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
reason or Authority but you will eo ipso enervate all our Saviour's Miracles which certainly were proved truly vvrought upon Humane Faith before Scripture registred them 2. In this laudable Examination two things may be Questioned The first concernes the matters of Fact whether for an Instance God raised the dead to life by the Intercession of blessed What this due Examination requires S. Stephen of S. Thomas Cantilupe and S. Xaverius The like is of desperate Diseases cured by the Prayers of Saints in God's Church Hereof we have great Evidence taken from Ey-vvitnesses and the undoubted Testimony of those who have left them upon Record Mr Dr certainly requires not when à Miracle is done That God tell us by à nevv Revelation it is à work above all natural Povver or that he work one Mito confirm the Truth of another This would imply à Processe in Infinitum when one may as well Question the second or third Miracle as the first Neither were our Saviours Miracles when done proved after this manner No. They were first seen by credible Witnesses afterwards divulged And that was proof enough The second thing Questionable is whether if such Miracles as are now evinced were visibly exhibited may notwithstanding that exteriour Evidence be held deceiptful Appearances only or wrought by à Power lesse than Divine This the Dr hints at and would fain have all our Miracles thought at most bare Appearances if yet so much 3. I Say in à word VVhat even Reason proves Christ and his Apostles to have vvrought true Miracles by Divine Povver evinces the Very same of all approved Miracles done in the Church God therefore was and is the sole Principal cause of all such Miraculous Effects 4. Before I prove what is here asserted reflect Irenaeus l. 2 c. 57. sine upon the Resuscitation of Lazarus who lived afterwards à long time Call also to mind those mentioned by Irenaeus that were raised from death and perseverantly lived saith this great Author multis annis many years vvith us So also no few did resuscitated by S. Thomas Cantilupe S. Dominick and S. Xaverius All these walked up and down conversed with otthers experienced in themfelves the real Operations of life and therefore either lived or vve Act. 3. 3. live not Now for strange Cures consider in the next place that man lame from his Mothers womb who lay begging at the Gate of the Temple called Beautiful to whom S. Peter saith The dead raised to life and desperate Discases cured Holy Scripture instantly gave health strength and vigour Compare his cure with that of poor John Clement born also à Criple from his Mothers womb that often sate begging at the Gate of our Ladies Church in Montagu And in à moment of time like the other in the Acts lifted himselfe up stood straight on his feet and was Miraculously cured by the Intercession of the ever Blessed Virgin 5. Hence I Argue Christ is rationally proved to have raised Lazarus to life by Divine Virtue if no Power in nature or Divels could produce that strange Effect Ergo those other Resuscitations now mentioned are as rationally proved wrought by Divine Virtue if no Power in nature nor Divels could produce them Again That cure wrought upon the Lame born All done by Divine Power Criple Sitting at the Temple gate is rationally proved Miraculous and done by Divine Virtue if no Power in nature or Divels did it Ergo that cure wrought upon John Clement no lesse à lame born Criple is as rationally proved Miraculous and done by Divine Virtue if no Power in nature or Divels did it But the Antecedents here proposed in both cases are most true Therefore necessarily infer Truth in their Consequences 6. I am first to Show that no Power in nature or Divels can raise the Dead to life and will not entertain the Reader with the open Folly of some Arabians who thought Christ wrought all his Miracles and consequently raised the Dead by the strength of his Povverful Imagination As wholly stupid are those Judiciary Astrologers that ascribe them to the different Aspects or Situations of Stars in which knowledge say they Christ was most conversant Michael de Medina both Medina de rectâ in Deum fide lib. 2. c. 7. largely and learnedly refutes these whymsies and showes that Imagination can indeed work strange Effects in the Body and mind of such as are liable to violent fancies whereof he gives prodigious Examples but can effect nothing Se his page 69. B. upon Things distant or wholly separated from the Imaginative Faculty If therefore one sit's Lame in à chair and see 's à Book à farr off in à Stationers Shop the strongest Imagination in the world will never bring that Book into his hands He refutes also the Astrologers upon this ground that not only our Saviour but the blessed Apostles also dispersed the whole world over under different constellations yea their very The fooleries of some refuted girdles handherchiefs and Garments and the Saints in Heaven when invoked at their Monuments work innumerable Miracles independently of the various motions and Aspects of Stars Finally saith Medina if à strong Imagination or Stars can produce such admirable Effects how comes it to passe that these talkative men were all born under so unluckly Planets as to doe none How happen's it they are so feeble in their Apprehensions that not one among them could ever yet work à true Miracle But enough of Fooleries 7. Some thought more wise tell us that all our Saviours Miracles the like is of those wrought in the Church may bee easily effected by à Secret art of Magick earnestly sought after by many Briefly All Magick is either natural or Ceremonial when done by evil Spirits it is called Necromancy The first Magick makes à Search into the hidden Things of Nature and by à ready application of active Agents to Passive often showes strange Effects yet no vvayes Miraculous For the attaining of this knowledge Empedocles Democritus Apollonius and Anaxagoras travelled far and viewed à great part of the Universe Some by virtue of it produce Roses and ripe Grapes in Winter others by Alchimy have long tried to find out the Philosophers Stone but with what successe I know not Now this Magick add to it that they call Astronomical Effects wrought by natural Magick and Cabalistical being only limited to natural Causes can do nothing that 's above all natural Power as most certainly the raising of the dead is Neither did those who so highly extol this Art ever yet pretend to call men out of their Graves and endue them with the like Operations of life they had before 8. Necromancy whether Goetick or Theurgick practized by Divels and Witches has its Necromancy has its Limits limits also and extend's no further than only to what is previously contained in natural Causes as S. Augustin cited above notes excellently well Now because Angels and Divels
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
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
more in the place Cited above was either brought to passe by Virtue of true Miracles or not if by Miracles we have our intent if not plain reason witness S. Austin teaches that no greater Miracle can be conceived than to behold à sinful and unbelieving World converted without the Miracles we plead for Answerable hereunto others Argue and methinks pertinently These Blessed men who wrote the History of the Gospel and registred our Saviours Miracles with their own at last as all know couragiously endured violent deaths to Testify that the Doctrin and Miracles they wrote of were no Leger-de-main but sincerely true In doing this we must either judge them horridly impious or stark mad if they registred matters of Fact that never were or contrarywise own them Divinly inspired and faithful Ministers of their great Lord and Master Say they were impious besotted or mad you utter the greatest Paradox that ever mouth spake and must confesse that whole multitudes wise and learned were converted to Christ by wicked and mad Impostors which proves him or them impious and utterly bereaved of Judgement that dare upon no ground avouch à Fiction so shamfully incredible These first followers of Christ therefore proceeded with all Sincerity and registred their great Masters Doctrin and Miracles most faithfully 17. A third Proof methinks Very convincing may be thus proposed Should à Stranger come amongst us from the furthest Parts of the world and tell us he hath heard much in his Travels of great wonders done by à man called Jesus Christ as also of Strange Miracles wrought by some poor followers Christ had named Disciples and very willing he is to be better informed concerning the truth of these divulged Wonders To give this man rational Satifaction I would in the first place put into his hands the History of the Gospel where these Matters of Fact are recorded and next demand whether he can more rationally call into doubt the truth of that History owned by innumerable How à Strâger may be satisfyed that doubts of Christs Miracles multitudes à true Book at least upon humane faith than in prudence Question the verity of any other History he own 's true In case he boggles at the History I must know Why and upon what rational ground he boggles Now this ground after some little discourse will appear so remote from being rational that it can come at last to nothing but à selfe conceipted Fancy because it is utterly impossible to make any more just or reasonable exception against the plain History of the Gospel than against any other known or received true Story Thus much cleared which no Enemy of Christ unlesse most unreasonable can deny our Stranger casts his thoughts upon Iewes and modern Sectaries and finds these by their own confession so destitute of Miracles that none among them can pretend to any since Christianity began Next he peruses the Gospel see 's with what Candour the Evangelists recount our Saviours Miracles and seems willing enough to hold all true upon humane Faith because he finds no reasonable exception against them yet stick 's much at one Passage where we are told of greater works to be Iohn 14. v. 12. done by those who believe in Christ than he had wrought If this can be made out and verifyed saith the Stranger Christ did not only foretel future things which is proper to God but it followes also that after his death and leaving the world He did as if present with some choise Servants impower them to perpetuate the like visible Wonders he had wrought Christ therefore Saith he was either very unwise in promising so largely while he lived if he never performed it or if he really made all good he worthily deserves credit and ought to be believed before any that hitherto taught the world for though we read of some Heathens who gloriously set forth their own Wonders yet none of them dared to Prophesy of doing Miracles after death by others neither did they for ought I know work any by men of the like Belief or Profession with them Thus the Travaller discourses and urges to have these latter Miracles wrought by Christs Servants rationally laid forth to an unbyassod Judgement To Satisfy the difficulty here proposed 18. All know that matters of Fact as Miracles where of we now discourse are not proved by Principles taken from natural Causes or the deep knowledge of Metaphysical learning for who will go about to show that Caesar was à glorious Warrier or Cicero an Eloquent Orator by Metaphysicks or natural reasoning None can attempt this All therefore that Argue pertinently must rely upon other proofs and plead as we have done for Apostolical Miracles by the publick Fame of them spread the whole world over or finally Reason thus It is manifest that those first Blessed men however weak in them selves without force of Armes ruined the Idols