A second discourse in vindication of the Protestant grounds of faith, against the pretence of infallibility in the Roman Church in answer to The guide in controversies by R.H., Protestancy without principles, and Reason and religion, or, The certain rule of faith by E.W. : with a particular enquiry into the miracles of the Roman Church / by Edward Stillingfleet ... Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A71073 of text R12158 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing S5634). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 609 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 210 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A71073 Wing S5634 ESTC R12158 11825029 ocm 11825029 49657 2248511947

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A71073) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 49657) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 780:3 or 826:12) A second discourse in vindication of the Protestant grounds of faith, against the pretence of infallibility in the Roman Church in answer to The guide in controversies by R.H., Protestancy without principles, and Reason and religion, or, The certain rule of faith by E.W. : with a particular enquiry into the miracles of the Roman Church / by Edward Stillingfleet ... Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699. [15], 295-695, [3] p. Printed by R.W. for H. Mortlock ..., London : 1673. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library and Duke University Library. Forms pt. 2 of his "An answer to several late treatises occasioned by a book entitled, A discourse concerning the idolatry practised in the Church of Rome. The first part." (Wing S5559). Errata: prelim. p. [15]. Marginal notes. Advertisement: p. [2]-[3] at end. eng R. H., 1609-1678. -- Guide in controversies. E. W. -- (Edward Worsley), 1605-1676. -- Protestancy without principles. E. W. -- (Edward Worsley), 1605-1676. -- Reason and religion. Catholic Church -- Infallibility -- Controversial literature. eebo A second discourse in vindication of the Protestant grounds of faith, against the pretence of infallibility in the Roman Church, in answer to The guid Stillingfleet, Edward, 1673 420 110876 1652 0 0 0 2 0 150.8 F The rate of 150.8 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2004-02 Assigned for keying and markup 2004-03 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-04 Sampled and proofread 2004-04 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-07 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

Imprimatur ,

Sam. Parker R. in Christo Patri ac Dno. Dno. Gilberto , Arch. Episc. Cantuar. à sac . Dom. April 15. 1673.

A SECOND DISCOURSE IN VINDICATION OF THE Protestant Grounds of Faith , Against the Pretence of INFALLIBILITY In the ROMAN CHURCH , In Answer to The Guide in Controversies by R. H Protestancy without Principles , AND Reason and Religion , or the Certain Rule of Faith by E. W. With a particular Enquiry into the Miracles of the Roman Church .

By Edward Stillingfleet D. D. Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty .

LONDON , Printed by R. W. for H. Martlock , at the Sign of the Phoenix in St. Paul's Church-Yard , and at the White Hart in Westminster Hall . 1673.

To the Right Honourable ANTHONY Earl of SHAFTSBURY , Lord High Chancellour OF ENGLAND , &c. My Lord ,

I HOPE it will not be thought unseasonable to make an Address of this nature to Your Lordship in the Beginning of Term , since the great Cause at present in Your Court ( as one of late pleasantly said ) is thaet between the King and the Pope , between our Church and the Church of Rome . And while so many Witnesses are daily sworn of the Kings and the Churches side ; it may not be improper to lay open to Your Lordship the Nature and Merits of the Cause .

A Cause , My Lord , which was at first set on Foot by Ambition , carried on by Faction , and must therefore be maintained by the like means ; but can never hope to prevail among us again , till subjection to a Forreign Power can be thought our Interest , and to part at once with Reason and Religion be esteemed our Honour . It is a Cause much of the nature of some others depending before Your Lordship , more vexatious than difficult ; and managed by such Advocates who being retained in the Cause , though they have nothing material to say for it , yet are ashamed to be silent . Who are alwayes disputing about an end of Controversies , but at the same time do their utmost to increase and perpetuate them ; and are ready to foment our differences that they may make use of them to their own advantage .

While we have such restless Adversaries to deal with , part of our danger lyes in being too secure of the Goodness of our Cause : and methinks there can be little satisfaction in lying still or quarrelling with each other , when we know our common enemies to be at work undermining of us . But whatever repose others enjoy , my Adversaries seem to deal with me , as some do with those whom they suspect of Witchcraft ; they think by pinching me so often , and keeping me from taking rest , to make me say at last as they would have me . But the comfort is , as long as I am secure of my senses , I am of my Religion against theirs : if I once lose them or my understanding , I know not whether it may be my fortune to be carried to Rome , or some more convenient place . And in my opinion they deal with those under their care , as if they believed them not to be in their right senses , for they keep them alwayes in the dark , and think nothing more dangerous than to let in light upon them . Wherein I cannot deny , but considering the nature of their Cause , they take the most effectual course to maintain it ; for it not being capable of enduring a severe tryal , nothing can preserve its reputation , but Ignorance and Credulity : which are therefore in so great esteem among them , that if it were a Custome to Canonize Things as well as Persons , we might find those sacred names in their Litanies ; and addresses as solemn made to them , as ever were to Faith and Vertue among the elder and wiser Romans .

I need not go far , for an Instance of their design to advance , even in this Inquisitive Age , the Honour of these two great Pillars of their Church : For if your Lordship shall be pleased to cast Your eye on the following Discourse , especially that part which concerns the Miracles of the Roman Church , You will find fufficient evidence of it almost in every Page . When I first engaged in this Controversie I could hardly believe what I now see , that they would ever have brought it to this issue with me , viz. That they would renounce all claim to Infallibility , if they did not produce as great Miracles wrought in their Church to attest it , as ever were wrought by Christ or his Apostles . The boldness of which assertion , and the pernicious influence of it upon Christianity it self , hath made me take the more pains in the examination of it . Which I have done with so much care in consulting their own approved Authors , that I hope at last they will grow ashamed of that groundless calumny , that I do not deal fairly in the citing of them . A calumny so void of proof , that I could desire no better argument of a baffled Cause , than such impertinent Clamours . But if impudent sayings will serve their turn , they need never fear what can be written against them . Do they indeed think me a man so void of common sense , as to expose my self so easily to the contempt of every one that will but take pains to compare my citations ? Have I the Books only in my own keeping ? or are they so rare that they cannot get a sight of them ? How then come they to know them to be false quoted ? But alas ! they are men of business , and have not leisure to search out and compare Books , and therefore the shortest way is to say , that without doubt they are all false . Their numbers certainly are not so small , nor their business so great , but they might have spared some to have undertaken this task particularly , if I had been faulty : and in my mind it had been of some consequence to have freed their Church from those heavy imputations of Fanaticism , and destroying the necessity of a good life , from the Testimony of their own Authors . But if these could not move them , I desire them not to spare me in this present subject of Miracles , wherein I profess to relye on the Testimony of their own Writers ; if they shew me any wilful mistakes therein , I will endeavour to give them publick satisfaction .

Were I not well assured , My Lord , of the Strength of my Evidence , as well as of the Goodness of my Cause , I should never have appeared in it before a Person of so sharp and piercing a Judgement as Your Lordship . But I have the rather presumed to offer this Discourse into Your Lordships hands , and to send it abroad under the Protection of Your Name , not only thereby to acknowledge the particular Favours I have received from Your Lordship ; but to thank You on a more publick Account , I mean for Your late generous owning the Cause of our Religion and Church in so Critical a time ; which not only gives a present Lustre to Your Name , but will preserve it with Honour to Posterity . I am ,

My Lord , Your Lordships most obliged and faithful Servant Edward Stillingfleet .
The Contents . CHAP. 1. An answer to the Guide in Controversies about Infallibility and the Resolution of Faith . THE State of the Controversie . p. 295. The Principles of the Guide in Controversies . p. 300. Those Principles Considered . p. 304. Of Particular Divine Revelation as the Ground of Faith . p. 308. The Resolution of Divine faith must agree to all . p. 314. Of immediate assent . p. 316. Of the assistance of the Holy Ghost . p. 318. The absurdities of the Guides Principles . 322. CHAP. II. The Principles of E. W. about Divine Faith laid down and considered . E. W's . Principles laid done . p. 329. Some things premised to the State of the Question . p. 340. Of the necessity of Grace and the sense of Moral certainty in this Controversie . p. 346. 347. Gods veracity as the foundation of faith not received on divine Revelation . p. 349. Of the notion of Divine faith . p. 353. The true State of the Question . p. 358. My first argument laid down and defended . p. 361. Of the Motives of Credibility and their influence upon faith . p. 369. Of the Grounds of Faith . p. 376. Of the School-notion of the obscurity of faith . p. 383. Of the Scripture notion of it . p. 386. Of the power of the will in the assent of faith . p. 395. The second argument defended against E. W. p. 400. Of the Circle in the resolution of faith not avoided by E. W. p. 423. CHAP. III. An enquiry into the Miracles of the Roman Church . E. W's . assertions about the miracles of the Roman Church . p. 434. The ways proposed for examination of them . p. 439. Of the miraculous translation of the Chappel of Loreto . p. 441. Of the miracles wrought at the Chappel of Loreto . p. 452. Of the miracles wrought by St. James at Compostella . p. 465. Of St. Mary Magdalens vial and other Reliques . p. 476. Of the miracles of St. Dominick . p. 488. Of the miracles of the Rosary of the B. Virgin . p. 493. Of the miracles of St. Francis . p. 496. Of the miracles related of the British and Irish Saints . p. 505. Of the Testimonies of St. Chrysostom and St. Augustin against the continuance of the power of miracles . p. 567. Of the miracles of St. Vincentius Ferrerius . p. 574. Of the Testimonies of their own Writers against the miracles of the Roman Church . p. 585. Of the miracles reported by Bede and St. Gregory . p. 589. Of the miracles wrought in the Indies . p. 615. Of the Impostures and forgeries of miracles in the Roman Church in several examples . p. 624. Of the insufficiency of this argument from their miracles to prove the Infullibility of their Church . p. 663. Several conclusions about the proof of miracles . p. 664. The miracles of Heathens and Hereticks compared with those of the Roman Church . p. 670.
ERRATA .

PAge 302. line 28. read ultimate . p. 343. l. 15. ● . asse●t p. 421. l. 13 r. signatures . p. 437. l. 13. r. convince . l. 18. r. disp●ssessed . p. 493. l. 15. r. consi●●ing p. 502. l. 24. r. several p. 508. l. 22. r. any better p. 549. after Saints insert ▪ than p. 590. l. 14. r. ●o●l , p. 641. l. 11. r. Anglerius .

CHAP. I. An Answer to the Guide in Controversies about Infallibility , and the Resolution of Faith .

§ . 1. THere are two great Pleas for The state of the Controversie about Infallibility , and the Resolution of Faith . the necessity of Infallibility in the Roman Church , one to make an end of Controversies , the other to lay a sufficient Foundation for divine Faith . Having therefore fully examined the former Plea in the foregoing discourse , I shall now proceed to the latter ; with a particular respect to those Adversaries , who have undertaken the Defence of the Cause of the Church of Rome against me in this Controversie . And because all this dispute refers to the Principles of Faith , I shall undertake to shew ,

1. That the Principles laid down by them are false and fallacious .

2. That the Protestant Principles defended by me are sound and true .

1. For the better examination of their Principles , I shall give a brief account of the Rise and State of this Controversie about the Grounds of Faith . The Arch-Bishops Adversary in Conference with him , asked how he knew the Scripture to be the Word of God , hoping thereby to drive him to the necessity of owning the Infallible Testimony of the present Roman Church : but he failed so much of his end , that the Arch-Bishop fully proved , that such a Testimony could not be the Foundation of that Faith , whereby we believe the Scriptures , to be the Word of God ; and that there are sufficient Grounds for Faith without it . One of the great arguments whereby he disproved that way of Resolving Faith was , that it was impossible to avoid a vitious circle in proving the Churches infallibility by Scripture , and the Scripture by the Infallible Testimony of the Church . This difficulty , which hath puzled the greatest Wits of the Roman Church , his Answerer thought to avoid by saying , that the Churches Infallibility was not primarily proved by the Scripture , but by the Motives of Credibility which belong to the Church in the same manner that Moses and the Prophets , Christ and his Apostles were proved to be Infallible . Which bold assertion obliged me in a large discourse to shew these three things . 1. That this way of resolving Faith was manifestly unreasonable . 2. That supposing it true he could not avoid the circle by it . 3. That it was false and built on no other ground but a daring confidence .

1. The first I proved . 1. Because an Assent is hereby required beyond all proportion or degree of evidence ; the Assent required being Infallible and the evidence only probable and prudential Motives . 2. Because hereby they must run into all the Absurdities they would seek to avoid , it being impossible to give a better account of Faith by the Infallibility of the Roman Church , than we can do without it ; both sides acknowledging that those Motives of Credibility do hold for the Scriptures , which are by us denied to belong to their Church ; and if faith as to the Scriptures be uncertain if it rely on them , much more must it be so as to the Churches Infallibility : If divine Faith as to the Scriptures can rest upon motives of Credibility , there can be no necessity of the Churches Infallibility to a divine faith ; if it cannot , how come those motives to be a sufficient ground for such a Faith as to the Church ? For the Churches Infallibility being the reason as to them of believing the things contained in the Scripture , it ought to be believed with a faith equally divine with that whereby we are to believe the Scriptures which are the instrument of conveyin● the matters of Faith to us . Besides , th● leaves every mans reason to be judge in th● choice of his Religion ; because every ma● must satisfie himself as to the credibility o● those motives . And after all , this way o● Resolving Faith by the Churches Infallibility , doth unsettle the very Foundations o● Faith laid by Christ and his Apostles , wh● all supposed a rational certainty of the motives of Faith to be a sufficient Foundatio● for it ; but the pretence of Infallibility do●● overthrow the evidence of sense and reason and put the whole tryal of the Truth of Christianity upon the pitiful proofs which the● bring for the Church of Romes Infallibility . And when they have brought men to it they cannot assure them what that Church is which they attribute this Infallibility to who in that Church are the proper subjects of it ; what kind of Infallibility it is ; no● when the Church doth define Infallibly : so many things are to be believed without reason , both as the persons who are to define , and the manner of their definitions .

2. Supposing this way true , the Circle still remains : which I proved by three things . ● . From the nature of the faith they enquire for a resolution of , which is not humane but Divine Faith . For the Question was not , whether by another kind of Assent they could not escape the circle ; but whether they could ●o it in the resolution of Divine Faith or not ? Either then the Churches Infallibility is not to be believed with a Divine Faith , or there may be a Divine Faith without an Infallible Testimony , or this Divine Faith of the Churches Infallibility , must be built on the Scripture , and so the Circle returns . 2. From the persons whose faith is to be resolved ; the way of resolving faith being a different thing from proving a matter of Faith to an Adversary ; granting then that to those who deny the Churches Infallibility , but allow the Scriptures , they may prove the one by the other yet this signifies nothing to the Resolution of their own Faith , which is the thing enquired after : and yet even in proving to ●d●ersaries the Churches Infallibility from Scipture● they cannot avoid the Circle , when the Question returns about the sense of those places ; for then they must run to the Church ; because the Church which is Infallible hath delivered this to be the sense of them . 3. From the nature of that Infallibility which they attribute to the Church , which being not by immediate divine Revelation , but by a Supernatural Assistance promised in Scripture it is impossible to prove this Infallibility , but by first proving the truth of tha● Scripture wherein these promises are contained , and so the Circle still returns ; for the believe the Scriptures Infallible because o● the Churches Testimony , and they belie●● the Church Infallible because of the Promises of her Assistance recorded in Scripture .

3. It is false that there are the same motive of credibility as to the Churches Infallibility which there were for the Infallibility of Mos●● and the Prophets , Christ and his Apostles which T. C. therefore very wisely declined t● prove , and only said it was sufficient to she● how he had escaped the Circle .

§ . 2. This is a brief account of that pan The Principles of the Guide in Controversies . Guide in Contro . disc. 3. Ch 10. Sect. 123. of the Resolution of Faith which hath bee● since assaulted by two several Adversarie● but in different ways . The first of them i● the Guide in Controversies ; who ingenuousl● confesseth the Question about the Resolutio● of Faith upon their Principles to be intricat● ; so any one might easily guess by the intricacy and obscurity of his answer to it . I shall endeav●ur to bring it to as much clearness a● possibly I can ; that I may the better represent the force and consequences of it . The substance of what he saith , may be reduced to these propositions .

1. That the Church may be considered two ways . 1. As a Society already manifested Sect. 126. by Divine Revelation ( whether written or unwritten ) to be infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost . 2. As a Society of men whose Testimony is to be received upon prudential motives .

2. That the Church being considered in the former of the two acceptions ; the infallible Sect. 127. authority and testimony thereof is not only an introductive into , but one of the articles of divine faith ; and that so many as believe the Churches Infallibility in this sense , may safely resolve their divine faith of other articles of their belief into its delivering them as such .

3. That whatever this Infallible Authority of the Church be , it is not necessary that Ibid. every one for attaining a divine and saving faith , be infallibly certain of this Infallible Authority ; or as he elsewhere expresseth it ; that it is not necessary for divine faith , that Sect. 135. it should always have an external rationally-infallible ground , or motive thereto ( whether Church-authority or any other ) on his part that so believes : or that he have some extrinsecal motive or proponent of which he is infallibly certain that it is infallible .

4. There are two sorts of faith to be resolved divine and humane , or infused and acquisite ; the one is always built upon divine Sect. 143. 153. 148. Revelation , the other needs no more than prudential motives , or such as are sufficiently credible or morally infallible ; on which an acquired or humane faith securely rests .

5. That there must be particular ultimate divine Revelation , ( which may not be to all Sect. 144 , 145. the same but to some one , to some another , viz. either Scripture , or Churches Testimony , or Apostolical Tradition or Miracles ) beyond which he can resolve his divine faith no further , for proving or confirming which revelation , he can produce no other divine revelution , but there must end ; unless a process be made in infinitum , or a running round .

6. Divine Faith as to such altimate particular divine Revelation , cannot be grounded meerly on Gods veracity , but that God hath Sect. 145. said this particular thing which we believe ( namely that the testimony of the Church , or Apostles , or Scriptures is true ) which must either be grounded ( that it may be the Foundation of a divine faith ) on some other divine Revelation and so in infinitum , or else I must rest there with an immediate assent to it .

7. The internal efficient of all Divine faith is the power or Grace of the Holy Ghost illuminating the understanding , that Sect. the prime verity cannot lye in whatever thing it reveals ; and also that the particular articles of our faith are its Revelations ; and perswading and operating in the Will such a firm adherence unto these articles , as many times far exceeds that of any humane science or demonstrations .

8. The ultimate resolution of a Christians divine faith , as to the extrinsecal prime motive , ground , reason or principle thereof , S●c● that equals in certainty the faith built upon it , can be no other than that particular divine Revelation which is first made known to him , or from which in building his faith ●e proceeds to the rest ; as to the internal efficient , it is into the Grace of the Holy Spirit .

9. The motives of credibility , or the rational evidence of the truth of Christianity do serve indeed antecedently for an introductive to , or ( after it introduced ) for a S●ct . 148. confirmative of this divine faith , i. e. to make it credible or acceptable to humane reason ( my own or others ) that this faith is true and no way liable to error ; that I am assured in it by the holy and no seducing Spirit ; but not to constitute it in the notion of faith divine ; because the faith so stiled is supposed to rest always on an higher ground . viz. Revelation Divine .

10. That the infallibility of the Church grounded on Divine Revelation and believed by a divine faith is a main ground and pillar of a Catholicks faith for any other articles Sect. 153. thereof , that are established by the sam● Churches Definitions , where the Scriptures , or Tradition Apostolick are to him doubtful . Of which ground and assurance of such points ( believed by Catholicks from the Churches infallible Authority ) the Protestant● faith is destitute .

§ . 3. These are the Principles upon which Those Principles considered . this Guide in Controversies undertakes to clear this intricate Question , and to free their resolution of faith from the danger of a circle ; I have but two small things to object against this way . 1. That it gives up the cause in dispute . 2. That notwithstanding it doth not avoid the main difficulties .

1. That it gives up the cause in Dispute● which was whether the Infallible Testimony of the Church be the necessary Foundation of Divine Faith ? for upon occasion of the supposed necessity of this Infallibility , the Question was first started ; this Infallibility being asserted to be necessary by T. C. and was the thing I chiefly opposed in the discourse of the Resolution of Faith . Now this the Guide in Controversies freely yields to me , and consequently the main Foundation of Faith asserted by my Adversary is destroyed : as plainly appears by the third Proposition , wherein he affirms that an external infallible proponent is not necessary to divine Faith . But this he doth not barely affirm , but , he saith , it is copiously proved by many learned Catholicks : and to this purpose he cites Cardinal Lugo speaking of Divine Lugo de ●irtute Fidei disp . 1. Sect. 12. P. 247. Faith , who saith , that the infallibility of the Church cannot be the first Ground of Divine Faith ; because this Infallible Authority of the church by Assistance of the Holy Ghost is it self an article of Divine Faith . And experience tells us that all Children or adult persons first coming to the Faith , do not apprebend much less infallibly believe , this Infallible Authority in the Church before any other article of Faith . And in the Law of Nature and under the Law of Moses , the Churches proposition was not necessary in order to faith ; but the instruction of Parents was sufficient in one , and the doctrine of Moses and the Prophets in the other , before their Prophecies were received by the Church . He cites Estius likewise speaking of this Divine Es●i . in 3. sent. 23. d. Sect. 13. and Salvifical faith , that it is not material to faith what medium God makes use of to bestow this gift of Faith upon men : many having believed that knew nothing of the Churches infallibility . He cites Layman Paul . Lay-man . Th●olog . moral. 2. l. lr. 1. c. 5. asserting that it often comes to pass , that other articles of our faith are explicitly believed before that of the Churches Infallibility ; and withal this Infallibility of the Church , depends upon the promise of the spirit ; therefore men must first believe that there is a spirit of God and consequently the holy Trinity . Farther saith he , it is plain that the primitive Christians did believe with divine Faith , not for the Authority of the Church , which either was not founded yet ( when St. Peter believed Christ to be the Son of the living God ) or had not defined any doctrines of Faith . Again he denies the Churches Authority to be the formal principle or motive of Faith ; and that for this very good reason , because this infallible Authority of the Church is one of the things to be believed . Nay he cites Fa. Knot himself in his reply to Chillingworth affirming Christians may have a true Knots answer to Chillingworth p. 358. Infallible Divine Faith , of which faith they have only a fallible proponent , nor are infallibly certain thereof , i. e. as to the proponent . I now appeal to the indifferent reader whether the main thing contended for by me , viz. that the infallible Testimony of the Church is not necessary in order to Faith , be not here fully granted to me ?

2. But yet the account of Faith here given is very far from clearing the chief difficulties of it , as will appear by these two things . 1. That this resolution of Divine Faith is very unsatisfactory in it self . ● 2. That it is liable to the absurdities which he seeks to avoid by it .

1. That the resolution of Divine Faith laid down by him is very unsatisfactory in it self : the principles of which are these . 1. That Divine Faith must rest upon Divine Revelation . 2. This Divine Revelation upon which faith is built is that which is first made known to the person , and from which he proceeds to other matters of faith . 3. This Divine Revelation is not one and the same to all , but to some the Authority of the Scriptures , to some the Authority of the Church , to some Apostolical Tradition . 4. Divine Faith must rest upon this Revelation with an immediate assent to it , without enquiring further , for if there be any further process there must be so in infinitum or a circle . 5. That the Holy Ghost doth illuminate the understanding of him that believes , both as to the veracity of God and the truth of his Revelation , and causes such a firm adherence of faith , as many times far exceeds that of any humane Science or demonstrations . But in this way I can neither be satisfied , 1. What that particular divine Revelation is , which this divine Faith doth rest upon ? Not 2. How this Faith can equally rest in several persons upon several ways ? Nor 3. How it can rest with an immediate assent upon any way ? Nor 4. Wherein this way differs from resolving Faith into the Testimony of the Spirit ?

§ . 4. I cannot understand what that particular Of particular divine Revelation as the ground of Faith . divine Revelation is into which as into it● prime extrinsecal motive , Faith is here resolved ? The thing enquired after is the reason of believing the truth of what God hath publickly revealed to mankind , as we say he hath done the Doctrines of Christianity the ultimate resolution of divine Faith as to this I am told is that particular divine Revelation , which is first made known to a man : i● this particular divine Revelation the sam● with Gods publick and general Revelation o● distinct from it ? If it be the same it can offer no reason for my Faith , unless the same thing may be proved by it self ; if it be different , then God makes use of particular divine Revelations to men different from his publick , into which they are to resolve their Faith . Suppose then the Question be thus put , why do you believe that Christ shall come to judge the quick and the dead ? The general Answer is , because God that cannot lie hath revealed it ; but then the Question returns on what ground do you believe this Revelation to have been from God with such a divine Faith as must rest upon divine Revelation ? For such you assert to be necessary . To this the Guide in Controversies Answers , that the ultimate resolution of a Christians divine Faith is into that particular divine Revelation first made known to him . What particular divine Revelation I beseech him is that , on which I ground the divine Faith of this Proposition , that the Doctrine of Scripture is Gods Revelation ? For of that we enquire . It cannot be understood of the rational evidence of the truth of the divine Revelation ; for that is asserted by him not to be a sufficient foundation for divine Faith , which must rest upon nothing short of divine Revelation : I would gladly be informed and directed by this Guide in Controversies , since I must believe Gods Revelation with a divine Faith , and this divine Faith must rest upon a divine Revelation ; what that particular divine Revelation is on which I am to believe with divine Faith , the truth of Gods publick and general Revelation ? I have endeavoured to find out what his meaning herein is , but I confess I cannot : sometimes he seems to den● any resolution at all of this divine faith into an● further principles , and quotes Layman with approbation , who saith , that the formal reason of believing what God saith is his veracity ; but that God hath revealed such thing it . 133. to us , cannot be any further resolved or pr●ved by divine Faith . In the next Section he saith , That divine Faith doth not resolve into an extrinsecal , even morally infallibl● Sect. 134 motive thereof either as the formal cause , o● always as the applicative introductive o● condition of this divine Faith . From whence it follows , that this divine Faith may be where there is neither infallible nor prudential motive ; i. e. it may be , where no account at all can be given of it ; for all motives must be of one sort or other ; and yet this divine Faith doth rest upon a particular divine Revelation , of which since no account can be given , it is unreasonable to expect it . But I will try yet further by an Instance of his own . The Question put by him is , why he believes the things contained in the Gospel of St. Matthew , to be divinely revealed ; he Answers , That he resolves his Faith of the truth of those contents not into the Churches saying they are true , although he believe all that true the Church saith , but into divine Revelation ; because God by his Evangelist delivereth them for truth : Again he saith , When he believes that all contained in St. Matthew's Gospel is true , because the Church tells him i● i● so , and then believes that the Church ●elleth him true , because God hath revealed ●n some part of his Word , that the Church in this shall not erre ; here his Faith he saith , is ultimately resolved again , not into the Churches Authority , but the divine Revela●ion concerning the Church . This looks like something at first hearing , if one do not press ●oo far in the examination of it ; but being ●hroughly searched into , how profound soever it may seem , it is scarce tolerable sense upon his own principles . For it is agreed now on all hands that in the Question of the resolution of Faith , the enquiry is not why we believe what God reveals ; but why we believe this to be a divine Revelation ; and the Question is now put particularly concerning the doctrine contained in St. Matthews Gospel : his principles are , That this must be believed by divine Faith , and that this Faith must rest upon divine Revelation ; I now enquire upon what particular divine Revelation he doth build this act of divine Faith , that St. Matthew's Gospel contains the Word of God ? He Answers , first , Though he believes it to be true because the Church saith it is so , yet his Faith is not resolved into the Churches Testimony , but into divine Revelation 〈◊〉 What divine Revelation doth he mean ? that which is in Question ? viz. That St. Matthew's Gospel is divine Revelation : if so the● he doth not believe it because the Church saith it ; but if he doth believe it because of the Churches Testimony , then it cannot be o● the account of Gods delivering it for truth by the Evangelist . For doth he believe it because the Evangelist saith so or not ? If h● doth , then he doth not believe it , because the Church saith it , if he doth not believe it because the Evangelist saith it , then he must believe it because the Church saith it , and so his Faith must be resolved into the Churches Testimony , which if it be a divine Faith ▪ must according to his own principles suppose that the Churches Testimony is a divine Revelation , and the formal object of divine Faith . The same absurdity lies in the other Answer , He believe● , he saith , that all contained in St. Matthew's Gospel is true because the Church telleth him so ; and then believes that the Church tells him true , because God hath revealed in some part of his Word , that the Church in this shall not erre . And yet his Faith is not resolved into the Churches Authority but the divine Revelation concerning the Church . This Answer must be understood either of St. Matthew's Gospel being proved by some other part of Scripture , and then I grant the circle is avoided ; but that doth not answer the present difficulty , which is concerning the ground of believing not some one part of divine Revelation , but the whole : Or else it must be understood of St. Matthew's Gospel being proved by some part of it self . And then he resolves his Faith thus . He believes what St. Matthew's Gospel saith concerning the Church , because he believes St. Matthew's Gospel to be true ; and believes St. Matthew's Gospel to be true with a divine Faith , because the Church tells him so . Can any thing now be more plain than that , he must resolve his Faith into that Authority upon which he believed St. Matthew's Gospel to be true , which himself confesseth to be that of the Church ? Only if a man can be so foolish to believe first the truth of St. Matthew's Gospel , because the Church saith it , and at the same time believe the Church to say true , because St. Matthew's Gospel saith so , that mans Faith is to be resolved into nothing but the dancing of Fairies , which have put him into such a circle that he can never find the way out of . But if he mean any thing else I know not what to impute such an absurd way of proceeding to ; unless it be to a through intoxication of School Divinity , which confounds all true notions and distinct conceptions of things , and makes men have such swimming brains , that all things turn round with them .

§. 5. 2. But supposing I could understand The resolution ofdivine Faith must agree to all ? what this particular divine Revelation meant , into which this divine Faith must be resolved , why may not one particular way serve all mankind for it ? Must there be several and all equal foundations of divine Faith ? I can easily satisfie my self of the reason of asserting it● but not of the reason of the thing in this way of resolving Faith . The true reason of asse●ting it was the plain evidence that many persons had a true divine Faith , without knowing any thing of the Churches Infallibility : this made some men in the Church of Rome confess that it was not always necessary ; but least on the other side they should seem hereby to forego the Palladium of that Church , they do withall say , that sometimes Faith may begin there : and so run into the very same absurdities that the others do . For if one man can resolve his Faith well so , why not a hundred , why not a thousand , why not all Christians ? If all cannot do it without running into a circle , neither can one ; for the process of Faith is alike in all . Not that the same means are used to all persons ; for it is evident that men believe upon different grounds ; but what is absurd if a thousand do it , is equally absurd if but one do it . Although the Guide ●n Controversies doth not suppose it necessary ●or men to resolve their Faith into the Churches Infallibility ; yet he doth suppose ●hat some men may do it . Well then , we will put the case that any one person doth re●olve his Faith concerning Gods Revelation ●nto the Churches Infallibility as the ground of his divine Faith ; I desire to be informed by this worthy Guide , whether he doth not run into the same absurdities , which all would do if they proceeded that way ? i. e. whether it be any more possible for one to free himself from a circle than for all ? Is not the reason assigned by Canus and Layman , and Lugo this viz. because the Churches Infallibility i● one of the things to be believed as revealed by God , and therefore cannot be the ground of Faith to any ? And will not this reason exclude any one person from doing it , that resolves his Faith as he ought to do ? So that if this hold in any one , being drawn from the reason of the thing and not from the circumstances of persons , it must equally hold against all persons , and consequently no one person can reasonably establish his Faith as to Gods Revelation upon the Churches Infallibility .

§. 6. 3. I am far from understanding this way Of immediate Asnt . of immediate asse●●t to the divine Revelation ▪ I grant the reason against proceeding furthe● to be very good , for the Guide could see n● passage that way , but over rocks and precipices : and therefore finds out a shorter cut by asserting an immediate assent to the Divin● Revelation . But to what divine Revelation doth he mean ? The Authority of Soripture Churches Infallibility , Apostolical Tradition , or any of these ? It is all one to me , which it is , for it is equally unreasonable , to allo● any of them . For I look upon Faith a● an act of the mind , which must always have a reason moving it to assent . Even in self evident Propositions where the assent is most immediate , yet there is the greatest and clearest reason for it , viz. the evidence of the thing , which makes the understanding never hesitate or doubt , but yield a firm assent upon the first apprehension , and proportionable to the reason and evidence of the thing , or of the motive enclining to assent , so is the readiness and firmness of it . But to assert an assent in Faith so immediate , of which no motive or reason can be assigned proportionable to it , is a thing repugnant to the nature of our reasonable faculties , and it is to make one of the noblest acts of our understandings a meer blind and bruitish assent . All that we enquire for , is a sufficient reason to move our minds to believe in the act of divine Faith ; which is seen in all the acts of humane Faith . For no man can reasonably believe what another saith , or that he hath said so , but he is able to give an account of both of them . And it would be very strange that in the most weighty matters of Faith , on which mens eternal happiness and misery depend , they should be obliged to assent in such an immediate manner that they can have no good account to give of their divine Faith . Yes , ●aith the Guide , an account may be given ●o make this assent appear prudent by the mo●ives of credibility : But that is not the thing we enquire for ; but a sufficient foundation for divine Faith : and as to this he asserts , ●hat our Faith doth immediately rest upon divine Revelation without proceeding to another Revelation for the ground of it . But now then can this divine Faith have a divine Revelation for its ground ? It may have it for its material object , which comes not under our consideration ; but only the formal object on motive of that Faith as to this Revelation . We will suppose the Churches Infallibility to be the matter believed , I demand a reason why this is to be believed ? The Answer is , because God hath revealed it in his Word ; there the Q●estion returns what reason have you to believe that to be the Word of God ? Here the Guide cries out , stand there ; if you proceed a step further you are lost . For if you say upon another Revelation , then that upon another , and so without end . But say I , you tell me I must believe this to be Gods Word with a divine Faith ; and this divine Faith must rest upon a divine Revelation as its formal cause ; assign me that , or you overthrow the nature of divine Faith ; what divine Revelation is there for this Faith to rest upon ? None say you , but here it must stop ; if so , then it is certain by your own principles this either can be no divine Faith , or else divine Faith doth not always need a divine Revelation . So that this way of the resolution of Faith overthrows it self ; and needs no other opposition but of one part to another .

§. 7. 4. It may be all this may be cleared by Of the assistance of the Holy Ghost . the Assistance of the Holy Ghost supplying the want of another Revelation , by its illuminating and confirming the mind . So the Tragoedians of old call'd down the Gods upon the Stage , when they could extricate themselves by no other means . Not that I do in the least doubt the efficiency of the divine Spirit in the act and exercise of Faith ; or that God by secret and unexpressible ways may strengthen and increase Grace in the hearts of men , which thereby become better assured of the ●hings they believe . But the Question now ●s whether our Faith , as to the motive and ●eason of it can , or ought to be resolved into ●he illumination of the Holy Ghost ? And in ●ruth after all his turnings and windings the Guide sits down at last in the grossest way of resolving divine faith into the Testimony of the Holy Ghost . For he saith that doth ●lluminate the understanding that the prime verity cannot lie in whatever thing it reveals , and also that the particular articles of our faith are its revelations . Was ever any ●hing more fully said to this purpose by the highest Calvinists or Enthusiasts ? Have the ●isputants of the Church of Rome hither●o charged them with a circle in this ●esolution of faith , equal with theirs between the Church and Scripture ; and hath the very Guide in Controversies found no way to escape one whirlpool , but by falling into another ? But since I see no reason to believe this Guide in Controversies to be infallible , any more than the Pope himself , I hope I may have leave to ask him some few Questions . Doth he in earnest believe that our assurance of Gods veracity and the truth of his revelations do flow from the immediate illumination of the Spirit of God ? I would fain know then , 1. Why he trouble● himself about any other resolution of faith ▪ For by this way he resolves faith in all the parts of it . If you ask the first Question● why you believe that to be true which God reveals ? The Answer is ready , the Holy Ghost illuminates my mind in the belief of this ▪ If you again ask , why you believe these particular articles to be Gods revelations ; the answer is already given , the same Holy Ghost illuminates my mind in that too . What need Church-Infallibility , Apostolical Tradition , motives of credibility , or any other way ; the work is compleatly and effectually done without the assistance of any of them ▪ 2. Is not this to tell unbelievers that we can give them no satisfaction as to the grounds of our divine faith ? It is true , he grants something may be said for a dull kind of humane and acquisite faith , which others are capable of understanding ; but for divine faith that depends upon such secret and private illuminations , which no person can at all judge of , but he that hath them ; nor he very well , unless another revelation assures him , that these are the illuminations of Gods Spirit and not the deceptions of his own . Especially since it is a principle in the Roman Church that no man can attain any absolute certainty of Grace without a particular Revelation from God . See then what a wilderness this Guide hath led us into ! We ●re to believe that what God hath revealed ●s true , and that he hath revealed these things , ●rom the illumination of the Holy Ghost : ●ut we cannot certainly know that we have ●uch an illumination without another reve●ation to discover that ; and so we must run ●n without end or turn back again the same way we went , to believe illumination by ●evelation and revelation by illumination . 3. How he can possibly give himself any good account of his faith in this manner ? For since the fundamental principle of faith ●s the veracity of God , and the belief of Gods veracity is here attributed to the illumination of the Holy Ghost ; we may see how excellent a Guide this is , that thus stumbles in a plain way , or must of necessity go forward and backward . For I desire him to satisfie me according to this resolution of faith , in this Question ; why he doth believe whatsoever God saith is true ? his Answer is , because the Holy Ghost by his inward illumination assured me so ; But then I ask again , why he is assured of the truth of what the Holy Ghost enlightens him ? his Answer must be if he speaks at all to the purpose , because the Holy Ghost is God and cannot speak any thing but truth . So that the veracity of God is proved by the Spirits Illumination , and the Spirits Illumination by Go● veracity . But there is yet another principl● which faith stands upon , which is , that Go● hath revealed the things we believe ; he● again I ask why he believes these articles a● Gods revelations , his answer is , the Hol● Ghost by enlightening my mind hath assured me of it . But then I ask how he is su● with a divine faith , which in this case is necessary that there is a Holy Ghost and tha● this is the illumination of the Holy Ghost● Here he must return again to divine Revelation , wherein the promise of the Holy Ghos● is made . Judge now , Reader , whether thi● be not an admirable Guide in Controversies and whether he hath not given a very satisfactory account of the Resolution of Faith ?

§ . 8. Besides that this way is thus unsatisfactory The absurdities of these principles . in it self , I have this further charge against it , that other ways are liable only to the single absurdities of their own particula● opinions ; but this blind Guide hoping to clea● himself of one great absurdity , hath not only run into it the very way he seeks to escape it , but into many more besides . If there be any thing absurd in the Calvinists Resolution of Faith he hath taken in that ; if there be any thing absurd in resolving faith by the Infallibility of the Church he is liable to ●hat too ; because though he doth not think ●t necessary he allows it to be good ; and last of all that which he looks upon as the advantage of their faith above ours plungeth him unavoidably in as bad a circle as may ●e . And that is , That the Infallibility of the Church being once believed by a divine Faith from the Revelation of it in Scripture it is a ground of faith to him in all controversies that arise concerning the sense of Scripture ; I am not now to examine the falseness of the pretence , ( which hath been done already and may be more afterwards ) that which at present I am to shew , is , that it is impossible for him in his resolution of Faith concerning the sense of Scripture to avoid the circle . Let us see how he attempts it , Suppose I be asked , saith he , concerning some article of Sect. 151. faith defined by the Church , though the same article doth not appear to me clearly delivered in the Scriptures , why with a divine faith I believe it to be divine Revelation ? I answer , because the Church which is revealed by the Scriptures to be perpetually assisted by the Holy Ghost , and to be infallible for ever in matters delivered by her , hath delivered it to me as such . If again why with a divine faith I believe these Scriptures in general or such a sense of those texts in particular , which are pretended to reveal the Churches infallibility to be divine Revelation ? I answer as before , because Apostolical Tradition hath delivered them to be so : which Apostolical Tradition related or conveyed to me by the Churc● I believe with a divine faith by the interna● operation of the Holy Spirit , without havi●● at all any further Divine Revelation , fro● which I should believe this Revelation to b● divine . This is the utmost progress of divine faith with him . I know not how muc● faith there may be in this way , I am su● there is not the least shadow of reason . Fo● if a stop be made at last by the internal op●ration of the Holy Spirit , what need so muc● ado to come thither ? Might not the sam● answer have served as well to the first an● second Question as to the third ? When yo● were asked why with a divine faith you b●lieve such a sense of Scripture to be divin● Revelation ? Might not you have hindred a● further proceeding by saying , I believe i● with a divine faith by the internal operatio● of the Holy Spirit , without having at all an● further divine Revelation . But if you though it necessary to assign another divine Revelation for the foundation of that faith , by th● Churches Infallibility , why will not the sam● reason hold for the last act ? which must hav● as good a Foundation as the other , or els● how comes it to be a divine faith as well as ●he other ? But the subtilty of all this is , ●ou have it seems by your office of Guide ●he opening of the Gate , and you hold it ●pen so long as to let through all your Friends , ●or Infallibility and Tradition must by any means be let through , and when these are ●assed , down falls the Gate in so rude a man●er as is enough to cripple any other that endeavours to get passage . Can any man pos●ibly assign a reason , why the operation of the Spirit should not have as great force , before the Churches Infallibility be let in ? But this it is to be a Guide in Controversies , ●o direct Infallibility , Tradition and the Ho●y Ghost to know their distance and to keep ●heir due places ; and it is a great favour ●hat the Holy Spirit is allowed to bring up the rear and to make all sure , but by no means to offer to go before Infallibility or Tradition . For these are capable of doing better service afterwards than the Holy Ghost is ever like to do them ; the greatest use of it being to make good a Pass , that nothing follow to disturb the march of Infallibility and Tradition . But if I may be so bold once more to presume to ask this wonderful Guide ; when the dispute is about the sense of Scripture , why he doth believe such a particular sense which doth not appear clearly to him in Scriptures to be the infallibl● sense of it , or to be divine Revelation ? Hi● answer is , because the Church which is revealed in Scriptures to be infallible hath delive●ed this to him as the sense of it . Very well this is an Answer I understand , though I se● no reason for it . But I proceed , why d● you believe this Infallibility to be the sens● of those places which speak of the Church since to me they are far from appearing t● be clearly delivered in those Scriptures Remember you believe this with divin● faith , and this divine faith must have d●vine Revelation ; the Question then is u● on what divine Revelation do you believ● the Infallibility of the Church to be pr●mised in Scripture ? He Answers , upon Ap●stolical Tradition . Is this Apostolical Tradition the same with the Scriptures or different from it ? If the same what greate clearness can there be in this than in th● Scriptures ? If different , what divine Revelation is your faith of the Infallibility o● that built upon ? He ingenuously consesse● none at all , for then there must be a process in infinitum or a circle . And yet hi● principle is that divine revelation is nece●sary to divine faith ; but there can be non● here by his own consession , without process in insinitum or a circle ; which i● to acknowledge the absurdity of his own way as far as a man can desire . Well , but how comes this Apostolical Tradition to be known to him ? By the Church he saith ; but may the Church be deceived in delivering Apostolical Traditions ? No , he saith , she is infallible : but do you believe her infallible with divine faith ? Yes , he saith that must be done : then at last there must be a divine Revelation again for this Infallibility , and so the circle returns . No , he saith , at last , he believes the Churches Testimony infallible only with a humane and acquisite faith upon prudential motives ; but he believes the Apostolical Tradition related by the Church with a divine faith . Was there ever such a perplexed Guide in Controversies ? The Infallibility of the Church is sometimes to be believed with a divine faith and sometimes not ; and yet when it is not to be believed with a divine faith it is the Foundation of the divine faith of Apostolical Tradition ; for he assigns no other ground or reason for it besides the Infallible Testimony of the Church . But this infallibility he saith may be known two ways by promises of Scripture , or prudential motives ; not to dispute now the possibility of proving the Churches Infallibility by prudential motives ; ( which I shall do at large afterwards ) the thing I now enquire after is , since the Apostolical Tradition must be believed by divine faith , and the belief of it comes by the Churches Infallibility ; whether any other Infallibility can secure such a faith besides the Infallibility by Promise ; for the Infallibility asserted being a security from error by divine Assistance , and that assistance only supposed to be promised in Scripture , there can be no other Infallibility here understood but that ; which Infallibility by his own assertion must be believed by divine faith , which divine Faith must rest upon divine Revelation ; and so he believes the sense of Scripture because of the Churches Infallibility , and the Churches Infallibility by Apostolical Tradition , and Apostolical Tradition by the Churches Infallibility , and the Churches Infallibility by the sense of Scripture . See now what an admirable Guide in Controversies we have met with ! and with what skill and dexterity he hath escaped the circle . And so I take my leave of this GUIDE , finding nothing in him further material about Infallibility , which I have not answered in the foregoing Discourse . The Considerato● urging so much the very same things , and frequently in the same words , that I now think he either was the same person , or made very bold with him .

CHAP. II. The Principles of E. W. about the certainty of Divine Faith laid down and considered .

§ . 1. HAving met with so little satisfaction from the Guide The Principles of E. W. laid down . in Controversies , I now betake my self to the Rule ; no Fancies , Toys , Trifles , or Fallible Glosses , I assure you , for those E. W. cries out upon almost in every page of his worthy work ; but Reason and Religion , or The Certain Rule of Faith . What can any man desire more ? unless it be to see Mr. Stillingfleet joyned in the Title-page with Atheists , Heathens , Jews , Turks and all Sectaries . And that he might own a greater obligation to him , than all that Rabble ; he dispatches them all , after a fashion , in 30. pages , and spends above 600 , upon him . O what a pestilent Heretick is this Stillingfleet ! that deserves so many lashes beyond Atheists , Heathens ; Jews or Turks ! If he had been any one of those , he might have been gently used , for never were they fairlier dealt with by any man that undertook them . But he is not so much their Friend to thank him for this kind usage : and E. W. thinks he will have enough to do to defend himself . I confess I think so too , if either of his Books against me , were to be thrown at my head ; for they are very thick and as heavy as is possible . And to my great comfort , I never yet saw two such bulky books , whose substance might be brought into a less compass ; for setting aside Tautologies and tedious repetitions , frequent excursions and impertinent digressions the pith and marrow of both his Books lies in this one word Infallibility . But it is time to fall to my business , for fear of more Advertisements ; and Infallibility being the main design of his Books , that shall be the subject of my present debate with him . And because this E. W. is a great pretender to Principles ; the method I shall proceed in shall be first to consider his Principles , and then to defend my own . For which I shall chiefly make use of his last Book , it being in effect but another edition of his former , the other as I suppose being disposed of to better purposes than to be read ; for I never heard of one person in England that read it over . However , what there is material in it , different from the last , as to the present controversie , I shall upon occasion take notice of .

The two main Principles he builds upon are these .

1. That without an Infallible Church , there can be no certainty of Faith .

2. That the Roman-Catholick Church is this Infallible Church .

If he can prove these two , he shall not need any more to establish their Religion , or to overthrow ours . And I will say that for his praise that he hath brought the controversie into a narrow compass ; for he confesses it is endless to dispute out of Scripture and Fathers , since witty men by their fall●ble , Glosses can turn and winde them which way they please , but there is nothing so stiff and inflexible as a standing infallible Oracle in the Church , which being once believed all Controversie is at an end . But we may as soon hope to see all other controversies ended by dry blows , as this Principle proved to the satisfaction of any reasonable man .

The main proofs for the necessity of the Churches Infallibility , which he insists upon are these . 1. That there can be no Divine Faith without it . 2. There can be no certainty as to the Canon , or edition , or sense of Scripture . 3. There can be as little certainty as to the sense of the Fathers or the Primitive Church .

1. That there can be no divine Faith without it . This he frequently insists upon in both his Books ; and with so much vehemency , as to make the deniers of Infallibility to overthrow all Faith and Religion . Which being a charge of the highest nature , ought to be made good by the clearest evidence . Whether that which E. W. produces , be so I shall leave any one to judge , when I have given an Account of his Principles as to this matter . In his first Book called Protestancy without Principles , he begins with this subject ; and lays down these assertions , upon which all his Discourse is built .

1. That Gods infallible Revelation requires an infallible Assent of Faith ; or an infallible verity revealed to us forcibly requires an answerable and correspondent infallible assent of Faith in us : the contrary he calls wild Doctrine ; this subjective infallibility , as he calls it , he offers very wisely to prove from those places of Scripture , which speak of the assurance which Christians had of the truth of their Religion .

2. This infallible assent of Faith doth require infallible Teachers ; for infallible believers and infallible Teachers are correlatives . And in the second Chapter , he goes about to prove it , because , if Christs infallible Doctrine be only fallibly taught , no man hath certainty what it is ; and seeing what is fallible may be false , Christs Doctrine may not be taught at all ; which is infallible and cannot be false ; and he that should abjure this fallible Doctrine , doth not deny therein Christs Doctrine , and cannot be upon that account an Heretick . But to Disc. 1. c. 2. p. 24 , 27. make Faith Infallible , he asserts , That every Preacher sent by the infallible Church , as a member conjoyned with it , is infallible in his Teaching : and on the contrary , whosoever renounces an Infallible society cannot teach with certainty Christs infallible Doctrine . From whence he saith , follows an utter ruine of Christian Religion . In his third Chapter he further proves , That if the Church were fallible in her Teaching , God would oblige us to believe a falsity ; because God commands men to hear the Church , and if the Church may erre , then men are obliged to believe a false Doctrine taught by her . And all other means short of this Infallibility would be insufficient for preserving Christian Religion in the world . In the fourth Chapter he comes to a particular consideration of divine Faith , and from thence proves the necessity of infallibility . Faith , saith he , requires two things essentially , an object which is Gods Revelation , and a Proposition of this object ; by Vertue of which the elicit act of Faith follows in a believer , and intellectually lays as it were hold , both o● Gods Revelation and the thing revealed . Now to prove the necessity of such an infallible Proposition in order to divine Faith , ho● lays down some abstruse Propositions .

1. That Gods infallible Revelation avail● nothing in order to Faith , unless Christian● by their Faith lay hold on the certainly thereof , or owne it as infallible and the assured ground of their Assent .

2. That the measure and degrees of certitude in the assent are according to those which the Proponent gives to the Revelation . If he teaches doubtfully , the assent is doubtful , if probably , the assent is probable , is infallibly , the assent is infallible : the reason which he gives of this , is , because an object revealed receives its light from the proposal , as an object of sight doth from the light of the air . As long therefore , saith he , as the infallibility of a Revelation stands remote from me , for want of an undoubted application made by an infallible proponent , it can no more transfuse certainty into Faith , than Fire at a great distance warm ; that is , no more than if it were not certain in it self , or not at all in Being .

