so much as probably against great Miracles wrought in the Church The like Account we give of other Authors falsifyed by the Dr. 215 Chap. XI A briefe Account of the Dr's large Excursion from his Page 595. to Page 664. Of his false Quotations and fallacious way in Arguing The rest Shewed à long list of impertinencies 236 Of Dr Stillingfleets Flawes in his false and faulty citing Tostatus Roffensis Didacus Stella and Iosephus Acostà 24 Chap. XII Of S. Xaverius his admirable life and most glorious Miracles VVitnesses of these Miracles and undoubted Testimonies produced The Dr's simple Exceptions against them demonstrated vain and frivolous His unjust Aspersion laid on Iesuits discovered 259 Chap. XIII The Dr's unjust Calumny laid upon F. Hierome Xaverius proved False Of his lost labour in telling impertinent Tales of forged Miracles His famous Story of twelve English Iesuits Showing Tricks in feigned Exortisms rejected as improbable A VVord of Hazenmillers lowd Lyes 277 Chap. XIV An Answer to one of the Doctors Exceptions against Miracles VVhether Miracles in the first Age of Christianity were but few How Miracles are proved by true Doctrin and true Doctrin by Miracles No counterfeit Miracles can passe the Churches Tribunal vvithout censure Of à late VVriters exceptions against Miracles The admirable Propagation of Christian Religion convinces that Miracles have been vvrought 296 Chap. XV. How Miracles are to be examined Christ wrought not his Miracles by natural Magick or Necromancie by stronge Imagination or the different Aspects of Stars VVhatever rational Argument proves Christ to have wrought true Miracles by Divine Virtue as forcibly proves Church Miracles to proceed from the very same cause Though Divels nay work some strange wonders they cannot raise the Dead or cure desperate Infirmities Of the Aegyptian Magicians Feates A word of the witch at Endor Other matters handled 313 Chap. XVI Why Miracles are wrought in the Church Of their twoo fold End Miracles rationally prove the Doctrin of Christ and the Church infallible Clear Miracles have been wrought in confirmation of every Doctrin taught by the Church Of Dr Stillingfleets simple Reply to two known and renowned Micles Whether Aesculapius cured à woman in the Temple of Epidaurus The Dr's Story of Pythagoras his golden Thigh examined found à fourb or at most Necromancy 326 Chap. XVIII Of many other Quotations partly impertinent partly false produced by the Dr Arguments against Miracles Answered pag. 345 Chap. XVIII Whether it be reasonable to have Missionaries novv sent into England and vvork Miracles there The Dr vvishes this done More of the Dr's many false and impertinent Quotations Antichrist's Wonders no true Miracles Miracles knovvn upon Moral Certainty sufficiently induce to Faith 358 Chap. XXIX The Conclusion 373 COVRTEOVS READER THe Erratas in this Impression however small are many Wonder nothing better could not bee expected from à Printer that knowes not à word of English The very most I hope of these faults are Corrected In case the Reader discover more which is likely He will I am confident either passe by them or charitably amend them A DISCOURSE OF MIRACLES WROUGHT IN THE ROMAN CATHOLICK CHVRCH Or à full refutation of Dr Stillingfleets unjust exceptions against Miracles together with à large discovery of the Doctors unexcusable frauds Manifest in his many false perverted and impertinent quotations CHAP. I. VVhat is meant by à true Miracle God only the cause of supernatural Miracles Of their absolute necessity VVhether the Miracle of Christ and his Apostles can be rationally proved against Iewes and Gentils Dr Stillinfleet hit's not on these rational proofs You have them hereafter clearly set down against all exceptions and Cavils 1 By à true Miracle we understand not every wonder that causes admiration but an effect or supernatural work of God far surpassing all created power which neither Angel Divel nor man can do by their own forces and therefore necessarily depends on God infinitly powerful Whence it followes that à Miracle has à necessary connexion withtruth and when known as such gives us Infallible certainty of that for which it is primarily intended The reason hereof seem's clear because God speaks by his works as men do by words God infinitly wise yea truth it selfe and as we now suppose the sole principal Author of Miracles can no more attest à lye by his own supernatural works than by the words he speak's in Holy Scripture Now that he speak's by works is manifest out of Holy writ The Heavens Psai 28. Rom. 1. 18. Austin Egist 49. declare his glory The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven And S. Austin confirm's it as we saith he speak's by words ita Divina potentia factis loquitur so God doth by his works and if he speak's by works Miracles for exemple he delivers truth God saith the Apostle to show the Heb 6. 17. 18. heires of his promise the stability of his Counsel hath interposed an Oath that by two things unmoveable whereby it is impossible that God should lye we have à most stronge comfort who have fled to hold fast the hope proposed c. Pray you reflect would an Oath in à mortal man though liable to deceipt be horrid if taken to depose à falshood None doubts it Much more say I would the exhibiting à Miracle whereby God as it were swear's he speak's truth be horâ—â—d could he that cannot deceive work one for example raise the dead to testify à lowd untruth Hence also followes à second impossibility and 't is The power of working Miracles not tyed to men's fancy that God cannot give the power of working Miracles to any when and in what manner man's fancy likes best for could this be done He would not only deprive himselfe of his own absolute Dominion but also rashly subject it to the will of another who by malice or ignorance may abuse it and publich errour in stead of truth As great an impossibility is it if not greater that an infinit wisdom ever work à Miracle to confirm à false Doctrin because an Infinit truth cannot contradict himselfe or give Testimony to à lye nor force an errour upon rational creatures subject to him by his own noble and glorious works 2. Hence also it is that none of our late Reformers in Germany or England ever wrought à Miracle to confirme one of their Novelties No wonder saith Petra Sancta Desertores Silvest Petra Sanct. Tom. 2. Thaumasiae c. 3. Pag. 26. verae fidei c. The singer of God whereby Miracles are wrought leaves Sectaries that forsake God and his Church Here you have also the true reason why Dr Stillinfleet though without successe sett's so briskly against Miracles Alas the poor man has none to embellish his new faith with and therefore would fain have those glorious wonders valued of as needlesse superfluities worth little but contempt He may yet remember how earnestly Luther endeavovred to work à Miracle in freeing one possessed with à Divel and also
