is to say one part of Scripture proves another before the whole book is proved upon any certain Authority to be God's word or written by the Holy Ghost From hence 2. the necessity of an Infallible evidenced Church is necessarily inferred The necessity of an Infallible Church evinced from our discourse which only bring 's us out of the Labyrinth wherein the Dr is lost This Church as I said proves by her infallible and never interrupted Tradition that Scripture is God's word She and She only ascertain's all that the Contents in Scripture are Divinely inspired and finally when difficulties arise concerning the Sence in controverted passages relating to Necessaries composes all strifes otherwise endless and bring 's all to à perfect unity in Faith 31 I say lastly Could the Dr evince that the book of Scripture contain's true Doctrin could he shew the Doctrin Not one Protestant Tenet proved by Scripture of it to be as it truly is Divinely inspired he yet hath not one clear Sentence in the whole Bible understood according to the obvious sence of the words which proves so much as one Tenet of Protestant Religion as Protestancy is distinguished from Popery and the Doctrin of all known condemned Hereticks The proof of this Assertion is largely laid forth Reas and Relig Disc 1. c. 20. from n. 4. to the end of that Chapter and because I really judge Protestancy utterly ruined upon the reasons there alleged I petition Dr Still to review that short Discourse and if I judge amiss to unbeguile me by à plain Answer showing wherein my Arguments are fallacious 32 I except in that place against his empty Title called A rational Account of the grounds of Protestants Religion and prove as I think demonstratively that if you cast out of Protestancy all it's Negative Articles which the Dr confesses are no Essentials the remainder will either be what the Catholick Church teaches and therefore not peculiar to Protestancy or the Doctrin of some one or other condemned Heretick In so much that in the whole Essence of Protestancy you will not find one Truth revealed by Almighty God necessary for Salvation or ever taught by any Orthodox Church And Nor one Necessary for Salva tion found in Protestancy herein it differ's not only from Catholick Religion but as I take it from all ancient Heresies for both Arians and Pelagians the like is of the rest thought their particular Doctrins revealed by Almighty God and necessary to Salvation Otherwise they had been worse than besotted to abandon the Catholick Tenents for opinions meerly or Positions not necessary to Salvation Se more of this subiect Disc 3. c. 18. n. 8. CHAP. X. The Church proved Infallible before She interpret's Scripture The reason hereof The Doctors gross errour in charging à Circle on us in the Resolution of Faith VVhat à vicious Circle implies and how it differ's from à rational Regress in Discourse 1 THe rest that followes in the Dr from P. 423. is all along meer Confusion or à horrid jumbling in à speculative matter concerning the resolution of Faith and the notion of à vicious Circle which he truly understand's not but wonder nothing you can expect no better from halfe Scholars in speculative learning if I make not what I here assert manifest blame me boldly 2 To rescue my Doctrin from Blunderers and the Dr if I ever met with any is one I am forced to set down plainly part of it That done you shall se how remote the Dr is from medling with it The most he would except against you have at large Reas and Relig. Disc 3. c. 5. n. 5. where I answer an Obiection proposed in his Account P. 127. And assert Seing Scripture evidences not it selfe to be divinely inspired some other Infallible Oracle distinct from Scripture necessarily ascertain's that The Church not first proved Infallible by Scripture Truth and this is the Church which as rationally proves herselfe by Signs and Miracles an Oracle whereby God speaks independently of Scripture as ever any Apostle proved himself to be so before Scripture was written Hence I inferred that the Church was ever and is yet in à General way believed infallible by Her self and for Her self upon this ground that God speaks by Her as his own Oracle and then concluded that She is not in the first place proved infallible by Scripture I say in à General way for thus the Apostles believed our Saviour to be the true Messias before they received from him à full Account of many other particular Christian Verities learned after that General acknowledgement 3 Thus much and more amply declared in the place now cited comes Dr Still in his last book P. 424. with his old Tautologies and asks again as if nothing had been said why we believe the Churches Infallibility and verily think 's we have no other way to make out Her Infallibility but only by Scripture Is not this worse then jumbling Reflect good Reader I shew that the Church in the first place is proved infallible without recourse at all had to Scripture for so She was proved infallible before Scriptures were written and here he out-faces me with empty words saying I cannot prove the Church infallible but by Scripture only In lieu of this ridiculous Reply He should have refuted my reasons and this is one No man can ascertain any that Scripture is divinely inspired or render the true sence of it relating to Necessaries for Salvation but one only infallible Church Therefore the Church which only can give certainty of these truths must necessarily be first owned infallible before we recurr It is Senceless to prove the Church by Scripture before Scripture be Proved God's word to Scripture for it is more than Senceless to prove by Scripture the Churches Infallibility or any other Article of Christian Faith before we have absolute Assurance that the Book whereby we argue is Gods word and know what its meaning is in à hundred difficult passages But thus much is only known by Church Authority as is amply proved in the place now cited 4 This reason the Dr shamefully waves with à jeer and tell 's me P. 405. that this first act of Faith terminated upon Church Authority hath nothing to rely on but the fallible Motives of Credibility and Consequently cannot be Divine Faith for want of an Infallible Testimony Gross ignorance produced this Answer for have not I proved through my whole last Treatise that God as immediatly speak's to us now by his Church as ever he did by Prophet or Apostle And if God speake by it there is no want of an Infallible Testimony I challenge the Dr to answer my Arguments upon this subiect hitherto never taken notice of neither shall he hereafter reply without apparent shuffling to use his words and running away from the main difficulty here treated How often have I told him that Divine Faith relies not upon the Motives of Credibility though
Infallibility To what purpose Should we lose time Have not I answered that the Churches Infallibility stand's firm upon other grounds before Scripture be either owned Divine or the Sence of its difficult passages can be known Have not I moreover said that that general Truth of the Churches Infallibility must necessarily be proved and supposed antecedently to the belief of this or that particular Interpretation For who can fix his Faith upon the exposition of any Divine Oracle without being first ascertained it is God that speak's by it The Instances given above most clearly evince what is here asserted Please to make use either of our Saviours interpreting his own Parable Luke 8. concerning the Sower and seed or of S. Peters exposition given to the Prophet Joel They are one and the same in order to my present Intent We prove or believe that to be the true Sence of our Saviours Parable because eternal Truth interpreted it so but do we again first prove or believe him to be eternal Truth because he then delivered the true Sence of that Parable to his Disciples No. For by this lame way of arguing we should prove the Sence of the Parable to be true upon our Saviour Interpretation and again prove him à true Interpreter because he interpreted Mark well the Dr's confusion We Catholicks saith he believe the Church to be infallible because the true The Dr's Confused Doctrin Clearly driven back vpon himselfe Sence of Scripture saith she is so And you Sr believe our Saviours Interpretation upon that Parable to be true that Parable is now Scripture because our Saviour interpreted it so Again we believe this to be the Infallible sence of Scripture because the Infallible Church saith so And you Mr Dr believe this to be the Infallible Sence of that Parable because Christ said so Here Sr you have your own Circle in express Terms Judge whether it stand's not something awry What must be done then to get out of this Confusion All must answer Though we believe our Saviours Interpretation by an Infallible act of Faith yet we first prove him not infallible because he interprets but suppose his Infallibility made out and proved upon other grounds independently of his explication And this is our Answer also as to the Church whereof enough is said already and more than ever the Dr will or can Answer 24 P. 430. the Doctor once more run's on with the same Tautologie and because I said the Scripture and Churches interpretation indivisibly Concur to that latter act of Faith whereby we believe the Sence of Scripture explained by the Church he tells me This indivisible concurrence Seem's to him an odd piece of Mystical Divinity I Answer no great matter for that as odd as it is he must own it if he believes S. Peters infallible Interpretation upon the Prophet or the exposition given to the Royal Prophets Testimony Psal 131. 11. Foreseing saith the Apostle His Tautologies and ill words he spake of Christs Resurrection Acts. 2. 31. Se more of this indivisible concurrence Reas and Relig Disc 3. c. 11. n. 10. The rest our Dr hath to his page 433. is either the like Tautologie VVe prove the Churches Infallibility by the Infallible Sence of Scripture and the infallible Sence of Scripture by the Churches Infallibility Or most uncivil language or finally a foul ending with à gross mistake for he thinks our Faith rest's upon no Infallible Authority because we have none to rely on but Motives Confessedly fallible It is à perverse errour already refuted 25 To end this Controversy about à vicious Circle wherein the Dr. P. 431. account's me à Conjurer and one that speak's things which neither he nor any one els can understand I have right me thinks to enquire by what means or upon what grounded Motive can the Dr come to à certainty of the Scriptures true Sence In proposing this Question I might easily retaliate and tell him Though he Conjure cheat and shuffle his whole life long he shall never yet clear this one difficulty without recourse to an Infallible Church The proof of my Assertion stand's sure upon this most undoubted principle The true Sence of A difficulty proposed and the Dr is desired to Answer Scripture in many passages relating to Necessaries for Salvation is no Selfe-evidence nor can it be certainly known by that endless Search or mispent industry of private men as appear's by those many most opposit and plain contradictory Interpretations which the learned of different Religions give to these and the like Expressions in God's word I and my Father are one The word is made flesh There are three that give Testimony in Heaven c. Not one of these Passages though pondered and compared with other Texts in Holy Writ doth Evidence its own true Sence Therefore the means whereby it is discovered or the Oracle which infallibly ascertain's it must necessarily be both distinct from the dark words now cited and also more clear and plainly significant than the yet concealed Sence is we seek for Now further Neither Calvins private Spirit nor the Dr's rational Evidence nor Tradition without nor Grace within as Bishop Lawd speaks in the Dr ' s Account P. 186. n. 15 nor finally any other Medium which is not Scripture can infallibly declare this Sence as is largely proved both in this Treatise and the last Therefore an Infallible Church must either do God and man this good Service and certainly tell us what Scripture Speak's in these Necessaries for Salvation Or the true meaning of God's Word will be just like Some useless airy nicity not worth knowing still matter of debate ever disputable but never known Thus much said in answer to the Dr's Speculative part we passe in the next Discourse to à serious view of his long Drollery and simple exceptions made against the glorious Miracles wrought in the Roman Catholick Church and Shall God willing evince that in this Treatise where he thought to triumph most he is foiled and hath disgraced none but himselfe An end of the first Part. A DISCOVRSE CONCERNING MIRACLES WROUGHT in the Roman CATHOLICK CHVRCH in vindication of their Truth against Doctor Stillingfleets unjust Cavils VVHERE The Miraculous Translation of the Holy House OF LORETO is Asserted and proved an undeniable Verity BY E. W. The second Part. ANTWERP Printed by MICHAEL CNOBBAERT at the Sign of S. Peter in the Year 1674. Dr Stillingfleet in his second Discourse Chap. 3. P. 434 makes an Enquiry into the Miracles of the Roman Church I follow him as he goes along and lay open the ill Success our Inquifitive man hath had in his Search which will I hope appear to every one after à full view taken of what is proposed in the ensuing Treatise Peruse and judge Courteous Reader CHAP. I. How I formerly argued in behalfe of our Churches Miracles The Dr in his Enquiry waves my Arguments Of the difference between Christ's Miracles and those wrought by
shall be Infallible in what She clearly obliges her children to believe We then produced and yet Catholicks highly injured alledge as plain Scripture for the Assertion as ever God inspired the first great Masters of the Gospel to write We here publickly avouch and will make it good That God's word is as express and significant in behalfe of the Churches Infallibility as for the most primary and fundamental Articles of Christian Religion We confirm our Assertion by the unanswerable Authority of ancient Fathers and learned Councils we add here unto the Authority of à Church never yet censured by any but known Hereticks Upon these grounds we stand Now hear I beseech you how we are treated There is à young hot Antagonist nam'd Dr Still who call's this claim to Infallibility Page 84. an uniust usurpation à thing notoriously false an arrogant pretence of an usurping faction c. Is it not think ye The Dr called to an account high time after such ratling language to give this Bragger à just challenge to call him to à rigid account before God and the world and force him to prove what he saith Scripture Councils and Fathers without glosses shall speak for us these shall determine the cause and end it My evidences are as strong as known 1. Tim. 3. 16. That thou mais't know how thou oughs't to converse in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of truth Matth. 2. 8. 20. Goe therefore teach all nations Teaching them to observe all things what ever I have commanded you and behold I am with you all dayes to the end of the world What Christ here promises is certainly performed therefore his Protection over the Church will never fail Iohn 14. 15. I will pray the Father and he will give you another comforter that may abide with you for ever The Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive The spirit of truth abiding with that Society of Christians it 's promised to is opposit to errour and falshood Ephes 4. 