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
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
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
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
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
A DISCOVRSE OF MIRACLES WROUGHT IN THE ROMAN CATHOLICK CHVRCH OR A full refutation of Dr Stillingfleets unjust exceptions against Miracles together with à large discovery of the Doctors unexcusable frauds Manifest in his many false perverted and impertinent Quotations BY E. W. ANTWERP Printed by MICHAEL CNOBBAERT at the Sign of S. Peter 1676. Permissu Superiorum THE PREFACE TO THE READER A Year and more is pas't since it pleased Doctor Edward Stillingfleet to move some difficulties about Two main points in Controversy and to Show his Skill in Both. The one speculative relates to the Churches Infallibility and the Resolution of Faith The other in the Second Part touch'd upon à plain Matter of Fact the Miraculous Translation of the Hâ—ly house of Loreto from Nazareth to the place w 〈…〉 now stands honoured by à frequent Concourse of People from all Parts of Europe In my last little Treatise I endeavovred to Satisfy the Dr in the Speculative Part and as I think cleared all Difficulties objected against that Miraculous Translation And did this to please the Dr though hitherto He never gave mee thanks for my pains much less returned any Word of Answer Having ended that short Treatise I promised à Satisfactory Reply to the rest of Dr Stillingfleet's many Cavils carelesly thrown out at Miracles wrought in the Roman Catholick Church And here comply with my Promise where I show that never man had worser luck in any Engagement than the Dr in this undertaken Enquiry His chiefest Aime was as every one see 's so to manage matters as not only to cast à blemish upon some latter Miracles but to disgrace all wrought in the Church though in the Pursuit he shrinks so far as never to meddle with the true State of the Question proposed or rationally to oppose one clear and approved Miracle as you shall see hereafter The Method held by me in this Treatise is as followes I first Evince the Truth of our Saviours Miracles by Arguments drawn from rational Principles For we may I hope suppose this to bee à rational Princiciple That some Books of History universally received are for the Substance true and not wholly forged Thus much only granted I Discourse and require no more 2. I prove upon the same rational Grounds hereafter alledged true Miracles to have been wrought in the Roman Catholick Church and produce many most clear ones seen by Ey-witnesses whereof none ever yet doubted 3. I waite on the Dr in his other Pilgrimâges made to Compostella and S. Maximin's in France and upon that occasion defend Pope Evaristus his VVritings 4. I produce the Testimonies of Ancient Fathers so manifest and pregnant for the Churches Miracles that no Catholick Writer of this Age ever yet did or can speak vvith greater Energy 5. I examin such Authorities and herein have taken some pains as the Dr thinks make most against the vvorking of new Miracles since the Apostles Dayes And I did more vvillingly engage in this particular upon the Dr's ovvn Provocation I desire them saith he in his Epistle Dedicatory not to spare me in this present subject of Miracles wherein I profess to relye on their own Writers If they show me any wilful mistakes therein I will endeavour to give them publick satisfaction Stand to your vvord Mr Dr And if I do not shovv à vvhole large List of many gross mistakes driven on by Malice Ignorance or both I 'le crave your Pardon and vvillingly ovvn my Errour before the vvhole vvorld Reader in this Contest there can be no long debate the comparing Authorities after you have opened the Dr's Book and mine vvill clear all and afford Great Store of Mistakes Now Seing the Dr relies on our ovvn Writers and hopes he err's not my Demand is In vvhat doth he rely on them for Has be any Catholick Author that opposes approved Miracles So it is saith the Dr. The Testimony of those who Dr p. 440. deliver Miracles hath been contradicted by men of greater Authority than themselve I Say contrary The Proposition is manifestly untrue Such men of greater Authority vvere never yet heard of nor can one be named as is made out in this Treatise vvhere you vvill se that the Dr fraudulently introduces Authors contrary to Miracles vvho vvith all might and main in express Terms allow them It is true Dr Iohn Launoy one of little credit as appear's afterwards quibbles at many matters of Fact reputed Miraculous yet never hitherto durst deny the Church to have had true Miracles wrought in it What the Dr Quotes from Melchior Canus and Ludovicus Vives relating to à suspension of all latter Miracles is more than most profoundly simple as you may read C. 10. n. 16. Now if the Dr in Lieu of relying on true Miracles lean upon this fallacious Principle That there have been Many forged by ungodly men and will list these among the Churches true Signs he is unworthy to be dealt with and doth not only Mistake but most grosly Calumniat's Some who they are I know not thought the Dr not to deal fairly in his Quoting Authors whereof be seem's very sensible in his Preface and deem's it so groundlesse à Calumny yea so void of Proof that he desires no better Argument of à bafled Cause than such impertinent Clamours Soon after followes à Brag of à larger Size Do they indeed think me à man so void of Common sence as to expose my selfe to the contempt of every one that will take pains to compare my Citations Have I Books only in my own keeping Or are they so rare that they cannot get à sight of them How then come they to know them false cited Reader I have beâ— me Thanks be to God the Books the Dr remits me to I have compared with my own eyes his Citations and after that pains taken certainly know that the Dr has grosly erred or to use his own words exposed himselfe to publick Contempt For Proof hereof I must speak plainly though little to the Dr's comfort and do make my Assertion good in the ensuing Treatise Not one only but all the Dr's Citations produced against the Churches approved Miracles are either very falsely Quoted Or peevishly perverted to à sinister Sence or finally wholly impertinent to the matter here debated False Citations are many perverted ones more and the impertinent almost numberless To prove every part of my Assertion in this place were to bring back one great Piece of this whole Treatise into the narrow compass of à short Preface However à few hints at some cannot take up much roome It is false though the Dr assert's it That Gerson Saies in à certain Epistle That now the working of Miracles is wholly taken away and none but false Christians Dr p. 688. pretend to it It is salse That according to S. Gregory whatever Miracles we Suppose to remain in the Church we do not look on them as wrought for the confirmation of any necessary Part of Christian Faith
strange as what Bede VVrites though most lamely cast off by the Dr and refuted by asking What shall we think of them Much less can such trifling Questions imply any thing like à strict Examination A strict Examination Reader ponder's first what Strength the Authors have which are produced for à Thesis The Dr weigh's none nor alledges any that calls the Translation of that House or these other VVonders now recorded Fabulous It supposes 2. That whoever denies an Assertion plainly proved and what can be more plain than my alledged proofs for the Translation Is obliged to give measure for measure and either show his Adversaries Testimonies unconcluding or infringe their force by some contrary Reason or Authority The Dr Strangely forgetful of this Duty doth neither But as far as Huffs and flurts hurry him on layes about him lustily You have no more However such faint empty stuff must passe for à strict and rigid Examination May this Procedure hold à Iew or Heathen needs only to Huffe and tell us VVe Christians are all ridiculous in believing à Crucifyed man to be our Redeemer wherunto if he give an Overplus of Ieers easily cast out of an Infidels mouth he proves every whit as much against Christ as our Dr doth against the House of Loreto There is yet more of this ill Nicknam'd strict Examination in the Dr. Reflect à little I Quoted Reas and Relig. C. 8. n. 5. as grave and learned Fathers as ever wrote S Irenaeus S. Basil S. Hierome S. Ambrose and S. Augustine so clear aend express for Miracles that no Testimonies can be plainer It seem's the Dr durst not jerk these great Authors vvith his usual Taunts and Scoffs but betakes himselfe to another Subterfuge men vvho live by shifting can do no better I 'll tell you what it is Very vvisely he vvaves all slip's by these Authorities and though provoked to reply return's not one vvord of Ansvver to any May not this think ye pass also for another Strenuous proof of his Strict and careful Examination Two things may be considered in the Dr's wild Enquiry The one what he hold's of substance in it The other relates to his pretty Mode and odd way in writing To the First I say in à word plain Dealing is best and more amply prove it in this Treatise There appear's nothing like Substance through his whole Enquiry And first if the Dr shift's off all I required Satisfaction in or rather if he wholly wave what the world look's on as most Material in our present Controversy He is far from meddling vvith that vvhich deserves the name of Substance But this is Evidently so Fray Reader reflect à little My desire vvas and is still This all men look on as Substantial that the Dr vvould upon solid Principles Shovv but so much as one approved Miracle forged false or fabulous In Lieu of doing this Mountebank like he step 's upon the Stage and vvould beguile us vvith à varnish of meer painted vvares Idle Stories I mean concerning Miracles feigned by ungodly People altogether as impertinent as if he had told us so many Fables out of Aesop For no more can forged Miracles disparage God's true Wonders than Counterfeit Scripture the Verities revealed in the Gospel Again And here once more vve find à vvant of Substance VVho vvould not have expected from this Man of Words after so many brisk Attempts