3. From hence he saith , it follows that Protestants can only doubtfully guess at what they are to believe , and consequently never yet had nor can have Divine , certain and infallible Faith . Because they cannot ●ropose Faith infallibly . Hence he proceeds Chapter fifth and sixth , to disprove Moral Cer●ainty , as insufficient in order to Faith ; and destroying , as he saith , The very being and ●ssence of Divine and supernatural Faith ; because the sole and adequate object of divine and supernatural Faith is Gods infinite veracity actually speaking to us ; but this infinite veracity , ( when it is duly proposed ) , transsuseth more certainty into the elicit act of Faith , than any Moral Certainty derived ●rom inferiour motives can have . For all Moral Certainty is at least capable of falsity and may deceive us : Gods infallible veracity cannot be false nor deceive if Faith rest upon that Motive , and if it rest not there , it is no Faith at all . Nay he asserts , that supernatural Faith is more certain and infallible , than all the Metaphysical Sciences which nature can give us ; For which he gives this plain reason , Because the infinite veracity of God which only supporteth Faith with greater force , energy , and necessity transfuseth into it , a supereminent insallibility , supereminent , he saith , and above all the Certainty , which the principles of natur● can afford . This is the substance of E. W● principles of Faith in his first Book : which is somewhat more enlarged in the second In one Chapter he designs to prove if the Roman Church be not infallible , there is no tru● Disc. 2. c. 5. Faith in the world , the reason of which in his own easie terms is this , For the meer possibility of deceiving Christians in one Article Disc 2. c. 14. impossibilitates the Belief of all she proposeth . In another Chapter , That she is not only infallible , c. 15. but that the Adversaries of her infallibility destroy the very essence of Christian Religion . And in the next , That divine Faith in this present state of things necessarily requires a Church infallible , because the infallibility of faith necessarily requires not only an Infallible Revelation , but a● infallible Proponent . Ruine one or the other Infallibility , faith can be no more but an uncertain Assent and consequently can be no faith at all ; This reason he diversifies into many shapes , and represents it in different words , but it comes in at every turn . So in the next Chapter he proves the Catholick c. 16. Church Gods infallible Oracle , because infallibility once taken away , no man can have assurance so much as of one Christian verity ; the reason is , no man can be assured of what is fallibly taught : because what is so taught , may by vertue of the Proposition be ●alse , but a doctrine so far removed from in●allible certainly , for want of a due application of its infallibility , comes not near to the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles , which was applied , taught and proposed infallibly : And in the same Chapter he saith , It is utterly impossible , that an infallible verity C. 16 n. 14. as revealed , though fallibly proposed should have influence upon faith , or work in believers a most firm assent . Not long after , he asserts , That infallibility being taken C. 18 n. 4. away , no man can tell , but that Christian Religion is a fiction ; for these are his words . A feigned and fallible Religion are near Co●sin Germans . The one is a Fiction , the other at least may be so , and for ought any man can know is no better : And in the same Chapter he saith , That without infallibility Religion N. 12. is meer Scepticism : because all other means , infallibility being set aside , may be equally pleaded by Hereticks , ( as Arians and such like , ) as by any other . To the same purpose in the following Chapter , where he proposes that which he calls the last proof of the Churches Infallibility , which is still the C. 19. n. 3. very same over and over ; ( for he out-does the Cook of Brundusium in serving up the the same meat in several dresses ) viz. That the denyal of it overthrows Christian Religion ; be pleased to observe his concise way o● reasoning . If the infallibility of reveale● doctrine be lost as it were in the way between God and us , If the Revelation appear not as it is in it self infallible , whe● we assent to it by faith , that is , if it be no● infallibly conveyed and applied to all by a●●nerring proponent , as it subsists in its first cause , infinitely infallible , faith perishes , w● are cast upon pure uncertainties , and ma● justly doubt whether such a doctrine , separated from that other Perfection of Infallibility be really true or no ? In his third Di●course we meet with a convincing Argumen● , as he calls it , for Infallibility . If all Authority imaginable , whereupon faith can depend , Dis. 3 c. 4. N. 2. conveyed or delivered these verities both as infallible Truths and infallibly , and I assent to the doctrine with a belief not infallible , but only morally certain , I leave by my fallible moral assent the true infallible teaching and conveying Oracles of Christian doctrine , and believe upon a meer phansied Authority , which was never impowered to convey Gods verities to any . Before I come to examine these things it will be necessary to lay down his notion of faith in his own terms , viz. That it essentially trends obsecurely to its own object ; ( no matter for understanding it , but the words found c. 8. ● . 1c . well together ) and by this saith we l●y hold upon the most supream and all comprehending infallibility proper to God alone . But withal we are to take notice of a twofold certitude N. 14. in faith ; the one a certitude of Infallibility arising from the supernatural principles which concur to the very act of belief , and these being not liable to error can never operate , but when the divine Revelation really is , and implies not only the meer truth of the act , but moreover an infallible determination to Truth : the other a certitude of adhesion not grounded on evidence , but upon most prudent motives proposed to Reason , ( which clearly discover'd ) the Will by her ●pious affection commands and determines the intellectual faculties to assent indubitably . After all which he concludes , that the plain c. 10 , 11. and easie Resolution of Faith , is into Gods veracity as speaking to men by an infallible Church . Thus I have laid together so many parcels of E. W's . rambling discourse , as were necessary in order to the examination of it . And indeed I cannot compare his reasoning to any thing better than his own pretty notion of faith , for just as he saith , Faith essentially tends obscurely to its object , so his principles do to his conclusion .

But that I may proceed with the greater clearness , I must premise these two things ;

1. § . 2. That the Question is not concerning Some things premised to the S●a●e of the Question . the necessity of any internal Assistance o● divine Grace , but of an external insallibl● Proponent in order to divine Faith . So tha● whatever certainty of saith is derived from the Spirit of God , is no ways pertinent to ou● present debate . I do not deny that a trul● divine faith , doth suppose a divine and super natural assistance ; I do not deny , that th● Holy Ghost may confirm mens minds to suc● a degree of certainty , which may exceed th● rational grounds they are able to give t● others of their faith . But I say all this i● very far from the purpose . For I had expresly laid down this caution before , that o● Question in the Resolution of Faith , did no● relate to the workings of the divine Spirit o● our minds of which no satisfactory accoun● can be given to others ; but to the externa● Rational Account , part 1. c. 7. Sect. 1. motives and grounds of faith , whether the● must be infallible or not ? To what purpos● is it then , for E. W. to talk of a certitud● of Infallibility , as he calls it , arising from the supernatural principles which concur t● the very act of belief , and these not liable t● error , can never operate , but when the divine Revelation really is ? Granting all thi● to be true ; yet what doth this prove , concerning the necessity of an external infallible Proponent such as the Church is ? All that ca● hence follow is that those whom the Spirit of God enables to believe , cannot believe a falshood ; but what then ? Hath he proved that the supernatural principles of faith do never operate , but where the Church first infal●ibly proposes ? No , this he never attempts , either not understanding what was fit to be proved , or knowing it impossible to be done . But if the infallible certainty of Faith doth depend upon inward illumination and divine concurrence ; the Infallibility of Faith may be had without an external Infallible Proponent . And so all his first principles signify nothing to his purpose , for supposing an Infallible assent of Faith necessary to an Infallible Revelation ; yet that doth not prove the necessity of Infallible teachers , unless it can be had no other way . But here he tells us , That Infallible certainty is derived from supernatural principles concurring to the act of Faith ; which he elsewhere calls , The interior illustration of Grace imparted to a Reason and Religion , Disc. 3 c 9. N. 4. p. 562. Soul , which he saith , is wholly necessary to make faith certain ; and after saith , we come to an absolute certainty of Faith , upon tbis interiour sacred Language of God , N. 6 , 7. or his internal illumination ; the necessity of which he proves from Scripture and Fathers . But when he hath done all , he hath most effectually confuted himself ; For if this inward illumination , can , as he saith , supply N. 9. the inefficacy of external motives ; How comes the Infallibility of an external proponent to be necessary in order to that certainty of Faith which may be obtained , by divin● Grace making up what is wanting in the outward motives ? Did ever any man shew more kindness to his Adversary in helping him with weapons to destroy himself than this E. W. doth ? When after a most tedious endeavour to prove the necessity of an externa● Infallible Proponent in order to the certainty of Faith ; he sets down these words , Now what we assert in this particular , is , that the N. 11. Infallible certainty of faith comes from th● interior illumination , as it more lively set● forth the formal object assented to , or help● to a clearer proposal of the divine mysteries . Doth the Infallible certainty of Faith indeed come from this interior illumination ? What then becomes of the necessity of an Infallible Church ? We often hear of the great Assistance the Jesuits have in writing their Books ; I should rather have thought some enemy of E. W's . had put in these things to overthrow all he had spent so many impertinent words about before . But lest such expressions should be thought to have dropt from him unawares , observe with what care he sums up the whole progress of Faith in this State .

First , A natural Proposition of the mysteries N. 12. precedes ; this begets a natural apprehension of their credibility ; after some consideration there may arise an imperfect judgement of credibility : but should the will offer as yet to incline the mind to assent only upon what appears hitherto , it could not move to a Faith which is an assent super omnia or most certain . Therefore the illustration , or powerful invitation of Grace ( by which as I said the object appears another way and more clearly ) is infused , whereof the soul is recipient . The Will now after other Preparatives thus strengthned a new commands boldly the understanding to Assert upon the safest Principles imaginable , viz. upon Gods infallible Revelation accompanied with his own Divine Light , which makes faith to grow higher in certainty , than all the reason or knowledge in this life can arise to . For as S. Thomas observes , humane knowledge derives its certitude from mans natural Reason which may err , but faith hath its infallibility , ex lumine divinae scientiae , from the light of divine wisdom which cannot deceive , and therefore is most certain .

Who , upon reading these words , would not have thought this E. W. more conversant in Calvins Institutions , than Aquinas his Sums ? For in all this Resolution of Faith , how can a man edge in the necessity of an infallible Church in order to the certainty of Faith ? I will not say E. W. was wholly inapprehensive of this snare he had brought himself into , but he takes the worst way imaginable to get out of it . For to shew the difference between this way and that of Hereticks , he makes the exterior humane proposition N. 13 , 14 , 15. of Divine Revelation necessarily preceding the true light of Faith ; which canno● be made but by one that makes the Proposition good by a Miracle , or some supernatural wonder ; but no Protestant is able to do thus much . And is any Papist think we ? I would withal my heart see some of the miracles wrought by their Preachers to convince me ; I profess the greatest readiness of mind to be perswaded by them , in case they do but work such miracles as Christ and his Apostles did . But of this subject at large afterwards . At present it may suffice to take notice . 1. That no proposition of Faith is supposed sufficient by E. W. but where the Proponent doth work Miracles : and therefore we may safely question the Churches Proposition till we see such Miracles wrought by her , as were by Christ and his Apostles . For thus , saith he , Christ our Lord Sent by N. 15. his Eternal Father , thus the Apostles sent by Christ and the Church ever since ( all shewing wonders above the force of Nature ) proved their mission ; and withal evinced that God only impowred them to teach as they did . And because the poor Protestant doth not pretend to miracles , therefore the light he pretends to is a meer ignis fatuus vain and void of all reality . I must say that of my Adversary , that he puts the controversie upon the fairest issue that can be desired . For if their Church work such miracles as Christ and his Apostles did to attest their divine commission , the evidence from thence to believe her infallibility ought to over rule the opinions of such who say she hath erred ; in case the doctrine attested by Christ and his Apostles and that of the Roman Church do not directly contradict each other . 2. Although this exterior Proponent prove himself so commissioned yet by the Progress of Faith laid down by E. W. this is not enough to beget an infallible certainty of Faith . For , he saith , after the exteriour proposition only a natural apprehension of their credibility succeeds ; then a judgement of credibility , then the inclination of the Will ; but yet no infallible certainty till the illustration of Divine Grace comes . So that it evidently follows according to E. W. that an infallible Proponent cannot beget an infallible Assent of Faith ; but that doth arise from the inward illumination of the mind by the Holy Ghost . Which I have already shewed doth lay men open to all the absurditie● the highest Calvinists were charged with in resolving Faith ; and is withal impertinent to our dispute ; which relates to the necessity of an external infallible Proponent in order to the Certainty of Faith . But surely the Jesui● are not so berest of all their subtilty to comply with their greatest Adversaries without some advantage to be gained by it . Yes , E. W. will shake hands with some old enemies , the better to assault some later Protestants , who seem to attribute , he saith , no other certainty to the very act of Faith , than what is Moral ; which doctrine , he saith , N. 16. if it be defensible it 's impossible to declare , how Faith it self or the illustration previous , can proceed from the Holy Ghost . For did the Spirit of God work with a soul , when it believes , the certainty of Faith , would without all doubt , go beyond that assurance , which is only humane , moral and fallible . I think that I escape well , that E. W. hath not transcribed a great part of Bradwardin de Causâ Dei against me ; for I plainly see , he takes me for an Absolute Free Willer , and a denier of the Grace of God . It is true indeed , I set aside the consideration of Divine Grace in this matter , but I assure him , not that I questioned the Truth or necessity of it ; but because it was not pertinent to ●his business . For to what purpose should we argue about that which can only serve for ●he satisfaction of those which have it ? and ●eaves men entangled in the same difficulties they object to others ? But the Question was plainly put by me concerning the outward inducements to faith ; viz. whether an infallible Testimony of the Church were necessary in order to it ? or whether a certainty short of that , which I called Moral , were sufficient for Divine Faith ? Not opposing this Moral Certainty to the concurrence of Divine Grace , but to an external infallible Proponent . I took it then for granted on both sides , that the Grace of Faith doth not come meerly from our selves , but that it is the Gift of God , that whereever God doth immediately concur he doth direct the mind to the belief of what is certainly True , that there might be unaccountable ways , whereby an inward certainty might be produced , and so firm an adherence to the Truth believed , which all the arguments and torments in the world could never shake , of which the Primitive Martyrs were undeniable Instances ; But this internal perswasion could be made no matter of debate , nor any argument to convince another , any further than the effects of it did manifest that it came from God : yet withal I did not Question , but faith being an act of the mind of man which is rational and discursive , had sufficient grounds to proceed upon , and such which without any absurdity might justifie mens belief to any prudent or considerative men , and to the severest enquiries of a mans own mind . Now concerning these Grounds the Question was put by me ; taking in then the efficiency o● Divine Grace , this is the true state of the Controversie , whether the spirit of God may not by moral arguments work in mens minds such a certain assent of Faith , as the Scripture requires for Salvation ? or whether in order thereto , an Infallible Testimony of the Church be necessary ? But because the inserting the operation of the Holy Ghost doth rather perplex the controversie , than explain it ; since this was granted on both sides , I thought it better to leave it out and to manage the dispute as it ought to be only concerning the necessity of an infallible Testimony of the Church , which is asserted by my Adversaries , and denied by me .

2. The Question is not , concerning that Foundation of Faith whereby we believe what God saith to be true ; but that , whereby we believe this to be revealed by God . For those two Propositions must be supposed to any particular act of Faith , viz. that whatever God saith is true : and that God hath said this ●articular thing which I am bound to believe . Concerning the first of these there is no dispute between us , for Gods veracity founded ●pon ●his Infinite Wisdom and Goodness is agreed to be the ultimate reason of our assent ●o whatsoever God reveals . Only E. W. to Protest . without Principles , Disc. 1. C. 5. n. 10. ●phold the supernatural certainty of Faith will not have the veracity of God to be the Foundation of Faith , as it is known by natural Reason ; for if it were , saith he , Faith would at last be resolved into one natural ●rinciple , thus , I believe God to be the high●st verity imaginable , not because he saith so , ●ut because I know this great Truth scienti●ically . Now , saith he , no science gives the ●ast or least degree of intrinsick certitude to ●aith . This is profound reasoning : but which ● dare say , no faith can be built upon . For ●ither I must be convinced of Gods veracity ●y natural reason , from the consideration of ●he divine nature and attributes , or by Re●elation from God ; but if by Gods revela●ion , then see what an excellent way this Scholastick Divine hath found for resolving Faith as to this Principle ( for as it is a mat●er revealed it is an immediate object of ●aith ) If you then ask him why he believes any thing to be true which is revealed by God , his answer is , because he believes Gods supream verity , or that he neither can nor wi● deceive : but if you ask him again why h● believes this veracity of God , he answers because God hath revealed it . And is n● this a likely man to escape circles , th● makes them where any common understanding would avoid them ? But besides , supposing God had never discovered his own veracity in Scripture , I would fain know of E. ● . whether there could have been any suc● thing as Divine Faith or no ? if there coul● then this principle of Gods veracity mu● have been the Foundation of divine faith ● known by natural Reason . And supposin● Gods veracity not to be embraced antecedently to a divine Revelation , it is impossible to suppose there should be any argumen● sufficient to perswade me to believe any Divine Revelation . For the greatest Miracle cannot convince me of Gods Truth though they may of his Power ; and the● may perswade me to believe that God se● such men who work Miracles , but they canno● perswade me to believe that all they say is true . For if God can deceive men , he may imploy men as his messengers and deceive the world by them : and if this opinion be rooted in a mans mind it is impossible he should yield a firm assent to any thing because it is revealed by God . But E. W. saith Divines say so as he doth . I suppose he means School Divines and then I grant they do and a great ●any silly things besides , wrapt up under the ●ame of subtilties . If any one hath a mind ●o try the truth of what I say , he need do no more than read their unintelligible subtilties ●bout the nature and resolution of Faith : Which Cardinal Lugo himself complains of ; and saith they make the doctrine of the Schools

Lugo de virtute Fidei Divinae Disp. 1. Sect. 7. n. 114. Sect. 6. n. 82.

Suarez de Fide Disp. 3. Sect. 6. n. 8.

●ard and unintelligible ; and in this particu●ar of believing Gods veracity on the account of Divine Revelation , he saith , it carries men into an inexplicable circle . Suarez finding no better way to clear this difficulty ●uns to a mystery in it ; and makes it a great part of the mysteriousness of faith , that although it doth not clearly see its object nor the things revealed , yet it receives it by its own light ; and this act of faith , he saith is wholy supernatural , he might have said , unintelligible . But he gives an admirable reason for it , which is ; that this intrinsecally follows from the nature of a divine testimony , as it is altogether infallible , and can oblige to believe those things which God speaks , as infallible , for in speaking any thing he thereby declares his own veracity in what he affirms ; for by this means h● induces men to believe the truth of what he saith and consequently his own veracity ; a man being obliged to believe the testimony infallible , and therefor● from the intrinsecal nature of such an act o● faith and such an object , it follows that th● same testimony which suffices for the beli●● of the thing revealed , will likewise suffice t● believe Gods infallible veracity in revealing . This reason I grant is very well accommodated to the mysteriousness of Faith ; but I do not know how it would satisfie any man that should doubt of Gods veracity in all his Revelations : which ought to be the more considered since in the foregoing section , he names some of their own Writers , who assert that there is no intrinsecal evil in a falsity , and therefore God may is he pleases , reveal one so as to oblige mankind to believe it . I would willingly know then how the obligation on our parts to believe what God saith , can satisfie any man of the infallible veracity of the revealer ? For all that there is in this reason , is , that God cannot oblige men to believe a falsity , which it seems , some of their own Schoolmen would not yield to . But it is not enough , that God hath declared he never will do it ? no : Suarez himself Sect. 5 n 9. plainly refutes that by saying , that no man can be certain that God doth not make use of his absolute power in those declarations : and if he can tell a lie , he may not perform his own promise , and therefore Gods ordinary power cannot serve the turn , since by his absolute power he can act against it . Cardinal Lugo , although he saw all the reason in the world to reject the former opinion of Suarez , yet he asserts , That the assent to Gods veracity must be supernatural and elicited Lugo , ib. from the habit of infused faith : which is not easie to understand , since they all make this supernatural infused Faith , to be an obscure inevident assent , and himself grants this to be an evident assent from natural reason : but how the same assent should be evident and inevident , is a Question fit to be debated among the Schoolmen .

§ . 3. But all this perplexity and confusion among men of wit and subtilty arises from Of the notion of Divine Faith . their false notion of divine and supernatural faith , which as E. W. most Scholastically speaks , essentially tending obscurely to its object , ( like a blind man running at Tilt ) it makes them so much afraid of the least crevise of light or evidence , lest the meritoriousness of it be utterly destroyed . For it infinitely obliges God in their opinion to believe without evidence . Therefore though a humane and acquisite faith , such as Hereticks may have , may be grounded on substantial reason ; yet this supernatural and meritorious faith , much like a Mole , works without light , and expects the more wages for working in the dark . I confess this essentia● obscurity of faith suits very well with thei● Discourses about it ; which as E. W. speaks seems to have transfused its obscurity int● their writings concerning it . But for us , t● whom they will only allow a humane faith I wish they would afford a little more evidence for what they say ; and not overthrow the fundamental ground of all certainty o● Faith , by deriving the perswasion of it from divine Revelation , and not from the natura● conceptions we have of God . But I canno● but commend the Ingenuity of one of thei● late School-men , who yields That the ver●city of God as it is the foundation of fait● Francise . bo●ae Spei To. 3 Tr. 1. de side . disp. 1. dub. 2. must be known by natural light ; and to the objection , that divine Faith must then be resolved into a natural assent ; he answers 1. That natural notices may be an inadaequate formal object of faith . 2. That fait● properly goes not beyond a Testimony ; th● other being rather an act of knowledge tha● faith . It is all one to me , so the thing be granted , by what name men call it ; That which I aim at is , that the veracity of God which is the foundation of our assent to what God reveals , must be received antecedently to divine Revelation . And so the principles of natural Religion must be supposed true , before it is possible for us to judge of revealed Religion ; and among those principles we ●ust allow of the veracity of God , without which we cannot imagine any firm assent to ●e given to divine Revelation : which is ●hat I understand by the name of Faith . Wherein a divine Testimony being implyed , ●hat assent which I give to any thing as true ●pon the account thereof may be called Di●ine Faith ; as that which I give to the Truth of a thing not upon knowledge , or experience , but the credit of another Person , is ●ustly called humane faith , i. e. when it goes ●o farther than meer humane Testimony , but ●f that humane Testimony at last leads me to ●hat which is divine , then the Faith must receive its denomination from that which it ●ests upon . As suppose some persons in Persia at the time of our Saviours being in Judaea , had been made acquainted with the Doctrine which he Preached and the holiness of his Life , while these persons received all only upon the credit of their Friends , we may call this a humane faith ; but if they were fully satisfied afterwards of the mighty works which were done by him to attest his divine Commission on which account they believe him to be the true Messias , their faith might now more properly be called a divine faith , because it fixeth it self upon an immediate Testimony of God . But then we are to consider ,

1. That there is no sixed and determinat● sense of a divine faith ; it being no term● used in Scripture , but taken up by men to express thereby the difference between the assent we give to the Word of God , and to the Testimony of men . But then this Faith may be called divine either as it relates to the material object , or the formal object , or the divine effects of Faith ; that Faith may be said to be divine in one sense , which may not b● in another . For a man may believe tha● which God reveals and upon the account u● his Testimony , and yet that Faith may neve● operate effectually ; and so be no effect o● divine Grace upon the mind of man . Therefore one of the great mistakes of the Schoolmen in this matter , hath been the making the belief upon a divine Testimony , to be th● act of divine and supernatural Faith , which the Devils and Judas might have ; and ex●luding Faith built upon fallible grounds from being divine , which yet might effectually lead men to the obedience of Faith , and consequently was truly more divine than the other .

2. The same Faith in several respects may be called both humane and divine . Human● as it is first grounded upon the Testimony of men , and Divine , as it finally rests upon the Testimony of God . And in the present condition of mankind , it is not reasonable to suppose , that any Faith should now immediately rest upon the Divine Revelation , without some rational evidence antecedent to it . For the thing to be believed being the Testimony which God gave at the distance of above one thousand six hundred years , we must either suppose an immediate Revelation of it , or it must be conveyed to them by the credit of others . Which according to this notion can beget only a humane faith , for to resolve the belief of one Divine Testimony into another is to proceed without end ; but this humane faith , if it be so called , satisfying a mans mind , concerning the Testimony which God gave , and thereupon assenting to what was delivered upon that Testimony , this Faith proceeding in the same way of rational evidence , becomes a divine Faith by resting upon the Testimony which God gave to those who declared his Will.

3. The Faith whereby we must first embrace a Divine Revelation cannot in this sense be called a Divine Faith , i. e. as divine Faith doth rely upon a divine Testimony . For that Faith is built upon those two Foundations , viz. That whatever God saith is true , and that this is his Revelation : Now neither of these two can be entertained at first o● the account of a Divine Testimony , th● first I have shewed already cannot be withou● a circle , neithe● can the second , for still th● Question will return on what account you believe that Testimony . So that although thi● be commonly cal●ed an act of divine Faith yet if Faith be taken in this strict sense fo● believing upon a divine Testimony , we must find out some other name for this Assent ; no● thereby to take off from the certainty or excellency of it ; but to prevent that confusion which the not observing these things hat● caused in these Controversies . And if th● Terms of Divine , Supernatural , Infallible ▪ Obscure , and Inevident were banished th● Schools , the School-men themselves would be forced to speak sense in these matters . And it would be a pleasant sight to see how pitifully E. W's . Discourses would look without them . For the main force of all he saith , lies in the misapplying those terms , and th● rattling noise they make , is apt to keep in awe a vulgar understanding , especially that hath been bred up with some more than ordinary Reverence to these astonishing terms .

§ . 4. These things were necessary to be The true State of the Question . premised before we could come to the true State of the Question ; which we now plainly see doth not relate to that Assent whereby we believe whatever God saith to be true ; but to that , whereby we believe this particular Revelation contained in the Scriptures to be from God ? And so the Controversie is brought to this issue , Whether in order to the certainty of our faith concerning Gods Revelation an Infallible Testimony of the Church be necessary ? which he affirms , and I deny . For in order to the certainty of Faith , we have already seen , he frequently asserts the necessity of an Infallible Oracle ; and makes all degrees of certainty short of Infallibility insufficient for Divine Faith .

But that we may the better understand his opinion , we must take notice of his own explications of it , and the distinctions he thinks necessary for that end .

1. He distinguisheth between the judgement Reason and Religion . Discours . 3. c. 1. n. 8. of credibility necessary to faith , and the act of faith it self ; and the Resolution of these two though they have a due subordination to each other , yet depend upon quite different principles : the judgement of credibility , whereby the Will moves and commands the intellectual faculty to elicit faith , relies not upon that object which finally terminates faith it self , but upon extrinsecal motives which perswade and powerfully induce to believe super omnia .

2. He distinguisheth between the nature o● Science and faith ; Science is worth nothing unless it prove , and faith purely considered as faith , ( these words he desires may be well marked ) is worthless if it prove . For faith reasons not , nor asks how these mysteries can be , but simply believes : O● as he expresseth it in his former Book ; Fait● solely relies on Gods revealed Testimony , Protest . without Principles Disc. 1. c. 11. n. 2. without the mixture of reason for its motive . And here he asserts , That there is a more firm adhesion to the infallibility of that Divine Testimony for which we believe , than the extrinsecal motives inducing to believ● either do or can draw from us .

3. He distinguisheth between the Humane and Divine Authority of the Church ; the Humane Authority , being as such fallible is not sufficient to ground divine faith . But the first act of faith whereby every one believes the Church to be Gods Oracle , is built upon her infallible divine Authority manifested by miracles and other signal marks of Truth . By the help of these distinctions we may better understand his Resolution of Faith , which he delivers in this manner . Demanded why we believe the mystery of the 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 . Incarnation , it is answered , Scripture asserts it . Ask again why we believe the Divinity of that Book called Scripture ? It is answered , the Church ascertains us of that . But how do we know that the Church herein delivers truth ? It is answered if we speak of knowledge previous to faith : then he brings the motives of credibility , which make the Churches Infallibility so evidently credible , that we cannot if prudent and manifest reason guide us , but as firmly believe whatever this Oracle teaches , as the Israelites believed Moses and the Prophets . This one would think were enough of all conscience ; but he thinks otherwise , for there is saith he , but one only difference and that advantageous to them , that in lieu of Moses they have an ample Church ; innumerable multitudes in place of one servant of God , the incomparable greater Light , the pillar and Ground of Truth , the Catholick Church diffused the whole world over : and a little after asserts , That they have the very same way of Resolving faith which the Primitive N. 6 , 7. Christians had in the time of Christ and his Apostles . Here is enough asserted , if it could be proved .

§ . 5. Against this way , laid down by my My first Argument laid down and defended . first Adversary T. C. I objected these three things , 1. That it was unreasonable . 2. That it did not avoid the main difficulties . 3. That it was notoriously false ; these three waies of attacking it , ( of which a short account is given in the entrance of this Discourse , ) I must now more largely defend .

I shewed this way to be unreasonable : and that upon these grounds ,

1. Because an assent is hereby required beyond all proportion or degree of evidence for the act of Faith being according to E. W. an insallible assent ; and no other grounds assigued for it besides the motives of credibility ; he must make an Infallible assent only upon fallible grounds . And it is not sufficient to say , that the Infallibility of the Churches Testimony makes the Assent Infallible ; for Assent is not according to the objective certitude of things , but the evidence of them to our understanding . For is it possible to assent to the truth of a Demonstration in a demonstrative manner , because any Mathematician tells one the thing is demonstrable ? For in that case the assent is not according to the evidence of the thing , but according to the opinion such a person hath of him , who tells him it is demonstrable . Nay supposing that Person Infallible in saying so , yet if the other hath no means to be Infallibly assured that he is so , his Assent is as doubtful as if he were not Infallible : Therefore supposing the Testimony of the Roman Church to be really Infallible , yet since the means of believing it are but probable and prudential' ●he Assent cannot be according to the nature of the Testimony considered in it self , but according to the reasons which induce me to believe such a Testimony Infallible . And in all such cases , where I believe one thing for the sake of another , my Assent to the object believed is according to my Assent to the Medium on which I believe it . As our light is not according to the light in the body of the Sun , but that which presseth on our Organs of Sense . So that supposing their Churches Testimony to be Infallible in it self , if one may be deceived in judging whether it be Infallible or no , one may be deceived in such things which he believes on that supposed Infallibility . It being impossible , that the assent to the matters of faith , should rise higher , or stand firmer than the assent to the Testimony upon which those things are believed . But now to prove the Churches infallibility , they make use only of the motives of credibility , which themselves grant can be the foundation only of a fallible assent . This was the reason I then urged , I must now consider what E. W. saith in answer to it . And the force of his answer lies in these things .

1. That all this proceeds from ignorance Disc. 3. c. 2. n. 3 , 4. of the nature of faith , which Discourses not like to science . For he grants that the article of faith which concerns Gods Rev●lation cannot be proved by another believe● article of faith wholly as obscure to us ● that is , for that would proceed in infinitum ; therefore all rational proofs avail t●●get faith in any must of necessity be extrinsecal to belief , and lie as it were i● another Region more clear yet less certain than the revealed mystery is , we assent to by faith . And so in that article of faith , the Church is Gods infallible Oracle , he saith , that antecedently to faith it cannot be proved by arguments as obscure and of the same Infallible certainty with faith , for then faith would be superfluous , or rather we should believe by a firm and infallible assent , before we do believe on the motive of Gods insallible Revelation , which is impossible . So that the extrinsecal motives of faith whereby the Churches Infallibility is proved independently on Scripture are not of the same certainty with supernatural faith it self , and only prove the evident credibility either of the Scripture or the Church .

2. That the force of this Argument will hold against our selves , and those who believed in the Apostles times , whose infallible assent of faitb doth as much exceed all proportion or degree of evidence as theirs does in believing the Churches Infallibility on the motives of credibility .

In order to the giving a clear and distinct Answer , it will be necessary to enquire ● . What those acts of Faith are , we now Discourse of ? 2. What influence the mo●ives of credibility have upon them ?

1. For the acts of Faith , there are two assigned by E. W. 1. That whereby men be●elieve the Scripture to be the Word of God . 2. That whereby men believe the Church to be Infallible ; both these he acknowledges ●re Articles of faith , and to be believed with ●an Infallible assent . But here mark the shuffling : the first of these cannot be believed , but by an Infallible Testimony , viz. Of the Church ; for that end the Churches Infallibi●ity is made necessary , that the Faith may be divine and infallible , because divine faith can rest only upon Infallible Testimony ; but ●hen in the other act of faith , whereby the Churches Infallibility is believed , we hear no more of this infallible Testimony ; because then it is impossible to avoid the circle . I propose therefore this Dilemma to E. W. Either it is necessary to every act of divine Faith to have an Infallible Testimony , or it is not : if it be not necessary , then there is no necessity of asserting the Churches Infallibility in order to believing the Scriptures to be the Word of God , and so the cause is gained ; if it be necessary , then the faith whereby the Churches Infallibility is believed , must have such a divine Testimony , and so either a process in infinitum , or a circle are unavoidable by him . If he considered this , and yet wri● two such Books to prove the necessity of Infallibility in order to faith , he betrays too much insincerity for a man to deal with him ; if he did not , he need not complain so much of others Ignorance , he may easily find enough nearer home . And therefore all the fault of these men does not lie barely in making the assent to be more certain than the motives of Faith ; but in requiring so strictly in one act of Faith a proportionable certainty to the assent and not in another . For what is there I beseech E. W. in believing the Churches Infallibility , which should not make it as necessary for that to be supported by an infallible Testimony as that whereby we believe the Divine Revelation ? If faith hath n● grounds and doth not Discourse as Science doth , then I hope the case is alike in both● and so the necessity of an Infallible Testimony must be affirmed of the one , or equally denyed in the other .

But he seems to assert , That faith whatever object it respects doth not Discourse as Science doth ; but solely relies on Gods revealed Testimony without the mixture of reason . Grant this at present , but then I hope both these acts of faith equally do so ; and still ●he Churches infallibility cannot be made ●ecessary to faith ; for if faith immediately ●elies on Gods Testimony , what need any other to ascertain it ? or any other proposition , than such as is sufficient to make known ●he object of faith , to which end no infalli●ility in the proponent is necessary . Any more than it is necessary for the act of love ●oward a desireable object , that he that shews a Beauty should be infallible in the description of her . If all the necessity of the Churches proposition be no more , than to convey the Divine Testimony to us , as E. W. sometimes ●mplies , let him take pains to a little better Disc. 3 c. 4. ● . 18. purpose , in proving that such a conditio applicans as he calls it must have infallibility belonging to it . For Infallibility is then only necessary , when it is relied upon and is the ground of believing , and not where it is a meer condition of understanding . If a Prince sends an Ambassadour about a match to a foraign Princess , declaring that he will wholly rely upon his Testimony of her , in this case there needs the greatest judgement and veracity in the Person trusted ; because the Prince resolves his judgement into his Ambassadours Testimony ; but if he only imploys a Person to bring her into the Room where he may see her and judge of her himself , in this case there is no necessity of any other quality th●● only obedience and fidelity . So we say as the Church , if the Churches Testimony to be relied upon as the Foundation of o● belief of the Scriptures , then it is necessa● the Church should be infallible if there c●● be no faith without such a Testimony ; b● if all the office of the Church be only to pr● pose the object of faith to be viewed and co● sidered by us , then a common veracity m● be sufficient for it . And in this case I gran● faith is not to be resolved into the conditio● of applying the object of faith ; any mo● than love is into the light whereby a m● sees Beauty , or the burning of Fire into th● laying near of the fuel : but if it be assert● that there can be no divine faith without ● infallible Testimony , that , this Testimony i● that of the Church , and therefore upon thi● infallible Testimony we must build our saith he is blind that doth not see in this case tha● it must be resolved into this infallible testimony . And therefore E. W. very impertinently charges me with this constant errour , viz. making the motives of faith the Foundation ●● . n. 19. of it , and that hereby I confound th● judgement of credibility with the assent of faith ; by making the infallible testimony of the Church to those who believe it , the formal object of faith . For although the common motives of faith should do no more than ●ake the object of faith appear evidently ●edible , and so the faith of such persons be ●e●olved into a further reason than those mo●ves ; yet they who do believe upon the ac●ount of the infallibility of the Churches ●estimony , must resolve their faith into that , which to them is the only infallible and adaequate Ground of Faith .

§. 6. 2. To lay open the Foundation of all these mistakes , about the nature of Faith . Of the motives of credibi●ity ; and their instaence on faith . I shall inquire into the influence which the motives of credibility have upon believing . And therein give an account of these three things . 1. What the motives of credibility are ? 2. How far they are necessary to faith ? 3. What influence they have upon the assent of Faith ?

1. What these motives of credibility are ? Suarez brings them under four heads .

1. From the qualities of the Christian Suarez de side disp. 4. sect. 3. doctrine and those are , 1. It s truth without any mixture of falshood ; but faith he , if there be many things true and some false , it is a sufficient sign that doctrine is not from God , as it was among the Philosophers of old . The way to judge of this quality he thus laies down , those things which the Christian Religion speaks of , which may be know● by natural light are very agreeable to th● common reason of mankind , those othe● things which are above it are not repugnan● to any principle of it , but are agreeable t● the infinite and incomprehensible Majesty o● God . 2. The sanctity and purity of this doctrine , as appears by the excellency of the precepts of it ; the moral precepts not only agreeable to the Law of nature , but tend much to the improvement of it ; the spiritual precepts have nothing contrary to the rules of morality , and are suitable to the perfections of the Divine Nature . 3. The efficacy of it , which is seen by the strange and miraculous ways of its propagation , by such instruments as were never like to effect their design without a Divine Power .

2. The second Motive is , from the number of witnesses , of the whole Trinity at the Baptism of Christ , of Christ himself in his holy and innocent life , of Moses and the Prophets before him , of the Apostles after him , of the Devils themselves , of the multitude of Martyrs of all kinds suffering with so much patience and courage , and Christian Religion increasing by it .

3. From the Testimony God gave to the truth of it ; by the Miracles which were wrought in confirmation of the Doctrine preached , in which ought to be considered the nature , the effects , the frequency , the manner of working them , and the end for which they were wrought , which must be not meerly for the benefit of the person on whom they are wrought , but for a testimony to the truth of the Doctrine delivered ; otherwise he grants a Deceiver may work Miracles .

4. From the continuance of this Doctrine in the world , being so hard to believe the Doctrine and practice the precepts of it ; meeting with such multitudes of enemies of all kinds ; out of all which the credibility of the Christian Religion may be demonstrated , a Divine Providence being supposed to take care of the affairs of mankind . Greg. de Valentiâ

Greg de Va● nt . Tom. 3. disp. 1. q. 1. p●act. 4.

Med n● de rect â in Deum●side l. 2.

reckons up these motives to 19. Michael Medina follows ●cotus and makes 10. or 11. of them : on which he largely insists , viz. the fulfilling of Prophesies , the consent of Scriptures , their Authority and truth , the care and diligence of the first Christians in examining the Doctrine of Christianity , the excellency of it in all its parts , the propagation of it in the world , the Miracles wrought for the confirmation of it , the testimony of enemies , the justice of providence , and the destruction of its Adversaries . To the same Lugo de side . disp. 5. s●●l . 4. purpose Cardinal Lugo and others of the Schoolmen make an enumeration of the● Fincisc . Valent. Co●●●●dia juris Po●isicii cum Caesareo part. 1 q. 1. sect. 6. motives of credibility ; but a late Jesuit ha● reduced them all to the four chief Attribute of God . His Wisdom , Goodness , Powe● and Providence , but inlarges upon the● much in the same way that Suarez had don● Thus much may suffice for understandin● what these motives of credibility are : wh●● are acknowledged to make up a demonstr●tion for the credibility of the Christian Religion

2. How far these are necessary to faith for that we are to consider that faith bein● an assent of the rational faculty in man , mu● proceed upon such grounds as may justifie th● assent to be a rational act : which cannot b● unless sufficient reason appear to induce th● mind to assent , which reason appearing ● all one with the cre●●bility of the object which doth not imply here what may be believed either with or without reason , but wha● all circumstances considered ought to be believed by every prudent person . And in thi● sense Suarez asserts the necessity of the evidence of credibility to the act of faith : for Suarez . de Fide disp. 4. sect. 2. n. 3. saith he , it is not enough , that the object o● faith be proposed as revealed by God , but i● is necessary that it be proposed with such circumstances , as make it appear prudently cr●dible in that way it is proposed . For levil● of judgement and rashness of assent he makes ●nconsistent with divine faith ; and every man ought so to believe as to exclude all fear of the contrary , and so as that he can never ●rudently disbelieve what he now believes ; but if a man believes upon bad grounds , he may afterwards prudently reject those grounds . But this is not all , for he makes such a proposition of the object of faith necessary , whereby it appears evidently credible as revealed by God , and consequently as certain N. 4. and infallible . For which he gives this reason ; because an inclination of the will to assent must precede the assent of faith before which there must be a judgement determining that act of the will ; this judgement must either be certain , or uncertain ; if uncertain it is not sufficient for divine faith ; if it be certain then there must be such an evidence of credibility in the objects of faith . And although a practical certainty as to matters of humane faith may be sufficiently founded upon a judgement of probability , i. e. a man may judge it fit for him to believe where he sees only a greater probability on one side than of the other ; yet in matters of divine faith a higher judgement than of meer probability is necessary , viz. that which is founded upon the evidence of credibility ; for with a meer probability a prudent doubting is consistent , which is not with divine saith , and withal the certainty of faith is not meerly practical but speculative , i. e. of the truth of the thing in it self , and therefore requires a speculative evidence of the credibility of the object . From whence he concludes , that a bare credibility is not sufficient , but a greater N 6. credibility of the doctrine believed than of any other contrary to it ; for if two doctrines appear equally credible there can be only a doubtful assent given to one of them : and a man might choose which he would believe : but in the assent of faith it is not only necessary that there be a greater credibility of one doctrine than of the other ; but that this be evident to natural reason : which dictates N. 7. that in matters of Salvation that doctrine is to be believed which appears more evidently credible than any other . To the same purpose Cardinal Lugo determines that the will cannot command a prudent assent of faith , Lugo de vi●t . sidei divinae disp. 5. sect. 1. n. 21. where there precedes only a probable judgement of the credibility of the object , because there must be the apprehension of a certain obligation to believe , which must arise from the evidence of credibility in the object of faith . And Aquinas himself had determined , that no man would believe , unless he saw that the Aquin. 2. 2. qa 1. art. 4. things were to be believed , either for the evidence os miracles or something of a like nature : which Cajetan interprets of believing Cajet. in loc. truly and vertuously : truly , i. e. without fear of the contrary , and vertuously , i. e. prudently . So that although men may rashly and indiscreetly believe things without sufficient evidence of their credibility , yet no man can by the acknowledgement of the most learned of the Schoolmen , yield a rational and prudent assent of faith without it .

3. The main thing is to consider what influence the evidence of credibility hath upon the act of faith ? For E. W. asserts that all that results from thence is only a judgement of credibility , but that the act of faith it self relies wholly upon other principles ; and by the help of the distinction of these two he labours to avoid the force of my arguments . Thus then the matter stands , it is agreed that faith must have rational proofs antecedent to it , but these proofs he must say do not perswade men to believe , or which is all one , have no influence upon the act of Faith . If all that were meant by this talk were only this , that we are then said properly to believe when we fix our assent upon Gods testimony , but that all acts of the mind short of this may not properly be called believing , but by some other name , this would presently appear to be a controversie about words , which I perfectly hate . But more must be understood by such men as E. W. or else they do not speak at all to the purpose ; for the Question is , whether in requiring an infallible assent of faith to the Churches Infallibility upon motives confessedly fallible , an assent be not required beyond all proportion or degree of evidence ? to this he answers , that this argument proceeds upon ignorance of the nature of faith which doth not discourse as Science doth : and he grants that the motives of credibility have not the same certainty that faith hath . What then can hence follow , but that faith is an unreasonable assent , and hath no grounds ; or that it may be stronger than the grounds it proceeds upon ? But if it appear , that faith must have grounds , and that the assent of faith can be no stronger than the grounds are , then it follows that they are very unreasonable in requiring an infallible assent of faith to the Churches Infallibility barely upon the motives of credibility .

§. 7. 1. That faith must have grounds , Of the grounds of faith . If a man had not to deal with persons who have confounded their own understandings with an appearance of subtilty , one would think this as needless a task as to prove that man is a reasonable creature ; for if faith be an assent of the mind , taking it as strictly and properly as they please , it must have the nature of a rational act , which it cannot have unless it proceeds upon reasonable grounds . The grounds I grant are different in several assents , but it must always have some . Those which are accounted the most immediate assents have the clearest and most evident reason , such as the assents to first principles are , as that the whole is greater than the part . &c. and for conclusions drawn from them , the readiness and firmness of the assent is proportionable to the evidence of their connexion with those principles from whence they are drawn . In other things that depend upon the evidence of sense , the reason of our assent to the truth of them , is from the supposition of the truth of our faculties and that we are so framed as not to be imposed upon , in matters that are plainly and with due circumstances conveyed to our minds by our Organs of sense . But if there appear an evidence of reason overthrowing the certainty of sense , Scepticism immediately follows and the suspension of all assent to the truth of things conveyed by our senses ; for no man can then be certain of any thing by the evidence of sense , but only of the appearance of things . I may be certain , that things do appear with such difference of colours , and tasts , and smells ; but I cannot be certain that there are really such differences in the things themselves . If therefore the Scepticks arguments should prevail upon any mans mind so far , as to make him question whether sense be a certain medium to convey the truth of the things to his mind , it is impossible that man should yield a firm assent to the truth of any thing on the account of the evidence of sense . So that still , assent proceeds upon the grounds of reason which satisfie the mind , that all circumstances considered it ought not to suspend any longer . Let us now consider such things which are not so evident of themselves , nor conveyed by our senses ; and unless we distrust all mankind we have reason to believe some things to be which we never saw our selves , and this is the fundamental ground of that we call believing ; which is nothing else , but taking truth upon trust ; or receiving a thing as true upon such testimony which I see no reason to question . If I see any reason to doubt either the skill or fidelity of those persons upon whose credit I am to rely ; it is impossible for me firmly to believe upon their Authority ; if I see none , then on that account I believe what they say ; wherein it is as evident that my assent is according to the grounds I proceed upon , as that two and two make four . What is it then that hath thus confounded these mens minds , to make them to contend that the act of divine faith is of such a nature that nothing like it is to be found in any other act of the mind ? Must we cease to be men by being Christians ? or where the strongest reason is most necessary , must there be none at all ? to what end then were there arguments ever used to perswade men to believe Christianity ? were those arguments able to perswade men or not ? if they were , then men did believe upon the strength of those arguments ; and is it possible for men to believe upon the strength of arguments and yet those arguments have no influence upon the act of faith ? This is horrible nonsense and fit only for those to write who believe contradictions ; for such an act of faith indeed can have no reason for it . But to come closer yet to our matter : The Churches infallibility is to be believed , saith E. W. with divine faith ; is there any ground for that act of faith , or not ? If there be none , shew what obligation to believe there can be , where there is no ground for it : if there be , I desire to know , whether they are able to perswade me or not ; if not , shew then why I ought to believe on insufficient grounds ; if they be , may not I then believe upon those grounds ? and if I do , doth not that act of faith rely upon those grounds ▪ Besides , of those who plead for the necessity of the Churches infallibility , I desire to know on what account they do it ? Is it not , that faith may have a sufficient Foundation to be built upon , which in their opinion cannot be without such infallibility ? and yet after all this , must not faith stand upon this ground ? Why then are , Scotus , Durand , Canus l. 2. c. 8. Lugo de virt. fidei disp. 1. sect. 5. Gabriel , Medina and others charged by some of the Roman Church with resolving faith into the Churches testimony ? What is this else but only to make the Churches Testimony the ground of faith ? Nay , why are there any disputes at all about the formal object of faith ? For the formal object is nothing but the reason of believing , and what account can be given of the reason of believing if there be none at all ? But it may be all this while I mistake my profound Adversary , it being hardly possible that a man of common sense should write such stuff . To prevent any suspicion of this nature I shall lay down his assertions in his own words ; from several places of his worthy works . Faith solely relies on Gods revealed Testimony

Protest . without Principles disc. 1. c. 11. n. 2.

Reason and Religion disc. 3. c 1. n. 10.

without the mixture of Reason for ill Motive ; the previous Motives well pondered , bring with them an obligation to believe and not faith it self . For , Faith reasons not , but simply believes : Faith contrary to science goes beyond the certainty of all extrinsecal inducements . And afterwards , where he attempts to answer the main difficulty , as he C. 8. N. 4. calls it , in the resolution of faith , ( which in short is , since the motives of credibility seem to leave the matter doubtful , what that is , which determines the assent to the objects of faith as infallibly true ? ) waving at present that answer , that it is from the command of the will , he seems to attribute so great an evidence to the Motives of credibility , that they do infallibly prove the truth of divine Revelation , there being an insiparable connexion between the Motives and divine Revelation ; but then he starts an untoward objection , viz. that then the Revelation must appear evident and so faith would be evident ; to which he answers by denying the consequence , because this assent is science and not faith ; now this evidence arising from the motives of credibility , faith , saith he , as faith leaves , or lays aside , and firmly adheres to the Divine Revelation only for it self , as contradistinct both from the Moral evidence of the Motives , and their apparent connexion with the Revelation . The reason is taken , saith he , from the notion of faith , which essentially N. 10. tends obscurely upon its own object , as the most ancient Fathers assert . From whence it is clear , if you believe him , that no evidence of the testimony assented to can move to faith , not only because we should in the case of evidence be necessitated to believe , but upon this account also , that the certitude of faith , taken from the supreamest verity , i● of a higher strain and far surpasses all the certitude we find in nature , or in the Motives inducing to believe . But which is more pleasant he yet adds , It is true , the more evident N. 11. these motives appear the better they induce to believe , yet for that reason have less to do with the very act of faith , which as he said , rests upon and lays claim to no lower a verity , than the most pure and supream only , and if it rests not here , it is no faith . And yet after all this he asserts , that the evidence of credibility apparent in Disc. 3. c. 10. n. 7. those manifest signs and marks which illustrate true Christianity is abundantly sufficient to induce the most obdurate heart in the world to believe with such an Assent as suits Gods great Majesty , i. e. with a faith most firm and infallible . Here we have Motives , such Motives as give evidence of divine Revelation , such motives as are sufficient to induce the most obdurate person to an infallible assent of faith ; and yet after all this evidence by these motives in order to believing ; this believing hath nothing to do with them , and the more they induce to believe , the less influence they have upon faith , for that fixeth on the divine Revelation solely for it self , and hath a certainty beyond that of the greatest arguments that are used for believing . He that hath the faculty of understanding these things ought to oblige mankind with a clearer discovery of them , than E. W. hath made ; who doth not seem to understand what he writes himself and therefore it cannot be expected that others should . But the Foundation of all this Nonsense , is a strange apprehension of the nature of faith , which the School-doctrine hath so rivited into him , that it seems to be of the nature of a first principle with him , which must be supposed as the Basis of all his discourse ; which is , that faith is an obscure and inevident assent , or that it essentially tends obscurely to its object , and therefore no motives , or arguments how clear or strong soever can have any influence upon faith . For he imagines as great an opposition between arguments and faith as between light and darkness ; he first conceives faith to be a kind of deep Dungeon of the soul full of darkness and obscurity , and then bids men have a care of bringing any light into it , for if they do , it ceaseth to be what he described it . A light may serve a man very well to shew him the way to this Dungeon , nay it may direct him to the very door ; but then farewel to all light , no● the least crevise must be left to let in any to the mind that is once entred it ; but the excellency of it is , that the soul fixes more certainly on its object in this state of darkness , than it could do being environed with the clearest light . Just as if a man should say there is a particular way of seeing with ones eys shut , which is far more admirable and excellent , than all the common ways of beholding things ; being far more certain and piercing than seeing by the help of eyes and light is ; for the light and sight may both fail in the representation of an object ; but this seeing without eyes is an infallible way to prevent all the fallacies of sense . Much in this way doth E. W. talk ; for all arguments are fallible , and therefore by no means must faith proceed upon them ; O but this believing without , or above , or it may be against arguments , is the most infallible thing in the world ; for that man need never fear being deceived with reason that disowns the use of it . Upon these grounds a skilful Painter may make a shift to bungle and to draw some rude uneven strokes by the help of his Pencil and a good light ; but if he would be sure not to miss making an excellent Piece he ought to shut his eyes or darken his Room , for then to be sure that fallible thing called light can never deceive him . An indifferent person that only consulted the nature and reason of things could never have fallen into these dotages ; but it hath been the interest of some men to cry down light that have had false wares to put off . But of all things I wonder if this be the whole nature of Christian faith to believe no man knows why nor wherefore , ( for if he doth , his faith ceases to be faith being built upon reason ) why all this ado is kept about an infallible Church and motives of credibility ? cannot a man believe without reason at first as well at last ? cannot faith fix upon Gods Revelation for it self , without troubling those motives of credibility to no purpose ? If a man hath a mind to leap blindfold from a Precipice , why cannot he do it without so much ceremony ? must he have all his attendance about him , and his Gentleman-usher to conduct him to the very brink of the Rock , and there bid him Goodnight ? If all these motives of credibility contribute nothing to the act of believing , what use are they of in such a Religion , where Faith is look'd on as the great Principle of practice and the means of salvation ? If the judgement of credibility would save men , they might still be useful ; but this will be by no means allowed , for nothing in their opinion , but this blind Guide ( which they call faith ) can conduct men to Heaven .

§ . 8. But what is it that hath made me● Of the Scripturen●●ion of the obscurity of Faith . so in love with nonsense and contradictions ? Hath the Scripture given any countenance to this notion of faith ? Yes doubtless ; they are such lovers of Scripture , that they da●e not take up any opinion in these matters without plain Scripture . Then I hope Scripture may be plain in clear things , if it be so in the description of so obscure a thing as they make faith to be . But doth not the Scripture say , that Faith is the Substance of things hoped for , and the evidence of things not seen ? Heb. 11. 1. and is not this all one as if it had been said that faith essentially tends obscurely to its object , and that it is an inevident assent and therefore cannot make use of arguments ? This I know is all the pretence they have for this notion of faith ; but is it not very pretty , because faith is called an evidence therefore i● must be inevident , or to follow the vulga● Latine because it is called an argument therefore it can use none ? No man is so senseless to deny , that we believe things we do not see , and things which cannot be seen ; we believe some things which might have been seen , and were seen by some whose credit we rely upon ; as the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ : we believe other things which are uncapable of being seen by our senses , as the Joys of Heaven and the Torments of Hell ; and as to such things faith supplies the want of the Evidence of sense to us ; and by it our minds are assured of the truth of them though we do not or cannot see them . Which is all that is intended by this description of faith ; but how doth it hence follow that our faith must be an immediate , inevident , obscure assent , on which all the arguments that perswade men to believe , can have no influence ? May not I believe that Christ died and rose again , and will come to judge the quick and the dead , because I see all the reason in the world to perswade me to believe it , from the testimony of those who saw him and have delivered his doctrine to us , and have given the greatest evidence of their fidelity ? Doth the strength of the argument hinder me at all from believing what I did not see ? I had rather thought the more obscure the object had been , ( for it is little better than nonsense to call an act of faith obscure ) , the greater necessity there had been of strong evidence to perswade a man to believe ; not such evidence as doth arise from the nature of the thing , for that is contrary to the obscurity of the object , but such as gives the greatest reason to believe from the Authority of those on whose Testimony I rely . So that the greatest clearness and evidence as to the Testimony is not repugnant to the nature of Faith ; this only shews that in Christian Religion we do no● proceed by meer evidence of sense or rigorous demonstrations in the things we assent to ; but that the great things we believe are remote from sense and received upon the Authority of the Revealer ; yet so , as that we assert we have as great evidence that these things were revealed by God , as the matter was capable of ; and such evidence we say ought to perswade any prudent person . This is all which the description of faith so much alledged doth imply ; which was never intended for an accurate definition of it ; for as Hugo de sancto Victore saith of it , non indicat quid est fides , sed signat quid facit ; it doth not shew what faith is , but what it doth ; by making things future and invisible to have as great power and influence on mens minds as if they were present and visible . And when the Fathers speak of the obscurity of Faith , they do not mean an assent without grounds , but the belief of things out of our view ; and that obscurity is understood by them in comparison with the clearness of a future state : or in opposition to the way of proving things by meer reason without Revelation . So Cardinal Lugo truly answers the Testimonies of Fathers to that purpose , by saying that when they exclude reason and arguments Lugo de virtut. fid. Divin . disp. 7. sect. 2. n. 16. from faith they take them as they are opposed to Authority ; but in as much as they suppose the mysteries of Christian faith to be believed for the sake of Divine Revelation , a discourse is thereby implied from the Authority of God revealing to the mysteries believed . Neither is such discourse only requisite , but that in the first place which doth assure men of the truth of this Revelation ; for upon that , the other must proceed . All mediums used for the proof of this , must be extrinsecal to the nature of the thing , and therefore cannot be repugnant to faith ; and in this I have the consent of some of the most learned of the Schoolmen , who make evidentiam in attestante as they call it , consistent with faith .