11. We read of Apostles Prophets Euangelists of Pastors and Doctors given by God's special Providence to the consummation of Saints unto the work of the Ministery unto the edifying of the body of Christ c. If you ask how long this incomparable Scripture plain for the Churches Infallibility blessing shal last It 's answered v 13. until we all meet in the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God Demand again for what end those Guides are verse 14 return's this Answer That we be not like Children wavering tossed to and fro or carried about with every wind of doctrin by the deceipt of men c. But if those Guides can be circumvented with errour how is it possible to secure Christians committed to their charge from being carried away with the wind of false Doctrin No Catholick though he study for it can speak more significantly the Churches sence concerning the Infallibility of her Guides then the blessed Apostle here amply expresseth Thus much briefly for an Essay of Scriptural proofs Fathers and Councils shall follow on à fitter occasion when the Dr requires them 2 In the mean while this Dr who makes the Church and all her Guides fallible for her Infallibility saith he is à thing notoriously false is called on to confront these Authorities and to prove his own Assertion by plain and express Scripture or by so much as one Text that meanly and remotely hints at the fallibility of this great extended Body Where Sr read we in holy Writ any thing tending to your sence That the Church is not the pillar and ground of truth Where have we that God who promised to be with the Church to the end of the world would desert Her in one Age or other Where That the Spirit of Not one word in Scripture to prove her fallible truth should leave this Oracle Where find we o horrid blasphemy that all Her Guides all the Pastors and Doctors grosly deceived themselves may suffer millions of souls under their charge to be carried away with à whole deluge of errour and one no lesse then professed Idolatry Speake out Dr and produce your Scriptures as plain for the Churches fallibility as mine now alledged are for Her Infallibility 3 Hence I argue If the Infallibility of the Church be à notorious falshood or as the Dr makes it in his Account P. 101 ridiculous yea really distructive to Christianity Her Fallibility is à Notorious truth which mainly supports true Religion An Argument proposed But God certainly hath not omitted to register in holy VVrit à truth so notorious as mainly support's true Religion therefore he hath not omitted to set down in plain Terms the Churches Fallibility But this most evidently is not done wherefore I tell the Dr that not only he but all the Doctors on earth shall sooner lose their eyes then find one single Text in the whole Bible which so much as seemingly makes the Church fallible in what the obliges Christians to believe But if this cannot be evinced by Scripture laid as à foundation to the Dr ' s discourse he may better goe to bed and sleep than meddle any more with the Question of Infallibility For all he saies or can say upon the Matter will be meer empty talk without proof and Principles 4 I urge this Argument further and ask Whether to believe the fallibility of the Church be à fundamental Article of the Dr's new Faith or only one of his Inferiour truths which Scripture expresses not nor requires beliefe of necessary to Salvation Grant the first He is obliged to prove it by God's express word for as he thinks all fundamentals are there Make. 2. this asserted Fallibility to be only one of his Inferiour truths wholly waved by Scripture and not necessary to Salvation the Dr spoil's his own Scriptureless cause With what face then dare he tell us in his Account cited above that our pretence to Infallibility overthrowes belief destroyes Christianity and tend's apace towards Atheism Whilst God never yet spake any such unheard Assertions Never Church taught them Never Fathers owned them Never Councils defined them only the disordered phansy of à young Dr begot them in Ignorance and malice as you se hath set all forth in print If I speak rashly the Dr hath all liberty to shame me and one single passage in God's word whereby this fallibility is proved shall lay an eternal disgrace upon me but as I am sure there is no such passage so I fear not any the least disgrace 5 What no such passage may one reply Surely I mistake For doth not Mr Still in his Account Part. 1. c. 8. â—blot page after page to prove the Church fallible and by express Scripture also I answer he touches not the difficulty we here insist on but â—uggles all along We require one plain Text whereby the Christian Church is proved fallible And he gives
Holborn that for one Tautologie in mine I will shew five in yours with à pretty addition of new ones in these your two last Treatises Now whereas you tell me the whole substance of my books lies in this one word Infallibility Know Sr you get the worst here for the whole substance of all you have said or can say confessedly lies in à far weaker word called Fallibility Here it seem's the Dr is willing to leave off his long Tattle for fear of more Advertisements And is it possible could that harmless and well meant Advertisement wherein nothing can be found offensive stirr up thus much unruly passion in à Dr I know no remedy yet hope the Preface to this Treatise will à little calm it 4 To end He ierk's me once more and will need 's suppose that Protestancy without Principles was disposed of to better uses than to be read because forsooth he More jerks yet never heard of one man in England that read it over A weak proof of à false supposition Good Sr are all truths conveyed to your ears do not some miss their way thither Be it how you will hear or pretend not to hear most certainly that book was read by many not only in England but Ireland also Nay more all the Copies above six hundred excepting some few seized on were in à short time bought up In so much that à Gentleman of our Nation offered three Crowns for one single Copy yet could not after long enquiry meet with one These truths known to the Printer and others are sufficient to evert your false supposition and your weak proof added to it 5 And thus much of the Dr ' s Comical Introduction If he thinks me too pert or pleasant with him I answer Benedictis si certasset audisset bene Had not à fermentation The Dr's vast conceipt of himselfe of blood transported him beyond all bounds of common civility no ill word should have fallen from me but when we find à vain Bragger gloriously enthrown'd in à vast conceipt of himselfe as if all he treat's with were desplicable Mushromes it is Charity I think not to sooth him up in his folly but to tell him his own home as S. Hierome once did an Adversary Quae voluisti locutus quae non vis audire debes Time I hope may make the Dr wiser Let us now goe on 6 I said above Dr Still answers not directly one Argument proposed by me for the Churches Infallibility If I prove the Assertion it followes clearly that either he understand's them and will not answer because he finds them too strong for him Or 2 he cannot answer because he penetrat's not their force Grant the first he is à meer cheat and deludes the Reader with à seeming reply which is none in substance Say 2. He understand's not the force of my Arguments and cannot answer he is unworthy to be dealt with and ought in that measure to be despised as he despises others 7 Now I prove my Assertion I say as he relates P. 331. That without an Infallible The Dr answers net my arguments Church he means in this present state as I often inculcate there can be no certainty of Faith and have established the Assertion upon these grounds Neither the Canon nor Divinity nor the Infallible truth or sence of Scripture even in points Necessary to Salvation can be probably much less certainly assured to any in this present state but by the Authority of an Infallible Church To this not à word of answer is or can be returned by the Dr. 8 I Assert 2. As the Dr cites that the Roman Catholick Church only is God's Infallible Oracle and prove it Reas and Relig D. 2. c. 14. n. 10. 11. from Scripture Fathers and most pregnant reason 1. If any Church be Infallible it is the Roman Catholick for all others disclaim the Guidance of an Infallible living Oracle 2. As nothing can more discountenance the worth of true Christianity than à stedfast perswasion of it's fallibility or easily being false So nothing can fix in us an undubitable beliefe of Christ's Doctrin but an Oracle not lyable to errour 3. And chiefly If no Church be Infallible to whose Authority Christians must submit when dissentions arise concerning the Fundamentals Proofs for the Churches Infallibility of Faith and the genuin sence of Scripture both Iewes and Heathens may most justly despise Christian Religion and scorn all our endeavours to make them of one Faith with us upon this ground That none can certainly say what Doctrin Christ our Lord or his Apostles taught the world So it is Mr Dr our debates about the prime Articles of Faith no satisfactory means to end them but Topicks and fallible reasoning are so many that all taught Doctrin lies like an undecided Process in law still disputable and therefore of no credit or estimation unless an Infallible Church decide them and bring Christians to acquiesce in one Faith These Arguments and many more I proposed against the Doctor in the Discourse now cited and all the Answer I have is that he set's down some mangled parcels of my Tenents or barely tells me what I say For example I assert Protestancy without Prine Disc 1. c. 2. That à Doctrin which by virtue of all the Principles it has is meerly fallible and no more may be false but Christian Doctrin say Sectaries as it is taught by all Pastors is thus fallible therefore it may be false But God never Sent Christ our Lord nor Christ his Apostles or any to teach Christian Doctrin that may be false Ergo he sent none to teach meer fallible Doctrin This Reason our Dr blindly hints at P. 333. but leaves it without any Answer And thus he run's on to his 339. P. where he tells me He hath laid together so many parcels of my rambling discourse as were necessary in order to the examination of it To the examination of it Mr Dr Not one word true This had been material to shew my Arguments for the The Dr flies from the main difficulty Churches infallibility unconcluding you touch not these or at least to prove by some solid reasoning that the Church is fallible this point you most shamefully shift off and in the next page tell us that the necessity of Divine grace is no way pertinent to our present purpose the Question only being of an external infallible Proponent in order to Faith Sr what you make to your purpose I know not nor much care It was my duty and pertinent when I undertook the full and adequate Resolution of Divine Faith to lay down all the Principles it relies on and à main one is the internal assistance of Grace Had I omitted to treat of an external infallible Proponent you might have justly quarrelled but when that particular is largely handled through the five last chapters of the second Discourse and not à word replyed to any of my Arguments your accusation
for I am weary in following such weightless stuff yet in the next page you have more of it where he blames me as one sensless because I say n. 12. that fewer Motives may serve to induce young Beginners seldom molested with difficulties against Faith witness S. Austin cited above Ceteram turbam c than will convince the more learned who often struggle to captivate their understanding to our high Christian Mysteries And is not this exactly verifyed in Luther Calvin and innumerable others who when Beginners easily submitted to all the Church teaches yet afterward when more learned they found unless they tell the world loud lies Motives to disswade them from their first Faith Such men therefore seduced by fallacious Arguments or rather by their own malice should have been better grounded in that one Principle whereon all Christian Doctrin wholly depend's the Infallibility of Christs true Church 15 P. 414. I meet with à jeer because I hold Protes without Princ Disc 1. c. 2. n. 3. That every Bishop or Pastor though not personally infallible yet when he is lawfully sent to teach and speak's in the name of God and the Church considered as à member conioyned with the Infallible Church may be said to teach infallibly An admirable speculation replies the Dr and so saith he may every one in the streets be infallible not as considered in himself but as à member conjoyned with truth A conjunction with God's word implies Vnion with the Church or every Sectary as à member conjoyned with God's word Reflect Mr Dr is every one we meet in the streets à Bishop or Pastor commissioned to teach infallibly Christs Verities of such Pastors I speak and not of your street men Or can à Sectary be à member conjoyned with Gods word It is impossible for to say Sectary is to suppose him separated from God's word which therefore destroies your Imagined infallible conjunction and makes your Speculation not admirable but ridiculous Again and here is à solution to the Argument more amply laid forth Disc 3. c. 3. n. 17. 19. and before that c. 2. n. 12 A conjunction with truth or Gods word necessarily implies in this present State a conjunction with the Church for without the Testimony of this Oracle previously assented to we have no infallible assurance that such books are divinely inspired or what the sence of them is in all controverted passages therefore to suppose an Infallible conjunction with truth or God's word independently of Church-authority is to suppose light taken from darkness or the last Resolvent of Faith in order to us not to ground it at all But saith the Dr the Question is whether such à Prelate or Pastor may be divided from God's infallible Another difficulty Solved truth If he can what security hath any one to rely upon him upon such à conditional Infallibility whereof he can have no assurance I answer the common received Doctrin of the Church being known and divulged in every Catechism it is easily known when à Renegado such an one as the Bishop of Spalato was abandon's the Church In case of any rational mistrust or doubt because wolves sometimes appear like lambs Prudence direct's timorous Consciences to advise with their Pastors or others more learned then themselves 16 P. 415. The Dr applaudes his good fortune in meeting with an Adversary that mistakes his so well explicated Rational Evidence of Christian Religion Of the Dr's vain applauding himselfe and à long talk followes of hewers of difficulties and water-drawers of the Seraphims feathers and S. Laurenc'es Gridiron to what purpose I know not My hope is before this next Chapter be ended to make it manifest that the Dr neither understand's what is meant by rational Evidence nor has any thing like it for Protestant Religion CHAP. IX Dr Stilling pretended Evidence for Christian Religion proved nothing like Evidence His Evidence taken from Sense in the Mystery of the holy Eucharist demonstrated Sensless How vainly he endeavour's to prove by Miracles related in Scripture the Truth of the Doctrin there registred A word of his Tradition and many other errours 1 THe Dr P. 416 goes about to explain what is meant by his rational Evidence of Christian Religion and ground 's it upon the unquestionable assurance which we have of matters of fact and the Miracles wrought by Christ as à great part of this rational Evidence which is destroyed by our Doctrin of Transubstantiation Soon after he complain's of our silent passing over these things the Schools having found no answers to such Arguments What will The Dr's unworthy proceeding not this man say in points remote from us when in à plain matter of fact he beguiles his Reader with most loud untruths Let any one peruse my last Treatise Disc 1. c. 9. n. 11. 12. In that Discourse of à Heathen with à Christian he will find the first difficulty largely handled and solved where I say the Dr either believes our Saviours unparallaled Miracles because Scripture relates them and then he supposes Scripture to be Divine or inspired by the Holy Ghost which the Heathen denies and therefore wishes that Divine inspiration to be proved by Arguments extrinsical to the Doctrin delivered in Scripture Or contrarywise he proves those Miracles to have been upon the Fallible report of men liable to errour the Dr own 's no Tradition Infallible and this advances not his cause at all for do not the Turk's speak as much of Mahomets Miracles upon fallible and perhaps false reports also Thus the Heathen argues and rationally too not yet knowing what Religion to embrace Here in à word you have the substance of all I then said and I think my Argument thus delivered convinces VVhoever proves Christian Religion to be assuredly true by Motives as obscure as the very Doctrin of Christian Religion is either evinces nothing or makes à vicious An Argument proposed Circle But thus the Dr proceeds whose rational Evidence or unquestionable assurance of Christian Religion is proved by matters of fact Miracles I mean wrought by Christ which Miracles are as obscure to à Heathen and as much obiects of Faith to Christians as the very Doctrin of Christ is recorded in Scripture Therefore he proves nothing Se more hereof n. 12. cited 2 The other piece of the Dr ' s rational Evidence taken from Sense which he The Drs Argument taken from the Holy Eucharist both here and formely Solved thinks the Doctrin of Transubstantiation destroies I then reflected on and fully answered Reas. and Râ—lig c. 12. n. 3. where I say the immediate obiect of Sense remain's after consecration unchangeable as before It is true reason upon the suggestion of sense might well conclude that the substance of bread is there also were there not another Stronger Principle then sense which overawes us Christ's own words This is my body which cause reason to submit Thus S. Chrisostom S. Cyril of Hierusalem with innumerable ancient