our Saviours Miracles and the Apostles to have been really wrought by Arguments not taken from Scripture or if he make use of the new Testament against the Iew he is to lay aside that Question wether it be God's word or no Unlesse before the dispute the Book be evinced written by Divine inspiration Thus much premised 6 I argue against à Iew and ask whether he Christ's Miracles proved against à Iew. allowes the Historical part of the new Testament where the Miracles of Christ and the Apostles are recorded to be as good and as true à Story as the relation made in the old Testament of Mose's Miracles And now I trouble not his head with the Question about the Divine Inspiration of either book but only enquire after their truth In case he yeild's equal truth to both he must grant that Christ cured the blinde raised the dead and that the Apostles wrought such Miracles as S. Luke recount's in the Acts of those blessed men c. If as is most likely he bluntly reject's the Gospels relation as not true I ask what answer will he give à Heathen that no less boldly cast's off the Story of Moses Miracles as false and plainly assert's that the same reason let it be what you will whereby he attempts to discountenance the truth of one Narration will every whit as much enervate the truth of the other and thus all Miracles related in Scripture goe to wreck which is to say God never wrought any by Moses and the Prophets by Christ and his Apostles This the man of the Synagogue proves or nothing In case he reply Christians that admit Mose's Miracles are tongue tyed and cannot plead against them I answer we plead not against any for we hold all most true yet justly tax à Iew of à grosse Inconsequence which à Heathen laies before his eyes and once more say the same proofs and reasons whereby he endeavour's to reject the Miracles of Christ and the Apostles destroy at one blow the truth of the greatest Miracles which Moses or the Prophets ever wrought that is in à word there is neither proof nor reason to deny either all are most true and Strongly made out by reason supposing this one rational ground which none can deny viz. That books of History known and received all over deserve credit upon humane faith 7. In discoursing with à Heathen about Miracles Heathens also Convinced recorded in Scripture à rational demand is whether he yeild's as good credit to the History of this Book as to Titus Livius Caesars Commentaries or any other ancient writer If he affirm the Miracles there set down are with him upon moral certainty believable in case he denies I am not to take his bare word but must know the ultimate reason of his denial which will ever be Petitio Principii or in real truth no reason but à selfe conceipted fancy just as if one should sencelesly reject what ever Livy or Caesar has written because he will bluntly A reply answered do so upon no reason The Heathen may reply There is à great difference between all natural history and the Miracles registred in Scripture for these because strange and unusual so strongly check and abate beliefe that reason cannot but boggle and hold all forged by à few simple men that wrote them whereas no such extravagant wonders are found in natural History I answer first we read of innumerable great wonders in natural History as of Mountains rising up and justling together of certain Cities in Syria seated on hills and thence violently thrown into à Plain some miles off without any dammage c. Things certainly unusual though not so strange as à true Miracle I answer 2. All matters of Matters of fact in Scripture not feigned but manifestly proved true fact recorded in Scripture most evidently are not feigned however admirable and above the force of nature therefore it s highly against reason to hold the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles forged because strange and wonderful I prove demonstratively that matters of fact recorded in Scripture are not feigned upon this ground The Prophets long before Christianity was established foretold clear matters of fact which some thousands of years after evidently proved true as that Christ should be born of à Virgin that the old Priesthood should fail and à new Priest and King raign forever that the greater people the Iewes should become the less and the Gentils far lesser become the greater all strange and wonderful Predictions whereunto we may add our Saviours most certain Prophesy in that known Parable of the vineyard where speaking to the chief Priests and Pharisies he clearly foretold their ruin and rejection before it happened and no lesse clearly the destruction of Hierusalem These Prophesies the whole world has now seen for many Ages fulfilled and verifyed Hence I discourse whoever fortel's wonderful future things long before the event which afterwards visibly come to passe speak's truth and cannot forge nor feign because Facts exactly agreeing with the Predictions take away all suspicion of forgery but this you see is evident if you compare the Prophesies of the old Testament with what the Writers of the new have expressed and we se fulfilled with our eyes therefore all wonderful matters recorded in Scripture however strange are neither false nor forged A Heathen cannot deny the evident and now known fulfilling of these Prophesies because the Book of the old Testament was extant and read by Iewes long before the Evangelists wrote their Story 8. I argue 2. with Lingendes and rationally Ling. cited pag. 44. evince the truth of our Saviours Miracles by the Testimony of Writers in several nations most different from one another and further Ancient writers and Publick Fame prove the primitive Miracles ground my discourse upon an universal publick Fame received the whole world over which own 's those primitive Miracles as undoubted For ancient Writers this Author first remit's us to Joseph the Iew who speaking of our Saviour saith Eodem tempore c. In those dayes Iesus à wise Josepus l. 18 Antiquit c. 4. man lived if yet lawful to call him man only that wrought strange wonders and had many followers both Iewes and Gentils This Christ whom the chiefe of our Nation accused Pilate condemned to dy upon à Cross Euseb lib. Hist Eccles c. 11. Hieron de Script in verbi Josephus rose again the third day as the Prophets had foretold and as we read in the Jerosolimitanian Talmud named Gavoda Zara Miraculously cured innumerable diseased though the latter Iewes attribute this power of working Miracles not to any virtue in Christ nor to the Divel as their Progenitors impiously did but say they were wrought at the pronouncing of an ineffable name called by them Sem Hammaphoras or à name expounded The Turks Alcoran witness de Lingendes recount's at large the Miracles of our Saviour where you read of his cleāsing
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
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
the Sign of the Crosse in the place here cited He tell 's us that fire made by enchantment unactive and contrary to its nature burned not was freed from the Witchery by casting Holy Water upon it blessed with the Sign of the Crosse whereupon the People and many Jewes were present cryed aloud there is one God that Epiphan cited in the precedent page 60. help 's Christians and departed satisfyed Another like Miracle He relates of à raging man possessed by the Divel that was presently delivered from the ill Spirit by Holy water cast upon him blessed with that Holy Signe The Testimonies of the Learned Theodoret seem here very remarkable Theod. l. 5. Eccl Hist c. 21 Coloig print 1577. page 312 The Divel saith he hindred fire from burning when Fuel was applyed the Pastor hearing of the Charm Forthwith blessed Holy Water with the Sign of the Cross gave it to Equitius à Deacon commanding him to sprinckle the water upon the enchanted fire That done saith Theoderet the Divel ran away the water burned like Oyl and the fire consumed the vvood in à moment Had the Dr I say considered these and many other Miracles wrought by that Holy Sign which most worthy Fathers and far more Ancient than S. Gregory recount Hee S. Gregor lib. 1. c. 11. would certainly have spoken with more respect and not scorned S. Gregory because he tell 's you of one Martirius that signed à cake in the Embers with the Sign of the Holy Crosse CHAP. XI A briefe Account of the