All is Dr p. 613. Contrary The Saint as you may read C. 3. produces à stupendious Miracle done upon à Roman incredulous Matrone to confirme the Doctrin of the Real Presence It is false That Didacus Stella vvho expresly ovvn's great Miracles saith That the Povver of Miracles is ceased It is false That according to Suares Dr p. 686. such Miracles as vvere vvrought upon Father Mastrilli and the young Man of Zaragoza vvere only done for the Benefit of those vvho received them and not to confirm the Churches Infallible Doctrin It is false That Maldonate confesses That since Christian Religion has been confirmed Dr p. 687. by Miracles in the Churches beginning there is no necessity of Miracles for that End It is false That either Iosephus Acosta or S. Hippolitus teach That Antichrist shall do far greater Miracles Dr p. 688 than the Cures vvrought upon F. Marcellus or on the restored Leg at Zaragoza It is false That the bleeding vvounds of S. Francis imprinted on his Dr p. 504. side hands and feet vvere so concealed That no man could ever fully discern them in his life time only Fryer Ruffin once thought he espied the vvound in his side Thus much of false Citations for an Essay only the Treatise vvill afford many more Should I now trace the Dr though his gross perverted Quotations quite contrary to the meaning of Authors the work would be long One or Two only at present shall suffice The remainder you have afterwards And first what man in his Wits would ever have cited S. Augustine as one that opposes latter Miracles when he could not but know that no Catholick Author in this Age said more in their Defence as appear's by his large Dr P. 582. prosecuting this Subject in his 22. Book de Civit. C. 8 ◠yet forsooth Miracles are no Proof of the true Church though the Saint plainly professes Miracles held him in the Church Nor in rigour to be called Miracles But some extraordinary Things among them in their time That is the Dr would have us believe Dr p. 584. the restoring Sight to the blind raising the dead to life curing incurable Maladies for of these S. Augustine expresly speak's are not like the Apostolical Miracles but of an Inferiour rank Extraordinary things forsooth and no more Is nor this à plain Corruption of an Authors significant words and meaning None hitherto in any Age maintained the Churches Miracles with greater Zeal than S. Chrisostom Abbulensis and our learned Bishop Fisher as is amply proved in this Treatise yet the Dr by the help of an open Cheat depraves their meaning and will needs perswade us that they teach Miracles to have ceased in the Church Reader the Cheat is thus As S. Chrysostom and the other Authors now cited grant à special Prerogative to the Twelve Apostles in Writing Canonical Scripture by Divine Inspiration so also and most truly they yeild them à power of working all manner of admirable Miracles particularly in laying hands on the lately Baptized and visibly giving the Holy Ghost the like Priviledge the Primitive Christians participated in some measure These singular Graces say Authors annexed to the Twelve were never entailed upon any like set number of men though Prelates and Pastors in the Church and therefore ceased VVhence the Dr would conclude That all other Miracles whatever as raysing the Dead and curing desperate Infirmities had à stop in after Ages and ceased also Which is to tell us because God honoured not the Churches Prelates with the very like or so great à Prerogative as he did the Apostles All Miracles Seem so suspended that no more are wrought A foul Cheat worse than à Mistake quite contrary to the Quoted Authors words and Doctrin See C. IX from n. 11. and C. XI from n. 7. The impertinent Citations or such as look from the matter now disputed are innumerable All those whether true or false produced against forged Miracles known as forged no more concern the present Controversy than the Dr's pretty Verse cited out of Virgil. Speluncam Dido c. His other Testimonies Quoted from Paulus Zaccheus Fortunatus Scacchus and Contelorius are meer insignificant Cyphers take up roome and that 's all the good they do These and the remainder you will have laid forth in the Treatise It is therefore needless to insist on more at present Another grand Mistake or gross Errour you meet with in the Dr where He sayes The greatest number of Miracles in the Roman Church have been believed upon the Credit of Fables and uncertain Reports And this hee offer 's to show upon strict Examination I Answer first VVere all Fables which the Dr deem's so the Proposition confutes it selfe For Miracles upheld by Fables are no Church Miracles But I boldly assert that Mr Dr through his whole Book has not proved so much as one received Church-Miracle much less the greater number to have had their Origen from Fables or ever gained repute in the world upon uncertain Reports nor shall he hereafter in any low degree make his Assertion Probable His strict Examination fall's first upon the Miraculous Translation of the House of Loreto from Nazareth thought by him fabulous whereof I spake largely in my last Treatitise Here I require that all diligently observe whither this rigid Examination is brought at last Reader it comes to two or three Idle Questions attended with some Saucy Schoffs and there is all VVhat saith the Dr after he had recounted Teremanus his Table concerning the Translation Is not this à pleasant Story to be matched in point of Credibility with the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles Again what do these men think in their hearts that dare avouch such ridiculous Fictions as these Such simple Demands Reader which have neither weight nor Bottom nor Principle to stand on set forth with Bobs and Ieers give force to our Dr's Swinging proofs finish his fearful rigid Examination and must be thought powerful enough to throw down the House of Loreto The like strain He hold's through his whole Book It seem's by the Dr that our Venerable Bede relates some strange Miracles wrought upon S. Cuthbert One is to be brief that Angels appearing to the Saint on horseback when he was young prescribed à Poultess to cure his Sore Knee Another is of his Seeing à Troop of Angels conveying the Soul of S. Aidan into Heaven The Dr to perfect his strict Examination only Asks there 's all what must we think of these Angels appearing And that he is of à good easy Faith that can believe them He might as wisel◠have demanded what shall we think of those Visions of Armies fighting in the Air ouer Hierusalem fourty Dayes together Machabees 2 C. 5 VVhat must we think of the Angel Raphael that prescribed No Poultess but the gall of à Fish for the Cure of old Tobias his Eyes Tobit 11. Such VVonders recounted in History never contradicted are wholly as
our Saviours Miracles and the Apostles to have been really wrought by Arguments not taken from Scripture or if he make use of the new Testament against the Iew he is to lay aside that Question wether it be God's word or no Unlesse before the dispute the Book be evinced written by Divine inspiration Thus much premised 6 I argue against à Iew and ask whether he Christ's Miracles proved against à Iew. allowes the Historical part of the new Testament where the Miracles of Christ and the Apostles are recorded to be as good and as true à Story as the relation made in the old Testament of Mose's Miracles And now I trouble not his head with the Question about the Divine Inspiration of either book but only enquire after their truth In case he yeild's equal truth to both he must grant that Christ cured the blinde raised the dead and that the Apostles wrought such Miracles as S. Luke recount's in the Acts of those blessed men c. If as is most likely he bluntly reject's the Gospels relation as not true I ask what answer will he give à Heathen that no less boldly cast's off the Story of Moses Miracles as false and plainly assert's that the same reason let it be what you will whereby he attempts to discountenance the truth of one Narration will every whit as much enervate the truth of the other and thus all Miracles related in Scripture goe to wreck which is to say God never wrought any by Moses and the Prophets by Christ and his Apostles This the man of the Synagogue proves or nothing In case he reply Christians that admit Mose's Miracles are tongue tyed and cannot plead against them I answer we plead not against any for we hold all