But saith E. W. No thanks to thee poor creature , Dis. 3. c. 8. n. 16. to assent hadst thou Evidence . This it is now to hope to merit at Gods hands by a blind faith ! for so elsewhere , he saith , evidence C. 10. n. 5. is incompatible with that merit and obsequiousness of faith ; which God requires of his rational creatures who are to walk to Heaven by an humble and dutiful faith . A very humble saith certainly that hopes to merit by believing ! And very dutiful in expecting so large a reward for doing it knows not what ! We think it our duty to believe firmly whatever God saith ; but withal we think it our duty to enquire carefully whether God hath said it or no before we believe : and according to the evidence we have of this we assent to the former . But this is not to proceed Nobly with God , saith E. W. Brave man ! It hath been reported of a Hector in this Town that a little before his death he said he hoped God would deal with him like a Gentleman : It seems E. W. would deal so with God . We have often heard of works of super-erogation ; but our noble E. W. is not content with them , he will have a faith of super-erogation too . We poor creatures , are contented to do our duties , and take it as a great Favour , for God to accept of the best we can do : We dare not so much as think of such terms of kindness and favour from us to God , as to proceed Nobly with him . Neither do we believe , that God is so hugely pleased with the blind and the lame , when they are offered in sacrifice to him . Whatever E. W. imagines , it is no such Noble proceeding to believe infallibly upon confessedly fallible grounds . For that is the present case , he grants that the motives of credibility are not infallible , and that there are no other motives in order to faith above these , and yet he supposes we ought to oblige God by giving an infallible assent upon these Motives . But the bottom of all is That our Faith ought to be suitable to Gods infallible veracity , which Faith immediately rests upon and from whence and not ●rom the motives , infallible certainty as E W. speaks , is transfused into it . This deep speculation by no means satisfies me ; for though I know it to be impossible for God to lie or to deceive ; yet our question is not about believing the truth of what God saith , but about believing this or that to be revealed by him . And while the Question is whether Gods veracity be concerned in the thing , how is it possible for his Veracity to transfuse an Infallible Certainty into my Belief of it ? Suppose E. W. be acquainted with as honest a man as ever lived , and one comes and tells him from him that such a Friend of his was dead , and gave him five hundred pound ; I would fain know whether the unquestionable veracity of the Friend , from whom the Messenger saith he received it , can transfuse an unquestionable certainty in his mind of the truth of the thing , while he is yet in doubt whether his faithful Friend said it or no ? If his assent here be not according to the veracity of his Friend , unless he be first assured of the fidelity of the reporter ; No more can it be in the present case of believing . For no one questions what God saith , but our only doubt is whether God hath said it ; and whilst one gives no infallible assent to the one , he cannot infallibly rest upon the other . But may not credible arguments as to the Messenger be sufficient for infallible belief of the thing upon the Authority of the other ? For that , I appeal to E. W. whether his belief of the thing would not in that case be according to the grounds he had to believe the Messenger ? and the Authority of his Friend would make him so much the more Question whether his name might not be abused by a Person that had a design to put a trick upon him ; especially if that Messenger challenged to himself so much credit that he ought to be believed without any dispute at a●l . For in this case , the over eager affirming would give a man cause to question the more the truth of the person , if his evidence bear no proportion with his confidence . So it is in our present case : it is granted on all sides , if God reveals any thing it must be true : our enquiry is how far we are to believe that God hath said such a thing upon the credit of those who convey it to us ; if they desire no more credit with us than they give sufficient evidence for , then we are bound to believe them ; but if they exact an infallible assen● and offer only fallible grounds we have reason to mistrust their design ; and so long as we do so , we must question the thing which we are to believe upon their credit . If they require only an assent suitable to their evidence it would be unreasonable to deny it , but still the degree of our assent to the Revelation is proportionable to the degree of evidence that it is a divine Revelation . Which Dr. Holden thinks to be so evident , that he accounts it lost labour for a man Holden Analys . fidei l. 1. c. 3. to go about to prove it to any one that hath common sense : viz. That no assent of divine Faith can have any greater true and rational certainty , than the assent of the medium hath , by which the object of Faith is applied to the understanding . For whatever certainty we can attribute to an intellectual assent upon the Authority of God revealing it is necessary it should come from and depend upon the certainty of the medium , by which this Authority of God revealing is conveyed to the understanding . For as it is impossible that a man should believe or yield assent to any thing because it is revealed by God , unless he thinks and knows that God hath revealed it ; so it is impossible that he should believe the things revealed by God with greater true and rational certainty , than that by which he knows that God revealed them . For whatever degree of uncertainty or doubt there is in the mind of a believer of the certainty and truth of the medium , there must be the same in that assent whereby he believes the things which are proposed by that medium . Because with what degree a man doubts whether God hath revealed this or that , he cannot but doubt in the same degree of that which is said to be revealed by God . For what man in his wits doth not presently perceive that no man can be more certain of that thing which God is said to reveal , than he is certain that God hath revealed it ; as no man can be more certain of the things done by Caesar , than they are that Caesar was ; or of the mysteries revealed by Christ , than that Christ was . This he saith he had never mentioned , unless some later Divines , ( such as E. W. ) discoursing vainly and Sceptically , and not considering the true reason of believing , had feigned to themselves he knew not what kind of divine and supernatural certainty in Christian Faith ( passing by the true and rational ) which it is clearer than noon day , is but an idle and imaginary thing . Good Reader , observe the power of reason over an ingenuous mind ; I know not what entertainment Dr. H. might have given E. W. on other accounts ; but it is plain by this Discourse he thought a dark Room the fittest for him , since he pronounces that no man in his senses can assert the things which he confidently doth . Although therefore he thought this needless to be proved , yet I must proceed to shew ,

§. 9. 2. That the Assent of Faith can be Of the power of the Will in the assent of Faith . no stronger than the Grounds are . For if it doth proceed upon Grounds , those are of the nature of Premises and the assent of faith as the conclusion drawn from them , and therefore must be stronger or weaker according to them . In every act of Faith which hath a particular Revelation for its object ; there must be two distinct premises conceived from whence that which is the proper act of believing follows . As suppose the Question be concerning the Resurrection of the dead , why I believe that article of Faith to be t●ue , the present Answer is because God hath revealed it ; but therein lies the force of a Syllogism , by which it will appear that the act of Faith follows as the conclusion from the premises . Whatsoever God reveals is true , but God hath revealed the Resurrection of the dead , therefore it is true . Now since the force of a conclusion depends upon the premises , the assent of Faith cannot be supposed stronger and firmer than the Premises are from which it results . For however it may hold in other causes ; in those which are moral and final , it is an undoubted Maxim of reason , That which makes an other thing to be so , must be much more so it self : As that end which makes any thing desirable for its sake , is much more desirable it self , because it is that which moves the Soul to desire the means ; and so it is likewise in whatever moves the understanding to assent as well as the will to desire : but the Premises do move the understanding to assent to the conclusion , therefore the consent to the conclusion must be agreeable to that of the Premises . This difficulty hath so racked and tormented the minds of the Schoolmen , that Arriaga relates he hath heard the most Learned and Arriaga Curs Philo. disp. 16. Sect 4. Ingenious among them profess they could find no way through it . While they did require an infallible assent in the conclusion , when there could be no infallible assent to one of the Premises , viz. that God hath revealed this . Which some have thought they got over when they asserted the necessity of the Churches Infallibility , as the foundation of that assent . But granting them the truth of that , yet they have given the difficulty but one remove by it , for it speedily returns again , concerning the belief of the Churches Infa●libility , which they agree must be believed infallibly , and yet here again they offer at no more than motives confessed to be fallible to prove it . And so at last they are fain to take up with other Answers , which make the Churches Infallible Proposition of no use at all in this matter : for if the assent be said to be immediate to the Revelation , if the strength of it arises either from the Spirit of God , or the pious inclination of the Will , and not from the motives of Faith , if any of these waies can solve the difficulty ; then however from hence it follows that all these will equally do it without ever so much as supposing the necessity of the Churches infallible Testimony . I shall not now trouble my self with others , but consider my Adversary who after making several attempts this way and that , at last bethinks of a good Friend in a corner , called the Power of the Will , and to this he is willing to attribute the strength of the assent , when it exceeds the motives of Disc. 3. c. 8. n. 14 , 15 , 16. Faith : which he thinks the more plain and easie way ; and therefore asserts that after the previous judgement of credibility , the Will C. 9. n. 5. works by h●r pious affection , and that moves the understanding to elicit the infallible assent of Faith . For saith he , if it be demanded how the understanding dares rest C. 10. n. 10. most firmly on an object not evidently seen , we pass ●rom that Power to the Will and say , she can by her pious affection command the intellectual faculty to captivate it self in Obsequium fidei and believe most undoubtedly . This is the last Reserve in this matter , which is as weak as any of the former . For if the Will can determine the understanding to assent beyond the strength of the motives , it may determine it to assent without any motives at all ; because that degree of assent which doth exceed the evidence of the motives hath nothing to incline or move it besides the meer power of the Will : and if it can command the highest and most Infallible assent withou● Infallible grounds it may equally command a fallible assent without fallible grounds , and by this means there will be no need of any motives of credibility at all . Besides , this takes away any such thing as the formal object of divine Faith ; for if the Infallible assent of Faith do come from the power of the Will ; then to what purpose is any formal object of that assent enquired after ? For the formal object doth assign a reason of believing from the object it self , of which there can be none if the Will by her own Power elicit that which is the proper assent of Faith . And all other material objects of Faith may be believed in as infallible a manner by the same power of the Will. But if the Will can command the understanding to assent beyond the degree of evidence ; why may not the understanding dictate to the Will to desire a thing beyond the degree of goodness appearing to it ; and by this means both those faculties would tend to their objects in a way disagreeing to their nature .

All these ways being found in sufficient , Cardinal Lugo saith some had recourse at last Lugo de fide disp. 1. Sect. 4. il. 38. to a mysterious elevation of the understanding , beyond all connatural ways of its operation , whereby it lays hold on the matters of Faith in a way wholly inexplicable ; and however the Cardinal slights this way , and expresseth a great detestation of it , as that which renders the matters of Faith incredible and imperceptible ; yet I think it absolutely the best for those of the Roman Church that hath yet been thought of ; and I would particularly commend it to E. W. who loves to talk so unintelligibly and confusedly , as if he had this habit of believing infused already .

And thus much in vindication of the first argument , I proposed against making the Infallible Testimony of the Church the foundation of Faith , and yet that Infallibility to be only proved by the motives of credibility , viz. that hereby an infallible assent must be built upon fallible grounds . As to what E. W. saith by way of recrimination it shall be answered , when I come to defend our own grounds of Faith .

§ . 10. The next Argument , which afford●

Rational Account part 1. c. 5. S●ct . 6.

The second Argument defended against E. W.

any new matter to my Adversary , whereb● I shewed this way of resolving Faith to b● unreasonable was , because by making the Insallible Testimony of the Church necessary to Faith , they make that necessary to Faith , which was not made so by Christ or his Apostles . What then , say I , will become of the Faith of all those who received Divine Revelations , without the Infallible Testimony of any Church at all ? With what Faith did the Disciples of Christ at the time of his suffering , believe the Divine Authority of the Old Testament ? was it a true Divine Faith or not ? If it was whereon was it built ? Not certainly on the Infallible Testimony of the Jewish Church , which at that time consented to the death of the Messias , condemning him as a Malefactor and Deceiver : Or did they believe it because of the great rational evidence they had to convince them , that those Prophesies came from God ? If so , why may not we believe the Divinity of all the Scriptures on the same grounds and with a Divine Faith too ? With what Faith did those believe in the Messias who were not personally present at the Miracles which our Saviour wrought , but had them conveyed to them by such reports as the womans of Samaria was to the Samaritans ? Or were all such persons excused from believing , meerly because they were not spectators ? But by the same reason all those would be excused , who never saw our Saviours Miracles , or heard his Doctrine or his Apostles : but if such persons then were bound to believe , I ask on what Testimony was their Faith founded ? Was the woman of Samaria Infallible in reporting the Discourse between Christ and her ? Were all the persons Infallible who gave an account to others of what Christ did ? Yet I suppose , had it been your own case , you would have thought your self bound to have believed Christ to have been the Messias , if you had lived at that time , and a certain account had been given you of our Saviours Doctrine and Miracles by men faithful and honest , though you had no reason to have believed them infallible : I pray , Sir , answer me , would you have thought your self bound to have believed or no ? If you affirm it ( as I will suppose you so much a Christian as to say so ) I pray then tell me whether persons in those circumstances might not have a true and divine Faith where there was no infallible Testimony , but only Rational Evidence to build it self upon ? And if those Persons might have a divine Faith upon such evidence as that was , may not we much more who have evidence of the same nature indeed , but much more extensive , universal , and convincing than that was ? And how then can you stil● assert an Infallible Testimony of the conveyers of divine Revelation to be necessary in order to a divine Faith ? Nay further yet , how few were there in comparison , in the first Ages of the Christian Church , who received the Doctrine of the Gospel from the mouths of persons Infallible ? and of those who did so , what certain evidence have men , that all those persons did receive the Doctrine upon the account of the Infallibility of the Propounders , and not rather upon the Rational evidence of the Truth of the Doctrine delivered ; and whether the belief of their Infallibility was absolutely necessary to Faith , when the report of the evidences of the Truth of the Doctrine might raise in them an obligation to believe , supposing them not Infallible in that delivery of it , but that they looked on them as honest men , who faithfully related what they had seen and heard ? and to which evidence of sense the Apostles and Evangelists appealed ; so that when there 1 Joh. 1. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 16. Luk. 1. 1 , 2 was certainly an infallible Testimony , yet that is not urged as the only Foundation for Faith , but Rational Evidence produced even by those Persons who were thus infallible , If we descend lower in the Christian Church , or walk abroad to view the several Plantations of the Churches at that time , where do we read or meet with the least intimation of an Infallible Testimony of the Catholick Church , so called from its Communion with that of Rome ? What Infallible Testimony of that Church had the poor Britains to believe on ? Or those Barbarians mentioned in Irenaeus , who yet believed without a written Word ? What mention do we meet with in all the ancient Apologeticks of Christians wherein they give so large an account of the grounds of Christian Faith , of the modern method for resolving Faith ? Nay , what one ancient Father or Council give the least countenance to this pretended Infallibility , much less make it the only sure Foundation of Faith as you do ? Nay how very few are there among your selves who believe it , and yet think themselves never the worse Christians for it ? If then your Doctrine be true what becomes of the Faith of all these persons mentioned ? Upon your principles their Faith could not be true and Divine Faith ; that is , let them all think they believed the Doctrine of Christ never so heartily , and obey it never so conscientiously ; yet because they did not believe on the Infallibility of your Church , their Faith was but a kind of guilded and splendid infidelity , and none of them Christians , because not Jesuits . And doth not this principle then fairly advance Christianity in the world , when the belief of it comes to be settled on Foundations , never heard of in the best and purest times of it ; nay such Foundations , as for want of their believing them , their Faith must be all in vain , and Christ dyed in vain for them .

And what now saith E. W. to all this ? First , he saith , I do not bring Instances enough . Secondly , That I bring too many .

1. That I do not bring enough ; for he much wonders I omit to touch upon an instance Disc. 3. c. 3. n. 6. far more difficult than any of these concerning rude and illiterate persons , which I and all others are bound to solve . Me● thinks he might have been contented with those I had brought , unless he had answered them better ; and should not have blamed me for omitting that which I purposely take notice of and give a sufficient answer to in these words . Although the Ignorance and carelesness of men in a matter of so great consequence Rational Account pa●t 1. c. 6. Sect. 15. be so great in all Ages , as is not to be justified , because all men ought to endeavour aster the highest ways of satisfaction in a matter so nearly concerning them ( and it is none of the least things to be blamed in your Church , that she doth so much countenance this ignorance and neglect of the Scripture ) yet for such persons who either morally or invincibly are hindred from this capacity of examining Scripture , there may be sufficient means for their Faith to be built upon . For although such illiterate persons cannot themselves see and read the Scripture , yet as many as do believe do receive the Doctrine of it by that sense , by which Faith is conveyed ; and by that means they have so great certainty as excludes all doubting , that such Doctrines and such matters of Fact are contained in these Books , by which they come to the understanding of the nature of this Doctrine and are capable of judging concerning the Divinity of it . For the Light spoken of in Scripture is not a light to the eye but to the mind ; now the mind is capable of this light , as well by the ear , as by the eyes . The case then of such honest illiterate persons , as are not capable of reading Scripture , but diligently and devoutly hear it read to them , is much of the same nature with those who heard the Apostles Preach this Doctrine before it was writ . For whatever was an Argument to such to believe the Apostles in what they spake , becomes an Argument to such who hear the same things , which are certainly conveyed to us , by an unquestionable Tradition : So that nothing hinders but such illiterate persons may resolve their Faith into the same Doctrine and Motives which others do , only those are conveyed to them by the ear , which are conveyed to others by the eyes . But if you suppose persons so rude and illiterate , as not to understand any thing , but that they are to believe as the Church believes ; do you if you can , resolve their Faith for them ; for my part I cannot , and am so far from it that I have no reason to believe they can have any . Judge now , Reader , what measure I am like to meet with from such men , who can so impudently charge me with omitting a difficulty , which I give so punctual an answer to .

2. But those instances I have brought are too many for him ; as will easily appear by the shuffling answers he makes to them . My design was from them to prove that the Churches Infallibity was not necessary in order to Faith ; he puts it thus : If the Infallibility C. 3. n. 5. of the Church be a sure Foundation of Faith , &c. Is not this a good beginning to put Sure in stead of Necessary , or only sure ? For that may be sure which is not necessary , and it was the necessity I disproved by these Instances . To them however he attempts to give an Answer .

1. In general . That none make the Roman Catholick Church in all circumstances the only ● . 7. sure Foundation of Divine Faith . For the first man that believed in Christ our Lord before the compleat establishment of his Church had perfect faith resting on that great Master of Truth , without dependance on the Christian Church , for Christ alone was not the Church , but the Head of it . Faith therefore in general requires no more , but only to rely upon God the first verity speaking by this or that Oracle , by one or more men lawfully sent to teach , who prove their mission and make the doctrine proposed by them evidently credible . In like manner the Apostles preached no doctrine in the name of the new Christian Church , whilst our Saviour lived here on earth , but testified that he was the true Messias by vertue of those signs and miracles which had been already wrought above the force of Nature . A very fair concession ! which plainly destroys the necessity of the Churches infallibility in order to Faith . For if no more be necessary in order to faith , but to rely upon God the first verity speaking by this or that Oracle , &c. how comes the infallible testimony of the Church to be in any Age necessary to faith ? For God spake by Christ and his Apostles as his Oracles by whom his word is declared to us , therefore nothing can be necessary to faith but to rely upon God the first Truth speaking by them . And this we assert as well as they . But he must prove that we cannot rely on God as speaking by them , unless he hath an insallible Church in every Age , if he will make this infallible testimony of the Church necessary to faith ; which I despair of ever seeing done while the world stands .

2. In particular , 1. To the instance of the disciples of Christ believing the divine Authority of the old Testament without any infallible testimony of the Jewish Church ; only upon the rational evidence they had to convince them that those Prophesies came from God : he answers ; that it is hard to say where the force of it lies , seeing there were N. 8. innumerable Jews then dispersed all Jury over and the other parts of the world who most firmly believed the Divine Authority of those Books , upon whose Testimony the Apostles might believe those Books to be divine . A most excellent answer if we well consider it ! Have not they of the Church of Rome proved the necessity of infallibility in the Church from Deut. 17. 10 , 11 , 12. ( of which abundant instances might be produced , and particularly the Considerator of my Principles ) which words if they imply any Infallibility at all do necessarily prove that it is lodged in the supream Ecclesiastical Judges and no where else ; so that if there were no infallibility in them it could not be supposed to be any where else ; therefore I proposed the case at that time when these Ecclesiastical Judges consented to the death of Christ , and my Question will not only hold of the Apostles but of any common Jews among them , who might not believe Christ infallible , any more than the Sanhedrin , I ask whether such might not have seen sufficient ground to believe that the Prophesies came not in old time by the will of man , but by the Will of God ? if such persons had reason sufficient for their faith without any infallible Testimony ; the same I say may all Christians have of the Divine Authority of the New Testament . For if the concurrent Testimony of the dispersed Jews firmly believing the divine Authority of the Old Testament were a sufficient ground for a person then to believe the Divinity of those Books ; why may not the concurrent Testimony of all Christians afford as sufficient a ground to believe the Authority of the Books of the New , though no Ecclesiastical Senate among Christians be supposed any more infallible , than the Jewish Sanhedrin was at the death of Christ ? and by this I hope E. W. may a little better perceive what this objection aims at . But , saith he , hence it follows not , that then there was no Jewish Church which believed the divine verities of the old Scripture : O the monstrous subtilty of Jesuits ! who is able to stand before their terrible wits ? What have we to do with a Churches believing the divine verities of the Old Scripture ? we only enquire for the Testimony of a Church as necessary in order to others believing it . If they firmly believed and yet had no infallible Testimony of a Church at that time what can be more to our advantage than this ? seeing it hence follows , that there may be a firm faith without any Churches infallible Testimony . Well , N. 9. but he verily thinks , I mistook one objection for another ; perhaps I would have said that the Apostles lost faith of our Saviours Resurrection at the time of his Passion , but this difficulty is solved over and over . And then falls unmercifully to work with this man of clouts ; he throws him first down and tramples upon him , then sets him up again to make him capable of more valour being shown upon him , then he kicks him afresh , beats him of one side and then of the other , and so terribly triumphs over him , that the poor man of clouts blesseth himself that he is not made of flesh and bones , for if he had , it might have cost him some aches and wounds . But I assure him I meant no such thing ; yet if I had , I do not see , but after all his batteries , the argument , such as it is , would have stood firm enough ; for supposing the Infallible Testimony of the Church to rest in the Apostles after our Saviours death , it must have prejudiced the faith of others who were to believe that article upon their Authority , if they lost the faith of Christs Resurrection .

2. I instanced in those who believed in Christ and yet were not personally present at the miracles which our Saviour wrought , but had them conveyed to them by such reports as the womans of Samaria was to the Samaritans . Of these I ask what infallible Testimony their faith was built upon ? And if those persons might have a Divine Faith meerly upon rational evidence , may not we much more who have evidence of the same nature , but much more extensive , universal and convincing than that was ? To this he answers , by distinguishing between the Motive or the natural Proposition of faith , which comes by N. 10. hearing and the infallible Oracle whereupon it relies ; and he thinks it strange I did not see the distinction . It is far easier to see the distinction than the pertinency of it to his purpose ; for our Question is not about the necessity of an Infallible Oracle in order to Faith , but of an infallible Proposition ; we still yield that which our faith relies upon to be an infallible Oracle of God , but if a natural Proposition of that be sufficient for faith , we have all we contend for . But to what purpose the Legend of S. Photina , and the dispute whether she were the Samaritan woman , is here inserted , is very hard to understand , unless he thought it the best way by any means to escape from the business in hand . Next , he tells us , what he might answer i● N. 11. these instances , by saying with good Divin● that all immediate Propounders or Conveyer● of Divine Revelation in such particular case● need not to be infallible . I am glad to hear of such good Divines among them : only I would know why in these particular cases an infallible proposition was unnecessary to faith , if in the general case of all Christians it be now become necessary ? But he saith although N. 12. infallibility be not necessary for young beginners seldom molested with difficulties against saith , yet it is not only convenient but absolutely necessary for others more learned , who often struggle to captivate their understanding , when the high mysteries of Christianity are proposed . Never was there certainly a more senseless answer : for who are molested with difficulties against faith , if those who are to be converted to Christianity are not ? who have none of the advantages of education to recommend the doctrines of Christianity to their minds ; and are filled and prepossessed with contrary prejudices . Never were there such happy Converters of Infidels as the Jesuits are , if they meet with such Converts who are never molested with difficulties against faith ; only as they grow up , they begin to grow Infidels again , and then it is necessary to choke them with an Infallible Church . I do not at all wonder , that the more learned in the Church of Rome seeing the weakness of the grounds of Faith among them do struggle with themselves about believing the mysteries of their faith ; but I very much wonder if so unreasonable a pretence as that of Infallibility can ever satisfie them . I desire to know of these more learned believers , whether they believed the Churches Infallibility before those strugglings or not ? if they did not , how came they to be believers , since there can be no divine faith , without an infallible testimony ? if they did , how came they to question whether they were to believe the particular mysteries of faith , if they did believe the Church Infallible which proposed them ? But I suppose these learned believers , were such as questioned the Infallibility of the Church , and Christ and his Apostles too ; of which sort I doubt not there are many in Rome it self .

But yet he hath two other ways to solve these difficulties . 1. By Gods special illumination ; N. 13. and that I hope , may serve all as well as these ; and then let him shew the necessity of an infallible Proponent . 2. That every particular proponent as a member conjoyned with Christs infallible Oracle may be said to teach infallibly . A most admirable speculation ! and so may every one we meet with in the streets , be infallible not as considered in himself , but as a member conjoyned with truth : or every Sectary ; as a member conjoyned with Gods word , which I hope is an Oracle , altogether as infallible as the Church , But the question is , whether such a one may be divided from Gods infallible Truth or not ? if not , he is absolutely infallible : if he may ; then what security hath any one to rely upon him upon such a conditional Infallibility which he can have no assurance of ?

But still he hopes to retort the Instances N. 14. upon me : I never saw such a way of retorting in my whole life . My design was to prove by these Instances that an infallible Testimony of a Church was not necessary in order to Faith ; he saith I must solve my own difficulties . I confess I see none at all in my way that need to be answered ; for I assert that men may have sufficient Grounds of Faith without an infallible Proponent . Well , but he supposes , all these Barbarians converted to Christ to have had true Faith and consequently prudent Motives to believe , before they firmly assented to the Divine Revelation . And so do I too . But what were these motives ? To this Question , he saith , I return the strangest answer he ever heard ; for I seem to make the motives inducing to faith nothing but the Rational evidence of the Truth of the Doctrine delivered and therefore I grievously complain that they destroy the obligation which ariseth from the Rational evidence of the Christian Religion ; upon which he discourses , as though by rational evidence the self-evidencing light of the doctrine , and consequently all the miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles were to no purpose . Have not I reason to applaud my good fortune that I have met with so ingenuous an Adversary ? But I see those who write Controversies must be true Nethinims , not only hewers of difficulties , and drawers of the waters of contention , but bearers of burdens too ; even such , as their Adversaries please to lay upon them . Could any thing be further from my meaning than by the rational evidence of Christianity , to understand the self-evidencing light of the Scriptures ? But it is not what I say , but what E. W. finds in his Common-place-Books ? a little before , when I had proposed an argument he had not met with in those terms , he presently fancied I meant another argu●ent which he found under the title of Defectilility of the Church , and then in comes that with the answers he found ready to it . Now for the rational evidence o● Christian Religion , he finds not that Head in his Note-Books ; and cannot therefore tell what to make of it . But an argument he had ready against the self-eviden●ing ligh● of the Scriptures ; and therefore the Seraphims seather must serve instead of St. Larence's Gridiron . He might have been easily satisfied in that very Paragraph , what I mean by the rational evidence of Christian Religion ; viz. the unquestionable assurance which we have of the matters of fact , and the miracles wrought by Christ for confirmation of his Doctrine : and this within four lines after the words by him produced . And in the foregoing paragraph , I insist very much on the evidence of sense as to the miracles wrought by Christ as a great part of the rational ●vidence of Christianity , which is destroyed by the doctrine of the Roman Church , while transubstantiation is believed in it . For what assurance can there be of any object of sense such as the miracles of Christ were and his Body after his Resurrection ; if we are so framed not only that our senses may be , but we are bound to believe that they are actually deceived in as proper an object of sense as any in the world ? And if such a thing may be false what evidence can we have , when any thing is true ? For if a thing so plain and evident to our senses may be false , viz. that what I and all other men see is bread ; what ground of certainty can we have , but that which my senses and all other mens judge to be false may be true ? For by this means the criterium both of sense and reason is destroyed and consequently all things are equally true and false to us ; and then farewel sense and reason and Religion together . These things I there largely insist upon ; which is all very silently passed over , the Schools having found no answers to such arguments ; and therefore they must be content to be let alone . But however , though arguments cannot be answered I desire they may not be mis-represented ; and that when I fully declare what I meanby rational evidence , such a sense may not be put upon my words as I never dreamt off .

There is nothing after which looks with the face of an answer to the●e Instances , unless it be that he saith , that none can have infallible assurance either of our Sav●ours Miracles , N. 19● or of any other verity recorded in Scripture , independent of some actual living , actual infallible , and most clear evidenced Oracle by signs above the force of nature , which in this present state is the Church . These are good sayings and they want only proving ; and by the Instances already produced , I have shewed that Persons did believe upon such evidence , as implied no infallible Testimony ; and if he goes about to prove the Church infallible by such Miracles wrought by her as were wrought by the Apostles , I desire only not to believe the Church infallible till I be satisfied about these Miracles ; but of that afterwards .

But I demanded if we can have no assurance of the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles without an Infallible Church , what obligation can lie upon men to believe them , who see no reason to believe any such Infallibility ? And since the Articles of our Faith are built upon matters of fact such as ●he death and resurrection of Jesus Christ , whether these matters of fact may not be conveyed down in as unquestionable a manner as any others are ? Cannot we have an unquestionable assurance that there were such persons as Caesar and Pompey , and that they did such and such things , without some Infallible Testimony ? If we may in such things why not in other matters of fact which infinitely more concern the world to know , than whatever Caesar or Pompey did ? This his Margin calls an unlearned objection , and in the body of his Book saith , I might have proposed a N. 20. wiser Question ; an ●asier I grant I might , as appears by the answer he gives it . For two things , he saith , may be considered . 1. That the man called Christ dyed upon the Cr●ss , and this , he saith , both Jews and Gentiles yet assent to upon Moral Cer●ainty , but therefore do not believe in Christ . 2. That the man called Christ dying for us was the only Messias , truly God , the Redeemer of mankind . Here we have , he saith , the hidden verities of Christian Religion , the certain objects of faith , conveyed unto us by no moral assurance but only upon Gods Infallible Revelation . A very wise answer I must needs say : if intolerable shuffling be any part of wisdom . Read over my words again , and be ashamed . If so , then men cannot have any unquestionable assurance that there was such a Person as Christ in the world , that he wrought such great miracles for confirmation of his doctrine , that he died and rose again . Is all this no more than the common consent of Jews , Gentiles and Cbristians that Christ died on a Cross ? Was ever any man so senseless as to make only the belief of the death of Christ on the Cross , the reason of believing his Divinity ? But I say his Miracles before and Resurrection a●ter gave abundant testimony that he was sent from God , and therefore his doctrine must needs be true ; and when we believe the truth of his doctrine , w● are bound to believe every part of it , such are his being the only Messias , the true God , the Redeemer of mankind , and all other divine verities contained therein . Let the Reader now judge whether the Objection or the Answer savours of more ignorance and folly . But it is the mischief of this School-Divinity , that it adds confidence to Ignorance , and it makes men then most apt to despise others , when they most expose themselves .

I proceeded to shew , that instead of setling Rational Account Pa●t 1. c 5. sect. 9. faith on a sure foundation by the Churches Infallibility , they bring it to greater uncertainties than it was in before ; because they can neither satisfie men what that Church is , which they suppose Infallible , what in that Church is the proper subject of this Infallibility , what kind of Infallibility it is , nor how we should know when the Church doth define Infallibly : and yet , I say , every one of these Questions is absolutely necessary to be resolved in order to the satisfaction of mens minds as to the Foundation of their Faith . His Answer to these Questions refers us to his proofs of the Roman Churches Infallibility , as Disc. 3. C. 3. ● . 22. the only society of Christians which hath power to define Infallibly by her representative moral Body ; which when I see proved I shall confess an Answer is given to those Questions . Only one thing he thinks fit to give a more particular Answer to ; which is , that this Infallibility should be the only Foundation of C. 5. a. 1. believing all things in Religion , and yet so many things and some of them very strange ones must be certainly believed before it . Here his common-place-Book again fails him , and therefore wanting his Compass he roves and wanders from the point in hand . He tells me it is hard to guess at my meaning , for I name not one article thus assented to . Perhaps I would say , that the verities revealed in some Books of Scripture called Protocanonical known by their own proper signitures or motives , as the Harmony , Sanctity , and Majesty of the Stile , may be believed without this Testimony of an Infallible Church . Well , he doth not know what I meant , but he knew an Argument , he had an Answer ready to ; and therefore that must be my meaning . But are not my words plain enough to any one that reads them ? And what a vast measure of faith , say I , is necessary to believe the Papal Infallibility ; for unless a man believes the particular Roman Church to be the Catholick Church , unless he believes that Christ hath promised an infallible assistance to the Pastors of the Church , and that not as separate , but as assembled in Council ; and not in every Council , but such as the Pope calls and presides in and confirms , he cannot believe this Doctrine of Infallibility . Nay further , he must Infallibly believe the Church to be Infallible , though no Infallible Argument be brought for it ; that this Church doth judicially and authoritatively pronounce her sentence in matters of Faith though we know not what that Church is which must so pronounce ; that he Infallibly know that this particular sentence was so pronounced , though he can have no other than moral means of knowing it ; and lastly , that the Infallibility must be the first thing believed , although all these things must be believed before it . Could any man well in his senses after reading these words imagine that I meant the self evidencing light of the Scriptures again ? But they write for those that believe them , and that never dare look into the Books they pretend to confute .

Yet he hath a mind to prove the name of Roman Catholick Church to be no Bull : which I said in a Parenthesis , was like German universal Emperour : This gives a new start , another common-place Head is searched , Title , Catholick Church , there he finds ready the old weather beaten Testimonies , Rom. 1. 8. Your Faith is renowned the whole world over : ergo Roman and Catholick are all one . A plain demonstration ! What need they talk of the obscurity of Faith , where there is such convincing evidence ? But what if it should have happened that S. Paul had said the same thing of the Faith of the Corinthians , or Thessalonians , would it not have been a most evident demonstration that the Church of Corinth was the Catholick Church at that time , and was to continue so in following Ages ? But Scripture though never so plain cannot serve their turn , they must have Fathers too . So E. W. brings in St. Hierom , St. Cyprian , St. Athanasius , St. Ambrose , all evidently proving that the Church of Rome was once Catholick : and what then I beseech him ? Were not other Churches so too ? But these very Testimonies , as it unhappily falls out , had been particularly and largely examined by me in a whole Chapter to that purpose . Rational Account part 2. c. 1. But it is no matter for that , I had not blotted them out of his Note-Books , and there he found no answers , and therefore out they come again .

§. 11. 2. The second thing I objected Of the Circle in the Resolution of Faith , not avoided by E. W. against this way of resolving Faith , was that it did not effect that which it was brought for , for supposing that Chuch Infallible , and that Infallibility proved by the motives of credibility , they do not escape the circle objected against them : Which I shewed , 1. from the nature of divine Faith as explained by them . 2. From the consideration of the persons whose Faith was to be resolved . 3. From the nature of that Infallibility which is attributed to the Church . I must now consider how E. W. attempts the clearing of these difficulties .

1. As to the nature of divine Faith . I ask whether a divine Faith as to the Churches Infallibility , may be built upon the motives of credibility ? If it may , then a divine Faith may rest upon prudential motives , if not , then this way cannot clear them from a circle in the resolution of divine Faith . For I demanded why with a divine Faith they believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God ? Their answer is , because the Church which is Infallible delivers them as such to us . If I then ask , why with a divine Faith they believe the Churches Infallibility ? I desired them to answer me if they can any other way than because the Scriptures which are Infallible say so . It is a very pleasant thing to see how E. W. is miserably put to his shifts about this difficulty , for although in his former Discourses he had pressed the necessity of divine Faith so much , that from thence he might introduce the necessity of Infallibility ; yet he now seems wholly to have forgotten any such distinction , of Faith humane and divine ; although he could not but see that the force of my Argument did depend upon it . The substance of his answer is , That the first act of Diss. 3. c. 5. n. 5. Faith whereby we believe the Churches Infallibility relies not on Scripture , but upon the Church it self , as the most known manisested Oracle . Be it so : but the Question is , whether this first act be divine Faith or not ; if not , it is nothing to the purpose , if it be , then divine Faith may want an Infallible Testimony : for this first act of Faith concerning the Churches Infallibility hath nothing to rely upon , but the fallible motives of credibility , and consequently divine Faith may want an Infallible Testimony . And I say still let them answer this if they can ; without apparent shuffling and running away from the Question in hand .

2. From the consideration of the persons whose Faith is to be resolved : for I say , 1. The Question is not which way they will prove the Insallibility of their Church against those who deny it , but which way they resolve their own Faith of the Churches Infallibility . 2. In disputing against their Adversaries they cannot avoid the circle ; for while they prove Infallibility from Scripture , the Question arises how they come to know Infallibly , that this is the sense of those places ? for which they must again appeal to the Churches Infallibility in delivering the sense of Scripture : which if it be not a circle , I say , there is hardly such a figure in Mathematicks . To this he answers . 1. That they both resolve and prove ; but then if they do resolve N. 7. their Faith into this Infallibility , it is no sufsicient answer to say they only prove it to Adversaries : which was all I intended by that first particular . But what answer doth he give to the second concerning tbe sense of Scripture ? Here again he makes use of his distinction of the first and second act of Faith ; the first he saith , is not at all founded N. S , 9. upon the sense of Scripture , but upon the Churches own Infallible Testimony made by it self and for it self immediately credible . Now if we speak , saith he , of another distinct , consequent , and more explicit act of Faith , when we believe the Churches Infallibility upon this ground , that she declares the Scriptures genuine sense which proves her an Infallible Oracle , there is no difficulty at all , because this very Exposition or Interpretation of Scripture is ultimately resolved into ( and therefore again believed upon ) the same Infallible Authority of the Church , or rather upon Scripture and the Churches Interpretation together . For thus joyntly taken they ground Faith , and not like two disparate principles , as if we first believed the Scriptures sense independently of the Churches Interpretation , and then again believed the Churches interpretation to be Infallible , because the sense of Scripture known aliunde , or without depending on Church Authority , saith she is Infallible ; This cannot b● if Scripture and the Churches interpretation indivisibly concur to this latter act of Faith , whereof we now speak . Here then is a Dilemma that clears all and frees us from the least shadow of a circle : we either know ( or believe ) the Scriptures N. 10. sense independently of the Churches interpretation , or receive it upon her Infallible Authority ; grant the first there is no danger of a circle ; grant the latter , there are 〈◊〉 two imaginable propositions to make a circle of , whilst that sense internal to the letter cannot be Infallibly propounded otherwise , than by the Church . I have set down these words more at large to let the Reader try his faculty upon them ; what tolerable sense he can make of them . My objection was plain and easie , they offer to prove the Churches Infallibility by Scripture , at least as to the second act of Faith , which is alone pertinent to our purpose ; I asked what way they come to believe Infallibly themselves and assure others this is the sense of those places ; and in this case they are forced to return to the Churches Infalli●ility ; judge now , Reader , whether here be not a plain circle because they believe the Church Infallible because the true sense of Scripture saith she is so ; and again they believe this to be the Infallible sense of Scripture , because the Infallible Church saith so . No saith E. W. Here is not the least shadow of a circle . I would he had told us first what a circle was , and then applyed what he had said to the description given of it . But for all that I can see by his answer he had a mind to amuse his Reader by seeming to say something ; but no great matter what . Is not that a circle when the Argument made use of to prove another thing by , must it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Sexius Empir . Pyrr●o . hypo●p . l. 1. c. 15. be proved by that very thing , which it is made use of to prove ? For in this case the mind hath nothing to fix it self upon , and therefore must suspend all assent : which must have some certain foundation to proceed upon , on which it may rest it self . As the will could not love Physick for the sake of health , if it loved health for the sake of Physick , so neither can the understanding assent to one truth for another , if it assent to that other only for the sake of the former . For then the same Proposition would be more certain than the other , as it is the antecedent by which the other is proved ; and less certain as it is the consequent proved by the other as it's antecedent : and so in different respects would be more and less certain than it self . Let us now apply this to our present case . The thing to be proved is the Churches Infallibility , the Argument to prove it by , is the Infallible sense of Scripture ; but if the Infallible sense of Scripture can be proved by nothing but the Churches Infallible interpretation ; then it is plain that is assumed as an Argument to prove Infallibility by , which cannot be otherwise known than by this Infallibility . Now let any man attend to the answer he gives : he saith , there is no difficulty at all in believing the Churches Infallibility upon this ground , that she declares the Scriptures genuine sense which proves her an Infallible Oracle . No difficulty at all ! Nay , that is a little strange , that there should be no difficulty at all in believing the Churches Infallibility upon the sense of those Scriptures , whose sense could not be insallibly known without the supposal of that Infallibility , which is to be proved by them . But how comes there to be no difficulty at all in this matter ? Because this very Exposition or Interpretation of Scripture brought to its last principle is ultimately resolved into ( and therefore again believed upon ) the same Infallible Authority of the Church , or rather upon Scripture and the Churches interpretation together . What a strange thing the difference of mens understandings is ! That which he thinks makes it no diffic●lty at all , makes it to me the greatest in the world . For by the Exposition or Interpretation I suppose he means , the Infallible sense of Scripture : and if this be resolved into and believed upon the same Infallible Authority of the Church , then I still enquire how this Infallible Authority of the Church comes to be proved by this Exposition of Scripture the Infallibility of which doth suppose the thing to be proved , viz. the Churches Infallibility . And if the sense internal to the letter cannot be infallibly propounded otherwise than by the Church ; I would fain know what assurance any man can have of this sense but from the belief of this Infallible Interpreter ? But , saith he , Scripture and the Churches Interpretation indivisibly concur to this latter act of Faith . This indivisible concurrence , is to me an odd piece of mystical Divinity : the meaning must be ( if there be any ) that I believe the Church Infallibility by those Scriptures , from the Churches Infallibility appearing in the Infallible sense of those Scriptures . But whence , say I , doth this appear to be the Infallible sense of them ? For if the sense of any places of Scripture be doubtful , theirs is ; since their meaning is so doubtful , how come men firmly to believe this to be the true and Infallible sense of those places and none else ? Can men come to an Infallible sense of Scripture , without an Infallible Church ? if so , what need of any such Infallibility ? if not , then the Infallible sense of these places cannot be known but from the Churches Infallibility : and therefore the Circle unavoidably follows , viz. that they must prove the Churches Infallibility by the Infallible sense of Scripture , and the Infallible sense of Scripture by the Churches Infallibility . And any man might easily guess that E. W. was in a Circle by his Conjuring , and speaking things which neither he , nor any one else can understand .

3. I shewed , that they avoided not the circle by this way , from the nature of the Infallibility , which they attribute to the Church . Which is not by an immediate Revelation , but but by Divine assistance promised in Scripture ; and therefore the utmost the motives of credibility can do in this case , is only to notifie or distinguish the Church ; but still the formal reason of believing this Infallibility , cannot be from those Motives , but from those promises which are supposed in Scripture to imply it . So that still the circle returns , for they believe the Scriptures . Infallible because of the Churches Testimony , and the Church Infallible because of the promis● of Scripture . This he gravely calls , a● N. 11. unlearned objection . That is even as i● pleases him ; but I have no reason to take him for an Infallible judge of Learning : how ever it is no great matter , learned o● unlearned , it is more than he gives any tolerable answer to . But I see no reason why he calls it so unless it be , because he saith it is in effect the same objection repeated again . And he thinks a man may be allowed to call his Creditor Rogu● or Rascal , that comes a second time , because he could get no good answer at first . However such is the civility of E. W. that he will not send it away without a sufficient answer ; and yet after all we have nothing for payment but the first general act of Faith ; one would have thought it had been the Act of Publick Faith , by the badness of the payment . And this first general act of Faith , he saith , w●olly relies upon the Churches own Infallible Testimony , without depending on Scripture . But what is this to that divine Faith we enquire after , and which , he saith , must rest upon an Infallible Authority ? For since Faith must rest upon its motives , and those motives are confessed to be fallible ; this cannot be that assent of Faith , which himself makes to be necessary and we have made appear , notwithstanding all his shusfling , unavoidably brings them into a Circle .

CHAP. III. An Enquiry into the Miracles of the Roman Church .

§ . 1. THE next thing which I objected E. W's Assertions about the Miracles of the Roman Church . against this way of resolving faith was that it was notoriously false , viz. that there are the same motives of credibility for the Infallibility of the Roman Church , that there were for the Infallibility of Moses and the Prophets , or of Christ and his Apostles . The natural consequence I said , of affirming Rational Account Pa●t 1 C. 5. S●ct . 12. this was , that there is as great danger in not believing the Church of Rome insallible , as in not believing Moses and the Prophets , Christ and his Apostles to have been sent from God . For where there is an equal obligation to believe , there is an equal sin in not believing ; and where the sin is equal , it stands to reason that the punishment should be so too . So that the denial of the Roman Churches Infallibility , must be accounted by them as high a piece of Infidelity , as calling in Q●estion the Infallibility of Christ himself ; or denying the Scriptures . This doth not in the least startle E. W. for he boldly asserts , that there are equal motives of credibility as to their Church and Christ and his Apostles , he frequently challenges me to shew the disparity , nay he puts the whole issue of his cause upon it . As may be seen by these words of his : The main argument of T. C. Reason and Religion disc. 3. c. 5. n. 1 , 2. he saith was this . As Christ and his Apostles proved themselves Oracles sent from God by their Works , signs , and Miracles ; again as the Primitive Christians induced by such signs believed Christ and the Apostles upon their own Testimony to be Infallible Teachers ; so we having ever had the very like Works , Signs , and Miracles manifest in the Church are prudently induced to believe her as an Infallible Oracle , upon her own Infallible Testimony . To solve this plain and pressing argument saith E. W. one of these two things must be done : either a disparity is to be given between those first Signs and Miracles of the Apostles , and the later of the Church , or it must be shewn wherein the Inference made is defective or unconcluding , viz. that the Church evidenced by her signs is not proved Gods Infallible Oracle , as the Apostles were proved by their signs , to be Infallible Teachers . Afterward he saith , he hath proved that the N. 4. Church hath wrought Miracles every way equal with those , which the Apostles wrought . In those Chapters to which he refers us for the proof of this , I find this assertion in the beginning . I say first , clear and unquestionable Miracles of the like quality with those

Disc. 2. c. 8 , 9.

C. 8. n. 1.

which Christ and his Apostles wrought , have been ever since most gloriously manifest in the Roman-Catholick Church , and in no other Society of Christians . Afterwards , he calls their Miracles , glorious Miracles standing upon inslubitable record ; and for the proof of these Miracles he appeals to the lives of the Saints and certain Church-history . Besides N. 4. the Testimonies of some Fathers of Miracles done in their time , not at all to his purpose , ( as shall afterwards appear ) he appeals , to the known Miracles of those two admirable Saints , Blessed St. Dominick and the Seraphical St. Francis , and St. Vincentius Ferrerius N. 6. reported by the pious and learned St. Antoninus Arch-Bishop of Florence . From whence he infers that the Miracles wrought N. 7. in the Roman-Catholick Church , are not inferiour to those done by the Apostles ; and a little after , I● the Miracles of Christ and the N. 13. Apostles rationally proved against Jews and Gentiles the credibility of Apostolical Doctrine , the very like signs and supernatural effects most evident in the Roman-Catholick Church , as rationally prove against Sectaries the credibility of our now professed Catholick-Doctrine ; for which he gives this reason . The same signs and marks of Truth when equal in Majesty , worth , quality and number , ever discover to reason the same Truth : wherefore if the Roman-Catholick Church most clearly gives in evidence of her Miracles equal in worth , quality and number with those wrought by Christ and his Apostles , it follows that as those first Apostolical wonders were sufficient to convice Jews and Gentiles of the Truth of Christianity , so these later also wrought in the Church are of like force , and no less efficacious to convince Sectaries of whatever Doctrine she teaches . Now ponder well what the Apostoles did ; they cured the sick , dispossed Devils , raised the dead , converted nations , &c. but these very Miracles have been done in the Roman-Catholick Church , yea and greater too . Ergo , we have the like evidence of Truth in both the Primitive Age and this , consequently with it the same Truth . The sequel is undeniable . After this , for particular instances , he appeals to the undeniably authentick monuments and testimonies of that one sacred house of Loreto ; to the continual Miracles done at the Reliques of N. 16. St. James at Compostella in Spain , to the Sacred Vial of St. Mary Magdalen in France , wherein , saith he very gravely , the precious blood gathered by that penitent Saint at our Saviours passion is yet preserved , and visibly boyls up on the very day he suffered after the reading of the Passion ; to the undoubted Miracles wrought by the intercession of our N. 17. Blessed Lady at Montaigu , for which he calls in the testimonies of Lipsius and Putean , and at large relates a Miracle wrought by St. Xaverius upon F. Marcellus a Jesuit at N 18. Naples ; and then answers some few Objections C. 9. and concludes with the vindication of the Miracle at Zaragosa in Spain . This is the substance of E. W's discourse upon this subject ; which in the proper consequence of it doth more really enervate the proofs of Christianity , than establish the infallibility of the Roman Church . For I do not think an Atheist would desire more advantage against the Christian Religion , than to have it granted that the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles were no other than such as are wrought in the Roman Church ; and that the proofs of them are no more authentick and undeniable than those of the Miracles done at Loreto , Compostella , or Montaigu : and that Christ and his Apostles gave no more illustrious evidences of their being sent from God than St. Dominick , or St. Francis ; and that there was no greater evidence of Christs Resurrection from the dead than there is of the boyling up of the blood of Christ in the Vial of St. Mary Magdalen in the Church of St. Maximin in France .

Therefore not only to invalidate the Testimony drawn from hence for the Roman Churches Infallibility , but to preserve the honour of Christianity , I am obliged to enquire into these two things .

1. Whether the Testimony upon which the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles , and those of the Roman Church are delivered be equally credible ?

2. Whether the Miracles of the Roman Church be so equal ( to abate him what he saith of greater ) in worth , quality and number with those of Christ and his Apostles , that the Roman Churches Infallibility is as much attested by them , as Christ and his Apostles was by theirs ?

1. I shall enquire into the credibility of the Testimony on both sides . Two things are agreed to make up sufficient credibility in a Testimony ; viz. the knowledge and fidelity of the persons who deliver it . If they speak nothing but what they were certain witnesses of , and never gave suspicion of fraud and deceit , and offered the highest ways of proof concerning their own fidelity , then it is an unreasonable thing to disbelieve them . This is the case of those who recorded our Saviours and his Apostles Miracles , they were persons who either saw them wrought themselves , or had them delivered to them immediately by them who saw them ; they published them to the world in that Age wherein they werecapable of being disproved by persons then living in the same places where they were wrought , and were notorious enemies to the persons who did them , who were concerned to discover for their own justification the least fraud or imposture in those matters . But besides this to take away all suspicion of design , the ●nesses of these things freely quitted all ex●ectations of worldly advantages , they ran themselves upon the greatest hazards to attest the truth of what they said , and at last sacrificed their lives to confirm the truth of their own Testimony . But on the other side if I can prove ,

1. That the greatest number of the Miracles in the Roman Church have been believed upon the credit of Fables and uncertain reports .

2. That the Testimony of those who deliver them hath been contradicted by men of greater Authority than themselves .

3. If upon strict and careful examination notorious forgeries and impostures have been discovered ; and never any persons laid down their lives to attest the truth of any of their Miracles ; then it can be nothing but the greatest impudence in any to parallel the Testimony of the Primitive Church concerning the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles , with that of the Miracles wrought in the Church of Rome .