of the Gentils and converted innumerable to Christ Ergo they wrought great Miracles answerable to that Ruin and the admirable Conversions done by them 19. To give more force to these and the like Vpon what Principles Miracles are proved Proofs I doe not only as S. Chrisostom advises take into my hands the Apostles Acts written by S. Luke where we read of stupendious Miracles but I also reflect upon our Saviours antecedent Promise concerning greater Works and further evince the real truth of that Prophesy by the consequent visible Wonders which those first blessed men wrought here on earth And first I might tell you it is clear from the Prophesies of the old Scripture that the ancient Priesthood among the Iewes was to fail and à new King and Priest raign for ever that à Church once barren should have many Children as we proved above It is again clear that these Prophesies were fulfilled when Christ our Lord established his own glorious Kingdom the Christian Catholick Church and though Iewes seek to darken the light of those clear Predictions yet it is evident that Christ has had à glorious Church in the world above Sixteem Ages which as Tertullian observes stood not confined to one Tertull. lib adversus Judaeos cap. 8. or more places like the Empire of Nabuchodonosor or Alexander but Vbique porrigitur c. has à vast extent is believed every where Reign 's every where and is reverenced in all places Hence I Argue When innumerable worthy How Worthy Credit those VVitnesses are who defend Miracles Witnesses within one only Kingdom against whom never just exception was or can be made unanimously averr à matter of Fact assented to as an undoubted Verity That is held Unquestionable So all prudently judge such à Prince as Henry the. 5th to have once gloriously reigned in England because many worthy Witnesses never rationally excepted against Avouch it as à certain Truth but à far greater cloud of worthy Witnesses members of Christ's glorious Church against whom their was never any Just exception openly declare and
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
there was no water at all or earth but à hollow rock from whence stones had been dig'd to build the Castle Simon Waterford Vicar who had Christened the Child John de Bois John Gyffen all sworn Witnesses took their Oaths upon the Gospel that they saw and handled the Child dead the Kings Crowners Stephen Ganuy and William Nottingham presently called for went down into the Mote found the Childs body cold and stiff covered with à little hoary frost stark dead indeed While the Crowners as their office required began to write what they had seen one John Syward à Neighbour not far off went down into the Grot gently handled the Childs body all over and finding it as dead as ever any was made the Sign of the Crosse upon it's forhead and earnestly prayed after this manner Blessed S. Thomas Cantelupe you by whom God has wrought innumerable Miracles show mercy upon this little Infant and obtain he may return to life again if this grace be granted he shall visit your holy Sepulcre and render humble thanks to God and you for the favour No sooner had Syward The dead Child restored to life spoken these words but the Child began to move his head and right Arm à little and forthwith life and vigour Came again into every part of his Body The Crowners and à world of other Standers by saw the Miracle and in that very place with great Admiration returned humble thanks to God and S. Thomas for what they had seen The Mother now overioyed taking the Child in her armes went that day to hear Masse in à Church not far off where prostrate on her knees she with à greatful heart Justly attributed the Life of her Infant to God and S. Thomas Her Devotions ended She returned home and the Child feeling no pain at all merry and joyful walk'd as he was wont to do up and down the house though à little Scarr Still continued in one cheek which after three dayes quite vanisht away All these Particulars with many more the lesser I omit were proved upon Oath before the Lords Commissioners who subscribed to the Miracle a Truth not to be doubted of Two great Miracles wrought by Saints Thomas 15. Robert Russel brought before the Lords Comissioners by the Procurator of Hereford was commanded to depose upon Oath what he knew true concerning à Miracle said to be wrought upon his Son Galfrid Robert depossed that three years past upon wednesday in the Passion Week he drove à Cart heavy laden with earth drawn by four Oxen and passed through à Court-yeard where Galfrid his son about à year and an half old lay sleeping upon the ground His wife Letice then present by chance espying the danger Galfrid was in cryed out though too late O Stop Stop or you kill the Child Robert not able to stay his Oxen soon enough the misfortune happened for one cart Wheel passed over Another great Miracle wrought upon à dead Infant the Child 's very head and Temples and downright killed him in so much that he neither groaned or ever made noyse The afflicted Parents fearing some trouble might follow in case the ill Accident were known abroad laid Galfrid on à bed in their house till Evening and often that day sought for Signs of life but found none neither Pulse breath nor Motion With in night they measured the Child as the custome was and piously addressed Themselves by earnest Prayer to S. Thomas Cantilupe still hoping that God who had very lately wrought many great Miracles by the Saint would hear their Petition and restore life to the dead Child And thus they continued in Prayer all night long when Behold at the break of Day they heard à small childish wailing as Infants use in pain or Sickness The Parents drawing neer with their Candles burning all night long saw the Child open his mouth draw breath and move his Eyes The Mother taking him into her Armes gave him her Breast to suck which he did and three dayes after was perfectly well Some wannesse remained about his Eyes bruised by the Cart wheel but that also in à short time ceased This Miracle attested upon Oath was approved by the Lords Commissioners as an undoubted work of God above the force of Nature A fourth Miracule 16. John Alkin brought before the Commissioners to give in Evidence of à Miracle wrought upon one John Holourton having first laid his hand upon the Holy Gospel and taken his Oath that he would depose nothing but Truth then Said He had known Holourton alwaies reputed an honest man ten whole years before the Miracle I shall now relate happened And that during so long à time he was much afflicted with à fearful Wen or red Bunch of flesh hanging down in his neck fully as big as à great goose Egg which not only he had seen and handled frequently but knew also that many more had done so He said more over that the distressed Patient hearing of the great Wonders wrought at S. Thomas his Shrine repaired to Hereford and lodged in the house of one Agnes de Port where he uncovered his Wen and Of à Wen or à great bunch of flesh Miraculously taken away upon Prayer Made to S. Thomas show'd it to many hanging at his neck The next day being munday in Easter week Holourton accompained with Alkin and others went to the Church and there with tears falling down before the Bishops Shrine petitioned the Saint to take away that troublesome Bunch and for that end like the poor Widow in the Gospel offered up à small piece of silver my Manuscript calls it Denarius that is à penny of English coin which Mr Gilbert who had then care of the Monument à sworn Witness also took from him in the Presence of Alkin and other Standers by That done Holourton put his whole head and neck into an open Passage close by the Tombe of S. Thomas and there held it while one might Say three times over Pater noster and Ave Maria thus old de Catholicks spake and so do I. Then in the Presence of all those VVitnesses twice or thrice Proetentans manu groping with his hand for the Bunch to his great joy found it not Next he sought for it in his Gap or Hood worn perhaps to cover that deformity but no appearance of it there neither in his Coat which he put of nor any where else In à word Holourton was perfectly cured and in that very place both he and all the other present very numerous rendred humble Thanks to Almighty God and glorious S. Thomas for à Miracle so palpable that malice it selfe strucken dumb shall never speak probable word against it 17. A world of People had seen this Deformity hanging in the poor Patients neck for many years together and many Ey-witnesses present at the cure in the Cathedral Church of Hereford saw it quite taken away there immediatly after Holourton had made his earnest Prayer to S. Thomas
cited 5. Now to rescue the Truth of this liquifying Blood contained in S. Mary Magdalen's Vial from all doubt or opposition please to hear what F. Silvester quoted recount's as à most clear Evidence of the Miracle For his own greater Satisfaction He wrote à large letter to à Religious man then Prior of the Dominicans Convent Called S. Sixtus at Rome who before had been Superiour of the Monastery where this admirable Miracle of the liquifying blood is yearly seen The Substantial Contents of his letter are as follow 6. Diva Maria Magdalena c. S. Mary Magdalen à Guest à Teacher of Faith and of Holy Conversation in the City of Marseils where God directing the Vessel that carried her she hà ppily arrived is said to have brought with her not an Alablaster Box full of precious Oyntment but the price of mankind Enquiry made by letter after this liquifying blood the Sacred Blood of our Redeemer or at least sand embrued with that Blood gathered under the Crosse at Christ's Sacred Passion And that She being to depart this life left the precious Treasure as à legacy to that Province in reward of her Entertainment .... In the first place this is thought very strange that the Blood there or earth mingled with blood thrice every year growes red melt's and bubbles up though the rest of the year it bee concrete not ruddy but rather of à dark colour This Enquiry I here make being weighty and worth knowing I consult you who have lived on the place attentively beheld the Miracle and Therefore cannot but be so prudent in this matter of Fact as to perswade us that your Eyes were not deceived This favour I Ask from you what soever you Say for Truth shall be esteemed by me à great benefit The Answer to this letter followes thus 7. The Relation you have had of that stupendious Miracle every yearSeen in the Sacred blood of our Lord by the People of S. Maximin and there honoured is no vain or lying Story but exactly so as you have told it .... This therefore is to be seen upon Fryday in the Holy week not every houre of the day but neer Noone about one of the Clock the time t' is thought when our Saviour suffered you may see I say that sand or earth mingled with our Redeemers Blood which all the rest of the year remain's thick and hard together by little and little move it selfe grow red liquify and boyle up Now it is that the blood having left that thicker matter in the bottom of the Vial becomes pure refined Thin like à light cloud or subtle vapour And first rises up to the middle Parts then to the Top of the Vial soon after falling down beat 's upon the sides of the glasse as it fall's and presently ascend's again This Motion visible The answer to that letter to all continues about an Hour that time expired it leisurely return's to its first place colour and state as before And thus that sweet and pleasant Spectacle ceaseth to be seen in the Vial but the Sight of it will ever live in mans Memory while not only the Kingdom of France but the whole world both admires and approves the Wonder These things I write not only as à prudent Esteemer but also as à diligent Spectator and à most faithful Witness of this Miracle and to Authoriâ—ze this my Answer for you I here set my hand Given at Rome in the Convent of S. Sixtus May 20. 