Ey-witnesses and openly attested as that was wrought at Naples upon F. Mastrilli and all those were which God did by our glorious Bishop S. Thomas of Hereford Seen I say by many Ey-witnesses attested by Oath still preserved upon Record and conveyed down by Tradition as most clear and undoubted Truths If therefore the Dr's Discourse when he tell 's us that fallible Tradition alone which supplies the want of our Senses in Conveying upon moral certainty the Miracles of Christ to the Primitive Christians and to us also be without exception Good The Tradition of these now specifyed Miracles and express Records besides may well serve to convey them to men now living and to Posterity hereafter 13. Some may Reply the humane Tradition in behalfe of Christ's Miracles the Dr own 's no Tradition Divine and infallible is both for time and place very Vniversal and received by all Christians The Tradition for this or that particular Miracle of Saints though seen and attested upon Oath never yet gained the like General Assent and therefore Cannot be Parallel'd with that other more Universal To Answer à An objection Answered simple Objection I ask first whether this way of Arguing be solid Some particulars related of Caesar and Pompey as that they were men once in being Couragious and gallant Spirits c. are received upon Tradition more Vniversal than our Saviours Miracles For all Heathens Iewes Turks and Christians easily Swallow down These yet Iewes and Heathens boggle at Christ's Miracles Ergo they are lesse certain than those other because not so Universally assented to Every rational Christian will deny the Consequence upon this Ground because our Saviours Miracles being wrought before many are apt did not malice or some other accidental Cause hinder to beget in all à Vniversal Assent This is our Answer which will better appear if we examin things to the bottom Our Saviour raised Lazarus from the dead cured the blind man and wrought other great Wonders in such and such particular
six or seven things of no little Importance Sr when you have more faithfully laid S. Austins Testimonies together hitherto horridly out of order and far from Truth you will find your selfe at à losse and much short in your Reckoning But what are these Observations The first is That the main intention of Miracles vvas to convince Vnbelievers Add likewise to encrease A word to some Observations maie by the Dr. Faith and devotion in Believers as also to benefit them spiritually and corporally and you speak with S. Austin otherwise not 2. That Faith being established there vvas no longer any Necessity of the Povver of Miracles For proof hereof the Dr must either make use of S. Augustins Fall speaking in that 63. Question demonstratively proved à fourb or will be forced to sit down silent 3. That though Miracles vvere not of any such Necessity yet God out of his abundant kindness pleased to do some Extraordinary things among them in their time Mark how the Dr not daring to spea Fully minces matters some extraordinary things that is the raising of the dead and restoring sight to the blind c. for of these S. Austin speaks fully must Forsooth be called Extraordinary things but by no means dovvn right Miracles 4. That in Disputes about the Church they never appealed to the Povver of Miracles Very false for S. Austin already cited speaks fully and tell 's us that most glorious Miracles though Hereticks spiâ—ghfully opposed them held him fast in the Catholick Church 5. That those out of the true Church might make as great à Pretence to Miracles Visions and Revelations as those who were in it as appear's by the Donatist's To what End this Observation is made no man A pretence to Truth only little beneficial sees much lesse how it is gathered out of S. Augustin's Testimonies Did ever S. Austin teach that the greatness of à Pretence to Truth entail's Truth upon the Pretenders Certainly no for all know that as the Donatists laid claim to true Miracles they also pretended to be the only true Church Was that so because they Pretended There is à vast difference Mr Dr between à great Pretence and à strue Pretence the first those Hereticks might have but not the second unless you will say and I am affraid you would fain be at it durst you speak Fully That the Donatists Miracles and Visions were every whit as Good and sound as those which S. Austin recount's in his 8. Chapter cited If this be meant your Observation hath Sence in it without it there is none though I see not how this Sence agree's with your own Concession Viz. That God out of his abundant kindness pleased to do some extraordinary things among Orthodox Christians in those Dayes Extraordinary favours wrought by Almighty God Mr Dr were most surely real and not Phansies like the Donatists pretended Miracles Thus much of these Observations the other two scarce worth naming you have already refuted 15. We are now as the Title requires to give account of other Testimonies produced by Mr Dr against the Miracles of the Roman Church and because S. Gregory the Great one famous for Sanctity and Learning the whole Christian world over And our Venerable Bede à man highly renowned every where relate many particular Miracles wrought by God's favour neer The Dr strangely rude with S. Gregory and Bede or in the