and flurts at Miracles Some clear Testimonies taken from the Ancient Church from Ancient Records from Tradition Councils Doctors and Divins But herein he is as mute as à Fish and neither doth nor can attaque us this vvay You have heard hovv the ancient Fathers and Modern Authors renovvned upon the account of their Learning and Virtue plead in Defence of Miracles And all the right the Dr doth such men is not to believe them Yet requires that vve credit his Philostorgius his Hazenmiller and his false Daniel de Dieu Vile Outcasts and detestable Heretiques Are vve not thus think ye Substantially Match't vvith Authorities I produce Miracles Seen and attested upon Oath vvrought by Saints and great Servants of Almighty God And He to be even vvith me makes à florish vvith the golden Thigh of Pythagoras and Aesculapius his cure done upon à dead vvoman Both false and fabulous or at most vvorks of Necromancy as is proved in the Treatise I all along insist upon such Miracles as have been knovvn and ovvned by the Very best of Christians And he to retaliate like one that had Vovved never to meddle vvith vvhat is Substantial trifles avvay time in telling long Tales of the Prioresse of the Annunciada at Lisboe and of one Fulco cryed up for à vvorker of VVonders vvho as the Dr vvill have it proved an Impostor I bring to light Miracles so clear and illustrious that none upon the Sight of their Evidence ever yet could though Criticks vvise and learned call into doubt And this Dr to Eclipse their glory fob's me off vvith such as are either dubious or at most but in à mean Degree probable Most fitly did S. Augustine Writing against Faustus lib. 5. C. Vltimo once blame this unjust Proceeding in his Adversary Vestrum oculum malevolus error Saith the Saint Thy Peevish and perverse Errour dravves thy Eye Faustus to regard nothing but chaffe in our standing Corne whereas had'st thou look't about thee thou might'st have found wheat both pure and precious Reader Miracles only doubtful much more forged ones passe for Chaffe the Church relies not on them yet vvith such Deceiptful Baites the Dr like Faustus vvould fain vvhedle us into à mean conceipt of God's certain great VVonders VVhereas the Contrary is evident for false and forged Miracles vvhen discovered as the most have been are so far from fouling the Glory of God's true Wonders that they confirme their Truth and make them more Illustrious Had the Inquisitors or Prelates of the Church think yee vvho left no stone unturned to find out such Forgeries and discovered many upon that Sight à less Esteem of God's Certain Miracles that pass't the Churches Tribunal with all possible Applause No. All thereupon extolled the Churches zeal and Vigilancy having Long since learned from S. Augustine That as Evil has its Good and gives à Grace to Vertue Errour add's Beauty to Truth So these feigned Signs set forth the Glory of true Miracles The Dr therefore get's nothing by his long list of forged VVonders Reader you will find hereafter the Dr's Arguments in this Controversy drawn from Reason as lame and bare as his Instances and Authorities VVhence I conclude that if he bottom his Discourse upon the fore-mentioned Principles And these fail or yeild him no support I rightly insinuated above and here again Say it more plainly That his whole Book is nothing but à Rapsody or à Work too unadvisedly set forth in real Truth not worth Notice or Answer Howeuer because once engaged I haue undertaken à Confutation not ill thought of by good
course whereof saith Boord was so Stupendious and above all reason And the cure so evident that it cannot but be attributed to the virtue of those Holy words which the Priest did speak over that Daemoniack Thus our professed Adversaries 3. Is it true that the Miracles of Christ and the Apostles plain Objects of Sense were first proved by the Testimony of those that beheld them and that those who saw them distinct Ey-witnesses at different times cannot be imagined willingly to have conspired in à Forgery or basely given out Lazarus for à dead man raised to life that was not dead Is it also true that the Evangelists who afterwards registred these seen Wonders had they told so many horrid Lyes in matters of Fact open and publick where fiction has not easily place would not only have prejudiced their own cause but also been lyable to Publick infamy and the disgraceful Clamours of Iewes and Gentils If these Truths be undeniable we have the like rational Evidence for Miracles wrought in the Roman Catholick Church Reader consider An application of the third Proof things seriously Was not that Miracle wrought by the Reliques of S. Gervasius and Protasius in Milan witnesse S. Ambrose an Object of S. Ambros Epist 85. Sense and seen by many Were those stupendious wonders effected by the glorious Martyr S. Stephen whereof S. Austin speak's largely S. August lib. 22. Civit cap. 8. done in the dark without the Attestation of innumerable that saw them Was not S. Bernard's Miracle after his blessing certain loaves of bread whereof we shall speak presently so memorable and manifest to Sense that whole Multitudes having eaten of the bread finding themselves cured ran forthwith to the Saint and with all submission praysing God owned the Favour John Clements cure at Montagu the young youths restored Leg at Zaragosa and the Miraculous cure of F. Mastrilli at Naples were all Sensible and visible Works of à Divine power Say now I beseech you to goe on with the Parallel can any Imagin that either those who saw or wrote these Miracles damnedly conspired among them selves to delude the world with open Lies It is impossible because Spectators or writers of such matters lived far more distant for time and place from each other than the Apostles that registred our Saviours wonders If therefore those blessed men cannot be supposed wickedly to have feigned Christ's raising Lazarus to life or cleansing the Lepers it is more impossible to conceive that S. Austin for example perswaded those who lived many Ages after with S. Bernard to tell à forged Story of his miraculous Loaves Did those think you who saw the youth 's restored leg at Zaragosa suborne the Ey-witnesses of John Clements cure at Montagu to feign that matter of Fact which happened many years before the Miracle at Zaragosa It is Folly to Judge so 4. O but say Sectaries we doubt much whether the supposed Ey-witnesses of Latter Miracles and the Writers of them spake truth in what Those first are said to have seen That is They 'l doubt whether any saw the Miracles recounted by S. Austin and S. Ambrose and Question as much these Saints Sincerity in writing them And cannot á Iew or Heathen move all these doubts Concerning to Eywitnesses of our Saviours Miracles and the Evangelists Sincerity that wrote them Yea every whit as wisely Reader in this place we only compare the humane Testimony of those who saw Christ's Miracles before Scripture registred them with the humane Testimony of latter witnesses that visibly beheld the Miracle at Milan at Montagu or Naples and say no more rational exception can be made against the latter Ey-witnesses than the first Now because in discoursing with the Adversaries of Christ and his Church it were folly to suppose the Gospel God's Divine Word we clearly evince by reason that the Book at least deserves as great Credit upon No exception can be made against those who write of approved Miracles humane Faith as any other true plain History And then tell Sectaries that they in reason can-no more except against the approved Writers of our Church Miracles S. Austin for example or S. Ambrose than à Iew or Heathen against the Evangelists that wrote Christs Miracles and hence you have the Primitive Miracles and those in the Church prove alike Lastly would not the Evangelists now supposed to write candidly their Story without any fraudulent Combination have justly exposed them selves to publick Infamy in setting down matters of Fact had they singly considered recorded things newer Seen or heard No lesse publick Infamy Censure and Clamours those would have justly Incurred in relating Church Miracles had they brought to light strange Wonders never known in the world Would publick Clamours think ye or Censures have spared S. Austin or those that recorded John Clement's Cure if forged and feigned Stories No certainly men both wise and prudent would have excepted against them as Impostures had not Evidence cleared their Truth 5. Is it true that the Miracles of Christ first seen by Ey-witnesses and afterwards recorded raised them to à Publick Fame the whole world over which hitherto continues in force by à never interrupted Tradition The like publick Fame say I first grounded on Sense and hitherto continued by Tradition we have for Miracles wrought in the Church Speaking of Fame alone or of à humane universal Report these The fourth Proofe above applyed to the Churches Miracles Miracles are as certain as that the Historry of the Gospel recorded by the four Evangelists is Gods word or written by Divine Inspiration Sectaries it is true are found that Question the Truth of some Church Miracles none for ought I know unlesse Dr Stillingfleet denies all and no few Desertors of the Church Question also whether many Parts and Passages in the new Testament are God Sacred Word But the great Fame of clear Miracles and the new Testaments Divinity is even upon the Churches humane Authority upheld as indubitable by all called Catholicks and therefore very universal yea answerable to the Fame of Apostolical Wonders 6. Is it true that Positive proofs alledged for this Affirmative Christ truely wrought Miracles quite discountenance and bear down the contrary Negative barely vented without any appearance of proof Christ never wrought any The Principle is undoubted and clearly evinces that God has wrought many true Miracles by the Professed members of the Catholick Church Our Positive proofs you shall have afterwards more fully and the contradiction of those who deny Miracles demonstrated an improbable Attempt yea void of Sence and ridiculous In this place we only Argue as we did above and show the cause Miracles I mean by the real Effects which followed in the Conversion of Nations far more numerous after the Apostles dayes and all those wrought by The fift Proof applyed to our Churches Miracles the Roman Catholick Church than before Such remarkable Works of God over Italy Germany France Spain