1641. Subscribed Ita est Frater Ioannes Richeome Prior Conventus S. Sixti Ordinis Praedicatorum The Dr has here à hard Task for he must either prove this Religious man an Impudent Lyar and all those innumerable Spectators of the Miracle to have had their eyes dazled when year after year they palpably see the Motion of this Blood or he is obliged to crave pardon for his rash and inconsiderate Writing against à manifest Truth 8 The Objections he let 's fly at this visible Work of God are meer empty words not worth mentioning Our Saviours Blood saith he was Page 477. never shed to shew tricks with Tricks Mr Dr A most ungodly Expression uttered without Proof in contempt of Christ who if the best Authors that ever wrote may gain Beliefe hath left upon earth some quantity of his Sacred Blood to the comfort of faithful Christians whereof more presently He goes on Certainly there were never more shameful Impostures than about Reliques and Miracles in the Roman Church whereat some of the Wiser abroad shake their heads and are ashamed of Doctor you may here justly hide your head and be ashamed of this Talk at random no lesse boldly spoken than coldly made out by you Produce me but one of those called VVise men of our Church that slight Reliques or Miracles Authoritatively approved and No Catholick Author denies Miracles or Reliques of Saints I will either show he is no Catholick or à very bad one like Launoy your much esteemed Author Next comes in the Dr's Exclamation Gentlemen Religion is à grave and serious Thing and à severe Account must be given to God of any thing we Say about it Sr my Account of this Miracle is already given I produce Ey-witnesses and most approved Authors What have you against them Nothing but à few vain insignificant words much to this Sense VVe magnify Miracles still as though the People of England were as capable of being made fools as ever That you abhorre the Hypocrisie and fraud of our Church which cannot be upheld without Abusing mankind and the most excellent Religion in the world 9. One word Mr Dr Because you are so much upon giving Account of grave Matters Satisfy me in this plain Question VVhich among so many different Religions call you the grave Serious and most Excellent one If you say as I think you must it is Protestancy You know Sr and your own Judgement tell 's you that Protestancy despicable all over Christianity the whole Christian world look s upon it as à most despicable and contemptible Novelty Abyssins Gracians Georgians Arians Monothelits laugh at the folly of your more than ridiculous Reformation Catholicks compassionate your deplorable Fate and never cease to wonder that an Ingenious Nation as our English is can be fooled to use your own word into à Beliefe of this Protestancy which never yet did nor shall hereafter do Good to Christian or Heathen yet all forsooth must be thought grave and serious We seriously enquire after your Unity in Faith the life and soul of Religion and you show us the gastly Spectacles of endless Divisions amongst Protestants Quaquers Latitudinarians and no man knowes who besides Is this fine grave and serious We Luther and Calvin demand who commissioned you to preach à Novelty never heard of before two Libertins broach't it and your Patents are nothing but à Blanck or white paper without Licence from God or man to teach as you doe Yet all is
God not due to mans Nare and lastly temporal Sicut modo geniti Infantes c. As now new born Children Writes the Apostle These things are so plain to every young Student in our Schools that the meanest Wit would be ashamed to propose them as difficulties yet our Dr magnifies all as great matters yea high Blasphemies Much Patience believe it and no little labour is necessary to rectify halfe Scholars when the matter concern's à Speculative point above their skill 7. More trash followes in the Dr not worth mentioning The Divel saith he once threw à stone at S. Dominicks Head and hit only his Cowle That is much like you Mr Dr the Divel missed his Mark and would have hurt or killed the Saint you would decry his Miracles neither throw succeed's both Casts are in vain Another time the foul Fiend came to Confession to S. Dominick But the Saint saith our Dr presently smelt him out And so may any soon smel out your Spite against the Saint that slightly ponders your new strange way of impugning his Miracles It is worth the while Courteous Reader to have this one point briefly laid forth 8. Who ever will peruse Fr. Munio his command Munio 7. Generalis Ordinis S. Dominici Apoldia in vita S. Dominici laid upon Theodericus de Apoldia and Apoldia's letter to Nicolas the IX General may find the life and Gests of Blessed S. Dominick Written by three or four Generals of that Holy Order men famous for Sanctity The Venerable B. Jordanus S. Dominick's Immediate Successor Great Authors who have Written of S. Dominicks Miracles was the first Fr. Constantinus another S. Humbertus à third to say nothing of Fr. Gerardus Provincial who returning from à General Chapter held at Luca in Tuscany brought with him Authentical Testimonies of S. Domincks Miracles many were sincerely attested by à Person that lived with that Saint Others were collected out of most credible Authors These collections presented to Pope Gregory the IX certainty being given of their Truth by sworn Witnesses prevailed so far with his Holines that he approved all as rare Examples of Virtue and clear Signs of Sanctity All approved by the See Apostolick Hence I argue He that takes on him to impugn Miracles Written by grave Authors and hopes to decry all by only relating what is said without producing one Witnesse against them Shewes neither VVit nor Learning and thereby becomes ridiculous but Dr Still evidently proceed's thus Ergo he shewes neither VVit nor Learning No VVit because he only tell 's us what Authors have VVritten of things known before he ever set pen to paper No Learning because he refutes none of these matters of Fact upon any Authority or reason but only tell 's us his incredulity is so strong That he will not believe them Observe his Proof He saith the Dr that can believe those Miracles reported of Dominick need 's not stick at any of the rest Viz. Of the Saints Books being preserved dry in the midst of water of his VVritings kept dry in Surius cited the midst of Storms of his earnest Prayer in behalfe of forty English Pilgrims going to Compostella Surius p. with me 533. unfortunatly cast away in à River neer Tholouse whom the Saint Miraculously rescued from drowning by his Tears and Prayers before whole multitudes Of his raysing from the dead the Cardinals Nephew called Napuleon Surius page 540. seen and attested by innumerable Spectators of the Miracles wrought by S. Domnicks Rosary c. 9. Now having said thus much that is barely related what great Authors recount of this blessed Saint our Dr that never wrote any thing solidly in his whole life very wisely end 's thus He that sees susficient reason to believe the reports The Dr's simple exceptions against these Miracles of these things upon their bare words must rest satisfyed that S. Dominick wrought Miracles Can any thing be more bare Blunt and simple Ey-witnesses saw these Miracles many have been attested upon Oath Saints and learned men have left them upon Record the See Apostolick never proceeded to Canonize S. Dominick for à Saint without great Moral certainty first had of his Miracles No Author of credit ever contradicted them yet all this Moral Evidence grounded upon humane Faith our Dr unworthily call's Reports and bare words Judge Courteous Reader who Word 's it The Dr cheats his Reader most those Witnesses or the Dr They as you have heard give in their Proofs The Dr without the least hint taken from Authority or reason tell 's you upon his own Parole not worth à rush you are not to believe them Therefore he and not they cheat's you with bare Words I never yet saw Sectary like the Dr mighty bold in asserting but most cold and faint at his Proofs when called on to make his Assertions Good He must therefore either Judge those he Writes for horribly simple and reckon of them as Sots Or like one puff't up with à vain Opinion of himselfe perswade us that his bare word is to be taken while he run's on in an endless Tattle and proves nothing 10. In the next place our Dr has two or three blowes at the humble Seraphical S. Francis but so unhandy or little dexterous that I am ashamed to read him The humble Saint is said to have tamed à wolfe by making the Sign of the Crosse upon him and S. Tecla witnesse S. Ambrose tamed wild beasts ready to devour her What greater hurt in either VVonder than in What triâ—slâ—s the Dr Produces against S. Francis Daniel's asswaging the fury of savage Lyons Again saith the Dr whereas Christ and his Apostles thought it enough to Preach only to men and women S. Francis his Charity went beyond theirs and by the Counsel of Brother Sylvester and Sister Clare goes to Avagna and finding there great multitudes of Birds preached to unreasonable creatures Saying My Bretheren such was the language of the humble Saint you ought to praise your Creator who has given you wings and provided for you without your care The humble Saint assures our Dr that long before he preach't those three blessed men in Daniel Sidrach Misach and Abednago taught Daniel 3. 77. him to exhort as he did who invited not only the Birds of Heaven but the Mountains the fountains the Sea and all the fish in it to blesse and Praise their Creator And is this either haynous or Criminal in the Dr ' s Divinity O but but the Birds stretched out their necks clap't their wings opened their Bills and looked earnestly upon S. Francis To satisfy the Dr I 'le tell you à Certain Story attested by innumerable Ey-witnesses You have it in the life and Gests of that Admirable Saint S. Thomas Cantilupe Bishop of Hereford cited above 11. It happened that Edmund Earle of Cornwall once invited S. Thomas to say Masse at his Castle of wallingford on the feast of Pentecost whereunto