1. That the greatest number of Miracles in the Roman Church have been believed upon the credit of Fables and uncertain reports . For the proof of this I shall make choice of his own instances of Loreto in Italy , Compostella in Spain , St. Maximins Church in France , and the lives of his two admirable Saints to which I shall add some nearer home that we may have a proof of the credibility of these miracles in the most considerable places of Europe .

§ . 2. Let us first go on pilgrimage to our Lady of Loreto , to view the undeniably Of the Miraculous translation of the Chappel of Loreto . Authentick publick monuments and Testimonies of Miracles there wrought . The first to be seen there , in a Table hanging up for that purpose , is , the wonderful Miracle in the translation of that Chappel first from Nazareth to Dalmatia , and from Dalmatia into those parts of Italy where it now stands . The story cannot be better told , than it is in the Authentick Table it self : which may be thus Translated .

The Church of our B. Lady of Loreto was a Chamber of the House of the B. Virgin Mary Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ which House stood in the country of Judea , in a City of Galilee whose name was Nazareth ; in which Chamber the B. Virgin Mary was born , and bred up , and afterwards there received the salutation of the Angel Gabriel , and in the same Chamber she educated her Son Jesus Christ to the Age of twelve years . After the Ascention of Christ to Heaven the Virgin Mary remained upon earth with the Apostles and other Disciples of Christ who seeing many divine Mysteries performed in the said Chamber , did by the common consent of them all decree , to make a Church of that Chamber to the honour and memory of the B. Virgin Mary , which they did , and the Apostles and Disciples consecrated that Chamber to be a Church , and there celebrated divine offices , and St. Luke the Evangelist with his own hands made an Image to the likeness of the B. Virgin , which is there to this day . Afterwards that Church was inhabited and honoured with much devotion by the Christian people in those parts in which it stood as long as the people remained Christian. But after they renounced the Christian faith and embraced Mahometism the Angels of God took away the said Church and carried it into the parts of Sclavonia and there placed it by a certain Castle called Fiume ; where it met not with that honour which the B. Virgin desired . Therefore the Angels came and took it from thence and carried it clear over the Sea into the parts of the territory of Recanati , and there placed it in a Wood which belonged to a Noble Lady who had the command of the City of Recanati , and was Owner of the Wood whose name was Loreta , and from her the Church took its name of St. Maria de Loreto . In that time by reason of the great concourse of all people to that Wood in which the Church remained abundance of robberies and mischiefs were committed there ; and therefore the Angels again took up the Chappel and carried it to a Hill belonging to two Brothers where the Angels set it down ; these Brothers getting a vast revenew by the resort of Pilgrims thither and the oblations by them made , fell to a great discord . Upon which the Angels came again and took away the Chappel from that place , and carried it into the High-way ; and there placed it where it is now , with many signs and innumerable gifts and miracles . Then all the people of Recanati went to see the Church which stood upon the Earth without any Foundation : and being astonished at such a Miracle , and fearing left it should come to ruine , they compassed it about with a good thick Wall and a strong Foundation as it i● seen at this day , and yet no one knew , from whence that Church came into those parts , until in A. D. 1290. the blessed Virgin appeared in a Dream to a certain ma● much devoted to her , to whom she revealed the foregoing things , and he presently divulged them to certain honest men of that Country : who immediately resolved to know the truth of these matters ; and therefore determined to send sixteen notable good men to Nazareth , to find out the truth of them . Who carried with them the measure of the said Church , and there they found exactly the Foundations of it and the just measure ; and to make all sure , they found it written upon a Wall that such a Church had been there and was gone from thence , and these persons upon their return certified the truth of all these things ; and from that time it was known that that Chappel was the Chamber of the blessed Virgin Mary , and the Christian people shewed great devotion towards it : for the blessed Virgin there every day , doth infinite Miracles as experience shews .

There was a certain Eremite that was called Brother Paul of the Wood , who dwelt in a small Cottage in that Wood , and every morning went to divine offices in that Chappel , and w●s a man of a great abstinence and a holy Lif● , who said , that ten years before or thereabouts on the day of the Nativity of the blessed Virgin b●ing the 8th . of September , two hours before day in a clear Air going out of his Cottage towards the Church he saw a light descend from Heaven upon the Church twelve ●oot long , and six broad , and when it was upon the Church it vanished ; upon which he said it was the blessed Virgin , which there appeared on the day of her Nativity , and came to see her Feast observed ; but no man saw her besides this Holy man .

To confirm the Truth and certainty of all these things , two honest men of this Village reported them several times to me Teremanus the Over-seer and Governour of the said Church : one of them was called Paulus Renaldatii , the other Francis Prior. The said Paul told me that his Grandfathers Grandfather saw when the Angels carried the said Chappel over the Sea and placed it in the Wood , and that he and other persons oftimes went to the said Chappel . And the said Francis oftimes said to me that his Grandfather being one hundred and twenty years old , said that he went often to the said Church in the Wood. Moreover the said Francis averred that his Grandfathers Grandfather had a House and dwelt there : and that in his time the Chappel was removed by Angels from the hill of the two Brothers to the High-way .

Deo gratias . Imprinted at Venice by Benedictus de Bindonis A. D. 1499.

In the Italian Copy it is only added , that this Narration was taken out o● an Original Authentick M. S. belonging to the said Chappel March 20. A. D. 1492.

And is not this a very pleasant story to be matched in point of credibility with the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles ? What do these men think in their hearts of Christian Religion ; that dare avouch such ridiculous fictions as these are , and impose them on the credulity of mankind ? But we are not to imagine this to be only a Legend hung up at Loreto , for the comfort of devout Pilgrims ; but it is delivered in the same manner , by men who should have had more wit , or more honesty . Cardinal Baronius in his Baron . Annal. ● Tom. 1. A. 9. ● . 1. Annals , cannot let it escape , but relates the miraculous translation of this Chappel from Nazareth to Dalmatia , from thence to Loreto much after the same way . All the Argument ●e brings for the truth of it , is taken from Gods omnipotency , as though , as Is. Casau●on Casaub. Exercit. 7. sect. 1. truly answers him , all the Rabbinical and Mahumetan Fables might not be believed on the same ground . And he observes from some of the Fathers , that Gods omnipotency is the Sanctuary of Hereticks , whither they betake themselves when they are basfled with reason . But Baronius refers us to Canisius Ca●is . His● . Deiparae l. 5. c. 25. for a fuller account of this admirable story ; who very wisely brings the stories of the Prophet Elias , Habakkuk , and : Philip in the Acts to confirm the truth of this ; as though the dispute were whether God could do it , and not whether the thing were really done ? But if we offer to Question whether the holy Angels are ever employed in the carrying Houses ( not on their shoulders I suppose , but their wings ) he chokes us presently , with the Angels , being said to be ministring Heb. 1. 14 ▪ spirits for the heirs of Salvation ; as though it were no● possible for them to discharge that office faithfully ; unless at some time or other , they took away an old House from its Foundations , and mounted it into the Air , and conveyed it above two thousand miles . Is not this notable service to the heirs of Salvation ? The latter writers , such as Raynaldus , Bzovius , Spondanus , and Benedic●●●

Rav●ald . A. D. 1291. n. 68 , 69.

Bzov. Anal. ad A. D. 1296. n. 14.

Spo●dan . A. D. 1291. n. 22.

Govo● . Chronic deip . A. D. 1298.

T●rsellin . Hist. La●ret. 1. 1. c. 6.

Gononus refer us to Horatius Tursellinus as the most Authentick Historian of this stupendous Miracle : and his Book was not only approved by the General of his order , but hath a Bull of Clement 8. prefixed before it . The substance of his story is the very same with the Table of Teremanus , only inlarged with some more improbable circumstances , as that the Trees made lowly reverences and bowed themselves to the Chappel in its passage ; ( but it seems they bowed so low that they could never recover themselves after ; being I suppose of great Age when they made this obeysance ) that , when the new Wall was built for the support of the Chappel ; the Walls of it would not endure the others being too near , but made the new Wall by degrees know its due distance , so that at last a Boy might be put in between them : that C. 16. the Image of our Saviour being taken out to be set in a more conspicuous place , it went of its own accord into the Chappel again , so that after several attempts they were fain to give over their design . I confess these circumstances do not tend much to the making the story it self more credible ; but what Authority hath Tursellinus found out for so strange a Miracle ? He often quotes Hieronynius Angelita , but he writ in Clement the sevenths time , and dedicated his History of that Chappel to him ; but the main prop of all this story is the Tradition of Loreto , and the Table of Teremanus , whom he highly C. 28. commends for his integrity and prudence , who was Governour of the Chappel in the time of Pius 2. about the year 1460. and to his Testimonies Tursellinus appeals for proof of the matter of fact . And was ever so great a Miracle better attested than this ? We will out of meer kindness , set aside the Testimony from Visions and Dreams ; but then could we imagine any thing less than that some persons of credit who had seen the Chappel in its march over the Sea , were resolved to observe , where such a Chappel in the Air would at last fix it self ; or that some that saw it pitched upon the ground without any Foundations , should presently fill the Country with the noise of it , as such strange things are very apt to do ; and that such witnesses being strictly examined should have left a deposition written by them for the satisfaction of future Ages . In stead of which we have two plain Countrymen brought in to give testimony to a thing done in the time of their Grandfathers Grandfathers : neither do they both give testimony to the same thing ; but one of them saith , his Grandfathers Grandfather ( not his Grandfather as Tursellinus hath it ) saw the Chappel , while it was in the Air carried by Angels over the Sea . Is not this a substantial witness , that attests what his Grandfathers Grandfather saw , without any other evidence of it , than that he heard so ? Tursellinus saith , that it was not only to Teremanus that they attested this by word , but they did swear to it : which adds very much to their credit considering the nature of their Testimony ; but methinks Teremanus himself should not have forgotten that . All the force of this Testimony lies upon one man , who is reported by his great Grandchild to have seen the Chappel carryed by Angels over the Sea . But suppose he did see something moving upon the Sea , while he was cutting Wood , or feeding his Cattle in the fields of la Marca di Ancona ; was he sure it was the Chappel of Loreto : did he see the Angels carrying it ? might not a plain Countryman mistake a little about the colour and shape of Angels ? might not a Ship under sail in the Adriatick Gulf be taken by such a man for a House carryed by Angels with white Wings ? are such Miracles so little regarded by the people of Italy , that no proof could be produced for it , but what two Affidavit-men said , that they had heard what their Ancestors almost two hundred years before had seen or heard ? Is it possible the memory of such a Miracle should be so near being quite lost ? were there no Writers in that Age to record it and take notice of it ? Is it credible so great a Miracle should happen in those days and neither Dantes nor Petrarch , nor Boccace take the least notice of it , although they were all Italians , and inquisitive men , and had sufficient occasion in their Writings to mention it ? But suppose , these men were not apt to believe such things ; what shall we say to St. Antonin of Florence , whom E. W. calls a pious and Learned man , who hath written such a Rapsody of all sorts of Miracles , and lived a good while after this miraculous translation and yet takes not the least notice of it ? What shall we say to that admirable Saint , St. Vincentius Ferrerius , as E. W. calls him , who lived after A. D. 1440. who saith , that the Vi●cent . sorm. de assamp . B. V. Chamber of our Lady was still in Nazareth ? And although the former are negative Testimonies , yet they cannot be rejected by such who make use of the same kind of Testimonies to cast off a matter of fact attested by much better Authors than Paulus Renaldatii , Franciscus Prior , or Petrus Georgius Teremanus . And that is in the story of Pope Joan , wherein Baronius saith , That thesilence ●a●on . A●●al . A. D. 853. ● . 65. of so long time after it , wherein there was a just occasion to mention it was more than a thousand witnesses to prove the faisity of it . And if silence be a thousand witnesses on their side , I hope it may be at least five hundred on ours . But Tursellinus offers to bring Tursel . Hist. La●ret . l. 1 c. 23. all the Testimonies which were to be had ; the first , is Blondus who was Secretary to Eugenius the 4th . about the year 1450. a good competent time after the Miracle was said to be wrought . Yet a●l that Blondus saith is only , that there was a famous Chappel of Blondi Italia illustr. in Piceno p. 339. our Lady at Loreto , as appeared by the many oblations there made , but not one word of the miraculous translation . The Poet Mantuan saith , he read the Table hanging up in the Chappel ; and no wonder if he found the story fit for a Poets brain to work upon . Leander Albertus speaks home , but he comes much too late to give any Testimony , having published his description of Italy A. D. 1550. But Leander seems to rely most upon the Miracles there wrought as an evidence of the Leand. Albert . in Picen . p. 428. Chappels miraculous translation ; and the proof of those Miracles depends upon the Tables hung up in the Chappel ; which I suppose are E. W's . undeniable and Authentick Testimonies

§ . 3. Therefore instead of pursuing farther Of the M●racles wrought at the Chappel of Loreto . this incredible fiction of the Translation of this Chappel from Nazareth to Dalmatia and so to Loreto , by any scrupulous enquiries , how such a Chamber or part of a House should be able to hold for above one thousand six hundred years without decay : how at Nazareth it should escape being destroyed when Josephus and Dion say all the Country Jo●ph de bello Jud. l. 7. Dio● in vit. Trajani thereabout was burnt and destroyed by the Romans , fifty Castles and nine hundred eighty five Towns being consumed by Trajan after the strange devastation made by Vespasian ? How the Church of the Anuncia●ion at Nazareth should be removed to Italy and yet remain still at Nazareth by the constant Tradition of the Eastern parts ? How the measure should be found exactly agreeing by those sent to examine it , when Thomas de Novariâ saith , that he lately found out the only true Quares●n . Elucid . terrae S. l. 7. c. 5. per●gr . 3. Foundations larger than the Angels Chappel there built ? These and several other scruples I shall now let alone ; and consider the other undeniably authentick monuments and testimonies of this sacred House of Loreto . Turs●llinus mentions one which he saith , is so well T●s●ll . Hist. Lauret . l. 2. c. 18. attested that it is a sin to doubt of it : and is very well worth our reading that we may see what rare stories are paralled'd with the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles .

A certain Priest of Dalmatia being hugely devoted to the blessed Virgin of Loreto , was taken Prisoner by the Turks ; who would have forced him to renounce his Religion , which he would by no means hear of ; but still called upon Christ and Mary ; they being enraged at him asked of him what he meant to use those names so much ; he told them they stuck to his very entrails ; upon which they threatened that they would pull out his entrails if he did not immediately curse them both . Which they resolving to do , the poor Priest made a vow to the blessed Virgin of Loreto , that if he lived he would go in Pilgrimage thither . At which they being more enraged cut open his breast and pulled out all his entrails , and gave them into his hand being now ready to sink , and bid him go and carry them to the Lady of Loreto . The Priest presently goes on his way , and after many days journey , comes safe to Loreto , having his entrails in his hand . Whereever he came great flocking of people there was about him , ( as we may easily imagine ) and to our Ladies servants here he shews his naked breast , and his entrails taken out ; and after having offered up his devotions to the blessed Virgin , in the sight and embraces of her he breathed his last . Is not this a swinging Miracle ; and deserving credit beyond those of Christ and his Apostles ? To ask how a man could breath without his Lungs , or live without a Heart , or by what vessels the circulation of blood was then performed ? or any such untoward questions , were but to gratifie carnal reason too much , where nothing is required but meer Faith . And such men have certainly great store of that or rather of folly and impudence , that can dare to call these Legends by the name of Authentick monuments or undeniable Testimonies . This is a very hopeful beginning in the search into these Monuments ; but I have several things further to object , against this way of proving Miracles by Tables that are hung up in such places as the Chappel of Loreto is .

1. That any extraordinary accident that befalls a person , if he either chanced to think upon the blessed Virgin of Loreto , or pray to her , or at least tell those so , who are concerned to have it believed , this immediately passes for a Miracle . There are very few persons in the world but at sometime or other of their lives do meet with extraordinary deliverances , either from diseases , or other dangers . If any of these , had lived in those parts and had been possessed with the same superstitious follies , immediately any such passage of their lives , if they had gone to Loreto after it and there acquainted the Poenitentiary or Confessor with it , it had been entred into the Tables , and had been preserved ( as a Tooth-drawer doth Teeth ) for the reputation of the place . The far greatest part of the Miracles mention'd by Tursellinus are of this kind . The first Miracle , by his own consession which brought the Church of Loreto into reputation was the cure of Pius the second who being troubled with the Gout , Turs●ll . Hist. Laur●t l. 1. c. 26. and a Fever , and a Cough , prayed to the Lady of Loreto for his recovery , ( not meerly to go to Ancona , but as the inscription expresseth it on the Cup he sent to Loreto , that he might be freed from his diseases and recover sound health ) and Tursellinus tells us , That he did not fail of his hope in any part ; for immediately , saith he , his Feaver went off , his Cough left him and his Limbs recovered strength ; and away he goes for Ancona and there dies of his Feaver and Consumption . Call you this a Miracle ? I know not what kind of Miracles the Lady of Loreto works ; I am sure Christ and his Apostles never wrought such . We use to say that a Miracle is a perfect work ; and is dying of a disease a miraculous cure ? Platina and Ciacconius in his life take no notice of a cure , much less of a Miracle , but say that upon some intermission he undertook his journey where he dyed of his disease . Yet Tursellinus saith , The fame of this cure brought great reputation to the Lady of Loreto : which till that time ( viz. for one hundred and sixty years after the miraculous Translation ) was known only among the inhabitants of the Country about Ancona ; and scarce the least knowledge of it was passed into the neighbour Countries , which is the reason he gives why Vincentius , Antoninus , and the Italian writers take no notice of it : and those who did , as Blondus , yet do not mention the Translation , lest they should seem to utter vain and incredible things . A very substantial reason I confess . But after this time Miracles grew more frequent , as the superstition and credulity of people did increase . If a man recovered of a dangerous sickness , if Julius l. 2. c. 2. c. 12 , c. 24 , c. 27. l. 3. c. 15 16 , 17 , 18 , 24. 26 , 27. l. 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 17 , 18 , 19 , &c. the second escape being shot by a Cannon bullet , if Clement the seventh escape with his life in the sacking of Rome , if others are delivered from great dangers either by Sea or Land , in what way or kind so ever it be , if they do but send or go to Loreto afterwards , all these are there recorded for Miracles .

2. That this way of Testimony is liable to the greatest exceptions . For , the Priests who make these Tables are easily abused by the confident affirmation of persons who come and tell them great stories of Miracles wrought at the invocation of the Lady of Loreto ; as in all likelihood Riera the Poenitentiary of Loreto was , by many who came to him , who were persons of no reputation at all . As the Jew that told the formal story , of his being delivered at Nazareth out of prison , by calling upon his Countrywoman , Tursill . l. 4. c. 12. the Lady of Loreto ; who thereupon appeared to him with her woman called Lucia waiting upon her , ( whom she bid to knock off his chains , ) and opened the prison doors and led him to the Sea side , and shewed him a ship ready for his passage , and bid him make hast to Loreto and be there baptized . And we may think he obeyed her will , for he told Riera , that he came to Ancona in two days . Yet this man was received with great joy and the Miracle highly magnified ; and which was more , for all that we can find , verily believed . And no doubt the Venetian Courtesan ● . 3. c. 28. was a person of great credit , who having spent many years in that Trade , came to Loreto full of a very strange Miracle , viz. That she was set upon in her way thither by her companion , who desperately wounded her in many places and cut her throat ; and she just in the very nick of expiring called upon the Lady of Loreto for help ; who presently appeared to her and took her in her lap and stroked her wounds and immediately cured her body , and filled her soul with heavenly Joy . Was not the blessed Virgin very kind to a Courtesan ? But all this was presently believed at Loreto ; and as an impregnable evidence of the Truth of it , she shewed a shining list about her neck upon the skin ; which was a demonstration she was healed by a divine hand . For St. Winifred and others had just such a one when their heads were joyned to their bodies again . And are not these Authentick Testimonies and undeniable Monuments ? Is the Testimony of the whole Christian Church to be compared to that of a Jew and a Courtesan ? But supposing the persons who delivered these things to them were such as had a great credit ; ( and so they had need to be when the reputation of a Miracle depends upon their single Testimony , ) yet is it not possible to suppose that the Priests for the reputation of their House , may help out a lame Miracle with an advantagious circumstance or two ? it being for so good a Cause as the honour of their Church . Especially when such infinite riches come by it , as may be seen by Tursellinus his History of the Lady of Loreto ; whose Book is made up of Miracles and Riches : and in truth the greatest Miracle there is the riches of that Chappel since it gained reputation in the World . They had need of a very untainted credit , to have their Testimony taken on their bare words , when there is such a reward for Lying . Men need not ask Cassius his Question cui bono ? For any one may easily discern that , that compares the Tables of Miracles and the vast riches accruing by them together . The honest Heathens thought a persons Testimony was then to be relyed upon ; when there was no reward for falsehood .

Cum sunt praemia fals● Nullae , ratam debet testis habere fidem .

Tacitus thought , it was a good argument of mens fidelity , if they affirmed a thing postquam nullum mendacio pretium ; when there was no advantage to be got by it . But I am sure this can never hold in these Authentick Testimonies of the Miracles of the Roman Church ; Rich Jewels , Silver shrines , presents of all sorts , and vast endowments may tempt men to strain a little in such trifles , as a few circumstances , which can easily change an ordinary accident into a Miracle , Nay persons of great honour and reputation , ( beyond ten thousand such Priests whose interest is so deeply concerned in the belief of these things , ) have affirmed that they have seen Tables hanging up in one of the Churches mentioned by E. W. of a miraculous cure wrought upon a lame person , whom themselves have seen immediately aster , so lame as to use crutches . Therefore I hope such Testimonies as these , for meer shame , will never more be compared with the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles : who had no Diana's to attend upon , nor expected any silver shrines . Not that I compare the blesfed Virgin to a Heathen Goddefs , but I may safely enough , the nature and reward of the attendance on both , and the means to draw riches to their Temples . Can any one imagine if all the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles had been done in this manner , and the Testimony of them only taken from Tables hanging upon Walls , that ever Christianity would have prevailed upon the ingenuous part of mankind ? No , it was because these Miracles were wrought publickly by Christ and his Apostles in the view of enemies ; and they who attested them did not fit to receive presents and tell tales , but ventured their lives as well as fortunes , to give testimony to the truth of these things ; and offered as much satisfaction as sense and reason could require in these matters . But if they had nothing to shew but Tables hanging upon the Walls of their Temples ; the Heathens would have told them , they had as good evidence for Miracles among them . For

3. Such Authentick Testimonies as these have been among the greatest enemies to Christianity . And I hope E. W. will not say that Christianity hath no better proofs than Paganism . If we search but a little into the practices of this nature among the Heathens , we shall find that Polydore Virgil had Polyd. Virgil de I●vent . rer. l. 5. c 1. reason of his side , when he said this custom of hanging up Tables , was taken from them : among whom nothing was more usual than upon any extraordinary deliverance to set up their votivae tabulae in the Temples of those Gods they were most addicted to : some to Isis , some to Neptune , some to Aesculapius , especially in the case of escape from Shipwrack to Isis and Neptune ; and in case of recovery from dangerous diseases to Isis or Aesculapius . Lambin saith , the very same custom continues still , only instead of the Heathen Lambin ia Horat. l. 1. Od. 5. Gods they do it to the Virgin Mary or some Saint . This custom is mentioned not only by Horace , but by Virgil , Ovid , Tibullus , Juvenal , Persius , and others . And all know the saying of Dionysius upon seeing these Tables of those who had made vows and escaped ; but what is become saith he , of those who made vows and were drowned ? Cicer. de Nat. D. or. 1. 3. And the very same Question may be asked of these modern vows as well as theirs . I shall only mention the Tables of those who had , as they thought , miraculous deliverances from sicknesses ; of which kind there are so many in the Tables of Loreto and elsewhere . It is a remarkable testimony to this purpose which Diodorus Siculus gives of Isis in Egypt : Diodor. Si●ul . ●ist . l. 1. p. 22. where he saith of her , That being now advanced to immortality , she takes great delight in the cure of men ; and that to any who de●ire her help she manifests her presence to them in sleep ( as it is in very many of those of Loreto ) and her great readiness to help them . For the proof of which they do not bring Fables as the Greeks do ; but the evidence of matters of fact ; or undeniable authentick Testimonies . For the whole World bears witness to it by the honors they give her , and the presents they s●nd for the cures they have received . For many have been strangely cured by her help , who have been given over by Physitians , and and many blind and lame have been healed by her . Let E. W. produce more Authentick Testimonies than these are : if he thinks so much credit to be given to these Tables , or any Argument can be drawn from a Catholick reputation , or great presents . Neither was this only in Egypt , but Tibullus mentions the same at Rome too speaking of Isis.

Nunc Dea nunc succurre mihi , nampossé mederi Tibull . l. 1. Eleg. 3. Picta docet templis multa tabella tuis .

The same may be seen in the Temples of Aesculapius , especially that of Epidauru● , of which Strabo speaks , and saith , It was full Strab● . Geogr. l. 8. of the Tables of such as had recovered from diseases by his help , as likewise were his Temples at Co and Tricca . The like may be observed of the Temple of Aesculapius near Rome in the Isle of Tyber , of which some of the Tables have been preserved in Rome by the Maphaei and are published by Mercurialis . Mercur. de arte Gymnast . l. c. 1. And Cicero speaking of an Image of Ceres at Enna in Sicily ; saith , That many prodigies were done by her , which shewed her power Ciccr. act. 6. ia ●er● . and Divinity ; that in many most difficult cases persons have found her help ; and not only the Sicilians but other Nations flock th ther : And that the Statue of Hercules was in so great esteem there that his very Chin was worn , with the salutations which were given him ; To the same purpose as Tursellinus somewhere speaks of the Image at Loreto . So that the Arguments drawn from the Tables , from general reputation , and the concourse of people will equally hold for a Religion directly opposite to Christianity . But we have not followed any cunningly devised Fables , the proofs of our Religion do not depend upon the fraud of Priests , or the superstition and credulity of the people , nor upon any extraordinary accidents and rare occurrences ; but the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles were publick and frequent , wrought by their own words while they were conversant among men ; not at Shrines or Altars , or in dark andobscure places , and only among persons prepossessed before hand with sufficient readiness to believe what ever shall be related as a Miracle . These are the circumstances of the Miracles wrought in the Roman Church , but as vastly different from those of Christ and his Apostles , as light is from darkness , or Truth from uncertain reports , or a well grounded Faith from superstitious credulity . And thus much for the Authentick Testimonies of Miracles in the sacred House of Loreto .

§ . 4. Having performed one Pilgrimage , Of the Miracles wrought by S. James at Co●postella , we must begin another to St. James of Compostella : and there take notice of the Miracles done at his Relicks there . But what if St. James have no Relicks at all there ? What if he never were in Spain , how can his Relicks there ever then perform any Miracles ? But what ever we believe , it is infidelity in Spain to question it ; it is fit therefore we should have the story as they relate it , who think they should know it best : and it is this , That James the Son of Zebedee having passed through Judea and Samaria came into Spain to Preach the Gospel , and having converted some there , he returned to Hierusalem carrying his Disciples with him ; where he was slain by Agrippa , and his Body afterwards was carried to Compostella where it is solemnly worshipped by Pilgrims flocking thither from all parts of the World . This is the substance of what the present Roman Breviary allows ; and is truly more kind to the story than it hath been formerly ; for I am much mistaken , if Clement the 8th . did not insert into his Breviary , That he came into Spain according to the Tradition of that ●rovince . For we must know the Court of Rome hath been very jealous of such pretences as those are of receiving the Faith at first from any of the Apostles , besides St. Peter or those sent by him , lest under such a pretence they might one time or other plead for their exemption from the Popes Authority . This made Cardinal Baronius so much to set himself against this tradition of St. James his Baron . A● . A D. 816. n. 49 , 50 , 51. Preaching in Spain ; and disproves it from the Testimony of Rodericus Ximenius Arch-bishop of Toledo , who in the Lateran Council under Innocent the third , denied that ever St. James came into Spain , and that not unadvisedly ; but in a solemn debate between him and the Bishop of Compostella . He confesses indeed that when he was a Boy he heard the story of it , but it was only from some Religious Co●cil . Gen. Tom. 11. part 1. p. 236. women saith Baronius , some Nuns and Religious Widows , saith Rodericus himself ; but as Baronius observes , he did not think it worth inserting into his History ; and the Bishop of Compostella could not produce one ancient Author for that tradition , though he came provided to the Council for the managing this debate . Besides , he saith , that the Church of Compostella could then boast but of the antiquity of one hundred and nine years , ( one hundred wanting nine saith Baronius ) for then Pope Calistus translated the Bishoprick of Merida to Compostella , before which there was only a small Oratory there . To this testimony he adds two Popes Innocent the first , and Gregory the seventh affirming that Spain first received the Faith from Rome . But the present Breviary hath excellently accommodated this difference ; by making seven of St. James his Disciples to be ordained by St. Peter at Rome and thence sent into Spain . This it is to serve a turn , though it be without the least pretence from Antiquity ! But now is not this tradition of St. James his being in Spain confirmed by undeniable and Authentick Testimonies ?

What shall we say then to the Miracles wrought by him ? For we are to consider although the story be so lean and bare in the present Brevia●y , yet the learned and worthy Arch-bishop St. Antonin ( besides others ) have it much improved . For he tells us , how Antoai● . Chro● . part 1. c. 7. Tit. 6. St. James after his return to Judea , was much opposed by Hermogenes a Magician who sent his Disciple Philetus to confound him : ( we must never ask from whence they had this story it is fully enough that the name of Hermogenes and Philetus are in the New Testament . ) Well , Philetus becomes a Disciple of St. James , at which Hermogenes was so enraged that he enchanted him so that he could not move . N●w we will see , saith he , if St. James can release you . Philetus send● word to St. James , who sent him his hand . kerchief and by that was released . Hermogenes commands the Devils to bring St. James and Philetus both bound to him ; when they came near him the Devils cryed out they were bound by Angels of Heaven and beg'd St. James to release them ; be did so , and commanded them to bring Hermogenes bound , which they immediately did with his hands tyed behind him ; and then St. James bid Philetus unbind him ; at which Hermogenes was desirous to turn Christian ; but being asraid of the Devils he craved S. James his assistance , who lent him his walking staff ; and so he became his Disciple . Is not this now like one of the Apostles Miracles to give men instruments for the cudgelling of Devils ? But this Miracle for all that , hastened St. James his end ; for Abiathar the High-Priest ( where are we now ? For I remember no Abiathar High Priest since the days of King Solomon ; but it is no matter for such a slender mistake as that : ) raised a commotion among the people , and brought him to Herod who beheaded him , upon the day in which Christ was incarnated and suffered , one whole year being passed . That 's well again ; it seems St. James in a years time , preached through Judea and Samaria , and went into Spain and returned to Judea and was there beheaded by Herod . But St. James suffered the same year , that St. Peter was delivered out of Prison , which by the consent of their own Writers , was not till the second year of Claudius . A pretty long year from the eighteenth of Tiberius according to Baronius , to the second of Claudius ! To pass by Josias the Scribes suffering together with St. James ; ( which the Acts of the Apostles , by reason of the insufficiency of Scripture , take no notice of ) we are to understand , that the Disciples of St. James , ( being then so much at leisure to attend the Corpse of their Master so long a journey ) took away his body and carried it to the Sea-side where they found a small Vessel lying ready ( no matter to whom it belonged ) into this they entred and committing themselves to Gods providence and the mercy of the Sea ; they came safe to the Coast of Spain , and entring the City of Compostella they there buried his body in a Church erected to his honour ( no matter by whom for all St. James his Disciples went away with him . ) yet this was not easily performed , for there was one Queen Lupa in the Country at that time ; ( how a Queen in a Roman Province ! but doubtless she was some Roman Lady , for I think Romulus his Nurse was of that name . ) And there were miracles to be wrought to convince her to give way to his burial . Here St. Antonin gives over ; but others are so kind as to tell us what the miracle was which convinced Queen Lupa : I shall not so much as once mention the author of the Golden Legend ( though a person that highly merited of the Church of Rome in his time : ) having so much better Authorities . No less a man than John Beleth ( a grave Doctor of the Sorbon , a man of great learning saith Trithemius , and excellent at confounding Hereticks saith Laurimanus ) Bel●th de divinis o● ficiis c. 140. who gives this account of it , that Queen Lupa cast these men into prison , but being miraculously delivered thence she proposed this condition to them ; that if they would take such Oxen as she should give them , they should carry the body whether they pleased . But she designed only to put atrick upon them , the Oxen being very wild and unruly ; but she was over-reached in all her cunning , for they only made the sign of the Cross over the Oxen and they were as quiet as Lambs : and they carried the body to the place appointed , and without any driver went back to the Queens Palace and staid not till they came to the very middle of it ; at which miracle Queen Lupa was turned into a Lamb and turned her Palace into a Church . Is not this now a miracle as great and as well attested , as any wrought by Christ or his Apostles ? The first part of this story about Hermogenes and Abiather the High-Priest , was solemnly read here Portiforiuū s●cundum usum sacrum Julii 25. in England on the twenty fifth of July as part of the lessons of the day : and the later confirmed by Vincentius in his history . Bivarius Vincent . spec. histor. l. 8. c. 7. cites about twenty Spanish Breviaries that mention St. James his coming into Spain ; but whether with the relation of these miracles Biva●ii Comme●t . in Dextri Chronic. A. D. 36. I know not . Mariana in his history , finds no argument for his coming into Spain but the tradition of the people , which he was unwilling to contradict . It 's true , in a Mariana de rebus Hisp. l 4. c. 6. discourse on purpose he goes about to defend this tradition , as well as he could ; but y●t confesses there is a wonderful silence in all ancient Writers about St. James his coming into Mar●ans de Adve●tu Ja●●bi c. 5. Spain , and his bodie being at Compostella ; both in the Chronicon Alveldense above 600 , years old , in the Chronicon of Alphonsus the great above 700. years old ; in Isidorus Pacensis , Sampirus Asturicensis , nay in the ancient history of Compostella it self , there is not a word of St. James his coming into Spain : in his answer to this argument he confesses they have no histories come near that time , and therefore it is no wonder they should not mention it ; but upon what grounds came it afterwards to be believed then , if they have no testimony of ancient time to confirm it ? For Baronius lays down an excellent rule as to these matters ; whatever is delivered by later Authors concerning matters of Antiquity , Baron A●nal . n. 12. and is not confirmed by the Authority of some ancient Writer is contemned . And by this rule in all these matters , let us stand or fall . But supposing St. James never were in Spain , yet his Reliques might be carried thither , and work miracles there ? No one questions the possibility of the thing , but the reason of believing it , and we have hitherto seen very little for one or the other . Baronius , Baron . Annal . A. D. 816. n. 52 , 53. whose zeal carried him no farther than the Popes interest , is willing enough to allow them the Body of St. James at Compostella : and that it was carried from Jerusalem thither , but yet , he saith , the memory of it was quite lost , as he proves by Venantius Fortunatus : till at last it was discovered by a miraculous light in the time of Alphonsus Castus . But what was discovered by that light ? a Body buried among bushes and thorns ? and what then ? must this needs be St. James his Body and none else ? What characters were there upon it , which might discover it more plainly than the light did ? No inscription on it is alledged ; but after all Baronius thinks , there is no need to prove that which is so abundantly attested by the miracles there wrought . Proceed we then to the examination of these miracles , of which Pope Callistus the second wrote a whole Mariana de A●vsn●u Jacobi c. 12. Book , which Mariana saith he saw entire , but by what is preserved of it , we may judge it was a very worthy one , and that the miracles there wrought deserve to be compared with those of Christ and his Apostles . He tells us , that from a Child he loved St. James Vincent . sp●c . Hist. l. 26. c. 30. of Compostella , and spent fourteen years in going from place to place to learn his miracles , and that he put them together in loose papers which were miraculously preserved among thieves , in prison , in water , in fire , and at last by a vision was confirmed that his work was pleasing to God : therefore he desires that no body would despise his Work , for whatever is written in it is Authentick and confirmed by great Authority ; and decrees that the miracles should be read in the Refectories on Festival days . He could not have decreed better , for in truth they are an excellent entertainment .

In A. D. 1090. saith Calixtus , certain Germans were going to St. James , and in the C. 33. City of Tholouse , they were made drunk by their Host , who put two silver Cups into the Portmantues of two of them : next morning he ran after them and cried Thieves ; they knowing their own innocency desired to be examined ; the Cups were found in the Porlmantues of Father and Son : the Judge determined that but one of them should be hanged , and after much complementing between them the Son was executed ; the Father goes on his Pilgrimage , and after thirty six days returning by the place he goes to the body of his Son , and there wept bitterly over him . On a sudden his Son b●gan to comfort him , and said , O my Father weep not , but rejoyce , for I never was so well in my whole life . For to this time St. James h●th supported me , and comforted me with Heavenly pleasure ; at which his Father being overjoyed ran to the City , and the people flocking thither took him down safe and sound , and hanged up the Host in his Room . Was our Saviours raising Lazarus after only four days , to be compared to this ?

In the year 1100. a certain French man , av●iding the mor●ality then in France , resolved Ibid. 3 to go in Pilgrimage with his Wife and Children to St. James of Compostella ; at Pampelona his Wife dyed and the Host seized upon his Beast and his Mony . The man went on however with his Children ; and at the Towns end one meets ●im with an Ass which he lends him to carry his Children . When he was come to Compostella one night as he was praying St. James appeared to him and asked him if he knew him ; he told him no ; then he said I am James the Apostle who met thee at Pampelona and lent thee my Ass ; and now I lend him thee home again , and I tell thee thou shalt find thy Host dead , which happened accordingly , and as soon as ever he took his Children off from the Ass he disappeared . This is an instance of his kindness by Land , but Calixtus tells us he was as kind by Sea too .

Witness the Sea Captain that tumbled to C. 34. the bottom of the Sea with his armour on , to whom St. James there appeared and taking him by the hand , brought him safe to his ship again .

Witness the Pilgrim that fell into the Sea , C. 35. whom St. James held by the hair of his head , and kept him above water for three days till he came to his Port ,

These were pretty odd things at Sea , but Ibid. if we come to Land again , what shall we think of his making a man leap from a Tower forty cubits high without any hurt ?

Nay , which is a much greater and a more courteous miracle , what shall we say to a high Tower stooping to the ground that a man C. 36. might go off without any danger from a leap ? yet this is related by the same Pope to have happened A. D. 1106.

These are pleasant tasts of the kind of St. James his miracles related by no meaner a person than the Head of the Roman Church : but these are too luscious to be insisted on .

Only for a warning that men should observe his Feast , he saith , that a Country man in Spain presuming to thresh on that day , C. 41. and at night going into a Bath , the skin of his back parts from his shoulders to his thighs , went off from him and stuck to the Wall ; and so the poor man died for an example .

If these things do not prove that the miracles wrought by St. James at Compostella , are equal to those wrought by Christ and his Apostles in Judea , truly I do not know what will .

§. 5. We must now proceed to the Vial of Of St. Mary Magdalens Vial and other Reliques . St. Mary Magdalen and the Church of St. Maximin in France : into which she put the Blood of our Saviour which visibly boyls up every year on the day of our Saviours Passion . It would astonish a man to see● such fopperies as these are , compared with the miracles of Christ and his Apostles . If they had done no more than shewed such tricks to convince the world , it might have remained under Paganism to this day . The miracles wrought by Christ or his Apostles tended to the great benefit and advantage of mankind , and were not cunningly managed in a corner ; for a solemn shew at a certain season of the year ; but the gift of healing the sick and the gift of tongues , in which consisted chiefly the Testimony God gave to his Apostles , were things of real advantage to the world and lay open to the observation of every one . But the world is apt to suspect and not without reason , these useless and secret miracles ; if they be true they signifie no good to the world , if they be false they do unspeakable mischief to Religion . Our Saviours Blood was never shed to shew tricks with , and Mary Magdalen was hardly at leasure at our Saviours passion to gather up his Blood as it dropt from him . But what will not these men say and profess to believe too ! Certainly there were never more shameful impostures than about Reliques and Miracles in the Roman Church ; and when some of the wiser men of their own communion abroad shake their heads and are ashamed of them ; our S. C's and E. W' s magnifie them still , as though the people of England were as capable of being made Fools as ever . I pity the weakness and credulity of some , but I abhor the hypocrisie and fraud of those , who do not believe these things themselves , and yet would make others believe them . Gentlemen , Religion is a grave and serious thing , and a severe account must be given to God of any thing we say about it ; God will never think himself honoured by the falshood and hypocrisie of men ; and that Church of all others in the world shall never draw me to its communion which cannot be upheld without abusing mankind , and the most excellent Religion in the world . If you have any miracles to shew , do them as Christ and his Apostles did in the midst of their enemies and upon them too ; can you do them for a better end than our conversion ? was not this the end God designed miracles for ? and how comes he to change his patent among you , with whom they are only done among Friends and in corners : Where they may be shewed with advantage among ignorant people who have no skill in Opticks nor judgement to know the difference between the boyling of a thing from a natural cause and by a miracle . For truths sake , if your Church , hath such a power of miracles as Christ and his Apostles had , never send us to Loreto or Compostella , or St. Maximins Church in France ; nor refer us to your Tables and Legends , those are things in no request among us , whatever they be with you ; but we have many sick and wounded persons and many dead ; come and cure all manner of diseases with a word , in an instant , perfectly , and openly ; raise those who have died of a known incurable disease , and are carried out to be buried or have lain in their Graves as Christ did : or else out of honour to Christ and Truth , and for meer shame avoid such rude and impudent comparisons of the miracles of your Church , with those of Christ and his Apostles . If we must believe St. Mary Magdalens Vial ; why not as well all the rest of the Glorious Reliques of your Church , for there are few of them , but have as good Authority as that of Spondanus , which E. W. produces for this Miraculous Vial ? Why not the Foreskin of Christ about which no meaner a man than Cardinal Tolet saith great Toiet i● c. 2. l● . c. An●o . ●1 . miracles were wrought at Calcata in Italy A. D. 1559. after it had been stolen from the Lat●ran Church in Rome by a certain Souldier Joh. Ferrandi disquis . Reliqui . l 1. c. 1. sect. 1. A. D. 1527. and lay undiscovered till after his death ; and yet Ferrandus tells us , that Germany , Flanders , Lorain and France , all boast that they have it . ●ollandus , or Bolland Acta Sector●m Jan 1. p. 3 , 4 , &c. rather Roswayd tells us , that these of Antwerp pleaded a possession of it for almost 500. Innocent . de Missae myster. l. 4. c. 30. years ; and the testimonies of Pope Eugenius A. D. 1446. and Clement the eighth A. D. 1599. Pope Innocent the third notwithstanding his pretence to Infallibility thought it fit that so weighty a cause should be left to God himself to determine . Symphorian●● Campegius in Bollandus , saith , that it is at Anicium ( le Puy ) in France together with Aarons Miter ; others say , that it was carried by an Angel to Charles the great , and he placed it at Aken . Now the same worship is given at all these places where it is supposed to be , and I suppose miracles equally wrought at them . I desire to know when false and counterfeit Reliques do work miracles , what we are to think of the Testimony given by such miracles and of the nature of them ? It is a pleasant thing to see the accounts given by these men of the same Reliques being in several places at once . Ferrandus hath found out very subtil ways to ●e●and . disq . Reliq. l. 1. c. 1. sect. 2. solve this difficulty and particularly concerning this Foreskin of Christ . 1. By a multiplication of it ; which being in Gods power to do , no question is to be made but he does it . 2. By a wonderful replication of it ; the terms I consess are not very easie , but I suppose he means , that the same body may be in several places at once . He tells us , that Suarez and Collius see no cause for so great a miracle ; but he thinks there is as much reason for it , as for the multiplication of the Wood of the Cross ; and I think so too . But yet he hath another reserve , which is , that these several Prepuces are really nothing but so many parts of the Umbilical Vessels , which are sent up and down for the consolation of the faithful . And no doubt they tend very much to it ; especially when they mistake one thing for another . And why may not then that which goes for the Blood of Christ be the blood of some other person ; especially since the blood of Christ is shewn in so many other places besides ? But that we may not however doubt of the truth of both these , St. Brigit saith in her Revelations , that the Brigit Revel. l. 6. Virgin Mary told her that a little before her assumption she committed the Sacred Prepuce to the care of St. John , with some of the Blood which remained in the wounds of Christ . Et jam lice at dubitare ? Saith Ferrandus : by Ferrand . l. 2. c. 1. sect. 1. no means . But it is good to understand where it is . Yet he tells us , some are of opinion , that there is no other blood of Christ upon earth , besides that in the Eucharist : and others that all the blood of Christ which was shed in his passion , was resumed at his resurrection , and therefore he rather inclines to think , it is some of the blood he shed in his Agony , which is preserved in so many places . But was St. Mary Magdalen there with her Vial to gather it up ? No , it is said , it was at the time of his Passion and therefore this answer cannot serve . How then come such great quantities of this Blood to be seen ? not only in St. Maximins Church but at Paris , at Rome , at Mantua , and several other places mentioned by Ferrandus . To this , he answers with Biel that Christ had a whole legion of wounds 6666. and Alanus de Rup● hath undertaken to cast up just how many drops he shed viz. 547500. And can there be any reason in the world to question the credibility of the Testimonies of such persons who are so exact and punctual in their calculations ? Far be it from us in the least to derogate from that inestimable love which the Son of God expressed in shedding his Blood as a Sacrifice of Propitiation for us . We adore , and celebrate that sacred mysterie of our Redemption by the Blood of that immaculate Lamb. It is the Blood of Christ we glory in and hope for Salvation by ; but not as kept for Reliques , or preserved in Vials to make a shew of ; much less to abuse mankind with a pretence of that Sacred Blood , when there is not the least shadow of reason to believe it .

But thus it hath been in the Church of Rome , they have turned the most wise and holy and reasonable Religion in the world into a matter of shew and ceremony . And for this end they have made use of all manner of devices to get any thing into their hands , that seemed to have any relation to the bodies , or garments of Christ , or his Disciples . And thus while they sleight their words , and corrupt their Doctrine , and pervert their institutions ; no persons can contend more than they for the hair , or nails that belonged to any of their bodies , although they destroy each others Testimonies , by so many pretending to the same things . The very Tears of Christ are pretended to be kept in two several places in France : and those put into a Vial too by the blessed Virgin , if we believe the Jesuit Ferrandus . It is a pretty competent Dis● . Reliq . l. 1. c. 2. sect. 2. Miracle to preserve Tears so long : but what cannot they shew , who have some of the hair of Christ , when an Infant , at St. Denis in France as Spondanus assures us , and some Spo●d . A. ● . 1205. n. 1. of the swadling clouts he was wrapt in , in the Manger ? And as good an Author every whit as Spondanus , relates that at Courchiverni a place near Bloys the breath of Joseph is kept in a Vial too , which the Angel took Moliaai . hyperaspi●t . c. 18. while he was cleaving Wood. What a shame would it be now for us to question the truth of any other Relicks among them ? Why should we dispute the vast quantity of the blessed Virgins Milk , so learnedly defended by Ferrandus ? to be seen in Judea , in F●r●a●d . l. 1. c. 2. Italy , in Spain , and in many places in France . What doubt can be made of the several Locks of her Hair ? For although they believe her Body assumed up into Heaven ; yet no doubt , saith Ferrandus , by frequent combing enough Ibid. would fall off to furnish the several Churches in Rome , in Spain , in France , and other places , with it . What if so many places pretend to have the true Seamless Coat of Christ ? is it possible , they should be any of them mistaken , although there could be but one true one ? For it is a very weak defence of Ferrandus to say , that there were many made after the likeness of the true one ; for l. 1. c. 1. sect 4. all places contend that they have the true . It were endless to give an account of multitudes of other Relicks , which Ferrandus confesses to be equally challenged by many places ; and which he pitifully defends by such shifts , as these are .

But it is not enough to shew in general that there can be no sufficient credibility in the Testimony given to the Relicks of the Roman Church ; but I shall now shew it more particularly concerning this Vial of St. Mary Magdalen . This Vial is supposed to be of her own bringing into France , and it is worth the while to know how she came thither .

Thus the story is related in the Roman Breviary . After Christs Ascension to Heaven , Martha with her Sister Mary , ( whom they suppose to be Mary Magdalen ) and with her Brother Lazarus and their servant Marcella , and Maximinus one of the seventy Disciples of our Lord with many other Christians were put into a Ship by the Jews without any Sail or Oars , that they might perish by Shipwrack : but by the Providence of God the Ship came safe to Marseilles : by which Miracle and Preaching the inhabitants of Marseilles and of Aix , and the neighbour people were converted : and Lazarus was made Bishop of Marseilles , and Maximinus of Aix . But Mary Magdalen having accustomed her self to prayer and a contemplative life , retired into a hollow Cave of a very high Mountain ; where she continued thirty years , separated from all conversation with men , and every day was carried up by Angels , to hear the Choire of Angels Sing . This is contained in the fourth and fifth Lessons on July 29. in the present Roman Breviary : but we are to consider that this story was not always in the Roman Breviary ; for those who reformed it under Pius the fifth had left it out ; but since it hath been thought fit to be restored again ; it being much for the edification of the people , to hear such Legends . For there is not the least pretence in Antiquity for any part of it , as a Learned Doctor of the Sorbon hath at large proved , shewing in a set Discourse Job La●●oii de Co●me●titio Lazari & Maximini , Marthae & Magdalen● in Pro●in●iam app●l●u opuscula . Paris . 1660. that for a thousand years after Christ it was the constant tradition of the Greek and Latin Church , that Lazarus , Martha , and Magdalen , all dyed in the Eastern parts , and not a word said of Maximinus ; that the whole story is taken out of a very fabulous Book , pretended to be Written by Marcella the servant to Martha in the Hebrew Tongue , and Translated by one Synthex into Latin ; and preserved by Vincentius in his History . It may not be amiss to set down some of the Miracles contained in this story ; one is of the Persons who accompanied them and the places assigned to them , as Trophimus was sent to Viacen● . Spec. ●i● . l. ● . c. 94. Arles , Paulus to Narbon , Eutropius to Aurange , , Austregesilus to Eourges , Irenaeus to Lyons , Ferrutius to Bezan●on , and Dionysius is placed over all France . Was there eve● better company put together ? when Irenaeus dyed A. D. 205. Eutropius A. D. 464. Austr●gistlus A. D. 629. and Trophimus , Paulus , Martialis , Saturninus , and Dionysius are by the most Learned Writers of France , cast back as far as the time of Decius : and Ferrutius was a Disciple of Irenaeus . It would be too tedious to relate Mary Magdalens Preaching at Marseilles , ( notwithstanding St. Pauls prohibition , which the Author saith , she had not heard of , but assoon as she did , she retired into her Cave ) the manner of the conversion of the Governour of Marseilles and his Lady , their going towards Hierusalem ; her death C. 95. upon the birth of her Child in the passage ; St. Peters conducting him to Hierusalem , seeing C. 96. the badge of the Cross on his shoulders ; the miraculous education of the Child by sucking the breasts of his dead Mother , who was C. 97. found by his Father on the shore after two years playing with stones , and running upon all four : the Resurrection of the Mother , C. 98. their return to Marseilles , where they found Mary Magdalen Preaching to a multitude of people ; the monstrous Dragon tamed by Martha C. 99. with a little holy water and the sign of the Cross ; which was thicker than an Oxe , longer than a Horse , had the head of a Lyon , and the strength of twelve Lyons , and was supposed to be of the race of the Leviathan mentioned in Job , and came by Sea from Galatia ; being b●gotten of the Leviathan , on a strange beast of that Country , which kills by its scent the length of an acre , and what ever it touches , it burns like fire ; these and several other such pleasant Miracles I purposely omit ; La●noy p. 298. p. 321. which Launoy calls more than old wives Tales , by which Christian Religion is dishonoured , and men are abused ; which make the enemies of Christianity despise it , and fill its friends with indignation ; to hear so holy a Religion so horribly corrupted by the impudent lies of idle men . But after all these things , thus laid together , can we do otherwise than believe that the Blood of Christ is kept in the Vial of St. Mary Magdalen in the Church of St. Maximin and that it boyls up every year on the day of our Saviours Passion ?

§ . 6. The next thing we are to consider , is , the Miracles recorded in the lives of those Of the Miracles of S. Dominick . two admirable Saints , B. St. Dominick , and Seraphical St. Francis . The first Miracle we read of concerning St. Dominick , was the miraculous prediction concerning him in the two pictures in St. Marks Church in Venice , reported by no meaner a person than St. Antonin ( E. W's . pious and learned Arch-bishop A●tonin Chron. part 3. Tit. 23. c. 1. sect. 1. of Florence . ) One in the likeness of St. Paul with those words over it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and under , these , Per istum itur ad Christum , over the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and under Facilius itur per istum ; it seems St. Paul Nicol Jansenii vit. Domini . l. 1. c. 7. was but a very ordinary Preacher , if compared wtth the Founder of the order of Preaching Fryers . But this prediction did not so plainly set him forth , as the Vision his Mother had near her time of travel with him , viz. that she bore a Whelp which carried a

Nicol. Jansenii vit. S ▪ Do ninic . l. 1. c. 1.

Th●od . de A●poldid vit. S. D. l. 1 a●ud Suri●m Aug. 5.