may be freed from that bondage That many have been thus possessed and released also out of thraldome is an evident Truth proved by experience and that the ejection or restraint of evil Spirits transcend's all force in nature and consequently done by Gods Omnipotent Power is no lesse certain and therefore à work truly Miraculous 11. Again shall Antichrist sit in Pompe and dazle mens eyes with à false lustre of wonders and shall not the Orthodox Church of Christ think ye be able when that Monster appear's to oppose one true Miracle against the Divel's pride vaunting by Antichrist of great wonders Shall he glory in false Signs and the Church show none that are true So it is saith Dr Stillingfleets your Church Miracles are cheats and no better than what Divels have done and Antichrist will do by his Charms Is it so indeed are all cheats and works of the Divel One word To grant some Miracles wrought in the Church will much abate Antichrists pride Mr Dr. A moderate man in granting some Miracles true would much cheer up the comfortlesse hearts of poor afflicted Christians in those future dayes of Tribulation and teach every one how to withstand Antichrist by setting true approved Miracles against his jugling Tricks Might not one then living though none of the strongest Combatants encounter that false Prophet thus I am assured of undoubted Miracles wrought in the Church wherein we Christians live but have no certainty of the Truth of thy Wonders which I Judge meer Illusions and therefore ought to be accounted most imprudent if I prefer thy suspected Signs before those I hold certain 12. Most I think will Judge this discourse reasonable though Dr Still makes it faint and senceless for if all the Miracles done in the Roman Catholick Church since the Apostles dayes have been Illusions and works of the Divel Antichrist upon our D 〈…〉 concession will so stop the mouths of Christians that none shall then speak à rational word against him for may he not plead and pertinently thus The great wonders I evidently Now Antichrist may plead upon Dr Still Concession set before your Eyes cannot be worse than cheats and works of the Divel Dr Still tell 's you and you must believe him that your Miracles are nothing but cheats and works of the Divel thus far he and I stand upon equal Terms therefore in reason you may as well credit my strange Wonders as your own which are every whit upon the concession of à Dr as jugling and fallacious Hence it followes that you are either obliged to believe me upon the present Sight of my wonders which for ought you yet know may be true and from the highest Power imaginable or which I would have done utterly renounce all claime to your past Miracles so much cryed up and down the world Dr Still may reply Though all Miracles wrought in the Church be truly deemed Cheats yet there have been other most clear ones powerful enough to Curbe Antichrist's Pride and these are the glorious signal Wonders of Christ and his Apostles alone sufficient to discountenance that false Prophet's Sign 's though never so Specious 13. Have at you Mr Dr saith Antichrist Grant me first as you doe that the Miracles wrought in the Church are forgeries and the Divels works and I 'll soon enervate the strongest Rational proof you have for Christ's Miracles Your only rational ground comes to this that the Gospel where those primative Miracles are recorded is owned upon the humane Testimony of all called Christians à true Story but this common Testimony in your Principles is evidently worth nothing and mark my proof If such vast Multitudes of Christians Christians who have fathered false Miracles upon God deserve not Credit in Saying Christ wrought Miracles have been so shamefully wicked as to make à clamour of Miracles when none were wrought That is to tell the world open Lyes nay more publickly to avouch Forgeriers and works of the Divel to have been done by the Power of Almighty God which God never did but both disclaim's and hates I say upon this Supposition no man in his wits can credit these mens Testimony though they swear à hundred times over that Christ and his Apostles wrought Miracles and that the Gospel truly recount's them for if they have falsely imposed upon mankind Matters of Fact so neer at hand or forged Miracles of à latter date seen aâ— they Say by innumerable that were never seen who can believe these mistaken Multitudes when they talk of Christ's Miracles à far off only seen if yet ever done by some few Ey-witnesses about sixteen Ages past This Discourse stand's upon à certain Principle which is that all the Miracles Christ wrought are not Selfe-Evident Truths or known as Truths ex Terminis though registred in Scripture therefore the first rational knowledge we have of them arises as Dr Still saies from the Universal humane Testimony of all called Christians though fallible which excludes à Possibility of reasonable The reason why their Testimony iâ— weightless doubting or as Catholicks speak from the Infallible Testimony of the Church made evidently Credible by glorious Miracles But neither Testimony is of any weight Nay both are utterly blasted if these Givers in of Evidence â—be proved publick Lyars and constantly cast upon God Iugling cheats and works properly belonging to the Divel 14. Some may reply This Argument seem's indeed to take off much Authority from Papits in their defence of Christ's Miracles because men once proved perjur'd or publick Lyars as they are now supposed in their false attestations given of Church Miracles deserve little credit in any other like publick affaire but Protestants forsooth who on the one side oppose latter Miracles and on the other stifly defend those wrought by Christ and his Apostles An Objection answered cannot but raise all upon their humane Faith to à high rational Credibility A most pitiful Put off which proves if of any force that before Protestants got footing in à few scattered parts of Europe Christ's Miracles could not be owned rationably credible upon the humane Autority of à whole ample learned Church But here is not all I say in à word the humane consent of Protestants in this matter or of any other precedent Sectaries stand's like an insignificant Cypher not worth à rush without the Testimony of our Evidenced Church I prove the Assertion Who ever takes the first Report in matters of fact from others both false and beguiled is as much cheated and beguiled as those Original witnesses are But Protestants the like is of all former Sectaries first received the Report of Christ's Miracles from the ancient witnesses of the Catholick Church here supposed false and grosly beguiled in relating their own Miracles neither God revealed to Sectaries nor did Divel ever truly tell them what Miracles Christ wrought therefore if those Primary witnesses are beguiled Protestants also remain fast in the like Errour O
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
Perseverance and constancy in any other Society but in the Roman Catholick Church only Most reasonably Therefore may we apply our Saviours sacred Words to this Church and say Had She not done greater Works had She not exhibited more glorious Miracles in the Open view of the world than any other those rebellious Spirits that oppose Her would not have committed so hainous à sin but having seen the palpable VVonders wrought in Her and by her their sin is supra modum peccans enormously great and unexcusable 13. Thus much said of true Miracles I would willingly know to what purpose doth Dr Still produce the Wonders of Infidels and Hereticks against the great Works of God Manifest in our Church Can he hope by these lesser Signs to extinguish the Light of great Miracles Or will he suppose the Heathens Miracles true and ours false If so he is above measure blamable unlesse he first prove their Records Authentick and ours forged Will he say that all the Miracles pretended by Gentils Hereticks and the Church are à like false and feigned He Speaks at random without proofe and dos open wrong to Manifest Truth You will better understand what I would An Instance Shewing that no comparison can be made between the Churches Mirucles and those done by Infidels Say by this one clear Example Imagin it were certainly known to us all that it pleases Almighty God for the ending of debates about Religion to have matters decided by à visible sight of Miracles in an open Contest between two men Suppose likewise that God should say these men shall appear among you to Morrow The one à false Prophet à great Magician The other my Servant commissioned to work in my name but none before hand shall distinguish between them save only by the Strength and greatnesse of their Signs Upon these make your Judgement The one having without violence set open à prison Gate fast shut endeavours to resuscitate à man stark dead but cannot The other by à Word only spoken recal's him to life The one after he had shown an Image walking up and down Offers to cure the born blind but in vain The other presently gives him perfect sight and thus the Strife goes on in exhibiting many like Wonders Is it not think ye as easy to distinguish the Magacian from the other in this contest as is to discern between à Blazing star and à glorious Sun The very like is our Case in the Comparison made between Miracles wrought in the Church and those other done by Infidels and Hereticks when Divels have à hand in them The Iudgement of Authors Concerning Miracles wrought by Christ's Adversaries 14. The ancient Irenaeus expresly denies Iren. lib. 2. cap. 56. Hereticks the power of working true Miracles Nec enim donare possunt saith he c. They cannot give sight to the blind nor hearing to the deaf nor cure the Infirm the Lame or Paraliticks S. Augustin S. Aug de unitat Eccles speak's more plainly Aut figmenta mendacium hominum aut portenta fallacium Spirituum They are either the Fictions of lying men or monstrous things done by Fallacious Spirits And elsewhere Aut falluntur aut fallunt Hereticks Aug. Hom. 13. in Joan. either deceive by their Miracles