what is supposed True be true it is true and we ought to assent to it Just as if one should say if Peter be à man of his word I may believe evidenced null and forceless him but as that conditional proves not Peter honest no more do these Assertions of the Dr being only conditional prove any thing true without à Minor to this sence But these things are so which Minor is wanting The Dr think 's he proves his Assertions upon these grounds That the writers of Scripture cannot be suspected of Ignorance having had long conversation with him they wrot of Their simplicity and candour in writing gives evidence they intended no deceipt with all the rest that followes I answer these are nothing like rational proofs but meer unproved Suppositions whereunto neither Iewes nor Gentils give credit I evince this demonstratively Put the book of holy Scripture into the hands of à Heathen Philosopher who never heard of Christ of the Church or of any other Motive for Christian Religion but only takes so much as the Dr here proposes and what the Scripture it selfe barely relates Would this Philosopher think ye after his pondering the Dr ' s Discourse and reading Scripture forthwith acquiesse and say all is true he reads He were worse then besotted did he so If prudent he would tell you he had joyntly perused with Scripture the Turks Alcaron and as he found strange wonders written of Christ in the one book so also he met with great matters recounted of Mahomet in the other for which the Turks pretend to have universal tradition but whether Scripture or the Alcaron speaks truth whether such men as the Dr mentions related exactly the Miracles of Christ and his true Doctrin with those Miracles the Philosopher knowes not nor shall ever know without à further proof taken from the testimony of some other Infallible Oracle which makes the truths in Scripture evidently credible and then proposes all as Divine and infallible Verities 14 The ultimate reason hereof is most convincing All matters contained in Scripture whether Miracles or The reason of their nullity said forth Doctrin are not ex terminis any Self evidence nor can they give by themselves so much as à great moral certainty of their Truth or Credibility Therefore they must be proved either true or evidently Credible by another Certain Oracle or can never draw belief from any I am sure S. Austin who discoursed more profoundly than the Dr ever did judged So when he told the Manichaes He would not believe the Gospel unless the Authority of the Church moved him to believe it and upon this firm ground all must believe or believe nothing The Dr ' s whole discourse proves only this conditional truth that if the Primitive Christians had reason to believe the Doctrin of Christ upon the inducement of his Miracles they did well to believe but that such Miracles were wrought he shewes not save only by Scripture it selfe hitherto neither proved True nor Divine I say proved For no Christian doubt's of the truths there contained though all justly question whether the Dr makes them to appear Truths by à bare telling us of some Contents in that book which neither Jew nor Gentil nor indeed any can believe unless more be said than the Dr bring 's to light 15 In à word here lies the whole errour He makes the Christian Doctrin Wherein the Dr's errour lies couched in Scripture to prove it selfe and drawes his rational Evidence of Credibility from the Mysteries believed Observe well He believes the Resurrection of Christ from the dead for this is an Article of Faith can he I beseech you make the Resurrection it self as believed the rational Motive of believing it while after all his discourse we are yet to seek for à proof of that very Scriptures Truth and Divinity also whereby the Resurrection is attested 16 The Dr may reply his evidence is not taken from the Mysteries of Faith Apos◠reply 〈◊〉 seen and prevented and from our Saviours Miracles the like is of Apostolical wonders as they are believed but from the Humane consent of the Primitive Christians who either saw or heard of such matters of fact wrought by Christ and his Apostles which common consent passing among so many grave and pious men made them in those dayes evidently Credible and Morally certain though we abstract from all Divine Revelation in Scripture and the Churches Infallible Authority I answer first if the Dr run's this way his whole discourse fastidiously spun out against the Miracles of the Roman Catholick Church fall's to nothing for if the common humane consent of the ancient Christians Supposed neither Devine Revelation nor infallible raised The common consent of the ancient Christians and modern for Miracles parallel'd our Saviours Miracles to Moral certainty or evident Credibility Then why should not the like common humane Consent of Christians Now make the Miracles owned in the Roman Catholick Church morally certain or evidently credible And I speak of Miracles approved by the Church not of every forged tale or pretended false wonder which were not wanting in the Primitive times If therefore the Dr say that all since the Apostles dayes have been grosly deluded in recounting the Miracles wrought in the Catholick Church both Jewes and Gentils will shrewdly pester him and avouch as boldly that those Primitive Christians over Credulous what Iewes may obiect like papists in these dayes were no less beguiled in their crying up Apostolical Miracles What say you to this Mr Dr The parity taken from the primitive times and ours I shall urge more fully hereafter and tell the Dr he shall long sweat at it before he solves what I here object if which is ever to be noted we stand only upon à common humane consent of men called Christians and abstract from the Authority of an Infallible Church 17 I answer 2. The enquiry here made concern's not only the bare truth of these matters of fact recorded in Scripture but implies more for we ask how what is here chiefly enquired these matters of fact are rationally proved truths written by the Assistance of the Holy Ghost or how when supposed wrought sixteen Ages since they are now conveyed and applyed to us as Truths of so high à nature No common consent of Christians meerly humane and long since past can give Sufficient certainty hereof sufficient I say to ground Divine Faith Wherefore seing Scripture evidences not it's own truths nor any reflection made upon Scripture can clear these doubts an infallible living Oracle manifested by supernatural Signs must speak and tell us that these matters of fact were written not like other things in humane History which are lyable to errour but by the special direction and inspiration of the Holy Ghost 18 Hence we proceed to the second Question If saith the Dr I be asked why I The Dr's second question proposed believe the Doctrin contained in
as is largely proved in the place now cited Here I add one Consideration more Sectaries who lay this foul aspersion on the Church must Iudge the whole body of Christians Princes Prelates and People all over Germany Italy Spain France and England c stark madd at once that is to have unanimously conspired in à beliefe of Transubstantiation for example never held before and this is as great à Paradox as if you Should suppose that Catholicks now might universally agree in one beliefe and stedfastly maintain that the Water in Baptism is really Christ's sacred blood as vvorthy Adoration as à Consecrated Chalice is yet and here is the wonder no man forsooth must be thought to take the least Notice of so universal à dotage nor of the prodigious change made in Christian Religion by it Tell me Courteous Reader were such à Novelty brought this present year into the Church would not Iewes Turks Heathens and all Hereticks if none els did it raise loud Clamours against the great body of Christians observe all that 's done and ieer at us in the publick Streets On the other side if Sectaries say these supposed Innovations were first begun by Some few two or three in corners got growth in time and at last became believed Articles of Faith all over the Christian world I answer this is more impossible yea the greatest Chimaera Imaginable Viz. That such gross Novelties should steal into à Church and be publickly taught by à few vvithout opposition or notice taken by other sound Christians far more numerous and learned for now we suppose all ran not mad at once Here also the Instance already given has the like force Should à few men in à town or City publickly teach that the water in Baptism is Christ's real blood would not the whole Body of sound Christians both censure and decry the errour as horrid and blasphemous Nothing can be more evident Besides all know how exact the Church of Christ has been in condemning Heresies as they rose up the time when they began and the Persons that introduced them remain still upon record but here are Novelties spoken of and unworthily charged upon à whole Church yet hush All passed in silence no man mentions them no Author friend or Enemy left them upon Record The Dr may remember how he impugn's that matter of fact concerning the miraculous Translation of the house of Disc 2. P. 451. Loreto from Nazareth where he tells us because three Authors Dante 's Petrach and Boccace men most inquisitive omitted to mention it the wholy Story was to be thought an incredible fiction But here à matter of Fact and of far greater concern the palpable change of Christian Doctrin from what it was anciently is supposed to enter the world not mentioned by any one Author friend or enemy Therefore according to the Dr it is to be judged à forged tale à meer whimsy improbable and incredible Much more then this comes to I urged against the Dr and here remind him of his grand Omission for to this very day though he pretend's to answer my book 's yet be never medled with this one point most weighty and of greatest Importance I call it weighty for upon these unanswerable proofs Protestancy is ruin'd and the Church no lesse demonstratively cleared from that unjust calumny of altering Her Doctrin which She received from Christ and his Apostles But the greatest Omission of all where the Dr's dull proceeding with me appear's most remain's yet untouched Those who have read my last Treatises know that the chiefest thing I insisted upon and aimed at was to prove Protes without Princ Disc 1. c. 2. n. 9. à Truth which must stand or Christian Religion fall's to nothing It is the Roman Catholick Churches Infallibility in every Doctrin She obliges Christians to believe I told the Dr if all Pastors all Bishops and the Church with them be so fallible in delivering Christian Doctrin that when it is ultimately applyed to the Hearers the Doctrin may be false God never sent them to teach it I proved the Assertion God sent not Christ our Lord nor Christ his Apostles nor the Apostles others to teach any Doctrin but that which relies upon the first Verity infallibly revealing truth but such à Doctrin can neither be fallible nor false but most true and infallible if therefore the Church teaches not that Doctrin as it is true and Infallible but may change it into meer fallible and perhaps false Doctrin She ceases eo ipso to be à Church and all the Doctors that teach so are no Catholick Doctors Moreover I said If Reas and Relig Disc 2. c. 19. n. 12. God hath not purposely made Religion à matter of eternal debate if he has not cast Christians upon endless vncertainties what to believe if both the Truth and infallibility of his revealed Doctrin stand firmly upon the first Verity not separable there and be revealed for this end that all assent to it as it is true and Infallible If finally the very fundamentals of Faith necessary for Salvation as registred in Holy Writ be still liable to disputes amongst the learned of different Religion If these things be as they all are clear Evidences Nothing can be more manifest than that the All-seing Providence hath impowred some Oracle to compose such strifes raised among Christians and to teach Christ's Doctrin as it deserves to be taught truly and infallibly These Arguments with many others not to be repeated I have clearly proposed and often Called on Mr Dr to reply but in the very nick and occasion when he found himselfe obliged to answer he warily slip's aside to another By-question about the resolution of Faith and there forsooth because the matter of its own nature is hard and speculative not easily understood by every vulgar Reader he thought he might well lie hid free from the Censure of such men whom he court's though he speake as be often doth plainly from the purpose VVhereas had he proceeded downright and directly fallen upon my reasons alledged in behalfe of the Churches Infallibility every judicious Reader though little versed in speculative Learning would have soon seen whether of us I in arguing or he in his answers deserved reproof and stood grounded upon better Principles Notwithstanding this pretty Subterfuge the Dr hath got little by waving the main Question Reas and Relig Disc 2. c. 5. n. 5. for I have followed him closely in the Speculative matter he lead's me to and made it manifest that he neither bitt's upon the right resolution of Faith nor indeed understand's where the real difficulty lies One thing yet remain's and I much wonder the Dr never medled with it I said who ever impeaches the Roman Catholick Church of errour in points of Faith is sure to be worsted in every rational Contest held upon that subiect and ought to own the supposed errour so remediless an Evil that it must remain as it is
upon our Dr's vvritings to se vvhere Satisfaction is given A. B. vvho excellently vvell makes it out and solidly proves what he asserts Viz. That Dr St A. Bs. first letter Page 3. and 4. is à very Fanatick as right an Euthusiastick in Iudgement and Beliefe as any one in all England yet after à diligent search have met with no answer to the Author of that pithy letter These things and many more would time permit I should insist upon and must though it lengthen's the Preface à little take notice of one particular the foulest and most gross I ever read in any You have it in the Doctors General Preface vvhere he bitterly inveigh's General Preface Paulo ante medium against the Doctrin of Attrition which the Church and all Catholicks hold though by it selfe it justifies not yet in the Sacrament of Penance it disposes à Sinner to See the Council of Trent Sess 14. c 4. â—um tamen ad Deigratiam in Sacramento disponit impetrate and obtain the Grace of God VVhether it be à full sufficient disposition in the Sacrament to grace without Contrition is another Question Now comes the Dr and demand's How do They the damned want the Sacrament of Penance in Hell for no doubt there is Attrition good store there The Sacrament of Penance in Hell Dr Attrition good store in Hell I read these words with horrour and stand astonish't at this height of stupidity Pray Sr vvho can absolve in Hell VVhat Divels Or who are there capable of Absolution Damned Souls Answer I beseech you Are such Souls in your opinion capable of Baptism or of that you call the Lords Supper You will say no. In like manner say I and speak with the whole Christian world they are as uncapable of the Sacrament of Penance Sacraments Good Sr serve only for the living on their way to Eternity and benefit none departed this life O! but Attrition whereof there is good store in Hell troubles the Dr. Here you have also the like gross Ignorance and therefore I answer in à word If the Dr call eternal horrour everlasting shame and despair Attrition he may find great store indeed but these miseries inseparably attending the damned are as remote from that Attrition vvhich the Church and Catholicks maintain as Hell is from Heaven The Catholick attrition as the Council now cited declares is Dei donum the gift of God wrought in à Soul by the impulse and motion of the Holy Ghost and though it tend's upon à less perfect Motive than Contrition yet it is à Supernatural Operation If you Mr Dr speak not of this Attrition you fight vvith Shadowes and touch not Catholick Doctrin I might in this place also show how grosly the Dr is mistaken in his quoting Gregory de Valentia but I hasten to my own affaires and shall briefly tell you how and in vvhat manner I proceed vvith this Adversary The Dr you know hath employed himself and time upon two very different Subiects the one hard and Speculative the other more easy containing matters of Fact set forth vvith this Title An Enquiry into the Miracles of the Church of Rome In this first Part I follow him as he goes along and reply to his Cavils not one I am sure if any be worth notice as few are is omitted by me I discover also his Shuffling and as occasion fall's out mind him here and there of what he should