Brev. Rom. Aug. 4. lect. 4.

Jansen . Commentar. ad vit. S. Dom. p 252.

Auco●in . Chro● . p. 3. Tit. 23. c. 1.

Jarsen . vit. Dom l. 2. c. 14.

fire-brand in his mouth , which set the whole World on Fire ; which had its full accomplishment by his being the first Author of the blessed Inquisition ; for he was a true fire brand , having not near so much light as heat in him . Jansenius tells us ; that he had no kind of mercy upon Hereticks , that he was rather a Lyon than a man in his carriage towards them . And was not this a fit person to be compared with our blessed Saviour ? as he is most blasphemously , by E. W's . most modest Prelate Antonin , wherein he is followed by Jansenius . They might as well have compared Light and Darkness , tenderness and cruelty , a Wolf and a Lamb together . But the most blasphemous comparison of all others in that which St. Katharine of Siena said she had by Revelation from God , and is repeated after her , by Lewis of Granada Lud : Granat . con● . 1. de Festo S. Dominici Jans . vit. Dom. l. 2. c. 14. and Jansenius , viz. That she saw the Eternal Father producing his Son out of his mouth , and St. Dominick out of his breast . Whereupon he said to her , my dear Child , thou seest how I have produced these two Sons , where of the one is my Son by Nature , and the other by Adoption ; and so proceeds in an admirable comparison between them as Jansenius thinks it ; but we may well use his own words though with a far different meaning . Quis verò hic non miretur ac stupeat ? For who can choose but wonder and be astonished at such horrible blasphemy ? to see a fire-brand compared in such a manner with the Eternal Son of God . But what was it , this B. Dominick did to be thought to come so near to Christ ? why forsooth , Christ was laid in a Manger , and St. Dominick when an Infant would not lie in his Cradle , but would throw himself out of it , and lie upon the bare ground ; when Christ was born , a star appeared to the wise men , and when St. Dominick was baptized , his Godmother fancied she saw a star in his forehead . Christ went at twelve years old to the Temple , and St. Dominick was carried to Church by his Parents and there left to be instructed . O admirable comparisons ! But yet further . St. Dominicks Fathers name was Felix , and his Mothers Joanna ; now Joanna , saith Antonin is as much as full of Grace , and the Angel in his salutation said to the blessed Virgin . Ave Maria , gratia plena , Can any thing be now plainer than this comparison between our Saviour and St. Dominick ? But it may be , he wrought some special Miracles in which he came near to Christ . I shall mention some of them by which we may make a judgement of the credibility of the rest . One particular thing which St. Antonin instances in , was St. Dominicks power over Devils ; and in truth he was very extraordinary in this . Jansenius hath already put together several instances to my hands . It seems the Devil Jans ib. l. 2. c. 10. used to trouble him in several shapes ; but he was never more vexed with him , than when he flew up and down while he was Preaching to the Sisters ( so my Author calls them ) in the shape of a Sparrow . He perceiving the Devils cunning , called to Sister Maximilla to catch him and deliver him to him . She did so , who had no sooner got him into his hands but he falls to the pulling him crying out still Theodorie . vit. Dom. l. 3. c. 7. Enemy , Enemy . Till at last he left not a Feather upon him , and then insulted over him and bid him fly now if he could . The poor Sparrow hop'd up and down till at last he got under a Brass Lamp before the Altar of the blessed Virgin , and down he tumbles that : when behold a mighty Miracle , the Lamp hanging by a Chain fell not to the ground , and which was more , not a drop of oyl spilt ; but at St. Dominicks command the Lamp was put in its right place ; and the Sparrow disappeared . But the Devil was never so abused as when he appeared in the shape of a Monky , when St. Dominick was writing late at night ; and the Devil was shewing Monky-tricks round about him : Saint Dominick nodded to him to stand still and hold his Candle for him . The Devil could not yet leave his old tricks , but at last the Candle was almost burnt out ; and the Monkys Tees began to burn , then he made a lamentable noise ; still St. Dominick commanded him by his nod , ( for he would not vouchsafe to speak to the Devil ) to stand still , which he was fain to do , till his Toe was burnt , and then St. Dominick soundly lashed him and sent him going . I would not be thought to pick these things out of old Legends , that are disowned by themselves ; but I assure the Reader , these things are not only contained in the ancient and approved Writers of St. Dominicks life , but in Nicol. Jansenius the latest and most elegant of them ; whose Book was Printed at Antwerp A. D. 1622. And he further tells us , that the Devil finding no good was to be done this way , was resolved to set upon him by main force ; and finding him once so intent at Prayers that no noise would disturb him , he takes a huge stone from the top of the Church and throws it at his head , but hit only his Cowle . But when he saw he could not stir him with all this , he went sneakingly away . This happened , he saith , in the Church of St. Sabina , where the stone is still to be seen , and is of the bigness of a great Holland Cheese , saith Jansenius , and as black as pi●oh . One time , the Devil came to him to confession , but St. Dominick presently smelt him out , and so rated him that he sent him away speedily to Hell . If he met with possessed persons he had a trick that he could make them confess what he had a mind to . For we are to understand , that the blessed Virgin among many singular favours she had shewed to St. Dominick had taught him such a way of praying , as was never known before , the most effectual against Devils and all sorts of enemies that could be : which is sometimes called the Psalter of the blessed Virgin , sometimes only the Rosary consisted of one hundred and fifty Ave Marys , and fifteen Pater Nosters . This excellent device was revealed to him , after his Body had had three days conversation with Bryers and Thorns in the Woods near Tholouse when the blessed Virgin , saith Alanus de

Alanus de rupe de d●gnit . Psal. c. 3.

Go●on . Chronicon . D iparae A. D. 1213. Bzov. A. 1213. n. 9.

Rupe , commended it to him as the most effectual means to reform the World ; and therefore commanded him to Preach and inculcate this in all places . Assoon as ever he began to Preach it up , it is not to be thought how the Devils were alarm'd at it , strange Thunders and Lightenings , and Earthquakes immediately happened upon it . St. Dominick goes on , and at last the Devils were heard to cry out through the Air , Wo , wo to us , we are bound by this Psalter with Chains of Fire . St. Dominick having thus found out what would hamper the Devils , he made use of it upon occasion , for finding a person possessed with several Devils , he ties the Rosary of Beads about his neck , and then made the Devils confess what he pleased ; and at last they acknowledged that no man that continued Janse● . l. 1. c. 5. in the use of the Rosary could go to Hell . Upon this he bids the people fall to their Rosary , and at every Ave Maria , a Devil went out from the person as black as a Coal . Was ever any thing like this done by Christ or his Apostles ? No , I confess they understood nothing of the miraculous virtue of the Rosary , that was reserved for a new discovery to help these latter Ages of the World . We read only of their casting out Devils by Fasting and such Prayer as Christ instructed them in , but they were to seek in the way of tying Beads about their necks , or exorcising with one hundred and fifty Ave Marys . But all the vertue of this admirable Rosary doth not lie only in tormenting Devils , ; for very extraordinary things are reported of it in another way . Bzovius saith , That a Lady in Spain being carried prisoner Bzov. A●nals A. D. 1213. n. ●0 . into Africa , and there put to lie in among the Cattel , falls to the Rosary of the blessed Virgin , and presently the blessed Virgin appeared and performed the office of a Midwife to her ; and Christ in the habit of a Priest came and baptized the Child ; not long after an Angel came and invited her to the Churching , and led her to an unknown Church with St. Anne and St. Magdalen , the blessed Virgin being present , and Christ again in person performed the office . Are not these fit things to be inserted in Ecclesiastical Annals ? But something must be allowed to Bzovius for the honour of St. Dominick and the Rosary invented by him .

He that can believe all these Miracles already reported of St. Dominick need not stick at any of the rest , as his Books being preserved dry in the midst of the water , his walking dry in the midst of storms , his raising forty Englishmen out of the water at Tholouse , his blessing a Cup of Wine so that it served one hundred and four persons and not a drop of it missing , his turning the Worm that came out of the Womans breast at Rome into a rich Jewel , his raising the Cardinals Nephew from the dead , his being lifted up from the ground at his devotion ; he that sees sufficient reason to believe the reporters of these things upon their bare words , must rest satisfied that St. Dominick wrought Miracles .

§ . 7. But the Seraphical St. Francis did Of the Miracles of St. Fra●cis . not come much behind him in this pretended gift of working Miracles . I do not find that he had such a power over Devils as St. Dominick had ; but however he did wonderful things in his way . It seems St. Francis himself was not so terrible to Devils as Br. Juniper was ; for St. Francis used to threaten the Devils , that if they would not go out of persons , he would bring Br. Juniper to them ; at whose name they presently flew away , saith Wadding . Wadding Annales Min. A. 1210. n. 36. For they had so great a consternation upon them at the approach of Juniper , that a possessed person perceiving at a quarter of a miles distance his coming towards him , ran away for seven miles together crying and howling ; as the same grave and late Author relates . Yet one time the Devil , who owed him a spight , was like to have been too hard for him ; when he was condemned to be hanged for a Spy ; and was upon the Rack , and there confessed himself a Traytor , but by good fortune the F. Guardian , espying him and knowing his simplicity , ( for Wadding Wadd . ib. n 35 Id A. 1213. n. 43 confesses he was commonly accounted a Fool ) procured his release . But the Devil ( if the Franciscans Annalist may be credited ) was not so much asraid of coming near St. Francis , for finding him once in the Cave of Monte d' Alverno , he was like to have tumbled him down headlong from thence , had not the Rock miraculously yielded to his hands , so that he left the impression of his fingers in the place he laid hold on ; which saith Wadding were to be seen many years after , but were at last cut away ; for fear any person should go thither to confute him . But although St. Francis had not that power over him that goes about like a roaring Lyon ; yet he had an extraordinary power over a devouring Wolf , as appears by the story of his miraculous conversion by him : Wadding relates the story very briefly , having a mind to be at the end of it ; but he agrees in substance Id. A. 1222. n. 18 , 19. with the rest , and refers us particularly to the Speculum vitae Sti Francisci , wherein Speculum vitae S. Fra. l. 1. c. 76. it is related at large ; in short , it is this , there was a terrible Wolf not far from Eugubium , that spared neither man nor beast , which kept the people in so much fear , that they durst not stir out of the gates of the City . St. Francis moved with a pious zeal not to kill but to convert this Wolf , out he goes at the gates of the City , with no other Armour than what he could presently make with his fingers , viz. the sign of the Cross ; the people were got upon the tops of their Houses to see the issue of this encounter : the Wolf comes with open mouth towards him , St. Francis presently shuts his mouth with the Spoelberch . not in specul●m Francise . sign of the Cross ( see here saith Spoelberch the wonderful vertue of the sign of the Cross ) After this St. Francis comes to parly with the Wolf in a familiar manner , and says to him Brother Wolf , I command thee in the name of Christ that thou hurt neither me nor any one else ; Upon which he immediately falls on the ground in the posture of a penitent . St. Francis takes him to confession , laying open before him the horrid cruelties he had committed ; but at last offers terms of agreement between him and the City ; the Wolf by the moving of his tail and ears plainly shewed that he understood and accepted his offer . St. Francis then tells him he knew he did all this to satisfie his hunger , therefore he would take care he should be provided for , if he would promise he would never hurt any body again . The Wolf bows his head in token of consent ; and when St. Francis held out his hand to make the bargain sure , the Wolf put his right foot into his hand ; ( very well understanding the way of contracts ) . Upon this the Wolf quietly walks along with him towards the City ; the people seeing that , flocked in great abundance about him , St. Francis makes an excellent Sermon on the occasion , and at last assures them of the conversion of Brother Wolf , and acquaints them with the promise he had made for his maintenance ; the Wolf renews his promise before them all , as formerly . The People were filled with great joy and the Wolf lived very innocently and neighbourly among them all the rest of his days , and the people much lamented his death . This story I confess I did not expect to have met with any where else than in the Golden Legend , or the ingenious Book of Conformities ; but not only finding it , in other more creditable Authors among them , but inserted into their Books of Annals by Wadding , and defended by Hen. Sedulius who writ an Apology Hen. Sedulii Apolog●tic . adversus Alcoran . Francis . pro libro conformit . l 3. c. 29. for the Book of Conformities , I thought I had reason to produce it : not knowing but that E. W. might reckon this among the miracles of St. Francis , which might be parallel'd with those of Christ and his Apostles . Cardinal Bonaventure doth not particularly relate the story , but he mentions his taming Bonov . vit. S. Franc. l. 1 c. ●8 . n. 12. of Wolves among his extraordinary acts ; and tells us of St. Francis his great kindness to all sorts of creatures calling them Brothers and Sisters .

And although Christ and his Apostles thought it enough to preach only to men and women , St. Francis his charity was so much beyond theirs , that he preached to Birds and Beasts as St. Anthony of Padua his Disciple did to Fishes : and I assure you with no small success . For Wadding tells us that St. Fancis was in dispute with himself , whether it Wadding An. 1212. ● . 29 , 30 , 31 , were fitter for him to spend his time in praying or preaching : being in a great perplexity about it , he sends to Brother Sylves●er ( the same who saw the Golden Gross come out of St. Francis his mouth ) and Sister Clara , that they should seek God for resolution ; they both agree that he was to Preach ; being thus satisfied in his Call ; the next morning early he goes towards Bevagna , and seeing a place where multitudes of several kinds of Birds were gathered together , he makes hast thither and salutes the Birds as if they had been reasonable creatures . The Birds being big with expectation turned themselves and bowed their heads towards him ; then he admonished them all to hear the word of God , and then said to them . My Brethren , ye ought to praise your Creator that hath given you Feathers and Wings , and good air , and that provides for you without your care . At which excellent instructions , the devout Birds stretched out their Necks , and clapt their Wings , opened their Bills , and looked earnestly upon him . Then he walked in the midst of them , and not one of them stirred , till he gave them the blessing and made the sign of the Cross over them , and then they all flew away together . Thus Cardinal Bonaventure and Wadding both gravely relate the story of his first Preaching , after it was revealed that he ought to preach : but that was not all , but they tell us that being returned to his Disciples , he blamed himself for so long neglecting the duty of Preaching to the Birds . From hence he went forward in his work , and the Swallows ( not being I suppose at his former Sermon ) were very troublesom in making a noise to the disturbance of the Auditory ; to whom he thus spake , Sisters Bonavent . l. 1. c. 12. ● . 4. Swallows , it is now time that I speak ; for you have tatled enough already . Hear the word of God , and hold your peace till that Wadding A. 1212. ● . 3● . be done , which they presently did ; and all the people were astonished at the miracle ; as well they might . A Scholar of Paris , having heard the fame of this miracle , say the same Authors , and being very much troubled at the chattering of a Swallow , commanded him in the name of St. Franci● to come to him and hold his peace , which the Swallow immediately did . Another time , as St. Francis was passing through the Marshes of Venice , he Bonav . l. 1. c. 8. n. 8. heard a great number of Birds singing pleasantly together , he told his companion , he would go and sing prayers among them ; which he did , but because the noise was so great they could not hear prayers , he bid them leave off singing till he had done . Which they did as readily as if they had made the vow of obedience . But this spirit of devotion did not fall Id. ib. n 6. upon the Birds alone ; for he instructed a Sheep to attend prayers , which she constantly did kneeling , and bleating before the Altar of the Blessed Virgin , which was her way of saluting her . O , but at the elevation of the Host , she fell down upon her knees , in token of her profound reverence . We need not now wonder at the devout Dog of Lisbon , whose story is told with so much circumstance by Eusebius Nierembergius , that Fuseb . Nie●emb . hist. nat●r . l. 9. c. 94. belonged to a Cook of Lisbon , and constantly followed the Sacrament whereever it went ; and could by no means be drawn off from his attendance ; and not only so , but would let no persons be quiet , if they did not pay their devotion to the Sacrament . I think it would be a hard case to determine whether St. Francis his Sheep , or the Lisbon Dog , or St. Anthony's Mule had the greatest devotion to the Host : it is certain they were all very extraordinary in their severy kinds . But it was not only such mild creatures as Sheep that were thus obedient to St. Francis , but being once to preach at Trevi in the market place , the young Fole of an Ass ran up and down and very much disturbed him ; at last St. Francis with a pleasing Countenance said to him , Brother Ass , I desire thee Wadding At. 1213. n. 6. to stand still and not interrupt the word of God which I am now Preaching to this thirsty people : Upon which the Ass ( moved belike to see the humility of this good man in owning his poor kindred ) fell upon his knees and heard the Sermon quite out . Was any miracle like these ever done by Christ or his Apostles ? But did St. Francis work no other kind of miracles ? Yes we are told of many more , and of another nature , but they are all delivered by the same persons , and upon the same credit ; so that if we believe some upon their words , we ought to take all ; if we reject some and take others , we believe not upon their testimony ; but our own judgement . One thing more is so remarkable that we ought not to omit it , viz. that St. Antonin St. Anton. Chron. Tom. 3. tit 24. c 1. applying that place of the Psalms to him , he sus upon the Cherubim and rides upon the wings of the wind ; makes it plain from thence , that St. Francis being above the Cherubim , was of the order of ●eraphim ( for which reason , or for none E. W. calls him the Seraphical St. Francis ) and to make this out , they tell us , that he appeared in a Chariot of Fire among his Disciples ; but what was mo●e miraculous , Wadding AA 1210. n. 25. he and his Brother Massaeus going to Preach , he was so set on fire with zeal and devotion that he seemed to cast flames out of his mouth ; and called his Br. Massaeus to Specuium Francis . l. 2. c. 36. him crying A. a. a. with the force of which breath Frier Massaeus was carried up into the air many cubits , saith Wadding . Nay it was no extraordinary thing with St. Francis himself Wadding A. 1215. ● . 12. to be so raised up , for Frier Leo who was permitted to be with him in his retirement to Monte d' Alverno , found him sometimes Speculum Francis . l. 1. ● . 89. so high in the air in a rapture , that he could just kiss his feet ; sometimes up to the middle of the trees , and sometimes so high that he could hardly discern him ; ( especially in a dark night . ) But the most glorious miracle of St. Francis was that of the bleeding Speculum Francis l. 2. ● . 34. wounds of Christ in his side , and hands , and feet : as to which it is observable , that they were so wonderfully concealed , that no man could ever fully discern them in his life time ; only Frier Ruffin once thought he spied the wound in his side . And although many ways were used to convince men of the truth of these wounds after his death ; yet to me there was none like that of the Image of St. Francis , for to convince a certain Frier , from Wadding A. 1237. ● . 5. the mark of the wound in his side fresh blood was seen to run , from which time he most firmly believed them . And can we think that St. ●homas his putting his hands into the wounds of our Saviours side , was half so strong an evidence of the truth of Christs resurrection , as the bleeding of an Image was of the wounds of St. Francis ? No , no , although a Body may deceive , a Picture cannot . Are not these now doughty miracles and attested with such uncontrolable evidence , that they ought to be compared with those of Christ and his Apostles ?

§ . 8. Before I dispatch this first head in Of the miracles related of the British and Irish Sain's . shewing upon what uncertain reports miracles are received and believed in the Roman Church ; I shall give an account of some of them nearer home , by which we may judge how far the Miracles boasted of by E. W. ought in point of credibility to be compared with those of Christ and his Apostles . I hope none will deny that there are some bounds to be set to our belief of reports concerning miracles : for although Gods omnipotency hath no bounds , yet we are not to think that God doth equally imploy his power in all things , nor at all times , nor as often as men shall please to say he doth it . In many cases it is very hard to determine the farthest extent of the power of nature ; and punctually to shew what is a miracle and what not ; for the power of meer natural causes may lie secret and hidden from us ; yet from a continual observation of the course of nature a certain sphere may be fixed , within which the effects of nature are contained . As that a body being once truly dead , cannot of it self come to life again ; that there are some diseases at such a height as to be incurable by natural means ; in these cases the raising of such a body to life , the curing of such diseases being done frequently , publickly , and in an instant are great arguments of a miraculous and divine power . And this we say was the case of the miracles of Christ and his Apostles : but from hence men ought not to abuse mankind ; and because the power of God is unlimited , therefore to say that the most extravagant , foolish and idle imaginations of men , because they have passed without proof for miracles among credulous people , must still be received for such . For is it reasonable that because we believe that nothing is impossible with God , therefore we must not question that so many Saints walked with their heads off , or did such extravagant things as the makers of the lives of the Saints tell us ? For it was not only St. Denis of France of whom that is reported ; but our own Ecclesiastical stories will acquaint us with many other Instances of a like nature . So Mr. Cressy tells us of St. Justinian the martyr , that when his head was cut Cr●ss●'s Church-History , B ok 11. c. 8. n. 15. off , his body presently rose , and taking the head between the two arms went down to the Sea shore , and walking thence on the Sea passed over to the port called by his name ; and being arrived in the place where a Church is now built to his memory , he fell down , and was there buried by St. David with admirable hymns and canticles . So the same grave historian relates of St. Ositha , that as soon as Book 17. c. 15. n. 5. her head was cut off , her body presently rose and taking up the head in the hands by the conduct of Angels walked firmly the straight way to the Churches of St. Peter and St. Paul about a quarter of a mile distant from the place of her suffering , and when it was come there , it knocked at the door with the bloody hands , as desiring that it might be opened , and thereon left marks of blood . Having done this , it fell there down to the ground . To the same purpose he tells of St. Clarus , Book 17. c. 3. n. 7. whose head being cut off presently after arose , and with his hands taking up his head , by the assistance of Angels , carried it to a fountain not far distans , into which he cast it : and then carried the same back to the Oratory of his Cell , and going on a little further towards a Village seated near the River Epta , he there consummated his course , and transmited his blessed soul to Heaven . And of St. Decumanus he writes , that when his head was Book 21. c. 3. n. 6. cut off from his Body , the trunk raising it self up took the head which it carried from the place where he was slain to a spring not far of , which flowed with a most Christalline water , in which with the hands it washed the blood away . So St. Juthwara with her own Book 23. c. 9. n. 8. hands took up her head being cut off , and to the astonishment of all , ( as we may easily imagine , ) carried it back steadily into the Church . These are pretty good instances for one that takes it so ill that his History should be called the great Legend What can be imagined more absurd , and be supposed to be done to less purpose than such foppish miracles as these ? But I extreamly wonder at his niceness in omitting some others of a like nature delivered by a late infallible Author called Oral Tradition : As St. Maxentia's being beheaded and carrying her head in her hands , for which Capgrave quotes nothing less than Capgrav . F. 228. 1. infallible Oral Tradition ; for , saith he , faithful people have received this from their Fathers by certain tradition . And have their late men better any argument than this for transubstantiation , invocation of Saints , &c. Why forsooth , can it be imagined that Fathers should go about to deceive their Children ? did not they who saw it know the truth of what they saw ? would not they speak truth to their Children ? how , could then any errour or mistake come into the belief of the faithful . None certainly . Why then it is a demonstration , that St. Maxentia did after her ●ead was cut off from her body carry it in her b●nds . Can any thing be more demonstrative than this ? And by the same arguments we are assured , that the Head of St. Melorus being cut off , out of great pity to Cerialtanus his murtherer , being in a great thirst , bad ●im thrust his staff into the ground , and he should immediately see a spring to arise thence , with which he might plentifully quench his thirst . Was not the head of this Saint very charitable and kind to his murtherer ? Now this , which was a principal part of the story Mr. Cressy seems in a very sullen humour to leave out ; although he takes the rest from Capgrave ; of which I can only give this account , ( for I have no reason to question Mr. Cressy's faith or good will ; ) that Alford Alford A●nales Eccl●s . A. D. 411. n. 5. from whom he translates his history , only refers to Capgrave , and doth not relate enough for Mr. Cressy to make up the Legend . The like omission he is guilty of about another miracle concerning him , viz. that when by Cressy's Church-History Book 8. c. 26. n. 3. the command of his Uncle his right hand and left foot were cut off ; and he had a silver hand and brass foot sramed for him , ( as Mr. Cressy confesseth ) Capgrave adds , that he could move the fingers and open and shut his hand as if it had been made of nerves , and flesh , and bones ; but this likewise is left out in Alford , from which it appears how faithfully Mr. Cressy kept to his Author . Upon the same reason , I suppose , he omits , St. Paternus his calling to his man when he was dead , and he saw his head cut off before his eyes ; but behold a miracle , the head answered to him , Here I am Sir , at which the Saint Capgrav . F. 259. 2. finding out the head and joyning it to the body , it presently arose safe and sound . It is not to be thought that Mr. Cressy did question the latter part of it , who at large relates the miracle of St. Winifred's head bei●g joyned to her body again , and her rising up presently Cressy's Church-History l. 16. c. 8. n. 8. upon it , cleansing her face from the dust and sweat ; to the wonderful joy of the whole Congregation . But as I observed before ; a white circle remained ever after about her neck , shewing the place where the section had been made . And can the heart of man doubt of this ? when Mr. Cressy saith , that immediately Breviar. sccu●dum ●s●m Sar●m 3. Nov. ●ect. 8. after her death , her story was written by the holy Abbot Elerius , her last spiritual Father , and this story was constantly read upon her day in the Breviary secundum usum Sarum . But St. Edmund had a red list about Capgrav . F. 108. 1. his neck when after his head had been cut off by his enemies , it was found joyned fast to the Body in his Grave ; and which was very remarkable , when his friends , seeking after his body in the wood , had like to have lost themselves and one of them cried to the other , where art thou ? the head answered distinctly Here , Here , Here ; and never ceased crying so till it had brought them all to it . This miracle Mr. Cressy very honestly gives an account of , and saith , he finds it attested Cressy's Church-History l. 27. c. 2● . n. 2. and received by all ancient Authors without exception , particularly by William of Malmsbury . But so much he dares not say of St. Winnisred ; for he confesses that Bede and the Saxon Historians do not mention her ; and among these his own Malmsbury is one ; but both he and Alford think that the Saxons hated the Britains ●o that degree , that they would not so much as remember their Saints . Which is a very likely thing . But of all the miracles of this kind commend me to those of St. Cadoc : one time , when he was building an Oratory , an Irish artificer came to his assistance , who being envied by his fellow Capgrav . F. 53. 1. workmen , they very maliciously cut off his head and tied a great stone to his body and so threw it into a pond , next morning the beheaded artificer brings his head in his lap and the great stone at his back ; and all bloody shews himself to St. Cadoc , then the Head ( to whom it belonged to speak ) thus addressed it self to the Saint . O servant of God set my head on my shoulders again , and I will tell thee all the things which thou knowest not about this matter . Which he had no sooner done , but the head told the whole story , and having done so expired . But as remarkable was his raising the Gyant Can at St. Andrews in Scotland , who told him that he brought his Soul out of Id. f. 54. 1. Hell ; and being so useful a man , upon the prayers of St. Cadoc he lived a notable digger and labourer there a good while after . Have we not now very great reason to believe these Miracles ? and is not the Authority of the Legendaries , from whom these things are reported , equal to the Testimony of all Christians ? and are not the Miracles themselves as credible and likely to be true as those of Christ and his Apostles ? But if these do not satisfie , what can we be able to say , to Count Wallen Earl of Northumberland , who being beheaded for rebellion against William the Conqueror , his head sixteen years after his death , saith Capgrave , was found fastened Id. f. 278. to his body and only a bloody list about his neck where it was cut off . It seems Rebells are as capable of these Miracles as Saints . We need not at all wonder now that when he was beheaded while he was saying the Pater Noster , his head went through with it , after its being cut off . This would hardly go down for a Miracle , when we have such choice of so much better and plainer Miracles , related by those Anthentick Historians ; from whom Mr. Cressy and others have furnished themselves with such trash .

Can any one deny it to be a great Miracle for a man to make a whole Basket full of broken Eggs whole again ? Yet this Capgrave tells us St. Swisbun did to the poor womans Eggs that were broken by his workmen , while he was building the Bridge on the East-side I● . f 278. 2. of Winchester ; and this notable Miracle was performed only with making the sign of the Cross over them . Now I appeal to the conscience of any man , whether we ever read that Christ or his Apostles did any such thing ? Or did ever Christ or his Apostles hang their garments upon the Sun beams ; yet this was done , saith Capgrave by St. Aldelm in the Lateran Church , and the beam of the Sun Id. f. 10. 1. held his garment a long time : which was kept for a Sacred Relick in the Monastry of Malmsbury . It had been a stranger thing if they had preserved the Sun-beam too . But he was not alone in so strange a Miracle ; for St. Cathro's Staff was supported by a Sun-beam ,

Colgan . Acta Sanctorum Hib●r. 6.

Martii . vit. S. Cadroe n. 27.

as Colganu● tells us in his life . And that we may not be surprized at the strangeness of this Miracle , in his Notes he refers us to the Life of St. Deicola and St. Brigid . In the life of St. Deicola I find , that being weary with travelling ; he had a mind to put off his upper garment , which the servants seeing , ran as fast as they could to take it from him ; he told them , by no means ; for he had Colganus 18. J●● . ●it . D●● o●ae n. 4. a Servant that would be sure to keep it ; and behold a wonderful thing ! he espyed a beam of the Sun coming in at a window , and came towards it , and laid his garment upon it , where it continued for two or three hours till he took it away . Bollandus relates the same story , and that it may not appear incredible , he saith the same thing was done by St. Goar , St. Florentius , and St. Amabilis , St. Brigid Bol●and . Acta Sa●cto●um . J●● . 18. vit. D●●col●e c 4. hung her garment upon the shadow which it seems was stronger than a Sun-beam , for her cloaths were heavy being dropping wet , and she mistook the shadow for a great Tree ; ( I am much afraid this was not the only mistake in this matter . ) But however they hung there a drying , saith Cogitosus in the life of St. Brigid ; whom Bollandus calls an excellent

Messingham Floril●● . Sa●cto●●● Hibera . vit. B●i●idae c. 3.

Bo●land . Acta Sanctorum Feb. 1. vit 2. St. Brigidae c. 2. n. 9.

Bolland . Comm●●t . prav . ad Acta Brigl . sect. 2. n. 9.

Writer , and a man that Wri● not only what he heard but what he saw . ( I would he had told us whether he had seen this Miracle or no. ) And yet Bollandus thinks he did not live in the same time , with St. Brigid . But it may be this must pass for another Miracle that he should see things that were done before he was born .

We think the preservation of Moses when a Child was extraordinary ; but what was that , to the miraculous preservation and education of St. Kyned ? The Son● saith Capgrave of a Prince of little Britain Capgrave f. 205. by his own Daughter , who being delivered she exposed him to the River in a Wicker-Cradle , in which he was carried to the Sea and at last was cast upon an Istand called in the British tongue Henisweryn ; and on a sudden the Sea fowl gathered about him , and by their Bills and Claws took him out of the water and carried him into the Air , and at last placed him upon a Rock , making a bed of Feathers for him and driving away Serpents and hurtful creatures , and shelter'd him from Wind and Hail and Snow , by joyning their wings together over him . While the Child lay thus , before nine days were passed , an Angel came to him , and brought him a Brass Bell , and put the Childs mouth to it : and when the Child was hungry it turned it self and sucked of the Bell ; which afforded nourishment sweeter than any milk : and of so subtle a nature that he voided no excrements . Thus he continued till he could walk , and the swaddling cloaths in which he was wrapt , grew to him as bark to a Tree just as he grew . Afterwards a wild Doe came twice a day and filled the Bell with Milk , thus he continued eighteen years , being taught to read by an Angel . But although he changed his place yet still he continued an Eremitical life : once St. David desired him to go to a Council with him , he excused himself because of his deformity ; St. David prayed for the cure of it , and he was heal'd , St. Kyned prayed for the return of it , and he was as bad as ever . This Miracle Alford relates , although he Alford A●●al●s Eccl●s . A. D. 529. n. 3. thinks , the Writers of his Life have exceeded a little too much in his Miracles . But to my mind St. Kyneds sucking of a Bell , was not so strange as St. Berachs sucking St. Froegius his ear ; which Colganus very gravely relates . No sooner was St. Berach born but St. Froegius his Uncle took care of him and told his Mother , Colganus ad 15 Jad . i● vit. St. Berac● . n. 4. God was able to bring him up without the help of Milk ; and he gave him his right ear to suck , by which he was as plentifully nourished as if he had sucked all the while at his Mothers breast . If Caepgrave had had the trimming of this story , he would have added that this was sweeter than any milk . Colganus ( as he had reason ) is very angry with those that say St. Froegius his ear gave milk , for although , saith he , it were possible for God to make his ear give milk , yet it is not probable , because other way● might serve as well for his nourishment .

We read not of any Miracles wrought by Christ himself , till he entred upon his Preaching ; but these Saints began very early and some of them held out to a mighty Age ; for St. David lived to 147. St. Fintan to 125. St. Mochaius to 150. and St. Cathubius as long , St. Finnian to 180. St. Kentigern 185. but St. Kieran for 300. years , saith the Author of his life , near 300. saith the Colganus 5. Martii p. 466. 16. Martii . p. 627. Lesson upon his day , St. Abban 300. St. Mochteus 300. In all which time he neither spake an idle word nor eat fat meat , so the Author of his Life saith ; but the old Verses cited by Colganus say , That in all that time he neither spake nor eat ; and others that speak more moderately , say , That in one hundred years 24. M●●● . p. 734. he eat nothing : A pretty reasonable fast for any man ! But to be sure much exceeding that of Christ himself : but that is not our present business ; which is , to shew how very early they began to work Miracles . It is hardly conceivable they should begin sooner than in their Mothers Wombs ; and while St. Fursey was in his Mothers Womb , he very V. Fursaei 16. Jan. apud Colg . n. 5. severely rebuked his Grandfather for thinking to condemn his Mother , without any reasonable cause . Colganus confesses that this was a very great Miracle , but justifies it as the Author of his Life doth from Gods omnipotency . Yet Bollandus would fain in his Notes , have it softened and made more probable , viz. That a voice was heard to that purpose , Bollandus not . in vit. S. Fars . 16. Jan. c. 2. n. 7. and that some thought the Child spake in his Mothers Womb ; but he confesses the ancient Mss. are express that it was the Child ; & the hymns of the Church are plain to that purpose .

Matris intra viscera Loquens , avi nequioris arguebat scelera .

Which were Sung upon his day , saith , Arnoldus Wion , from whom Bollandus had Wion . Lig● . vitae l. 3. p. 26. them : and we hope they were more honest than to praise God for that which they did not believe . Was St. John Baptist's leaping in his Mothers belly to be compared to this ? But they have a better instance to parallel this , viz. St. Nicholas his fasting Wednesdays Vit S. Fursaei c. 2. n. 8. and Fridays while he suckt his Mothers breasts ; or which is all one sucking but once on those days , which I suppose being after Vespers made it a good fast : but methinks in honour to the Church of Rome , Saturday should have been one of his Fasting-days . But commend me for devotion to St. Mocht●us that leapt in his Mothers Womb at Canonical hours ;

Colginus 24. Martii v. S. Mocht●i n. 1.

Colganus 8 Martii p. 544. v. St. Cathaldi ● . 1.

a good presage certainly of his future devotion . For a Child new born , scarcely any went beyond St. Cathaldus , for assoon as he was born he struck his head against a piece of Marble , and the Marble yielded like wax to him , and when his Mother expired at her delivery , the Child raised up himself without any help , and embracing his Mother in his Arms he raised her to life again . Was not this a towardly beginning for a Child ? Had not St. Alred a very clear complexion , whose face Arch deacon William Capgrave f. 11. in Capgrave saw shining like the Sun , with such bright beams , that his hand gave a shadow being held towards him ; from whence he had reason to think he would prove an extraordinary man in his time . It seems to be now no great matter that S. Aldelm should

Id. f. 10. Vit. S. Aldelm apud S●rium 25. Maii.

Cressy's Ch●●ch Hi●t . l. 19. c. 12. n. 4.

Portisor . Sarish . 25. Maii. ●ect 3. Capgrave f. 242.

make a Child to speak at nine days old , to vindicate the Innocency of the Pope ; and although Mr. Cressy speaks doubtfully of this matter ; yet surely there is no more reason to question it than many other Miracles related by him and his Authors , for it was read in the Lessons upon his day . Capgrave saith that St. Ninian commanded a Child who was but few days old to declare who was his own Father , the Child presently obeyed and pointed with his finger , and openly said such a man was his Father . Was not this an early sign of a wise Child ! But never was there certainly a more early Confessor than St. Romwold of whom Capgrave relates , that being newly born he cryed out he was a Christian , Id. f. 275. and presently made a most elaborate confession of his Faith hardly short of that of Athanasius in its exactness in the point of the Trinity ; but he was too ripe to hold long , for after three days he dyed . St. Kieran in his Childhood raised by his Prayers a Bird half killed by a Kite ; but St. Kentigern ( being Colganus vit. S. Kierani ● . Mart. n. 3. perhaps a year or two older ) exceeded him , for when his School-fellows had pulled off a Robin-red-breasts head , he took the head and put it to the body and by his Prayers and the sign of the Cross raised the Bird to life again , so not only Capgrave , but Bollandus

Capgrave f. 208.

Bolland . Acta sector●●n Jan. 13. p. 816.

Bolland . praef. gen . c. 1. sect. 7.

relate the story ; and Bollandus in his preface particularly vindicates Capgrave's Authority with relation to the life of St. Kentigern .

Are not these now pregnant instances how much these Saints exceeded Christ and his Apostles in their beginning to work Miracles so much before them ?

But withall we never find that Christ and his Apostles wrought such trifling Miracles . To pass over the Resurrection of Robin-red . breast , methinks it was an occasion somewhat with the meanest to save School-boys from whipping , as Capgrave tells us some of his Saints have done , witness the Boy at Canterbury that ran for Sanctuary to St. Adrians Tomb at St. Augustins , whither his Master Capgrave f 1. pursued him ; and resolved to whip him , till a white Dove appeared on the top of the Tomb , and by stretching out his neck and wings begged pardon for him ? then the Master fell uppon his knees to the Saint and confessed his fault ; and so the Dove flew away . But he escaped better now than at another time , ( if he were the same Master ) when whipping the boy however that had fled thither , his arm was held stretched out all that day till he fell upon his knees to the boy , and asked him pardon and by his intercession he recovered the use of his Arm. The truantly boys that ran to St. Bregwins Tomb Id. F. 43. for sanctuary from their Masters , became invisible to them there , if Capgrave may be believed . A boy that ran to St. Erkenwalds Tomb from St. Pauls school got his lesson by Inspiration Id. F. 134. there ; and when his Master pursued him thither , he repeated it exactly to him . But never was poor Master so punished for whipping boys , as he was that p●esumed to Id. F. 135. chastise those that had fled to S. Ermenilds Tomb ; for the next night the Saint appeared to him , and bound him hand and foot stronger than with Irons , so that he could not move himself ; next morning he sends for the boys , begs them pardon and desires them to intercede for him ; and being carried to the Tomb of the Saint , he was restored to his former condition . Were not these very important occasions for God to imploy the power of miracles upon ?

The nature of this last punishment inflicted on the Schoolmaster , puts me in mind of St. Ivo's boots which he put the poor Abbot of Ramsey into for not believing the Carpenter Ezi's revelation concerning his body ; the whole story is worth reading as Mr. Cressy Cr●ssy's Church-History l 13. c. 9. n. 3. relates it in his Church-History . This St. Ivo was born in a City of Persia called Frianeos ( no matter whether Ptolemy or others mention it , for who can tell but such a City might have been in the world and they not know it ? ) that his Father was a Prince there named Yomos , and his Mother Isitalia , and his only Brother Athanatos ( a Persian word doubtless ) lived an Eremitical life in a certain wood and was illustrious for miracles . ( But how came these particulars to be so well known to our Monks in England ? I suppose Ezi informed them all by the vision of St. Ivo ) Well , but St. Ivo was elected Bishop in the Town where he was born and not long after translated to the Archiepiscopal See of the City Asitanea , ( A huge City in Persia I suppose ) Which See be governed with great sanctity and prudence , till a terrible famine so desolated the Country that Parents were compelled to devour their Children . By reason whereof St. Ivo with eleven more devont companions , forsook that region and passing through many Countries at last came to Rome : ( Now what a cross thing is this ? that William of Malmsbury saith , that he left his Country Malmsbury F. 292. to avoid the pleasures which his rich Bishoprick afforded him ; that he only had Alford A●nal . A D. 600. n. 7. three companions and never mentions his coming to Rome ; but Mr. Cressy had the wit to take no notice of this , although Alford had not . ) At Rome , by the Popes advice they severed themselves , and St. Ivo by divine disposition together with his Nephew Sithius and his Kins man Inthius ( two pretty Persian names ) and some others came into Britany . ( Observe it good Reader , the Pope sent St. Ivo into Britain ; for fear , we should derive our Christianity from the Asian Bishops ; and I assure thee Alford not a little glories in this . ) And at last died in a Town called Id. ib. n. 1 , 2. Slepe , at three miles distance from Huntington , serving God all his days in watching , fasting and prayers . But all this while , not one word is said of any acquaintance this good Bishop had all his life time in England ; not one person is pretended to have known who he was , or whence he came till the Carpenter Ezi's vision ; therefore we come to that . Mr. Cressy confesseth his sacred body remained several Ages in the place of his burial , in so much as his memory was lost in that place . But at last A. D. 1001. a certain husbandman as he was plowing the ground light upon his Tomb , which being taken up and opened , the Body of a Bishop in his Pontifical ornaments was seen in it . The night following the same Bishop St. Ivo appeared in a very reverend form and with great brightness to a Carpenter called Ezi and told him who he was ; commanding him to signifie to Ednoth Abbot of Ramsey that he should translate his and his companions bodies from thence to his Monastery . But the poor man not having the boldness to relate this vision , he appeared to him the second time repeating the same commands ; which he still neglecting to perform , at the third apparition the Bishop smote him on the side with his crosier , telling him that the pain of that stroke should remain , till he had performed what had been enjoyned him . The man awaking presently after , found as grievous pain in his side as if a sword had pierced it . Thus was he compelled to declare his vision to the Abbot , which as soon as he had done he was freed from his pain . But the Abbot would give no credit to what the man told him , but calling him clown and fool , said , must we translate and venerate the ashes of I know not what Cobler ? the night following the holy Bishop appeared to the Abbot , and said , rise quickly , for I whom thou scornfully calledst Cobler have brought thee here a pair of Boots that will last a good while . These thou must put on and wear for my sake . Having said thus , he seemed to draw on his Legs a pair of Boots with care to make them sit smooth and handsom . Presently the Abbot waking felt such horrible pain in his Legs , that he was not able to walk or stand , and fifteen years did ●eremain under this infirmity ( of Boots . ) By this miracle , faith Mr. Cressy , the Sanctity of the Holy Bishop was approved . A wonderful discovery of Sanctity ! to revenge himself so severely upon the Abbot for his reasonable suspicion of an imposture ; methinks however a pair of strait shoos might have been fair punishment at first for calling him Cobler ; and if those had not convinced him , he might then have proceeded to the Scotch severity of the Boot . But we are to consider that a great deal depended upon the honour of the Body that was to be translated ; for the resort would be made accordingly ; and therefore a long gout upon an old Abbot might by an easie metaphor pass for St. Ivo's boots . I wonder Mr. Cressy omitted another miracle wrought , no doubt , in approbation of the Sanctity of the Holy Bishop too ; for in my opinion the story of St. Ivo's girdle is as good as of his boots ; for which we must understand that these Saints were very severe towards all persons who neglected their Festival days ; now it so happened , that a Monk commanded his servants to work upon his day , and spake not very kindly of the Saint . Capgrav . F. 2co . ( It may be questioning whether ever there was any such Saint or no ; or calling him Girdler , as we may think by his punishment . ) to him St. Ivo appeared and asked him if he knew him , he trembling , answered no. The Saint replied I am Ivo whom thou lately saidst thou didst not know and hinderedst men from keeping my Feast ; Here , take this girdle and by this token remember me ; and girding it about him he left him . The Monk waking found himself as it were girt with an Iron girdle , and was under horrible pains and diseases till by visiting St. Ivo's monument he recovered his health . Thus , these miracles end in some honour to a shrine or monument , which may reward the Monks well for the use of their inventions to delude the people . But did ever Christ or his Apostles testifie their sanctity by giving men such Boots and Girdles as St. Ivo did ? Did they ever vindicate the honour of their Festivals in such a manner ? It 's true , when persons openly lied and cheated , they were once struck dead upon the place ; and when others profaned the holy institution of the Lords supper they were severely punished ; but what is this , to the questioning the body of such an unknown Saint as St. Ivo ? What is this , to the hindring men from keeping his Festival ? Were the other such fit ends for God to imploy his power in working miracles as these ? Could any think , the asserting the Apostolical power , or the holiness of Christs own institutions were fit to be compared with the owning of the body of St. Ivo , or making servants work upon his holy-day ? If they do , they must have different apprehensions of the Christian Religion , from what some would seem to have in the Church of Rome . But to proceed ,

Was ever any thing done by Christ or his Apostles like the turning a pound of butter into a bell ? yet this is related , from the same storehouse from which they had St. Ivo's Boots and Girdle , viz. Capgrave , who saith that St. Oudoceus Bishop of Landaff travelling , Capgrav . vi●● St. Oudocei F. 258. desired of some women that were washing butter , a dish of water ; they told him they had no dish but their butter ; the Bishop took their butter , and made it in the fashion of a bell and drank out of it , and it remained in that fashion as a Golden Bell , and was perserved as a sacred Relique in the Church of Landaff for a Testimony of the miracle . Did ever any of Christs Apostles meerly with breathing , and the sign of the Cross change a person from looking young and fresh to be grayhaired and wrinkled ; yet this Mr. Cressy C●●ss●'● C●ur●h-History l. 28. c. ● . n. 4 , 7. delivers ( as he saith ) from our more ancient and credible Historians concerning St. Modwenna : who intending to retire appointed Abbess over her Monastery a certain virgin named Orbila ; who by reason of her youth and beauty being in great apprehension to undertake that charge ; she binding her with her own girdle , and making the sign of the Cross upon her , presently all her hair became white , and her Countenance wrinkled as if she had been very aged , yet without any diminution of her health or strength . Mr. Cress● C●pgrav . F. 235. omits a necessary circumstance of this miracle , viz. that she breathed upon her ; for who can tell but there might be as great vertue in that , as in the sign of the Cross or her girdle ? When was there ever such a miracle seen in the Apostolical times , as in the letting down the bolt of a door to St. Neotus ? For as Mr. Cressy observes he was of a stature so very Cr●ss●'s Church-H●●tory l. 29. c. 2. n. 3. low and dwarfish , that in celebrating Mass , he was obliged to make use of an iron footstool ; Now , saith Capgrave , some great man knocking hastily at the door , St. Ne●t endeavoured to open it and the bolt was much too Capgrav . F. 23● . high for him , and behold a miracle ! the bolt was let down to his girdle that he might with ease open it . Had it not been as well , for the door to have opened it self by a miracle ? but then St. Neot would have had no hand in it . Did ever any of them revenge perjury as St. Quintin did ? who pulled a man by the nose in the night for it , and as Capgrave saith , the next morning touching his nose , it dropt off into the bason where ●e was washing ; or as St. Egwin ? when an old man sware by his beard , that the land was ld . F. 12● . ●is own , which belonged to St. Egwin , immediately his beard fell to the ground , and so he lost his land and his beard too . Did ever any of them curse a whole Trade in a Town ●s St. Egwin did : for St. Egwin , we must know , went often from his Monastery of Evesham to Aln-cester to preach to the people ; Id. 〈◊〉 which place was very full of Smiths , who beat their Anvils so loud while he was preaching , that he could not be heard ; upon that he solemnly cursed the Trade of Smiths in that place , so that saith Capgrave , never did any one thrive by it since . Did ever any of them bind themselves in Iron Chains for their sins and go in Pilgrimage in them as the same St. Egwin did from England to Rome ? ( as Mr. Cressy relates the story from Ancient Authors . ) Cress●'s Church-History l. 21. c. ● . n. 4 , 5. And were any of them assured of the pardon of their sins by such a miracle as he was ; viz. As soon as he had fastned his chains he cast the key which locked them together into the river Avon publickly protesting that he would never esteem himself secure of the pardon of his sins , till either the key were restored to him , or the chains unloosed by a power supernatural . And now behold the miracle . While he was at his devotion● in the Church of St. Peter in Rome , his servants going to the rivers si●e to buy provi●●on for their master , they found in a sifh●● belly the key which locked his chains , and then in the presence of a great multitude h● unlocked the said chains , perceiving saith Mr. Cressy , that such was the divine will and mercy : or rather the cunning of one of his servants who might very easily convey the key from England to Rome to gain reputation to his Master by so glorious a miracle ; as it seems this made him esteemed a Sai●● at Rome . If it were in his return between France and England , as Malmsbury saith , the miracle is just as great as it was , only I observe that they sometimes differ in the circumstances of their Relations .

We read indeed that one of the Apostles was taken up into the third Heaven and hear● unutterable things there ; but I dare say , none of them ever dreamt of seeing the Angels ring Bells in Heaven to the praise of the Blessed C●●grav . F. 296. Trinity as St. Walstan did . Pythagoras his Musick of the Spheres was nothing to the Peal of Angels which he heard : which so ravished him that he gave over his work , and called to his Companion to come to him and devoutly to set his own foot upon his and believe stoutly and he should see the Heavens ●pened , & the Angels ringing Bells to the praise of the ever Blessed Trinity . Methinks the Monastery of Barking had been a good place to have Ca●g●av F. 1●0 . it . Hilde●●●hae . ●een this ringing of the Angels ; for over that Capgrave saith , the Heavens are seen open after a peculiar manner . It was a thing which frequently happened , to hear Angels singing at the death of their Saints : so St. Munis heard them singing all night about a tree where St. Patricks Leper lay dead , saith Jocelin in Joce● . in v●t . St. Pa●●icii c. 113. the life of St. Patrick ; St. Aengussius saw as many about another body as reached up to Heaven who were all singing over the body ; ●ut they accompanied the body of St. Abba●●s to his burial , with rays of light instead Colg●n . Acta S●cto●●m H●bern . ● . 579. 10. Martii . of Torches as bright as the beams of the Sun . But this was not all , for the Angels were extraordinarily serviceable to them upon all occasions , above any thing we read concerning Christ or his Apostles . I shall not mention their bare appearances , for it was as common for Eremites and such Saints to see Angels , as for us to converse one with another : but the Angels brought wood for St. Moedoc for Colgan . 3● . Jan. vit. S. Mai●ocin . 53. the bui●ding of a Church , till one of his Disciples against his command was resolved to see them , and he espied a multitude of beautiful young men with golden locks to their shoulders , but from that time a voice was heard forbidding them to bring any more ; otherwise the whole Church would have been built by Angels . Then was St. Mo●doc hard put to it , not being able to procure an exquisite workman ; he takes an unskilful fellow and blesseth his hands upon which he was enabled to finish the work which the Angels began . They helped St. Finnian to Id. 23. Feb. vit. S. Finnian . n. 6. to bring Timber from the Wood , both more and quicker than others of his Brethren ; and Cathmoelus heard the noise of Angels about him . An Angel helped St. Senan● to grind in a Mill for a whole night together ▪ Several of them ground at the Mill for Eugenius and Tigernachus while they were reading . An Angel carried a letter from St. Fi●nian to St. Columba , who upon receiving it Id. 8. Martii v. 13 v. Senani . went ten days journey in one day : Another brought a Candle to St. Abban in a dark night to conduct him in his way , and when Id. 1. Ma●t . p. 438. he had done , took it of him again . Many other such offices we read they performed to Id. 23. Feb. p. 404. these Saints , of which we read nothing in the lives of Christ or his Apostles . I Suppose it was an Angel that tolled St. Goodric's Id. 16. Mart●i n. 31. Bell for him , to prayers , for they tell us it was miraculous ; and when others took notice of this miracle , he prayed that he alone Ca●grav . F. 160. might hear it , which happened accordingly . But it is no wonder the Angels should toll the Bell , when the Blessed Virgin taught him to sing . For she appearing one night to him at her own altar , came and laid her hands upon him ; and afterwards begun a Tune before him as Masters use to do to Scholars . The very Song is extant in Capgrave , which contained only an invocation of her self ; which no doubt she extreamly desires . In my judgement it was a great kindness the Angels did to St. Finan when thy gave him three round Capgrav . F. 168. stones , which served him instead of Candles in the night , to read , and write , and pray by all his days . But the Author of his life Acta Sancto um 16. Martii n. 7. in the late Jesuits Collection tells us that the fingers of St. Finians left hand served him instead of candles ; which a poor country fellow espying lost one eye for his curiosity . But St. Patricks fingers did mightily outshine his , for in a very dark night his Coachman not being able to find his Horses , St. Patrick out of great compassion towards him , lifts up the fingers of his right hand ; and behold , saith Jocelin a very wonderful Jocelin vit. St. Patricii c. 157. thing ! his five fingers did shine like the beams of the Sun , and turned darkness into light and night into day . This I confess was very extraordinary ; but in another kind St. Elsleda's fingers did well , when , we are told , she arose one night to prayers and her Candle going out , the fingers of her right Capgrav . F. 126. hand did give such a light , as not only served her self , but all about her to read by . And can any of these be paralleld by any miracles done by Christ or his Apostles ? These are a sort of New Lights bey●nd what any of our Fanaticks have pretended to .