or are deceived Thanks be to God our modern Sectaries who pretend to no Miracles herein easily quit themselves of Fraud 15. Other Authors grant à Power of working some weak kind of Miracles to wicked men to Hereticks and Heathens and chiefly ground themselves upon several passages in Holy Writ presently laid forth and explained In the mean while 16. I say first God never wrought Miracles God Cannot work à Miracle to confirme false Doctrin by Heathen or Heretick in confirmation of any Doctrin opposite to his own revealed Verities which Christ the Apostles and the Church have delivered The reason given above is clear The first Verity cannot contradict himselfe but God would Do so could he by clear Signs establish à Doctrin Contrary to his own known and received Truths if as we now suppose he speak's as well by Signs as by words Hence it also followes that in case he permit à Miracle to be done by any out of the Church as was by Balaams Asse no member I hope of the true Church that ever yeild's in worth and Greatnesse to his own glorious Miracles 17. I say 2. The Divel that brought in The Divels Power in doing wonders Limited this Confusion of Signs between false and true Miracles and would fain do something like God can work no wonder but either by dazling mans fancy or by à swift and subtle Application of natural Agents together in order to some unusual effect as is already noted All true essential Transmutations therefore All Generations of perfect living Creatures as of men horses and the like not subject to any Magick are above the Divels Power hence saith Medina cited above what some Write of men changed into Wolves is to be accounted feigned and fabulous The Divel you know is called the Prince of the Air and can as Ludovicus Vives tom 2. lib 2 de unit fidei pag. 379. Vives well observes afflict men with Infirmities speak in an Idol Assume an Airy Body and exhibit himselfe visible c. God permit's no more Good I am sure he never did to any without à Cheat at the end 18. I say 3. No Passage in Holy Writ Nothing in true Ecclesiastical History or in any approved Author ascribs the like Power of working real Miracles to faithlesse men assisted by the Divel as have been wrought by Christ the Apostles and in the Church 19. Some Argue out of Scripture and too Thessalon 2. v. 9. Apocaly p 13. v. 13. much extolling Antichrist's Signs produce the Apostles words concerning that false Prophets appearing in all Power and lying Wonders S. John point's at these Signs as bringing down fire from Heaven and seducing the Inhabitants on the earth I Answer if we speak of the great Antichrist Antichrist's wonders no true Miracles that shall appear before the end of the world his Wonders will be great but far from the worth of true Miracles whence it is we are forewarned of his lying Prodigious Signs and one Lowd Lye is That he will deny JESUS the Son of MARY to be true Christ and consequently endeavour to enervate the Truth of the whole Gospel He will come saith Holy Scripture in his own name showing himselfe as John 5. 45. if he were God yea extolled above all that is called God or that is worshipped But that man 2. Thes 2. 4. losses all reason that can be brought by à sight of foreknown lying VVonders to deny the true God JESUS CHRIST and the Gospel when he has at hand not only more but far greater Miracles registred in Scripture and evidently wrought in the Church to confront the Divels pride Vanting by Antichrist 20. In this weighty matter therefore when
places These done before Ey-witnesses were spread abroad some few first hearing of them held all upon humane Faith credible Passing further from hand to hand They became more known and induced many to Assent upon this Motive that prudent men not suspected of Guile said they had received them by word of mouth from Persons very pious who saw such matters of Fact or at least had them from others that conversed with those Ey-witnesses 14. Now further This humane Tradition Why our Saviours Micles became more famed than others for Still we abstract in our Discourse hitherto from Divine Revelation concerning Christ's Miracles which at first took its rise from Few as the multitudes of Christians encreased became more Universal and generally received because all that owned our Saviour to be the true Messias and most deservedly the greatest Thaumaturgus that ever was held it their Duty to make his admirable Wonders known all over Fathers preserved them in the Memory of their Children These Age after Age left them to Posterity the Christian Doctors and Pastors every where spread them abroad in their Writings and publick Sermons before whole multitudes Both Iewes and Hereticks also concurred not à little Here in briefe though much more might be said you have the true Reason why our Saviours Miracles were famous the whole world over and therefore handed down by Universal Tradition which you se cannot be so General in behalfe of Miracles wrought in the Church afterwards Though they be most unquestionable So Providence has ordered so Reason also Dictates That God and man should be more Universally honoured for his admirable Works than man only the Lord of all more than his Servants Thus much premised 15. You shall see how far the Parallel goes between our Saviours Miracles and those wrought by Saints S. Thomas Cantilupe for example most certainly raised many from the dead So did S. Dominick as is proved above Others restored sight to the borne blinde c. These like our Saviour's done before many Spectators in particular Places were Divulged abroad and upon humane Faith gained at first Credit with those who saw them not Because prudent Persons of unspotted Fame boldly avouched they had seen the Wonders Thus our Saviours Miracles became at first famed and induced others no Spectators to believe them upon humane The fame of Miracles first grounded on sight and experience Faith From this Fame first grounded on Sight or experience Tradition took its rise and ever since Those Miracles were wrought preserved à memory of them among men Very Universally as to our Saviours though lesse general in behalfe of Saints for the Reasons now given But this as I said impair's nothing the Moral certainty of latter Miracles seing the first Ground where on all true Miracles rely if we keep within the bounds of humane Faith is one and the same That is They were manifestly seen and most faithfully related to others 16 If therefore our Saviours Miracles became thus Publick before Scripture registred them and the Miracles of Saints seen and attested by Ey-witnesses were in like manner spread All true Miracles apt of their own Nature to gain Vniversal assent abroad before Records preserved them It followes that all of their own Nature are apt to gain an Universal Assent had all been alike Famed and Vniversally Published but because this Publication an effect only of the Wonders by Accident or Providence rather was different very general for some not so general in others Hence our Saviours Miracles as they highly deserved gained credit Universally others not so Generally which as I said nothing abates their certainty while the foundamental Grounds Viz. Sight and common Humane consent make all alike morally certain And thus I argued Page 1. c. 9. num 16. against Mr Dr in the last little Treatise If the common humane Consent among Ancient Christians supposed neither Divine Revelation nor infallible raised our Saviours Miracles to an Evident Credibility in those Dayes why should not the like common Consent of Christians now advance our approved Miracles to the same certainty or Evident Credibility O but many boggle at the Miracles of the Church And did not more boggle at those wrought by our Saviour The Procedure in both cases is alike Blameable While clear Evidence taken from Sense and common consent makes either All or none credible and morally certain 17. A second Degree of certainty and lesse Two other degrees of Certainty is had when Those who write of Miracles received not Information from the Ey-Witnesses Themselves but as we say at the Second hand from such as Treated and often conversed with them Of this nature Bollandus cited saith many are recounted by Iohn Moscus S. Gregory and our Venerable Bede A third Moscus in◠prato Spirituali S. Gregory in Dialogis Beda in Historia Anglicana Degree of certainty depend's on such Historians as either made their Collections from those who Saw Miracles or Testifyed they had heard of them from others that had seen Them or finally from undubitable Monuments Attestations and Commentaries published by Ey-witnesses Or at least from prudent Persons who said They wrote nothing of Miracles But what they had received from such as had conversed with the Spectators Hence you se That when these matters of Fact are examined The last Proof while we plead by Humane faith only is brought to those who were Ey-witnesses Now whether Capgrave and Colganus ever rely on so sure à Foundation unlesse we had à View of their Monuments and Martyrologies cannot I think be easily decided However to End all that relates to their strange Wonders you shall se how fairly I deal with Mr Dr. 18. Let us Suppose that the Very most are more than doubtful or that many for all cannot Though particular Authors fail in the account they give of Miracles yet the Church is at no losse and why possibly be so far recede from the Purity of Truth or finally that à great number of Colganus his recounted Miracles appear not to à Judicious Reader Probable I say notwithstanding so many foul either real or imagined Blurrs The Roman Catholick Church is yet at no losse while She can make an exact Inventory of à thousand other Evident Miracles wrought only in Her and by Her faithful Children which neither Dr nor any Maugre all the Spite in Hell shall once dare to gainsay by Authority and reason So ponderous They are and so powerfully convincing that the more Malice strives to Eclipse their Glory they more glorious the appear Of these I have given you many above though not halfe of all The Tenth part whereof would require volumes and large ones too 19. Most justly Therefore may I stand astonished Reas and Relig. Disc 2. c 8. from n. 3. to n. 31. and. c 9. at the Dr's strange Proceeding with me upon this Subject I pressed him again and again to Deny if he durst such plain Miracles as