the worthy Bishop condescended and while he was preparing himselfe to offer that unbloodly Sacrifice by Singing the Hymne Veni Creator Spiritus suitable to the A certain VVonder of birds singing with S. Thomas Cantilupe Feast behold upon the Intonement of the first Verse à flock of birds beating their wings and opening their bills sang their musical Notes over against the Chappels window jointly with the Bishop VVhen he began the second Verse the birds with voice and wings applauded as before and so continued their musick strophe after strohe till the whole Hymne was ended The Earle and all who were many that heard and saw the VVonder going out of the Chappel got à full sight of the Birds Judged them to be about forty in number and prudently thought them Ordered by Almighty God to VVitness how acceptable that Oblation was whereunto the Holy Bishop then prepared Himselfe and piously performed 12. VVhat sayes the Dr to this Story taken Se R. S. Chap. 23. page 292. out of the Authentick Gests of our worthy S. Thomas called in my Manuscript the 25. Miracle and faithfully related by the Collectors of those Gests Quoted above VVill he grant or deny If he own 's all as true well might those little Birds to whom S. Francis spake by some Secret and Divine impulse stretch out their necks and clap their wings at the Saints Preaching as these other did at à worthy Bishops intoning à Sacred Hymne If the Dr think's to Discredit the Relation by one of his Jeers have at him I will prove it upon humane Faith far The Dr cannot quilble at this Miracle more creditable than that Calvin wrote his Book of Institutions Or that Mr Dr ever took Degree in any University I say if we rely on Records only VVe should have Good Sport would it please him to Put what I now hint at to à severe Trial. 13. The last exception made by the Dr against the Seraphical S. Francis concern's the bleeding VVounds in his side hands and feet Paris Hist Major Tigur in print 1589. so wonderfully concealed saith our Dr that no man could discern them Shall we silence this Talker by the Testimony of Three irrefragable VVitnesses The famous Matthew Paris highly esteemed by Protestants for his faithful Diligence Se protestants Apology tract 2. cap. 3. sect 1 subd 4. page with me 538. and Sincere Narration of Truth Nay one whom these new Gospellers challenge as à member of their Church VVrites thus of S. Francis Before the day of his death there appeared wounds in his Body hands feet and side freshly bleeding such as appeared in the Saviour of the world hanging on the Crosse whereupon many Cardinals repairing to him demanded what this strange Sight meant He answered this sight God Visibly showes in me that you may believe in him whom I have Preached Christ Crucifyed Yet more These wounds you see in me so open and bloody shall soon after my death close up and be whole like my other flesh Thus this exact Historian and if exact Judge Reader whether the Dr err's not in Bonaveo in vita S. Francisci cap. 18. saying No man could discern them S. Bonaventure à great Doctor and Cardinal speak's largely both of the reallity of these VVounds and likewise of their Visible appearance adding that the wound in his Side pierced as it were with à Lance often sent forth Blood so copiously that his Coat and Under-wear became wet by it All this was Visible Much more you have in S. Bonaventure which I Omit for brevities sake and only note that the Saint indeed endeavovred by all possible means to conceal his VVounds which perhaps occasioned Mr Dr to Say ut eorum occulta mira vis stigmatum manifesta pateret claritate signorum S. Bonav no man could discern them But in vain saith S. Bonaventure For God who to his own glory had stamped the Marks upon S. Francis made them manifest by their own clarity Moreover this admirable Miracle attested by certain VVitnesses Two Popes Benedict the XI and Paul the V here is à Third Testimony have approved VVhereof à yearly Memory is kept by an Office ad Libitum upon the 17. of September I find t is true some little difference in Authors concerning the precise time when these Marks were imprinted upon the Saint but hitherto never met with any man of Credit that Questioned the matter of Fact their Truth I mean and visible Appearance 14. Hence I challinge Dr Still to give The Dr returns no answer to these Proofs weight for weight That is to prove upon Authority equal to mine now produced that my Allegations are false if he failes in this and fail he must what can be more demonstrable than that he speak's at random while by way of Contempt he calls this great wonder upon S. Francis à doughty Miracle Observe Reader Two idle words of Contempt Doughty Miracles the Dr not able to cite one Author contrary manfully Opposes to our Popes and other Witnesses and Thinks that stronge enough to weaken all we have said though thousands and thousands believe the Miracle upon the Authorities already set down he cares not one whit Is not this à doughty Dr CHAP. VIII The Dr's large Muster-Role of the Brittish and Irish Saints Shewed à meer Parergon or à weightless Cavil against Church Miracles Several Degrees of certainty observed concerning Miracles 1. IT seem's our Dr much Put to it flags extreamly in waveing the main Question proposed in my former Treatises where I required an Answer to such Miracles as have been demonstrably done in our Age as also to others approved by the Church These I urged The Miraculous cure of John Clement at Montagu and largely insisted on that known Miracle wrought at Zaragosa and no lesse fully set down that glorious Miracle manifestly done by S. Xaverius upon F. Mastrillo at Naples I have more over to Silence the Dr related the many clear Miracles wrought by S. Thomas Cantilupe adding likewise that much famed and certain wonder of S. Januarius blood Visibly boyling up and seen by Thousands and Thousands with many more mentioned above all attested by undubitable Witnesses and approved He Shift's off the main difficulty Now our honest Dr without any tolerable Answer given to these Manifest Evidences which should have been his Task wisely shift's of all though provoked to reply and fills one and thirty leaves at least from his Page 513. to page 546. with à List of Miracles which however true in themselves yet their Truth comes not neer to the Evidence of these other great wonders And thus he would remove the Trial of our cause while we produce certain Miracles to the Examination of some lesse clear and certain 2. Before I touch upon some few à few will serve the turn of the Dr ' s long Muster-Role collected for the most part out of Mr Cressy Ioannes Capgrave Ioannes Colganus and Ioannes
had done like one versed in Antiquity But to turn off with à lame I am apt to think they will meet c VVhile no flaw is found in the Manuscripts produced makes your Enquiry after Miracles ridiculous And no other is your earnest urging home the Authority and Approbation of those Books you tax of Forgery Say Sr I pray VVhat advantage gain you to your cause in telling us those Books are highly approved if that for which they are approved be no further discountenanced by you than by barely saying You are apt to think they will meet with à great deal of Infidelity This Supposed Infidelity should have been plainly made out but instead of complying with that hard Task you wave the whole matter and only Think many things are amisse I think many things amisse in your Voluminous Account But is this enough to refute it 10. Now because you insist so much upon the Approbation of these Books please to know Two things considerable in the approbation of Books Two things may be Questioned First whether all the particular Miracles recorded by Capgrave and Colganus be in them selves exactly true And to Assert this the Truth of those Records and Manuscripts made use of is to be maintained as undoubted which very few I am perswaded no not Colganus himselfe will affirme For to ascertain the unquestionable Verity of such Records much more is required than to find them Written in old Characters or in à simple Style In like manner to prove them False or forged much more is necessary than to jeer or laugh at them as the Dr doth The second thing observable in the Approbations is the exact Diligence or Fidelity of the Collectors of Miracles so far the Approbations given by learned men reach and no further as you may se by the Censure of those who have approved Colganus first Tome Which is to say They approved his Fidelity in relating what he read in some Ancient Martyrologies Though none of these kind Censurers dare Swear that all he read there ought to be owned manifestly true without further Examination Thus Mr Doctor you must Discourse when afterwards you tell us out of Aelianus Vopiscus and others of strange Wonders like Miracles wrought by Heathens If these Authors speake as you quote you are quit of Blame and so far speak Truth But it doth not therefore follow that either Heathens did Miracles or that the matters of Fact were so in themselves as those Authors recount Just so it is our present case Capgrave and Colganus bring to light I confesse Quotations may be approved as Exact though the matters quoted be not true many strange Things and quote their Manuscripts for every particular the Quotations are approved as exact but whether those Ancient Manuscripts which may be Written by too slight hands or in à long time perhaps altered from what they once were punctually relate Truth is another difficulty and cannot be approved without more Trial and further Inspection into matter so Prodigious as we find there 11. The Judgement of those two learned Bolland Henschenius tom 1. Febr. c. 3. Writers Ioannes Bollandus and Godefridus Henschenius differ's nothing from what is here noted For speaking of Colganus they first prayse his great labour amply shown in his many Collections made of Irish Saints 2. They prudently advised him first to set forth such Martyrologies and Ancient Copies as he had by him which being once Publick and approved by men versed in Antiquity would give both force and light to the Saints and Miracles there mentioned 3. Though Colganus did not upon Reasons set down follow that Good Counsel yet he courteously granted F. Bollandus two Martyrologies belonging to the Month of February whereof saith Bollandus we made use But How VVe only Transcribed the Lives of such Saints taken out of those VVritings as we had sound approved in the Lives of other Saints Minimae suspectae fidei not at all doubted of And Purposely refrained to own those stupendious Miracles perhaps done Though often so unslâ—ilfully pack't together without Notice given of the Saints Vertues that à Reader may rather smile when he peruses them than Reverence the Saints Colganus VVrites of Thus Bollandus speak's warily and it is worth the Readers knowledge 12. Moreover Bollandus and Henschenius Actâ— Sanct. Bolland Hensch mense Ian. in Praefaâ— Gen c. 3. observe that in recounting the lives and Miracles of Saints the like is in all other History There are several Degrees of certainty or great Probability First if Ey-witnesses lyable to no exception attest upon Oath that they saw such à VVonder The matter of fact related cannot be prudently called into doubt For thus our Saviours own Miraclcs gained credit and I think without Oath from innumerable before Several degrees of certainty for Miracles Scripture recorded them But we as I noted above have the like clear humane Testimony for Miracles done in the Roman Catholick Church seen by Ey-witnesses and openly attested as that was wrought at Naples upon F. Mastrilli and all those were which God did by our glorious Bishop S. Thomas of Hereford Seen I say by many Ey-witnesses attested by Oath still preserved upon Record and conveyed down by Tradition as most clear and undoubted Truths If therefore the Dr's Discourse when he tell 's us that fallible Tradition alone which supplies the want of our Senses in Conveying upon moral certainty the Miracles of Christ to the Primitive Christians and to us also be without exception Good The Tradition of these now specifyed Miracles and express Records besides may well serve to convey them to men now living and to Posterity hereafter 13. Some may Reply the humane Tradition in behalfe of Christ's Miracles the Dr own 's no Tradition Divine and infallible is both for time and place very Vniversal and received by all Christians The Tradition for this or that particular Miracle of Saints though seen and attested upon Oath never yet gained the like General Assent and therefore Cannot be Parallel'd with that other more Universal To Answer à An objection Answered simple Objection I ask first whether this way of Arguing be solid Some particulars related of Caesar and Pompey as that they were men once in being Couragious and gallant Spirits c. are received upon Tradition more Vniversal than our Saviours Miracles For all Heathens Iewes Turks and Christians easily Swallow down These yet Iewes and Heathens boggle at Christ's Miracles Ergo they are lesse certain than those other because not so Universally assented to Every rational Christian will deny the Consequence upon this Ground because our Saviours Miracles being wrought before many are apt did not malice or some other accidental Cause hinder to beget in all à Vniversal Assent This is our Answer which will better appear if we examin things to the bottom Our Saviour raised Lazarus from the dead cured the blind man and wrought other great Wonders in such and such particular