Ages they lived our Dr to blast the Credit of These two eminent Authors more like à Scold than à Scholar rudely taxes both of want of Iudgement and tell 's us they were the men that gave encouragement to all the Monkish Tales and impostures aftervvard Who durst have spoken thus irreverently but Bold Dr Stillingfleet After Dr Still Page â—86 venting this Passion please to hear à strange Proposition The credibility of their Miracles in the Church of Rome saith the Dr is destroyed by the Testimony of their ovvn more Iudicious Writers and to prove the Assertion he first produces Ioannes Ludovicus Vives and Melchior Canus as if forsooth these two Writers let them be greater then they are ought to be esteemed in the publick Opinion of the world more judicious than S. Gregory and our worthy Country man Venerable Bede Believe this who will Christians hitherto never thought so Ludovicus Vives one of Florence may passe for à Gramarian of his soundnes in Doctrin I say nothing Melchior Canus one of S. Dominick's Order was certainly very learned But free enough in his Censures given of others as learned as himselfe And this Licentiousness his Master Franciscus Victoria Sâ— Canus l. de Hum Histor Auctorit in proaemio foresaw when he feared that Canus would tread under foot the good Precepts he had learned of him 16. To confront the Dr's wild Proposition I say neither Vives nor Canus nor any Catholick Author ever destroyed the Credibility of Miracles in the Church of Rome no Catholick Author ever yet denyed true and most glorious Miracles to have been wrought in this great Body of Christians The Dr's Testimonies therefore not faithfully Quoted were they as he would have them are meer Impertinences and prove nothing against Miracles Observe Reader his simple and fallacious Proceeding Canus saith he and others recount Miracles Written in the lives of many Saints which in their Judgements were no Miracles because Written upon very uncertain reports Ergo these Authors doubt and deny all true Miracles which they openly professe to have been wrought in the Roman Catholick Church Is this way of Arguing tolerable Can any man inferr because one Questions or denyes some things he therefore Questions or denyes matters whereof he has certain assurance I certainly know Dr Still has quoted many Authors amisse do I therefore say he Quotes none right when I find though seldome the passage entire he remits me to 17. Turn now if you please to Canus whom Canus de Hum Hist Anct. l. 11. c. 6 Coloniae impres 1605. p. 533 the Dr cites De locis Theol. but means or he err's his 11. Book concerning the Authority of humane History His loci Theol. contain only two Books There you shall find that Canus admit's what ever Approved Historians testify to have seen Themselves or received from other credible Persons who were Ey-witnesses as many things are recounted in the Epistles of S. Ambrose of S. Cyprian S. Hierom in S. Austin's books De Civitate Dei S. Gregories Dialogues And for the most part in all other approved Ecclesiastical Writers To suspect saith Canus that such page 535. men vvould convey Lyes to Posterity vvould be à grievous sin à haynous offence Canus also receives with Canusplainly admits great Miracles all honour and veneration as Pope Gelasius did the Lives of S. Antony S. Paul S. Hilarion and all the Ancient Ermirs set foâ—th by S. Hierom where you have innumerable Miracles recounted These he admit's and therefore own 's great Miracles wrought by Saints 18. Soon after
the Sign of the Crosse in the place here cited He tell 's us that fire made by enchantment unactive and contrary to its nature burned not was freed from the Witchery by casting Holy Water upon it blessed with the Sign of the Crosse whereupon the People and many Jewes were present cryed aloud there is one God that Epiphan cited in the precedent page 60. help 's Christians and departed satisfyed Another like Miracle He relates of à raging man possessed by the Divel that was presently delivered from the ill Spirit by Holy water cast upon him blessed with that Holy Signe The Testimonies of the Learned Theodoret seem here very remarkable Theod. l. 5. Eccl Hist c. 21 Coloig print 1577. page 312 The Divel saith he hindred fire from burning when Fuel was applyed the Pastor hearing of the Charm Forthwith blessed Holy Water with the Sign of the Cross gave it to Equitius à Deacon commanding him to sprinckle the water upon the enchanted fire That done saith Theoderet the Divel ran away the water burned like Oyl and the fire consumed the vvood in à moment Had the Dr I say considered these and many other Miracles wrought by that Holy Sign which most worthy Fathers and far more Ancient than S. Gregory recount Hee S. Gregor lib. 1. c. 11. would certainly have spoken with more respect and not scorned S. Gregory because he tell 's you of one Martirius that signed à cake in the Embers with the Sign of the Holy Crosse 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 1. REader you have three things chiefly in the Pages here noted First Many Testimonies taken out of latter Authors quoted most unsincerely some as the Dr thinks prove great Miracles to have ceased in the Church And all those are false Others much inveigh against the forging of Miraracles which though truly Quoted are