Dr's large Excursion from his Page 595. to Page 664. Of his false Quotations and fallacious way in Arguing The rest Shewed à long list of impertinencies 1. REader you have three things chiefly in the Pages here noted First Many Testimonies taken out of latter Authors quoted most unsincerely some as the Dr thinks prove great Miracles to have ceased in the Church And all those are false Others much inveigh against the forging of Miraracles which though truly Quoted are nothing as I now said to our present Purpose A Second thing and most blamable is the Dr's fallacious way of arguing who would fain draw his main Document of Miracles ceasing from this unsound principle Some pretended Miracles have been proved counterfeit Therefore none ought to be ovvned true The last thing worth reflection relates to many Notorious Impertinencies Of these in order and first we begin with the Dr's Quotations 2. He cites 1. John Gerson and partly Gerson declaratio veritat tom 1 page 415 conceal's partly pervert's the genuine Sence of this Author who relies on à certain Principle waved by the Dr and delivers most true Doctrin As saith Gerson citing Aristotle it matters not that some things false in themselves are more probable than others true So import's not if somethings false in themselves be piously believed not as false for if known as false it is far from the Piety of the faithful to believe them The Estimation or pious credulity therefore fall's not upon the verity or falsity but only upon the appearance and probability while the falsity or verity is unknown Hence S. Hierom prudently said it 's better in such matters piously to doubt than rashly to define Two Gerson's Doctrin here faithfulâ—y set down contradictories may both be probable and the one well stand's with the other not in Truth but in Probability Thus under different Respects both may be believed without Prejudice to Faith so that the mind be free from pertinacy Reader what is hitherto amiss in Gersons Doctrin while he teaches nothing the Dr conceal's this but à Truth known the whole world over For who is there that believes not matters only probable in appearance whereof there is no absolute certainty Hath the Dr I beseech you certainty of all things that passe his head or believes upon humane Faith Gerson goes on This Degree of certainty respect's the Legends and Miracles of Saints the Lives of Fathers and the Visions of devout Persons c. Which the Church embraces and permit's to be read not that it determin's them to be believed as necessary for Saluation But because they conduce to move the pious affections of the faithful so long as nothing in such matters is known to be false although also nothing is known upon certainty to be true so in those things that by à pious consideration might be done is more to be regarded than what was done Thus Gerson 3. Now hear the Dr's own words Written in à different Character Gerson saith he honestly confesses this to be the End of the Legends and Miracles of Saints and their Visions and Revelations so much talked of in the Roman Church Viz. To stir up the Piety and Good affections of the People For these things saith he are not proposed by the Church to be believed as true but they are rather to consider them as things that might be done than things that vvere done Reflect Reader in passing how the Dr condemn's himselfe by his own words for if Gerson speaks as most certainly he doth of Miracles and visions read in the Lives of Saints not proposed by the Church to be believed as true but only permitted to be read He opposes no Miracles no Visions approved by the Church or owned as true Nay these he plainly supposes in his precedent words Priusquam elucidaretur alio modo Gerson impugn's not approved Miracles per Ecclesiam vel rationem certam ipsa veritas before the verity be cleared by the Church or upon some other certain reason Let therefore approved Miracles stand firm without controule we have our intent and will while the Dr loses both his time and cause Do as S Hierom prudently advises rather piously doubt of these Legendary Miracles than rashly define any thing The Dr end 's his Harangue thus Gerson saith it is no matter if some things that are really false be piously believed so they be not believed as false or known false at the same time The Dr thought this word False would rattle lowd in à vulgar eare whereas had he distinguished as Gerson doth between Truth in appearance or Probability and perhaps no Truth in re the noise would have ceased Has not many à man upon great Probability been deemed honest and so proceeded with that really was otherwise and many an one probably thought dishonest who deserved not that Censure Thus the Judgement of men are often regulated by Appearances Mens Iudgements often regulated by Probalities without having Truth clearly laid before them Miracles Judged probable or in appearance only have their End which as Gerson saith is to stir up Devotion though no man goes about to prove the Church infallible by them as the Dr too simply Imagin's 4. Three or four Quotations yet remain taken out of Lyranus Cajetan Launoy and Luke d'Achery as weightlesse and witlesse here as if the Dr had told you à tale of à Tub. These Authors Reader worthily blame all
unsound Discourse of our Dr. Hence his far fetch 't Instances from Compostella and S. Vincentius are ushered in to no purpose save only to show his Ignorance and to traduce an unwary Reader Roffensis contra cap. Baby l. c. 10. 12. The like couzenage we have in three or four Quotations following so palpable that in real Truth I stand amazed at the Dr's insincerity He first referr's us to our worthy and learned Iohn Fisher Lord Bishop of Rochester as one opposite to Miracles wrought in the Church and doth it with so great confidence that he boldly Asks whether any Testimony can be more plain and Still p 613. Roffens contra Oëcolampad lib l. c 16. 17. p. 801 802. weighty than this in our case it being from one who undoubtedly knew all the Pretences to Miracles then made I beseech you Reader turn first to Roffensis where he showes that true Miracles are not to be rejected because some have made pretence to false ones and tell 's Oëcolampadius that for one feigned Invocation of à Magician the Sectary urged we Catholicks can produce innumerable true Miracles whereof saith the Bishop I shall speak more in the Preface to my second Book Again he saith though à Magician may dazle our Eyes with his Charms yet all true Miracles undoubtedly done by good Angels are not therefore to be rejected Absit istud à piorum mentibus far be this Errour from the minds of pious men Lastly he appeal's to the Miracles related by S. Austin and urges one which he call's Insigne Miraculum à famous Miracle Roffen cap. 17. wrought by the prayers of S. Gregory upon an incredulous Roman woman These saith Roffensis if thou Oëcolampadius weighest diligently and yet dost continue in thy obstinacy thy heart is hardned but because thou durs't not contradict the Powerful hand of God who did these Wonders Thou help 's on our Catholick cause 13. Again saith Roffensis Ponder well and page 804. fine tell me why God hath wrought so many yea far more Manifest Miracles to Confirm the Verity of the Holy Eucharist than he has done for Roffensis most plain for Miracles any other Sacrament The reason is This Mystery being Sublime and difficult Providence to facilitate our Faith gives light and support's the real Verity we believe by the Evidence of innumerable known Miracles Great Authors highly deserving credit recount these famous Miracles And no man in his Wits can deny them Thus