Saviours own words Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed All this is to say in plainer Terms answerable to S. Chrysostom's true meaning Had God now after those first Apostical Signs and all other conspicuous Miracles wrought in the Church sent Twelve rude unlearned men to Preach the whole world over had he made them Ordinary Thaumaturgi or impowered them to work Miracles publickly in all Nations and to cure all manner of Infirmities as the Apostles did Had he I say done this after so great precedent Evidence manifested both Anciently and in latter Ages the minds of men overwhelmed as it were with too much Light would have lost much of the reward due to an humble and obsequious Providence has ordered that à mean be held in the Motives to Faith Faith which ever implies à Captivation of the understanding So Providence hath ordered that à Mean be held in the Motives inducing to believe not too Luminous on the one side For that would entrench upon the obscurity of Faith yet on the other side most prudently Perswasive for the gaining our Submission to what ever God hath revealed 13. Thus much I boldly averr is S. Chrysostom's chiefest Aime in this Homily if the Dr reject's the Doctrin let him once please to give weight for weight and reduce his Assertion to as sound Principles as mine opposite to his stand's upon I show first that Chrysostom own 's Miracles wrought in the Church above the force of nature not only here but in à hundred other places One only Passage because it bear's the Look of à Popish Miracle you shall have taken out of his own undoubted Writings where the Saint largely laies forth the Dignity of Priesthood When saith he the Priest invok's the Holy Ghost and Offer's that dreadful Sacrifice full of S. Chrys de Sacerdo lib. 6. c. 4. horrour and Reverence and dayly hold's the Lord of all in his hands my Demand is in vvhat Order or Dignity shall vve place him vvhat Purity and integrity of life shall vve require of him Much more followes to this purpose Then he add's At that time of the Sacrifice the vvhole Order of Celestial Spirits are present vvith the Priest in honour of him vvho lies Sacrificed upon the Altar Yet more I have heard saith S. Chrysostom à Venerable old man to vvhom God revealed many high Mysteries faithfully recounting à Vision he once had in time of Masse He saw on à sudden whole Multitudes of Angels in most resplendent Garments round about the Altar where the Priest Sacrificed bowing down their heads as Souldiers Two Popish Miracles related by S. Chrysostom are wont to do when the King is present And this saith the Saint I easily believe Another man also of most vvorthy credit told me they are S. Chrysostoms words what he had seen and heard and t' was that those who depart this life if they have worthily and with à pure Conscience received the Divine Mysteries being ready to dye are accompanied straight to Heaven by Angels that like troups of Souldiers attended their Bodies lying sick in bed 14. What saies the Dr are not these clear Miracles above all natural force done to the Honour of our Sacrificed Sauiour upon our Catholick Alters And much like such Miracles as we read of in other approved Authors However if you believe Mr Doctor S. Chrisostom denyed all Miraculous Signs which is to say the Saint Contradict's himselfe for as we have evidently Shown he hold's and defends true real Miracles through out his Writings Therefore it is most improbable that he Denies them in this place 15. The second Reason of my Assertion relies upon S. Chrysostom's own Discourse prosecuted in the Homily cited If Saith he you now seek for Signs and Miracles you have innumerable Predictions of admirable thingt done in our Age. You see the Conversions of Nations The saint proves other great Miracles foretold plainly set before your Eyes You see our Saviours Prophesy of being ever with the Church to the End of the world hitherto verifyed You se that Hell gates maugre all attempts were never yet able to Prevaile against the Church built on à firm Rock which had never been had not Christ stood with it and Powerfully opposed all Enemies Finally the Saint exhort's all to Piety and à Virtuous life O were our Duty herein faithfully complyed with we might saith he Convert the world without Miracles But who amongst us now retires to the Desart Who goes on Pilgrimage Who of our Doctors takes pains to supply the want of the poor and needy Thus S. Chrysostom 16. The last Ground of my Assertion is the main Drift of the Saints whole Discourse To assert that the Apostles singular prerogative ceased proves not à Cessation of all Miracles in the Church who never through this Homily utter's one word against Church Miracles but only Showes how and in what manner the Twelve Apostles were singularly Priviledged with two particular Prerogatives the one as I noted to teach by Divine Inspiration The other to have the Ordinary Povver of working Miracles in curing all manner of Infirmities c. And this Power we may truly Say never since granted to any set number of Persons in the Church ceases or is taken away But can any one hence inferr that because that Ordinary Gift ended with the Twelve Therefore none in the Church by Special Dispensation work 's Miracles now The Inference is lame and just like this The blessed Apostles as S. Chrysostom observes singularly Priviledged taught Truths by Divine Inspiration and by that Grace faithfully delivered our Christian Verities The Pastors and Doctors of the Church in after Ages taught not Priviledged with the like Apostolical Inspiration Ergo none of them ever since delivred one Christian Verity For Though we grant them Divine Assistance in their teaching yet because that fall's short of the Apostles Inspiration they never taught Truth I say if this way of Arguing bee most weightlesse The other is no better Viz. The Apostles singularly priviledge were made Ordinary Thaumaturgi as is already declared but many great Servants of God though not endued with that Apostolical grace yet Now and Then as it pleases Providence to Dispense his favours raise the dead restore sight to the blind c. However such Wonders must not forsooth be called Miracles because They are not Ordinary to any Person in the Church The The question proposed is whether Miracles have been wrought not how or in what manner Question therefore is whether such Miraculous works have been done in after Ages and not how and in what manner they were Wrought whether by ordinary or extraordinary favour wherein as S. Chrysostom well observes lies the Difference between the Apostolical Signs and latter Miracles Note well this Difference all along and you will find the Dr's Arguments weak and far from the Purpose 17. The Dr ' s next Quotation taken out of Chrys in 1.
Necessity of these Miracles since the large Propagation of Christianity in the world and account's him à Prodigie that yet seeks after Prodigies to confirm his Faith Reader note first how faintly the Dr speak's Some Miracles forsooth but durst not name them fearing they might appear Great ones For so They truly are in S. Austin if raysing the dead and restoring Sight to the blind be rightly accounted Great Thus much S. Austin de civit l. 22. c. 8. initio noted Turn to the Dr's Quotation you have it above where S. Austin's Adversaries proposed this Question Why are not the Miracles you preach done now He Answers Possem quidem dicere I might say Miracles were necessary before the world believed to the End it might believe And that whoever now seek's after Prodigies to believe when the world believes is himselfe à great Prodigie if he believes not with the believing World Thus I might Speak saith S. Austin which Expression as every one see 's exclud's not Miracles from being thought useful now but rather supposes them useful when God as S. Austin Testifies manifestly wrought them among Believers in those Dayes And therefore soon after concludes in the same context Etiam nunc fiunt Miracula Even now Miracles are done in our Age. Neither could S. Austin plead against those vain By what Argument Austin convinced his Adversaries Adversaries by Primitive Miracles for he Saith expressely They believed none were wrought Therefore he confutes them by S. Chrysostom's excellent Argument used above and known to every one The substance whereof is Either men believed our Christian Verities induced thereunto by Miracles or not If by Miracles God manifested them to the world If not the greatest Miracle of all is that the world believed the hard Mysteries of Faith without Miracles Thus S. Austin in this place plainly Discover's our Dr ' s fraudulent Proceeding 6. S. Austin next quoted upon the Psalms S Austin in Ps 130. v. 1. speak's of Simon Magus his pretended Miracles But has nothing like those words the Dr cites Though should the Saint either there or els where Say that the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles were vvrought for the benefit of future Ages he delivers à great Truth confessed by all neither ought any to complain had he done no more But humbly thank God for showing so many admirable Signs already manifested to the world whereunto none could lay just Claime much lesse rationally find fault had they never been wrought In like manner had God not Redeemed mankind by sending his only Begotten Son but done the work by an Angel or Some other way none could have justly complained or Challenged as Due that greater Mercy S. Austin deuitate Eccl cap. 16. Reason and Relig. Disc 2. c. 9. n. 4 shewed by JESUS CHRIST 7. Much lost labour followes in the Dr when he cites S. Augustine against the Donatists whereof I spake largely in another Treatise and cleared every Difficulty he falls upon in this place yet you must have it again like à fresh Objection Wonder nothing Sectaries will never leave off an old Idle Cowardly Trick nauseously to repeat what they once layd hold on though they see it solved Twenty times over Well but what Saies S. Augustin He bid's Donatus and Pontius plead no more by the Visions of this Brother or that Sister because all are Fictions Lyes and monstrous fallacies Then he discourses Either