most true yet justly tax à Iew of à grosse Inconsequence which à Heathen laies before his eyes and once more say the same proofs and reasons whereby he endeavour's to reject the Miracles of Christ and the Apostles destroy at one blow the truth of the greatest Miracles which Moses or the Prophets ever wrought that is in à word there is neither proof nor reason to deny either all are most true and Strongly made out by reason supposing this one rational ground which none can deny viz. That books of History known and received all over deserve credit upon humane faith 7. In discoursing with à Heathen about Miracles Heathens also Convinced recorded in Scripture à rational demand is whether he yeild's as good credit to the History of this Book as to Titus Livius Caesars Commentaries or any other ancient writer If he affirm the Miracles there set down are with him upon moral certainty believable in case he denies I am not to take his bare word but must know the ultimate reason of his denial which will ever be Petitio Principii or in real truth no reason but à selfe conceipted fancy just as if one should sencelesly reject what ever Livy or Caesar has written because he will bluntly A reply answered do so upon no reason The Heathen may reply There is à great difference between all natural history and the Miracles registred in Scripture for these because strange and unusual so strongly check and abate beliefe that reason cannot but boggle and hold all forged by à few simple men that wrote them whereas no such extravagant wonders are found in natural History I answer first we read of innumerable great wonders in natural History as of Mountains rising up and justling together of certain Cities in Syria seated on hills and thence violently thrown into à Plain some miles off without any dammage c. Things certainly unusual though not so strange as à true Miracle I answer 2. All matters of Matters of fact in Scripture not feigned but manifestly proved true fact recorded in Scripture most evidently are not feigned however admirable and above the force of nature therefore it s highly against reason to hold the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles forged because strange and wonderful I prove demonstratively that matters of fact recorded in Scripture are not feigned upon this ground The Prophets long before Christianity was established foretold clear matters of fact which some thousands of years after evidently proved true as that Christ should be born of à Virgin that the old Priesthood should fail and à new Priest and King raign forever that the greater people the Iewes should become the less and the Gentils far lesser become the greater all strange and wonderful Predictions whereunto we may add our Saviours most certain Prophesy in that known Parable of the vineyard where speaking to the chief Priests and Pharisies he clearly foretold their ruin and rejection before it happened and no lesse clearly the destruction of Hierusalem These Prophesies the whole world has now seen for many Ages fulfilled and verifyed Hence I discourse whoever fortel's wonderful future things long before the event which afterwards visibly come to passe speak's truth and cannot forge nor feign because Facts exactly agreeing with the Predictions take away all suspicion of forgery but this you see is evident if you compare the Prophesies of the old Testament with what the Writers of the new have expressed and we se fulfilled with our eyes therefore all wonderful matters recorded in Scripture however strange are neither false nor forged A Heathen cannot deny the evident and now known fulfilling of these Prophesies because the Book of the old Testament was extant and read by Iewes long before the Evangelists wrote their Story 8. I argue 2. with Lingendes and rationally Ling. cited pag. 44. evince the truth of our Saviours Miracles by the Testimony of Writers in several nations most different from one another and further Ancient writers and Publick Fame prove the primitive Miracles ground my discourse upon an universal publick Fame received the whole world over which own 's those primitive Miracles as undoubted For ancient Writers this Author first remit's us to Joseph the Iew who speaking of our Saviour saith Eodem tempore c. In those dayes Iesus à wise Josepus l. 18 Antiquit c. 4. man lived if yet lawful to call him man only that wrought strange wonders and had many followers both Iewes and Gentils This Christ whom the chiefe of our Nation accused Pilate condemned to dy upon à Cross Euseb lib. Hist Eccles c. 11. Hieron de Script in verbi Josephus rose again the third day as the Prophets had foretold and as we read in the Jerosolimitanian Talmud named Gavoda Zara Miraculously cured innumerable diseased though the latter Iewes attribute this power of working Miracles not to any virtue in Christ nor to the Divel as their Progenitors impiously did but say they were wrought at the pronouncing of an ineffable name called by them Sem Hammaphoras or à name expounded The Turks Alcoran witness de Lingendes recount's at large the Miracles of our Saviour where you read of his cleāsing
Perseverance and constancy in any other Society but in the Roman Catholick Church only Most reasonably Therefore may we apply our Saviours sacred Words to this Church and say Had She not done greater Works had She not exhibited more glorious Miracles in the Open view of the world than any other those rebellious Spirits that oppose Her would not have committed so hainous à sin but having seen the palpable VVonders wrought in Her and by her their sin is supra modum peccans enormously great and unexcusable 13. Thus much said of true Miracles I would willingly know to what purpose doth Dr Still produce the Wonders of Infidels and Hereticks against the great Works of God Manifest in our Church Can he hope by these lesser Signs to extinguish the Light of great Miracles Or will he suppose the Heathens Miracles true and ours false If so he is above measure blamable unlesse he first prove their Records Authentick and ours forged Will he say that all the Miracles pretended by Gentils Hereticks and the Church are à like false and feigned He Speaks at random without proofe and dos open wrong to Manifest Truth You will better understand what I would An Instance Shewing that no comparison can be made between the Churches Mirucles and those done by Infidels Say by this one clear Example Imagin it were certainly known to us all that it pleases Almighty God for the ending of debates about Religion to have matters decided by à visible sight of Miracles in an open Contest between two men Suppose likewise that God should say these men shall appear among you to Morrow The one à false Prophet à great Magician The other my Servant commissioned to work in my name but none before hand shall distinguish between them save only by the Strength and greatnesse of their Signs Upon these make your Judgement The one having without violence set open à prison Gate fast shut endeavours to resuscitate à man stark dead but cannot The other by à Word only spoken recal's him to life The one after he had shown an Image walking up and down Offers to cure the born blind but in vain The other presently gives him perfect sight and thus the Strife goes on in exhibiting many like Wonders Is it not think ye as easy to distinguish the Magacian from the other in this contest as is to discern between à Blazing star and à glorious Sun The very like is our Case in the Comparison made between Miracles wrought in the Church and those other done by Infidels and Hereticks when Divels have à hand in them The Iudgement of Authors Concerning Miracles wrought by Christ's Adversaries 14. The ancient Irenaeus expresly denies Iren. lib. 2. cap. 56. Hereticks the power of working true Miracles Nec enim donare possunt saith he c. They cannot give sight to the blind nor hearing to the deaf nor cure the Infirm the Lame or Paraliticks S. Augustin S. Aug de unitat Eccles speak's more plainly Aut figmenta mendacium hominum aut portenta fallacium Spirituum They are either the Fictions of lying men or monstrous things done by Fallacious Spirits And elsewhere Aut falluntur aut fallunt Hereticks Aug. Hom. 13. in Joan. either deceive by their Miracles or are deceived Thanks be to God our modern Sectaries who pretend to no Miracles herein easily quit themselves of Fraud 15. Other Authors grant à Power