Saviours own words Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed All this is to say in plainer Terms answerable to S. Chrysostom's true meaning Had God now after those first Apostical Signs and all other conspicuous Miracles wrought in the Church sent Twelve rude unlearned men to Preach the whole world over had he made them Ordinary Thaumaturgi or impowered them to work Miracles publickly in all Nations and to cure all manner of Infirmities as the Apostles did Had he I say done this after so great precedent Evidence manifested both Anciently and in latter Ages the minds of men overwhelmed as it were with too much Light would have lost much of the reward due to an humble and obsequious Providence has ordered that à mean be held in the Motives to Faith Faith which ever implies à Captivation of the understanding So Providence hath ordered that à Mean be held in the Motives inducing to believe not too Luminous on the one side For that would entrench upon the obscurity of Faith yet on the other side most prudently Perswasive for the gaining our Submission to what ever God hath revealed 13. Thus much I boldly averr is S. Chrysostom's chiefest Aime in this Homily if the Dr reject's the Doctrin let him once please to give weight for weight and reduce his Assertion to as sound Principles as mine opposite to his stand's upon I show first that Chrysostom own 's Miracles wrought in the Church above the force of nature not only here but in à hundred other places One only Passage because it bear's the Look of à Popish Miracle you shall have taken out of his own undoubted Writings where the Saint largely laies forth the Dignity of Priesthood When saith he the Priest invok's the Holy Ghost and Offer's that dreadful Sacrifice full of S. Chrys de Sacerdo lib. 6. c. 4. horrour and Reverence and dayly hold's the Lord of all in his hands my Demand is in vvhat Order or Dignity shall vve place him vvhat Purity and integrity of life shall vve require of him Much more followes to this purpose Then he add's At that time of the Sacrifice the vvhole Order of Celestial Spirits are present vvith the Priest in honour of him vvho lies Sacrificed upon the Altar Yet more I have heard saith S. Chrysostom à Venerable old man to vvhom God revealed many high Mysteries faithfully recounting à Vision he once had in time of Masse He saw on à sudden whole Multitudes of Angels in most resplendent Garments round about the Altar where the Priest Sacrificed bowing down their heads as Souldiers Two Popish Miracles related by S. Chrysostom are wont to do when the King is present And this saith the Saint I easily believe Another man also of most vvorthy credit told me they are S. Chrysostoms words what he had seen and heard and t' was that those who depart this life if they have worthily and with à pure Conscience received the Divine Mysteries being ready to dye are accompanied straight to Heaven by Angels that like troups of Souldiers attended their Bodies lying sick in bed 14. What saies the Dr are not these clear Miracles above all natural force done to the Honour of our Sacrificed Sauiour upon our Catholick Alters And much like such Miracles as we read of in other approved Authors However if you believe Mr Doctor S. Chrisostom denyed all Miraculous Signs which is to say the Saint Contradict's himselfe for as we have evidently Shown he hold's and defends true real Miracles through out his Writings Therefore it is most improbable that he Denies them in this place 15. The second Reason of my Assertion relies upon S. Chrysostom's own Discourse prosecuted in the Homily cited If Saith he you now seek for Signs and Miracles you have innumerable Predictions of admirable thingt done in our Age. You see the Conversions of Nations The saint proves other great Miracles foretold plainly set before your Eyes You see our Saviours Prophesy of being ever with the Church to the End of the world hitherto verifyed You se that Hell gates maugre all attempts were never yet able to Prevaile against the Church built on à firm Rock which had never been had not Christ stood with it and Powerfully opposed all Enemies Finally the Saint exhort's all to Piety and à Virtuous life O were our Duty herein faithfully complyed with we might saith he Convert the world without Miracles But who amongst us now retires to the Desart Who goes on Pilgrimage Who of our Doctors takes pains to supply the want of the poor and needy Thus S. Chrysostom 16. The last Ground of my Assertion is the main Drift of the Saints whole Discourse To assert that the Apostles singular prerogative ceased proves not à Cessation of all Miracles in the Church who never through this Homily utter's one word against Church Miracles but only Showes how and in what manner the Twelve Apostles were singularly Priviledged with two particular Prerogatives the one as I noted to teach by Divine Inspiration The other to have the Ordinary Povver of working Miracles in curing all manner of Infirmities c. And this Power we may truly Say never since granted to any set number of Persons in the Church ceases or is taken away But can any one hence inferr that because that Ordinary Gift ended with the Twelve Therefore none in the Church by Special Dispensation work 's Miracles now The Inference is lame and just like this The blessed Apostles as S. Chrysostom observes singularly Priviledged taught Truths by Divine Inspiration and by that Grace faithfully delivered our Christian Verities The Pastors and Doctors of the Church in after Ages taught not Priviledged with the like Apostolical Inspiration Ergo none of them ever since delivred one Christian Verity For Though we grant them Divine Assistance in their teaching yet because that fall's short of the Apostles Inspiration they never taught Truth I say if this way of Arguing bee most weightlesse The other is no better Viz. The Apostles singularly priviledge were made Ordinary Thaumaturgi as is already declared but many great Servants of God though not endued with that Apostolical grace yet Now and Then as it pleases Providence to Dispense his favours raise the dead restore sight to the blind c. However such Wonders must not forsooth be called Miracles because They are not Ordinary to any Person in the Church The The question proposed is whether Miracles have been wrought not how or in what manner Question therefore is whether such Miraculous works have been done in after Ages and not how and in what manner they were Wrought whether by ordinary or extraordinary favour wherein as S. Chrysostom well observes lies the Difference between the Apostolical Signs and latter Miracles Note well this Difference all along and you will find the Dr's Arguments weak and far from the Purpose 17. The Dr ' s next Quotation taken out of Chrys in 1.
Hovv happens it that in this latter Age When the Gospel is preached to Infidels Illa vis Miraculorum non cernatur The like force and efficacy of Miracles are not now seen as our Saviour promised to the Primitive Christians who had as you have heard the Gift of Tongues and wrought other great Wonders after Baptism The Question proposed by Acosta implies only à comparison between those Ancient Signs then usually seen and necessary and These in our dayes and he gives not one only but many excellent reasons thereof Here begin's the Dr's Dr Still page 614. jugling If saith he such Persons vvho are Employed upon the vvork of converting Infidels do vvant the Testimony of Miracles I knovv no reason to believe that God Imployes it for other Ends. Mark those words Do vvant the Testimony of Miracles and to the Dr's confusion turn once more to Acosta Acosta c. 9. page 219. Cited where he first recount's the Miraculous cures of four men Cabeca de Vaca Dorantes Castillo and another wrought in their strange Travels through Florida and more remote places These God favovred with à singular Gift of Curing all infirm and sick Persons much after that Strange Miracles wrought by four Travellers manner as the Apostles did Ten whole years they spent in this Peregrination being ever attended with innumerable Multitudes who no lesse admired the Evident Wonders wrought by them than their most innocent and spotlesse life In fine they gained so much renown among the Barbarians that they were almost adored as Gods and all their commands look'd on as Oracles from Heaven 21. Hence Learn saith Acosta that Innocency of life adorned with glorious Miracles is the easy and certain means whereby Infidels are converted Soon after he demand's How it comes to passe that such Miracles as the novv mentioned Travellers vvrought were not so common but rather grown Scarce in the dayes when he wrote his Story This Acosta lament's and humbly Petition 's Almighty God to glorify his name by showing the like admirable Signs and Miracles Cum videatur tam effusa necessitas when now saith he there appear's so great necessity of them for the Conversions of Barbarians Is this Reader to tell us as the Dr unworthily Writes that Acosta saies Miracles vvere necessary in the beginning of Christian Religion but not novv When he deplor's the want of those admirable Signal Wonders already specifyed and beg's Almighty God once more to vvork them in the sight of those incredulous Infidels Again doth Acosta deny all great Miracles because he complain's of the want of Eminent Wonders granted the Apostles by Special Priviledge and those others in their Peregrination through Florida No. The Dr may justly blush at his Jugling and manifest suppressing Truth if he read Acosta where he Saith Though the Apostles vvere enriched vvith à Acosta c. 9. page 220. more Plentiful Gift of the Holy Ghost and had the first fruits of the Spirit yet the Povver of vvorking Miracles vanished not vvith the first Age. Which is to say the Age passed but Miracles still continued in the Church and he proves the Assertion Ecclesiastical History saith he relates that Acosta owns latter Miracles as undoubted in the time of Constantine the great the whole Province of Iberia next to Armenia was converted to Christ by the admirable works and Miracles of à Christian woman taken Captive We read also they are his words in the English History of many and great Miracles done by Austin Iustus Melitus and other Monks Alas what is England compared with those Immense Regions of Infidels Not so much as à little cottage matched with à vast City How then happens it that these times we live in seem to be deserted or not to afford greater plenty of Miracles Thus Acosta who next endeavours to show why God did not work so many Miracles but his reasons are too long for this place where I am only obliged to note the Dr's fraudulent Dealing which Acosta does home and to the purpose Look saith he upon one blessed man in this our Age Acosta c. 10 p. 226. S. Francis Xaverius of à most Apostolical life who wrought so many admirable Miracles all attested by innumerable sound and substantial Witnesses that scarce the like are read of in any since the Apostles dayes whereof more presently What shall we say of Wrought by S. Xaverias and others F. Gaspar and his fellow Labourers in the East Indies whom God favovred with the grace of working innumerable great Wonders and the like blessing he bestowed upon many worthy Missioners of other Holy Orders Neither is it at all unusual saith Acosta in these our West Indies to see and hear of great Miracles done among the Barbarians 22. Was not Dr Still think ye blind or A great Oversight in the Dr. grosly overseen