nothing as I now said to our present Purpose A Second thing and most blamable is the Dr's fallacious way of arguing who would fain draw his main Document of Miracles ceasing from this unsound principle Some pretended Miracles have been proved counterfeit Therefore none ought to be ovvned true The last thing worth reflection relates to many Notorious Impertinencies Of these in order and first we begin with the Dr's Quotations 2. He cites 1. John Gerson and partly Gerson declaratio veritat tom 1 page 415 conceal's partly pervert's the genuine Sence of this Author who relies on à certain Principle waved by the Dr and delivers most true Doctrin As saith Gerson citing Aristotle it matters not that some things false in themselves are more probable than others true So import's not if somethings false in themselves be piously believed not as false for if known as false it is far from the Piety of the faithful to believe them The Estimation or pious credulity therefore fall's not upon the verity or falsity but only upon the appearance and probability while the falsity or verity is unknown Hence S. Hierom prudently said it 's better in such matters piously to doubt than rashly to define Two Gerson's Doctrin here faithfulâ—y set down contradictories may both be probable and the one well stand's with the other not in Truth but in Probability Thus under different Respects both may be believed without Prejudice to Faith so that the mind be free from pertinacy Reader what is hitherto amiss in Gersons Doctrin while he teaches nothing the Dr conceal's this but à Truth known the whole world over For who is there that believes not matters only probable in appearance whereof there is no absolute certainty Hath the Dr I beseech you certainty of all things that passe his head or believes upon humane Faith Gerson goes on This Degree of certainty respect's the Legends and Miracles of Saints the Lives of Fathers and the Visions of devout Persons c. Which the Church embraces and permit's to be read not that it determin's them to be believed as necessary for Saluation But because they conduce to move the pious affections of the faithful so long as nothing in such matters is known to be false although also nothing is known upon certainty to be true so in those things that by à pious consideration might be done is more to be regarded than what was done Thus Gerson 3. Now hear the Dr's own words Written in à different Character Gerson saith he honestly confesses this to be the End of the Legends and Miracles of Saints and their Visions and Revelations so much talked of in the Roman Church Viz. To stir up the Piety and Good affections of the People For these things saith he are not proposed by the Church to be believed as true but they are rather to consider them as things that might be done than things that vvere done Reflect Reader in passing how the Dr condemn's himselfe by his own words for if Gerson speaks as most certainly he doth of Miracles and visions read in the Lives of Saints not proposed by the Church to be believed as true but only permitted to be read He opposes no Miracles no Visions approved by the Church or owned as true Nay these he plainly supposes in his precedent words Priusquam elucidaretur alio modo Gerson impugn's not approved Miracles per Ecclesiam vel rationem certam ipsa veritas before the verity be cleared by the Church or upon some other certain reason Let therefore approved Miracles stand firm without controule we have our intent and will while the Dr loses both his time and cause Do as S Hierom prudently advises rather piously doubt of these Legendary Miracles than rashly define any thing The Dr end 's his Harangue thus Gerson saith it is no matter if some things that are really false be piously believed so they be not believed as false or known false at the same time The Dr thought this word False would rattle lowd in à vulgar eare whereas had he distinguished as Gerson doth between Truth in appearance or Probability and perhaps no Truth in re the noise would have ceased Has not many à man upon great Probability been deemed honest and so proceeded with that really was otherwise and many an one probably thought dishonest who deserved not that Censure Thus the Judgement of men are often regulated by Appearances Mens Iudgements often regulated by Probalities without having Truth clearly laid before them Miracles Judged probable or in appearance only have their End which as Gerson saith is to stir up Devotion though no man goes about to prove the Church infallible by them as the Dr too simply Imagin's 4. Three or four Quotations yet remain taken out of Lyranus Cajetan Launoy and Luke d'Achery as weightlesse and witlesse here as if the Dr had told you à tale of à Tub. These Authors Reader worthily blame all