prove though he never doth it I shew moreover that the grand Principle he relies on called à Faculty of discerning allowed every one to judge of the Scriptures Sence in the most necessary points concerning Salvation is not only evidently unsound but likewise highly injurious to God and Truth for by it he licences every Arian every Anabaptist every Fanatick and Quaker who have as good discerning Faculties as the Dr can glory in to uphold that Sence they draw from Scripture and maintain it as true though false and heretical and this forsooth is done because malice vvill not brook God's own Oracle to teach when we stand most in need of Instruction After my grounds given for the Churches Infallibility I urge the Doctor to produce à Proof from any received Principle whereby it may but probably appear that à Church once confessedly Orthodox and right in Faith is errable or ever erred In that speculative Contest about Faith transcending the certainty of Motives I evince that not only the Dr doth de facto but all others must subscribe to the truth I Propugn and own it as an undisputable Verity Much more I have against the Doctor better known by à full perusal of the Treatise than by any Summary laid before the Reader in à short Preface In case he vvill reioyn I vvish him vvhat ere becomes of the rest not to pass over my tvvo last Chapters where first I largely insist upon that he call's his rational Evidence of Christian Religion which I shew every way defective and besides demonstrate that the true Evidence for Christianity is not as the Dr would have it either destroyed or in the least measure endamaged by the Doctrin of Transubstantiation In the 10th and last Chapter I discover the Dr's too manifest errour in his unskilful charging à vicious Circle on us while we resolve our Catholick Faith I tell him which he knowes not what a vicious Circle essentially implies and demonstratively clear the Church from all shadow and danger of à Circle May it please the Dr to give me Satisfaction in these two main matters now Specified My exceptions against him are plain and also vouchsafe to solve another difficulty proposed in this Treatise concerning the means Christ has left to bring all open Dissenters in the fundamentals of Faith or Necessaries for Salvation to one beliefe that is to understand the true genuin Sence of God's word without an Infallible Church May it I say please the Dr to do only thus much I will not only highly applaude his labours but freely quit him of blame though he trifle never so much with me in his Answers to the rest of this Treatise Now in case he take courage to reply whereof I doubt very much it is hard to say what humour he will be in what Vizor or Shape he may assume Perchance he vvill appear with his pageant-like piety and renew his promises of vvriting fairly as becomes an Ingenuous Adversary Very good if he answer as fairly and home I am vvell content It may be quite contrary he will bear me down vvith bigg vvords and call me Philosophical fool vvitless fellow brainless Saucy bold and all that naught is No matter say I if he answer's my obiections I can digest all It may be he will without much notice taken of my Arguments repeat all or the most he has said already it is à usual trick of Sectaries and entitle that an Answer to this Treatise if so he will need no great Sophist to lay open the cheat But what
want's learning judgement and common Civility His defect in learning appear's most in this Treatise His want of Judgement Truth and Sincerity will be more manifest in my second Part where I rescue the glorious Miracles wrought in the Roman Catholick Church from à vast number of forgeries and Calumnies His transgression against Civility is so notorious that almost every page in his books overcharged with it cries shame upon him Wherefore wonder not if here and there I twitch him à little though with no proportion to his rude and uncourteous handling me and others Thus much noted know courteous Reader that 5 The most or rather all Doctor Stilling fleet hath against me in his first discourse besides much ill language cast out of that sanctified mouth to embellish his general Preface with you have at his 77. page There lies the main business I am to consider though all is so profoundly simple that I am ashamed to read it As for the sornful words he gives no more regarded by me then the chattering of à magpie I tell you plainly they shall never break my head nor vex my heart Let that young Cock crow on his own dunghil if it do him good let him peck at what dead skull he pleases no great hurt say I while no more is done My task is to look after substance could I meet with it but I am fob'd off with meer tittle tattle all along with jeers and drollery and therefore must deal ingenuously courteous Reader and openly Nothing like à difficulty proposed by the Dr. profess before God and the world that though I have with all possible diligence weighed the utmost strength of Dr Still Arguments against our Church Doctrin yet I find not one that carries with it so much as the face or à shadow of difficulty as shall by God's Assistance be proved in this short Treatise And I easily believe that those other worthy Authors the Doctor slights and flurts at all have their lashes well able to answer for them selves will manifestly make it out that he only trifles and speaks nothing to the purpose against their learned labours My endeavour is to answer for my selfe Se more in the Preface to the Reader 6 Doctor Still in the page now cited pick 's up à few of my Assertions taken out of the Book intituled Protestancy without principles and after his usual manner proceed's very disingenuously for he either mangles them as best served his turn or wilily strip's them of all their proofs which without any labour might have been added and given vigour to every Proposition Finally he wholly waves the ultimate reason I alledge for the Churches infallibility Protestancy without Princ P. 28. where I prove that Christian Religion is ruin'd if for ought any man can know all Churches all Pastors and Guides teach Christ's Doctrin so fallibly that it may be false 7. Now à word or two of my Assertions related by the Dr. I say first All true believers not all men as the Dr miscites in the Assent given to Gods revealed verities are infallible and prove the Assertion God the first Verity reveal's infallibly eternal truths for this end that all believe him as he speak's if therefore he speaks infallibly all that believe him as he speak's believe infallibly I ground this Doctrin upon the Apostles words 1. Subiective Infallibility in true Believers Thessa 2. v. 12. Therefore we thank God without intermission because when ye received the word of God which you heard from us ye received it not as the word of men but at it is indeed the word of God who works in you that believe Hence I infer'd He that receives the delivered word of God as it is truly God's word and not the word of man He in whom God work 's belief by Divine grace believes Gods revealed truths infallibly And then Concluded Whoever disown's such infallible Believers ioyntly disown's infallible Faith and said this reason proves à subjective Infallibility in true Believers Thus the Blessed Apostles who received the word of God from Christ our Lord had Divine Faith and firmly assented to Christ◠sacred Doctrin were first infallible believers and afterward infallible Teachers also What harme in these Assertions I challenge the Dr to speak à probable word against them upon any known or owned Principle for hitherto he hath returned no Answer 8. I Assert 2. P. 20. He that hear's an infallible Teacher hath the Spirit of truth and he that hear's not an infallible Teacher wants the spirit of truth Holy Scripture speaks as I speak Iohn 1. c. 4. v. 6. we are of God he that knowes God hear's us he that is not of God heareth us not hereby we know the Spiririt of truth and the Spirit of errour Hence I infer'd that à fallible teaching of Christs Doctrin which by the force of its proposal or delivery may deceive and be false is lyable to cavils and disputes In saying this I wrong not in the least Christs infallible Doctrin but only assert that à fallible or false delivery which may easily deprave it is not Christs infallible Doctrin because as yet it is not made sufficiently Credible nor ultimately applyed to à Hearer as Christ's Doctrin An Arian for example read's these words I and my Father are one and so also doth Dr St. Both read the Doctrin of Christ yet contradict each other and the one depraves and perverts it by his false and fallible delivery I say this false and fallible teaching most easily distinguish'd from revealed truths in Gods word is not Christs infallible Doctrin If the Doctor boggle at this distinction whereof he takes no notice the worst I wish him is more light and learning 9. The Doctor saies I assert in my 21. Page No man can be an Heretick that denies the obiective verities revealed in Gods word unless he be sure that his Teacher reveales those verities Infallibly There is no such Proposition in that 21. page much less any words importing that à Teacher reveal's Teachers in this present state good Dr propose infallibly the ancient revealed Verities and often add à clearer explication which implies not if we speak properly any new Revelation You have more of my Propositions in Dr St which I own and wil defend as they stand with their reasons in my Book even to the very last P. 22. and. 24. where I say As long as the infallibility of à Revelation is remote from me for want of an undoubted application made by an Infallible Proponent the Revelation can no more convey certainty into Faith then fire at à great distance warm I give this reason omitted by the Dr. It little avail's to know that God speak's infallibly for every one has that assured unless in the circumstance he speak's to me and for my salvation I yeild my infallible assent to his word which cannot be without assurance had from the Proponent of Faith that he Speaks as I ought to believe infallibly
what followes If men saith he cannot be infallible in believing the Apostles unless there be other infallible Proponents in every Age to assure them that the Apostles were inspired why must not the Infallibility of these present Proponents be likewise so attested as well as the Apostles He would I think ask in clearer terms Why should not the Infallibility whereunto the now living Guides of the Church lay claim be as well attested and applyed by another Infallible Attestation as the Church attest's or applyes to us the Infallibility of the Apostles And thus as he insinuates we must goe on endlesly in these Applications and Attestations or at last rest in that first Attestation or application made by the Apostles Were it worth the while it would be easy to show how the intangled Dr must solve his own difficulty if in lieu of Infallible you will use the word Truth He declares to his Hearers and truly as we suppose some dark Mystery of Faith and with that you have his true Attestation or application of it But must that Attestation ere Faith be truly conveyed into his Hearers be applied and attested by another Attestation distinct from Scripture and the Dr◠The Dr's Simple Discourse Concerning endless Attestations refuted own last delivery If so we goe on endlesly in Attestations In à word the Answer most fully laid forth in my last Treatise is thus As when the Apostles preach't they rationally proved themselves by the signal wonders they wrought to be Gods own Infallible Proponents or Oracles and therefore needed no further Attestation of their Infallibility in that Age so the Church ever since evidenced by the like visible lustre of rational marks and wonders proves Her selfe Gods own Infallible Oracle and therefore is without any further Attestation the Primum Credible in order to Christians But the first most immediate known Oracle made by her selfe and for her selfe Credible in so much that we cannot in this present state infallibly adhere to that the Dr calls Apostolical evidence or the Divinity of Scripture without the Churches Attestation needs no further witness or attesting Authority Se more hereof Rea and Relig Disc 3. c. 12. n. 4. c. 15. n. 3. and c. 16. per totum but chiefly Disc. 2. c. 11. where it is proved that as no Prophet was ever comparable to Christ our Lord so no Church was is or shall be comparable to the Roman Catholick 23 By thus much here briefly hinted at and amply proved in the places now quoted you se the Dr knowes not what he saith P. 84 where he tell 's us If we rest not satisfied with the rational Evidence which the Apostles inspired by God gave the world there will either be an endless infallibility or Faith at last must be resolved into Enthusiasm Again let the world judge saith he whether Christ and his Apostles did not give stronger evidence that they were sent from God then the Guides of the present Church do 24 Because à lesse wary Reader may be here affrighted with big words we will lead the Dr with his Bible to à Synagogue of Jewes or to an Assembly of learned Heathens and desire him to lay forth that stronger rational evidence whereby these Aliens from Christ ought to be induced to believe that infallible Divine Inspiration imparted to the Apostles If his answer be direct and pertinent he will relate their Miracles The blind se the lame walk the dead rise c. And are these say the Heathens The Dr's supposed rational Evidence gives no Satisfaction to Iewes and Heathens your best rational Evidences Mr Dr Know good Sr that once if true they were Evidences to those who saw them but now cease to be so to us and therefore may be better called matters revealed than rational Evidences Now if the truth of that Revelation concerning the Apostolical Inspiration be only proved by Miracles not known or attested but by à Revelation wholly as obscure as the thing is which should be proved by them such Miracles far recede from the Nature of Evidence Remember Dr your own words P. 110. That à proof ought alwaies to be more evident than the thing proved by it but here the Miracles produced by you as à Medium to prove the Apostles Divine Inspiration are wholly as obscure to the Heathens as that inspiration is they should prove for both are only supposed not yet proved Revelations therefore they far recede from the nature of rational Evidence 25 On the other side could our Dr evince those Scripture Miracles upon The Dr to bring in Atheism ru'on's the true rational Evidence the Attestation of à Church which God from the beginning of Christianity has gloriously marked out by as signal and sensible wonders as ever the Apostles were evidenced could he make use of these later Signes and shew them to be no natural but supernatural effects proceeding from an Infinit Power and wisdom and only peculiar to the Roman Catholick Church could he tell us he own 's à Church which both Heaven and earth have so far approved that never any known Orthodox Christian laid censure on it or condemned its Doctrin He might well give in strong evidence indeed and powerfully plead against Jewes Gentils and all Heretiques but the unfortunate man ruin's all this rational Evidence and to his eternal disgrace laies à charge of Idolatry upon this renowned Church though by virtue of her glorious wonders She has drawn the very best the most choise and learned of the Christian world to Her belief And thus as I noted Reas and Reli Disc 3. c. 16. n. 28 He destroies Scripture deads Faith makes Christian Religion unreasonable and doth his utmost to bring in Atheism But of this more largely hereafter when we shall discover the Dr's fraud and fallacy concerning his pretended Evidence 26 P. 84 He end 's with me And in the next 85. attaques that learned and laborious Author N. O. His whole endeavor is to shew we may have Sufficient certainty of Faith without the Infallibility of the Church Though it would be incivility on my part to reply for N. O best able to answer for himselfe neither can I for I have not his book yet by that erudite Authors leave I will make à few reflections upon Dr Still unknit rambling discourse and evince that he speaks nothing against the Infallibility of our Church This I doe because I have not yet seen the Dr's second part where I am told he hath much against me CHAP. II. A few Considerations premised concerning Infallibility Express Scripture proves The Church Infallible No one word for her Fallibility alleged by the Dr. An Argument proposed against the Doctor 1 IT is prodigiously strange to se how uniustly we Catholicks are dealt with who before these rambling Novellists began their new whimsy of reforming and deserted the old way of Truth stood in à peaceable possession of this great Verity The Roman Catholick Church was is and ever