of working some weak kind of Miracles to wicked men to Hereticks and Heathens and chiefly ground themselves upon several passages in Holy Writ presently laid forth and explained In the mean while 16. I say first God never wrought Miracles God Cannot work à Miracle to confirme false Doctrin by Heathen or Heretick in confirmation of any Doctrin opposite to his own revealed Verities which Christ the Apostles and the Church have delivered The reason given above is clear The first Verity cannot contradict himselfe but God would Do so could he by clear Signs establish à Doctrin Contrary to his own known and received Truths if as we now suppose he speak's as well by Signs as by words Hence it also followes that in case he permit à Miracle to be done by any out of the Church as was by Balaams Asse no member I hope of the true Church that ever yeild's in worth and Greatnesse to his own glorious Miracles 17. I say 2. The Divel that brought in The Divels Power in doing wonders Limited this Confusion of Signs between false and true Miracles and would fain do something like God can work no wonder but either by dazling mans fancy or by à swift and subtle Application of natural Agents together in order to some unusual effect as is already noted All true essential Transmutations therefore All Generations of perfect living Creatures as of men horses and the like not subject to any Magick are above the Divels Power hence saith Medina cited above what some Write of men changed into Wolves is to be accounted feigned and fabulous The Divel you know is called the Prince of the Air and can as Ludovicus Vives tom 2. lib 2 de unit fidei pag. 379. Vives well observes afflict men with Infirmities speak in an Idol Assume an Airy Body and exhibit himselfe visible c. God permit's no more Good I am sure he never did to any without à Cheat at the end 18. I say 3. No Passage in Holy Writ Nothing in true Ecclesiastical History or in any approved Author ascribs the like Power of working real Miracles to faithlesse men assisted by the Divel as have been wrought by Christ the Apostles and in the Church 19. Some Argue out of Scripture and too Thessalon 2. v. 9. Apocaly p 13. v. 13. much extolling Antichrist's Signs produce the Apostles words concerning that false Prophets appearing in all Power and lying Wonders S. John point's at these Signs as bringing down fire from Heaven and seducing the Inhabitants on the earth I Answer if we speak of the great Antichrist Antichrist's wonders no true Miracles that shall appear before the end of the world his Wonders will be great but far from the worth of true Miracles whence it is we are forewarned of his lying Prodigious Signs and one Lowd Lye is That he will deny JESUS the Son of MARY to be true Christ and consequently endeavour to enervate the Truth of the whole Gospel He will come saith Holy Scripture in his own name showing himselfe as John 5. 45. if he were God yea extolled above all that is called God or that is worshipped But that man 2. Thes 2. 4. losses all reason that can be brought by à sight of foreknown lying VVonders to deny the true God JESUS CHRIST and the Gospel when he has at hand not only more but far greater Miracles registred in Scripture and evidently wrought in the Church to confront the Divels pride Vanting by Antichrist 20. In this weighty matter therefore when
by Christ or in the Church when attested by undoubted Witnesses and are known upon humane Faith as morally certain beget in every rational man an Evidence of Credibility and move to embrace Christ's Doctrin so far they lead us on but no further When the Church after à rigid Examination upon Her Humane Authority approves them as true and wrought by Divine Power we are raised to à higher Degree of certainty and upon this Oracles word own them not only in à vveak manner morally certain But without all Dispute Unquestionable though yet not known as evidently true For all Knovvledge implies c. 14. n. 8 9 not strict Evidence Reader turn if you please to what I have noted above and you will find this whole Difficulty cleared from all reasonable Exception 11. The Dr still remain's in his Confusion Hovv is it possible saith he that the Church should be certainly knovvn by Miracles if the Miracles cannot be certainly knovvn but by the Church I Ask likewise How is it possible that Christ should be certainly knovvn by his Miracles if his Miracles cannot be certainly known but by Christ or by some certain Oracles Approbation The fallacy lies in that word◠Knovvn which may either Signify à great moral Assurance such as the Primitive Christians had of our Saviour Miracles which prudently induced them to believe in Christ Or à higher Degree of certainty And this they attained when they heard an Infallible Oracle give full Assurance of our Saviours Miracles Thus we Discourse of Church Miracles The first moral knowledge previous to Faith induces us to believe the other grounded on the Churches Approbation takes all doubt away and in order to Believers gives full certainty as is further explained in the 14. Chapter already cited Upon this Page 6V7 Distinction that pritty Paralogism of the Dr comes to nothing but empty words We must Saith he knovv à man by such marks vvhich vve cannot knovv to be the Marks of such à man till vve first knovv the man He would say We must know the Church by her Marks That is by her Miracles The Dr's Paralogism dissolved which we cannot know to be the Marks of such à Church till vve knovv the Church I Answer we must know the Church by her Marks or Miracles upon moral certainty which yet we cannot know by à certainty excluding all doubt to be the Marks of such à Church till we know the Church That is till we have from her Approbation and Assurance concerning the real Truth and solid worth of her Miracles as proceeding from à Divine Power without fraud or false Illusion 12. To Satisfy the Dr I retort his Argument And instanced in our Saviours Miracles using the same formal words as to our Saviours Miracles We must knovv Christ by such Marks That is by his Miracles vvhich vve cannot knovv to be the Marks of Christ till vve knovv the man called Christ We must know Christ by his Miracles But hovv As the Primitive Christians knevv him when upon moral certainty they saw or heard of his Miracles And thereby were induced to believe in him Yet they could not know them by an indubitable certainty excluding all Dispute or That they were truly Miracles wrought by Divine Povver till some Oracle raised them to à higher Step of certainty 13. To clear what is now said Let us Imagin that Dr Still or some such like Incredulous man had been present with our Saviour when he cured the blind or cleansed the Lepers He would upon Moral certainty have Judged the vvorks Miraculous But withall might have doubted whether Christ did them by Divine Power or no hereof he had no Evidence at all Suppose that some other known Oracle owned infallible had told him These strange Cures thou sees't proceed from God He would without hesitancy have yeilded à firm Assent to their certain Truth and Judged them Miracles proceeding from God Thus we discourse of Miracles wrought in the Church A knowledge highly moral grounded on humane Faith first Proposes them as Works done by Almighty God though as yet not undoubtedly certain But when we hear that our Oracle approves them under the Notion of works done by Divine Power all further doubt ceases all hesitancy is taken away 14. From what we have said hitherto Two Two things deduced from the former Discourse things follow The first is that our Church Miracles as seen or heard of are easily distinguished upon Moral certainty from all Jugling Legerdemain Wonders pretended by Heathens and Hereticks Their exteriour Lustre even to Sense Their long and never interrupted Continuance in any Age Their prodigious Greatness and vast number vvrought in à Holy Society of Christians and by men of à most innocent life manifestly difference them from those other few and inconsiderable Wonders laid claim to by Gods professed Enemies Add to this exteriour visible Appearance the Churches Judgement and Approbation Though only Humane relating to the real Truth of Miracles all comparison ceases the Difference between true and false Signs is made most notorious 15. The second thing observable is That all Arguments Imaginable which either are or can be proposed against Miracles wrought in