our worthy Bishop who in à hundred other Passages of his works stoutly defend's Church Miracles What think ye is the Dr likely to prevail much against Miracles by the Testimonies here alledged when the Author he cites most professedly own 's them How could so learned à Prelate oppose Miracles in one part of his Works and vigorously maintain them as you see done in the places now cited and many others How durst he check the Heretick and tax him of Obstinacy in case he omitted to weigh diligently the Wonders recounted by S. Austin by S. Gregory and those other supposed evidently wrought in confirmation of that Truth we all believe I mean the Sacred Eucharist 14. We are now to clear the Testimony produced by the Dr from that false Glosse he cast's upon it In à word the Bishops whole Drift is to show and mark well his Drift for it clears all that the bare words of Scripture made use of without the Interpretation of the Church or the unanimous consent of Fathers are easyly perverted To prove the Assertion Roffensis tell 's us first That as our Saviour cast out Divels illuminated the Roffen contra capt Baby l c 10 page 227 Mark 16 v. 17. blind and cured diseases so likewise calling the Apostles together he gave them command over unclean Spirits and Power to cure all diseased as Christ our Lord did Hitherto no difficulty But saith our Bishop There is another Promise made by our Saviour here begin's the Dr's jugling when he foretold these Signs should follow in all the faithful that believed in him In my name they shall cast out Divels speak with new Tongues take Serpents away and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them They shall impose hands upon the sick and they shall be cured Observe well Saith he This large Promise made to all Believers in Christ we se not so amply performed for now common Believers cast not out Divels nor cure all diseases yet there is no doubt but that many had and have still true Faith In the next place the Bishop proposes this Objection Some perhaps will say Christ's promise therefore was in vain He Answer 's no Roffensis◠sed dicet page 229 such matter and his Answer clearly discover's the Dr's fraud our Saviour saith he would not have the Efficacy of his promise to be perpetual but only at the Rise and the growth of the Church Observe his reason Commonly at the ◠Observe wel of what Miracles the Bishop speaks beginning of the Church all true Believers to advance the Faith laid forth in the Gospel had the grace of working such Miracles as are now specifyed But after the Gospel was diffused the whole world over There was no need of the like Miracles wrought by all the faithful However if we precisely stand to the bare words of Christ there should not be any believing Christian in this Age without the Priviledge of working the Miracles now mentioned Thus our worthy Bishop And do not And learn thereby the Dr's Iugling you hereby see an Intolerable Jugling in Dr Still Who out of à misapplyed Principle Viz. All true Believing Christians in the following Ages dispossessed not Divels cured not all diseases spake not different Languages as the Primitive Believers did Will hence conclude There was no longer need of Miracles They are the Dr's own word 's Had Dr Still page 613. Hee said it is now needlesse that all good Christians work the like Miracles in the present Age as the Primitive Believers did which is all Roffensis affirm's he had spoken Truth But because he shift's off this main Circumstance I must once more accuse him of Notorious Jugling and can never sufficiently admire the mans boldness in corrupting Authors as he doth Almighty God forgive him 15. Another Testimony I find taken out of Stella in c. 11. Lucae p. 104. Didacus Stella where the Dr saith we read that the Power of Miracles is ceased What man but the Dr durst have told so lowd an untruth Reader believe it Stella in this very place assures us that about thirty years then past the Stella defend's great Miracles Holy Martyr Andreas de Espoleto being in Mauritania was cast three times into the Fire where he prayed in the midst of the flames without hurt not having so much as à hair of his head scorched And though saith Stella this great Miracle happened in the sight of many Lucitanians then present yet none of
the Mores were converted upon it Doth this condemning the Mores Incredulity imply à Denial of all Miracles Stella in c. 16. Lucae page 292. 1. Colum Certainly no. But to take all doubt away read Stella where he saith there are very many Miracles vvroûght vvhich for number and greatnes are admirable and far surpasse all those Signs granted to unbelievers and therefore the faithful are easily discerned from Infidels by Miracles God's ovvn certain Seals and knovvn Characters of Truth Yet more Those saith he who believe not the Roman Catholick Church will believe no Miracles Though the Dead were raised to life again Is this to tell us as the Dr falsely imposes on Stella that the Power of Miracles is ceased 16. The Dr replies Stella doth not only Say 2. Colum ibidem that the Povver of Miracles ceases now proved false But moreover affirm's that the receiving of it vvould do more hurt than good For men vvould Say that the Christian Faith vvas not sufficiently confirmed before I Answer The Dr once more egregiously cheat's the Reader For Stella speak's not of all men But only of such as are actually Believers And saith that all fully persvvaded of the Truths they believe and firmly embrace need not to seek after new Miracles for this End and mark the words to confirm that Faith they hold most certain which is true Doctrin Then presently Hee More of the Dr's Iugling adjoyn's if such believe not Moses and the Prophets he means the Doctors and Pastors of the Catholick Church neither will they believe though they saw men raised from the dead Hence you see how the Dr would Trapann you while out of this true Principle A faithful man actually Setled in à firm beliefe of all the Catholick Church teaches ought not to require or desire more Miracles to confirm that faith From this Principle I Say he would infer that Miracles cease and conclude That God out of his great mercy will shew none in order to the Conversion of Infidels Iewes and Hereticks Is this consequence good think ye Miracles for such and End as is specified are not now necessary Nay for that End would do more hurt than good Ergo it is not convenient that God work them upon other Design 's Viz. For the glory of his Church for the confusion of Infidels or as Stella notes for à clear Mark whereby Believers may be distinguished from the professed Adversaries of Christ 17. Our good Dr in the next place Quotes Victoria Relect 5 p 100 with me printed at Lyons 1557 â—anciscus de Victoria in his Relections who saith he heard of no Miracle or Sign wrought for the Conversion of the Indies Never was there the like blind Quotation foisted in by any Dr. Reader Victoria hath two Tomes containing twelve Relections six in the one and six in the other The fifth Relection in the first The Dr's Quotations dark and blinde Tome is de Indis posterior sive de Iure belli where I find no 200. page That 200. page went before under the Title of his second Relection De potestate Civili or Civil Power In the second Tome one Relection is de Arte Magicâ neither have we there any 200. page nor à word in either place like to that which the Dr cites But Suppose Victoria saith he had heard of no Miracles wrought for the conversion of the Indies that only proves all truths came not to his eares while others have both heard and expresly mentioned most glorious Miracles But this is evidently