Now if we consider the miracles done either by Christ or his Apostles we shall find that these Legendary Saints did very much exceed them in the same kind of miracles . Our Saviour we read only fasted forty days and forty nights ; we have met with one a●ready that fasted a hundred years : but if that seem too Romantick , we shall find some of them fasting the same time of forty days but with the addition of a very pretty circumstance that they grew fatter and taller by it . So we read in Colganus of St. Moedoc ; but Colgan . 31. ●an . n. 36. St. Aidanus in Capgrave out pitched him , for he fasted fifty days and fifty nights and grew fatter also . St. Bartholmew of Durham for seven years and a half before his death drank Capgrav . v●t St. Aida● . p. 3. nothing ; if he had not eaten in that time neither , it had been a perfect miracle .

When our Blessed Savlour Preached he did not make a mountain on purpose but went up into the next at hand ; but when St. Rentegern was to Preach in Wales ( though there was no want of mountains there , ) a mountain Acta S●cto●●m on Jan. 13. c. 6. n. 33. rose up under his feet , which abideth to this day , saith Capgrave ; Bollandus in the Capgrav . F. 210. notes on his life , tells us , the same is said of St. David , but with more particular circumstances , thus related by Mr. Cressy ; when Cresse's Church-History l. 11. c. 11. n. 2. all the Fathers assembled assigned St. David to Preach , he commanded a Child which attended him , and had lately been restored to life by him to spread a napkin under his feet : and standing upon it he began to expound the Gospel and the Law to the Auditory . All the time that his Oration continued a snow-white Dove descending from Heaven sat upon his shoulders ; and moreover the earth on which he stood raised it self under him , till it became a Hill , from whence his voice like a trumpet was clearly heard and understood by all , both near and far off . On the top of which Hill a Church was afterwards built , which remains to this day . It seems St. David wanted St. Columba's voice , which saith Capgrave when he was singing service might be heard distinctly above a mile without the help of a Hill .

It is true that Christ did cure the lame and the blind and cleansed the Lepers : but was ever any withered arm cured by him as the womans was at the Tomb of St. Erardus Colgan . Acta Sctor●m Hibern . p. 27. which made such a noise at its first stretching , as was heard in every cerner , of the Church ? Were ever Lepers cleansed by Christ or his Apostles in such a manner as is related of some Irish Saints , by Bollandus , and Colganus ? Acta Se●torum 1 Jan. c. 3. ● . 6 , 7. St. Munnu in the life of St. Mochua in Bollandus , wanting the daily conversation of an Angel , which he had before , fell into discontent about it ; the Angel told him he must be humbled , St. Munnu desired that he might have a leprosie for his humiliation ; his prayer was heard , and he had it for seven years ; at the end whereof the Angel came to him , and told him he should go to St. Mochua to be cured . St. Mochua was not presently to be found , in the mean time St. Munnu imployed himself in sweeping together the lice that dropt from him and putting them in their places again ; ( according to the rule of Frier Bartholmew of Durham that men must Capgrav . F. 32. have nasty bodies if they would have pure souls ) at last S. Mochua comes to him and embraces him and by licking him all over perfectly cured him ; but the hardest part of his task was the sucking his nostrils which he did three times and drew out three tough pieces of phlegm , and ( behold a miracle indeed ! ) these thre● pieces were turned into three talents of Gold , which were preserved in his cabinet like three Golden Apples . I confess Bollandus seems a little startled at these miracles , but he faith they were usual in that ●imple and holy nation as may appear by the Bo●land . 1 Jan. ● . 45. lives of other Saints . I wonder the Jesuit durst make a reflection on the whole nation for the sake of the folly of the Monks . Colganus Colgan . 20 Jan. vit. Fech . ● 13. & p. 151. in the life of St. Fechinus relates , that he put Dermitius his Queen upon this nasty way of curing a leprosie ; and the same miracle followed ; for the phlegm was turned into pure gold , with part of which he purchased land for his Church , and the other he put into his staff to be preserved to posterity . This story is three times related in Colganus , that he might be sure to preserve the memory of it . But we must not suppose our own Country Monk● to come behind the Irish either in simplicity , or this faculty of working miracles : for Capgrave tells us that St. Egbin the Monk used the same way of cure to a Capgrav . F. 122. leprous person ; but instead of Gold ( O horrible blasphemy ! ) that which he suckt out proved to be the very flesh of the Son of God . For he found this leprous person to be Christ himself , and while he held him by the sides he looked up and saw the Heavens opened , and he saw a Cross upon his head and Angels coming to meet him ; and as he raised himself up into the air , he spake very kind words at parting . But what will not these men say to make the nasty Monks workers of miracles !

It was prophesied that in the days of the Messias the Wolf and the Lamb should lie down together and the Leopard and the Kid , i. e. that the Christian Doctrine should be the most effectual means to remove animosities out of the World and to bring in universal Peace and Charity . But the Monks who wrote the Lives of these Saints fearing they should in any thing come behind what is said of Christ himself ; have filled their Legends with prodigious stories about the taming of Wolves , and the power they had over all sorts of living creatures . It was very common with these Saints when the Wolfes had devoured the Calves to make them come and suck the Cows in their places for fear they should lose their milk . So the Author of the life of St. Gerald affirms that at his command the Wolf came and did his duty ; But after a while by the instinct of nature or rather by Colgin . 13. Martiin . ●7 . p. 600. the motion of the Spirit of God ( saith the same Author ) the Wolf went to a hill and there called a Fawn to supply his room ; by which means they got both the Doe and the Fawn to the Monastery ; and from hence the name of the Monastery was called Elitheria , Elith in Irish , saith he , signifying a Doe . St. Fechinus his mother set him to keep seven Cows and a Calf ; but he being busie at his contemplation , a Wolf came and killed his Colgan . ●0 . Jan vit. Fech . n. 7. Calf , and eat him up to the bones ; his Mother chid him for his neglect ; he presently runs after the Wolf and calls to him as his acquaintance and friend , the Wolf presently submits , he takes him and tyes him to a hollow stone , whither the Cows came at their time to the Wolf as if he had been the Calf and gave down their milk as freely ; which stone hath since done great wonders . Another time he was shrewdly mistaken , for instead of milking a Cow he went to a Bull , and sadly complained he could get no milk , N. 9. but behold , saith the Author of his Life , a wonderful Miracle ! The Bull gave more milk than any Cow of them all . And for this , he appeals to Gods omnipotency as Baronius d●th for the Chappel of Loreto . Another life of St. Fechinus relates this Miracle concerning Pastolus , his Cook ; but withal Vit S. Fechini n. 36. p. 137. adds , that the Bull afforded as much milk as all the seven Cows . St. Kentigern wanting Oxen to plow with , commanded two Stags to come out of the Wood and do their work ; the Stags presently obeyed , and when they had done their days work , returned to their pasture again . At last a Wolf seizes on one of them and devours him . Then St. Kentigern stretched forth his hand towards the Wood and said , In the name of the blessed Trinity , I command the Wolf to come out and make Acta Sanctorum 13. Ja. vit . Kentig . c. 4. n. 20. me satisfaction : and behold the Wolf came howling and fell at his feet . To whom the Saint thus spake , Arise , and in the name of Jesus Christ I command t●ee to go to plow in the place of the Stag , which command the Wolf obeyed , and though he was unequally yoked made a shift to plow nine Acres and then went his way . But his sowing was as miraculous as his plowing , for one time wanting grain he sowed sand instead of it , and at harvest he reaped excellent Wheat . N. 21. These Miracles of St. Kentigern I the rather instance in , because one being offended at the Miracles contained in the lives of these Saints as published by Capgrave ; Bolland●● offered Bolland . praf . gener . c. 1. sect ●4 . him the Life of St. Kentigern for a tryal , and asked him what he disliked in it , as he had published it , When he had read it , saith Bollandus , he confessed if the lives of the Sain●● were so published they could not but please Learned men . I desire such persons to give their opinions by these instances ; and let them then judge whether the New Legends be not altogether as bad as the Old .

When a Wolf had devoured a Calf belonging to St. Modwenna she sent her Boy with her staff to him to command him to come Capgrave vit. S. Modwennae f. 234. to her ; the Boy found the Wolf yet eating the Calf , and told the Wolf his errand : the Wolf followed him like a Dog , and fell down before her and begged pardon . She first chid him , and then bad him keep that Cow out of danger all his days : which the Wolf punctually observed , and was ever after beloved by the Cow as if he had been a Calf . Yea all the Wolfs that were of his race kept the Cows there abouts for three miles compass ; and Capgrave saith , They are less than others and have white spots in their fore heads , and hurt no body . When St. Neots Oxen were stollen , the Stags came and offered their Service to Plow for him ; at which Capgrave vit. S. Neoti f. 240. the Thieves were so astonished that they brought his Oxen again ; and some say that all the Stags that are descended from them have white marks where their harness was put on : but of this Capgrave saith , he neither affirms it , nor because of Gods omnipotency dares to deny it .

St. Bernac made use of Stags to draw his carriage when he pleased , and then sent them back to their Forrage : he committed his Cow Id. svit . S. Bernaci f. 37. daily to the keeping of a Wolf , which led her out and brought her home every day . The King of Wales sends to St. Bernac to provide him a supper ; he returns a rude answer , ( as any man but one of their Saints would have thought ) that he owed him not so much service , the King being angry sends his servants , who chopt his Cow to pieces ; but they could never make the water hot wherein the meat was to be b●yled ; the King then submits and very humbly sues for pardon ; then St. Bernac raises his Cow although cut to pieces , and commits her to the Wolf again ; and the Monk being in a good humour ( as it was dangerous to Princes for them to be otherwise ) invites the King to supper , and having nothing provided , he goes to the next Oak , and instead of leaves upon it he found as many Manchets as he had occasion for , ( the first Manchets I am confident that ever grew within a mile of an Oak ; ) then to the River he goes , which ran with Wine instead of Water , and all the stones in the River were turned into Fishes : the King requited him well for this cheap entertainment , by exempting his Lands from all Taxes . By these few instances , out of very many which might be produced , we see what subjection Wolfes and other creatures were in to them in those days , for , so far as I can learn , this sort of Miracles is now wholly ceased .

But we must not think that since they were so much civilized , they took no farther care of their education . For St. Kieran intending to make himself a Cell ; the first Disciple ( saith the Author of his Life in Colganus ) which came to him was a wild Boar , which brought him Colgan . Acta Sanctorum Hibe . n. 5. Mart. n. 7. rods and hay with his Teeth towards his Cell , then came a Fox , a Brock , a Wolf , and a Doe : and lived very strictly under his Government , and obeyed him in all things like so many Monks ; which are the expressions of the Author ; and are justified by Colganus Colgan . p. 464. in his Notes , who appeals to the State of Innocency ; the power and goodness of God , and other ancient instances of a like nature , and the obedience which the Birds and Beasts shewed to St. Francis . But the Fox never thought I dare say , of any state of Innocency , for he stole the good Abbots shooes , and wickedly forgetting his vow of obedience , carried them to his old Kennel ; the Abbot knowing this sends another Monk , viz. the Brock after him who finds the Fox ready to eat up the shooes ; and with much ado brings him to penance ; the devout Abbot lays open the greatness of his fault before the the Fox , ( as certainly it was a great fault in ● Fox to steal shooes with a design to eat them ) who submits to pennance and fasted till St. Kieran bid him eat : he fasted three days , saith Capgrave ; who tells the same story only calling the Abbot Piranus . St. Abban took such pity towards the lean Wolves that came C●●gr . 〈◊〉 , S Pirani . f. 267. out of the Wood that he commanded them to take one of the Calves ; upon which they made a present dispatch of him ; the Wolves came and gave him thanks for their good Colgan . vit. S. Ab●a●i 16. Marti● n. 5. Dinner ; the men that were set to keep the Cattel , finding a Calf destroyed by Wolves , made very lamentable moan to St. Abban ; at which he fell to his Prayers and signed the small remainders of the carkass with the sign of the Cross , and immediately skin and flesh covered the bones , and the Calf rose up just of the same colour and bigness he was of before : and the Author of his Life conjures us to believe him because all things are possible N. 8. with God . Another time as he was sitting in his Cell , the Wolves ran in among the Cattel , he cryed out , let them alone ; and from that time the Wolves not only forbore to devour them , but lived very neighbourly with them . Thus we see what command they had N. 28. over these creatures ; but in my mind St. Colmans Flea was as great a Miracle as any of Colga● . vit. S Colmanni p. 244. these ; for he had brought a Flea to stand just upon the line where he left , when he was called away from his Book , as he had done a Mouse and a Cock to wake him to Mattins ; but as all these things are mortal , it happened that these three dyed , at which the good man was so disconsolate , that he sent to St. Columba to comfort him . Colganus uses such expressions about these miraculous attendances of the Flea and the Mouse , that I am ashamed to repeat them ; calling them The familiar condescensions and sportings of Christ with his people , which can only seem incredible to those , who do not consider how wonderful God is in his Saints . Are such as these indeed the Favours and condescensions of Christ ? Pitiful souls ! that can think such sopperies as these , the expressions of Gods wonderful goodness to his Saints . I confess some of their Miracles upon dead Cattel were extraordinary ; as when St. Mochteus raised up a Calf after it was eaten ; when

Colgan ▪ 24. Ma●t n. 14. Id. 31. Jan. n. 55.

Jocelin . vit. S. Patric . c. 27.

St. Moedoc discovered a man that had stollen one of his Cattel , and afterward denyed it , by making the ear of it hang out of his mouth . And when St. Pa●rick made the Goat that was eaten cry out in the belly of the man who had stollen and eaten him . These were very wonderful things , and were they not delivered by such substantial and grave witnesses as these Legendary Writers , could hardly be believed .

We read that Christ and his Apostles did frequently cast out Devils , and that , presently , publickly , without any Ceremony ; but we never read they play'd such ridiculous pranks with one another , as the Devils and these Legendary Saints did . St. Fintan pull'd the Devil out of a man by putting three fingers in his mouth ; and when he had done Co●gan r. Ja● vit . S. Fintani ● . 10. he confined him to a certain Rock , where for all that we know he continues to this day ; for the Author of his Life saith , he did so till his time , and hurt no body . To d●fend this , Colganus flies to Gods omnipotency , which indeed makes every thing possible , but barely of it self proves nothing . Frier Bartholomew of Durham was hugely molested with the Devil in several shapes , as of a Mouse , a Lyon , and an Ape , sometimes leaping upon his Legs , sometimes being ready to choak him , sometimes pulling him by the Capgr . f. 33. Cowle and casting him on the floor ; at last after many tricks , the stout Frier takes a whole pot of holy water and throws it in his face , and then he sneaked away horribly ashamed and confounded . St. Benignus was going one night to the Church of St. Mary Id. f. 36. in Glastonbury ; upon the Bridge he espys a Devil making toward him ; after some sharp words that passed between them the Saint caught hold of him with his left hand , and and with the staff in his right hand , beat him as long as he could stand over him ; and at last threw him into a Well , out of which he never arose again : But no persons ever durst come near that Well since that time saith Capgrave . The Devil , watching his opportunity , stole from St. Caradoc the Eremite , his girdle and purse ; and when the good man was looking for them , he saw the Devil standing Capgr . f. 55. not far off with them fleering and laughing at him ; but he soon made him restore them again . We must not forget St. Dunstans holding the Devil by the Nose with a red hot pair of Tongs , which although Mr. Cressy sliely passes over , yet his friend Alford honestly remembers it ; and speaks of it as an heroical Capgr . f. 90. Alford . Annales A. D. 935. n. 4. 5. act in him ( as no doubt it was ) in the beginning of his conversion ; a thing without parallel from the time of the Devils fall from Heaven to this day . No wonder it made him cry out , What hath this bald pate done ? But for all that , the Devil would not give him over so ; however he thought fit to change his shape into a Bear , St. Dunstan finding who he was , falls upon him unmercifully Capgr . f. 92. with his pastoral staff , and never gave him over till he had broken his staff upon him into three pieces . The Devil plaid forty tricks with St. Goodric which Capgrave relates ; once he perswaded him to dig for a Id. f. 163. treasure , and when he had digged a little way , up rose several little black boys with shorn heads , which mocked him and threw stinking pellets in his face : but from that time he would never mind money more : and therein he was too hard for the Devil . Another time , the Devil and he wrestled so long together , that the combat endured nine hours ; and the noise of it was heard by others abroad ; for it seems they were at it both with words and blows . But at last St. Goodric said , with F. 194. the help of the sign of the Cross , he feared the Devils no more than he did the motion of the Air. Never was poor man so used by them as St. Guthlac in his retirement at Crowland ; for they made nothing of binding him and Id. f. 170. tossing him in the air , and throwing him into Lakes and Ponds , and whipping him till at last kind St. Bartholomew came to his assistance , and made them carry him safe again to the place where they took him up . Afterwards he had sufficient revenge upon some of them , for some he made to serve him in his buildings , and one he shut up in a boyling F. 1●2 . pot . Thus we see how far in their ways of combating with the Devils , these Legendary Saints out did Christ and his Apostles .

It was a small matrer with them to raise the dead as Christ did Lazarus ; but when the head of Beoanus was cut off by his enemies , and not to be found , at St. Ita's prayers the Colgan . 15. Jan. ● . 15. head came posting through the Air , and stood by the body , and she joyned them as fast together , as if they had never been separated , and in the space of an hour he arose as sound and vigorous as ever he was in his Life : and these things are written if we believe Colganus by a faithful and antient Author . P. 71.

But what shall we say to St. Patrick , of whom Jocelin speaks that he raised up a man Jo●elin vit. S. Patric●i c. 82. that had been dead one hundred years , being Grandfather to him for whose satisfaction he was raised . Jocelin doth not express the number of years , but St. Ewin in Colganus doth . Jocelin elswhere mentions his raising one that had been ten years dead ; but we are to remember by what instrument St. Patrick is said to do C. 78. these things , viz. by the staff of Jesus , which is supposed to have been delivered to him by one who said he had it from Christ himself and was the very same he used upon Earth .

Nothing more usual with the Irish Saints C. 24. to raise dead Cattel as well as Men , viz. Oxen and Horses , Calves and Hogs , as may be seen abundantly in Colganus . One thing I have yet omitted which was very extraordinary ; viz. that the Kings only Daughter being dead ; they sent to St. Gerald to raise Colgan . 13. Ma●ii vit . S Gerald 1. 6. her from the dead , who not only did it , but with this pleasant circumstance , to the great joy of the King , turned his Daughter into a Son at her Resurrection . Colganus confesses That nothing like this occurs in story , and yet though it seem never so incredible , we ought not to question Gods omnipotency ; especially when the matter of fact is so stoutly attested . That which comes nearest to this , is St. Abbans changing the sex of a Daughter by Baptizing her ; as the same Colganus Id. 16. Ma●tii vit. S. Abban . ● . 23. reports it ; methinks he need not have troubled himself to have heap'd together so many stories of natural transformations to make these credible . For they who can believe the other Miracles contained in the lives of the Saints published by him , need not stick at any thing in the World . They who could turn Acorns into Pork , and which is more a swerd of Bacon into a Coulter to Plow with , both which he reports of one of their Saints ; Id. 20. Jan. n. 31. 42. vit. St. Fechini p. 136 , 138. why should not they be able to transsorm one Sex into another ? No men can tell what bounds to set to the power of such , who could bring a man from Rome to Cassells with the sound of a Bell , as St. Fe●hinus did Tyrechanus ; Id. ib. ● 14. or that could feed a whole Army with one small measure of Grain for three days together ; and which adds much to it he divided that measure into two parts , whereof the one N. 34. served for drink , as the other for meat : as is related of the same wonderful Saint . Next to him is St. Kierans feeding a whole Army Co●gan . 5. Martii p. 468. lect. 9. with a Cow and a Hog ; as is contained in the Lessons to be read upon his day ; but the Author of the English Martyrology , makes the Miracle more considerable , for he saith , Martyrolog. A●gli● . ad ● . Maii. That with three Cows he fed ten Armies for eight days . I● ommend a man that will make something of a story when he hath it in his hands .

I shall mention but one thing more , viz. Miraculous going upon the water as our Saviour did ; and then we shall see that these Legendary Writers will leave the honour of no one Miracle entire to our Saviour excepting that of his own Resurrection from the dead , which was the greatest of all others ; and to which I do not find that any of them ever so much as pretended . But for passing upon the Waters in a miraculous manner , nothing was more common among them ; and scarce any of them did it but exceeded our Saviour in some circumstance or other . The Sea of Quaresm . elu●id . terrae sectae l. 7. c. 3. Galilee on which our Saviour walked was but one League over , and three in length ; and upon this he walked only till he came to his Ship ; but these Legendary Saints made nothing of passing from Ireland to Britain and so back again . St. Fanchea had a great mind to see her Brother Endeus at Rome and took Colgan . 1. Jan. vit . S. Fancheae n. 8 , 9. three other Virgins with her , but commanded them to carry no manner of Utensils with them ; but one of them transgressed her command and carried a brass Bason with her ; when they came to the Sea-shore to pass for England , they missing a Ship to transport them , St. Fanchea spreads her Mantle upon the Sea , and walked boldly upon it dry foot , and she and her companions seated themselves upon it ; and the wind blew to their minds but on a sudden one part of the Mantle sinks under water . Then St. Fanchea bid them confess their sins , which when she had done who conveyed away the Bason , the Saint takes the Bason and throws it into the Sea , and they came safe to their port in Britai● , But for all this , the Bason comes again miraculously to her , for St. Darercha finding it o● the shore of Ireland , and knowing how useful it would be to St. Fanchea for the washing her hands , beseeched Almighty God ( in so important a business ) to imploy his power that it might be conveyed to her : she tyed another to it and so dispatched them by Sea , and both came safe to St. Fanchea ; who sends back her own to St. Darercha again the same way , and she receiving it gave great thanks to God and his holy Angels . Was not Gods Almighty Power in the mean time very much a● the beck of these female Saints ? Whereas , if I be not deceiv'd , the Scripture never mentions any Miracle wrought by a Woman , no not even by the blessed Virgin her self . St. Fanchea having found this easie passage returned to Ireland again after the same manner . St. Schotinus was passing over from Ireland to Wal●● Colgan . 2. Jan. vit . S. Schotini n. 5 , 6. walking upon the Sea , and he meets a Ship wherein St. Barra was , who asked him w●● he walked upon the Sea ? Schotinus told him he walked in a flowry Meadow , and putting down his hand took up a handful of reddis● Flowers which he cast into his bosom to convince him . St. Barra on the other side took a Fish out of the Sea which he threw towards Sch●tinus to prove it was the Sea ; and on both sides , thus playing with Miracles , and glorifying God in his wonders they departed from each other , faith Colganus . Another time he passed over to St. David from Ireland N. 7. on the back of a monstrous great Beast in the Sea , when he was sent in haste by the Angel to prevent St. David's being poisoned . But it is no great wonder he should have so quick a passage by Sea , since Colganus saith of him , that having great business at Rome he was carried from Ireland thither in a day : and having N. 8. dispatched his affairs , returned to Ireland in another day . St. Moedoc was one day troubled that he had not asked St. David , who was to be his Confessor in Ireland ; upon this Colgan . 31. Jan. vit . Maidoci n. 20. weighty business away he walks over the Sea towards Wales ; an Angel met him upon the Sea and chid him for his boldness ; he told the Angel he trusted to Gods omnipotency and goodness . But the Angel ( who it seems by the story was a Heretick ) further told him he went upon a needless errand , for he needed no Confessor besides God himself , but if he would have a witness of his Conscience , he should choose Molua . Upon this he returns . But he bethinks himself that his Bell was in Britain ; ( for we must know that the Saints in those times made great account of little tinkling Cymbals ; so we read of St. Gildas his Bell consecrated by the Pope , and sent to St. Cadoc for men to swear by , of St. Iltutus his Bell , and the Miracles done by it , of

Capgr . f. 54 Id. f. 188.

Colgan . 20. Jan vit . S Molaggae n. 17.

Id. 4. F●● . vit . C●annae n. 12.

St. Davids Bell , and the curing the King of Dublin by applying it to his Cheek ; but most wonderful was the Bell of St. Furseus , that when St. Cuanna and his Disciples were together in the Fields , came hovering over them like a Bird , and in token of Fraternity was sent by him from Peron in France ; which comforted them very much : these Bells the Irish have a strange reverence for to this day , as Colganus tells us , and their most solemn oaths are by them . ) And assoon as he had occasion Id. p. 149. for his Cymbal , he saw it swimming over the Sea to him ; which he receiving so miraculously gave God thanks for it . St. Abban put his staff under his feet and marched Id. 16. Martii vit . S. Abbani n. 15. into the midst of the Sea ; where he was met with a Troop of Devils , who threatened to drown him , but while he was singing Psalms in the midst of them , he heard the Angels singing who came to his relief ; then an Angel told him he should be the Patron of those who pass the Seas , and whosoever entring into a Ship should call upon him , and say such an Irish saying there mentioned should not be drowned : at which he more rejoyced than his own preservation . Another time St. Ibarus had a mind to go to Rome , and St. Abban de●ired to go with him , but the other denyed N. 10. him , while he was sleeping on the shore , the Ship puts to Sea , when he wakes he sees it sailing at a great distance , he prays and runs into the Sea after the Ship as fast as he could , and the Ship stood still , till he came into it , and then they came speedily and safely to Britain . St. Moedoes Chariot and Horses went Colgan . 51. Jan. n. 41. over a great Lake as if it had been dry ground . This was pretty well ( if it were in hot weather ) but I am mistaken if St. Walstans Herse did not however very much exceed his Chariot , for Capgrave tells us , That it not only Capgrave f. 296. went upon the surface of a very deep water , as if it had been firm ground ; but the very prints of the wheels are said to appear to this day . I confess I was somewhat fearful Colganus would have quite put down Capgrave or John of Tinmouth , or any other of our brave Writers of the lives of the Saints , but this one passage , puts me in good hopes of the English side . To have made the print of wheels remaining upon a firm ground for so many years would have sounded well ; but to have them seen upon water and in the same place too ( for else the impression would soon have been carried into the Sea ) especially if it were a running stream , is a Miracle I think can hardly be parallel'd by Colganus himself . When St. Modwenna and her three Virgin companions wanted a convenient passage from Capgr . vit. S. Modwennae . f. 237. Ireland to England , an Angel did them an extraordinary kindness , saith Capgrave , for he cut off that snip of Land which they stood upon from the rest , and removing it from its own place , conveyed them to England upon it , and when he had done he settled that Island near the Castle Daganno , in which St. Modwenna built a Church . St. Decuman●● passed over from Southwales to Somersetshire Capgr . vit. S. Decum . f. 86. near Dunstar on a bundle of rods ; but St. Bernac went much beyond him , for he passed over the Sea from little Britainy to Southwales upon a piece of a Rock , which Id. f. 37. carried him on the surface of the water . This I think is somewhat beyond bare walking on the Sea ; but Colganus hath something to out-match this , ( as if they writ the Lives of the Saints for the whetstone ) for St. Cuanna , and eight of his Disciples standing upon a Colgan . 4. Feb. vit . S Cuannae n. 7. Rock , were carried over the Sea to their own Country : which Rock was afterwards carryed to his Cell and he kept seven Lents upon it . St. Hya went somewhat easier upon a small leaf she saw in the Sea , and passed upon that from Ireland to Cornwall , sooner than St. Fingar and all his companions could reach Colgan . 23. Feb. vit . Guigneri n. 12. it . This not only is delivered by Colganus , but by St. Anselm , and is published among his works by Picardus . St. Patricks Altar ought not to be forgotten , for its excellent faculty not only of swimming it self but transporting others over the Sea : for when St. Patrick was to go over from Britain to Ireland , a certain Leper standing on the shore begged earnestly to be admitted into the Jocelin . in vit . S. Patricii c. 27. Ship with him ; the Seamen absolutely denyed him . St. Patrick out of great pity threw over a stone Altar the Pope had given him , and bad the Leper sit upon that : upon which he went safely to Ireland and landed the same moment with them in the Ship . David Roth in his Elucidations upon Jocelin confesses this David Roth El●cid . in Jocel . c. 1. to be somewhat an odd Miracle , because , as he very Philosophically speaks , it is the nature of a heavy body to tend downwards ; but still this , and all other fabulous Miracles must be defended by Gods omnipotency . From which Argument we must believe every thing that is told us ; because all things are possible with God . How can we then question St. Barr's Colgan . vit. S. David 1. Martii n. 18. r●ding in the Sea on St. Davids Horse , as if it had been a Meadow ? and his meeting St. Brendan upon the back of a Whale , and after they had saulted each other , and St. Brendan's saying , Mirabilis Deus in Sanctis suis , they parted , St. Bar Landed a Horse-back in Ireland , and told this wonderful voyage to his Disciples , and in memoof this Miracle they set up a brazen horse over the Image of St. Bar. The same Argument I suppose will defend the seven years voyage of St. Brendan in quest of Paradise , which in all respects was the most extraordinary , that

Colgan . 22. Martii p. 721.

Capgr . vit. S. Brendani f. 45.

Joh●a Bosco Bibliotheca Floriac . viis S. Machut c. 6 , 7.

ever was made on the Sea . Which I shall briefly relate out of Colganus , Capgrave , and John à Bosco . St. Barinthus coming to visit St. Brendan , was desired by him to tell what wonders he had lately seen in the Sea ; then St. Barinthus related how his Disciple Mernoc had found an Island near a great Rock , called The delightful Island , whither he had drawn many Monks , and many wonders were done among them : which he understanding had a great mind to visit them ; after three days Voyage they came out to meet him like swarms of Bees , his coming being revealed to them before ; they had no food but Apples and Nuts , and Fruits , and Herbs ; after he had observed their orders and discipline , and viewed the Island , his Disciple Mernoc led him to the shore , where a Boat lay ready into which they went and made Westward towards an Island which is called the Land of Promise which the Saints are to inhabit in the last times ; after a sudden darkness and a glorious light succeeding it , they came to the Island , where all Herbs were in flower , and all Trees bore Fruit , and no stones in it but Jewels ; after fifteen days travel they came to a great River running Eastward ; while they were debating how to pass it , one comes to them in great glory , and calling them by their names commanded them to fly back for it was not lawful for them to pass over . While they were ready to ask him impertinent questions , he describes to them the glory of the Island , that there was no need of meat , drink , or cloathing there ; that there was perpetual day , for Jesus Christ was the light of it . Assoon as this person had conducted them to their Boat , he vanished out of their sight : and they return'd to the delightful Island ; and by the smell of their Garments their Brethren found they had been in Paradise ; for that smell lasted above forty days ( as it seems it used to do with those who had been in Paradise . ) Here Barinthius saith , he continued with his Disciple two whole weeks longer , and although they neither eat nor drank all that time , yet they seemed as full as if they had been drunk with new Wine . After which time he took his leave of the delightful Island , and returned to his own Cell . St. Brendan was so struck with admiration at this pleasant story , that he fell upon his face and praised God for the great discoveries he had made to his People . Forthwith St. Brendan resolves upon a Voyage thither , and out of 3000. Monks makes choice of 14. to go with him , he proposes the keeping a fast of 40. days , by three days at a time , to prepare themselves for it . After this they prepare a small vessel for themselves ( for it seems they durst not venture to walk on the Sea so far ) very light the Vessel was , and covered over with tanned hides , greasing all the seams with butter ( which the ancient M. S. in Colganus and Capgrave expresly mention ) thus taking in provision for 40. days , they set sail , and had a good gale for 15. days , then they tugged at their Oars till they were all weary , which St. Brendan observing , bad them hoyse their sails and let God drive them whither he pleased ; after 40. days , their provision was quite spent , and then they espied a high rocky Island in which after three days , they went on shore , and found a spacious hall furnished with beds , and seats , and water to wash with , and all sorts of utensils of several metals , horses bits , and horns done with Silver . Here one of the Brethren could not hold his hands , but although expresly against St. Brenda●s command , he had secretly put up a silver bitt , but upon strict examination he confessed his fault and threw it before them ; then a little black Devil went out of him and railed'at St. Brendan for dispossessing him ; but he commanded him to hurt no one till ●●e day of judgement . Being refreshed here , ●hey put to sea again and came to another ●sland , and after that to one called the Para●ise of Birds , and for three months after saw ●othing but sea ; at last they came to the ●sland of Silence where the Monks never ●pake but at prayers ; only the Abbot gave an ●ccount to the strangers of their miraculous ●way of living ; for every day they had twelve ●oaves sent them from Heaven , and upon ●estivals and Sundays twenty four , every one ●hen having a whole loaf : which custom had continued for eighty years with them ever since the dayes of St. Patrick , and they never felt cold or heat , and the lamps in their Church were kindled from Heaven and never diminished with burning ; the Altars and all the Vessels were made of Christal . When any of the Monks wanted any thing , they went and kneeled before the Abbot , but spake nothing . The Abbot by Revelation knew what they desired , and writ down his answer in a Table-book , and in all that eighty years the Abbot protested to St. Brendan , he had not heard the voice of a man but only at prayers : and they had none of them felt any infirmity of body or mind since their coming thither . While they were thus discoursing a fiery Arrow came from Heaven and kindled all the Lamps . Many other Islands they came at with great variety of accidents too many to be transcribed . As their meeting with a great Whale that ca●● out fire and water out of his mouth which St. Brendan killed by his prayers and gave them a third part of him to eat ; ( which I suppose by the fire and water that came out of him , they believed to be well sodden already ) the strange Bird that brought them a bunch of grapes as big as apples ; the Griffin that was destroyed by that Bird ; the Glass Sea , in which they could see to the bottom , the Christalline Pillar that reached up to the Sky , covered with so thin a Canopy that their Ship passed through one of the holes of it , every side of which Pillar contained 1400. cubits ; the Island of Black-Smiths , where they heard the Anvils as loud as thunder , which proved at last to be the suburbs of Hell , as they guessed by the howlings they heard and the stench they smelt : the Island of Paul the Eremit , where he lived for forty years without food , and was all hairy and as white as snow . In the seventh year , saith the life of S. Machutes , Vit. St. Machut . c. 6. they came to a certain Island where they found a Tomb of a wonderful length ; then because of the infidelity of some , who would hardly believe that there ever was a man of that prodigious height , St. Brendan and the ●est desired St. Machutis to raise him out of ●is Grave , which when he to satisfie their ●uriosity had courteously done , they asked ●im who he was , he told them he was a Gi●nt ( which I suppose they were convinced of ●y their eyes ) and that his name was Mil●●● that he had lain in Hell so long , but now ●e was a Christian and desired to be bapti●ed ; which was performed by St. Machutis ; ●f it were by dipping , it must be done in the ●ea doubtless .

This Giant gave them the first discovery ●f the Island of Paradise , for once walking C. 7. ●n the Sea , he said he had seen it , that it was compassed about with a Golden Wall and ●et as clear as Christal , but he being a Hea●hen could see no entrance into it . They de●ired him to conduct them thither , he takes the Cable of the Ship and walks into the Sea and drew the Ship after him ( which as the Author of St. Machutis his life well observes ●s a thing one would hardly believe ; but Joh. à Bosco thinks he hath fully cleared all in ●is Notes to which I refer the Reader for his ●urther satisfaction ) presently a mighty storm arose so that they were forced back to ●he same Island , where the Giant died . While ●hey were now debating about their return home , they beheld a small Island in the Sea ; when they were landed upon it , they desire● St. Machutis to say Mass and when they cam● to Pater noster they found the Island give a terrible shrug , which put them all into a fright , a● last they discovered their Island to be a gre●● Whale , or as the most judicious among them thought , the Leviathan ; we may well thin● they made hast with their Mass , and wishe● themselves well off of this new Island ; upon St. Machutis his prayers Leviathan di● not sport himself in the waters but stood still , till the Monks were got clear of him , the● they sung jubilate in their Ship , and as that Author saith , returned home . But he wa● certainly mistaken , for Capgrave saith , the● did at last find the Island of Paradise and a●● things answerable to St. Barinthus's description : and staid there forty days , and then 〈◊〉 young man bid St. Brendan load his Shi● with Jewels and return home ; for that Isla●● was reserved for their successors when tim●● of persecution should happen . Now to pro●● the truth of this story , ( for it seems the● were some Infidels that presumed to question it , ) Colganus reckons up abundance of the Acts of the Saints wherein it is mentioned , and not only so but a Book of Litanies , above 800. years old wherein the companions o● St. Brend●n in seeking the Land of promis● are solem●ly invocated ; and the very day is se● down in their ancient Martyrologie : and when St. Brendan was returned , he gave an account of his voyage to St. Abban , which he did by the command of an Angel , saith the Author of his life ; which Colganus calls an illustrious Colgan . 16. Marti● vit. St. Abbani n. 43. testimony of the truth of it . Thus having given an account of this miraculous voyage , and despairing to meet with any thing like it , I here give over my enquiry into the Miracles which have been received and believed in the Roman Church , in the most considerable parts of Europe .

And now , without farther reflections upon them , I leave the Reader to judge , whether the Testimony on which they 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 . Only one thing I desire may be observed , viz. that I have not raked their Kennels , nor made use of the Authorities of Jacobus de Voragine , Petrus de Natalibus , Claudius Rota , Cantiprata●us , and such like ; no nor yet of Caesarius ab Heisterbach , Dauroultius , Marulus , Gononus , or such as have made Collections to my hands , but have taken their most approved and late writers , and such whose Authorities themselves make use of in other things . Capgrave , is supposed to have taken most of his lives out of John of Tinmouths Sanctilogi●● , Pitseus de-Scr●ptoribus Angliae A. D. 1366. whom Pits commends for his excellent learning , and that work particularly , for his diligence , exactness , wit and judgement which he shewed in it ; that he cut off many superfluous things with discretion ; and if Capgrave took out of him , we may suppose that aft●● so many strainings we have only the best left ; considering the Character that is given of Capgrave ; an excellent Divine saith Possevin ; the chief of his time for piety and learning

Possevin in Apparatu v. Capgrave . Harpsfield . sect. 15. c. 17.

Pits descrip. Ang. A. D. 1484.

saith Harpsfield ; the most learned man that ever was of his order in England , say Josephus Pamphilus and others in Pits ; a man of such excellent parts and wit saith Pits himself , that he had scarce any equal , none superiour in England in his time : and among other things he commends him for his judgement and therefore his Authority will not be rejected as mean and contemptible among themselves . Colganus his first Tome of the Acts of the Saints of Ireland , which I have only made use of , was published at Lovain A. D. 1645. with great approbations from the General of his order at Rome , from the Professors of Lovain , from the Ordinary Censor Librorum , from four Jesuits , and by commendatory Epistles from Vernulaeus and Erycius Puteanus who highly applauds him for his industry , piety and faithfulness ; therefore my Adversaries cannot pretend that I have picked up some old worm●aten stories with which to disgrace their miracles : No , they are such as are thought fit to be published with as great approbation , as ever any Books come forth among them . And for the Jesuits Collection at Antwerp , which I have sometimes made use of , begun by Bollandus and continued by Henschenius and Papebrochius , it was published since A. D. 1642. and with as much ostentation of care and judgement as ever any thing was set forth in that kind ; the last volume I have yet seen , came forth A. D. 1668. with sufficient approbations . So that whatever judgement 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 a great deal of infidelity from all that have not captivated their understandings to the obedience of the Roman Faith .

§ . 9. Having thus far shewed how much Of the Testimonies of St. Chysost . and St. August . against the continuance of the power of Miracles . the miracles boasted of in the Roman Church fall short in point of credibility of those of Christ and his Apostles , from the different nature of the testimonies , and of the miracles themselves ; I now proceed to the second thing , viz to shew that the credibility of the Wilnesses in the Roman Church is taken away by the Testimony of persons much more credible than themselves . For if the most impartial Witnesses utterly deny , that there is any comparison to be made between the miracles wrought in the Church in latter-ages with those wrought by Christ and hls Apostles , If persons living in the communion of that Church , have asserted such things concerning their miracles , as sufficiently discover , that their Testimony is not to be relied upon ; then I appeal to the judgement of any man whether it be not intolerable impudence in any to parallel the mlracles of that Church with those of Christ and his Apostles ?

1. The most impartial Witnesses have asserted the direct contrary to E. W. viz. by affirming that no comparison is to be made between the miracles of after-ages of the Church and those of Christ and his Apostles . The most impartial Witnesses in this case must be men of approved sanctity on both sides , persons of great judgement and experience , and that lived at such a time when no interest could byass them to favour one side more than the other . And such in all respects were St. Chrysostom and St. Augustin ; to them therefore we appeal in this matter .

St. Chrysostom not once or twice , but several times and upon very different occasions delivers his opinion upon this subject . In his Commentaries upon the first Epistle of St. Paul Chrysost. in 1. Ep. ad Corinth . Hon. 6. Tom. 3. ed Savil. p 275 , &c. to the Corinthians and the five first verses , puts this Question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; for whose sake is the power of miracles now forbidden ? which he at large discusses in that place . The substance of his answer is this ; either the persons who put that Question do believe the miracles wrought by Christ or his Apostles , or they do not ; if not , let them give an account how the Christian Religian which is so contrary to the present interests of men should prevail so much in the world as it hath done : for if they believed without miracles that would appear to be a far greater miracle . But , saith he , because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . no miracles are wrought now , make not that an evidence that none were wrought then ; for then it was useful there should be miracles , and now it is useful there should not . Can any Testimony be plainer and more express than this ? Is it possible he should believe as great miracles were done in the Church afterwards as by Christ and his Apostles , that not only asserts that there were none , but saith it would not be useful to the Church there should be any ? Because as he adds immediately after , those who preach now do not preachly Inspiration as the Apostle did , but only that doctrine which they receiv●d from them : and therefore make use of their miracles to confirm the truth of what they spake . But why , saith he , were miracles useful then and not now ? because the continual working of miracles would lessen faith , and our Saviour saith , Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed . But if thou wilt not be convinced without signs , thou maist see signs , although not such as Christ and his Apostles wrought , viz. the accomplishment of prophesies ; several of which he there mentions . Why then , saith he , do not all believe now ? to which he gives this answer , that the first Christians did not believe only on the account of the miracles they saw , but by seeing the holy and exemplary lives of those who wrought them ; It is , saith he , therefore the want of the primitive sanctity rather than miracles which makes men yet continue in their insidelity : let those that have a mind to be saved search the Scriptures , wherein they will find both the miracles they wrought and the holy conversations which they led . But if a man be found that hath any foot-steps left of the ancient wisdom he presently leaves the City and conversation , and betakes himself to the mountains , a fair pretence is made for this to prevent the deadning of devotion ; as though it were not better to be duller and to gain others , than remaining in a mountain to see round about thee thy Brethren destroyed . As he excellently speaks , though I doubt with little satisfaction to the Monastick pretenders to perfection in the Roman Church . Elsewhere complaining of the degenerate lives of Christians , from whence now , saith he , shall Christians Chrysost. in 1. ad Tim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 1. p. 288. be perswaded to believe ? from miracles ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but those are not now wrought . Who is there now a days saith he , in another place to be compared with St. Paul , who had such a divine power going along with De Sacerdot . l. 4. p. 37. his preaching ; who was terrible to Devils if he only appeared and said nothing ; but if all we were met together with a thousand prayers and tears , we could not do so much as St. Pauls handkerchief did . And is it possible to believe that St. Chrysostom ever thought the miracles of after ages could be compared with those of Christ and his Apostles ? No , he utterly blasts the Testimony of such who afterwards have pretended to miracles , unless they can shew a plain reason why miracles should cease in St. Chrysostoms time , and be so common again afterwards . It is evident that the world was not so fully converted to Christianity then , but there was as great occasion for miracles , as could be pretended in succeeding Ages ; all the difference that I can find was , that men were honester and wiser then ; but as the Christian world degenerated from the piety and goodness of the primitive times it pretended to come nearer to the Age of Christ and his Apostles in doing wonders . To the same purpose with St. Chrysostom speaks the Author of the imperfect work upon St. Matthew , who hath sometimes Auctor . impersect o● . in Matth. hom. 49. gone under St. Chrysostom's name : and herein differs not at all from him , for he saith , that formerly true Christians were differenced from the false by the miracles which they wrought ; the false Christians either not being able to work any , or not such as the true Christians wrought ; but empty signs such as caused admiration , but brought no benefit Nunc aut●m sig●o●●m operatio om nino levata ●st : magis a●●em & apud eos inve●itur , qui sal●● s●nt Christia●i fi●ri ficta . with them . But now , saith he , this working of miracles is wholly taken away and only pretended to by false Christians . Let E. W. and such as he , consider these words , and see who they are that pretend to miracles since the primitive days , Carolus Seribanus who undertook to write a defence of Lipsius his Virgo Hallensis , thinks to escape this Testimony by saying , that this Author only denys Carol. Scribanii Orthodox . Fid●i Cont●o● . l. 4. c. 2. such kind of miracles to continue still as w●re in the Apostles times , viz. the speaking and understanding tongues . But E. W. makes no limitation at all , nay he not only saith the same , but greater miracles have been done in the Roman Church ; and it is apparent that ●hese very miracles have been pretended to ●n the Roman Church , as not only concerning St. Vincentius Ferrerius but many others be●ore him . We are told by some that Ephroem David R●●h . ●lucid in Joc●lin . p. 120. Syrus understood the Greek tongue by the ●rayers of St. Basil ; but Baronius himself ex●lodes it for a Fable , however it be still be●ieved by others . If Capgrave and such wri●ers may be credited , St. David , St. Paternus , Baron . A. D. 370. n. 56. St. Theliaus all preached at Hierusalem in their own language , and the people understood them as if they had spoken in theirs . Some Ca●grave vit St. Thel ▪ f 281. such exposition they had heard of the Apostles speaking in strange tongues on the day of Pentecost , and because these were at Hierusalem , the same miracle must be related of Colgan . vit. St. David n. 20. them . But methinks , they should not have lost the gift they had of speaking in the languages of the several countries they passed through , which is likewise attributed to them ; for if God gave them such a miraclous gift only for the conveniency of travelling , it seems hard they should want it when they were to preach at Hierusalem . St. Goodric spake Capgrave . vit. St. Goodric f. 144. French to a Monk on the day of Pentecost saith Capgrave , although he never understood that Language before ; which is not very probable , in so great a Traveller as he represents him to be . But the greatest instance of this kind is E. W's admirable Saint St. Vincent●us Ferrerius , of whom two strange miracles are related , one that speaking in one Tongue , he was understood by his Auditors of several countries in their own languages , another

Lud , Bail . Bibliothec a Co●cionatorum p. 3. c. 65.

Raynald . A. D. 1414 n. 20.

Mariana d● r. bus Hisp. l. 19. c. 12.

Ribadin●ira Flos Sectorum 13.

Junii . Vita St. Anto●ii c. 15. 17. ed. d● la Haye 1641.

Sc●●id● . 6. at . mundi●t . Seduli . tract . de Sa●ctis Or. Ribaden . 16. Junii . 114.

St. Antonin . Chro● . Ton. 3. tit . 24. S●ct . 2. Spondan . A. D. 1403. n. 7.

Nicol de Clemangis ●p. 113.

that although people were at never so grea● distance from him ( for they say he had sometimes 80000. Auditors ) yet he was easily heard by them all . Had not this man an admirable voice , or the people admirable ears ! Mariana saith this happened to none but him from the Apostles days . And yet Ribadineira relates the very same thing of St. Anthony of Padua ; and that he was heard at two miles distance : which is likewise affirmed by the Writer of his Life printed before his Works , and by Hermannus Sch●idel , Sed●lius and others . Nay Ribadineira tells tha● St. Ludgard speaking Dutch , was perfectly understood by some French Women that understood only their own language . It seems then this was not St. Vincentius his pecu●iar gift , if it were his at all . I find that Raynaldus and Spondanus appeal to the Testimony of Nicol. de Clemangis concerning this miraculous gift : who was Secretary to Pope Benedict the thirteenth to whom St. Vincentius had been Master of the Palace at Avignon . Of him Clemangis saith , that it is not improbably beli●ved that he had the gift of tongues : he dares not we see absolutely affirm it , al●hough he heard him preach at Genoa . But ●hat arguments doth he produce for it ? one ●s , that although he were a Spaniard , he ●pake Italian so readily and distinctly that even 〈◊〉 Women understood him . And is it such ● miracle for a Spaniard to speak Italian well ●hat it ought to be compared with the Apo●tles gift of tongues ? But the great wonderment is yet behind , viz. that though he spake ●talian words yet all people of other nations ●nderstood him : and for this he only tells us , ●e heard a German say some such thing , and ●or his own part , although he did searce half ●nderstand Italian , yet he perfectly under●tood what he said . Which is no such great ●onder considering the matter of his preach●ng chiefly on one subject of the day of Judge●ent , which requiring the use of such words as are taken from the Latine , may easily be ●nderstood by a person who thorowly under●●ands Latine , though he be not perfect in Italian . The whole credit therefore of this ●iracle depends upon the testimony of this German ; and who can tell how much he understood either of his Sermon or of the Ita●ian Tongue ? For he saith no more , than ●hat he understood him as well as if his words had been spoken in his own tongue : which surely he might do without a miracle , unless it were a miracle for a German to understan● Italian . But concerning this , and all th● other supposed miracles of this admirabl● Saint , we have a remarkable Testimony 〈◊〉 one of the ablest men of that Age , ( th● knew Vincentius , and a letter of his is exta●● which he writ to him ; wherein he expresse● no such admiration of him ) and that is th● famous Chancellor of Paris , John Gerso● ▪ He wrote a discourse against the Sect of Whi●pers , ( which by the preaching and enco●ragement of Vincentius was again revived , and 10000. saith Rauzanus in his life followed him up and down , many of which did so Rauzan . vit. St. Vincentii apud Bzov. A. D. 1419. Sect 20. apud Surirum 5. Aprilis . soundly lash themselves according to Vincentius his instructions , that he saith some account it a miracle that none fell into any sickness by it ) . In which discourse he lays op●● the folly of this Sect , and saith , men mig●● as well brand themselves with hot Irons 〈◊〉 castrate themselves , as hope to expiate their si●● by such bloody whippings of their bodies . But besides this , Vincentius preached of the very ne●● approach of Antichrist and the day of Judgement , both which Gerson dislikes in him ; b●● Joh. Gerson c. Sectam se s●ag●lla●●●● Tom. 1. p. 641. saith he , if any man offers to bring new miracles to confirm the near approach of Antichrist let him know that the world is in i●● dotage and therefore is easily imposed upon by the apparitions of false miracles . As an old man is troubled with dreams in his sleep ; therefore , saith he , miracles are now to be ve●emently suspected , unless a very diligent ex●mination be first made of them . See now what judgement this truly great man in that Age , passes upon these pretended miracles of this admirable Saint ! However , it hence appears that in the Church of Rome they have not pretended to any one sort of miracles alone ; but let them be of what kind soever , some among them ( setting only aside their own resurrection from the dead ) have challenged to themselves the glory of them . But after all , this is a miserable shift to avoid this Testimony ; for this Author makes no other difference of signs ; than that the miracles of false Christians were only in appearance , and brought no advantage to the world ; whereas the miracles of the true Christians were real and beneficial to the world ; but now , saith he , this working of miracles is wholly taken away : and only false Christians pretend to it . Which testimony is so strong that I expect no other answer to it , than calling the Author of it Heretick and Arrian .

But against St. Chrysostom , he objects more plausibly , viz. from the daily wonders which he confesses are wrought by the Martyrs : Chrysost. in Pa●y● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and particularly by Babylas when the D●vil told Julian his Mouth was stopt at the Oracle 〈◊〉 Daphne , since Babylas his bones were lai●● there . It is not to be denied , that St. Chr●sostom did look upon this as a wonderfu●● thing ; and saith afterwards that the Devil still expressed such consternation at the shrin●● of the Martyrs as might convince the im●●dence of such who disbelieved the miracles 〈◊〉 the Apostles . But St. Chrysostom speaking o● these extraordinary things which were do●● by the Martyrs calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and no● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he does the other ; for he saith exprefly , that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were ceased , i. e. a●● such miracles as gave any Testimony to the infallible commission which persons had from God to deliver his doctrine ; but yet the●● were may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still done by the Martyrs , i. e. such extraordinary things which we cannot suppose God would permit to happen , if these Martyrs had not been highly in favour with God . ; and therefore these were only attestations of their Sanctity in a time when they were so much despised as they were by J●lian and his followers , and when Paganism began to recover again ; and it was very agreeable , with the wisdom and methods 〈◊〉 Divine Providence in an extraordinary manner to vindicate the innocency of the Martyrs ; as he did in the case of Babylas to J●lian himself , by stopping the Oracle by the nearness of his Bones to the Temple of Daphne , ●nd when they were removed , by setting the ●emple on fire in so wonderful a manner as ● is at large related by St. Chrysostom and ●e Ecclesiastical Historians of that time .