the Mores were converted upon it Doth this condemning the Mores Incredulity imply à Denial of all Miracles Stella in c. 16. Lucae page 292. 1. Colum Certainly no. But to take all doubt away read Stella where he saith there are very many Miracles vvroûght vvhich for number and greatnes are admirable and far surpasse all those Signs granted to unbelievers and therefore the faithful are easily discerned from Infidels by Miracles God's ovvn certain Seals and knovvn Characters of Truth Yet more Those saith he who believe not the Roman Catholick Church will believe no Miracles Though the Dead were raised to life again Is this to tell us as the Dr falsely imposes on Stella that the Power of Miracles is ceased 16. The Dr replies Stella doth not only Say 2. Colum ibidem that the Povver of Miracles ceases now proved false But moreover affirm's that the receiving of it vvould do more hurt than good For men vvould Say that the Christian Faith vvas not sufficiently confirmed before I Answer The Dr once more egregiously cheat's the Reader For Stella speak's not of all men But only of such as are actually Believers And saith that all fully persvvaded of the Truths they believe and firmly embrace need not to seek after new Miracles for this End and mark the words to confirm that Faith they hold most certain which is true Doctrin Then presently Hee More of the Dr's Iugling adjoyn's if such believe not Moses and the Prophets he means the Doctors and Pastors of the Catholick Church neither will they believe though they saw men raised from the dead Hence you see how the Dr would Trapann you while out of this true Principle A faithful man actually Setled in à firm beliefe of all the Catholick Church teaches ought not to require or desire more Miracles to confirm that faith From this Principle I Say he would infer that Miracles cease and conclude That God out of his great mercy will shew none in order to the Conversion of Infidels Iewes and Hereticks Is this consequence good think ye Miracles for such and End as is specified are not now necessary Nay for that End would do more hurt than good Ergo it is not convenient that God work them upon other Design 's Viz. For the glory of his Church for the confusion of Infidels or as Stella notes for à clear Mark whereby Believers may be distinguished from the professed Adversaries of Christ 17. Our good Dr in the next place Quotes Victoria Relect 5 p 100 with me printed at Lyons 1557 â—anciscus de Victoria in his Relections who saith he heard of no Miracle or Sign wrought for the Conversion of the Indies Never was there the like blind Quotation foisted in by any Dr. Reader Victoria hath two Tomes containing twelve Relections six in the one and six in the other The fifth Relection in the first The Dr's Quotations dark and blinde Tome is de Indis posterior sive de Iure belli where I find no 200. page That 200. page went before under the Title of his second Relection De potestate Civili or Civil Power In the second Tome one Relection is de Arte Magicâ neither have we there any 200. page nor à word in either place like to that which the Dr cites But Suppose Victoria saith he had heard of no Miracles wrought for the conversion of the Indies that only proves all truths came not to his eares while others have both heard and expresly mentioned most glorious Miracles But this is evidently true And 18. To prove my Assertion I will here only Josephus Acosta Histoire naturelle des Indes tant Orientalles qu'occident Liv. 7. c. 27. Dedie au Roy 1595. produce two most worthy creditable Authors Josephus Acosta in his natural History of the Indies is one Where he recount's several great Miracles wrought by Almighty God in the open View of those Barbarians forceable enough to convert the hardest heart What can be more admirable saith he than to hear that three or four Poor Travellers Cabeca de vaca and his companions passing along with some enraged Indians were threatned death unlesse they cured the Infirm and diseased among them The distressed Captives having no other medicine at hand made use of Spiritual Physick the Sacred Prodigious Miracles wrought among the Indians Gospel and the prayers of the Holy Church In à word by only Saying those devout prayers and making the Sign of the Crosse upon the Sick Infidels much like the Apostles they instantly cured innumerable The Bruit whereof running abroad They were forced to goe up and down and to do the like wonders in many Villages where they healed all sort of diseased Persons Thus Josephus Acosta Who likewise tell 's you of à strange Miracle done by à Souldier of Peru called Lancero upon à desperate wound which he cured by Saying some Holy Words One by à Souldier of Peru. and making the Sign of the Crosse upon the wound No lesse admirable is his relation of those Barbarians that besieged the Spaniards in à place called Cusco and by casting fire on their little Cottages covered with straw so sorely pressed them that without assistance from Heaven all had perished had not à certain Lady the Blessed Virgin visibly appeared over those Cottages and quenched the Fire as it fell upon the straw This the Infidels saw and afterwards recounted as à prodigious Miracle 19. Yet more It is known for certain saith Acosta by the relation of many Historians that in the several Battels the Spaniards fought against the Indians as well in new Spain as Peru those very Infidels saw in the Aire one like à Cavalier mounted upon à white horse with à Sword in his hand chasing away their forces Another by S. Iames. and fighting for the Spaniards Whence proceed's that great veneration the Spaniards bear to the glorious Apostle S James These few Testimonies I omit others may suffice to confront Dr Still who cites Josephus Acosta as one that saies Miracles were only necessary in the beginning of Josephus Acosta de procurandâ Indorum salute l. 2. c. 9. 