these visions spoken of among you are false Or if any wonders be wrought there we are the more to beware of them our Lord having foretold us that false Prophets should arise and vvork Signs which if possible might deceive the Elect. Here you see S. Austin would not in this place debate the Question with the Donatists whether God for reasons best known to himselfe work 's true Miracles by Hereticks Iewes or Heathens but prudently abstract's from that Controversy though he accounted them Lies and monstruous Fictions As who should say be they as you will true or false They are all worthlesse upon à Ground laid forth afterward Viz. Ye Donatists have not Christ your head because you are not of his Mystical Body the Catholick Church 8. The Dr replyes S. Augustine bring 's If the Church approve Miracles thoy are wrought there not the Evidence of Miracles to prove the Church by nor any visions or Revelations For he saith such things are to be approved because they are done in the Catholick Church not that the Church is proved Catholick because they are done in it Tell me Reader doth not S. Austin here plainly Suppose Miracles to have been wrought in the Church for if they require the Churches Approbation They are first wrought there Doth he not also assert above That maugre the spite of Hereticks Miracles held him in the Catholick Church Thus much is Proof enough against the Dr who denies Miracles Now if you Ask in what sence S. Austin teaches that the Church is not proved Catholick because Miracles are done in it I answered fully in the Treatise cited above Hee did so most prudently in his Contest with the Donatists who pretended as well to Miracles as S. Austin And therefore The saint waved that Argument not because Miracles are inefficacious to prove the Church by But upon this ground That the latter vvonders chiefly such as Optatus Melivitanus and S. Ambrose mention are not the first Sure Principle to manifest the Church against those Hereticks Hence the Saint appealed to Scriptute to the Testimonies of the Lavv of the Prophets and Psalms which the Donatists willingly admitted though they Cavilled at Miracles Haec sunt saith he Causa nostrae documenta haec firmamenta We plead why S. Austin pleaded not by Miracles but by Scripture by the strong Documents of Scripture where we have the Vnity the Visibility and large Extent of the Church over the world fully expressed These Testimonies you deny not though you slight our Miracles Produce therefore but one clear Passage of Scripture saith S. Austin without your Idle Glosses and interpretations whereby it may appear that the Church is only confined to Africa and you speak to the Purpose but if you fail herein and fail you must conticescite holde your Prattle believe the Truth c. In this Discourse the Saint Declares how grossy the Donatists strayed from the genuin Sence of those words in the Canticles Shevv me vvhere thou feedest and lies't ◠Cant. 1. 6. Noon most simply made use of by them to prove the Church confined to Africa Much more S. Austin has in this Chapter pertinent to the Controversy now in hand and further explained in the Treatise already cited 9. Some may Object 1. Miracles that need the Churches Approbation cannot prove her Doctrin Orthodox Why not I beseech you Christ's Miracles as seen or heard of by Report morally certain rationally induced the first Christians to believe his Doctrin and so I hope latter Miracles may much
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
assert the latter to be as they are manifest Truths 8. To lay yet more open the Dr's fraud I Argue thus If the learned Tostatus plainly acknowledges true supernatural Miracles wrought in the Church after the Apostles time different from those which he saith ceased The Dr grosly abuses this Author But Tostatus most evidently own 's such true Miracles in the Church Therefore Mr Dr grosly abuses Tostatus For proof of my Assertion turn once more to this Author where he expresly teaches 1. That Tostat in c. 10. Mart. Quest 12. John 14. Christ impowred all that believe in him to work Miracles yea and greater than He wrought He teaches 2. That both Martyrs and Confessors long after our Saviours death preaching up and down the world Multa Miracula fecerunt did many Miracles though Christ spake not to them nor Specially gave them the Power wherewith the Apostles were priviledged He saies Tostatus plainly grants true Miracles 3. That all believing in Christ by invoking the Holy name of JESUS may work Miracles with much more that followes Tell me Reader is it not prodigiously strange that the Dr remit's us to this Question while he Wilily slips over all here noted point blank against him Is not Dr Still page 611. this Fraud and worse than jugling manifestly perceptible when upon this Principle Some Miracles have ceased he would conclude there are none at all wrought 9. If you Ask what it was that beguiled the Dr in à right understanding of Tostatus Thus it is Tostatus in the beginning of the Question now cited demand's why our Preachers in the Church who suceed the Apostles do not such Miracles now Talia Miracula Viz. By ordinary Commission as the Apostles did He Answer 's most profoundly that ordinary Power was readily given the Apostles to work Miracles every where in confirmation of Christ's Doctrin so it is said They went forth and preached in all places ubique Deo concurrente God Cooperating with Signs that followed Now saith Tostatus that ordinary Power was not only annexed to those first Apostolical men but also to the newly converted and baptized For these after their Baptism and conversion were impowred to work Miracles whereby the Truth and Holiness The Dr's Cheat discovered of Christ's Doctrin received much light And this Ordinary certain Power of working Miracles every where ceases in the Prelates of the Church Whence our Dr would inferr à cessation of all Miracles which as I said is worse than jugling and most opposite to the express Doctrin of Tostatus O but the Bishop saith Tostatus cited à §. Tertio fit this Power of working Miracles would not be profitable in the Church but rather serve for curiosity Very true For if as he observes Miracles were dayly wrought amongst us by the Prelates of the Church and new Convertits the merit of Faith would be much lessened and Therefore Tostatus §. secundo saies first it is unworthily done by à true faithful Believer to seek after Miracles to confirm the Faith which he actually believes as certain For this were to require à further probation of that which he hold's most undoubted 2. Though Miracles are not necessary when faith is preached to Believers yet they are profitable when it s preached Tostatus cited §. autem to Infidels or Hereticks Thus Tostatus 10. One may yet object The Doctrin of Christ of the Apostles and the Church is one and the same if therefore no Believer ought curiously to desire new Miracles to confirm the Doctrin of Christ and the Apostles why should they require new Miracles to confirm Church Doctrin Or to what End hath God wrought Miracles in every Age I Answer first No Catholick Believer ought to ask for more Miracles than Divine Providence hath already manifested because the Truth of Church Doctrin by what is done is made Evidently Credible notwithstanding God out of his abundant mercy may at his good pleasure illustrate this Oracle with new Miracles as we have proved above The Utility Miracles wrought in the Church much abate the Impudence of Hereticks whereof gathered from Tostatus last cited avail's much to convince Hereticks that impudently calumniate the Church Saying She hath changed the Doctrin of Christ and his Apostles God therefore to represse this Impudence as he made the Doctrin of Christ Evidently Credible by the Miracles which our Saviour wrought the Doctrin of the Apostles Evidently Credible by the Miracles They did so also he set's forth the glory of his own Oracle the Church and makes her Doctrin evidently credible by innumerable Miracles wrought Age after Age. And this I conceive to be à main reason why Providence will have Miracles continued in the Church to the worlds End 11. The Dr once more referr's us to Tostatus Tostatus in cap. 3. Matt 9. 10. where we are told that those visible exteriour Signs of the Holy Ghost descending upon the baptized in the forme of a Dove or Fire shewed in the Primitive Church cease now in such as receive baptism Though saith the Bishop Original and actual sins are as well taken away by that Sacrament in this present Age and Grace as well given to the baptized now as it was in the Baptism of the Primitive Christians Here is all the Dr has for his Purpose and it is Dr Still page 612. à very Cheat though he bragg as if he had done Wonders What saith he shall we say to the Testimony of this learned Bishop Had he never heard of S. Iames of Compostella and the Miracles pretended to be wrought there And could he believe them and write these things Had he never heard of Vincentius Ferrerius c. Mr Dr you still juggle still run on in your old mistake and Distinguish not between one sort of Miracles and others The Miracles wrought at Compostella and by S. Vincentius are quit different from the visible appearance of the Holy Ghost upon the Baptized and the Imposition of the Apostolical bands whereof Tostatus speak's And saith though many others might work Tostat q. 10. citat p. 164 E. Luc. 10. Miracles in raysing the dead and curing diseases which Power our Lord gave the Seventy two Disciples who were distinct from the Apostles◠yet to give Visibly the Holy Ghost by Imposition of bands was à Priviledge granted the Apostles only whereby Christ shewed them singularly favovred above all others Reflect Reader once more on the Dr's fraud and weak fallacy Was the seventy two Disciples Power in curing diseases and raysing the Dead any way limited because they could not visibly give the The Dr's fraud discovered Holy Ghost by the imposition of hands as the Apostles did Most certainly no saith Tostatus Why then should the Saints in God's Church be denyed the favour of curing diseases and raysing the dead because forsooth they have not that Apostolical Prerogative of showing visibly the Holy Ghost in forme of Fire Yet this is the