can never bring any to this determinate iudgement These are the sincere Believers Those others easily pointed out are not And without this particular None can know by the Drs rule who are sincere believers who not distinguishing knowledge Necessaries wholly out of our reach are as if they were not useles and unprofitable An Instance will give more light One is assured that some craftily devise to take away his life but after much Enquiry knowes not in particular who it is for all â—rofess the dearest friendship imaginable as all profess themselves right in the beliefe of Necessaries Can this man avoid the mischief intended by virtue of à general knowledge that some would destroy him It is impossible This is our very case Mr Dr. Either you or the Arian intend mischief to the Christian world The one or other would bereave us of life Faith I mean Necessary for Salvation but by your Rule we know not particularly which of the Two goe about to ensnare us both of you cannot be supposed invincibly ignorant in à matter of so great consequence Say now by what means can à diligent Enquirer know in particular the man that intend's our ruin Shall we put the Bible into both your hands and bid you clear the cause there It is meer labour lost you may wrangle till both be tired and all tired that hear you yet you are where you began in à Labyrinth nothing is ended the way nothing concluded Wil you say the Arian wants Gods grace He verily judges you want it more and whâ— is to be believed Will you say the learned Socinians or Arians are invincibly ignorant concerning Necessaries They will cast that foul aspersion upon yoâ— and your Party And who knowâ— what is true here Will you accuâ— them of negligence in searching Scriptures They recriminate as boldly and with good reason for their books shew them more versed in Scripture then you that being made their only study But whether you or they rightly understand Scripture is yet à secret not knowable by your Rule 10 By what is said you se the disconsolate condition all zealous Seekers after truth are left in The Guidance of an Infallible Church is set naught by The necessary truths for salvation cannot as we have proved be known by Scripture only The unnecessaries say â—ou need not to be known Therefore â—en may get to Heaven without faith â—ad of either of Necessaries or unnecesaries that is as I take it without any faith at all 11 You may se 2. The force of my argument hitherto proposed by these â—terrogatories Please to reflect à little â— it true that Christ our Lord who will 's â— to be Saved hath afforded means â—th easy and certain whereby Necessaâ—s to Salvation may be known It is â—e that innumerable learned men of à â—ite different beliefe after an exact â—usal of Scripture are at high dissentions about these Necessaries Is it The force of my Argument yet more illustrated true that all these cannot be supposed voluntarily to damn themselves by impiously imposing à false sence on Godâ— word Is it true that no few amongâ— these many wrong the most supreaâ— Verity and believe what God neveâ— revealed Is it true that none caâ— yet distinguish by Scripture alone or aâ— private discerning faculty who at this vâ—ry day do this wrong or Contrarywiâ— are right in the beliefe of Necessaries Is it true that if every private man â— sufficiently taught by reading Scriptuâ— only all recourse to our Spiritual Guidâ— though appointed by Christ to instrâ— us becomes useless and unprofitable If these particulars already laid forth â— manifestly proved as I am sure they aâ— Dr Still Rule for the finding out Necâ—saries by Scripture and the sincere â—deavour of private men is not only â— slight Errour but in à matter of greatâ— consequence intolerable yea and dreâ—ful upon this account that it enlighteâ— none in the search after Necessaries â— cast's all upon an impossibility of findâ— what they seek for Now we procâ— to another Argument 12 Admit Scripture were as plainâ— the Dr can wish Admit also that â— may be understood by all Christians who sincerely endeavour to know its meaning in Necessaries A great difficulty remain's concerning Iewes and Genâ—ils Viz. How such Aliens from Christ may be gained to believe the Necessaries we speak of I ask therefore hath Christ afforded means to reclaim these from errour or no If not God conâ—rary to the Dr ' s assertion is wanting in Necessaries and consequently no man can prudently labour for their conversion If means be allowed that most evidently cannot be Scripture Perhaps the Dr will say his Rule above belong's not to Iewes and Heathens but to Christians only If this be his Answer â— shall by Gods assistance hereafter clearâ—y shew that that rational Evidence for Christian Religion whereon the Dr reâ—ies avail's just nothing to the Converâ—ion Neither the Drs rule nor his rational Evidence avail's to the Conversion of Iewes and Gentils of either Jewes or Heathens Here â— am to prove that Scripture is not the means First because such men after â—heir reading it slight and contemn all â—hat Christ and his Apostles taught and one reason of their contempt as à Jew â—tely observed is grounded upon the â—orrid dessentions amongst Christians â—thanks be to Luther and Calvin for â—hem concerning the canon and sence of Scripture Who said he can move me to believe in Christ by Scripture while some called Christians deny his Godhead Others his humane nature some say his body is really present under à wafer Others deny that and thus forsooth Scripture must prove both parts of the Contradiction Again though Scripture were supposed clear in Necessaries it is yet far enough from being à selfe Evidence as to the Divine Truth to the infallibility or the plain sence of these Necessaries Nay who can know by Scripture which and how many theâ— Necessaries are For example I think S. Iohn record's à Necessary when â— tells us The Word is made flesh yet by â— bare reading and pondering the words â— cannot without more light peremptorily avouch that they contain à Necessary foâ— Salvation or that they evidence to me â— Divine infallible truth much less can I saâ— the sence of them is as I judge while wâ—se Christians so highly at contest abouâ— the sence that they maintain open contradictions And this opposition alonâ— upheld by the judgements of private meâ— very learned makes the Truth and Infâ—libility of every Revelation à thing only doubtful and conjectural All this beinâ— undeniable 13 I say first if à true beliefe of the Divine word made flesh be à necessary for Salvation and if the Truth the Infallibility or sence of the Revelation whereby the Mystery is attested lies dark yea impossible to be found out by Scripture alone one of these two things inevitably follow Viz. That the wise Providence of God hath either appointed some oracle distinct from
c. VVe must earnestly contend for the Faith once delivered VVe are to beware of false seducers c. have no weight for the Drs intent unlesse he shew by Scripture that this trial this contention and wariness ought to be done by every mans private judgement only without any other rule O but there is à stinging Text. Iohn 7. 17. where our Saviour expresly promises to those that do the will of God they shall know of his Doctrin whether it be of God Very true But how shall we discern those that do the will of God from others that do it not Are those the Doers of Gods will who reject their Guides and follow their own Iudgement in matters they understand not Answer Mr Dr. 14 In his 143. P for I run up and down to find any thing like an Obiection we are told that all who consider the excellency of Christian Religion cannot but give it preheminence before Iudaism and Mahometism Very true Mr Dr yet you touch not the difficulty unlesse you tell us which Christian Religion amongst so many dissenting Sects even in fundamentals may be called the only true Christian Religion If Arianism or Palagianism or Protestanism damn men as deeply as Iudaism what matters it if one professe Iudaism I assure you Doctor I have heard some great A fallible Doctrin which may be false destructive to Faith men say that if all who profess Christian Religion believed fallible Doctrin which may be false they would not give à pin to chuse whether they were Iewes Arians or Protestants But why have not you in this place or through your whole large Account set forth the Excellency of your Protestancy and preferred that little late unknown thing before all other Religion Some cause there is of your deep silence and I have not dissembled it in my Advertisement You really know not what to say of it 15 P. 132. We have this Proposition Infallibility in à body of men is as liable to doubts and disputes as in those books from whence only they derive their infallibility Sr if I well understand this some what dark Assertion please to tell me Were not the Apostles an Infallible body of men And was not their Infallibility owned as clear from doubts and disputes when God had evidenced them by clear visible Signes and Wonders to be his faithful Oracles even before their writing Scripture Or did theyderive their Infallibility from the books they wrote The true answer to these demands will be our Answer The Church is as rationally proved an Infallible Oracle by her Illustrious signes and wonders and appointed by God to teach as ever any Apostle was this I hold clearly evinced in my last Treatise Disc 3. c. 15. n. 3. and c. 16. n. 5. If you Mr Dr can except against my proofs please to speak for hitherto you have answered nothing I shew also Prot without Princi c. 8. n. 2. 3. That God neither will nor can permit à false Religion to be more speciously illustrated by rational Signs then his only true Religion is Were this possible he The true Church made discernable from all false Sects would contrary to Truth and Goodness oblige reason to embrace à false Religion If therefore the only true and infallible Religion be manifestly discernable or made known by the lustre of Supernatural Motives from all false Sects we have enough For it is most evident that our ever marked and Signalized Catholick Religion illustrated by Miracles and approved by the publick judgement of the very best and most learned who have lived since the Creation of the world is the undoubted true Religion where we learn what Christ taught and what Doctrin the Apostles preached And thus Dr Still imperfect discourse P. 143 where he gives the preheminence to Christianity in general above Iudaism Mahometism c. is driven home to that one only Religion amongst Christians which must save Souls 16 We say 2. That this evidenced Catholick Church proves her selfe infallible Independently of Scripture as the Apostles did before they wrote their sacred Books It is-true after those writings are proved Divine to us upon Church Authority we Argue from them and evince her Infallible but this only is done upon the Supposition of that proof and not before For we say and make it out clearly in the Treatises now cited That the Church being the light of the world and à City placed upon a conspicuous And proved infallible without recourse to Scripture mountain demonstrable as S. Austin teaches by every mans finger is the Primum indemonstrabile principium the very first and indemonstrable principle proved by it selfe and for it selfe to be Gods Infallible Oracle whereof more hereafter Hence you se 3. that as the Apostles neither proved nor derived their Infallibility from the Books they wrote so we in the first place if à true Analysis be made prove not the Churches Infallibility from Scripture but evince this truth upon other Principles as is now declared But saith Dr Still It is against all just lawes of reasoning to make use of the Churches Infallibility to prove Scriptures by Why so noble Dr I am sure for the reasons already given you will be forced to retract this inconsiderate Assertion Do not you know first that the bare letter of Scripture breed's endless divisions even in fundamentals not only between man and man as is evident by the jarrs you have with Arians Pelagians c. but also between God and man while all your vehement contentions are driven at last to know whether your discerning Faculty or the Arians hit right vpon the meaning of what God speak's in Scripture it being most certain that Verity it selfe approves not your open contradictions Who can decide here but an Infallible Church Do you not know 2. That it is more then ridiculous to draw either Iew or Heathen to believe these contradictious Doctrins as Divine or reasonable while neither you nor Arians can ascertain any that what either of you teach is from God or à truth revealed by him Who ought or can speak here but the Church Do you not se 3. That the clearness of Church Doctrin universally known to all whether Orthodox or others beget's faith more easily then Scripture yet obscure and unsenced Hence it is as I noted in my last Treatise Disc 2. c. 16. n. 11. That few or none Question what this Oracle teaches as necessary for that 's plain yet there are endless debates about the Scriptures meaning and this only is Gods word not intelligible in à hundred passages without the Churches interpretation 4 As I noted also The Infallibility and Truth of every Divine Revelation relating to Necessaries so necessarily The Church decides many doubts not decideable by ' Scripture ' terminat's Divine Faith that whoever believes and abstract's as it were from this double perfection intrinsic to what God speak's believes not because God speak's but upon some other fallible Motive
this fundamental Mystery for ought any man living can know may be à Lye 3. That all Christ's Doctrin as it is now believed by Faith may be both fallible and false 4. That God obliges the whole Christian world to believe that as an infallible truth which really may be à falshood Lastly that all the glorious Martyrs in forgoing Ages were bound to maintain that with the losse of their lives to be à truth which only apparently was so and might in reallity be no truth If the Dr subscrib's to these consequences he has not one drachm of true Faith in his heart Now one word more with the Dr CHAP. VI. Dr Still grant's that Faith transcend's the certainty of those Motives which induce to believe Independently of his Concession that verity is proved and the ground thereof firmly setled How necessary it is to distinguish between the Credibility of à Mystery and the infallible believing it true Obiections answered Other difficulties proposed 1 Dr Still in his Account Part. 1. c. 7. P. 207. Speak's thus Moral certainty yeilds sufficient assurance that Christian Religion is infallibly true and he proves the Assertion because moral certainty may evidently shew us the Credibility of Christian Religion and that from the credibility of it the infallible truth of it may be proved will appear by these two things 1. That where there is evident Credibility in the matter propounded there doth arise upon men an obligation to believe And that is proved ...... from What the Dr teaches Gods intention in giving such Motives which was to perswade them to believe as appears by multitudes of places of Scripture and withall though the meer credibility of the Motives might at first suppose some doubts concerning the Infallibility of the Doctrin yet it is not consistent with any doubt as to the obligation to believe because there can be no other reason assigned of those Motives of credibility than the induceing on men an obligation to Faith 2. That where there is such an obligation to believe we have the greatest assurance that the matter to be believed is infallibly true which depend's on this manifest proof that God cannot oblige men to believe à lye it being repugnant to all our conceptions of the veracity and Goodnes of God to Imagin that God should require of men on the pain of eternal damnation to believe something infallibly true which is really false Thus the Dr. Reflect courteous Reader Is it so that from the Credibility of Christian Religion the Infallible truth of it may be proved There is then no doubt at all but if it be Advantage given by the Dr's own Doctrin proved infallibly true it may be also believed as it is infallibly true Doth the Dr concede that from the Evident Credibility of Christian Doctrin there arises in all men an Obligation to believe it and that this obligation is not consistent with any doubt as to the obligation of believing it I wish no more from an Adversary having enough to make good all I say concerning the Infallibility of Divine Faith Doth he finally assert that where there is such an obligation we have the greatest assurance that the matter believed is infallibly true because God cannot require of men to believe that as infallibly true which is really false