10. Christian Religion And not to wrong the Dr his words are these Acosta at large debates this case why God doth not now give the Power of Miracles among those who preach to Infidels as he did of old and he offer 's at several reasons for it of vvhich this is the Chief that Miracles vvere necessary in the beginning of Christian Religion but not novv 20. Reader I have perused with great delight this pious and curious Author both De naturâ novi Orbis and likewise De procurandâ Indorum observe well of what Miracles Acosta speak's Salute and after à serious reflection made upon the two chapters quoted dare boldly averr that the Dr contrary to all conscience grosly abuses Acosta and every unwary Reader The Question proposed in the beginning of the 9. Chapter is thus
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
seem's to contradict Mr Dr and call's himselfe Gilbert Burnet this Gentleman ascribes great power to evil Spirits and Mr Burnet in his Rational Method for the proving the Truth of Christiā Religion c. page 24. and 25. saies Miracles cannot Determine his beliefe without some what previous to Miracles Then concludes The first and great Argument for the proof of Christian Religion is the purity of the Doctrin and the Holiness of its precepts which are so congruous to the Common Impressions of nature and reason I may here first Ask Mr Burnet of what Christian Religion he speaks There are Arians in the world that deny the Mystery of the Sacred Trinity and the Incarnation also Pelagians that deny the necessity of Divine Grace Grecians that deny the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and Son and finally Catholicks that believe these denyed Articles as Truths revealed by Almighty God All goe under the name of Christians And as you see contradict one another in the Very Fundamentals Mr Burnets Discourse found Weightles of Faith Speak out Mr Burnet the Difficulty here moved must not be flightly passed over is the Doctrin of so many dissenting Spirits in fundamentals pure Are the Precepts whereby every Society is obliged to follow the Doctrin it makes profession of Holy and Congruous Is it suitable to the Common Impressions of Nature and Reason Put us not off but Answer directly or point me out plainly that Society of Christians whose Doctrin only is pure and Percepts Holy or which is deemed by the wisest of the world so congruous to the Common Impressions of nature and reason If you extol your Puritans upon the account of their Pure Doctrin or your Protestants for Holy Precepts your first Reformers Luther Calvin Beza and the like will lay so much nastiness before your Eyes that the common light of Nature cannot but decry it as shameful and reason abhorre it Moreover you have not within the whole latitude of Protestancy as Protestancy one essential Article Se Reason and Religion Disc 1. c. 20. num 4. of Christian Doctrin pure For you have none at all Essential which is not either Popery and that 's no Doctrin of Protestancy as Protestancy or the long since Cashiered Opinions of condemned Hereticks as is amply proved in another Treatise A word now to your Exceptions against Miracles 12. You say 1. Some what previous to Miracles must have place ere we believe Christ's Doctrin and you build much upon its Congruity to the common Impressions of nature and reason Good Sr is the Sacred Mystery of the Trinity I hope you believe it which as Divines teach is above reason and transcend's all natural Discourse so Very congruous to the common Impressions of nature Our Lord Christ JESUS you know truly God and man after his painful labours was scourged and crucified by impious hands à scandal to the Iewes saith S Paul and foolishness to the Gentils Is this great Mystery 1. Cor 1. 2. 3. think ye so Very Congruous to reason You may say as the Apostle Writes that God to confound the wise made choise of things foolish in the eyes of men and of weak things to confound the strong But in doing so you run out of the reach of all natural Impressions and take your Proof from Divine Revelation so that if we yeild The high Mysteries of Faith transcend reason assent to these great Mysteries we are not to fix it upon any natural Principle but must believe because God has revealed them Now further But no man according to the present Order of Providence could ever prudently believe the Truth of that Revelation or own the Mysteries revealed evidently Credible Without Miracles and other prudent Motives Therefore Miracles Gods own Signatures were both necessary and ever previous to that firm assent which the Primitive Christians yeilded to the sublime Mysteries of Faith 13. Shall I prove what is here asserted by one clear and convincing Instance Suppose Almighty God should please to single out now Twelve poor Fishermen and impart many great Secrets never yet known to the world which cannot be known before they Preach Having commission from God they run from City to City and because so commanded faithfully declare what God told them For example The precise time of Antichrist's comming when the Day of Judgement will be how many are elected to eternal Glory how many rejected with other unknown Secrets but in the mean while A clear Instance proving what