true And 18. To prove my Assertion I will here only Josephus Acosta Histoire naturelle des Indes tant Orientalles qu'occident Liv. 7. c. 27. Dedie au Roy 1595. produce two most worthy creditable Authors Josephus Acosta in his natural History of the Indies is one Where he recount's several great Miracles wrought by Almighty God in the open View of those Barbarians forceable enough to convert the hardest heart What can be more admirable saith he than to hear that three or four Poor Travellers Cabeca de vaca and his companions passing along with some enraged Indians were threatned death unlesse they cured the Infirm and diseased among them The distressed Captives having no other medicine at hand made use of Spiritual Physick the Sacred Prodigious Miracles wrought among the Indians Gospel and the prayers of the Holy Church In à word by only Saying those devout prayers and making the Sign of the Crosse upon the Sick Infidels much like the Apostles they instantly cured innumerable The Bruit whereof running abroad They were forced to goe up and down and to do the like wonders in many Villages where they healed all sort of diseased Persons Thus Josephus Acosta Who likewise tell 's you of à strange Miracle done by à Souldier of Peru called Lancero upon à desperate wound which he cured by Saying some Holy Words One by à Souldier of Peru. and making the Sign of the Crosse upon the wound No lesse admirable is his relation of those Barbarians that besieged the Spaniards in à place called Cusco and by casting fire on their little Cottages covered with straw so sorely pressed them that without assistance from Heaven all had perished had not à certain Lady the Blessed Virgin visibly appeared over those Cottages and quenched the Fire as it fell upon the straw This the Infidels saw and afterwards recounted as à prodigious Miracle 19. Yet more It is known for certain saith Acosta by the relation of many Historians that in the several Battels the Spaniards fought against the Indians as well in new Spain as Peru those very Infidels saw in the Aire one like à Cavalier mounted upon à white horse with à Sword in his hand chasing away their forces Another by S. Iames. and fighting for the Spaniards Whence proceed's that great veneration the Spaniards bear to the glorious Apostle S James These few Testimonies I omit others may suffice to confront Dr Still who cites Josephus Acosta as one that saies Miracles were only necessary in the beginning of Josephus Acosta de procurandâ Indorum salute l. 2. c. 9. 10. Christian Religion And not to wrong the Dr his words are these Acosta at large debates this case why God doth not now give the Power of Miracles among those who preach to Infidels as he did of old and he offer 's at several reasons for it of vvhich this is the Chief that Miracles vvere necessary in the beginning of Christian Religion but not novv 20. Reader I have perused with great delight this pious and curious Author both De naturâ novi Orbis and likewise De procurandâ Indorum observe well of what Miracles Acosta speak's Salute and after à serious reflection made upon the two chapters quoted dare boldly averr that the Dr contrary to all conscience grosly abuses Acosta and every unwary Reader The Question proposed in the beginning of the 9. Chapter is thus
pointed out the great light of the world then appearing in Bethlem Observe the Expression wise men whether then living or afterwards imports not Judged so Therefore he never proposed this as à Truth revealed by Almighty God in Scripture 5. And thus Reader you have briefly the intolerable fraud of De Dieû and our Dr discovered who will needs impose upon F. Xavier what he never said They avouch he told all these Particulars and more as Verities revealed by Almighty God and words contained in the Holy Gospel Whereas it is evident by his manner of Writing And own Expressions no such thing can be meant Though desirous to make the History of Christ compleat he grounded himselfe first upon the exact Truths recorded in the Prophets and the Gospel with à further Enlargement as you have heard The Dr therefore yet living is obliged to recall what he has falsely said And to take off his foul Aspersion unjustly laid upon à most laudable Missioner 6. In like manner I Answer to the Exceptions made against the Story of the B. Virgin Dr Still page 618. where the Dr as God would have it manfully refutes himselfe F. Xavier saith he took what he had out of à Silly Book attributed to S. Hierome rejected by Baronius and others Is it so Did he take Baron Appar n. 44. what he had out of à Silly Book Prove you Sr that he presented the contents of that Book to Acabar under rhe Notion of God's revealed Wherein De Dieu and the Dr fail Word or as Written in Scripture and you Satisfy us But this neither De Dieu nor you shall ever make Probable 7. In the next place our Dr falls foule upon the Father for asserting Issachar to have been High Priest when S. Joachim offered up his Sacrifice in the Temple It is true Baronius cited saies Issachar could be no high Priest Then But tell me Reader is not this à pardonable fault in à poor Missioner who if mistaken thought he had S. Hierom's Authority for his Assertion And then neither did nor could know what Baronius had Written of this Subject Were the Dr's grosse Errours when he Quotes Authors falsly as I have Demonstrated When he produces Testimonies for the ceasing of Miracles in the Church though he saw those very VVriters he cites most expresse for glorious Miracles in latter Ages When he looks back upon his Jugling and foul perverting the plain Sence of Authors When he call's to mind his unjust Calumny Laid on Jesuits as men Forsooth who think it Lawful to Lye for à good cause c. These and many more Abominable frauds I have discovered in the Dr though to use his own words upon another Occasion he little thought they would ever come to light Were such grosse falsities I say as minute and pardonable as that one small Oversight is of F. Xavier Mr Dr might rejoyce And read these my Writings over with à merrier heart than he is like to do But his Errours are horrible and without serious repentance unpardonable The rest that followes in the Dr of the Blessed Virgins retyred life in the Temple of her vow of Virginity which grave Authors affirm The Baron Appar n. 47. c. 56. Dr laughs at all you have plainly asserted and proved in Baronius 8. Our Dr willing to make his Imputations cast on F. Xaverius relishable and to gain his precious Author De Dieu credit cites Philip Alagambe who saies the Text of Dieu his Translation is not unfaithfully done some few things Alagambe Biblioth Scrip. Societatis page 188. Animadversiones De Dieu page 537. excepted It is very true But Alagambe add's That De Dieu's heretical Observations or Animadversions one great part of his Book comming from à naughty heart deserve to be burnt with his Preface and marginal notes This Mr Dr conceal's yet Methinks if Alagambe merits credit in the one his word also may well be taken for the other The Dr at the close of Dr Still page 623. his Discourse thinks he hath said enough not only to stop the mouth of E. VV. for the future but even of impudence it selfe An idle brag of à defeated Adversary Peruse Reader this Treatise and you will see to whom Impudence as due belong's in this place I say no more 9. The Dr from his Page 624. to 663. afford's little worth reflection or any Reply In à word he seem's much like some poor Fellowes in our Cities that goe up and down the Streets and cast into nasty Carts all the filth and Dirt they meet with And I verily think gain more by that Sordid Employment