the Church have the very same force against our Saviours and the Apostles Signs That they are now registred in Scripture and thereby made matters of Faith weakens nothing the Strength of my Argument For I consider those Primitive Miracles as famed up and down the world and known upon humane Faith before the Holy Ghost sealed them up in the Book of Scripture Thus considered the Proofs are the same for Miracles wrought by Christ and in the Church And were there any Argument as there is none that could lessen the Credit of latter Miracles it would as I said be as forcible against the most Primitive Wonders Our Saviour all know wrought many Miracles not recorded in Holy Writ and so also the Apostles did Suppose these had been conveyed to us upon the Testimony of grave Authors as the very most of the Apostles Miracles are must such works of God be exploded as Fourbs because not recorded in Scripture It is no small Folly to Judge so But enough of this matter We now follow the Dr in his other Quotations 16. Dr Still cites Fevardentius who confesses Dr Stillî page 678. Fevardent in Irenaeum lib. 2. c. 86. the Church has never determined that Heretieks cannot work true Miracles and that those who hold the Affirmative have plain Testimonies of the Fathers for them Mr Dr relates not this Authors words or Sence sincerely Briefly Fevardentius having Quoted some Fathers only thought to favour the Opinion The Dr abuses Fevardentius concerning Miracles wrought by Hereticks though other Fathers are of à quite contrary Judgement Speak's thus Quibus vero magis adherendum sit pronunciet Ecclesia Let the Church here determine who we are to follow which is far from that round open Assertion which the Dr imposes
Associates who transported the Holy Body of S. James to Spain Can you perswade your selfe that to laugh at the Story as you doe is à weighty refutation though all this while I propose it not as Gospel What I find besides in this Relation is that S. James's Body was buried neer to the Mountain Illicinus now called Mons Sacer not far from à Fountain and there left by those Holy men who carried it thither 4. Thus much said we return to Baronius Num. 71. where we are told that by reason of the great persecution raised against Christians in those parts of Spain All long since dead who Conveyed the Sacred Body thither the Sepulchre likewise where the Treasure lay being hid and all the Memory of it forgotten Behold saith Baronius Num. 72. Magno Dei beneficio Factum c. by à Special Favour of Almighty God after à large Circuit of Ages in the time of Alfonsus Castus à most pious Prince the Apostles long concealed Body discovered it selfe by clear Signs of light shining over the Bryers where it lay The light was seen for many nights together not by one only but several By-witnesses Episcopus Iriensis Chiefly by Theodorimus Lord Bishop of Iria who like another Moses approaching the burning Bush found the precious Body of the Son of thunder so our Saviour named S. Iames which God in due time revealed to free Spain How the Body was discovered from the thraldom of Infidelity as the happy event of great Wonders wrought there has made manifest For ever since the Discovery People from all Parts of the World flocked to the Apostles Sepulchre which God had enobled with the singular Grace of innumerable stupendious Miracles And these great Works of Divine Power as Baronius notes well are better proofs than all that can be Written 5. Now comes Dr Still with à simple Objection You have saith he à Body buried among thorns and Bushes What then must this without any Inscription or Characters upon it needs be S. Iames his Body and none els I Answer Gods One Objection answered own characters glorious Miracles were then and still are upon it these Written by à Divine hand surpasse in real worth all other humane Inscriptions imaginable Pray you tell me had the other Apostles when they preached to remote Countries carried this or the like Inscription upon their Breasts VVe are Apostles of JESUS CHRIST and done no Miracles or wrought Miracles as they did without such Inscriptions Tell me I say whether of these two think you would have drawn Infidels sooner to the Beliefe of JESUS CHRIST I hold God's own Characters far more prevalent and so they are in our present case O! but we yet prove not that it was S. James his Body why may it not be the Body of some other I Answer first it is à Body whereby God is pleased to work prodigious Miracles evidently seen by innumerable Eye-witnesses and Miracles are the Scar-Crowes our Dr fear 's most whether done by S. James or any other makes nothing for his purpose Again supposing the Evidence of Miracles wrought at Compostella which is undeniable why should we not rather ascribe them to the Power of God working by the Apostles Body than to any other unknown Saint that may perhaps Lie interred thereabout And thus much the Proofs for the transporting of S. James his Body to that place seem to evince 3. Joannes Mariana tells us the Signes Mariana lib. 10 de â—eb Hispani c. 10. n. 10. we seek for were known and shewes by whom and in what manner yet what they were in particular after so many Ages and the former cruel persecution raised against Christians in that Part of Spain there is now saith he little certain memory of them 6. Dr Still Page 471. Quotes Mariana and Mariana de reb Hispan lib 4 c. 6. thinks he find's no Argument for S. James's comming into Spain but Tradition only Again the Dr cites his 5.th Chapter de Adventu Iacobi In my Book printed Anno 1605. I find nothing like these Testimonies in either place but quite Dr Still p. 473. different matters handled Lib. 4. c. 6. He speaks of Antoninus Pius and add's Quid rerum gesserit in Hispania Clam est What things he did in Spain is not known and it is certain that he treat's of S. James his comming into Spain not in any fifth chapter of my Edition The Dr err's in his quotations but in the 10.th now cited As blind à Quotation the Dr gives us where he referr's us to Mariana Cap. 12. de Adventu Iacobi That is you must run over thirty whole books so many Mariana wrot de Rebus Hispaniae and find out if you can that 12.th Chapter If Mr Dr have 25. Iuly any newer Edition of Mariana it will be no great labour to say when and where it was printed The most Mariana hath of this subject is in his own Epistle sent to Pope Paul the V. à M S. I have now by me where with great Submission he mentions many weighty Arguments collected by him concerning the comming of S. James into Spain which he hoped with leave to make publick and cast both Himselfe and labours at the feet of his Holinesse More I have not 7. A word now of Hermogenes's strange Dr. Still p. 465. Conversion to Christ by the endeavour of the B. Apostle S. James The Dr relates part of it and after his manner jeer's at all Briefly the Story is thus After S. James had visited Judea and Samaria and proved by Scripture in several Synagogues that JESUS CHRIST is the true Son of God Hermogenes à Magician sent his Disciple The Conversion of Hermogenes and Philetus Philetus to the Apostle who told him that his Master Hermogenes could enervate all he had said of Christ But Philetus seing the strange Miracles S. James had done in restoring sight to the blind and cleansing the Lepers and hearing also of his raising the dead upon his return told Hermogenes what he had heard and seen and that now he resolved to be one of S. James Disciples whereat the Magician highly enraged commanded the Divels to bind Philetus so fast that he could not stir But the Apostle who sent his handkerchief to Philetus soon released him and enjoyned the Divels to bring Hermogenes without hurt fast bound to him This done Hermogenes clearly seing the wonderful Power of God working with S. James much humbled and confounded became Poenitent Accipe said he Poenitentem quem invidentem detrahentem hactenus sustinuisti Accept of me great Apostle whom you have hitherto patiently borne with as à most spiteful and unworthy Detractor If replyed S. James thou be truly poenitent burn all thy books of Magick Go from house to house where thou hast wrought mischiefe and recall all thou hast done restore the money unjustly got by thy Charms follow JESUS CHRIST seek to please him whom