is asserted work no Miracles show no supernatural Signs only Speak and Preach Would prudent men think ye believe such Teachers or yeild assent to their Doctrin having no rational Motive to ground Beliefe upon But their bare word It is impossible Had therefore the blessed Apostles poor unlearned Fishermen by words only laid forth the Mysteries and high Secrets of our Faith had they only spoken of the sacred Trinity of that ineffable Mystery of God made man of the Dead rising to life again of the eternal pain due to the Damned and wrought no Miracles or exhibited no exteriour supernatural Wonders whereby to make their Doctrin Credible The whole world would have deemed them halfe frantick and dispised them as cheats or Authors of Novelties We se though they wrought stupendious Wonders yet how lingering and slow many were and are still in believing what then could have been expected had they shewed no Signs but à universal Incredulity 14. You Say 2. The Predictions of the Messias did all agree to our Saviour and received completion in him Very true Answers the Christian though the Iewes deny all and pervert these Prophesies to à sinister Sence And so much more your Barbarous Nations would have done had the blessed Apostles at their Preaching barely worded it or read out of the old Scriptures what Moses and the Prophets foretold of Christ But when they raised the dead to life cured the Infirm and visibly wrought other great Miracles before those they Preach't to the hardest hearts relented and yeilded to their Doctrin These Prophesies therefore are one partial Proof for Christianity but must not goe alone How the Motives of Credibility are to be taken without Miracles accompanying them Or if as taken Solitarily you hold them the chiefe or only motive you evince little The Motives of Credibility Sr are never to be look't on by retail or piecemeal joyned together they rationally convince devided from each other or considered one by one much of their Efficacy is lost 15. You Say 3. The strange Propagation of Christian Religion appear's not à sufficient Proof for Miracles I contrary hold it both stronge and convincing For as S. Austin discourses either The Propagation of the Gospel Miraculous Miracles as previous and the principal cause of that Propagation had influence upon it or not If they had Influence you grant what we plead for If not you must confesse the Propagation it selfe effected without
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.
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
disparity can be given Supposing the matters of Fact true And to call the Truth of all approved Miracles into doubt reaches to á high Degree of Madness 18. The only thing urged by Cajetan is that the most Authentick Testimonies of Miracles even in the Canonization of Saints are not altogether certain because it is á Written every man is à Lyar. If this Proof be valid Why may not he also mistake that wrote thus For he is amongst the number of every one Please Reader to distinguish three Degrees of certainty and the Difficulty vanishes One certainty called Metaphysical is altogether Infallible A second named Physical is had by such as behold à Miracle And that certainty the Three Degrees of certainty two Sisters Mary and Martha attained when they saw their Brother Lazarus raised to life A third certainty called Moral though inferiour to the other two may be so perswasive That none but most impudently and rashly can call the matter attested into doubt This Degree of Moral certainty all those had who upon the prudent Information of faithful Witnesses heard that our Lord restored life to Lazarus though they saw not the Miracle Thus much premised 19. I Say it is not necessary that Miracles which induce to Faith or excite us to believe be known by Metaphysical or Physical certainty A high moral Assurance of their being wrought The very most of the Primitive Christians before they believed had no greater is abundantly enough and fully sufficient The reason is Miracles as cap. 14. num 8. 9. I noted above show not Faith to be evidently true but only evidently credible neither are they the formal Object whereon Faith relies but rational Inducements only moving to accept of what ever Truth God Reveal's Therefore Cajetan saies well Faith must stand on à more Infallible Page 689. Moral certainty had of Miracles serves as an Inducement to Beliefe ground than that of Miracles and the Dr only Triefles when he tell 's us that our Writers hold there can be no certainty of the Truth of Miracles but from the Churches Approbation vvhich saies he is in effect to say They do not believe the Church Infallible because of their Miracles But they believe their Miracles to be true because they believe their Church to be Infallible The want of distinguishing different Degrees of certainty caused the Dr to blunder as he doth Read therefore his words thus We believe by à sirm Act of Faith the Church to be Infallible because God saies She is Infallible and to this Belief vve are prudently led by Miracles knovvn upon so high Moral certainty That it is open folly to call them into doubt And all difficulty ceases Again when the Church approves Miracles as true we ascend to à higher Step of certainty and own them thus approved without all hesitancy