in remitting me to Josephus Acosta as one opposite to all Miracles excepting such as Christ and his Apostles wrought Had he his Wits about him when he tell 's us that the Persons employed upon the work of converting Infidels vvanted the Testimony of Miracles while you see this Author he cites decryes the folly and to the Dr's eternal Disgrace acknowledges many famous Miracles wrought in the Church after the Apostles though that Special Apostolical Priviledge in working them in some measure granted also to the Primitive Christians was not as you have heard Usual in after Ages Hence the Dr's Inference of Miracles not being now necessary among Heathens or ceasing upon this Ground that the primitive Prerogative in doing them seem's very seldom granted any in latter Ages is nothing but à foul cheat and an open fraud All I will say now is that either Mr Dr thought his produced Testimonies would never be examined or that all would believe what he scribles upon his bare word He is grosly deceived in both And thus much of Josephus Acosta We go on 23. The second Author perused by me concerning E manu Acosta Hist rerum in Orieâ—â—ge starum Parisiis typis data 1572. Ema Acosta l. 1. p 72. p. 74. lib. 2. p. 109. Acosta l 3. page 132. Miracles in the East Indies is Emanuel Acosta in his History of matters done there Not far from Bungo saith he à blind youth 13. years old immediatly after Baptism had his perfect sight restored Another sick of the Palsey and Dumbe when Baptized rose up sound and spake without the least impediment If you desire to hear other Miracles wrought by Holy water and reciting the seven Poenitential Psalms as likewise of the strange Punishments God inflicted upon some prophane Barbarians that strove to cut down à Crosse erected by the Christians you may peruse this Author To insist on more particulars would be too large à task and needlesse Finally if you require an Answer to Dr Still wise Question What shall vve Dr Still Page 614. say to the Miracles pretended to be vvrought by Xaverius and others in the
the Coffin hoping to find the naked bones only When Behold contrary to all expectation not only the whole Body but his Priestly Habit likewise were then as fresh and free from corruption as when first laid in the Coffin and moreover saith my Author sent forth à most fragrant and delight some Odour Could Lime give this good Saviour The Body again placed in the same Chest and transported to Malaca was received with all Veneration of the People when another Miracle happened S. Xaverius his Body Miraculously preserved in corrupt For upon its entring the City à violent Plague which had Cruelly raged there before wholly ceased and gave great comfort to the afflicted Inhabitants Had Lime such vertue in it Some Months the Holy Body remained at Malaca and thence carried to Goa by Gods special favour did strange Wonders in that Navigation The Vessel wherein it lay Twice in great danger of Shipwrack by running upon Quick sands caused both Mariners and Passengers to implore No vertue in Limes to work these Miracles the Saints Assistance which was no sooner ask't than obtained in so much that presently freed from all danger they sail'd on joyfully to Goa The Lime I think did not this Miracle You may read in Acosta Cited with what great Celebrity and Pomp the Body was received at Goa where it remained to that day without the least Sign of Putrifaction To God's glory and the Saints honour be it Tell me Reader will the Dr yeild assent to this short Relation made by the same Author that recount's the Miraculous Incorruption of the Body If he doth he grants Miracles If not I said right he is forced to quit Authority and run to his old Plea à want forsooth of sufficient VVitnesses that is There are sufficient when he likes when not there are none 19. Hitherto I have born much with Mr Dr Still page 617. Dr but am now almost at an End of Patience in the perusal of his uncivil and rude Calumnies First he tell 's us that the Relation of S. Xaverius his Miracles comes from the Jesuits in the East Indies as if forsooth none had attested them but Jesuits A vast untruth when King John of Portugal as you have heard caused them to be examined by several great Prelates VVere all these Iesuits Did the deputed Cardinals at Rome who ordered another new strict Trial commit the charge to Jesuits only No. Did his Holinesse when he published his Iesuits not the only Informers of the Saints Miracles Apostolical Letters and declared that the matters of Fact plain Miracles had been attested upon undoubted certainty rely wholly on the Jesuits information Evidently no. What then shall we say of this Dr But that without regard to Truth and honesty he cares not what he Writes Yet worse followes Jesuits Saith he are men that think it lawful to Lye for à good cause as no doubt the Honour of the Society is such with them And how can we vvith any tolerable Discretion rely upon their vvord Answer Dr I call you to account before God and the world I here accuse you of à Malicious Detraction Speak out if you Iesuits Calumniated by the Dr. can poduce me but one Jesuit that ever wrote or taught it is lawful to Lye in any occasion either for à good or bad cause and I will will proclaime you Victor In case you shift This one Spiteful Calumny contrary to Evident Truth Showes the Dr cares not what He Writes off this just Challenge the Reader shall Judge whether you or Jesuits deserve the foul Imputation of Lyars 20. Your Errour Sr lies here And proceed's from malice ignorance or both in not distinguishing between à Lye alwaies sinful and the ambiguous use of words in certain Cases of danger and other vveightr Concerns whereof I treated largely in my Book against Dr Taylor This ambiguous use of words yea and some kind of mental Restriction also most grave and learned Divines no Jesuits t' is well known A discovery of Dr Taylors untruths c. 26. p. 184. printed anno 1665 maintain as Lavvful which is as remote from à Lye as your Calumny Dr imposed on Jesuits is from Truth though never to be made use of say Divines but when Necessity and just reason requires And this both you Sr and Dr Taylor vvith his Excellent use of Confession in England must acknowledge as is proved in the Discovery now cited I say vvhen Necessity and just reason requires For example if à Judge ask à Priest whether à Paenitent confessed such à Sin truly confessed and be further urged to Answer directly Yea or No If he saies Yea he betrayes the Penitent and sacrilegiously breaks the Seal of Confession If No in your Divinity he tell 's à Lye Learned Divines deliver contrary Doctrin and Therefore find out à way not to Lye on the one Side and on the other to keep the Seal of Confession sase and inviolable If à Confessor saies S Austin lib uno de mendacio ad consent c. 13. post medium nothing in such an Exigency S. Austin rightly observes in à like case of Danger the Secret is too openly discovered By all now said you see that to use mental Restriction in Contracts Leagues Promises Vovves or Oaths justly tendered is impious Yea and à horrid Sin in those who attest Miracles in publick Tribunals before Popes and Princes known false and forged or never to have been as the Informers declare 21. One word more Suppose which is utterly false that the relation of S. Xaverius his Miracles had come only from Jesuits à long time Missioners among those Barbarians can any one without shame or the deepest Malice Imaginable Perswade himselfe That men who went upon à most generous Design left Country Relations Friends and whatever is dear to Nature That ran to the furthest Parts of the world where they knew they should endure Hardship misery contempt neglect imprisonment And besides live in continual danger of dying upon Gibbets as many did And all this to reduce Souls to Christ can any man I say of Common sence perswade The Dr's Calumny cast on Iesuits highly Improbable himselfe as our unconscionable Dr doth That such laborious Missioners after so many Heroical Acts performed would down right Damn their ovvn Souls tell Lowd and abominable lyes Feign Miracles which they knew were never wrought just matter of Damnation And avouch these now supposed fourbs as real Truths before Kings Princes the Court of Rome and the vvhole vvorld I say the Imputation is so extravagant the Calumny so horrid that no mans head would once have harboured it but only Dr Stillingfleet's Had the Dr said S. Xaverius was never in the Indies King John of Portugal never made Enquiry after his Miracles The Catholick King of Spain never promoted the Saints Canonization the Apostolical letters cited above were all feigned c. He had Methinks gone every whit as wisely to Work as now
while he admit's these Testimonies and attestations and denies the Miracles attested by them For example 22. He believes upon humane Authority that King John gave Order that the Saints Miracles should be rigidly examined And hold's it true because Writers of good credit say so But the very same Authors say also that the Miracles already mentioned were really done in the sight of many Spectators Why doth the Dr boggle at this having no greater Evidence of the Truth of that Order given by the King For it may be à fourb Than he has of the Truth of those Miracles attested to have been really done which he must Say are false and feigned Nay more why is not all that 's Written of S. Xaverius far from Truth feigned false and counterfeit 23. F. De Lingendes cited proposes this De Lingendes Feria 4. Domin 1. Quadr. Question VVhat could move those Iaponians most averse from our Christian Lavves and manner of living to forsake the vvayes they had long follovved c VVhat humane Interest could induce them to feign innumerable Miracles wrought by S Francis Xaverius à poor needy and unknown Priest Who God knowes brought them no worldly Advantage yet they boldly asserted his Miracles and did it with so great Zeal that many of their Barbarians Converted by Miracles feigned not Much lesse could those Pious Missioners forge any own accord dyed willingly in the Fire to Testify our Christian Faith suck't into their Brests by the force of clear Miracles partly seen with their Eyes and partly experienced in Themselves The like add's De Lingendes I may say of innumerable other Barbarians converted to Christ by the efficacy of glorious Miracles Now if these Barbarians did so upon no humane Interest much lesse could these worthy Fathers à long time Missioners amongst the Indians after so much Zeal shown in propagating the Gospel when all had an Ample share in Tribulation and many dyed to attest our Catholick Verities avouch horrid Lyes and Damn their Souls by forging Miracles that never were 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 Exorcisms rejected as improbable A VVord of Hazenmillers lowd Lyes 1. MR Dr is yet pleased to continue Dr Still page 617. fine his Harangue and Asks what will Iesuits stick at in matter of lying who have had the Impudence to insert fabulous Miracles and Stories into the History of the Gospel For proof hereof he tell 's us that Hierome Xaverius à neer Kinsman to S. Francis with his Associat's was permitted by Acabar Emperour of the Mogols to live in Agra the Residence of that great Monarck and to give Account of the life and Miracles of Christ But saith Mr Dr the Subtle Iesuit well understanding their own Doctrin about the insufficiency of Scriptures durst not put into the Emperours hands the four Evangelists but framed an excellent Gospel of his own declaring that he took it Historia Christi Persicè à Hier. Xavier conscripta latinè reddita à Ludov. de Dieu out of the Gospel and Books of the Prophets To make this Good the Dr remit's us to one like himselfe of the Ministerial Brood