there cited Nec quidquam opsonii intra admisit He eate no meat which is not to Say he eate nothing for he might well feed upon bread Fruit and such like things Now if as some Criticks note Opsonium properly signifies Piscis assus broyled Fish there needed no Miracle to refrain from that à whole hundred years For as much as concern's the long lives of many not only mentioned in Scripture but in known History also see Colganus his large Notes where Colgan in vita S. Kieran 5. Mart. page 466. num 42. you have his Authors Quoted and here he meets with à Dr who repeats much of what he Writes and thinks to refute all by à simple Narration or barely telling us He writes so and so VVas there ever such à way of impugning Authors found out before this new Invention of Mr Dr Yet thus he hold's on Page after Page now he makes sport with the raising of à dead Robin-redbreast to life now with S. Juo's boots Now he brings in à Story of à Bull giving Still page 527. as much milk as any Cow And which I casually omitted Ask's whether any thing was ever done by Christ and his Apostles like the turning of Butter into à Bell as S. Oudoceus Capgrave in vita S. Oudocei page 258. Bishop is said to have done VVitness Capgrave Yes Mr Dr both you and I have heard of as great Changes Viz. Of Lot's wife turned into à Pillar of Salt and water changed into wine In case these Examples satisfy not you shall have more Authentically recorded 6. Here methinks being quite wearied in following the Dr thus far it is high time to An Atheist may reject the Miracle in Scripture upon the Dr's Principles leave the remainder of his Collections to the Judgement of every prudent Reader with this true Observation upon them that if Jeers and Derisions can do it the Dr has behaved himselfe manfully and taught every Atheist by his Procedure to slight all the Miracles God hath done upon this principle Miracles seem wonderful to his short Knowledge ergo ought to be vilifyed If he has any better Argument blame me boldly Hence proceeds his frequent and no lesse impertinent Interrogatories where speaking of S. Mochteus long Abstinence he Ask's whether it be not à pretty reasonable Fast for à man Mentioning some that speak in their Mothers wombe he would know whether the Baptist Leaping in his Mothers belly was comparable to this And in recounting other Miracles he wisely Demand ' s are not these now pregnant Instances how such Saints exceeded Christ and his Apostles And this Question comes over and over Did Christ and his Apostles any thing like to these Miracles Pitiful Impertinent neither he John 20 30. John 21. 25. nor I know what Signs and Miracles Christ wrought Witnesse S. John Nay more were the many other things saith the Apostle Christ did Written in particular the whole world would not contain the Books that might be Written notwithstanding the Dr remit's us to what Christ and his Apostles did 7. For an upshot of this whole matter the Still p. 565 Dr leaves the Reader to Judge whether the Testimony on which these Miracles have been received ought to be compared in point of Credibility with that Testimony on which the Christian Church hath believed the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles I Answer the Dr cheats the Reader For the true Christian Church believes the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles upon Divine Testimony by How the Dr cheat's his Reader à certain act of Faith These other Miracles mentioned by Colganus and Capgrave rely at most upon humane Authority And If they force from us à probable Assent wherein there is à great Latitude That 's all and aboundantly enough because I am apt to think that when Cronology and other main Circumstances come to the Test chiefly about the long Lives of some Saints and other strange Wonders much may occurr to à diligent Searcher not too well grounded But to Decry all as the Dr doth whilst he Examins none is foul play and above measure blamable For it seem's morally Impossible that after so great pains taken by Authors who carefully remit you to Their Manuscripts and other Testimonies all should prove Forgeries though some Perhaps may be doubtful or in à mean Degree propable If evinced False we utterly reject them 8. The Dr in the Close of his Discourse to gain credit for his pains Tell 's us he has not raked the Kennels of Iacobus de Voragine of Cantipratanus and such like Writers of no Account it seems with him But made choise of latter Authors praysed and highly approved by learned men Capgrave saith he was esteemed one of such excellent parts that he had scarce any equal none Superiour to him in England in his time Colganus his first Tome containing the Acts of the Irish Saints was published with great Approbations from the General of his Order the Professors at Lovain from the Ordinary Censor Librorum and four Jesuits having besides the commendatory Epistles of Vernulaus and Erycius Puteanus Now saith he the Jesuits collections at Antwerp begun by Bollandus and continued by Henschenius and Papebrochius were Published with as much Ostentation of care and Judgement as any thing can be set forth in that kind Thus the Dr. 9. Reader I would willingly know what harme is done to these Authors by Mr Dr wherein I beseech you has he lessened rheir credit Has he clearly shown the Original copies from whence they took Miracles Forged Has he disparaged in the least Degree the Authenticalness The Dr disparages none of these Records but is apt to think something may be à misse in them of those Records Has he upon any good Authority proved so much as one of these Miracles false or improbable No he never fall's upon this solid way of reasoning What then dos he I told you he barely relates what Authors write and there forces in à Jest or an impertinent Question leaving every matter of Fact unexamined just as it was before If true then it is true still if doubtful t' is yet doubtsul if probable still probable Here is all you have from our Doughty Dr who confesses his own lost labour plainly enough So that what ever judgement saith Still page 567. he be passed upon the Miracles they cannot deny the Books I have made use of to be of greatest Authority of any extant in this kind and yet after all I am apt to think they will meet with à great deal of Infidelity from all that have not captivated their understanding to the Obedience of the Roman Faith I am apt to think Mr Dr What à faint Expression is this Who holds himselfe obliged to captivate his understanding to your Thoughts Had you truly told us that these Miracles upon due Examination have been proved false or improbable had you shown their Original Records unauthentick you
favour and Therefore it was meet in those dayes when Paganism recovered Strength to vindicate the Innocency of Martyrs Mr Dr Ex ore tuo te judico The whole cause shall be decided by your own words Were the Martyrs then Innocent Holy and Vertuous None doubt's it That Innocency and Vertue therefore supposed them endued with the true Faith of our Christian Verities And is it not most evident that they lived and dyed in that true Faith which they openly professed before the People and the worst of Tyrants No envious heart can Deny this Say then and you touch the Miracles wrought by Martyrs as well witnesse their faith as Innocency point in Question whether the Miracles wrought by them when persecuted might not as well to use your word be Signs whereby they testifyed to the world that their Faith vvas true as that they were Innocent and vertuous Why therefore do you Sr without any reason or Authority nay contrary to clear Evidence mince matters so as to make their Martyrdoms Attestations of their Innocency only and not of their Faith as if Forsooth either Like the silenced Divels mentioned they could not Speak or would not open their mouths to Professe Christ's Doctrin for which they dyed and God impowred them to make Publick Pretended Objections taken out of S. Chrysostom Answered Dr Still grosly abuses Iohn Gerson Chancellour of Paris 9. It is now high time to examin our Doctors S. Chrys in 1. Epist ap cor Homil. 