know on whom the blame lies Dr Still page 635. the Accusers or the accused Mr Dr I say demand's VVhat credit these Reporters of Miracles in the Roman Church deserve from us when such Persons who are by their own Order cryed up he alludes to Joannes de Vincentia for workers of Miracles are by others of their own Church condemned as Seducers I Answer in such Opposition when How we Proceed when Authors contradict Authors in their relation of Miracles Authors contradict Authors the gravest and the more rational ought to Sway most with every prudent Reader In case Testimonies stand equally poysed on both sides both Assertions will in à rational appearance have their Probability as Gerson cited above observes Though the Truth of the Miracle considered in it selfe lies yet out of à clear sight Perhaps it was and perhaps not In such cases S. Hierom cited prudently advises rather piously to doubt than rashly to Define any thing which all Authors do in their contradictory Judgements concerning probable Opinions Now if the Authority be far more pregnant for the denying Party than the other the Miracle in contest will be prudently esteemed little worth because very doubtful and the Reporters of it Can never gain much credit But Say Reader How doth our good Dr advance his cause by railing at the Reporters of false and doubtful Miracles decryed by all How doth he hence prove that Miracles never called into Question by the wisest of the world are in like manner to be accounted fourbs or listed with those other doubtful This he aimes at or speak's nothing to the Purpose 11. Upon this Ground all those other Bundles of trash in the Dr's following Pages appear in their own likenesse meer Impertinences Grant then That the Dominicans at Bern were Impostors in forging Miracles which is yet denyed by many Admit upon Sleidans word worth little that the Franciscans at Orleans counterfeited à mute Spirit acting the part of à dead womans Soul as if She had been damned for being à Lutheran Say truly for so it was That Maria de la Visitation Prioresse de la Annunciada in Lisbon deceived many by her feigned Sanctity and false wonders And for that cause Nothing more impertinent than to decry true Miracles because some have forged False one when the Truth came to light was condemned and severely punished by the Inquisitors Add hereunto more of the like stuff Written long since by Catholick Authors I Ask and require an Answer what Advantage gain 's this Dr by his painful heaping up so much Filth together Are therefore true Miracles owned by the best of Christians never boggled at never called into doubt prejudiced in the least because Fools have forged false ones It is too lame à Consequence for any rational Discourser Thus much truly followes that such abominable Hypocrisy most justly call's for Vengeance and unrepented infer's Damnation Therefore the Prelates of the Church highly deserve commendation who when such frauds are discovered both rigidly condemn and inflict severe Punishment on the mischievous Impostors 12. O but saith the Dr many wise and learned men set forth the Prayses of this Mary de la Annunciada No wonder at all wiser men than Dr Still have often met with Cheats and been beguiled How many Princes gained by à fair Demeanour have placed their Trust upon false hearted Subjects that afterward turned Traytors and sought their Princes ruin while God Very often and in good time unmask's the Treason And brings the Traytor to condign Punishment By this you se the Dr's pretty Dr Still page 626. cheat detected where speaking of Fulco he saies that Persons found guilty of Impostures have been countenanced and encouraged by some in the Roman Church Pray Sr reflect à little was ever any one countenanced after à clear Discovery of their wickednes though when supposed Innocent they might be favovred Was ever any one encouraged to play the Hypocrite and forge Miracles No The Church and all her Prelates execrate That as horrid and impious Therefore Mr Dr though your words of countenancing and encouraging seem to sound big in à Vulgar eare they are in real Truth without edge and void of Substance 13. The Dr Quotes Elias Hazenmiller à Dâ— Still page 648. frontlesse gracelesse fellow twice over an Apostata from his Order wherein he lived about Who Hazenmiller was 18. Months Then ran away hid himselfe and soon after fell from the Church The Book we are referred to entituled Historia Ordinis Iesuitici was published after Hazenmillers death by one Policarpus Leyserus à Lutheran Minister probably thought to have added and changed many things It is all over so stufft with horrid impudent Lyes that some Sectaries neer us cry shame upon the Author F. James Gretser in his refutation of Hazenmiller Gretseri refut at Hazen Ingol stadii Typis data Ann. 1594. and Policarp is forced upon the account of their shameless Lying to court them in no better Language than Impudentissimè mentiris Impudentissimè Calumniaris Vides Lector os frontem hominis Mendacissimi c. I will not foul my paper with the hundreth part of these Grosse and palpable Lyes which Gretser cal's unexcusable in his Answer to Millers Eleven chapters A few only shall serve for an Essay 14. This frontlesse man saies 1. That Gretses page 40. when S. Ignatius was in France he said his Masses gratis or for nothing Gretser Answers à shamelesse and most filthy Lye for at that time he was no Priest and therefore could say no Masse He saies again that the Jesuits wrot not their own Rules A manifest Hazenmillers lowd Lies Lye saith Gretser as appear's by the very Original of their Rules yet extant He saies 3. That the Jesuits in their Constitutions and Rules call their Order Venerabilis laudabilis Iesuitarum Societas The Venerable and laudable Society of Jesuits Utterly false saith Gretser There are no such words in either Rules or Constitutions S. Ignatius ever gave the Order à more humble Title Minima Societas The least Society He saies 4. If any one among the Jesuits break à Rule it is held à greater sin than if he had broken God's commandements A lowd Lye saith Gretser for Page 81. the Jesuits Rules as all know oblige not under sin He saies 5. Some Jesuits teach that Page 269. Faith is naturally bred and born with men Most false as Gretser showes 15. But no Lye can be more infamous than that told of S. Ignatius who saith this false Elias called to à possessed Person went not himselfe but sent à Brother with à Grain Se Gretser page 217. consecrated by Pope Pius the V. the Grain no sooner toucht the Energumena but the Divel fled away A long lowd Lye S. Ignatius as every one knowes dyed in the year 1556. under Paul the IV. yet this Miller saies he lived in Pius the V. Reign and made use of Ã
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
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
unanimously teach the Apostles to have wrought stupendious Miracles when at their preaching the Idols fell down and innumerable Believers were gained to Christ therefore the truth attested stand's uncontestably certain That these Witnesses are mighty numerous and without dispute worthy credit is undeniable being justly listed amongst the most wise learned and virtuous that ever lived Such are our Austins Chrysostoms Gregories Damascens Bernards with innumerable others who if occasion had offered it selfe would have willingly dyed for the truth of Apostolical Miracles Now if these Givers in of Evidence Seem not Satisfactory you have yet more viz. The whole humane Authority of Christs Kingdom I mean his Church She both tell 's us what our Saviour promised of these greater wonders and upon the Evidence had never ceased to preserve them in the memory of all her Faithful Children to this day 20. And thus you see that when we took one Proof for Miracles from publick Fame which some may say is fallacious we argued not so pressly as now while we evince their truth by the Testimony of the most choise learned and creditable Witnesses that ever spake since Christianity began And if our supposed Stranger find's not à Pregnancy of reasoning in this Discourse I shall soon dismisse him and deplore his condition as one in whom the light of reason if not utterly extinct seem's more then à little Eclypfed It may be some Critick will Object we have not yet shown how the Apostles Miracles are said to be greater than In what Sence Apostolical Miracles are called greaâ—â—r then our Saviours those wrought by our Saviour For an Answer all know that à Miracle may be considered with à double respect first to God an Infinit Power and so taken the greatest ever done cannot be called à Miracle because the greatest Transcend's not an Omnipotent Power Again consider à Miracle as done by one that has no more force to work it than to move the Heavens under that Notion it justly acquires the denomination of an effect truly Supernatural because far beyond all force in nature You may se what I aime at by this plain Instance Should à Giant lift up à weighty burthen all would Judge he work 's proportionably to his Strength but if à weak infant did so who would not justly proclaim the wonder The Miracles of Christ our Lord rightly compared to à Giant in Holy Writ were effects easily and Connaturally flowing from the Omnipotent Word united to humane nature infinitly in themselves more valuable than all the works of men and Angels but yet lesse wonderful than the Apostolical Miracles if on the one side we regard the mighty Power of our great Thaumaturgus and on the other cast an eye upon those weak Instruments that did them The weaknesse The weaknes of the Instrument hightens the greatnesse of à Miracle therefore of the Instruments whereby they were wrought much heightens the greatnesse of their Miracles Again the Apostles Miracles may be said greater because all summoned together were more numerous than our Saviours 3. They are greater in the Effect witnesse the glorious Conversions of Nations which followed upon the Apostolical Signs and wonders whereas Christ our Lord reserving that Honour to his first Choise and elected Ministers converted not halfe the number while 〈…〉 ived on Farth 21. Thus much of the Primitive Miracles and if any think I have stayed too long upon à known Subject My answer is All that know