The same account we are to give of St. Au●stins opinion in this matter . In his August . de verâ Relig. c. 25. Book 〈◊〉 True Religion , having shewed how neces●ary miracles were to confirm the Authority ●f those who were sent by God to declare his ●ill , he adds that by their working mira●les they are become unnecessary to us now : ●or saith he , since the Catholick Church is now ●stablished and diffused through the World , Miracles are not suffered to continue to our ●imes ; that we may not always seek after vi●●ble things , and left custom should abate the ●steem of them . Much to the same purpose De ●tilit . cred . c. 15. 16. ●e discourses in his Book of the usefulness of Believing against the Manichees ; where he ●hews the necessity that there was of miracles ●o confirm the Christian faith at first , and the nature of the miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles , and then puts the Question as St. Chrysostom did , Cur , inquis , ista modo non fiunt ? Why are not such miracles w●●● ght now ? to which he answers , because miracles would not move men if there were not something wonderful in them ; and there would be nothing wonderful if they were common . It is true that St. Augustin did consider both these places in his Book of Retractations ( not as though he Recanted every thing which he handles there , for Retractati●● Retract . l. 1. c. 13. in St. Augustins sense was no more than to review ) for mentioning the former saying ; he adds , that it is true , for , saith he , the miraculous gifts of tongues are not now poured out when hands are laid on the baptized , nor are sick persons healed at the shadow of the preachers of Christ and many other such things , which it is certain are now ceased , But he would not have it so understood as though no miracles at all were then wrough● in the name of Christ ; for then , he saith , he knew that a blind man was healed at the Shrines of the Martyrs of Milan ; and s● many other such things were done that they could neither know them all nor enumeralt those he did know . And to the other place , he saith , that he gave that Answer , because Ib. c. 14. neither so many nor so great miracles a●● wrought now as were by Christ or his Apostoles . And can any sayings be more contradictory than this of St. Augustins and E. W's asserting , that as many and as gre●● ( nay greater ) miracles are wrought sinc●●●● ever were in their days . It is true that St. Augustin doth there say , that there were so●● miracles still left in the Church , and he produces several instances elsewhere ; but in the ●●me place he denies the necessity of these De Civit. D●i l. 22. c. 8. ●iracles since the large propagation of Chri●●ianity in the world , and accounts him a ●odigie that yet seeks after prodigies to con●●m his faith . Only he shews Gods extra●●dinary kindness to his Church in that time while there were so many Pagans yet left ●mong them ) that he did not leave them without some Testimonies of his miraculous Power in the cure of diseases at the memories of the Mariyrs or upon the prayers of the faithful , of which he there gives several examples : but elsewhere he shews , that the mi●acles In Psal. 130. v 1. wrought by Christ and his Apostles were ●rought for the benefit and satisfaction of future Ages as well as their own , that so none might complain for want of a power of miracles . And when the Donatists aftewards appealed to the miracles wrought by Donatus De unit . Eccles. c. 10. and Pontius , and to visions and revelations ; St. Augustin very smartly bids them lay aside those feigned miracles or Diabolical impostures : for either they were not true , or if they were , we have so much the more reason to beware of them ; because our Saviour hath foretold that false Prophets should arise working signs and wonders , that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect. But it may be said , that in all this St. Augustin doth only upbraid the Schismatical Donatists wit● lying miracles and not take away the evidence of miracles from the true Church ; 〈◊〉 that St. Augustin himself answers , that the Catholicks do not bring the evidence of miracles to prove the true Church by , nor yet o● Visions and Revelations ; for , saith he , 〈◊〉 such things are to be approved , because they are done in the Catholick Church ; and n●● that the Church is proved to be Catholic● because such things are done in it : and therefore saith , that controversie of the Church must be ended by the Scriptures . From whence it necessarily follows that St. Augustin could never think the miracles done in his time , were to be compared with those wrought by Christ or his Apostles , or could give equal evidence of credibility either concerning the Doctrine or the Church which delivered it . Never did two men more plainly contradict each other in this point than St. Augustin and E. W. who appeals to miracles for proof of the Catholick and infallible Church , and such as are equal to those of Christ and his Apostles ; but whether St. Augustin or E. W. deserve the greater credit that is another controversie which I am not now at leisure to engage in . To the same purpose St. Augustin speaks in another place , viz that miracles are no proof of the true Church ; for Tract 14 in Joh , c. 3. though Pontius and Do●atus might do wonders and see visions , yet Christ hath now forewarned us , quia & miraculis decipi non debemus , we ought not now to be deceived by miracles . The force of which argument from our Saviours caution depends upon this , viz. that the Christian Religion being once established by plain and evident miracles , there would be no necessity in after ages to have recourse to miracles again : For if no new Doctrine be delivered , what need can there be of new miracles ? Let no man therefore now complain saith the same St. Augustin , because De verbis Dom. Scrm. 18. Christ doth not work the same miracles now that he did in former times ; for he hath said Blessed are they which have not seen and yet have believed ; whom doth he mean , saith he , but us , and those who are to come after us : But those miracles were wrought by Christ to draw men to faith ; and this faith is now spread over the world . And now although he does not work the same cures , he does greater ; now the blind eyes do not receive sight by a miracle of Christ , but the blind hearts do see by the doctrine of Christ ; now dead bodies are not raised , but souls that are dead , in living bodies do rise again . Now deaf ears are not opened , but deaf minds are by the power of Gods word , so that they believe and live well , who were unbelievers and wicked and disobedient . Could any man of common sense have used these expressions ; if he had thought there was either any necessity of miracles being wrought in his time , or that there were such miracles then wrought which might be compared with those of Christ and his Apostles ? and as he elsewhere fully speaks to this purpose ; Sign● and Miracles were wrought by the Apostles to Quaest. ex Novo Tes●an . c. 63. bring men from infidelity to faith ; that men seeing those things done which are impossible with men , may acknowledge that the preaching is from God , by which power they were to prove that there was reason to believe . Among believers then signs and miracles are not not necessary ; but only a firm hope .

From these Testimonies of St. Augustin thus laid together we observe these things . 1. That the main intention of miracles was to convince unbelievers . 2. That the Christian faith being established , there was no longer any necessity of the power of miracles . 3. That though there were not any such necessity ; yet God out of his abundant kindness , was pleased to do some extraordinary things among them in their time . 4. That in disputes about the true Church they never appealed to the Power of miracles ; but to the Scriptures whose Doctrine was already confirmed by Miracles . 5. That those out of the true Church might make as great a pretence to miracles , visions and revelations as those who were in it , as appears by the Donatists . 6. That some kind of miracles were wholly ceased then in the Church , as the gift of tongues and the common miraculous cures of diseases by those that preached . 7. That those which did then remain , were not in any respect for number or quality to be compared with those of Christ and his Apostles ; as the cure of one blind man at Mi●●n , or those other cures of a Cancer , a Fistula , or the two shaking persons in Africa : for when himself speaks most favourably of the miracles then wrought , he saith they were not so great , nor so many , as those done by Christ or his Apostles .

§ . 10. But what shall we now say to the succeeding Ages of the Church ? For after Of the Testim●nies of their own Writers against the miracles of the Roman Church . the first 600 years were passed , and there were no more St. Chrysostoms , or St. Augustins , and one of the greatest Prodigies , ( as Tully said of old ) was a wise man , the pretence of the common working of miracles was again started , by those who undertook to give an account of the lives of the Saints ; for they thought they said nothing in effect of them if they did not attribute the power of miracles upon any occasion to them . Then St. Gregory and St. Bede shewed the way to the rest , and by their own credulity and want of judgement gave a pattern and encouragement to all the Monkish Tales and impostures afterwards . But we must acknowledge our obligation to some more ingenuous and judicious men in the Roman Church , who in several Ages have blasted the credit , and discovered the Impostures of these Legendary Writers : which is the next thing I am to prove ; viz.

2. That the credibility of their miracles in the Church of Rome , is destroyed by the Testimony of their own more judicious Writers . Ludovicus Vives , after he hath discoursed of all Lud Vi●es detrad . Discipl l. 5. other Histories , comes to that of the Church , and particularly the Lives of the Saints , of which he saith , that they are generally corrupted with abundance of lies , while the Writer indulges his own passion , and sets down not what the Saints did , but what he would have had him done : so that in their lives we see the mind of the Writer , and not the truth . For there have been those who thought it a piec● of pie●y to tell lies for Religion : which is a very dangerous thing lest by that means the true be rejected for the sake of the false . This saying of Vives Melchior Canus , a man highly M●l●● Ca● . lo. Th ol l. 11. c. 6. esteemed in the Church of Rome , recites and approves , with a great deal more to the same purpose , wherein he saith , that the lives of the Philosophers are more severely written by Laertius than the Lives of the Saints by Christians , and that Suetonius hath with more honesty and integrity delivered the acts of the Caesars than the Catholicks have done the Acts of Martyrs , Virgins and Confessors . And afterwards he charges them with wilful falsefying either only to deceive or to gain by it , of which the one is sordid and the other pernicious : and he produces some instances of such miracles , which he saith , are without number . Neither doth he only understand this of such men as the Author of the Golden Legend , or of the speculum exemplorum ; but he plainly confesses , that their most grave Writers in reporting the miracles of Saints have followed uncertain reports and conveyed them to Posterity . In which they either gave great liberty to themselves or yeilded too much to the desires of the People , whom they found not only ready to believe these miracles , but to be fond and greedy of them . Therefore , saith he , they have reported some signs and miracles ; not that they did willingly believe them themselves , but because they would not be wanting to the pious desire of the people ; which was it seems , that they should tell lies to please them . And if they had not their desires fully answered in this , they were very insatiable . After this , he particularly instances in Bede and Gregory , the one of which in his History , the other in his Dialogues he charges with relating miracles upon common reports , which the Criticks of th●● Age will judge to be uncertain . And we may be sure Canus , who tells us , what an excellent Loc. Th●o . log l. 12. p●ooe● . wit his Master Victoria said he had , was one of them . But is now the credibility of the miracles in the Roman Church to be compared with that of Christ and his Apostles ? Did they who writ the miracles recorded of them indulge their own affections , and make Tales to please the people ; as we see Canus saith their gravest Writers of Miracles did ? Or did they take up things upon common rumors , and from thence divulge them to posterity ? as we see Canus charges even St. Gregory , and St. Bede with doing . What would become of our Christianity , if we had no better grounds to believe the miracles of Christ and his Apostles ? If any should say so of the reporters of their miracles they would be justly charged with betraying the Doctrine of Christianity , and making it suspectd to be a fourb , an Imposture a fabulous story , as E. W. speaks in the case of the miracles related by St. Antonin : And yet M●lchior Canus expresly saith of him , that he did not make it his business to wri●● what w●● true and certain , but to let nothing pass that he could meet with : And that he and Vincentius Belovacensis were so far from weighing what they writ in an exact ballance , that they did not so much as make use of a common judgement . Whereas our Critical E. W. saith . And who dares say that so great Reason and Religion Disc. 2. c. 8. n. 6. a Doctor and most modest Prelate as St. Antonin was so frontless as to write that we read without assurance and certainty ? We see Melchior Canus dares say it ; and that not only of St. Antonin whom he looks on as far inferior to the other , but of his venerable Bede too , whom E. W. calls a great Scholar , and a man highly esteemed the whole Christian world over ; I shall not go about to diminish his reputation in other things ; but he had need of a good easie faith that can swallow the miracles related by him , whether those of St. Cuthbert , which E. W. mentions or others . What must we think of the Angels appearing to S. Cuthbert a horseback when he was a boy , S. Cuthberti vita Auctore Bed● tom. 3. & ap●● Colg. 20 Martii . & Bolla●d . 3. tom . Martii . C. 2. C. 4. C. 7. C. 20. and prescribing him a Poultess to cure his sore knee ? and of his seeing the Gates of Heaven opened and the soul of St. Aidan conveyed through them by a troop of Angels ? Of his receiving three hot loaves from an Angel , that were whiter than lillies & smelt beyond roses , and tasted sweeter than hony ? Of his frighting the crows from stealing the thatch off from the Covent , and the penance they submitted to for the injury they had done , and the satisfaction they made by bringing him a good piece of Lard with which he used afterwards to grease his Boots ? Of the vertue of his shoo 's in curing a man of a Palsie after St. Cu●●bert's C. 45. death , being put on upon his feet ? Of these I shall only ask E. W's . Question , An any such s●en now a days wrought among Protestant Bishops ? No , God knows their faith is a stranger to such kind of miracles .

But what shall we say to Canus who takes away the Authority of St. Gregory too as well as Bede in this matter of miracles ? I know Baronius falls very soul upon Canus for speaking 〈◊〉 . not . in Martyr . Decemb. 23. so freely of St. Gregory in this particular , especially because he doth not mention those miracles which he looks on as undeserving credit ; but I think he ought to have thanked him for his modesty and silence herein , in not exposing Gregories credulity to contempt by insisting upon them . But in truth St. Gregory in those Books of Dialogues ( for I see no reason to deny them to be his own ) was the Father of Legends , and most of the others afterwards were made in imitation of his ; as might be particularly made appear by many Instances . And Bede followed the Copy which Gregory had set him , and from hence such a swarm of Legends arose , that in the succeeding Ages it is hard to say whether there were more Ignorance or Wonders . To give only a tast of some of the miracles reported by Gregory ; the first is of Honoratus the Abbot that stopt a great stone in the middle of its Greg. Dialog. l. 1. c. 1. falling from a great mountain by making the sign of the cross towards it , and there it is seen hanging as it were in the air . But in my opinion St. Dunstan out-did him , who not only , saith Capgrave stopt a piece of Timber so falling , but with the sign of the cross made it Capgr . f. 92. 1. return back to the place from whence it sell. This was the greater miracle although the other had more to shew for it ; if the stone had hung quite in the air ; which I confess I do a little question . Libertinus raised one from the dead by Honoratus his shoe being laid upon his breast , saith Gregory as St. Cuthberts shoo 's in Bede cured a man of the Palsie . Greg. l. 1. c. 2. The Gardiner of the Monastery being troubled with a Thief that came over the hedge , and stole his herbs commanded a Serpent to follow C. 3. him and to lie just cross in the way he was wont to come over ; the Serpent presently obeyed , the Thief was taken and the Serpent released . From hence afterwards , he scarce deserved the name of a Saint of whom they could not tell some extravagant stories of the power he had over Serpents : of which multitudes of Instances may be seen in Colganus and Capgrave besides many other more ancient than they . The story of St. Equitius in Gregory and St. Elias in Capgrave , as to t●● C. 4. way of their being delivered from all lust●● thoughts by an Angel appearing in the nig●● and seeming to castrate them , is the very same by which we see out of what Magazineth later Legendaries took their materials , whi●● they altered and adorned with such varieti●● of circumstances as would best go down wi●● the people . Methinks then Baronius migh●● have let alone Canus in this matter , and no● provoked others to give an account of th● soppish miracles contained in that Primitiv● Legend , such as , the Devils entring into Ib. Nun because she eat a Lettice in the gard●● without crossing it ; and when St. Equiti● demanded of him what he did there , the D●● answered , he was sitting upon the Lettice a●● she came and eat him up ; but it was well f● her that St. Equitius sent him going witho●● prescribing her a vomit : as , Nonnosus 〈◊〉 C. 7. removing a stone by his prayers , which fif●● Yoke of Oxen could not stirr , and all this f● no other end but only to make way for a litt● Kitchin garden for the Monks : as , the sa● Ib. mans praying the pieces of a glass Lamp wh●● again , only for fear of the displeasure of 〈◊〉 superior : which was a substantial reason fo● so pretty a miracle . And his multiplying o● by a miracle rather than the lazy Monks shoul● Ib. 〈◊〉 out to gather Olives : as , Boniface's re●iving C. 9. 12. Crowns by a miracle , because his ●ephew complained be had opened his Chest ●nd had taken a way so many from him to give 〈◊〉 the poor ; and his adjuring all the Erue's 〈◊〉 his garden in the name of Christ to be gone ●nd ●ot eat up his herbs , which they imme●iately did , and not one remained : and ●aking the Fox by his prayers bring back the ●●llet he had stollen , because he complained 〈◊〉 God Almighty in the Church , ( whither he ●un upon this sad disaster ) that he could eat ●one of his Mothers Poultry : as , Martirius 〈◊〉 signing the cake in the embers with the sign C. 11. ●f the cross without touching it ; only making 〈◊〉 towards the fire , at which it gave a great ●●ack and was perfectly signed with the cross ●hen they took it out . These may serve only for a ●ast of the kind of these miracles out of his first Book , that men may judge with what reason Canus made such exceptions to Gregories Au●hority in this point of miracles . It would be too ●edious to give an account of the miracles in his ●hree other Books , but they are so much alike , ●hat by seeing these we may judge of the rest .

Thus we see the opinion of Vives and Canus about the Testimony on which miracles are believed in the Roman Church ; but we must not think these persons were singular in this opinion ; for in several ages men of any honesty and judgement have complained of t● pious frauds which have been used in the matters : and that some thought them la●● to be used as long as they were for the hono● of the Church or the Saints . So Petrus D● miani Pet. Damiani vit. St. Romua●di prolog. saith there were some who thought th● honoured God by making lies to extoll the ●●tues of his Saints ; which words he uses up● this occasion of miracles ; and goes abo● seriously to confute them , by telling them th● God doth not stand in need of our lies ; 〈◊〉 to the same purpose he speaks in the pres● to the lives of St. Maurus and of Domini● Ferratus written by him . What secu●● can there be then , of the miracles repon● by them who think it lawful to invent lies 〈◊〉 the Honour of the Church or of the suppos● Saints who live and dye in it ? If the Primiti● Church had made lying for the sake of Ch●●stianity lawful , it would have been the mo●● reasonable pretence for infidelity , that co●● be supposed . For how can any man thi● himself obliged to believe another , that do●● not think himself obliged to speak truth ? 〈◊〉 the Primitive Christians had made lying 〈◊〉 indifferent thing all their sufferings could hav● given no security of the truth of their Test●mony , for notwithstanding the falshood 〈◊〉 their Testimony , they might then hope however , to be rewarded in another world , an● consequently might suffer any thing here ; ●t when they declared at the same time , that ●ing was utterly unlawful , and yet ventured suffer the utmost extremity to attest the ●uth of their Testimony ; this gives the high●● credibility to the things asserted by them . ●t we have no satisfaction as to either of ●●ese things in the witnesses of the miracles in ●e Roman Church ; no man hath ever lost much as a finger to give Testimony to one ●iracle among them , and supposing they ●●ould suffer , we have no assurance but they ●ight think it lawful to lie for their Religion ; ●●d therefore all their sufferings could not ●ove the truth of their Testimony . We have 〈◊〉 sentence or declaration of their Church ●●ainst pious frauds ; but we have large con●ssions from their own Writers of the practice them , and the good end they are designed 〈◊〉 , viz. to keep up the devotion of the people . ●●n Gerson honestly confesses this to be the ●d of the Legends and miracles of the Saints Joha Gerson declar . ●nd their visions and revelations so much ●lked of in the Roman Church viz. to stirr up ●piety and good affections of the people : for ●ese things , saith he , are not proposed by 〈◊〉 Church to be believed as true ; but they are ●ther to consider them as things that might done , than as things that were done . And i● no matter , saith he , if some things that are really false are piously believed ; so that th●● be not believed as false or known to be false the same time . And I wish he had added o● condition more , viz. that the infallibilit● of the Church be not to be proved by them for in that case I hope it is of some litt●● concernment whether they be true or false . B● are we not like to meet with credible Test● monies in such things where the most hone● and learned among them think it is no gre● matter whether they be true or false ? N● Lyra in c. 14. Dan. wonder then , that Lyra complains of t●● frauds used by the Priests in the Churches 〈◊〉 make the people believe that miracles wo● Cajetan . op●●c . trac. 10. de concept . B. V. ad Lcon . 10. c. 5. wrought ; no wonder , that Cajetan so mu●● slights the argument drawn from modern miracles and revelations and saith it is only 〈◊〉 for old women ; could any man have do● this , that had believed them to be any oth●● than cheats and impostures ? Especially in 〈◊〉 solemn a matter as the immaculate conceptio● and in a discourse addressed to Leo 10. an● prepared for the Lateran Council . By whic● we see , that the learned and wise men amon● themselves when they are put to declare the●● minds , speak as freely of these matters , as w● can do ; but still they think it fit the commo● people should be cheated and deceived by them ; so a learned and ingenuous writer o● the French Church and Doctor of the Sorbo● tells us , that he was so far from receiving Joh. Launoy de curd E●●l● . pro. 〈◊〉 . ss. a●t . 30. Co●oll . 1. Po yb . H●stor . l. 16. p. 732. Ed. Casaub. ●anks from many for laying open the fables ●●d impostures of the Monks , that they re●●rred him to Polybius his judgement about ●●ese matters ; who determines , that allowance ●●ght to be given to those Writers who invent ●iracles and stories to keep up the devotion of ●he People . The occasion of Polybius delivering ●is judgement of his was this , It seems the ●eathen Priests made almost as many and as ●oolish stories of miracles about their Images , ●s they are wont to do in the Church of Rome ; ●mong the rest , it was verily believed among ●he Bargelietae that the Image of Diana being ●xposed to the air could receive no injury ei●her by snow or rain ; and the same was be●ieved of the Image of Vesta among the Jassi●ns : and these miracles were written by their Historians . But Polybius declares his great oppo●ition to these follies ; such saith he , as the mi●acle Theopompus relates of Jupiter's Temple in Arcadia , that the bodies of those who are in ●t never cast any shadows . Yet he yeilds , that something of this nature must be done to keep up the devotion of the people ; but he would have it within bounds , although , he saith , it be very hard to determine those bounds . Now saith Launoy , this saying of Polybius I have been often told of by all sorts of men who pretended hereby to secure Christian piety , but I found them worse than Polybius ; for he would have bounds set , but these will allow none . For they judge of all things by the absoluteness of Gods power ; and regard not whether the things were done or no , as long as they might be done . But as he excellently adds , a false Religion indeed , according to Polybius , stands in need of such cheats and trick● to support it ; but true Religion wants no such helps ; the more simple , pure and innocent it is , it is so much the greater and more glorious ; it is corrupted when it hath any thing unlike it self mixed with it . They who think otherwise of Christian Religion do not know it ; but design to make a Religion out of truth and falshood . Thus far that ingenuous man . By whom we see what the opinion is , which the more sagacious Persons in the Roman Church have of these Monkish tales and impstoures ; yet they generally are for keeping them up in as much credit with the people , as they can , and discountenance those who go about to undeceive them . But is not the Testimony of these things by their own confession very credible the mean while , and fit to be compared with the Testimony upon which the miracles of Christ and his Apostles is received in the Christian Church ? It is hard to think that such men do believe Christianity in their hearts that dare publish such impudent comparisons . When the impostures of this nature in the Church of Rome , have been , like Astrology in old Rome , alwaies complained of and always practised : as will easily appear to any one that will peruse the Testimonies brought by Launoy in that discourse concerning counterfeit Saints , Relicks and miracles , which I shall not transcribe . The whole Christian World is obliged to the Ingenuity of such men who have taken pains in the discovery and confutation of such Impostures ; as the Monks have abused the people with .

But we are not only beholding to such learned men who have purposely done this , but to those who have lately published such writings of the middle Ages whereby we understand their History far better than we could do before . As for instance to our present purpose : among other very useful things published by Lucas D'achrey we have the works of Guibert Abbot of Nogent in France , who lived in the beginning of the 12. Century Guibert Abbas de Pignoribus Sanctorum . l. 1. c. 1. a time brim full of miracles and superstition : in his works we have a discourse of the Relicks of the Saints , which was occasioned by a pretence the Monks of St. Medard made to a tooth of our Saviour , wherein he begins with a complaint of the dishonour which is put upon the Saints by the false stories which are made of them , and then proceeds to the false Saints which were worshipped by them , as Saint Piron , whom upon enquiry he found to have fallen drunk into a Well and so dyed , yet this man was worshipped , he saith , both in Britain and in France : and after telling some ridiculous miracles which he was willing however to believe to be true , he falls upon the false and counterfeit ones ; of which , he saith , that they who ascribe to God that which he never thought to do , as much as lies in them make God a Lyer : and he produces this instance of C. 2. s●ct . 5 his own knowledge ; a certain boy that belonged to a Souldier happened to dye upon good Friday ; the people were ready to attribute great Sanctity to him for dying upon that day ; and of a sudden great resort was made to his tomb , and many oblations were made and wax Candles offered , and his tomb compassed about with great devotion , the people coming out of Britain to it . The Abbot and Monks seeing the people make such resort thither , were willing to have it believed that miracles were wrought there . And presently some of the people feigned themselves deaf , others mad , and others lame to bring greater credit by their cures to the young Saint ; that was but newly set up , and the good Abbot gave encouragement to them . But Guibert detests his Nebulonity for it , as he calls it , a word though hardly to be met with elsewhere , yet very fitly expresses such horrible cheating and deluding the people . Another instance , he gives immediately after done in his presence , viz. a Preacher in a famous Church had a mind to draw Sect. 6. custom to it , and finding it necessary to tell them what excellent Relicks they had , he produces a box and shews it to the people , and tells them they were to understand that within that box was kept a piece of the bread which Christ himself did eat ; and if you do not believe this , behold a very learned Person among you , pointing to Guibert , will bear witness , if it were needful , to the Truth of what I say . Guibert saith , he blushed at the mans impudence , and had a good mind to have contradicted him , but he stood too much in awe of the Persons about him who were his abettors in so advantagious a lie to them . But he saith , neither Monks , nor Clergy men did abstain from this base way of bringing gain to their Churches , viz. by abominably cheating and abusing the People . I hardly think any of the frauds of the Heathen Priests in their Temples and Oracles at Delphi , Dodona and other places could exceed these .

Afterwards , he saith , that the Acts of several Cap. 3. Sect. 1. of their Saints were taken out of old Womens Tales and Songs ; and some things were written of them which were not fit for Plowmen to hear . And when they make their Saints to be of great Antiquity , yet they desire new Lives to be written of them . Which he confesses was a request often made to himself ; but , saith he , I am apt to be deceived in the things I see , what truth then could I write of the things which no man ever saw ? If I should yield to such a request both I that write or preach such things , and they who desire them ought to be branded with publick infamy . But supposing the Saints to be true , yet they make lies about their Relicks , so John Baptist 's head is said to be in two several Sect. 2. places , and what can be more ridiculous than to make the Baptist have two Heads ? one or other must cheat and deceive the people . His own predecessor St. Godfridus had a mind to make a translation of the body of St. Firmin as the people were to believe ; after all the search they could make , they found not one syllable of any intimation of such a Body 〈◊〉 St. Firmins lying there . But the Bishop of the City caused an inscription to be made upon the leaden coffin . Firminus Martyr Ambianorum Episcopus . This , he said , he had from the mouth of the said Bishop and another . Were not these men fit to be made Saints of , who could so cunningly turn the body of any , though it may be the most wicked person , into the Relicks of a Saint or a Martyr , and so into an object of sacred veneration among the People ? But to make the story of this Translation yet more pleasant , Guibert tells us , that about the same time the Monks of St. Denys made a solemn Translation of the same Body of St. Firmin ; and D'achery takes Lucas D'achery not . in Guibert p. 567. great pains to prove that the Monks had the true Body ; and yet the Author of the Life of St. Godefrid , saith , that the people were invited by that Saint to prepare themselves Nicol. vit. St. Godefridi l. 2. c. 26. for the translation at Amiens and to bring their gifts , and such a concourse of People came to it , that one would have thought all Europe had been there . Then the Bishop with the Priests went to the place where the Sacred Treasure lay , and exposed the holy Relicks with great trembling to the Veneration of the People . Are not these rare doings for Saints and holy Bishops , thus horribly against their own Consciences to abuse the people ? After these Guibert relates how Odo Bishop of Bayeux brother to William the first , bought Sect. 3. the body of a Countryman called Exuperius of a Sexton for 100. pound and made a solemn Translation of it for St. Exuperius : But , he saith , the instances of this kind are so numerous , that he had neither strength nor time to relate the things which were done in this manner by those who made gain their godliness . It was a common thing in those days to steal and sell Relicks ( of which Capgrave gives several examples ) and to fight for them , as we find in Colganus ; and there was a sort of wandring Monks called Circelliones who made a trade of this ; Greg. Turonensis Hugo Menard not . in Co●c●●d . Regul. c. 3. p. 125. tells us of one Desiderius in the City of Tours , that pretended to work strange miracles , and that there were messengers passed between St. Peter and St. Paul and him ; Greg. Turon hist. l. 9. c. 6. to whom abundance of people flocked , carrying the Blind and Lame to him to be healed , and that he deceived the people by his art . Another , ( who was afterwards found to have been a Bishops servant ) went about cloathed in white , carrying a Cross , at which hung two vessels in which he said holy oyl was contained ; this man p●etended to have come out of Spain and to have brought some Relicks of Vincentius and Felix ; he went to Paris and drew the people after him ; but the Ecclesiastical Officers causing him to be searched , instead of his Relicks found the teeth of Moles , the bones of mice , the claws of bears , and the roots of herbs , with which they supposed he made enchantments for the people ; and of such persons Gregory saith our Saviours words are to be understood , that many false Prophets shall arise doing signs and wonders . But of these Impostors more afterwards .

Afterwards Guibert vehemently disputes against those who pretended to the Tooth of our Saviour and the milk of the Blessed Virgin , Lib 3. c. 1. and makes them guilty of lying and forgery : C. 3. s. 4. and derides the miracles that were wrought by the Monks as vain , foolish , and uncertain , C. 5. s. 1 , 3 , 4. and concludes his Discourse with saying , that to make gain with carrying about or shewing Sect. 5. the pretended Relicks of Saints is a profane thing .

Thus we see from the Authentick Testimony of so considerable an Author in his time how little credit was to be given to the lives of the Saints , or their pretended Relicks and Miracles . Yet still this way of abusing the people hath been upheld and practised , and their most solemn offices of Religion corrupted with shameful lies ; for the story of the seven sleepers , and the 11000. Virgins , of St. Christopher and others the most ridiculous Fables , were preserved in their Breviaries and Lessons of them read upon their days ; as may be yet seen in the Salisbury Breviary , which was most in request in England . And , which deserves to be taken notice of , while they would by no means suffer the sacred Bible to be in the hands of the People , they were well enough contented that sensless Book of the Golden Legend should be published in English to be devoutly read by them . So much more did they think it their interest to feed the people with lies and fables , than with the holy word of God ; so much more advantageous was it for them to deceive than to save their souls . But , it may be , now they will pretend , that things a●● otherwise with them , that the Golden Legen● is out of request , that the Breviaries are Reformed , the Martyrologies corrected , the A●●● of the Saints set forth pure and free from F●bles . This last I have already shewed to be very far from being true , and we need no more to shew how little credit they dese●●● than what the collections of Surius , Ribadineira , Bollandus , Colganus and such like , will afford us . Their Breviaries and M●tyrologies I grant are in some things reformed , but there are many Fables still remaining 〈◊〉 them , and some of the late Correctors o● them instead of amending them have inser●●d Tales that were never in before : as Lau●●● hath at large proved in several discourses . One pleasant passage , often mentioned by him , Joh. Launoy d●sq . disquis . de Magdal . Massil . p. 157. it may not be amiss here to insert , to she● the skill of the Roman Correctors . In the Roman Martyrologie on the twenty fourth of January in the Edition corrected by Galesinius , and approved by Gregory 13. with his Bu●● before it ; these words were inserted , Atque A●tiochiae Sanctae Synoridis Martyris : And B●ronius in his learned Anotations upon this Place , saith , that St. Chrysostom speaks of her Homil. 4. de Lazaro , and St. Hierom of another of that name a woman famous for Nobility and Piety . How can they ever want Martyrs in the Roman Church , that can turn Words into Martyrs ! For this M●rtyr Synoris in those Authors is no more than the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Pair joyned together , or a Chariot drawn by a Pair ; and so St. Chrysostom there uses it of Juventius and Maximus calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and St. Hi●rom of Juliana and Proba calling them Sanctam Christi Synoridem : This was Baronius his Noble Martyr Synoris ; it was ill for her , that she happened to be first known in so unlucky a time , when some learned men ( of France as I take it ) sent Baronius notice of this new Martyr , who being ashamed of her , expunged her out of all Editions of the Martyrologie since A. D. 1586. notwithstanding the Popes Bull in approbation of that Edition : But if it had been her good fortune to have been heard off a little sooner , by this time we might have had an excellent Legend of her , distributed into several Lessons in the Breviary , and the Office of a Martyr to be performed for her ; we might have heard many pretty stories of her Childhood , and of her very early devotion to the Blessed Virgin for the sake of her Sex ; how many strange Miracles she had wrought ; and without doubt she had been at least the daughter of a Prince , and it may be the youngest daughter of King Costus . But so unhappy a thing it is to come into the worl● out of due time ! for she appeared but for ● little time , and then vanished quite out of sight . Whereas if she had come abroad som● Ages before , who knows what a world of Good she might have done by this time , being solemnly invocated , and might have bee● thought as proper for all that go in Coache● , especially with two Horses , as St. Antony 〈◊〉 for stollen Goods , or St. Apollonia for the Toothache ; or St. Viarius for the Loym. This St. Viarius was another very pretty Saint , solemnly worshipped near Ebora for 〈◊〉 Bishop and a Martyr , especially for the Cu●● of the Loyns , when , God knows , it was only the name of an antient Roman Curator of the High-wayes , which they had m●● with in some inscription , as Andreas R●sendius Andreas Resend . de Martyr . Eborens . Ep. ad Barth . Kebed . p. 1007. To. 2. R●rum Hispanic . tells us . Who having the curiosity to search the Antiquities of the Church where this High-way Saint was worshipped ; a grave Priest told him all the Legend of his Martyrdom , Resendius desired to see what Monuments of it they had , he presently produces a Roman Inscription , wherein were these words VIARUM CURANDARUM . Now said the cunning old Priest VIARUM that is plain his name was Viarius , and CURANDARUM is as much as if he should have said , Cura curarum , and that belonging only to a Bishop , it was evident , this Martyr Viarius was a Bishop . Resendius kept his countenance , and complained he saith to the Bishop of this worshipping the Roman Curator for a Saint ; but the people cursed him sufficiently for it , they having received much help from him . But , methinks they should have set out his life with all the circumstances of it , as well as have known for what disease he was proper to be invocated . And Beatus Rhenanus tells us , how such a thing might have been ingeniously done : for Bea● . Rh●● . r. r. G●rma● . l. 3. p. 161. a certain Monk published the life of St. Beatus and called him Suetonius , and described many passages of his life ; and said he had a companion called Achates . Beatus Rhe●anus being more than ordinarily inquisitive after his name-sake , goes to the man , and asks him whence he had this information , supposing he had some good Authority for it ; but upon enquiry he told him , that he called him Suetonius , because he heard he came out of Sweden , and he called his companion Achates , because that was the name of Aeneas his Fellow Traveller : and yet this admirable story Rhenanus saith , was not only printed , but painted in Churches too . And which adds something more of Grace to it , Dempster in Dempster Eccles. Hist. l 2. n. 159. his Ecclesiastical History derives the antient and Noble Family of the Setons in Scotland from this St. Suetonius .

But what if after all these pretences to Miracles in the Roman Church , some of their own members that must know them , and were no way inconsiderable either for Authority , judgement or learning , should declare that they believe no such thing as the continuance of the Power of Miracles in the Church ? Can any thing more invalidate the Testimony of those who assert these Miracles than this ? There was hardly a greater man for learning and judgement in his time than Tostatus Bishop of Avila in Spain , and he purposely discusses this Question about the continuance of the Power of Miracles in several places . In his Commentaries upon Tostatus in Levit. c. 9. q. 14. Leviticus , he shews that God made use of the Power of Miracles in the beginning of an Institution , as of the Aaronical Priesthood by fire coming from Heaven to consume the Sacrifices ; but when the Priesthood was already confirmed , there was no need of any more Miracles in the consecration of the following Priests : So , saith he , was it in the New Law , for in the beginning of it many Miracles were wrought , by and upon the New Converts : but now there are no such things ●●n . The reason whereof , is , because at first be faith of the Gospel was not confirmed in be minds of believers as it is now : and few ●elieved in Christ ; therefore to bring men to ●●ith , this power of Miracles was necessary , be matters of faith being uncapable of de●onstration ; but now the Christian faith is ●fficiently confirmed , there is no need at all 〈◊〉 Miracles . The same he asserts more large●y in his Commentaries on St. Matthew , and Com●●ent . in Matth. c. 3. q 12 , in Matth. 10. q. 21. ●one place puts this Question , Why the Bi●●ops and Preachers of the Church who succeed the Apostles do not work Miracles , as ●e Apostles did , since Miracles are for the ●onfirmation of the Christian faith ? To ●hich he answers , That Christ doth not be●ow the gift of Miracles , but when it is ne●●ssary , or at least very useful ; but now the ●ift of Miracles in these persons is neither ●rofitable nor useful ; because we have argu●ents enough to perswade us to believe with●ut that ; and therefore he determines that Miracles now would not be for the profit of ●e Church , but only for curiosity ; and saith ●at it is not meet that God should give this ●ower of Miracles , nor doth he . Nay , he ●●ls the case of Heathens to be converted to ●●e faith ; and to that he answers , That it ●ight ●e either through their demerits , or of those who go to them , that God d●nies thi● power of Miracles to convert them : b●● withal , saith that the conversion of Infidels 〈◊〉 not so necessary now as in the Apostles times and therefore God doth not in this ordinarily bestow this gift on men , although he m●● do it in some extraordinary cases . Wh●● shall we say now to the Testimony of thi● learned Bishop ? had he never heard 〈◊〉 St. James of Compostella and the Miracl●● pretended to be wrought there ? and could 〈◊〉 believe them , and write these things ? Ha● he never heard of St. Vincentius Ferreri●● who lived in some part of the same time wit● him , and if he had believed the Miracles reported of him , he would neither have p●● the Question , nor answered it so as he di● After him I shall produce the Testimony 〈◊〉 Fisher Bishop of Rochester in his Answer t● Luther , who to prove the necessity of interpreting Ros●●●●s . c. Luth●r de ca●ivit . Babyl● . 10. Sect. 4. Scripture by the continued sense 〈◊〉 the Church , and not by the bare Letter , offe● to produce such words of Christ in which b●sides the matter of fact and the comman● there is a promise annexed ; and yet , saith he , in our dayes no effect of this promise i● seen : and then brings the words of Scriptu●● wherein it is said , that Christ cured t●● blind and the lame , and cast out Devils and he commanded his Disciples to do 〈◊〉 same , and makes a promise to them that ●hould believe in Christ . Mark 16. that many ●●gns should follow them : and yet this promise , saith he , hath no effect now ; for no man ●ow casts out Devils , nor heals diseases , and yet no one questions but there are many that believe . But what then , was the promise of Christ of no effect ? no , saith he , Christ intended it only for the first Ages of the Church ; but when the Christian faith was dispersed over the world , there was no longer need of miracles . Can any Testimony be more plain or weighty in our case than this , it being from one who undoubtedly knew all the pretences to miracles that were then made ? Erasmus expresly saith , that the gift of miracles Erasm. in 1. Ep. ad Cor●●th . 13. 13. ( which was necessary to the first Ages of the Church for the conversion of Infidels , as speaking with strange Tongues , miraculous Cures , Prophesying , and such like miracles ) is is now ceased . Stella , not only saith , that Stella in Luc. 11. 29. the power of miracles is ceased ; but he saith that the receiving it would do more hurt than good ; for men would say , that the Christian faith was not sufficiently confirmed before . Of all cases we might most reasonably suppose that God should , if ever , renew this gift in the conversion of Infidels ; and yet Franciscus à Victoria saith , that he heard of no Victoria Relect. 5. p. 200. miracles or signs that were wrought for the conversion of the Indians . Josephus Acost● Acosta de procurand● Indorum Salute l. 2. c. 9 , 10. at large debates this case , why God doth n●● now give the power of miracles among those who preach to Infidels as he did of old ? an● he offers at several reasons for it , of which this is the chief , That miracles were necessary in the beginning of Christian Religion , but not now . And if the Church be defective in the power of miracles where it is the most necessary , what reasonable ground can there be to think that God should imploy his power not for the satisfaction of Infidels , but of the credulous and superstitious ? As God never works miracles to convince obstinate Atheists , so neither doth he to gratifie the curiosity of old Women and Pilgrims ; but if ever he do●● it , it is to lay a sufficient foundation for those to believe , who are otherwise destitute of the means of faith . But if such persons who are imployed upon the work of converting Infidels do want the Testimony of miracles , I know no reason to believe that he imploy●● it for other ends . And if these persons had believed that the power of miracles had been any where else in the Church , they would have made that considerable objection to themselves , why God should give it where there was less need , and deny it where there was greatest ?

But what then shall we say to the miracles pretended to be wrought by Xaverius and others in the East-Indies ? I say , that if they were sufficiently attested , we might be much more inclined to believe the Truth of those miracles , than of the Lady of Loretto or St. James of Compostella , or any of the rest which E. W. refers us to . For if it were at any time reasonable to expect a power of miracles , it would be for the conversion of Infidels , and Xaverius and his companions , going upon so generous a design , might be favoured in it by some extraordinary effects of Divine Power . But then in all reason the miracles would be such as were most accommodated to that design , as the speaking with the Tongues in which they were to preach the Christian Religion : but by the letters of Xaverius himself we find , that he was extreamly put to it for want of this gift of Tongues , both on the Coast of Commorin and especially in Japan : for in one of his Letters he laments his condition very much , because Epistol. Japan . 3. p. 30. the people being willing to learn , and he as willing to instruct them , for want of the language they conversed with each other like Statues ; and when they asked him questions he could give them no answer ; but by degrees he said , he learnt to prattle like a Child among them . Can any one now imagine that God had bestowed the gift of miracles upon Xaverius for propagating Christianity , and yet should deny him that , without which all other miracles would be to no purpose , if he could not deliver the doctrine those miracles were to confirm , so as to be understood by the people ? But in truth , I do not find that Xaverius himself in any of his Epistles , did make any pretence to the power of miracles ; after his death indeed , the Jesuits in those parts to increase the glory of their Society , and their Brethren in these parts as readily concurring to such a design , published some miracles , which they said were wrought by him . So Melchior Nunezius in his Epistle to Ignatius Loyola , where he gives an account of E●ist . Japan . 8. p. 91. the death of Francis Xaverius , saith , that many things were discovered since his death , that were not known while he was alive : and is not this a very probable circumstance that he had a power of miracles ? Would the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles have converted Infidels if they had not been known while they were living ? And yet these miracles he reports are very few , and delivered on the single testimonies of no very considerable men : the rest , he faith , for brevity's sake he omits ; which is not very probable , considering how long he insists upon the story of the miraculous incorruption of his Body after his decease . Which Bellarmin likewise magnifies , viz. That his Body being Bellarm. de not is Eccl. l. 4. c. 14. cast into Lime was preserved fifteen months entire and free from corruption . What will not these men make miracles of , when they have a mind to it ? When Maffeius saith , Maffei Hist. Indic . l. 8. that the Relicks of St. Thomas at Meliapor , were mixed with Lime and Sand , which no doubt were designed to preserve them from corruption . And Paulus Zacchias a learned Pa●l . Zacchiae Quaest. Medico . l●gales l. 4. tit. 1. q. 10. n. 24. Roman Physician hath declared , that the incorruption of bodies by Salt , Nitre , or Lime , is so far from being a miracle , that it hath nothing of wonder in it . And yet this must be cryed up as a strange miracle in Xaverius Kirchman . de funeribus Rom. l. 1. c. 8. his Body , which would have passed for a common accident in any one else , it being so well known to be an ordinary effect of nature ; to preserve bodies a long time from corruption by the use of things which are of Korman . de mira ulis Mort●orum p. 3. c. 6. so drying a nature as those are . But as to all these miracles , whose relation we have from the Jesuits in the East Indies , we are to consider what credit their testimony deserves with us ; for if they are men who think it lawful to lye for a good cause ( as no doubt the honour of their Society is such with them ) how can we with any tolerable discretion relye upon their words ? And what will those men stick at , who have had the impudence to insert fabulous miracles and stories into the very history of the Gospel ? For which we are to understand that Acabar Emperour of the Mogols , having given liberty to the Jesuits to live in the City of Agra , desired of Hierome Xavier the chief of them , ( a kinsman of the former Francis Xavier , and a man of such an Apostolical Spirit , faith Alegambe ) an account of the life and Al●gambe Biblioth. So●iet . J●s● p 188. miracles of Christ . The subtle Jesuit very well understanding their own doctrine about the obscurity and insufficiency of Scripture , durst not put into his hands the four Evangelists , but framed an excellent Gospel of his own A. D. 1602. which he declares at the H●storia Christi Persic . à Xaverio , ●●atine Edita à Lud. de Di●u p. 536 end of it , to have taken out of the Holy Gospel , and the Books of the Prophets : and we may judge of his sincerity by these passages . In the beginning of it , he relates the story of the Virgin Mary , not as it is in the Evangelists , but as he had taken it out of a a silly Book de Nativitate S. Mariae attributed to St. Hierom , but rejected not only by

Erasm. Schol. in ●p . Hi●r . Baron . Apparat . n. 39 , 44.

Cani Loc. Th olog . l. 11. c. 6.

Sixtus Senenj . B●blioth . l. 2. in Matth.

Erasmus , but by Baronius , Canus , Sixtus Senensis , and others ; and the true Author is supposed by some to be Seleucus the Manichee ; whether it were he or no , Baronius saith , he was so ignorant as not to avoid manifest lyes : however this new Evangelist thought him a fit Author for him to make a new Gospe● out of , the better to please the Great Mogol . He tells him out of that Book that Joachim and Anna the Parents of the Blessed Virgin , being very Rich and Childless ●ad made a vow to God , if they had a Son to devote him to his service ; one time Joachim went up to the Temple to offer up his Sacrifice there , and Issachar the High Priest rejected him ( a notorious lye , saith Baronius , for no Historia Christi p. 17 such man as Issachar could be High Priest then ) upon which he and his Wife went ●way discontented ; at last God sent an Angel to comfort Joachim , and told him he should have a daughter , and should call her name Mary , who should be filled with the Holy Ghost from her conception ; and charged them to perform their vow about her education in the Temple ; he is so punctual as to set down the very day of her conception and birth , and relates the occasion of keeping the Feast of her Nativity among Christians , viz. a revelation made to an Eremite that she was born the eighth of September , when the Eremite heard strange Melody in the Heavens upon that day ; upon which Innocent the fourth appointed the Feast to be kept . What Gospel and Prophets had this Jesuit met with to take these excellent stories from ? But it must be from one of the Prophets indeed , since Innocent the fourth lived 1250. years since the birth of Christ . The Blessed Virgin , as Xavier's Gospel goes on , at three years old , upon Friday the twenty first of November was carryed Xaver . p. 22 up to the Temple , and there shut up in a Holy place to be educated ( most of the mode●● Commentators on this new Gospel , tell us it was the Holy of Holies , which it seems was then turned into a Nunnery , and for elev●● Rayeaud . Diptych . Maria● , n. 10. years together , they say , she never went o●● of that place ; if any one should boldly ask what conveniencies she could have there ? they readily answer , that she needed non● , being fed by Angels all that time with spiritual food . So Canisius , Poza , and others in Theophilus Raynaudus ; and Benedictus Gon●nus Bened. Gonon Chronicon . D●i● . p. 6. adds , that Zachary Father to St. John Baptist saw the Angel that carried her meat to her ; for which he quotes Pantaleon in Metaphrastes ; ( no doubt an excellent Author ) but Xavier saith , that for the most part she had her food from Heaven . I omit her vow of Xaver . p 25 p. 26 , &c. Virginity , the manner of her Espousals with Joseph , and the reason of them , viz. to chea● the Devil ; the blossoming of Josephs Rod ; p. 30. the particular description of the Virgin Maries countenance with great blewish eyes , and golden locks , &c. all which he sets off with as many circumstances , as if they had made a considerable part in our Gospels : but one of the greatest miracles of her beauty was , that a wicked man by looking upon her was ibid. converted . It was great pity then she went no oftner abroad , that she might have reformed the world by her Countenance . Afterwards he describes the manner of the Angels Salutation of the Blessed Virgin so exactly , p. 34. that it plainly appears , he despised the rudeness of the Evangelists in their manner of expressing it . The Blessed Virgin , saith he , was then sitting in her Parlour musing upon that saying of Esaias , A Virgin shall conceive , &c. and she mightily desired to see that Virgin , and wished she might be her hand-maid , while she was in these thoughts , an Angel comes in like a beautiful young man with great splendour , and falls upon his knees ●nd fixed his eyes on the ground , and with great devotion said Ave Maria , &c. She was not surprized , saith he , at the sight of the Angel , for she had often conversed with Angels before , but at his humble posture , and the honour he gave to her . Who can now doubt the lawfulness of praying to the Blessed Virgin , when the Angel Gabriel said the Ave Maria upon his bended knees to her ? After the Angel had delivered his message , ●he made him wait , saith Xavier , till Midnight , before she gave any answer ; then , saith he , in the very point of Midnight , she fell upon her knees , and with her head downward , p. 37. and eyes full of tears , and her arms a cross , she said , Ecce ancilla Domini , &c. p. 41. Much in the same way he describes the manner of her delivery , only that her eyes were then lifted up towards Heaven . I pass b● p. 62. the fabulous miracles he relates concerning the birth of our Saviour , of which there i● p. 74. not one word in Scripture , or any good Historian : The story of the wise men with their names Melchior , Caspar and Balthasar , of the●● p. 89. Kingdoms , and how their Bodies came to be carried to Cologn , which was much for the Great Mogols edification to know ; the m●racle of the letter Vau blotted out by old Simeon ; which he found in the word afterwards ; the check the Angel gave him , and p. 94. how thereby he came to owne the Messias , the care Anna had over the young Virgins in the Temple , and the manner of observing her Feast with Wax Candles ; the miracles p. 98. wrought in Aegypt at Christs being there ; the miracle of the Pool of Bethesda being caused p. 101. by the wood of the Cross , being hid there by King Solomon , which floated in our Saviou●● p. 198. time , and when they took it out for the crucifying Christ , then the Pool lost its vertue : and abundance of other interpolations and corruptions of the story of the Gospel ; but by these few , we may guess what sincerity we are to expect from such men in the relating the miracles of their own order , who cannot keep their hands off from forgery and imposture , in relating the story of the Gospel . And after the same manner Xavier hath published the History of St. Peter . But lest any should imagine that these Books were framed and set forth by some enemies to the Jesuits , to the disgrace of their Order , Alegambe confesses they were both written in the Persian Language by Hierome Xavier , and faithfully translated into Latin by Lud. de Dieu ; some very few faults he takes notice of , but they are so slight , that they confirm his Authority in all the rest : Let now any impattial man judge whether such Persons deserve any faith in relating other miracles , that dare so horribly to adulterate and corrupt the very story of the Bible ? but they little thought these abominable frauds , would ever have come to light in these parts , to make us truly understand what kind of Gospel it is which they propagated in the Indies ; and how unlikely it is that God should give the attestation of miracles to such lewd forgeries . And thus much may suffice for comparing the credibility of the Testimony on which miracles are received in the Roman Church , with that upon which we believe the miracles of Christ and his Apostles . Enough one would think , not only to stop the mouth of E. W. for the future , but even of Impudence it self .

§. 11. 3. I now come to shew the notorious Of the Impostures and Forgeries of Miracles in the Roman Church . frauds and impostures which have bee● discovered in the Roman Church in this point of miracles . It was an easie matter in an Age o● Credulity and Ignorance to set up for a power of miracles ; for few men were inquisitive into the nature and circumstances of things , and those who understood , generally the best i● those times , were either Contrivers or Friends ▪ yet it so fell out , that some notorious impostures have been discovered , which have differed in nothing from those which have passed for true miracles among them , but only in the fortune of being discovered . Glab●● Rodulphus in his History , tells a story of his Gla●●●●od●lpi Hist. l. 4. c. 3. own knowledge of a certain Person that went up and down pretending to do great wonders ; after the great feats he had done in France , he goes into the Alps ; and there pretends to have found the Relicks of St. Justus the Martyr , the Countrey people flocked in to him , and they who came whole and sound were sorry they had no Disease or Lameness to be cured . But certain it is , saith the Historian , strange Cures were wrought there ; the Bishops in whose Diocesses these things were done , instead of making strict enquiries , demanded money to give licence to deceive the People . At last , one Ma●sred a Great man in those parts caused the Body which wrought these miracles to be taken away and placed in a Monastery of his own erecting , and this Relick-Finder grew into great request with him , promising to discover more precious Relicks than these , and he told him the names of the Martyrs , and manners of suffering very exactly . Some persons , among whom the Historian himself was one , asked him how he knew these things ; he told them , that an Angel appeared to him in the night , and told him all the things he desired to know ; and lifted him out of his bed , and after many discourses , they parted very lovingly . Although some of them suspected the imposture , yet the Bishops who consecrated the Church with great Pomp , and applause of the People , who were innumerable , solemnised the translation of these Relicks . And although afterwards the wiser sort found out the cheat , and that the Body was taken at a venture in the night out of a Grave , yet the work of miracles went on as well as if the Martyr had been there , and the People still continued in the belief of it . This the Historian saith , he purposely inserted to discover the imposture of those pretended miracles . Gulielmus Neubrigens●s gives an account of a seditious person in London Guil. Neubrigens . de r●bus A●glicis l. 5. o. 20 , 21. in the time of Richard the first called William Longbeard , who stiled himself the Saviour of the Poor , and had gotten so great an interest among the People , that he had two and fifty thousand men at his command , at last he was seized on and executed ; b●● after his death the people cryed him up for ● Martyr , and a Priest got one of his Chains , and gave out that he cured one sick of ● Fever by it ; the people being encourage● by this , took away the very Gallows where he hung in the night , and all the earth about it where any of his blood was supposed to be spilt , and they digged so far as to make ● Pitt with carrying away the earth for the Cure of Diseases . By these instances we see what a disposition the people were in , to be deluded under a pretence of Relicks and Miracles .