I wholly agree with him thus farr yet withall affirm that he plainly contradict's his own Doctrin For if when there is such an obligation to believe we have the greatest assurance that is infallible assurance or nothing that the matter believed is infallible true it is undisputably clear that Faith which has that greatest assurance goes far beyond the certainty of the Motives which is only moral and not so infallible certain as the very act of Faith is Hence it followes that the Dr contradict's himself in all he teaches concerning the moral certainty of Faith and must while he hold's Faith infallibly certain grant that as terminated upon the truth of à Revelation it rises higher and goes beyond the strength of the motives which only afford moral certainty and not greater But of this more presently 2 In the mean time I wish the Dr would make what he saies here to agree with some odd expressions in his precedent page 206. There we are told that certainty implies the taking away all suspicion of doubt but in moral things all suspicion of doubt is removed upon moral evidence and here he saith Though the meer Credibility of the Motives only morally certain might at first suppose some doubt concerning the Infallibility of the Doctrin yet it is not consistent with any doubt as to the obligation to believe I Say contrary if it may at first suppose some doubt it must ever suppose it for this moral certainty grounded on the Miracles internal to Scripture as the Dr teaches growes not less nor more perswasive in time but is alwaies the same and therefore cannot remove all doubt from a Believers mind 3 Hence I argue This moral certainty at first capable of doubt comes in time to be infallible certainty or still retain's some doubt In case it be improved and grow up to infallible certainty it yeilds not in certainty to the very act of Faith where unto it perswades and so the Dr's distinction between moral certainty and An Argument proposed his term's Infallibly true becomes frivolous Moral certainty saith he yeilds us sufficient assurance that Christian Religion is infallibly true Say now that this moral certainty is still consistent with some suspicion of doubt it must either derive that doubt into the very act of Faith and make that doubtful or it ought to be granted that Faith rises higher and goes beyond the strength of that moral doubtful certainty contrary to the Dr's Principles I wish also he had explaind him self better in this other dark Proposition Moral certainty may be as great as Mathematical and Phisical supposing as little reason to doubt in moral things as to their natures as in Mathematical and Phisical as to theirs These words Supposing as little reason to doubt spoil all he saies for if moral certainty ever supposes some suspicion of doubt how can that be as great as Mathematical or Physical which supposes none But enough of this jangling 4 We now come to the main point and shall endeavour to shew that although the Motives were only Morally certain and not as I hold infallibly connected with Divine Revelation yet the act of Faith it self is infallibly certain and consequently rises above that weaker light of the Motives This I say to vindicate the absolute infallibility of Faith from all iust exceptions while Divines vary about the connexion of the Motives with the Divine Revelation 5 The proof of my Assertion stands firm upon two Principles laid down Prot. without Prin. Disc 1. C. 5. n. 6. 7. And Reas and Relig. Disc 3. C. 8. n. 16. In the first place I say and it s à Maxim known by the
to à trial much born down with this very difficulty 7 In the mean while to give some hints at what I shall then say I ask when the Dr who talks much of Faiths evidence believes the Mystery of the Incarnation upon this sole ground that God reveals it in Scripture what rational evidence can he derive into his Faith if you precisely consider it as fixed upon the Revelation and Mystery together None arises from the nature of these things purely believed unless he stoutly affirm and he is as like to do it as any man living that he evidently see 's by his new eyes of Faith the intrinsick infallible truth of the Revelation in it self as also the two natures in Christ Humane and Divine I say by virtue of that act as it is precisely terminated upon the obiect believed which if I rightly understand him P. 387. fine he acknowledges to be obscure and upon that account unmeet to ground Evidence What then is to be done O saith the Dr I will fetch my Evidence not from the Nature of the things believed for they are remote and dark but from the evidence of sense as to the Miracles wrought by Christ from the Testimony of those who saw Christ our Lord and have delivered his Doctrin to us and given the greatest Evidence of their fidelity c. Se his pages 387 and 416. Very good let all yet be as he pleases 8 Hence it followes first That the Dr ' s act of Faith as it tend's upon the Revelation not evidently seen and an obscure Mystery together is so far blind yea and like a Mole working without light They are his own words P. 353 as that Faith is which he would impugn The Dr own 's Faith both clear and obscure and this I chiefly insist upon at present It followes 2. That his one indivisible act of Faith is both clear and obscure as fixed upon his supposed evident Motives it is clear and under another respect obscure as it adheres to an obscure obiect believed For so he speak's P. 387. I had rather thought saith he the more obscure the obiect had been for its little better then Non-sence to call an act of Faith obscure the greater necessity there had been of strong evidence to perswade c. One word Mr Dr by the way I think it far greater Nonsence to call obiects à parte rei obscure if we use proper language A pore blind man stumbles at à stone is the stone therefore obscure while another sees it clearly and stumbles not Thus all obiects obscure to our weak Capacities are clear and evident to God and Angels Clarity and obscurity Mr Dr as I have often noted but you never mend your faults when told of them are inseparable proprieties of vital operations and belong not to Things in rigour of speech though in à vulgar way with à respect to our acts the language may pass Again shift all you will if the obiect in your sence be obscure your act of Faith as it is fixed upon that clouded verity cannot but under that notion and respect be obscure also 9 It followes 3. That had the Dr pitch't on the true Evidence of Credibility which is not done I have all that for my Faith with much more to boot taken from the Churches long continuance Her Miracles Sanctity Conversions and other Motives Whereof see Reas and Relig. Disc 2. C. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Now if the Evidence of Credibility once established necessary in the Church be ever prerequired as an inducement to believe as all confess it little import's Christianity whether it be discovered by the very act of Faith or the Iudgement previous to Faith supposing as I said above that this judgement inform's and illuminat's the understanding chiefly at every mans first Conversion Did I come short of the where the Evidence of Credibility is found Dr in the evidence of Credibility he might justly blame me but when in reallity he has none as we shall se hereafter and I introduce such an Evidence as converted the world Say I beseech you wherein am I faulty Marry in this may the Dr reply that I allow not evidence to the very act of Faith but only to the previous judgement of Credibility No hurt at all while the mind has the evidence of Credibility laid open and the Dr ' s very act of Faith such an one as it is is partly clear partly obscure 10 But to quiet the Dr I can without prejudice to my Opinion much less to Christian Religion grant with many learned Divines that one indivisible act of Faith rest's both upon the Motives and the revealed Mystery together Nay more I do hold that the Motives are God's own language whereby he speak's to the world not imitable by any Enemy for etiam factis loquitur Deus as S. Austin often cited affirm's Se Reas Relig Disc 3. I say 3. The The obligation of believing arises from the Motives obligation of believing first arises from the light of these Motives for no man saies he believes because he believes but therefore believes because antecedently to his Faith he judges it most reasonable note the rational ground upon God's command to believe what is revealed The Revelation therefore obscurely proposed to us cannot as obscure be the rational ground of our firm assenting to it and for this reason to avoyd confusion in the Analysis I attribute Evidence to the previous judgement of Credibility and not to the very act of Faith Though I scruple nothing to grant that I believe also for the Motives which as I now said have their influence upon Faith and therefore the Dr flatly calumniat's when he tell 's me over and over that I believe without reason without grounds and Motives That I have Motives and evident Motives P. 382 yet after all this Evidence believing hath nothing to do with them Iust as if à man should say P. 384. there is à particular way of seing with ones eyes shut He might better have said his intellectual Eyes were darkened when he read my The Dr's cavil groundless Treatise for no Author ever gave greater strength and efficacy to the Motives then I have done when I say not only Faith but Christ also the Church Scripture and all true Religion goes to wrack without them I further assert that à Believers mind is so far from being in à state of darkness in the instant it elicits Faith that even then it is environed with the light of these Motives clearly represented by the judgement of credibility the lustre whereof is so great that as many Divines teach they make Faith evident in Attestance This opinion I could maintain and yet defend the obscurity of Faith in order to its Material obiect as the Dr withall his pretended Evidence must do whereof more presently 11 P. 376. He seem's some what resty ruminates again his old difficulty and ask's whether in requiring an Infallible assent of
à true Miracle because his eyes and senses will have it true I prove it The exteriour Evidence in both Cases is the very Same for as sense see 's and feel's this man to be like one truly dead though he is not dead So it also see 's and fee'ls this wafer after Consecration to be like true bread though it be not bread and reason as I now said purely led on by the conduct of sense judges alike in both cases therefore if the Dr Conform's his Judgement to the perswasion of his senses in the one and truly hold's à consecrated host to be bread he cannot but upon the same Evidence Judge that Antichrist's Miracle is à true Miracle No disparity can be given O! but Scripture so often forewarning us of Antichrist's false Miracles much abates yea wholly withdrawes every sound Christian from believing them true Is it possible Can Scripture let in so much light upon us Can it make us to deny what our eyes see and fingers feel to be true Why therefore cannot the clearest words that Christ ever Spake This is my body My flesh is meat indeed My blood is drink indeed force us to deny the weak suggestion of our Senses called by the Dr the Strongest Evidence Why should not those Sacred words move us Submissively to confess that as no real Miracle lies under that outward guise of Antichrist's What plain Scripture forces on us to believe in the blessed Sacrament apparent wonder Scripture drawes us to own this truth So no real bread lies under the outward apparence or visible forms of bread and wine or if Scripture work 's so powerfully upon us as not to believe that to be bread which to our Senses looks like bread where in is Our offence greater than the Dr ' s who believes that to be no true Miracle which to our Senses looks like a true one In à word the Dr must either quit his so much cryed up Evidence taken from Sense or will be forced to grant which is horrid that Antichrist Shâ—ll work as true Miracles as ever Christ wrought 10 Again how can the Dr Assert that Christ's Miracles wrought before the writing of Scripture were done to confirm all the Doctrin registred by S. Paul and the other Disciples afterward Nay how can he prove they were wrought to confirm the truth of our Saviours own Doctrin without giving some further proof then the outward sight of à Miracle is Hence I said the Dr erred when he told us that the assurance of Christian Religion came from the judgement of the senses of those who were Eye-witnesses of the Miracles and the Resurrection of Christ First no Eye-witnesses saw our Saviour actually rysing from the dead but afterward yet had they seen him in that instant can the Dr judge that the assurance of the Apostles Faith came from that sight Doth he or any ground Faith upon the sight of those who beheld Christs Miracles while the very best Eye-witnesses believed not because they saw them but upon this strong Motive that Christ told them he was sent from God to teach eternal truth and that now risen he was the same Saviour who had been dead Gods Infallible word therefore rightly called Divine Revelation not seen by any mortal eye grounded the Apostles Divine Faith relies not upon the sight of à Miracle Faith and so it likewises doth all true Christian Faith in the world to this day Now if the Dr tell us when he saies the assurance of Christian Religion came from the judgement of sense his meaning only was that the sight of those Miracles were Inducements to believe Christ's revealed Doctrin and made that not evidently seen evidently credible He first speaks improperly in calling those visible matters of fact the Foundations of Faith Account P. 119 And. 2. destroyes the certainty of Christian Doctrin by endeavouring to prove it immediatly true before he evinces it evidently credible And this he doth by introducing à new set of Motives different from those of the Catholick Church which both Jewes and Gentils scorn and in reallity neither evidence the Truth to such men nor the Credibility of Christian Religion much lesse have any reference to the Thing he calls Protestancy as will appear afterward 11 To make my Assertion good turn courteous Reader to the Doctors Account Part. 1. c. 7. P. 204 where he offer 's to resolve the Faith of Protestants though he never meddl's with the Novelty as I have largely proved Protest without Princ. Disc 1. c. 9. In this place I am to show that his Discourse tend's to the ruin of true Christian Religion also Supposing what he will have with all might and main Supposed that there is no Infallible Church 12 There are saith he three Questions to be resolved in the resolution of Faith First if I be asked on what grounds I believe the things to be true which the Dr's discourse deâ—â—â—ed in 〈◊〉 own â—ords are contained in Scripture My answer must be from the greatest evidence of truth which things of that nature are capable of If therefore the persons who are supposed to have writ those things were such who were fully acquainted with what they writ of and cannot be suspected of any design to deceive men by their writings and if I be certain that these which go under the name of their writings are undoubtedly theirs I have sufficient grounds to believe the truth of them He add's more These writers cannot be suspected of ignorance for they wrot these things when the story was new and some of them had been conversant with the person and actions of him whom they writ of That they could have no intent to deceive appear's from their simplicity and Candour both of their actions and writings from their contempt of the world and exposing themselves to the greatest hazards to bear witness to them Finally that these writings have been unanimously received by Christians and never doubted of by Iewes His pretended rational evidence for the first act of faith or Heathen Philosopher Thus the Dr plead's for the evidence of the first act of Faith whereby he believes those things true which are Doctrin more at large not in to leave it unexamined as he usually doth mine but to shew the unreasonableness of it while he makes all along à bare Supposition his best and only proof Or speak thus and you fully express all he saies Some body wrot the things contained in Scripture Ergo all that appear's there is true because writen 13 To prove by reason that the things contained in Scripture are true he first begins with Ifs. If the persons who are supposed to have written such things were fully acquainted with what they vvrot of If they cannot be suspected of any design to deceive men If is be certain that such uvritings are theirs c. Observe I beseech you These conditional Propositions carry no other weight with them but thus much only if