and own these Miracles as true rationally prove not their truth against Iewes and Gentils wherein I hold Dr Still very deficient Again if I show and 't is my chiefest Intent that Miracles wrought in the Roman Church are not only Defensible but every way firmly proved upon the same rational Grounds as those now mentioned none can deem my labour lost I Say upon the same rational Grounds for hitherto we have waved Proofs taken from Divine Revelation and only pleaded by Reason This therefore we endeavour to Demonstrate CHAP. II. The same rational Arguments whereby the Miracles of Christ and the Apostles are proved euince also true Miracles to have been wrought in the Roman Catholick Church Other clear proofs for Church Miracles A contest between Antichrist and Dr Stillingfleet The Dr is worsted If the Church doth Propose Forgeries for true Miracles none can believe Christ's Miracles upon the Vniversal humane Testimony of all 〈…〉 ed Christians True Miracles distinguish the Church from all false Conventicles 1. THe Parallel of these rational Arguments easily drawn from the precedent Chapter may be thus compendiously laid forth to every Reader Is à Heathen as we said to admit the Historical part of Scripture where Christs Miracles are recorded to be as morally certain upon humane Faith The first proof alledged applyed to Church Miracles only as any other known History he yeilds Assent to and if he denies this will he not soon be driven to ground the Denyal upon his own perverse will or selfe conceipted Fancy Nothing can be more clear Say then I beseech you is not à Sectary when he read's the Writings of Holy Fathers and other known Historians where the approved Miracles of the Church stand upon Record in reason obliged to hold these as morally certain upon humaine Faith as he doth innumerable other Passages written in the English or French History or à Iew ought to own the History of the new Testament In case he boggles we shall hereafter so overcharge him with the express Testimonies of Fathers and other choise approved Writers that his bogling will appear as it is Perversness Francy or plain dotage 2. Is it again true that some Gentils and The second proof applyed Iewes also though Adversaries to Christ frankly owned his glorious Miracles Nothing can be more clear But we have far more professed Enemies that acknowledge Miracles to have been wrought in our Catholick Community the Parallel therefore hitherto fail's not To produce à list of all would be tedious à few only borrowed from Englishmen shall suffice His Majesty Rex Jacobus lib. 3. Daemonolog cap. 4. King Iames hold's it true that the Papists really free popossessed Persons of Divels because Orthodox men say so and Ey-witnesses have seen such Miracles done Mr Covel in his Answer to John Covel cited by Brerely Protest Apology Page with me 529. Burges sayes No man can deny but that God after the death of his Son manifested his Power to the amazement of the world in the contemptible Sign of the Crosse which has been the Instrument of many Miracles Brerely again produces à clear Testimony taken out of Dr Boord à Physician who Se Protest Apology pag. 348. in his Extravagants annexed to his Breviary of health after many bitter Invectives against the Pope and Clergy of Rome reports himselfe to have been an Ey-witness of à Gentlewoman possessed with Divels brought from Germany to Rome and there freed from those evil Spirits yea perfectly cured The
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
not only to the Godly but to the wicked also falsa profecto haec sunt Those vvrought by the vvicked are for the most part false sometimes true as in Balaam and others and alwaies weak proofs of the Church 13. Now if you will refer those words Falsa profecto sunt haec plerumque to Miracles whether done by good or bad men you may Say without offence That all nevv Miracles yet under debate and not easily differenced from the Signs of wicked men may before they are rigidly examined and approved in order to us appear often times false and are alwaies weak proofs of the true Church Never did Dandrada Say or dream that Miracles juridically examined and approved by the Church can be false yet this the Dr is to show or he fail's in the Main and evinces nothing 14. The Dr in the same Page cites Ioannes Ferus Ferus in Matth. 24. 23. 24. saying that the Doctrin of à Church is not to be proved by Miracles but Miracles by the Doctrin I Answer he speak's so and very pertinently if you ponder his connected discourse You may learn saith Ferus how to Discern false and true Ferus deliver's true Doctrin Mitacles For as true Miracles when done are never contrary to God's word so false ones oppose those Sacred Verities which have been long since confirmed by Miracles And for that reason c. 14. n. 5. Miracles are to be examined by the Churches received Doctrin Here is nothing but what I expresly deliver in à foregoing Chapter and Therefore it may well passe among Dr Still impertinent Quotations 15. The Dr soon after Quotes Iosephus Acosta Acosta de Tempor noviss c. 9. as one highly extolling the Miracles which Antichrist shall work in so much That it will be à hard matter to discern true and false Signs and he Quotes it from Hippolytus that Antichrist shall do far greater Miracles than the cure of Marcellus or the restored Leg at Zaragosa Viz. That he will raise the Dead cure the diseased and have command over the Elements Thus the Dr And almost err's in every particular First he mistakes the IX Chapter for the 18. and 19. where Acosta handles these Acosta ill cited by the Dr. matter In the IX Chapter he chiefly insist's upon Antichrist's raging Persecution in subduing the Kings of the earth c. 2. Neither Hippolitus Hippolit de consumma mundi de Antichrist Biblioth Patrum apud Bignium Tom. 2. Edit 2. nor Acosta ever said as the Dr unworthily writes that Antichrist shall do far greater Miracles than those wrought upon Marcellus and the Boy of Zaragosa Peruse Hippolitus and you will find Acosta's observation true that he speak's indeed so much of Antichrist's Signs ut vix credibilia videantur that all he brings to light seems not credible Antichrist saith Hippolitus will do prodigious Things he will cleanse the Lepers expel Divels raise the Dead change night into day and day into night he will turn about the Sun whither and to what place he pleases c. Yet this ancient Writer Scholar to Clemens Alexandrinus contemn's all these wonders three or four times over in that Oration as false feigned and counterfeit Signa saith he edet horrenda non vera sed falsa He will show strange Signs But all will be false Again Haec omnia faciet consilio simulato ac fraudulento quo circumveniat omnes ut se Regem creent There will be nothing in these Wonders Hippolitus and Acosta Slight Anchrist's Wonders 2. Thes 2. 9. but hypocrisy and dissimulation Thus Hippolitus undervalues Antichrist's Miracles 16. So also doth Acosta and every Christian that believes the Apostle speaking of that Man of Sin whose comming is according to the operation of Satan in all Power and lying Wonders Magnopere nos recreat saith Acosta The Apostles words Comfort us when he tell 's us that Antichrist's Signs will be nothing but Cheats Acosta cap. 19. Lying vvonders vvrought by the Divels assistance Real Miracles cannot be done by that Archenemy of God and Truth Soon after They are rightly called fallacious Wonders exhibited either by à secret Povver in nature or by the Ministry of Divels and done for this End to confirm Lyes contrary to God's eternal Verities The Servants of JESUS CHRIST never work Miracles after this manner nor can attest à Lye by any true Sign they do Thus Acosta Is not therefore the Dr ' s Question most ridiculous I The Dr's simple question retorted and answered would understand saith he from E. W. Whether Antichrist's Church will not be proved as Infallible in this vvay as the Church of Rome And I would as fain understand from Dr Still whether Antichrist's Church will not be proved as Infallible in this way as the Apostolical Church If the Dr dare assert That Antichrist shall work true Miracles in raising the Dead and curing all desperate Diseases I Ask how can he distinguish the Apostolical Signs and those If contrariwise he Teach with S. Paul and Catholick Doctors That all Antichrist can do will be only Lying Iugling and Hypocrital Wonders The folly of his own Question appear's as it is vain idle and vveightlesse unlesse he prove which neither Divel nor Dr shall doe That all the Miracles wrought in God's Church even those related by S. Irenaeus S. Augustin S Hierom S. Ambrose and other Fathers are to be esteemed base Cheats jugling Legerdemain In fine wholly as Lying and invaluable as Antichrist's wonders will be 17. The Dr in the next place cites Cajetan Cajet de concep Virg c. 1. But where to find the Treatise of the Conception though I have four Tomes of that Author by me I know not However the words as the Dr relates them contain no Difficulty Cajetan saith first The Church has no ground to determine any matter Cajetan cited makes nothing for the Dr. of Doctrin novv on the account of Miracles Very true because as he insinuat's the Church has no new Revelations and therefore hold's her Doctrin already Determined upon Infallible Tradition handed down Age after Age from the Apostles Dayes O but Cajetan gives another Reason Because the Divel may do such things vvhich vve cannot distinguish from true Miracles Answ His meaning may be that some true Miracles are not upon the first sight before full Examination easily distinguished from false Signs but that many are distinguishable as when the dead rose and conversed witness Irenaeus à long time with the living seem's clear enough And I Neither Cajetan any ever taught that the Divel can revive the Dead am sure neither Cajetan nor any Christian ever thought that the Divel called those Dead to life or did those great Cures which our Saviour and the Apostles wrought As therefore the primitive Christians differenced those admirable works from the Divels Lying Wonders we likewise set the same distinctive Marks upon our Churches Miracles whereof I have largely treated above No
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