Ludovicus de Dieu son to Daniel de Dieu à new Gospeller who banished Bruxell's upon the account of his Pestilent Errours after the Duke of Parma had taken that City fled into Holland and there Preach't 22. years I have perused this Book Written first in the Persian Language by F. Hierome Xavier Ludov de Dieu Epist Dedicat. which this De Dieu afterward turned into Latin and verily perswade my selfe that never worthy Missioner was more grosly abused than the Zealous F. Hierome Xaverius is by this false Dieu and our fraudulent Dr. The Story briefly is thus 2. F. Hierome having gained the Favour of the forementioned Emperour to live in Agra offered to his View the life of Christ in the Persian language For the substantial Part exactly taken What F. Hierome offered to the Emperour out of the Prophets and the Gospel But willing to make the Relation full and acceptable he first used different Expressions from the precise words of Scripture which all Preachers and Interpreters do in their further Explanations of Holy Writ 2. As Occasion required he added many pious Considerations most Suitable as he thought to beget in the Emperours mind à high Respect and honour of our blessed Saviour 3. After he had laid the foundation of his History upon the Gospel and recounted exactly the Birth the Infancy the Circumcision the Miracles the Doctrin of Christ c. the substance I say according to Scripture for the perfecting of his History here and there he introduces other ancient Testimonies not Divine Now mark the Fraud of these two Adversaries Dieu and the Dr Because the Father kept not alwaies close to the exact words of the Gospel and made his pious Additions as is noted Dieu cryes out in his Title Historia Christi sed contaminata the History of Christ but defiled The Dr as lowd Dr Still page 623. the very Story of the Bible horribly adulterated It is à flat Calumny Mr Dr. 3. I say contrary F. Xavier neither adulterated the Sence nor any one word of the Holy Gospel For to deprave and adulterate the Gospel is either to Propose some thing as Gospel or as revealed by Almighty God which God never Spake in Scripture This the Father did not Or to Produce à true Revelation there expressed and to Pervert or contradict it Now Show me Mr Dr by the Help of your false Dieu where F. Xavier either pervert's à Revealed Truth which is The Father depraved not the Gospel And why in Scripture or proposes that as the Revealed word of God and mark my Expression which is not in Scripture and you touch the Point But this is impossible the Father being far from such Transgressions Therefore prudently Entitles his Book not the Revealed vvord of God but the History of Christ partly much enlarged by Circumstances which easily might occur to every Pious mind yea and probably happen and partly augmented with the Testimonies of other Authors 4. For an Instance of the first The Father De Dieu page 41. cited by De Dieu supposes our Lady devoutly on her Knees about Midnight bowing her head towards the ground when the Angel came to Salute her This no more but à piovs Circumstance was never Proposed to the Emperour as à Truth revealed by Almighty God Again when he relates upon humane Authority that in De Dieu page 74. the night of our Saviours Birth the great Temple of Peace at Rome fell down and that much about the same time three Suns were seen in Spain which closed at last together like one Sun He tells us Sapientes dicunt Wise men Say the Vision
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
approved Miracle is as clear as that there are letters in his Book If he Say I wrong him He may right himselfe and show me vvhere in vvhat Page or Paragraph through his whole Treatise he has made it out that such and such opproved Miracles Nay I say One have been by him plainly detected false feigned and counterfeit 'T is true in rambling up and down he bring 's to light some forged Miracles which the Church detest's and severely punishes But those no more obscure the Lustre of true Miracles than one mans horrid crime cast's à blemish on another known most just and honest 5. Perhaps this or the like Fancy most How the Dr might Discourse swayed with the Dr and set his fingers on Itch to write against Miracles Many Miracles might he say for time and place are remote from us and therefore the very most of our English Nation as things now stand being strangely incredulous cannot but look upon them as matters of Fact no way clear but contrariwise very dark and doubtful It will Therefore be easy for me after some discovery of forged Miracles Those must usher in the main Designe to blast the credit of the Very best Miracles and though I cannot lay the least Aspersion upon one approved by their Church yet when I handle such à Subject at distance from men shut up in an Island and speak to an obdurate sort of People who scarcely believe their Creed I may well hope my pains will have the Successe I wish which is to dishonour the noblest Motive for Christian Faith The glory of Miracles 6. In case these or the like thoughts set the Dr Things once really done cease not to be true because remote from us on work and I cannot Imagin upon what other Design he wrote I Answer Though he might take great advantage from the Incredulity of many thousands dispersed over England and may perhaps in time perswade the very most of such men to believe nothing at all Yet none I hope are so deeply besotted as to think that á matter once really done leaves off to be true because it is remote from us for upon this account our Saviours Miracles may be Cavilled at 7. But to give the Dr Satisfaction in every thing proposable shall we wave at present those more ancient Miracles recounted by S. Irenaeus S. Austin and others and require the Dr ' s direct Answer to some latter three or four only wrought in the memory of many yet living will be sufficient John Clements Miraculous Cure at Montaigu is one whereof the Dr never yet took notice The poor youths restored Leg in Spain shall be another A Third is that sudden and Miraculous cure done upon F. Mastrilli in Naples by the glorious S. Xaverius The last because the most neer Anno 1661. is that undoubted Miracle which God manifested at Calais upon à young Gentlewoman by the Intercession of Blessed S. Francis Se C. 3. of Paula These Miracles excepting the last related in this Treatise are as is largely proved Reason and Religion owned by the Christian Reas and Relig. Disc 2 c. 8. n. 17. 18. and cap. 9. n. 11 world most certain I therefore require Dr Stillingfleet's plain and express Answer to every one being yet fresh in the minds and Eyes of innumerable Unlesse full Satisfaction be given herein I would have the Dr know that though he write Volumes against this short Treatise all he doth or can do after this just Provocation what satisfaction is required from the Dr will appear weightlesse insignificant dishonourable to à Doctor in fine worth little but Derision 8. Moreover Let not the Gentleman think that to scorn God's most certain Wonders will doe his work or prove Satisfactory to me Let him not think though in Spight of Truth he call's that stupendious Miracle wrought in Spain A pretended growing out of à Leg and to his shame tell 's us It is an easy thing for à Stump to grow à Leg in its passing from Spain hither which is to say in other terms 'T is à Lye à fourb both falsely set Ieers shall no longer serve the Dr's turne abroad and foolishly believed I Say let him not think that such Fatras will serve his turn No. We expect better Answers old birds believe it are not easily caught with chaffe He must therefore either prove Fraud in this and the other Miracles hinted at or will be forced by reason and Authority to own the Facts most true and unquestionable 9. One word briefly concerning the pretended No want of Clarity for either ancient or latter Miracles want of Clarity for our Miracles whether ancient or of à latter date My Assertion is It is as clear and manifest yea much more manifest at this day I write these Lines that innumerable most certain Miracles have been wrought in the Roman Catholick Church than it will be manifest one Age hence that Dr Still was ever à man in being à student in Cambridge received Degree in that University or finally was promoted to à Rectorship of S. Andrewes For proof of my Assertion I suppose few or none now living will be alive à hundred years hence How will it then be proved if any doubt be that The Assertion proved by one Instance the Dr was ever in Being You will Answer most easily from the Register of his Baptism Very good But we have most evidently as clear Registers for innumerable Miracles The time when the place vvhere the Circumstances how they were wrought the Ey-vvitnesses that savv them their Examination and approbation are with all clarity registred Thus our Proofs are equal Again Records may tell when and at what time from à Bachelour of Divinity He became Dr and as faithful Records informe us when and in what time and before whom innumerable Miracles have been wrought A constant Fame or report of the Dr's Promotion to S. Andrews may its likely be preserved in the minds of Some above an Age. And have we not as constant yea à far more universal Fame for the four Miracles now mentioned and many others There is no comparison 10. If therefore it would be plain Dotage in any to doubt of Dr Still birth and Promotions when the particulars are proved upon the moral Certainty already set down it will be no greater but Moral à hundred years hence much more is it à Degree of madness to call à hundred Miracles into doubt whereof we have at least so high Moral Certainty And as I now said far more Universal 11. Some may reply There seem's à great Disparity in the matters now spoken of For it s both natural and ordinary That men live meet with A weak Objection Answered promotions and have also Honours and Dignities in the Church or common wealth But the Miracles we defend are strange extraordinary Signs contrary to the course of Nature Therefore moral Certainty though sufficient to ground à prudent Assent