Than the Dr gets Forged Miracles introduced by the Dr. wholly impertinent by his long and tedious Narration of forgeries and false Miracles impiously Pretended to have been wrought when none were This I call Dirt busily Scraped up by the Dr and cast into the Pages now mentioned But for what End or Purpose is hard to say Is it to tell us that Cheats and Counterfeits have sometimes plaid their prancks and abused others No great Doctorship is required for that which the whole world knowes Is it to Decry true Miracles because false ones have been forged A plain Degree of Madnes For so we should decry true Scripture because false Scripture has been Fathered upon the very Apostles Is it to prove à Religion naught because some that professe it Se Eusebius Hist lib. 3. c. 19. and l. 6 c. 10. And S. Austin contra Adversar Legis prophetar lib. 1. c. 20. Se Reas. and Relig. Disc 2. c. 8. num 11. counterfeit Miracles By this Art and Arguing Protestancy is ruined For not only Luther and Calvin as I shewed feigned Miracles but others also of the English Ministery have done so Witnesse that egregious fourb practized by John Dorrell in his pretended Possessions and Dipossessions of William Summers at Nottingham of Thomas Darling the boy of Burton of Cadwall and of Katharine Wright at Mansfeild c. Whereof whole Books have been Written laying open the frauds as you may read in Brerely who also introduces Dorells notorious cheat of à Spirit Brerely Tract 2. c. 3 Sect. 7. subd 5. p. with me 546. speaking in à wall against Queen Mary with the sleeping Preachers forgery Discovered by his Majesty King James VVere it worth the while to gather up more of this filth justly attributed to Protestants we could easily match Mr Dr and bespatter as many Pages with it as he has done But who besides the Dr can endure this Nonsense Some of such à profession have plaid the Knaves and forged Miracles Ergo the Religion that decryes the Forgery is naught Or true Miracles whereof Christians never doubted are to be looked on as False 10. Mr Dr after two tedious Stories of Falco and Joannes de Vincentia held by many Impostors by others not so hardly thought of But rather freed from the guilt for our purpose it imports not to
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
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
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
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
Divines Though the Dr most likely will not allow me so favourable à Censure The Dr's way or mode in writing whilst Substance failes cannot but be worthless unsavory and distastful Peruse him Reader page after page you will find the man all along in à peevish Humour when you see his Book brim full of tare biting Ironies Drolleries Comical Expressions impertinent Demands Idle Stories c. As if the disgorging à little Gall were enough to bring into Contempt the Clearest Miracles God ever wrought Had he had but common Prudence He might well have thought that for one Petit private man hid in à corner of the world pertly to rise up against all ancient Fathers Doctors and Divines without Manifest Proofs reduced to sound Principles would never take But appear to every Iudicious Reader as it is an unluckly Management of an ill cause Herein without all doubt Passion blinded the man And I am sure left him no clear Ey-Sight when he too boldly tell 's us above That be relies on our own Writers in this Controversy and thinks himselfe not mistaken I say once more the Pretence is most false having not so much as one Catholick Author that opposes approved Miracles But suppose one or two could be racked to his Sence hitherto I neuer met with any might not the Dr haue called to mind his own Apology made in behalfe of Mr Thorndick Who as Zealously clear's the Catholick Church from Idolatry as the Dr fondly laies that foul Aspersion on Her If we should grant They are the Dr's words in his General Preface That He Mr Thorndick held some things singular in this matter what is that to the constant Opinion of our Church So say I should we grant which I shall neuer yeild that some one or other Catholick Author were singular in this matter now debated what 's that to the contrary Iudgement of all other Writers and the Sentiment of à whole Church besides But now when the Dr has none that sides with him His only course will be to sit down silent and talk no more of our Writers By what is hitherto said T' is hard methinks to conceive what moved the Dr to quarrel with our Miracles Has God angred the man in Showing so many clear Legible Characters Written by his own powerful hand intending thereby to make his Church glorious I say many For there is no Kingdom Saith S. Chrysostom no Country no common wealth no famous City in the world where innumerable have not either seen or heard of Miracles attested by most faithful Witnesses and upon that Account haue rendred humble thanks to God for so signal Testimonies of his favours It may bee the Dr thinks that those who have Written of Miracles are but à few only Vulgar and ignorant It is à Cavil Many stout Champions inferiour to none in knowledge have defended them These are our Combatants and Conquerours in this Controversy But perhaps these learned only recount some Trivial matters or as the Dr speak's à few extraordinary Things Quite contrary They mention most Signal Works great Wonders as raysing the Dead restoring sight to the blind and curing incurable Infirmities clear effects of God only Omnipotent But stay have not our Learned Writers willing to wave pains slightly passed over such Matters of Fact No. Never any were or can be more accurate in laying forth the Substance and all Circumstances relating to Miracles than S. Irenaeus S. Hierom S. Augustine S. Gregory Thaumaturgus and S. Bernard These Admirable Saints to omit latter Authors have either wrought great Miracles or Written of them with so much care and diligent Study That one with halfe an Ey may perceive As They themselves never doubted of what they wrote so they purposely strove to fix à firm Belief of them in the minds of others Hence S. Augustine cited afterward Lib. 22. de Civit. Cap. 8. assures us He vvrote the Miracles there specifyed for this End that they might be publickly read before the People and knovvn to all For saith the Saint Such was my express will Because when we saw the Signs and Miracles wrought frequently in our time like those which God anciently evidenced to the world I endeavovred that their memory should not perish If therefore Miracles have been frequent If knovvn the vvhole vvorld over If seen and attested by Many Ey-Witnesses if legible Characters Written by God's own hand if great and prodigious If finally wrought for this End that their Memory might be preserved and known to all VVhat could induce our unadvised Dr most rashly to publish his lame and imperfect Enquiry against Miracles This to me appear's à Paradox or rather à Riddle which no Oedipus can solve Had not this man shown Spight enough in his former Treatises vvhere he set's that Vile and Infamous Mark of Idolatry upon our Ancient Church though She drevv vvhole Nations from Idolatry to the Christian Faith But thanks be to God He has not as I hear gained three Iudicious men of his ovvn Profession to believe him Had He not spit out Venome enough in stiling the most Learned vvith in this great Moral Body Rebel teachers and Sowers of Divisions Had he not in some Frolick gnash't his teeth enough in his more than bold presumptious railing at the Saints in Heaven How could à renowned S. Benet S. Dominick or S. Francis fall under his lash