6. Epit. Graecè Latine Heruch Aurel. Interp. Henr. Savil. Graece Edit Pariens Basiciensi Latine Quotations found as he thinks in S. Chrysostom against Church Miracles And first we are remitted to the Saints Commentary or exposition set forth in three or four Editions upon S. Pauls Epistles Reader I have exactly Perused every Edition and can never sufficiently wonder how it came to passe that the Dr Saw not his own fraud or had the face to produce S. Chrysostom against S. Chrysostom when it 's evident he owned as you have heard undeniable Miracles done in his Dayes and in all precedent Generations 10. I say first It is far more certain that true Miracles have been wrought in the Roman Catholick Church than that S. Chrysostom wrote this very Homily the Dr quotes For all Universally the Fathers Greek and Latin yea S. Chrysostom himselfe all Christians Generally even Hereticks and Turks likewise ever owned latter Miracles as most unquestionable but there is no such Assurance had of S. Chrysostom's penning this Homily And far lesse certainty that the Dr hit's upon it's true meaning wherein S Chrysostom in the Homily cited one Word against latter Miracles if there be à mistake the Dr ' s labour is lost I say 2. S. Chrysostom in this whole Homily has not one word contrary to the common Sentiment of Catholicks who positively Assert true Miracles to have been wrought in the Roman Catholick Church over and above those done by Christ and his Apostles 11. To prove my Assertion Know Reader that S. Chrysostom's chief Aime in this Homily is to Show the wonderful work of God in converting the world by Twelve Poor unlearned Fishermen which yet his Alseing Providence effected as the Saint Demonstrat's in the precedent Chapter when God made choise of the weak and most abject so the Apostle speak's to evacuate and destroy the Pride and wisdom of 1. Cor. 1. 19 the world to the End no Flesh might glory in his sight Hence it is that the Apostles were honoured with two great Priviledges the one saith S. Chrystom was to receive by Divine Inspiration The Apostles honoured with two special Priviledges what ever they taught We now living not so priviledged want that particular Prerogative and deliver Christ's Doctrin set down in Scripture which we received from those first great Lights of the Church The 2. Grace granted the Apostles was to work Miracles as the Gospel expresses Having called the twelve Disciples Matth. 10. v. 10. together he gave them Power over unclean Spirits to cast out Divels to cure all manner of diseases and all manner of Infirmities Observe well the Priviledge conferred upon all and every one That is as They had ample Power to preach the whole world over without restraint to write Canonical Scripture to constitute lawes for Christians so likewise they had Power to cure all manner of diseases and all manner of Infirmities Now this Se Prot. Apol Tract 2 c 3 sect 7. subd 2. p. with me 530. n. 2. Power as Authors observe being made an ordinary Gift to the Tvvelve or then annexed to that set number of Blessed men only was never granted to any other like multitude since Christ's time For as Brerely cited notes well the Gift of working Miracles after the Apostles Dayes vvas never ordinary or common to the Churches Pastors But peculiar to certain Persons and at certain times according to the special Dispensation of Gods Pleasure sometimes granted often denyed Thus much premised 12. Read S. Chrysostom and begin with that Question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For vvhat cause is it That the Apostles Signs are now forbidden The Saint expresly speak's of the Apostolical wonders not à word there of any like Power given to particular Persons in the Church Doth thou ask this Question saith the Saint not yet believing those Apostolical Wonders or as One desirous to learn the true Cause If as an Unbeliever Tell me how those blessed men neither rich nor Eloquent nor noble but contemptible in the Eyes of the world gained so many to the Christian Faith contrary to their natural Inclination when pampered up in all Delights and Pleasures Hovv did they accomplish this admirable work Speak plainly By doing Miracles or not If by Miracles I have my intent if not This is the greatest Miracle of all other that they persvvaded to Christ's Doctrin vvithout any Miracles He goes on That therefore such Apostolical Miracles for upon these his whole context fall's are not done novv is no Argument that they vvere not then done for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then it vvas expedient and profitable they should be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now not expedient useful or profitable Why then Expedient and profitable He Answers because God then manifested both Power and wisdom in reclaiming whole Nations from Infidelity by Choosing out twelve poor unlearned Fishermen to doe an admirable work in converting the â—e the Apostle cited world and humbling the pride and greatnesse of it No wonder Therefore if those blessed men had Priviledges above all other Teachers Why the Apostles special Priviledge in working Miracles wâ— once useful and now not But why not now either Expedient or useful S. Chrysostom Answers Because were such evident Signs annexed to Twelve men now and publickly shown the merit of Faith would be much abated for the more manifest à Miracle is Faith though still Faith loses something of its reward witnesse our
seem's to contradict Mr Dr and call's himselfe Gilbert Burnet this Gentleman ascribes great power to evil Spirits and Mr Burnet in his Rational Method for the proving the Truth of Christiā Religion c. page 24. and 25. saies Miracles cannot Determine his beliefe without some what previous to Miracles Then concludes The first and great Argument for the proof of Christian Religion is the purity of the Doctrin and the Holiness of its precepts which are so congruous to the Common Impressions of nature and reason I may here first Ask Mr Burnet of what Christian Religion he speaks There are Arians in the world that deny the Mystery of the Sacred Trinity and the Incarnation also Pelagians that deny the necessity of Divine Grace Grecians that deny the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and Son and finally Catholicks that believe these denyed Articles as Truths revealed by Almighty God All goe under the name of Christians And as you see contradict one another in the Very Fundamentals Mr Burnets Discourse found Weightles of Faith Speak out Mr Burnet the Difficulty here moved must not be flightly passed over is the Doctrin of so many dissenting Spirits in fundamentals pure Are the Precepts whereby every Society is obliged to follow the Doctrin it makes profession of Holy and Congruous Is it suitable to the Common Impressions of Nature and Reason Put us not off but Answer directly or point me out plainly that Society of Christians whose Doctrin only is pure and Percepts Holy or which is deemed by the wisest of the world so congruous to the Common Impressions of nature and reason If you extol your Puritans upon the account of their Pure Doctrin or your Protestants for Holy Precepts your first Reformers Luther Calvin Beza and the like will lay so much nastiness before your Eyes that the common light of Nature cannot but decry it as shameful and reason abhorre it Moreover you have not within the whole latitude of Protestancy as Protestancy one essential Article Se Reason and Religion Disc 1. c. 20. num 4. of Christian Doctrin pure For you have none at all Essential which is not either Popery and that 's no Doctrin of Protestancy as Protestancy or the long since Cashiered Opinions of condemned Hereticks as is amply proved in another Treatise A word now to your Exceptions against Miracles 12. You say 1. Some what previous to Miracles must have place ere we believe Christ's Doctrin and you build much upon its Congruity to the common Impressions of nature and reason Good Sr is the Sacred Mystery of the Trinity I hope you believe it which as Divines teach is above reason and transcend's all natural Discourse so Very congruous to the common Impressions of nature Our Lord Christ JESUS you know truly God and man after his painful labours was scourged and crucified by impious hands à scandal to the Iewes saith S Paul and foolishness to the Gentils Is this great Mystery 1. Cor 1. 2. 