those books to be Divine I answer 1. That in the Age when the Doctrin was delivered there was sufficient reason to believe it Divine He goes on Supposing then that we already believe upon the former answer that if Christ did such unparalleld Miracles and rose from the dead they who heard his Doctrin had reason to believe it to be of God He mean's Divine and revealed Doctrin for all Doctrin of God or from God is not in our Sence now Divine or revealed Doctrin Thus much said He asserts 2. If they the ancient Christians had reason then we have so now Viz. to believe upon our Saviours unparalleld Miracles From these matters of fact and Apostolical wonders the Dr takes his rational Evidence and conveigh's it to us by Tradition our exceptions made against his evidence which supplies the want of our Senses as to what Christ did and spake I shall presently insist more largely n. 26. upon his Tradition Here I am to show that his Evidence in order to Christians now living is nothing like rational Evidence if and this he requires we exclude the Testimony of an Infallible Church 19 To propose plainly what I would say and to give the Dr the fairest play imaginable I gratis admit all the Miracles and matters of fact recorded in the Gospel to be most true though hitherto not proved true by the Dr but then ask what use will he make of them He may answer he proves by these Miracles the Doctrin of Christ to be true Admit this also I demand further and here lies the main business that concern's us at present whether the Doctor can assure any by virtue of where the main difficulty is those Miracles who at this day among so many dissenting Christians in points of Faith most fundamental believe and profess Christ's true Doctrin For his rational Evidence if it deserve the Title of rational must drive hither at last or its worth nothing to Christians now living that is he must shew by these long since wrought Miracles whether Arians Pelagians Protestants or Catholicks have à right beliefe of Christs Doctrin for most certainly all of them believe not the true Doctrin delivered by Christ I say it is impossible to make this out unless the strangest Consequence that ever man heard of be good and it 's thus Christ rose from the dead He commanded the sea and winds and they obeyed his voice He gave life to dead Lazarus c. Ergo the Arians for example profess Christ's true Doctrin and Protestants not Or Contrarywise Protestants believe right and the Arians are in a wrong Faith Unless this Inference which is worse than Non-sence pass current the Doctors pretended rational Evidence taken from those ancient matters of fact is the most fruitless and most discomfortable Evidence that ever wise man pitch't upon whereof more presently n. 27. Note in the mean while he may perhaps and no more but perhaps tell us by his the Dr's rational Evidence demonstrated â—seless to Christians now living Evidence that Christs Doctrin in it selfe is true but shall never thereupon assure us who among so many Dissenters in Necessaries to Salvation believes or professes that true Doctrin He may tell us that horrid debates arise amongst the learned of different Religions but shall never tell us how they can be composed or ended by à bare owning the truth of Christ's Miracles which are carried up and down by à common humane consent of Christians though they have none to attest them Infallibly true in this present State 20 Please now to consider how differently we Catholicks proceed in this matter and satisfy both Jewes and Gentils We own all that Scripture contain's whether Miracles or Doctrin true and Divine To evince this we lead you not to à dead book or to matters of fact far off but to an ever living Oracle distinct from that book called the Holy Catholick Church which proves herselfe by her neerer visible matters of fact signal marks and undoubted Miracles as rationally à true Oracle whereby God speak's to the world as ever any Apostle did From this glorious signalized and long standing Church we take our rational Evidence and know if the Primitive Christians took theirs right from the Apostolical wonders we no way Inferiour keep parallel with them while we rationally rely upon our clear manifested Oracle Moreover we prove that this Church which hath power from God to teach and engages her whole Authority to teach Truth shewes herselfe by real Signs and Miraculous effects the greatest Oracle now under God appointed to instruct the world It is She if Controversies arise concerning Faith that composes all She assures us that the verities in Scripture written by the special assistance of the Holy Ghost are Divine She applies and conveigh's these ancient truths to us She tells us now How differently we proceed from the Dr in our rational Evidence and Infallibly what Christ's Doctrin long since made evidently Credible by his own most glorious Miracles is She finally ascertain's every one without doubt and hesitancy who they are that profess this revealed Doctrin And thus relying upon à rational evidenced Church we Shew our selves rational men and void of fear set our hearts at rest while the Dr by à bare relation of our Saviours Miracles now remote from us proves not one of these particulars but will forsooth evince the Doctrin in Scripture to be Divine upon à meer unproved Supposition that such matters of fact once were which yet cannot be evinced true sufficient as I said to ground Faith much less Divine without the Churches Testimony whereby full assurance is given to all in this present State that both Doctrin and Miracles are true and Divine 21 The Dr therefore should in the first place have proved the Divinity of Christ's Doctrin and from thence he might have inferred it's Truth but to evince it Divine to Christians now upon what the Dr should aimâ— at but perform's not à meer unproved Supposition Viz. That such matters of fact are true is a break-neck to his Discourse and an unaproachable way of ever comming to the Conclusion he intend's because his aime must be or he doth nothing to show by his Evidence what Society of Christians now living believes and professes the true Doctrin of Christ or how Chrst's true Society may be made discernable by those ancient Miracles from others that teach damnable Doctrin Herein he fail's and shall fail while an Infallible Church is rejected 22 These Considerations clearly laid down no less clearly evince the Dr ' s resolution of Faith to be frivolous and his rational Evidence unreasonable for tell me not by his Evidence what Society of Christians are now right in Faith prove me not that Scripture was written by Divine assistance Shew me not that the truths related there are Truths revealed by Almighty God the whole Doctrin of that book and all the Miracles in it signify nothing 23
Again those ancient Miracles though supposed true are far from giving any undubitable assurance by their Sight alone without further light that such was and yet is the genuin and pure Sence of God's word for how many thousands are there now in the world who willingly own all the Miracles wrought by Christ and yet are at implacable discord concerning the true meaning of what our Saviour and his Apostles taught which strifes cannot be ended by à bare owning those Miracles true but by the Infallible Decision of an ever living manifested Church I say manifested by Miracles and other weighty Motives that laid before mans rational Power led it on to believe in Christ and his Church for these two Articles go together and are proposed in the Creed as necessary believeable Verities I believe in Iesus Christ I believe the Holy Catholick Church As therefore to believe all that Christ taught confessedly required the light of glorious Motives whereby his Doctrin Christ was manifested by rational Motives and so is the Church was made Credible to reason so also to believe what the Church teaches requires the like light or an answerable evident Credibility grounded on convincing and rational Motives I desired the Dr Reas and Relig Disc 3. c. 16. n. 28. to consider how cold and faint Christian Faith would have grown in the hearts of men before this day had all Church Motives fail'd or ceased soon after the Apostles preaching Had no more Conversions been wrought no more Martyrs dyed for God's truth no more contempt of the world been evidenced in thousands and thousands and finally had no other Miracles been don in after Ages but such only as the Scripture relates It is therefore open impiety in the Dr to slight all Church Motives and her Miracles calling them à grand Salade too often served up It is worse then Perverness to tell us as he doth in his last book P. 665. That the Doctrin of Christ and his Apostles being confirmed by Miracles wrought by them there can be no The Continuation of Miracles proved necessary such necessity in succeeding Ages to confirm the same Doctrin by Miracles I have answered this very Obiection Reas and Relig Disc 2. c. 7. and shewed the Continuation of Miracles in the Church both useful and necessary not only because our Saviour fore told they should be done Iohn 12 but upon this account also that the Conversion of Infidels to Christ was wrought as well in the Ages after the Apostles as when those blessed men preached to the world If therefore the first Apostolical Miracles were necessary to convince unbelieving Jewes and Gentils Then it is plain ungodliness to deem them fruitless Now when God is pleased to work them by Missioners lawfully sent to convert as Barbarous Nations as ever S. Paul preach't to 24 Again Miracles most evidently have been wrought and very frequently The end of God's Concurring with his servants to work Miracles I ask for what end did God concurr with his Servants to do them No other reason can with probability fall into mens minds but this That an infinit Power and wisdom intended thereby to make his Church glorious and to induce the most obdurate hearts to believe her Doctrin The Dr yet seems not satisfied for he thinks the conveyance of the Apostolical Miracles being wrought for the benefit of succeeding Ages may well serve the turn in all after Times without more I wish this man were sent with his Bible to some Barbarians in America who never perhaps heard of Christ or Scripture and only read them such Miracles as Scripture relates without working any himselfe as S. Xaverius and other Missioners have done How many think ye would the Dr draw to Christ if he told his Hearers that all the certainty men have of those ancient Miracles and Christ's Doctrin comes from fallible Tradition which may be false My thought is he would convert this way very few or rather none at all Let others judge as they please Now because the main ground whereon he relies is his much driven in conveyance by Tradition we will bestow à little pains upon it and shew if ever man lost himselfe in a Labyrinth it is Dr Stillingfleet Of the Dr's errour in conveying to us by Tradition what Christ did and spake 25 THe Substance of the Dr ' s Discourse Account P. 205 is thus Tradition to us doth only supply the want of our senses as to what Christ did and spake it being à perpetuated sensation and of the same use to us now as if we had been actually present with Christ and seen his Miracles or heard his Doctrin when he delivered it Soon after It is apparent that the use of the senses to those The substance of the Drs Discourse laid down in his own words who saw Christs Miracles and heard his Doctrin was not to give any Credibility to either of them but only to be the means of conveying them those things which might induce them to believe The same is Tradition now to us it doth not in it selfe make the Doctrin more credible but supplies the use of our senses in a certain conveyance of those things which were Motives to believe them Hence he inferr's That the motives to the primitive Christians and to us are the same only the manner of conveyance differ's 2. He inferr's as it was not then necessary for those who saw our Saviours Miracles wrought for the confirmation of his Doctrin to have the inward Testimony of the Spirit or any external Infallible Testimony of à Church to assure them that those Miracles were really done by Christ but God left them to the judgement of sense so proportionably neither of these two are now necessary for the resolution of Faith but God instead of sense leaves us to the evidence of Tradition Thus the Dr where you se his whole labour spent in vain and à gross mistake with it for he think's the main difficulty lies in the conveyance of the things written in Scripture to this Age whereas the reall difficulty is to prove that there ever were any He waves the real difficulty such things true and written by Divine inspiration as he supposes to be conveyed Unlesse this particular be first rationally evinced the Turks will dare to argue as the Dr doth In Mahomet's time there was reason to believe Mahomets Miracles and wonders Ergo there is reason to believe them now because they are conveyed down by Tradition And thus the followers of every false Sectarie may make any Religion true But here is not all 26 Mark I beseech you how pitifully the Dr shuffles He own 's à tradition which conveigh's unto us what Christ did and spake That is we may No man is wiser by the Dr's lame Tradition know by his fallible tradition received among Christians that our Saviour wrought such Miracles and spake such words for example I and my Father are one The word is
made flesh This is my body c. But how is any man wiser for that How is our knowledge or faith improved by such à maimed or half perfect Tradition While no man can certainly tell us what the true meaning of those sacred words is No man can determine the debates which arise among Christians the Arians and you that draw plain Contradictions out of these words now cited Such à conveyance or tradition as could end these long strifes would be to your purpose and comfort Mr Dr but you have none of it because you slight the Tradition and Authority of an Infallible Church Though therefore you tell us twenty times over you believe all truths expressed in Scripture yet while you cannot assure us upon tradition or any other sound Principle what those necessary truths are which Faith in necessaries is determinately to pitch upon you only trifle away your time and cheat your Reader in seeming to discover great How the Dr Cheat's his Reader matters whereas in real truth you speak not one word to the purpose If to solve the difficulty here briefly touched you run up to your own discerning faculty permit the Arian to keep you company and blame him not if he trust to his discerning faculty quite contrary to yours Se more hereof above Chap. 4. n. 10. Thus much premised 27 To answer the Dr I say first Fallible Tradition which may be false Our Answer to the Dr. the Dr own 's none Infallible gives not so great certainty of Miracles Supposed true in Scripture as Eye-sight did to those who beheld them The reason is Fallible Tradition in the Dr ' s Principles easily alters in time and may tell one Story for another whereof more presently If therefore that Tradition conveyed by hearing altered as I shall shew most shamefully and if fallible no wonder at the change what certainty have Fallible tradition worth little in Divine matters we now in this present Age either of the Miracles or of the Doctrin recorded in Scripture by virtue of it Or how can the Dr parallel the certainty of à Miracle conveyed down by fallible Tradition with the sight of it This must needs be à lame Parallel For when I se à Miracle I need not to prove the outward appearance of it evidently seen but when that appearance passes down Age after Age upon Hearsay or à faultering Tradition which may change the Story from what it once was I must either prove that Tradition true or cannot prudently rely on it chiefly in this present case while we dispute against Iewes and Gentils who utterly deny those Miracles to have ever been truly wrought by Christ The ancient Jewes all know said Christ cast out Divels by the help of Beelzebub and these modern men of the Synagogue calumniate as boldly to this day 28 I say 2. Those ancient Miracles if saith à Jew ever any such were together with the Doctrin which is thought to be proved either true or evidently credible by such wonders can be no more certain now than the fallible Tradition is which conveighs them to us But this Tradition gives no man so much as moral certainty either of the Miracles or Doctrin I prove the Minor That The reason why worthless in the Dr's Principles ancient Tradition say Sectaries notoriously changed not long after the Apostles dayes when à universal deluge of errours spread it selfe the whole Christian world over and the efficacy of Christs true Doctrin together with its old Tradition was blotted