indubitable because à known Oracle seal's them up as certain Now I Ask Mr Dr who playes at fast The Dr would find à Difficulty where none is and loose with his word Certainty what Mystery lies in this that à lesser Degree of assurance to wit Moral serve as an Inducement to believe God speaking by the Church And that an other of à higher nature yet below the certitude of Faith be consequent after we own the Church firme and sure in Her Declarations No man but the Dr would have proposed such empty stuff to the wearisomnesse of every Reader Se more relating to this matter in the XIV Chapter already cited 20. The Dr yet cloyes us with three our four impertinent Authorities Paulus Zacchias à Physician saith that wicked men and Divels may not only doe Miracles in appearance but such as are really so as the Instruments of Divine Power Very true The question is whether Divels by their own Power can work Miracles Sec. 15. if God who has better Instruments at hand the blessed Angels will make use of Divels he might Destroy the world by them But the Question is whether Divels of their own Power can work true Miracles This difficulty waved by Zacchias is decided in à foregoing Chapter Zacchias also much inveigh's against bare pretended Miracles and so doth every wise man also But what is this to the purpose while we plead by no pretended or forged Miracles having thanks be to God great plenty of others never Questioned never called into doubt by any 21. The other Quotations following are as weightlesse and impertinent Fortunatus Schacchus Dr Still page 693. saith first it is à very easy to take false Miracles for true What then Are therefore no Miracles true because some too forward will perhaps have that thought à Miracle which is not I heard à very great man à Protestant confidently avouch more than once That the strange Escape of our Sovereign King Charles after the Battle at Worcester was à plain Doubtful Miracles of no account in the Chvrch. downright and undeniable Miracle God only knowes the Truth May be it was Miraculous if not what great harme followes save only That the Honourable person over confident vvas deceived The Church Mr Dr builds nothing upon dubious and uncertain Miracles Schacchus Asserts 2. That vvicked men may do real Miracles No doubt hereof if God will make use of them as he did of Balaam though this Witnesse Suares cited seldom happen's He saies 3. That no Argument can be dravvn for the Sanctity of any Person but only from such Miracles are approved by the Roman Church This supposes approved Miracles let the Dr own such as undoubted which are innumerable and there is enough to stop his mouth Episcopal Authority Mr Dr after due Examination may as we see practised the whole Church over approve à Miracle Though The See Apostolick only Canonizes Saints Page 694. to declare for the true Sanctity of any Person belongs only to the See Apostolick 22. The Dr hopes to find something for his purpose in the Processe touching the Canonization of Andreas Corsinus where the Auditours of the Rota say first It is necessary that à Person Canonized have wought Miracles Very good Miracles therefore are supposed wrought and useful also for some good End Will the Dr yeild thus much upon the Auditours Testimony O but They Say 2. It is not necessary that Miracles be done for the Confirmation of Faith seing they may be wrought for à proof of à Persons Sanctity I Answer If true Sanctity as is most certain ever supposes true Faith And The Miracles that Evince Sanctity prove Faith also if the Person Canonized be à faithful member of the Catholick Church the same Miracles which prove his Sanctity cannot but also prove his Faith sound and real Though as I noted above it is needless at every Miracle to cry out This is done to confirm such and such Articles believed in the Church You have already many Miracles purposely wrought in Confirmation of every Catholick Article what can the Dr desire more 23. Those Auditors
say 3. Miracles are à Sign 1. Cor. 14. 22. not but Believers to Unbelievers The Apostles words are thus Linguae in Signum sunt non fidelibus sed infidelibus Prophetiae autem non infidelibus sed fidelibus That is the extraordinary gift of Tongues was à Miraculous Sign in the Primitive Church both useful and then Necessary for the Conversion of Heathens but Prophesies belong to the faithful not to Infidels Here is nothing in favour of the Dr. I say moreover as the Gift of Tongues was then à Sign and à Stronge Inducement to an Infidel's Conversion so all the ancient and latter Miracles since have been Signs and Inducements to them But are not so in order to à faithful Believer The Reason hereof is clear All the Miracles from the beginning of Christianity to this day whether seen or heard of by credible Witnesses were shown an Infidel first to evidence the Credibility of Christian Religion to draw him from Infidelity and to beget Divine Faith in him But à Believer long since established in Faith and fully assured of the Verity of Catholick Doctrin as One already sound in Faith requirs not Miracles to confirm it he neither expect's nor desires more Miracles than God's graciously will show So when exhibited he look's not on them as any first Motives or Inducements to believe for he is already sound in Faith and