and raise up so much unruly Passion in à Dr Could he not he have left these happie Souls in their eternal Rest free from his Scratches Taunts aend bitter Obloquies Without doubt he look't on them as some of old did on the wild beasts in Theaters publickly exposed to be bated and furiously encountred Yet to make the burthen of his sins more heavy he sports himselfe with all that can be serious Do but mention the Sanctity and Austerity of thousands yet living in the Church all with him is thought Hypocrisy Speak of our Catholick Doctrin taught his Progenitors for à thousand years and more it Led them forsooth into so many abominable Errours that 't is hard to say whether they are saved or damned Bring to light the clearest Miracles God ever wrought what are they Nothing but painted Strawes and Counterfeit Trances And thus he add's Sin to Sin without remorse or check of Conscience upheld by no other Principles than Drollery vain Florishes lowd untruths and Calumnies Dr Iohn Avila à man of great learning and à renowned Preacher hearing soon after the death of à Priest of one sole neglect and t' was that but once only he had offered up in his whole life time the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass spake these few but weighty words Multum defert ad Iudicem This man upon that Account carries much with him to be answered for before his Iudge VVhat was this little small Omission compared with Dr Stillingfleet's enormous Commissions Dovvn Cries He vvith their Sacrifice avvay vvith their Mass all is Superstition and the highest Idolatry He
but Saith some one we Protestants credit Papists when they tell us that the Gospel is à true Story and believe them also in the Report they make of Christ's Miracles Most unreasonably done for if those men never told you true word of Miracles wrought in the Church but quite contrary cloy'd your eares with forged Stories their credit utterly lost deserves nothing but contempt as to Christ's Miracles if false in the one of mighty consequence hold them boldly fallacious in the other 15. What will you say if Dr Still to help himselfe in à present Exigency draw back à little and tell us He never yet plainly denyed all our Church Miracles Very good newes if true whence it followes that unless he will quite suspend his Judgement as doubtful of all he must necessarily grant some great Miracles those chiefly approved by the Church my desire is to know which and how many he will yeild us having upon his Concession certainty of so many I shall thence infer that either All approved Church Miracles are to bee admitted or None Some perhaps Either all approved Miracles must be allowed or none may here propose this Question what if the Church had never had Miracles done in it would not our Saviours admirable Wonders either written in the Gospel or conveyed down by Tradition have been sufficient to check Antichrist's pride and the legerdemain of that false Prophet Were this supposed Christians would have been in no worse condition than now though the Church tell false Stories of her Miracles I Answer the Supposition which notoriously impaires the Churches humane Authority and consequently takes off that high respect all bear to Christ's Miracles is à meer Impertinency Observe my reason It is one thing to Argue upon à false Supposition by imagining no Miracles wrought in the Church and another What followes if the Church had been without Miracles to make this Oracle an upon Lyar. In the first case had none been wrought the Church would never have divulged any but in the other Supposition She is perfidious while she ascertain's us of Miracles which Sectaries say were never done and therefore loses all credit and can gain beliefe of none 16. We come at last to the true fundamental Ground of Miracles wrought in the Church and prove them absolutely necessary None upon à bare owning those ancient Wonders wrought by Christ and his Apostles true can show who among so many dissenting Christians in the fundamental matters of Faith make at this day Profession of Christ's Doctrin Therefore other Miracles are absolutely necessary to mark out and distinguish Miracles proved necessary in the Church she true Professors of Christ's Doctrin from false Sectaries Whoever denies Miracles absolutely necessary for this end must either say that the Christian Societey where Christ's Doctrin is truly professed cannot be known or distinguished from false Sectaries though it gives in Evidence of undoubted Miracles Or which is as bad he must grant that all Hereticks are here-upon proved true Professors of Christ's Doctrin because forsooth they acknowledge Christ and his Apostles to have wrought such and such Miracles and this is evidently false for condemned Hereticks as Arians and Pelagians easily assent to that owned Truth but are not therefore to be listed among the true Professors of Christ's Doctrin Much more therefore is required and it is that Christ's true Society doth not only talk of primitive Miracles or own them true but besides really show you the like admirable distinctive Signs as raising the dead curing the blind and lame manifested by Christ and his Apostles peculiar to it selfe not Common to others of à contrary saith But this Prerogative whereby Faithful Believers are marked out and differenced from Hereticks belong's only to one living Oracle the Roman Catholick Church which took its rise from Christ and his Apostles and ever since stood Age after Age gloriously illustrated by known and renowned Miracles And thus we have it clearly distinguished from all Hereticks Whenas Sectaries men utterly forsaken like dirt cast out of the house of God lie under disgrace altogether unable to confirm their Novelties by one true supernatural wonder Thus Providence showes them no lesse naked and bereft of true Miracles than cold inefficacious and unlucky in their Conversions and drawing Infidels to Christ 17. By what is now Said you may discover Dr Still p. 665. no little lamenesse in Dr Still Discourse The Doctrin of Christ saith he being confirmed by the Miracles wrought by them there cannot be any such necessity in succeeding Ages to confirm the Much Lamenesse in Dr Still Discourse same Doctrin by Miracles The same Doctrin Sr You speak at random pray you tell us in this confusion of different Religions while every one lay's claime to Christ's Doctrin who are proved the true Professors of it by avouching Christ to have wrought great Miracles Or make this Consequence good Christ Cured the blind lame and deaf Ergo Arians who contradict Protestants in the Essentials of Faith or Protestants that contradict the Arians are proved the faithful Professors of Christ's Doctrin because both Judge well of Christ's Miracles If so Catholicks may come in with the best and show themselves sound in Faith upon this account But thanks be to God we can say more for our cause and rest not only in à bare Beliefe of those ancient great Wonders but as I noted above demonstrate à Church Characterized and gloriously marked out by the like supernatural Sign 's which those first great Masters evidenced when they preached to the world and thus our Church is distinguished from all false Conventicles 18. There is no shifting of the force of this Argument but by one of these two desperate evasions Either it must be said that publick Miraculous works evidently done by one or many Authoritively sent to teach Christ's Doctrin are not at all marks of Truth and this is contrary to the Gospel Our Lord working with them the Apostles and confirming the Mark 16. ◠19. John 20. 30. word with Signs that followed These Signs are written add's S. John that men might believe that Iesus is Christ the Son of God c. Or 2 You are flatly to deny the Church ever to had one true Miracle wrought in it which is evidently false as has been proved whereof more presently The only owning ancient Miracles Maintain's any Religion In the mean time you se that to plead for Christ's true Doctrin by only owning those ancient Miracles true licenses all dissenting Christians in Fundamentals to maintain any Religion true or false as they please The Arian may teach as he teaches and so may the Monothelit without Reproof if he tell us he hold's Christ's Doctrin confirmed by primitive Miracles though he cannot say upon à bare owning those Signs what Christ's Doctrin is whether for an Instance the Divine Word truly assumed Flesh or that God is one Essence and three distinct Persons