not only to the Godly but to the wicked also falsa profecto haec sunt Those vvrought by the vvicked are for the most part false sometimes true as in Balaam and others and alwaies weak proofs of the Church 13. Now if you will refer those words Falsa profecto sunt haec plerumque to Miracles whether done by good or bad men you may Say without offence That all nevv Miracles yet under debate and not easily differenced from the Signs of wicked men may before they are rigidly examined and approved in order to us appear often times false and are alwaies weak proofs of the true Church Never did Dandrada Say or dream that Miracles juridically examined and approved by the Church can be false yet this the Dr is to show or he fail's in the Main and evinces nothing 14. The Dr in the same Page cites Ioannes Ferus Ferus in Matth. 24. 23. 24. saying that the Doctrin of à Church is not to be proved by Miracles but Miracles by the Doctrin I Answer he speak's so and very pertinently if you ponder his connected discourse You may learn saith Ferus how to Discern false and true Ferus deliver's true Doctrin Mitacles For as true Miracles when done are never contrary to God's word so false ones oppose those Sacred Verities which have been long since confirmed by Miracles And for that reason c. 14. n. 5. Miracles are to be examined by the Churches received Doctrin Here is nothing but what I expresly deliver in à foregoing Chapter and Therefore it may well passe among Dr Still impertinent Quotations 15. The Dr soon after Quotes Iosephus Acosta Acosta de Tempor noviss c. 9. as one highly extolling the Miracles which Antichrist shall work in so much That it will be à hard matter to discern true and false Signs and he Quotes it from Hippolytus that Antichrist shall do far greater Miracles than the cure of Marcellus or the restored Leg at Zaragosa Viz. That he will raise the Dead cure the diseased and have command over the Elements Thus the Dr And almost err's in every particular First he mistakes the IX Chapter for the 18. and 19. where Acosta handles these Acosta ill cited by the Dr. matter In the IX Chapter he chiefly insist's upon Antichrist's raging Persecution in subduing the Kings of the earth c. 2. Neither Hippolitus Hippolit de consumma mundi de Antichrist Biblioth Patrum apud Bignium Tom. 2. Edit 2. nor Acosta ever said as the Dr unworthily writes that Antichrist shall do far greater Miracles than those wrought upon Marcellus and the Boy of Zaragosa Peruse Hippolitus and you will find Acosta's observation true that he speak's indeed so much of Antichrist's Signs ut vix credibilia videantur that all he brings to light seems not credible Antichrist saith Hippolitus will do prodigious Things he will cleanse the Lepers expel Divels raise the Dead change night into day and day into night he will turn about the Sun whither and to what place he pleases c. Yet this ancient Writer Scholar to Clemens Alexandrinus contemn's all these wonders three or four times over in that Oration as false feigned and counterfeit Signa saith he edet horrenda non vera sed falsa He will show strange Signs But all will be false Again Haec omnia faciet consilio simulato ac fraudulento quo circumveniat omnes ut se Regem creent There will be nothing in these Wonders Hippolitus and Acosta Slight Anchrist's Wonders 2. Thes 2. 9. but hypocrisy and dissimulation Thus Hippolitus undervalues Antichrist's Miracles 16. So also doth Acosta and every Christian that believes the Apostle speaking of that Man of Sin whose comming is according to the operation of Satan in all Power and lying Wonders Magnopere nos recreat saith Acosta The Apostles words Comfort us when he tell 's us that Antichrist's Signs will be nothing but Cheats Acosta cap. 19. Lying vvonders vvrought by the Divels assistance Real Miracles cannot be done by that Archenemy of God and Truth Soon after They are rightly called fallacious Wonders exhibited either by à secret Povver in nature or by the Ministry of Divels and done for this End to confirm Lyes contrary to God's eternal Verities The Servants of JESUS CHRIST never work Miracles after this manner nor can attest à Lye by any true Sign they do Thus Acosta Is not therefore the Dr ' s Question most ridiculous I The Dr's simple question retorted and answered would understand saith he from E. W. Whether Antichrist's Church will not be proved as Infallible in this vvay as the Church of Rome And I would as fain understand from Dr Still whether Antichrist's Church will not be proved as Infallible in this way as the Apostolical Church If the Dr dare assert That Antichrist shall work true Miracles in raising the Dead and curing all desperate Diseases I Ask how can he distinguish the Apostolical Signs and those If contrariwise he Teach with S. Paul and Catholick Doctors That all Antichrist can do will be only Lying Iugling and Hypocrital Wonders The folly of his own Question appear's as it is vain idle and vveightlesse unlesse he prove which neither Divel nor Dr shall doe That all the Miracles wrought in God's Church even those related by S. Irenaeus S. Augustin S Hierom S. Ambrose and other Fathers are to be esteemed base Cheats jugling Legerdemain In fine wholly as Lying and invaluable as Antichrist's wonders will be 17. The Dr in the next place cites Cajetan Cajet de concep Virg c. 1. But where to find the Treatise of the Conception though I have four Tomes of that Author by me I know not However the words as the Dr relates them contain no Difficulty Cajetan saith first The Church has no ground to determine any matter Cajetan cited makes nothing for the Dr. of Doctrin novv on the account of Miracles Very true because as he insinuat's the Church has no new Revelations and therefore hold's her Doctrin already Determined upon Infallible Tradition handed down Age after Age from the Apostles Dayes O but Cajetan gives another Reason Because the Divel may do such things vvhich vve cannot distinguish from true Miracles Answ His meaning may be that some true Miracles are not upon the first sight before full Examination easily distinguished from false Signs but that many are distinguishable as when the dead rose and conversed witness Irenaeus à long time with the living seem's clear enough And I Neither Cajetan any ever taught that the Divel can revive the Dead am sure neither Cajetan nor any Christian ever thought that the Divel called those Dead to life or did those great Cures which our Saviour and the Apostles wrought As therefore the primitive Christians differenced those admirable works from the Divels Lying Wonders we likewise set the same distinctive Marks upon our Churches Miracles whereof I have largely treated above No
disparity can be given Supposing the matters of Fact true And to call the Truth of all approved Miracles into doubt reaches to á high Degree of Madness 18. The only thing urged by Cajetan is that the most Authentick Testimonies of Miracles even in the Canonization of Saints are not altogether certain because it is á Written every man is à Lyar. If this Proof be valid Why may not he also mistake that wrote thus For he is amongst the number of every one Please Reader to distinguish three Degrees of certainty and the Difficulty vanishes One certainty called Metaphysical is altogether Infallible A second named Physical is had by such as behold à Miracle And that certainty the Three Degrees of certainty two Sisters Mary and Martha attained when they saw their Brother Lazarus raised to life A third certainty called Moral though inferiour to the other two may be so perswasive That none but most impudently and rashly can call the matter attested into doubt This Degree of Moral certainty all those had who upon the prudent Information of faithful Witnesses heard that our Lord restored life to Lazarus though they saw not the Miracle Thus much premised 19. I Say it is not necessary that Miracles which induce to Faith or excite us to believe be known by Metaphysical or Physical certainty A high moral Assurance of their being wrought The very most of the Primitive Christians before they believed had no greater is abundantly enough and fully sufficient The reason is Miracles as cap. 14. num 8. 9. I noted above show not Faith to be evidently true but only evidently credible neither are they the formal Object whereon Faith relies but rational Inducements only moving to accept of what ever Truth God Reveal's Therefore Cajetan saies well Faith must stand on à more Infallible Page 689. Moral certainty had of Miracles serves as an Inducement to Beliefe ground than that of Miracles and the Dr only Triefles when he tell 's us that our Writers hold there can be no certainty of the Truth of Miracles but from the Churches Approbation vvhich saies he is in effect to say They do not believe the Church Infallible because of their Miracles But they believe their Miracles to be true because they believe their Church to be Infallible The want of distinguishing different Degrees of certainty caused the Dr to blunder as he doth Read therefore his words thus We believe by à sirm Act of Faith the Church to be Infallible because God saies She is Infallible and to this Belief vve are prudently led by Miracles knovvn upon so high Moral certainty That it is open folly to call them into doubt And all difficulty ceases Again when the Church approves Miracles as true we ascend to à higher Step of certainty and own them thus approved without all hesitancy indubitable because à known Oracle seal's them up as certain Now I Ask Mr Dr who playes at fast The Dr would find à Difficulty where none is and loose with his word Certainty what Mystery lies in this that à lesser Degree of assurance to wit Moral serve as an Inducement to believe God speaking by the Church And that an other of à higher nature yet below the certitude of Faith be consequent after we own the Church firme and sure in Her Declarations No man but the Dr would have proposed such empty stuff to the wearisomnesse of every Reader Se more relating to this matter in the XIV Chapter already cited 20. The Dr yet cloyes us with three our four impertinent Authorities Paulus Zacchias à Physician saith that wicked men and Divels may not only doe Miracles in appearance but such as are really so as the Instruments of Divine Power Very true The question is whether Divels by their own Power can work Miracles Sec. 15. if God who has better Instruments at hand the blessed Angels will make use of Divels he might Destroy the world by them But the Question is whether Divels of their own Power can work true Miracles This difficulty waved by Zacchias is decided in à foregoing Chapter Zacchias also much inveigh's against bare pretended Miracles and so doth every wise man also But what is this to the purpose while we plead by no pretended or forged Miracles having thanks be to God great plenty of others never Questioned never called into doubt by any 21. The other Quotations following are as weightlesse and impertinent Fortunatus Schacchus Dr Still page 693. saith first it is à very easy to take false Miracles for true What then Are therefore no Miracles true because some too forward will perhaps have that thought à Miracle which is not I heard à very great man à Protestant confidently avouch more than once That the strange Escape of our Sovereign King Charles after the Battle at Worcester was à plain Doubtful Miracles of no account in the Chvrch. downright and undeniable Miracle God only knowes the Truth May be it was Miraculous if not what great harme followes save only That the Honourable person over confident vvas deceived The Church Mr Dr builds nothing upon dubious and uncertain Miracles Schacchus Asserts 2. That vvicked men may do real Miracles No doubt hereof if God will make use of them as he did of Balaam though this Witnesse Suares cited seldom happen's He saies 3. That no Argument can be dravvn for the Sanctity of any Person but only from such Miracles are approved by the Roman Church This supposes approved Miracles let the Dr own such as undoubted which are innumerable and there is enough to stop his mouth Episcopal Authority Mr Dr after due Examination may as we see practised the whole Church over approve à Miracle Though The See Apostolick only Canonizes Saints Page 694. to declare for the true Sanctity of any Person belongs only to the See Apostolick 22. The Dr hopes to find something for his purpose in the Processe touching the Canonization of Andreas Corsinus where the Auditours of the Rota say first It is necessary that à Person Canonized have wought Miracles Very good Miracles therefore are supposed wrought and useful also for some good End Will the Dr yeild thus much upon the Auditours Testimony O but They Say 2. It is not necessary that Miracles be done for the Confirmation of Faith seing they may be wrought for à proof of à Persons Sanctity I Answer If true Sanctity as is most certain ever supposes true Faith And The Miracles that Evince Sanctity prove Faith also if the Person Canonized be à faithful member of the Catholick Church the same Miracles which prove his Sanctity cannot but also prove his Faith sound and real Though as I noted above it is needless at every Miracle to cry out This is done to confirm such and such Articles believed in the Church You have already many Miracles purposely wrought in Confirmation of every Catholick Article what can the Dr desire more 23. Those Auditors