Therefore need 's no further proofs taken from Miracles to convince That whereof he hath full certainty already 24. Contelorius an Author I have not seen Dr Still page 695. saith the Dr tell 's us It is not necessary to à Miracle that it be done for the confirmation of any part of Christian Faith Yet Mr Dr thinks Miracles may be wrought for the Confirmation of some General Truths believed by all Christians I hope those are parts of true Christian Religion But mark the Expression It is not necessary Saies this Author that Miracles be done to confirm any part of Christian Faith Doth this imply they are Though it bee not necessary that God work ◠Miracle to confirm faith yet he may doe i◠for that End not done for that End Certainly no. It is not necessary that Dr Still write more Books Doth it therefore follow he will hereafter leave off Scribling No absolute Necessity forces Almighty God to work new Miracles Ergo God will work no more is à Lame consequence And just like the Dr ' s which run's thus Since therefore the far greater number of Miracles in the Roman Church are vvrought for another End hovv can they prove from them the Infallibility of their Church Hold Mr Dr you goe too fast Your Author only saies It is not Necessary that à Miracle be done for that End you blindly leap further And would thence infer many are defacto vvrought for another End Keep Close to Contelorius his words It is not necessary c And your Inference will be thus or nothing Though all the Miracles which God ever wrought have been done to confirm some part of our Christian Faith Yet it is not necessary that every particular Miracle be done for that End Here is all you get from Contelorius Again Suppose gratis that many Miracles have been wrought only for the benefit of him that receives them How doth this prejudice our Cause when we manifestly make it out that innumerable have been expresly done in confirmation of every Catholick Article taught by the Church as is largely proved already Sec. 16. CHAP. XIX The Conclusion 1. THus Reader by Gods good Assistance we are as you see come to an End of Dr Stillingfleets Enquiry into Miracles A Treatise far more fastidious and tireing than hard and difficult for you have not in the whole Book one rational Argument one Testimony of any Orthodox Church one clear Sentence of à Father or so much as any one Authority of Divines produced against the approved Miracles wrought in the Roman Catholick Church This I Averr and do it with so great Confidence that I challenge Mr Dr to rejoyn if he can and Disprove what I say Yet after all you must hear the poor man brag as if he had done Wonders in taking forsooth more pains The Dr's Idle brag not meerly to detect the frauds and Impostures of the Roman Church but to preserve the honour of Christianity Frauds and Impostures Dr Not one have you shown through your whole Treatise in matters hitherto debated nor shall you ever show any hereafter You have indeed preserved the Honour of Christianity But Hovv Just as wicked Sec. 17. n. ◠Philostorgius witnes Photius did S. Basil's whom he made more renowned by his Senceless railing at the Saint Your weak Efforts Mr Dr your Calumnies your Taunts your Jeers your open Falsities wherewith you manfully strive to obscure God's own Seals and Signatures are so far from Eclipsing their Lustre that Miracles thereby are made more glorious 2. Reader had this Dr gone about to Disswade from à Beliefe of the Sacred Trinity or the Incarnation because the Mysteries are very difficult and surpasse our short Capacities he might perhaps have had followers and gained some to his Opinion But to vapour only as he doth against A bold attempt to set against plain Objects of Sense seen by thousands plain matters of Fact visible Objects of sense seen by innumerable sworn Ey-witnesses and by that means to hope for Proselyts or to draw one of ordinary Prudence to his Sentiment is so desperate an attempt so profound à folly That the like could have never entred any man's head but Dr Stillingfleet's 3. What therefore moved the Dr to Write his Enquiry or for what End came it forth Was the great pains he speak's of taken to Discredit forged or meer pretended Miracles A needlesse It is hard to say what moved the Dr to write this Enquiiy entertainment seing the Church long since had laid à heavy Censure upon all that Doe so Did he conscious of his fraudulent Proceeding think his Book would take with à simple sort of People that want leasure and Abilities to trace him through his many Meanders Or could he perswade himselfe if such poor Souls were ensnared or imposed upon he had done an Heroick work If so He is unworthy humane Conversation and can hope for nothing but à large allowance of Disgrace before God 4. It may be replyed The Dr verily thought his Enquiry would gain esteem among the learned and be valued of as à singular rare Piece Speak so He Discovers à mighty want of Judgement For how could this man who No applause to bee hoped from the Learned never yet through his whole Book was able to cast the least blemish upon one approved Miracle◠brag of his pains How could he think that the learned would applaud his Labours or so much as take notice of so empty and fruitlesse á work Now that he has not made the least rational Exception against one