c. And thus all dissenting Christians stand as it were equally ballanced in their Plea for Truth one is no more advanced than another nor shall any ever know where Christ's Truths are taught unlesse he first find out à Church evidenced by Christ's own Signatures I mean glorious Miracles 19. Some may here Ask whether God cannot set other Marks on à Church besides Miracles Sufficient to distinguish it from all false Conventicles I answer the Question by another like Demand Could not God have set other Marks on Christ and his Apostles excluding Miracles sufficient to distinguish them from all false Prophets Reader we enquire not in this place what God can do his Power is Omnipotent but speak of what he has already done and Say that as his Power and Wisdom marked Christ Apostles and the Church marked by Miracles out our blessed Lord and the Apostles by many clear Signs as great Sanctity Purity in Doctrin admirable Conversions and one most choise Gods own Signatures glorious Miracles So also he has set all and every one of these Signal Marks upon his own Oracle the Catholick Church the chiefest and choisest whereof are illustrious Miracles by these she is clearly distinguished from all false and misled Teachers CHAP. III. Some Choise Manifest Miracles proved upon the Deposition of many Sworn Ey-witnesses Of à Late famous Miracle wrought at Calais in Picardy None can call into doubt the Authentick Miracles done by S. Thomas Cantilupe our renowned Bishop of Hereford Other grat Miracles yet obvious to all mens eyes S. Bernard's known Miracles proved most certain 1. MIracles being Matters of Fact and Objects of sense cannot but gain credit when Authors of unquestionable Fame produce many faithful Ey-witnesses who upon Oath attesâ—ed they saw them done Of these I shall chiefly speak in this chapter and remit the Reader to my former Book as also to some ensuing Chapters in this Treatise Reas. and Relig. Dis 2. cap. 8. where I bring to light à whole Torrent of most ancient Fathers not lightly but upon set design teaching That God in all Ages has adorned his Church with renewned and undeniable Miracles Cardinal Bellarmin begin's from the Bellar. lib. 4. de notis Ecclesiae Cap. 14. first Century with the known Miracles wrought by Christ and the Apostles and showes à continuance of them ever after to the 16.th Age when that learned man lived The exact Brerely Protes Apol Tract 2. c. 3. Sect. 7. Sub. 3. pag 534. having proved à confessed want of Miracles in Luther and Calvin and other Sectaries lead's you from the eight Century downwards and points out Miracles so manifestly attested by approved Authors that our very Adversaries as Osiander the Centurists and others cannot for shame either Question the sincerity of these Witnesses or deny the matters of Fact but shamefully recurre to à desperate Plea and say plainly God had no hand in them No. All were done by the Divel's power Now to the Task we have undertaken 2. One glorious and most certain Miracle being but lately done at Calais à Town in Picardy neer England shall first give the Reader entertainment The whole Processe whereof the rigid Examination made the Depositions taken from many Ey-witnesses and every particular at last confirmed by Episcopal Authority those two laborious Writers Godefridus Henschenius Acta Sanct. Mens April Tom. 1. 2. April pag. 229. and Daniel Papebrochius have amply drawn out to whom I must remit you for further Satisfaction and briefly recount the Miracle visibly wrought upon à Gentlewoman in Calais by the intercession of that great Servant of God S. Franciscus de Paula Founder of à most Holy Religious Order Vulgarly called Minims 3. In the year 1661. the forenamed Gentlewoman The nature af Peronna's Infirmity about 30. years old by name Peronna Raoult daughter to an honourable man called Lewis Raoult had been 13. whole years griveously afflicted with à violent cough and stoppage at her lungs caused by á continual Defluxion of humours comming from her head Physicians though often consulted found no remedy saying ingenuously they well knew not the cause and nature of her strange Asthtmatical disease which for the four last years more and more encreasing brought frequent and fearful convulsion fits upon the afflicted Patient whence followed such à contraction of nerves and Sinewes in her left Leg that first it became four fingers soon after halfe à foot shorter than the other This innumerable Witnesses saw and gave Evidence of as also that the bone of her right Leg and Hip put out of joynt gave her such intolerable pain that the could not sit without drawing her body into à round lump in which Posture she suffered many Sowing fits and unexpressible Torments When the most Christian King came to Calais anno 1658 His Majesties chief Physician Mons t Valet and three other expert Doctors were there also and several times visited the infirm creature which done all unanimously concluded the infirmity to be incurable and that poor Peronna was to remain Paralitick all the dayes of her life 4. Thus left confortles still enduring excessive Torment she thought it high time to implore help from Heaven and resolved to make à Novens or nine dayes of prayer by her Peronna implores assistence from Heaven selfe or others to the glorious Saint Francis of Paula and began it in the Minims Church at Calais the fift day within the Saints Octave Now because of her great weaknes she could not repair thither without much pain she often sent her Maid servant to perform the Devotion for her yet encouraged to doe some thing herselfe during the Novens though usually carried to the Church in à chair she called that day for her Crutches and with the help of her Maid to hold her up after many à wearisom step and stop in drawing breath at last got to the Church where she heard Masse said for her intention and communicated When behold at the reading of the last Gospel Peronna felt an excessive pain all her body over but chiefly in her left Leg and both hipps then all her nerves were violently stretched out by à humour as she thought dispersing it selfe through every member and heard the noyse of her bones long out of joint brought again to their natural posture Immediatly after these Torments Peronna Cured in an Instant by Miracle the vigour and agility of her whole body were perfectly restored in à moment in so much that without help or the least sign of weaknes she rose up and knelt before the Altar to the great admiration of all the Beholders The Priest who said Masse by name F. John de Beaumont when he saw her kneeling wondred at it and because he yet knew nothing of the Miracle advised her to fit down O Father said she blessed be God that is now needless for I am perfectly cured and as well as if I had never been infirm Then she went to the