3. think ye so Very Congruous to reason You may say as the Apostle Writes that God to confound the wise made choise of things foolish in the eyes of men and of weak things to confound the strong But in doing so you run out of the reach of all natural Impressions and take your Proof from Divine Revelation so that if we yeild The high Mysteries of Faith transcend reason assent to these great Mysteries we are not to fix it upon any natural Principle but must believe because God has revealed them Now further But no man according to the present Order of Providence could ever prudently believe the Truth of that Revelation or own the Mysteries revealed evidently Credible Without Miracles and other prudent Motives Therefore Miracles Gods own Signatures were both necessary and ever previous to that firm assent which the Primitive Christians yeilded to the sublime Mysteries of Faith 13. Shall I prove what is here asserted by one clear and convincing Instance Suppose Almighty God should please to single out now Twelve poor Fishermen and impart many great Secrets never yet known to the world which cannot be known before they Preach Having commission from God they run from City to City and because so commanded faithfully declare what God told them For example The precise time of Antichrist's comming when the Day of Judgement will be how many are elected to eternal Glory how many rejected with other unknown Secrets but in the mean while A clear Instance proving what is asserted work no Miracles show no supernatural Signs only Speak and Preach Would prudent men think ye believe such Teachers or yeild assent to their Doctrin having no rational Motive to ground Beliefe upon But their bare word It is impossible Had therefore the blessed Apostles poor unlearned Fishermen by words only laid forth the Mysteries and high Secrets of our Faith had they only spoken of the sacred Trinity of that ineffable Mystery of God made man of the Dead rising to life again of the eternal pain due to the Damned and wrought no Miracles or exhibited no exteriour supernatural Wonders whereby to make their Doctrin Credible The whole world would have deemed them halfe frantick and dispised them as cheats or Authors of Novelties We se though they wrought stupendious Wonders yet how lingering and slow many were and are still in believing what then could have been expected had they shewed no Signs but à universal Incredulity 14. You Say 2. The Predictions of the Messias did all agree to our Saviour and received completion in him Very true Answers the Christian though the Iewes deny all and pervert these Prophesies to à sinister Sence And so much more your Barbarous Nations would have done had the blessed Apostles at their Preaching barely worded it or read out of the old Scriptures what Moses and the Prophets foretold of Christ But when they raised the dead to life cured the Infirm and visibly wrought other great Miracles before those they Preach't to the hardest hearts relented and yeilded to their Doctrin These Prophesies therefore are one partial Proof for Christianity but must not goe alone How the Motives of Credibility are to be taken without Miracles accompanying them Or if as taken Solitarily you hold them the chiefe or only motive you evince little The Motives of Credibility Sr are never to be look't on by retail or piecemeal joyned together they rationally convince devided from each other or considered one by one much of their Efficacy is lost 15. You Say 3. The strange Propagation of Christian Religion appear's not à sufficient Proof for Miracles I contrary hold it both stronge and convincing For as S. Austin discourses either The Propagation of the Gospel Miraculous Miracles as previous and the principal cause of that Propagation had influence upon it or not If they had Influence you grant what we plead for If not you must confesse the Propagation it selfe effected without
Thus it is plain that no other but God called up Samuel who by Divine illumination Prophecyed so exactly of that wicked King's End and the death of his Sons which Divels naturally could not foretel In like manner we read in Scripture that when King Ochozias lying 4. Reg. 1. v. 2. 3. sick sent Messengers to question Beelzebub the God of Accaron and enquired whether he was to dye or no Almighty God to prevent the foolery commanded Elias to tell the King he should not rise from his bed but dye And thus in raising Samuel the true Messenger he prevented the Pythonissa's Enchantment if yet she used any whereof Scripture gives no light at all My Assertion therefore remain's Firm that Divels cannot raise the dead 16. Neither can they cure any desperate Infirmity though in lesser matters much may be Desperate diseases not Curable by Divels done by natural remedies but to restore Sight to one borne blinde to take à Leg or Arm cut off and joyn it again to à maimed Body are cures above the power of Divels and were never yet wrought by Necromancie Again when circumstancies plainly show that all cures wrought by Christ and in the Church were done by Divine Virtue it 's madness to make the Divel Author of them Our Saviour cured the blind man and said he did it that God's works might be manifested John 9. had the Divel think ye any hand here Others implore help from the blessed Saints in Heaven and after earnest prayer recover perfect health suddenly can such works be ascribed to Divels or Necromancy when the very circumstances of their Prayers directed to Almighty God and his Saints evidence the contrary Reflect I beseech you Shall God and his Saints be called on for à Favour and must the Divel interpose his Art and do it All is ridiculous 17. The second thing gathered from this A Comparison between the primitive Miracles and those wrought in the Church whole Discourse and most to be reflected on is the comparison made between our Saviours Miracles and others wrought in the Church Those firâ—â— before Scripture registred them were rationally proved upon humane Faith works of à Divine Power and so are all Church Miracles when attested upon Oath or seen by many Ey-witnesses whose credit was never stained The Dr therefore must either prove such sworn Persons perâ—ured and those Ey-witnesses deluded in what they saw or if humane Faith be in the world he cannot but grant that the Church has had most glorious Miracles wrought in It. In case he say he will not yeild assent to any though svvorn Ey-vvitnesses of à Miracle I Ask what if he had lived in our Saviours time and only heard by à Moral certain report of Lazarus raised to life would he not upon humane faith have prudently yeilded assent to that known and much famed Miracle If not Why should any other rational man have then prudently assented to it upon humane faith Why should not all in like manner have suspended their assent and believed nothing till Scripture registred our Saviours Miracles which would therefore like dead Signs have lain in obscurity without Universal Fame never so much as prudently spoken of Neither could they then have had any Influence upon Faith in those Dayes before mens eyes saw them Written in Holy Scripture Such consequences if granted are desperate and would be decryed as pernicious the whole Christian world over 18. It may be the Dr will say the Reporters Latter witnesses as faithful as those were who saw the primitive Miracles of our Saviours Miracles were far more honest and faithful than those are who either saw or wrote of Miracles done in the Church And therefore upon their word he would have believed those Ancient Miracles Mr Dr let us not word it hut come to Principles Show me what you have against the honesty and sincerity of S. Ambrose of S. Irenaeus S. Austin S. Ierome and S. Bernard who both saw and have Written of Miracles What exception have you against those who saw Miracles wrought by S. Thomas Cantilupe by S. Xaverius to say nothing of others Discredit these Ey-witnesses if you can But fob us not off with à proof taken from your own Incredulity that signifies as little as your many empty words and simple Jeers doe we require stronger proofs from à Dr of Divinity but God only knowes when they 'le see light ever or never 19. The Dr thinks we of the Roman Church page 699. can give no evident Distinction between the Miracles we pretend to and such as we are bid to beware of he means Legerdemain Miracles This Cavil also impugn's our Saviours Miracles which the Iewes rejected as Hereticks doe the Churches My answer is Just as you distinguish between those Primitive Miracles and all false lying Wonders so we distinguish between our Miracles and those other pretended to by Heathens and Hereticks The outward appearance The Churches Miracles are as well distinguished from Lying wonders as the ancient Miracles were of Christ's Miracles and the Churches is the very same Lazarus raised to life lived afterward many year's and so did those of whom S. Irenaeus cited