out of mens memory when the Roman Catholick The Dr charges this Idolatry upon the Roman Church Church once confessedly Orthodox unluckily began Her universal Apostacy and professed open Idolatry when the Arians denyed the Mystery of the Incarnation and Trinity Others the two VVills in Christ others his Sacred Humanity others the Resurrection of the dead others the necessity of Divine Grace and others finally professed yet more horrid Doctrins In so much that the whole Christian word part of it one way part another erred most grosly in the very fundamentals of Faith In those dismal dayes say I when all Christian Societies nameable and the Roman Church with them became so infatuated as to change the first received truths taught by Christ and his Apostles the ancient true Tradition could not but change and faile also therefore at this day Tradition is worthless and unualvable because no man can know upon any sure Principle what it anciently was 29 The Dr may reply All called Christians own the Bible and the Miracles there related of Christ and his Apostles which are sufficient to prove Christs Doctrin true so far at least Tradition never failed Small Comfort God knowes to have Tradition of the Scriptures bare letter which yet is not had in our Sectaries Principles Se Reas and Relig Disc 1. c. 6. n. 2. If the Christian world long since cheated out of their ancient Faith bequeathed to posterity à false Doctrin in Lieu of that which The Arians and all hereticks lay as great claime to Christs Miracles as the Dr or any other doth Christ and his Apostles taught and with that à false Tradition also Moreover were those Miracles with their Tradition proved most true the Arians will as well lay claim to them for à proof their Doctrin as the Dr can do for that Religion he professes and the like may all others pretend if called Christians though of à quite different belief in the very Essentials of Faith unless this consequence utterly false be good Christ our Lord wrought such and such Miracles Ergo Protestancy is à better Religion then Arianism Pelagianism is better then Nestorianism and so of the rest The Dr therefore must either make this out that Christ and his Apostles wrought their Miracles to confirm all the erroneous Sects in the world or he speaks nothing to the purpose when he tells us in his Account What the Dr is obliged to clear P. 205. That the Motives of Faith both to them the ancient Christians and to us are the same only the manner of conveyance is different those Primitive Believers Saw them we hear of them by Tradition In saying this he either thinks that such Motives prove the truth of all Religions called Christian which is horridly false or only prove the true Christian Religion among so many dissenting Sects Grant this and we are in as much darkness after the supposed Truth of these Miracles and the Dr ' s long discourse as we were before and can never know by his Motives only which is the true Religion I earnestly desire the Dr would please to solve this one difficulty which I judge cannot be Solved 30 By all hitherto clearly laid down we se 1. The Dr ' s rational Evidence so much talked of brought to nothing but empty words for his whole proofs are meer unproved Suppositions He endeavours to evince by Miracles internal to Scripture the Divinity of the book which
Clement are evidently improbable unsufficient to make the fact Credible afterward attested and examined by publick Authority More saw this wonder wrought upon the lame then that other upon the blinde cured by our Saviour Will he say there was never such à man born lame much less such à man cured as Iohn Clement but that all are Lyars and Cheats who tell the Story More justly might the Jewes have said there was never such à man blinde as christ restored sight to for they saw not that cure vvrought yet believed it upon the mans own word and his Parents and therefore advised him to glorify God for the favour done though their obstinacy would not ascribe the Miracle to Christ O! but here is à disparity Scripture recount's the one Miracle not the other A most simple reply We now insist upon humane Authority and ask which is ever to be noted whether upon that ground the latter Miracle be not made more credible then the first and here we are told the one is believed by Faith because God saies so and not the other All the Miracles Christ wrought were presupposed true before the vvriting of Scripture and not first true because they are registred in that Book 18 This humane Faith utterly ruined by our Dr the Erudite Lipsius plead's by and presses home cap. 1. Vbi estis qui paulò vetustiora elevatis c. Where are you who extenuat and undervalve ancient Miracles Ecce nova novitia behold new ones done in This Miracle as Montague proclaimed all over the Eyes of us all and heard vvith our cares renowned and solemnized by the frequent concourse and applause of People with great benefit to Nations Quae fides potest esse in rebus humani si haec non est What faith can there be amongst men if these things gain not credit And therefore he saith in his Preface Those deserve not to be called men that boggle at or doubt of such illustrious vvonders yet à Ieer à Pish and Flurt of our Dr's finger seem's forcible enough to discredit these admirable and no less manifest Testimonies of God's power publickly shewed to the world 19 More Cheats and fallacies of this Dr will better appear in the ensuing Discourse Here A fift Cheat. is one more and gross enough He never refutes the known and certain Miracles of the Church but now laugh's at one less certain now at another related as I said by private Authors prudently judged over credulous in writing matters upon Hearsay These support not our cause for we plead as S. Austin did by Miracles Multitudine magnitudine conspicuous undeniable and thus our Saviour Argues Iohn 15. 24. The vvorks vvhich I have By what Miracles we argue done not one work no other has done Acts. 2 Many vvonders and Signs vvere vvrought by the Apostles in Hierusalem What if false or doubtful Scriptures have been forged under the Apostles names as manifest happened in the Primitive times must we therefore reject the true Scriptures already received Yet this fallacy or cheat is à main Prop to the very most of our Dr's rambling discourse as shall be shewn afterwards 20 A Second Cheat is that when à Miracle appears strange or ridiculous to the Dr's fancy A sixt Cheat grounded upon the Strangeness of Miracles he slights it as counterfeit turn's it off with à Iibe and well instruct's Atheists and Heathens to deride the Miracles related in Scripture For what can be more ridiculous to an Atheist then to read of Moses his horned face Of Balaams Asse speaking Of Samsons destroying à thousand men with the Jawbone of an Asse or of water issuing out of one tooth in that Jawbone to quench the wearied mans thirst after his fighting These and many more à Heathen Scorn's as highly as Miracles recorded in Scripture more ridiculous to Atheists than Church Miracles the Dr doth our most certain Church Miracles But thanks be to God the Church and her Miracles are not like the walls of Jericho overthrown with loud Braying or the empty sound of à Dr's broken Trumpet No. Christs Sacred Doctrin witness the Apostles though à Scandal to the Iewes and à foolery to the Gentils yet stand's invincible against all Opposers and so will the Church and her Miracles continue glorious to the end of Ages maugre the attempt of Her weak Adversaries Thus much premised we will in the next place consider the Dr's exceptions against Miracles and ward off à few Cavils Arguments drawn from Authority or reason I find not any worth answering CHAP II. Of the Dr's proceeding against me VVhat he supposes destroies it selfe VVhat weight Church Miracles have None of wit or judgement ever contradicted them How the Dr juggles in appealing to Apostolical Miracles The Miraculous Translation of the sacred house of Loreto manifestly proved against the Dr's weak and unworthy Cavils 1. AFter the Dr had set down some parcels of my Discourse and chiefly excepted against my comparing Church Miracles with those wrought by Christ and his Apostles he thinks an Atheist would desire no more advantage against Christian Religion then to have it granted that those Primitive Miracles were no other than such as are wrought in the Roman Catholick Church I answer The Dr either here supposes the Church never to have had one true Miracle in it and upon that Supposition it's madness to talk of paralleling Apostolical Miracles believed by Faith with Miracles never in being For who can parallel fourbs and fancied wonders with Apostolical Miracles really wrought Or Contrarywise He supposes true Miracles as curing the lame dispossessing Divels and raysing the dead to have manifestly illustrated the Church Grant this What ought to be supposed for à right Parallel and he is obliged to give à disparity between the Primitive wonders and these latter in the Church This I alwaies urged but the Dr leaves it unanswered 2. Again he perswades himselfe of great advantage given to Atheists who as much slight the Apostolical Miracles as those of the Church I see no such matter and therefore Say contrary and have proved it If Church Miracles be rejected the plainest Evidence of Credibility fail's and if Christian Religion be made thus bare and naked of glorious Marks Atheisin get's so much ground that neither Christ nor his Miracles can gain belief of any For undermine the Church and that is done How all faith is ruined if you rob her of her Miracles and other Motives Scripture it selfe and the very wonders of Christ lose credit and goe to wrack also because the certainty we have of These relies upon Church Authority utterly discredited when as the Dr would have it you expose her without Lustre and thereby make her contemptible to Iewes who anciently had true The Dr's Athcism Miracles amongst them and ridiculous to Gentils Here is your Atheism good Mr Doctor 3. In the following page 439. He enquires after the credibility of the
Age to Nazareth Dalmatia or Italy that slightly mention it Writers and witnesses you have none deep Silence therefore and this Silence and à destructive Negative the only grounds of Protestancy destructive Negative No man though most inquisitive ever vvrote of Protestancy in former Ages are the best and only Supports of it We have often demanded Satisfaction to this particular yet never had it nor shall hereafter have any whereof I am so Confident that I challenge the Dr to Discuss this one particular with me in à Treatise apart and I desire he would consider upon it 6. It may be he will answer the Essentials of Protestancy were carried hither and all the Not one Essential of Protestancy in the whole Bible world over with Holy Scripture I have prevented this Cavil in the place now cited and told the Dr it is impossible to find in the whole Bible so much as one Essential Tenet of this Religion as it is Protestancy or called à reformed Religion which point I also engage to examin with him when he pleases I answer 2. More numerous and far graver Authors to say nothing of Church Authority contradict this phansied conveyance of Protestancy with Scripture than ever opposed the Translation of our Ladies cell from Nazareth Perhaps the Dr will Say The difficulty now agitated concern's not Religion which is à thing wholly Spiritual and depend's not on History as the Translation of à house doth No good Dr rub your forhead à little When you Simply talk of that ancient Faith from whence the Roman Church once swerved must not you either pretend History for your Assertion and tell us when or in what Age it swerved or speak Non-sense Again Spiritual things Religion chiefly are both real and of greatest concern and ought we not A pure Evasion rejected to enquire how and when they are conveyed to us Should now à new Sect of Hereticks arise and set abroad à new Learning like yours never heard of before shall we not demand think ye as Tertullian did Anciently Qui estis vos Who are you Vnde from whence came you Shew your Commission what Authority sent you to preach c These Questions we propose to you concerning the Conveyance of Protestancy into these Parts of the world and you answer nothing therefore you must either help out your cause with this Negative What Protestants are forced to grant No ancient writer ever took notice of it and so by your own Principle make it Contemptible or ingenuously confess the truth that Luthers mad brains brew'd it first broach'd it and poysoned Posterity with it You may say Some Parallel this Machine of Protestancy hath with the Holy house of Loreto that it stand's unsupported or without any Foundations If this be Miraculous or make for its Credit I am content but in passing consider how unlike it is upon another Score The Chappel of Loreto hath stood where it is well nigh four hundred years without repair or the alteration of one Stone but this unsteedy Church How different the Protestant Church is from the Chappel at Loreto of Protestancy in the compass of one Age endlesly tampered with changes almost every year in so much that the old and new Structure of it are nothing like one another 7. Now to the Obiection proposed above I answer Had none within the compasse of that fourth Century after the year 1000 left à memory of this Chappels Translation the Silence of Dante 's Petrach and Boccace would The Obiection Proposed above answered have had more weight but when as Silv Petr Sanct P. 35. notes well Three Popes Benedict the 12 Vrban the 6 and Boniface the 9 much about that time positively maintain the truth of this Miracle as appear's by their Apostolical letters the Silence of those others being meerly à Negative Argument prejudiceth not the cause at all One reason of their Silence was the afflicted and much disturbed State of Italy in those dayes caused first by the absence of popes from Rome who early in that Age repaired to Avignon and made their Residence there full seventy years Another might arise from that long Schism of fourty years to say nothing of the ruin and Two reasons of Some Authors Silence destruction which followed in Italy upon the bitter Enmity between those Guelphi and the Gibellins well known to the world These and some other distractions as Silvester observes P. 28. much lessened the fame of this Chappels translation at the beginning neither can it be any wonder if three Writers in that Age not fully as yet informed of all particulars silently pass't it over when besides those Monuments of piety erected by Count Frangipanius and the Authority of the Popes now named we have other witnesses clear and indubitable for this matter of fact CHAP. IV. More witnesses produced for the Chappels Translation VVhether Baronius proves Pope Ioan to have never been by à Negative Argument or Silence meerly Of the Dr's gross Errours and unworthy dealing 1. BEsides the Testimonies already alleged for the Translation of this Chappel the fame of so great à wonder alwaies continued in Picenum by à never interrupted Tradition where Age after Age Parents taught their Children and Masters their Schollers how and in what manner the Chappel was Miraculously transported and I hope Tradition in such matters may have some weight with our Dr. 2. A whole book was set forth in Print by the express command of the Bishop of Recanati wherein the several Transmigrations of this house are recorded Petra Sancta P. 28. remit's the Reader to the book though as yet I have not seen it 3. Flavius Blondus in his Italiâ illustratâ treating of Picenum P. 339. tell 's you where the house stand's call's it Celeberrimum gloriosae Virginis Sacellum the most renowned Chappel of the glorious Virgin and adds this as à most certain and irrefragable proof for it that such as by their Vowes and earnest prayers sought assistance at Loreto have by the Intercession of God's Sacred Mother most certainly been heard and obtained many favours there 1. The Dr cannot let this Testimony pass without Shuffling and abusing the Author Three frauds I observe in his Answer First he saith Blondus was Secretary to Eugenius the 4.th about the year 1450 à good competent time after the Miracle was said to be wrought whereas Bellarmine de Scriptor Eccles testifies that Blondus Continued Three frauds discovered in the Dr. his Story from Anno. 407. to his own time Anno. 1400. though he lived till the year 1440 ten years short of the Dr's 1450 neither was Eugenius alive in that year 1450. being made Pope Anno 1431 and sate 15 years 11. months and 12 dayes and I am sure Blondus most likely not then living was no Secretary to à dead Pope By all you may see the Dr's pretty clinch About the year 1450. 2. He tells us All Blondus saith is only that there was Ã