speak's Now if you credit not Irenaeus S. Ambrose and others who saw great Miracles we are out of all good Principles and must contradict these grave Ey-witnesses because you forsooth are incredulous and will not believe them 20. The true distinction briefly between Wherein this distinction consist's all true Miracles whether wrought by Christ or in the Church and lying Wonders is taken from the Greatness vast number and admirable Effects manifested in those first Ey-witnesses that saw them whereof I have spoken largely above And there noted that real Miracles ever show another Lustre Light and Majesty not perceptible in any Charms or jugling Wonders You Sr say again in the same Page We cannot prove that Miracles wrought in the Church could be done for no other End than to prove the Churches Infallibility I answer first They have been wrought that 's undeniable unlesse all humane Faith goe to wreck for what End we shall see in the ensuing chapter CHAP. XVI VVhy Miracles are wrought in the Church Of their two fold End Miracles rationally prove the Doctrin of Christ and the Church infallible Clear Miracles have been wrought in confirmatian of every Doctrin taught by the Church Of Dr Stillingfleets simple Reply to two known and renowned Miracles VVhether Aesculapius cured à woman in the Temple of Epidaurus The Dr ' s Story of Pythagoras his golden Thigh examined found à fourb or at most Necromancy 1. DR Still in the page cited peremptorily concludes It must be shewed that our Miracles could be wrought for no other End but to prove the Church Infallible Why so Mr Dr Can you show that every Miracle which Christ and his Apostles wrought were done for no other End but to prove Christ's Doctrin Infallible Or did those first great Masters
lib. 10. de Civit c. 16. 4. Reg. 1. v 10. Plato l. 10. de Republ. Elias his calling down fire from Heaven Here you have another of the Dr ' s Questions To lay forth this folly yet more plainly shall we go on à little Plato recount's that Aerus slain in à battel lay ten dayes dead had his Body cast into à burning Pile of wood and there not only came to life again but also made à Relation of all the Accidents which happened in that Fight Pliny saith Medina tell 's the like cited by Medina l. 2. p. 58. B. Story of Cneus Aelius Tubero stark dead who thrown into à great fire forthwith revived and afterward had the dignity of Pretour confered upon him in Rome Nay some Grecians have Open fopperies of Heathens worth nothing but contempt Written that the fabulous Aesop of Phrygia really dead was restored to life Now to retort the Dr ' s Questions I ask why may not these Resuscitations be thought every whit as Miraculous as those were whom Christ and his Apostles raised from death to life If he Answer all are true alike but not of equal certainty because Scripture gives indubitable assurance of what is read there he must grant that Virgils Magician could as truly force the Stars back and Lucans Charmes fetch down the moon from Heaven Shall I credit Aesops resuscitation I will give as much beliefe to Lucans lunatick Fancy No disparity can be imagined 16. If on the other side the Dr Judges with Medina and all Christian Writers this fetching down the moon and these pretended Resuscitations of the dead to be meer Fictions and Heathenish inventions or at most no more but Charmes and Illusions he Answers his own Questions and must list his Wonders among lying Fables or hold them as I now said Cheats done by Legerdemain In case he yeilds not thus far to the common Iudgemet of Christians he will be forced to bring the greatest Miracles our Saviour wrought into open Contempt for who can set à high value upon those certain Miracles testifyed by eternal Truth to be greater than ever man wrought Is Heathens have done as great ones yea and some greater 17. The Dr's chiefest Aime in some of the Reason and Religion Disc 2. c. 8. num 20. Questions proposed was to discredit two known and clear attested Miracles whereof I gave à large Account in another Treatise The one relates to the Admirable cure wrought by S. Francis Xaverius upon F. Marcellus Mastrilli à dying man restored to perfect health in à moment of time I show'd there how the Miracle was examined upon Oath openly attested before lawful Judges legally approved and finally believed F. Marcellus Miraculously cured in à Moment upon humane Faith over all Italy France and Spain I much urged one manifest Proof taken from S. Xaverius his Prophesy of Marcellus his going into the Indies and there dying à Martyr for Christ which being known and openly divulged long before Marcellus suffered would have exposed all those who made it publick to shameful Disgrace had not the real Effect of the Virtuous mans Martyrdom evidently shown the Prophesy fulfilled and most exactly true Neither S. Xaverius his Prophesy exactly fulfilled proves the Miracle Divel nor mortal man could certainly foretell things so remote lyable as I noted to à hundred casualities and uncertainties For what if Marcellus no strong man had dyed in the way What if Pyrats had taken the Ship that carried him What if it had perished by Tempest Would not think ye the most prudent men have exploded all those as besotted who so peremptorily avouched upon the Prophesy Marcellus his arrival in the Indies and there dying à Martyr God therefore was the Author of that Prediction and consequently his Divine Power using S. Xaverius as Instrumental wrought the Miracle Much more you have of this Miracle in the place already Quoted 18. Reader now give à little attention and Aelian l. 9. de animal cap. 33. you shall hear how Strangely the Dr goes about to obscure this manifest Work of God by à meer fabulous Story He cites Aelianus and thinks as I said Aesculapius his cure upon à woman in the Temple of Epidaurus to have been as great as this done upon Marcellus Briefly 19. The Title of that 33. Chapter is of à great The Dr would confute this Miracle by à False fabulous Story Vertue contained in an Herb called Abrotonum or Abrotonus in English Souththernwood excellent against belly worms not curable saith the Story by humane Art To perswade this incurability Hyppis Rheginus as Aelianus has it tell 's of à woman Sick of these worms whom no Physician could cure She therefore went to implore help of the Gods at Epidaurus when by chance Aesculapius was abroad however his Officers or Ministers there took her in hand and first commanded her to rest à while then cut off her head and one of them forcing his hand into her belly pulled out à mighty great Mawworm But could not joyn the head to the Body as it was before till the God Aesculapius came home Upon his return he chid those Ministers and said they had gone beyond all humane skill then Aesculapius set's the womans head upon her shoulders and restord her to life O Aesculapius cryes out Hippis Rheginus great is thy wisdom amongst all the Gods and wonderful are the Cures wrought by the herbe Southernwood Thus Claudius Aelianus who neither relates the Story as à Truth nor can ascribe so great Virtue to any Herb as to restore life to à dead woman You will say Aesculapius did the wonder by his divine Power That is to Say the Divel if Vives in his notes upon S. Austins 16. chap. cited any did it For as Ludovicus Vives observes Aesculapius was himselfe the Serpent he means the Divel in à Serpents Likeness or had with him as companion à Dragon-Divel and therefore is usually painted with à Dragon or Serpent wrapped about à staffe 20. Here you have briefly Dr Still Story told out as vain à Fable as ever was heard or at most an Illusion of the Divel And can this be paralled with à Saint's Miracle wrought upon à great Servant of God when the very Circumstances as Aelianus recount's them give the Divel as great Power in working Miracles as ever our Saviour had All is à Fourb never examined never attested upon Oath never approved by any nor as I shall presently note gained Belief among the wisest of Heathen 21. Whoever desires more of these Heathenish August lib. 18. de Civit c. 17. 18 S. Austin's Words Fictions or false Illusions may read S. Austin Some saith the Saint relate incredible things of the famous witch Circe that changed Vlisses his companions into beasts others talk much as I was informed passing through Italy of women that giving cheese to Travellers could make them appear like bruit Animals So Apulius writes of himselfe in