But it may be said , that such impostors may be in any Religion , and this reflects no mo●● dishonour on the Roman Church , than Simon Magus did upon the Apostles : I proceed therefore to shew , that Persons who have been countenanced and encouraged in that Church have been found guilty of imposture . At the latter end of the twelfth Century appeared one Fulco , a man very famous for the great miracles wrought by him , and his extraordinary way of preaching . He was , saith Jacob. de Vitriaco Histor. Occidental . c. ● . Jacobus de Vitriaco , a plain Countrey Priest , very simple and illiterate , who had been a ●oose and dissolute man , but being now re●ormed , to the University of Paris he goes ●o get some Authorities and Moral Docu●ents in his Note-books , which saith he , he ●●●nished himself with , as so many smooth ●●ones to destroy Goliah . Being thus far armed ●e pretends a Commission from Heaven to go ●broad to preach in all places , and gave out ●hat the Blessed Virgin appeared to him , and ●ad fitted him for that work , and bad him go ●●each repentance in all places , and that she ●ad bestowed the Gift of Healing upon him , ●s Otto de Sancto Blasio tells us . Upon this , Otto de Sancto ●lasio a●pend . ad Otton . Frising . c. 47. Ja● . de Vitr . c. 8. ●e preaches at Paris to the great admiration ●f his hearers , who looked on him as a per●on inspired , saith Jacob. de Vitriaco , and as ●nother St. Paul ; which preaching was so ●●fectual with many of the people , as to make ●hem take off their Garments and Shoo 's , and ●arrying Whips in their hands , to cast them●elves at his feet to receive penance . After this way he went over all France , and a great ●art of the Empire , and came over into Eng●●nd , Matth. W●stmonast . A. D. 1197. Knighton l. 2. p 2412. apud 10. Scriptores . Hoveden . Annal. p. post . p. 448. as our Historians tell us , and preached before Richard the first , by the same token he ●alled him Hypocrite , to the great regret of some of our Historians ; but it seems he staid ●ot long here , but away he went for France ●gain● Hoveden tells us that the Clergy of Lisieux in Normandy cast him into Prison but he made a shift to get from thence quickly , and went to Caen where he was again imprisoned by the Governour of the Castle ; an● escaping thence , he cast off the the dust o● his feet against them : But although the Kin● of England had so mean an opinion of him the people in France thought they could no● sufficiently adore him . For Jac. de Vitria●● Jac. de Vitriaco c. 8. saith , that they thought themselves happ● who could get any piece of his Garments , 〈◊〉 so much that he was fain almost every day t● put on a new habit : which one day the people tore so unreasonably , that he desired the● that they would not tear his Garments whic● were not blessed , but he would bless the h●bit of one that stood by him , which he 〈◊〉 no sooner done , but the people did tear it i● a thousand pieces , and preserved them f● Relicks : They pressed so much upon hi● saith the same Grave Author , that he w● forced to beat them off with a Staff in h● hand ; and although he wounded some wi●● his blows , yet they were so far from bei●● displeased at it , that they kissed the bloo● which came from them , as being sanctifi●● by his strokes : ( for his Hair Shirt and P● nance made him very Cholerick ) . Never an● man had greater reputation for miracles tha● this ; for where ever he came , it was give out that he cured all Diseases ; as all the Hi●orians that mention him agree ; but Otto ●ives the most particular account of them , ●hich he said he had from one Bertoldus de ●sinberc , who saw him ; when any dumb ●ere brought unto him he opened their ●ouths , and breathed into them , and com●anded them to speak ; which if they did not presently , he gave them a good blow on ●he cheeks , and then they spake . He made a very infirm Boy leap off his Horse and run before him with holding up his Staff , as one ready to strike him . But never was poor man so served as the rich Usurer was by him , ( for we must know his great zeal was against Usury ) he seeing in the Spirit , saith Bertoldus , that this man was praedestinated to life , took an occasion to dine with him ; and assoon as he was gone into his house , he asked what he had to Dinner ; the man told him he need not trouble himself about that , he would provide as well for him as the City would afford ; he was not satisfied with this , but would needs go into the Kitchin and have all set before him , which was no sooner done , but he ( very spightfully , so near Dinner time ) turns all into Frogs and Serpents ; upon which the poor Usurer fell upon his knees and begged pardon for all his faults . But Fulco told him , both he and all his provisions were unclean ; and there was no way for him to escape , but to give away all that he had ; which the Usurer in a little time after told him he had done ; but it seems he had forgotten a quantity of Wheat which was yet left . Fulco hearing of it , takes the Usurer with him , and goes to the place where it lay , and found it full of Toads and Serpents ; then he tells him , if he would be perfect , and certain of Gods mercy , he should go naked into that Granary , then he promised him eternal life ; which command he presently obeyed , and then Fulco shut up and sealed down the cover of it , and commanded all not to come near it till next morning ; then great multitudes flocked to see what was become of the man , and they found nothing but a mans bones whiter than Snow ; which he took out , and declared them to be holy Relicks , and caused them to be laid up accordingly . By this one miracle attested by one , who saith , he saw his miracles , we may judge of the man and his miracles . However , this man was thought a fit instrument to be imployed by the Pope to preach up a Croisado ( for their Holinesses have thought fit to make use of such false pretenders to Inspiration and Miracles , as the fittest men to manage their designs , as Peter the Eremit by Urban the second , and this man by Innocent the third ) For Otto saith expresly that he preached by the Popes Authority : and the Chronicon Andrense lately published by D'achery , affirms the same : Raynaldus mentions

D'a●herii Spicil●g . Tom. 9. p. 520.

Raynald . ad A D 1198. ● . 38.

the Letters which were sent him from Innocent the third ; and Jacobus de Vitriaco saith , that at last , he carryed the Cross upon his shoulders , and perswaded Princes and others to an Expedition to the Holy Land ; and by this means he heaped up abundance of wealth togeth● ; and from that time , saith the same Author , his Authority and Reputation began to decline , and not long after he dyed of a Fever at Neulli in his own Parish Church , where he began his work . Otto hath no mind at all to speak of his end , but only saith , that men cannot tell what became of him , after the stories of his miracles , nor what end he made ; at which , he saith , the wiser men were exceedingly scandalized ; but he thinks he might be honestly defended . But Rigordus who lived in the Rigord . de G●s● is Philippi A D. 1198. same time with him , intimates his mind sufficiently about him , when after mentioning his miracles and preaching , he saith , but if a man desires to know with what intention a man preaches , he must look to his end , because the end doth most clearly discover the intention of the heart . By which it is easie to understand what kind of person he thought this Fulco to be . One of the greatest companions of this Fulco , was one Petrus de Rusciaco or de Rusciaco , who had likewise gained a great reputation for preaching poverty till he made himself excessively rich , and by that means , saith Jacobus de Vitriaco , he not only Jac. de Vitriaco . c. 8. Hist. Occid . made his own doctrine contemptible , but brought a great scandal upon all the Disciples of Fulco . And Robertus Antissiodorensis an Rob. A●tissiod . Chron. ad A. D. 1198. Author of that time , acknowledges that the devotion of the people occasioned by these Preachers speedily declined , and many that seemed to be reformed of their vices , returned to the practice of them . But Jacobus de Vitriaco adds afterwards , that many false Jac. de Vltriaco ● . 10. Prophets and deceivers went abroad under the same pretence of extraordinary preaching ; and which is more , that they were sent by the Bishops of several Churches to get money from the people for the repair of their Churches ; and Antissiodorensis expresly saith , that Fulco went abroad to preach in his itinerant manner by the Inspiration of God , and the Licence of his Bishop .

Within less than forty years after this Fulco , appeared another famous Imposter pretending to work great miracles called Johannes d● Vincentia , or Vicen●a in Italy , of the Dominican Order , say the most Historians , although Vignier makes him a Cordelier . This man was imployed by Pope Gregory the 9th in the time of his Troubles with Frederick the second to the City of Bononia , and prevailed Si●on . de Regno I●ali● l. 17. so much upon them , saith Sigonius , by the reputation of his Learning and Sanctity , that in a little time he had gotten the whole power of the City in his hands . But that which chiefly gained him so great authority , was the opinion of his great miracles ; for Guido Bonatus , who lived in that time , and saith Fulgos. l. 1. ti● . de Relig. cul●● C. 1. he saw him , affirms that he had made the People believe he had Revelations from God , and that by his command the dead were raised : Spondanus out of Thomas Cantipratensis

Spondan . Annal. Eccl. A. D. 1233. n. 10.

Vi●nie● Histor. de l'Eg●●se A. D. 1264.

mentions seven , Vignier eighteen that had been raised by him from the dead , and adds , that his companions gave out , that he cured all Diseases , cast out Devils , and did many other miracles : but after a while , he saith , his imposture was discovered , but not before he had gotten twenty thousand Marks of Silver to his Convent : and Guido Bonatus saith of himself , that he was thought an Heretick for suspecting his imposture from the beginning . Matthew Paris saith of him , that he lost all his esteem through his pride and bad company . Spondanus knows not what to say to this judgement of Matthew Paris , finding him on one side so highly commended Mat. Paris in Hen. 3. A. D. 1238. by Pope Gregory the ninth in his Letters to him , and on the other such evident Testimonies , that in a little time he lost all the Authority he had in Bononia . But it is plain by the Letters of Pope Gregory extant in Raynaldus , Odoric . Raynald . A. D. 1233. n. 35 ; 37 , 38. that he looked on him as one inspired , and that had a gift of miracles ; for he solemnly gives thanks to Jesus Christ for the great miracles wrought by him , which he parallels with those wrought by Moses in the presence of Pharaoh for the redemption of the People of Israel ; and it is as evident , that some of the learnedst men in the Roman Church look on him as a meer impostor . For the famous Jesuit who writ the Diatribae against the Dominicans under the name of Petrus de Valle clausâ , reckons up this man

Pelri de Valle-clausâ diatrib . advers. Cyriacos Sect. 11.

Joh. Casalas Candor Lilii Vindicatus p. 431.

among the notorious cheats of that Order : and he who writ in vindication of the Order hath very little to say for him , but only that the Pope had a better opinion of him : which it seems the Jesuit who knew the Popes correspondence with him well enough , did not think sufficient to excuse him from imposture . And yet after all this , Bzovius for the honour of his Order , attributes to him wonderful Bzov. Annales A. D. 1232. n. 2. sanctity and miracles ; and makes him to have cured abundance of Diseases with the sign of the Cross , to have raised up ten men from the dead : adding , that once when he was praying , there appeared a Cross in his forehead , another time over his head ; and that a bright Star was seen over him , and an Angel whispering in his ear . Judge now Reader , what credit these Reporters of miracles in the Roman Church do deserve from ●s : when such Persons who are by their own order cryed up for the workers of miracles , are by others of their own Church condemned for meer impostors .

But one of the most notorious impostures which ever came to light , was that of the Dominicans at Bern ; the substance of which , I shall give from the Authentick relation it self as it was published A. D. 1509. very soon De 4. Haeresiarchis Ordinis Praedicatorum , &c. apud Suitc●ses in Civitate Berne●si combustis A D. 1509. after the thing was done . It seems the Controversie about the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin had caused great heats in Germany , and all sorts did favour the Desenders of it ; which extreamly discontented the Dominicans , who found that the Franciscans gained ground of them chiefly upon the Authority of some Revelations and miracles . The Dominicans therefore considered how they might vye with their Adversaries in these things , and resolved to have Revelations from the Blessed Virgin against the immaculate conception , and to have as good Marks of Christs wounds in their Order as St. Francis had ; but such a design required a good Theatre to act it on , where it might not be discovered , and yet be sufficiently known ; at first they thought of Francfort , then of Norimberg , but at last they pitched upon Bern , as most convenient , by reason of the simplicity and ignorance of the People . Four Persons were imployed as the chief Actors in it , although with the consent and knowledge of the Provincial ; the first was Johannes Vetter the Prior of the Convent , the second Stephanus Bolshort their Preacher , the third Franciscus Ulschi the Sub-prior , the fourth Henricus Steinscer the Procurator of the Convent . Not long after , an occasion happened for them to begin their design , a plain simple Taylor called Johannes Jets●● happened to desire to be admitted a L●●brother , at first they scorned him , but finding he had money , they consented to his Admission ; after they had tryed him they found him a fit Person to practise upon . Accordingly the Sub-prior in the night threw stones into his room , and made dreadful noises to affright him with the apprehension of Spirits disturbing him ; the next day they gave him Wax Lights and holy Water and some sacred Relicks to arm him , so that he might have the courage to talk with the Spirit , and they informed him what he was to say to it . The next night the Spirit , viz. the Sub-prior comes again , and puts the poor Taylor into a miserable fright , so that he durst not answer as he was instructed ; then the Spirit comes and seizes upon his Throat , as though he were going to choak him , at which he cryed out and desired to know how he might help him ; for he was told it was the Soul of one in Purgatory that came for relief ; then the Spirit told him he must discipline himself for eight dayes till the blood came , and cause eight Masses to be said for him : and to say himself fifty Pater Nosters , and as many Ave Maria's for him , and at every one to kiss the ground in remembrance of Judas his kiss to Christ , and then he should be delivered : all this he promised to discover to his Superiors ; the Spirit bid him not be affrighted , for he was to come again six dayes after , and to bring others with him : Immediately these things were publickly performed , and mighty flocking of the people there was upon the noise of it , and the Dominicans were cryed up to the great disgrace of the Franciscans . Against the next time , ( when Stephen whom they appointed his Confessor , had found him , not mistrusting in the least any trick in it ) they told him they would certainly try whether he was a good or evil Spirit , by two pieces of the Blessed Sacrament which they would have ready against the time the Spirit was to appear again . The Spirit comes at the time appointed with two more : but the honest Taylor having now gotten heart by the presence of the Host , adjures the Spirit to answer him , and to tell him his business ▪ Then the Spirit revealed to him , that the other two were his Tormentors which immediately vanished away ; that he had been i● Purgatory one hundred and sixty years , th● the Dominican Order was the best in the world , that some were in Purgatory for contradicting St. Thomas his opinion about the maculate conception ; that the City of Be● should be destroyed , unless the Francisca● were expelled out of it , that Scotus was in Purgatory for asserting the immaculate conception , with many other particulars concerning himself which they had learnt from him in confession . After this the Spirit appeared in the Form of St. Barbara , and told him the other Spirit would now return no more ; but that the Blessed Virgin would appear suddenly to him ; which accordingly happened , and then revealed to him that the Pope would shortly determine against the immaculate conception , and in favour to him told him , that she gave him some of the Swadling Clouts Jesus was wrapt in , and a Vial full of her Sons Blood ( such another I suppose as that at St. Maximins in France ) with several other particulars too large to be mentioned . The most remarkable thing after this was , the next appearance of the Blessed Virgin , who expressed a great kindness to him , and ● favour she would confer upon him in token of her maculate conception : then she desired ●im to put out his hand , at first he was unwil●ing , but durst not refuse , then the Spirit drove a great Nail into his hand , and made ● wound in it , and bad him keep it open with ●qua fortis and other corrosives , the next ●ight she brings him Clouts to lay to it , such ●s St. Francis had , but fearing he should not hold out with the other four wounds , a Wa●er was given him which deprived him of all sense , and then were the rest made , which when he came to himself he wondred at , and was ready to believe indeed that they came ●rom Heaven ; and wondred at himself how like St. Francis he was : Then they taught him to imitate Christs sufferings in his carriages , by stretching out his arms and hanging down his head in publick : which drew a strange concourse of people to see him , and when they gave him the Water , then the Prior told them , that the expired with devotion : after this , they perswaded him to great mortification and abstinence ; that it might be thought he had deserved these revelations and wounds by his great merits . At last the poor man discovered his Confessors voice in the habit of the Blessed Virgin , and cryed out he was cheated ; then another came with the Host all bloody in his hands , as they had coloured it , and assured him he was the Blessed Virgin whom he doubted of before : but his suspicions still increased by their endeavours to take them away . Then he resolves to leave the Convent , which they perceiving , at last drew him to consent to the carrying on the design : which when he had done , they began to shew new tricks to the people , makeing the Image of the Blessed Virgin to weep , by the help of one Lazarus a Painter , and Jetzer to embrace it so fast in a posture of devotion , that he could not be stirred from it , till the bloody Eucharist was brought . But Jetzer was at length tired out , with the severities they used towards him , and afraid of being poysoned to prevent the discovery , and so escaped out of the Convent , and then declared all this Imposture to the Magistrates , upon which they were all seized upon , and after many delayes used in the prosecution of them at the Court of Rome , they were at last burned , and their ashes cast into the River , lest they should be preserved for Relicks ; as the Author of the Relation confesses they were accounted Martyrs by some and thought to be very unjustly condemned and executed . And no doubt , the violent prosecution of them was due to their inveterate enemies the Franciscans ; otherwise , they might have escaped as other impostors had done before them . But the pretending to the wounds of St. Francis was an unpardonable fault with them ; and to be expiated with nothing less than death .

This story , is not only thus related in this Book published on purpose ( which I have by me ) but the truth of it is confessed by Trithemius , by Peter Martyr Anglericus , by

Trithem . Chro●ico● Sponheim . A. D. 1509. Petr. Mart. ●p. 341 , 402.

Basel addit . ad Naucler . S●ri . Comment. 〈◊〉 gest .

Del Rio disquisit . Magic . l. 4. c. 1. q. 3. sect. 4. Spondan . A●n . A. D. 1508. n. 5.

Petrus 〈◊〉 Valle-claus● sect . 99. Candor Li●il Vindicat. p. 421.

Baselius , by Surius , by Del Rio , by Sponda● , and by Petrus à Valle-claus● , all of them far enough from being suspected of any enmity to the Roman Church . Bzovius thought it the best way to take no notice at all of it , and so did Genebrard , Gaultier , considering what a dishonour it reflects on them , by the occasion it gives to suspect other frauds and impostures which have been managed by better hands . But the late Dominican Apologist Joh. Casalas would needs have it all to be a meer contrivance of Reuchlin out of his hatred to the Monks ; which is so ridiculous and absurd an evasion , that it appears by it he had never seen the Authentick Relation of it . But he tells us , that Antonius Senens●s in his Bibliotheca Ordinis Praedicatorum justifies the men that suffered , saying that they suffered innocently , being oppressed by their enemies . So impossible is it for the greatest frauds and impostures as to Revelations and Miracles , to want Friends in the Roman Church .

But we must not think this sort of impostures was confined only to the Dominican Order , for the Franciscans at Orleans were found out in the counterseiting a Mute Spirit , representing the soul of a woman deceased that made signs she was damned for being a Lutheran , which was found to be nothing else but a Novice of their Order appointed by them to act that part : but after full discovery of the matter of fact they were preserved from punishment for the reputation of their Order , in a time when the design was to persecute the Lutherans . This story I confess is Sleida● . Comment. l. 9. A. 1534. related by Sleidan , but I do not find it contradicted by any of their own Authors .

Of the same Seraphical Order , and not long after that time , appeared in Spain a notorious

Ribadincira de vit. Ignatii l. 5. c. 10.

Del-Rio disquis . Mag. l 2. q. 18 , 25.

Benzo Hist. Novi orbis l 3. c. 16.

Impostor called Magdalena de la Cruz , and confessed to be such by Ribadineira , Del-Rio , Benzo and others : She was Abbess of the Franciscan Nuns in Corduba , and these miracles are reported of her , that being invocated in a storm at Sea , she appeared to the Mariners , and the storm ceased , that she was frequently lifted up in Trances into the Air , that once being so lifted up , she received the Host , which came out of the hands of the Priest through the Air and en●red into her mouth , that when she was in the Garden , and the Sacrament by chance passed by in the Street , the Wall of the Garden opened that she might worship the Host , that for many dayes she lived only upon the Blessed Sacrament . Her reputation by means of these Miracles was so great , that the great Ladies of Spain being at the point of Child-●irth sent to her their Child-bed-linnen to be blessed by her . Nay , the Empress her self , ●ent hers from Valladolid to Corduba ; and the Emperour undertook no great expedition without consulting her ; and desiring her prayers ; and yet after all these things the Dominican Inquisitors being jealous of the growing reputation , by her means , of the ●ranciscan Order , found a pretence to seize upon her , and upon examination condemned her for a notorious impostor .

Such another was Maria de la Visitacion , Prioress de la Annuntiada in Lisbon ( of whom I have spoken elsewhere on another occasion ) but she was of the Dominican Order , ( for these two Orders of Mendicants still did strive to out-match each other in these pretended Saints and Miracles , and by their mutual jealousies and animosities these impostures came to be discovered , without which they had passed among the people as current as those of the Founders of the two Orders ) . About her a Book was published in French by Stephen de Lustgnan a Dominican Frier , printed at Paris by John Bessan● A. D. 1586. with this Title , The great miracles and most holy wounds which this present year 1586. have happened to the right reverend Mother , now Prioress of the Mon●stery de la Annuntiada in Lisbon , of the Order of Preaching Friers , approved by the reverend Father Frier Lewis of Granada , and other persons worthy of credit ; in his dedication to the Queen of France he saith , that he had published the greatest miracles that ever Almighty God in our times hath wrought in the person of a most noble , most vertuous , and most religious Virgin , most devoted to the Holy Sacrament , and St. Thomas of Aquine : by whose merits and intercessions she hath deserved to have visibly for her Husband Jesus Christ crucified , his five most holy Wounds , by means whereof the Divine Majesty doth continually divers miracles . In the Letter of the Provincial F. Antonio de l● Cerda sent to Rome to be shewed to the Pope , and afterwards printed by order , are these passages concerning her . Mother Mary de la Visitacion at eleven years of Age entred into the Monastery de la Annuntiada , and at sixteen years made prosession . In which time our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to this Religious , to recompence her merits , and took her to his Spouse , saying to her the words of the Prophet Jeremy , I have loved thee with an ev●rlasting love , &c. And from that time forward , he still appeared to her ; granting her many particular favours , speaking and conversing familiarly with her , as one Friend doth with another , as God talked and discoursed with Moses ; and oft times he appeared to her accompanied with Saints of both Sexes , as with Mary Magdalene , St. Domin●ck , St. Thomas of Aquine , St. Katharine of Siena , and sometimes alone , and was very familiar with her , helping her to say the Canonical Hours , and at the end of every Psalm she would say , Gloria Patri , & tibi , & Spiritui Sancto : he tells strange stories , of her Raptures and Extasies , of her miraculous Cures of Diseases ; and how the Host came of its own accord to her mouth out of the place where it was kept : of her miraculous wounds in imitation of St. Francis , made by Christ himself with beams of fire issuing from him in her side , hands and feet , which opened on Frydayes ; and how she was often seen , with a glory about her , lifted up into the Air. To these Lewis of Granada adds , that for seven years every Thursday , at the Ave Mary hour she felt in he● head all the pains of the Crown of Thorns , and she had some marks of those thorns in 〈◊〉 head , and the pains endured till Friday ●he same hour . Many more particular miracles the Provincial relates of her , as the curing of a Cancer , by applying one of the Clouts to it which was taken from the wound in her side ; and that instruments were made of the truth of this by a publick Notary : and of other Diseases , by pieces of the C●oss given by her ; from which Lusignan among other conclusions draws this , that miracles have ever continued in the Catholick , Apostolick and Roman Church . Such kind of miracles I grant have , but I think not much to the credit of it . Sixtus 5. was over-joyed at the News of these glorious miracles , as he expressed in his Letter to that purpose to Cardinal Alb●rtus of Austria , dated at Rome , Sep●emb. 10. 1584. subscribed Antonio Prucha Badulini . And so great was her reputation in Spain , that she was chosen to bless the Standard Royal in the Spanish Armada 1588. which was performed with a mighty solemnity . After all which , in the beginning of 1589. she was condemned for an Impostor , and a Book published shewing the man●er how she deceived the people in this pretence of miracles .

Ribadineira mentions such another impostor , Ribadin●ir . vit. Ign. Lo●lae l. 5. c. 10. viz. a Nunn at Bononia , which imitated the pains of our Saviour on the Cross , and saith , that she had the wounds in her hands and side , and the pains of the Crown of Thorns on her head , which dropt blood from them ; but she had at last a very bad end ; the observation of which impostures made , saith he , Ignatius Loyola in his old Age vehemently to suspect , those frequent Extasies , Visions and Revelations , which himself had pretended to as much as any in his younger dayes . And afterwards he excuseth Ignatius Loyola for not having his sanctity so attested with miracles as some expected ; and saith , that miracles are not necessary in our times . This he writ A. D. 1572. but although he knew Ignatius as well then as ever he did afterwards , yet when the design of Canonizing Ignatius began to be managed by the Society , then Rib●dineira changed his story , ●d in the lesser account of his life published afterwards , pretends to abundance of miracles that were wrought by him . By which we may easily guess of what credit those miracles are , which so intimate a Friend of Ignatius knew nothing of , till it was thought to be much for the honour of their Society , that he should be Canonized . And it is observable , that the miracles mentioned by Ribadineira were such , only which are most lyable to fraud and imposture , viz. casting out of Devils in their way , of which there are so many notorious instances in the Roman Church .

Hasenmullerus who had been himself a Jesuit , relates that his Brethren at Rome told Hasen Muller . Histor. J●suitici Ordinis c. 8. him , that a Woman possessed with a Devil followed Ignatius , and cryed , Thou only art able to deliver me , then Ignatius turning about repeated this Verse of Virgil ,

Speluncam Dido , Dux & Trojanus eandem .

At which ( for there is an unknown quality in these words for casting out Devils ) the Devil threw the Woman down , and going out of her cryed , O thou Son of Loyola , like a Lyon thou sendest me to Hell , but I beseech thee send me any where else ; then Ignatius taking pity on the poor Devil , bid him go whither he would , so he possessed no body after : at which the Woman was delivered : and as the Jesuit Turrian said , she was a devout servant of Ignatius all her dayes . Another time , a servant of Cardinal Farnese was possessed with a sullen Devil , that was resolved not to be cast out , but only by Ignatius ; he was then called by the People , and he told them , he knew that Devil well enough , he thinks to laugh at me and you too , but he shall be deceived . Therefore he gives a Brother of his Order one of the Beads of his Rosary , which was consecrated by Pius the fifth , and bid him come behind the possessed person ( was that fair dealing to come behind the Devil ? ) and to touch him , and say softly , I adjure thee in the name of the Virgin Mary , and by command of my Father Loyola , and by the virtue of this blessed Bead to be gone . Immediately the Devil cryed out , that Loyola tormented him ; but no persons saw him there abouts : the Devil then explained himself saying , that his Bead was of more force than all their Exorcisms ; and so left him .

The same Author tells us of his own knowledge , that at Landsperg in Germany , there was a Carter that went to his Parish Priest and told him , that the Devil did often drive him to his doors , but would not go in himself , nor let him go in ; not long after , this sellow was taken and condemned for Thievery , but he pretended he was possessed with a Devil ; the Jesuits hearing of it , came to him , and made use of all their Exorcisms , but to no purpose . At last the Rector of the Colledge remembring Ignatius his cunning way of coming behind the Devil , follows his method , and with an Agnus Dei commands the Devil in the name of the Virgin Mary to be gone , but the obstinate Devil told him plainly he would not be gone , unless the man were saved from hanging . Forthwith , the Jesuits got his Pardon , and the Devil was presently gone , and the man went away and laughed in his slieve , and told others afterwards , he counterfeited being possessed , only to escape hanging . But however the Jesuits boasted of this as a great miracle , and commended the use of Agnus Dei's very highly for this , and sold abundance of them ( as Mountebanks do their Medicines ) to the People , that were willing to be cheated . And one of the Fathers of the Society called Lutz made a Sermon to the People on the occasion of this miracle , in commendation of Agnus Dei's . Many other such stories he relates of the Jesuits miracles .

But we are not to imagine , that these subtle Jesuits only cast out Devils thus in other Countreys , for we have sufficient evidence of this Faculty of theirs here at home : For which we are to understand , that in the years 1585. and 1586. the Jesuits in England finding it necessary to animate their party towards a design then in hand , thought nothing would tend so much to it , as pretending to some great miracles . And nothing being more easie to be managed for the deceiving the People , than the casting out of Devils , where they never were , this they resolve upon . To this end they gave out , that the places where they intended to act this Scene were mightily haunted with Spirits , then they made choice of fit Persons to shew their tricks upon , which were hypochondriacal and distempered men , and some hysterical and fearful Women , who had all of them their dependance on such as were fast friends to the design : twelve Exorcists were imployed to act their parts in this Scene under Weston or Edmonds the Jesuit , who was the chief Contriver and Manager of it . It happened that three of the Maid servants had been Protestants ; these they told that the Protestants are possessed with Devils , and that no good could be done to them till their Baptism was set right . Then to work they go with them , as to their Baptism , with their Latin Charms , their Salt , Spittle , Oyl , &c. and gave them new names . This being done , they took all occasions to tell them strange stories of Exorcisins in forrain Countreys , the manner of the fits of possessed persons , and the words they spake , and the sights they saw , how they roared at the approach of any Sacred Relicks , how they could not abide the sight of the Sacrament , or the Priests , how they would greatly commend Hereticks , and complain that they were burnt if the Priests did but touch them . By this they very well understood their parts , and they were soon put upon shewing their skill in acting them ; for at the first Mass that ever one of the Maids saw , she was put into the Holy Chair , and they bound her with Towels , then one of the Priests read in his Book of Exorcising , but finding no alteration in her , but only from her fear , they made her drink about a Pint of Sack & Sallet Oyl being hallowed and mingled with Rue and some kind of Spices , which they called the Holy Potion . The Maid loathed the taste of it , which they told her came from the Devil , who hated nothing more than that Holy Drink , but she was forced by degrees to drink it up . Then she grew very sick and giddy , and fell into a cold sweat , which made her begin to believe her self pofsessed . After this they burned Brimstone with other things , and made her hold down her face over the smoke of it : which they did , till they made her look black in the face . By this horrible usage , the Wench fell first into a rage , and spake she knew not what , then it intoxicated and benummed her senses , and at last she fell into a swound : and when she came to her self , told them they had almost killed her ; and some of them after this usage ( which was common to all whom they would have believed to be possessed ) were resolved rather to make away themselves , than endure i● again . They had invented pretty names for the Devils which possessed them , Frateretto , Fliberdigibbet , Hoberdidance , Tocobatto , Kellico , Porterichio , Motubizanto , Maho , Modu , &c. When ever they cryed out with pain and ill usage , they still said , it was the Devil in them , so that at last they were forced to comply with them , and to say just as they would have them for their own ease . Then the work went on well , and the Devil commended the Queen and the Protestants , but declared a great hatred of Holy Water and Relicks , especially of Campians Thumb and Brians Bones , when they applyed them to them . All the dreams they had in the night passed for Visions ; and as often as the Exorcists pleased , what ever they said or did was not by themselves , but by the Devils in them . But at last , when some of their own party disliked their doings , and they were in great fears of having their horrible imposture discovered , they soon dispossessed all the Devils out of them . Then their care was to prevent discovery by these persons , whom they disposed of in several places , and fed with money and promises , and kept from their Friends , and sometimes threatning them , that if they confessed any thing , the Devil would possess them worse than before : and withal told them , that without an Oath they might say any thing to excuse themselves ; but Harrington a Priest , that had taken to himself one of the Wenches afterwards , under pretence of marrying her ; told Friswood Williams which was her right name , that if she were examined upon Oath , the Church did dispence with her , so as she might answer what she thought good notwithstanding ; because an Oath did not bind her to confess any thing that might tend to the dishonour of their Priesthood , or of the Catholick Church .

Before this imposture was discovered , it did the Priests very great service , for Anthony Tyrrell one of the Priests in his examination confessed , that in the compass of half a year , they had gained five hundred persons to their Church ; and some said three or four thousand . And the Priests had written several Books concerning the miracles wrought by them , full of most notorious forgeries , as appeared by the particular examination of the Persons pretended to be dispossessed by them . Tyrell said that Weston the Provincial of the Jesuits had written a Quire of Paper of the Visions of Mainey one of the persons out of whom he said he had cast out Devils ; and another Book to prove the continuance of this power in their Church , and to shew the vertue of holy Relicks especially of their late Tyburn Saints , Campian , Sher●in , Brian and Coltam . This business making so much noise put the Persons in Authority upon enquiring more strictly into it ; and having at last seized upon some of the Persons concerned in it , in their several examinations upon oath they confessed the whole cheat , as I have delivered it from them . Their examinations were entred upon Record in the Court of High-commission , and afterwards published A. D. 1604. with a particular declaration of the whole imposture . In which any person may satisfie himself of the Truth of what I have reported , and abundance of circumstances which I have omitted . Tyrell the Priest upon his oath June 15. 1602. declared in his consession written with his own hand , that having perused the examinations of Sara Williams and Friswood her sister , of Anne Smith and of Richard Mainey , he was fully perswaded that they have deposed the truth in such points whereof they were examined belonging to their pretended possession or dispossession . The effect whereof , saith he , is , that they were drawn by our cunning carriage of matters , to seem , as though they had been possessed , when as in truth they were not , neither were any of the Priests ignorant in my Conscience of their dissimulatino , nor the parties themselves , ( as now it appeareth ) of our dissembled proceeding with them . And afterwards adds a very material thing , viz. For although both my self , ( and so I think of the rest ) did know that all was but counterfeit , yet for as much as we perceived that thereby great credit did grow to the Catholick cause , and great discredit to the Protestants , we held it lawful to do as we did . For the general conceit , saith he , among all the Priests of that Order is , that they may deny any thing , which being confessed doth turn to the dishonour of the Catholick Church of Rome : and concludes his confession with saying , that they do not account it evil , ( as I verily think ) to c●lumniate the Protestants by any device whatsoever , that may carry any probability with it , nor make any Conscience at all to tell and publish any untruths , which they think , being believed , may advance and promote such points and matters as they take upon them to defend for the honour of the Church of Rome and dignity of their Priesthood . Judge now , Reader , whether such persons do not deserve the highest credit in all their stories of Miracles , who think it lawful both to cheat and lie for the sake of their Church .

Not twenty years after the discovery of this imposture ●e find them at the same work again , when they writ the faithful narration of the proceedings of the Catholick Gentlemen with the Boy of Bilson ; with this sentence at the beginning and end of it . Non nobis Domine , non nobis ; sed Nomini tuo da Gloriam , Whereas the history of this imposture is so particularly laid open by the confession of the Boy himself , that it would make any others ( but such as have the impudence to compare their frauds and impostures with the miracles of Christ and his Apostles ) be ashamed ever to mention or own it .

Such another imposture Thuanus at large T●uan . ●ist . l. 123. relates concerning Martha Brossier , A. D. 1599. which gave great disturbance in France , happening so soon after the edict of ●ants . One James Brossier being weary of his poor imployment at home , wanders from place to place with his three Daughters , and this Martha pretended to be possessed with an evil Spirit , and although the cheat was discovered in other places , yet at Paris they hoped to meet with some who would be ready to make use of such a counterfeit possession for their own ends ; accordingly there the Capuchins presently lay hold upon her , and perswade the people she was really possessed ; the Arch-Bishop of Paris disliking the Capuchins proceedings appointed some of the ablest Physicians in Paris to watch and examine her , who presently suspected the imposture , but desired further time and advice . In the mean while Fr. Seraphin very solemnly falls to his Exorcisms , and she acted her part so artificially with writhing her body , rolling her eyes , and trembling of all her joynts as caused great astonishment in the Spectators ; but at these words Homo factus est , she moved her whole body in so strange a manner from the Altar to the doors of the Chappel , that Fr. seraphin cried out ; if there be any Infidel yet among you let him come and try his strength with this Spirit . At which Marescot the Physitian said he would do it ; then the cunning Gypsie cried that the Spirit had left her ; wherein she was seconded by the Exorcist . While the Physitians were by , she lay very still , but she no sooner thought them gone , but she was at her old tricks . Then these Physitians were shut out and others brought in , who would be more favourable to the design ; and by these a certificate was drawn up attested by themselves that she was really possessed ; and an Abbot affirmed that when she was held by six men she got above their heads four foot into the air and there stood . When this account of her was published , Marescot confuted it answering all their arguments and giving an account of all the strange Symptoms which were s●en in her . But so much were the people moved by this , that there was great danger of a tumult , the King therefore gave order to the Parliament to prevent riotous meetings and to commit the pretended possessed person to the care of Physitians , who returned this answer that they could find nothing praeternatural in her ; then great clamours were made by the people and ●editious Preachers that the priviledges of the Church were infringed , and that all this was done in favour of the Hugonots ; to take away from the Catholick Church the glory of her Miracles : after severe animadversion on these factious Preachers and Friers ; Martha was sent home with her Father and Sisters , and confined thither . But the Bishop of Clermont and his Brother carried her away to Avignon , and refused to obey the summons sent them by the Parliament ; and the King sent to Cardinal Ossat his Ambassador at Rome to acquaint the Pope with the whole matter , before they came thither : It happened that sirmondus was then with Cardinal Ossat , him he imploys to the General of the Order of Jesuits ( who were suspected to be friends to the Brothers who had been bred up in their Society ) that if they medled in this matter , it would be their greatest hindrance to their restitution in France , which they had then good hopes of . Upon this , the Jesuits forsook them , and they were forced to submit to the King ; and so poor Martha was quite dispossessed . Thus we see what intrigues and designes are carried on by such impostures in the Roman Church ; that when such things escape examination they pass for Miracles , but when they are throughly searched into , they appear to be meer cheats and impostures .

I shall conclude this discourse of impostures with these passages out of the Lord Herber● History of Henry 8.

The King having issue Male , proceede● more confidently in his designs ; and because H●rberts Hist of H●●●y 8. A. D. 1538. p. 431. he knew that the pretended and false miracles of Priests had seduced many ignorant people to a superstitious obedience to the Romish See and reverence of Monasteries , he resolved to detect them , at least as many as he could ; for divers were so cunningly represented , as they had kept their credi● for some ages ; the manner of these times being , if a man were restored to his health upon a Pilgrimage , or obtained any thing he desired upon a vow to some Saint , never to study other cause . And here out of ou● Records I shall mention some of the Image● and Relicks to which the Pilgrimages o● those times brought devotion and offerings , as our Ladies girdle , shewed in eleven several places , and her Milk in eight , the Bel● of St. Guthlac , and the Felt of St. Thoma● of Laneaster , both remedies for the Head● ach : the Pen-knife and Boots of St. Thomas of Canterbury , and a piece of his Shirt much reverenced by great-bellied women : the Coals that roasted St. Laurence ; two or three heads of St. Ursula , Malcus his Ear ; and the pairing of St. Edmonds Nails ; the Image of an Angel with one Wing which brought hither the Spears head that pierced Christs side ; an Image of our Lady with a Taper in her hand , which burned nine years together without wasting , till one forswearing himself thereon , it went out ; and was now found to be but a piece of wood : our Lady of Worcester , from which certain veils and dressings being taken , there appeared the statue of a Bishop ten foot high ; these and others were now brought forth and with great ostentation shewed to the people . Among which were two notable Trumperies I cannot omit : One was the Rood of Grace at Boxley in Kent ; which being made with divers vices to turn the eyes and move the lips was shewed publickly at St. Pauls Cross by John Bishop of Rochester and there broken and pulled in pieces . The other was at Hales in Gloucestershire , where the Blood of Christ brought from Jerusalem being kept ( as was affirmed ) for divers Ages , had drawn many great offerings to it from remote places : and it was said to have this property , that if a man were in mortal sin , and not absolved he could not see it ; otherwise very well : Therefore every man that came to behold this Miracle confest himself first to a Priest there , and then offering something to the Altar , was directed to a Chappel where the Relick was shewed ; the Priest who confest him ( in the mean while ) retiring himself to the back part of the said Chappel , and putting forth a Cabinet or Tabernacle of Chrystal , which being thick on the one side that nothing could be seen through it , but on the other side thin and transparent they used diversely : For if a rich and devout man ●entred , they would shew the thick side , till he had paid for as many Masses , and given as large Alms as they thought fit : after which ( to his great joy ) they permitted him to see the thin side and the blood . Which yet ( as my Author a Clerk of the Council to Edward the sixth and living in those times affirms ) was proved to be the blood of a Duck every week renewed by the Priests , who kept the secret betwixt them . Besides which , the Images of our Lady of Walsingham , of Ipswich , of Fenrise , of Islington , and St. John of Osulston ( called otherwise Mr. John Shorn ) who was said to shut up the Devil in a Boot ; and divers others were publickly burnt .

And by this means the Monasteries grew infamous where most of these Images were kept , and divers were undeceived who before held a Reverend opinion of these pretended Relicks and Miracles .

After which , he relates , how the King P. 437 , 438. discovered the Forgery of the Miracles pretended to be wrought at Thomas Beckets shrine , and that the Scull which the People did so much venerate , was not his own , that being found together with his body in the Tomb.

I leave it now to the judgement of the Reader , what credit such Miracles deserve , which are reported by Persons who think it lawful to lie in these matters , and which , where strict examination hath been made , have been discovered so often to be notorious impostures ? And this may abundantly suffice for the first particular , which was the comparing the Miracles of the Roman Church with those of Christ and his Apostles in point of credibility .

§. 12. 2. I come to compare them as to Their Miracles being granted do not prove their Churches Infallibility . the Testimony given by them to Infallibility , i. e. whether the Miracles supposed to be wrought in the Roman Church do equally prove that Church Infallible as those wrought by Christ and his Apostles did prove them Infallible .

For clearing of this I shall premise these particulars .

1. That it is agreed on both sides , that the miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles , did sufficiently prove that they were Teachers sent from God . For we are assured by the universal Testimony of all Christians ( not contradicted by their greatest Adversaries ) that the first Preachers of the Christian Religion did work so many , so publick , so great miracles , that all impartial Persons could not but look upon them as persons immediately sent by God . And Christ himself declared that this was the end for which he did those miraculous works , that men might Matt. 11. 5. John 5. 36. 15. 24. believe by them that God had sent him , that without these men might have had an excuse for their Insidelity , that his works did bear witness of him ; And his Evangelist declares , that this was the end for which these miracles are recorded , that men might believe that 20. 30 , 31. Jesus was the son of God . Afterwards , when he was risen from the dead and he sent abroad his Disciples to preach the Gospel , he told them that God would bear them witness by Mark . 16. 17 , 18. Heb. 2. 4. divers signs and miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost , of which we have a full account in the Books of the new Testament . As to all which miracles we have not the least ground of suspicion of any fraud or imposture , being publickly done in the presence of enemies , and written in a time when the Testimony of Writers might be easily contradicted , and when all imaginable way 's were used to make the first Witnesses of these things to recant their Testimonies , by the greatest severities and persecutions : in stead of which they persisted with great resolution and laid down their lives rather than weaken the Testimony which they had given . Thus we see such great and extraordinary effects of Divine Power which we ought to call miracles , were wrought by Christ and his Apostles on purpose to confirm their own Authority that they were Persons sent from God , and therefore could not deceive the World in the doctrine delivered by them .

2. The Authority and Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles being thus confirmed by the miracles wrought by them , there cannot be any such necessity in succeeding Ages to confirm the same doctrine by miracles . For if it were once fully proved by those miracles then wrought , there can want nothing further to establish the faith of succeeding Ages than a certain conveyance of those miracles to them . Those miracles being wrought for the benefit of succeeding Ages , as well as of that present Age : And if those miracles would not serve for the Ages following as well as that present time , it might with as much reason be said that then they did serve only for those who saw them . For on the same ground that Persons then , in regard of distance of Place , were bound to believe although they did not see them wrought ; so likewise are others in regard of distance of time , only supposing the certainty of conveyance to be equal . But it is with much advantage to us , by the concurrent Testimony of so many Ages , and the effects of the doctrine confirmed by those miracles upon so many nations of the World , not with standing all the Power and subtility which were used against it .

3. The less the necessity and the greater the pretence to miracles , so much more reason there is to suspect them . Because God , we are certain , doth not imploy his Power in going beyond the common effects of nature to little or no purpose . When we see , that in all the writings of Scripture miracles were very sparingly wrought , unless it were for the confirmation of a new Religion , as that of Moses and Christ ; if asterwards we find such abundance of miracles pretended to , that no Age or Country of one sort of men , but give out that multitudes of these are done among them , what , must we think that God hath changed the Method of his Providence ? and not rather , that God is true , but such men are liars , or through ignorance and credulity take those for miracles which are not so .

4. Those cannot be true miracles which are pretended to be wrought to confirm a doctrine contrary to what is already confirmed by miracles . For God will never imploy his power to contradict himself ; he may in the establishing of one Religion foretel the comming of another afterwards in its room by his own appointment as in the Gospel succeeding the Law ; but the latter miracles in this case do not contradict , but rather confirm the doctrine of the former ; but when he hath declared that no other Religion shall come into the world after that which is confirmed by miracles , as it is with the Christian Religion , then to suppose miracles wrought to confirm any doctrine contrary to that , is to suppose that God by miracles should contradict himself . Therefore although in the beginning of a Religion , the doctrine is to be proved by miracles , yet that being once supposed , miracles afterwards are to be tryed by the doctrine . And then though an Angel from heaven should preach or offer to confirm any other doctrine by miracles than that which was first confirmed by Christ and his Apostles , we are bound to reject that doctrine and to suspect those miracles not to be from God .

5. Where false and lying miracles are foretold by a doctrine confirmed by true miracles ; there can be no reason to believe upon such miracles till they are evidently distinguished from such as are deceitful . Now this is plainly the case in the Christian Religion , Christ himself hath foretold that men shall arise doing such great wonders in imitation Matth. 24. 24. of him as should deceive if it were possible the very elect ; and his Apostles : that his greatest enemies should appear with all power and 2 Thess. 2. 9. signs and lying wonders . Can any thing be now more reasonable than after such forewarnings for us to examine all pretences of miracles , by trying whether they can be evidently distinguished from all deceitfull appearances of miracles ; which may be wrought by a power less than divine ? For in this case the evidence must be such , as the persons concerned are to judge by ; to tell them any distinctions which they cannot proceed by in the judgement of miracles , is to speak impertinently , where rules of Judgement are required .

6. If the continuance of the power of miracles be asserted to prove the Churches infallibility in every Age , there must not only evident proof be given that such miracles are wrought , but that they are wrought for this very end . For if God may work miracles for another end , either to shew his Providence in general , or particular Regard to some men , then the meer proving miracles cannot be sufficient , but it must be shewed that these miracles could be wrought for no other end , but to prove the Church infallible .

These things being premised I now come to shew .

1. That in the Roman Church , they cannot give any evident distinction between the miracles they pretend to , and such which we are bid to beware of .

2. That they can never prove that the miracles wrought in their Church could be wrought for no other end , than to prove the infallibility of their Church .

1. That in the Roman Church they cannot give any evident distinction between their miracles and such as we are bid to beware of . For which we are to consider , that scarce any Religion or superstition hath obtained in the world , but it hath pretended to be confirmed by some kind of mirac●es ; which in it self is no more a prejudice to true miracles than sophistical arguments are to true reasoning . But those who pretend to miracles in a Church which is founded on a doctrine confirmed by undoubted miracles must give such evidence of the truth of them , as may apparently distinguish them from all false pretences . For if they give no other answers to such pretences of miracles as they condemn in others , but what will destroy the Authority of the miracles asserted by themselves , then they can prove no more the Churches infallibility by their miracles , than either Philosophers ; Heathens , or Hereticks could do by theirs . If the bare pretence of miracles would serve , for all that I know Pythagoras might deserve at least as much esteem as St. Francis , or St. Dominick ; for the Scholars of the one delivered as unanimously the report of his miracles , as the Disciples of the other could do . Pythagoras his taming the Daunian Bear , ( reported saith Porphyrie in his life by ancient Writers of good credit ) and charging him Porphyr . vit. Pythag. never after to hurt any living Creature , was to my understanding as great a miracle as St. Francis his taming the Wolf . And his whispering the Tarentine Bull in the ear and perswading him to eat no more bean's , ( who for his great abstinence afterwards was called the sacred Bull ) was altogether as good an argument of the restoring the State of Innocency to him , as the command over brute Creatures was to St. Francis , or any other Legendary Saints . The Rivers saluting him ( whether it were called Caucasus as Porphyrie hath it , or Nessus as Laertius , and Jamblichus , or Cosas as Aelian , or what ever were the true name of it ) was as great an argument of his Sanctity , as the Trees in Tursellinus , howing to the Chappel of Loreto were of the miraculous sanctity of it . Why should not his being seen at the same time at Metapont in Italy , and Tauromenium in Sicily , be as great a wonder , as the being seen in several places at once has being reported of several of the Romish Saints ? Why should not his golden thigh be as miraculous , as the restored Leg at Zaragosa ? unless the Priest Abaris be proved a falser witness , than Hieronimus Brizids ; or the people of Zarogosa less suspected of partiality , than the Greeks , at the Olympick games : at which some Authors tell us Pythagoras shewed his Golden thigh . Why should St. Francis his Asse that stood still to hear him preach , be more miraculous , than the Asse , which Suidas reports , heard Ammonianus his Lectures ? Why should the S●id v. An●mo●●●● . speaking of Images in the Roman Church prove the infallibility of the Church of Rome , more than it did in old Heathen Rome ? for as the Roman Breviary saith that an Image spake to Aquinas , and commended his writings , so the old Roman Writers say , that the Image of Fortune spake not once but twice to the Val. Max. l. 1. c 8. ● . 3. 4. Matrons and commended their dedication of her : and so did the Image of Juno Moneta at Veij to the Souldier that asked her whether she would go to Rome ? to whom she answered , sh● would . Why may not Aesculapius his cure of the woman in his Templeat Epidaurus mentioned by Aelian be thought as strange as Aelian . de animal . l. 9. c. 33. Xaverius his appearing to Fr. Marcellus Mastrilli at Naples and curing him upon his promise to go to the Indies ? which is another of the miracles so much magnified by E. W. If there be any difference , that of Aesculapius seems the greater miracle ? Why should not the miracles attributed to the Emperours Vespasian , Adrian , and Aurelian , related by Tacitus , suetonius , Spartianus , and Tacit. Hist. 4. Sueton. V●sp . c. 7. Spartian . i● Adrian . Vo●iscus in A●●l . Vopiscus , have as much credit at least as those of the Legendary Saints ? since the Writers of them are looked on as men of more sincerity and integrity , by those of their own Church , than the Authors of the Lives of the Saints are .

But to come yet nearer , how can their pretended miracles prove the Church they are wrought in to be the true Church and infallible ; since by their own confession , miracles to all appearance as great have been wrought among hereticks and in a false Church ? And by the Answers they give to these we shall easily judge , how far they can give evidence of the truth of their own miracles . The Ecclesiastical Historians report several miracles that have been wrought by Hereticks and Schismaticks ; Philostorgius attributes the power of miracles to the Arian Bishops , to

Philostorg . ap●d . Phot. Cod. 40. & apud Nic●tam Choniat l. 5. c. 7.

Philostorg . l. 2. tom. 8. l. 3. tom. 4. l. 4. n. 7. l. 9. n. 1.

So●rat . l. 7. c. 17.

Sozo● . l. 1. c. 14.

Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia , to Agapetus Bishop of Synada , of whom he saith that he raised the dead and healed all sorts of diseases , to Theophilus , to Aëtius , Eunomius , Leontius , Candidus , Evagrius , Arrianus , and Florentius . Socrates attributes the same power to the Novatians ; as to Paulus the Bishop of that party when he was to baptize the Jewish Impostor , and the water mi●●aculously disappeared ; And Sozomen to Eutychianus of the same party ; And the Donatists , to Pontius and Donatus as we have already seen from St. Augustin . Now if the tryal of the Church in those day 's had been by miracles , I would fain know on which side the advantage had been ? St. Chrysostom , disowns any such thing as a continuance of the power of miracles in the Bishops of the Catholick Church , as besides the places already produced to that purpose , may be seen in several others : wherein he supposes , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. Chrys. de sacerd l. 4. p. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Ma●th . hom . 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Tom. 5. p. 277. Tom. 6 p. 148. there is not so much as a foot step of that power of miracles left in the Church which was in the Apostles ; he asserts , that God hath put a stop to miracles , that he doth not give it to the most worthy persons , that they were intended only for unbelievers , and that there is no need of them where the Christian faith is settled . What now should be said in this case ? for it is just the same as between us and the Church of Rome , the Catholick Bishops pretended no more to a Power of miracles than the Protestant Bishops do now ; but the Arians , Eunomians , Novatians and Donatists all challenged this power of miracles to themselves , therefore it is a plain case , if the Church of Rome be now in the right , then so were these Heretical and Schismatical parties , if the Protestants be mistaken , so were St. Chrysostom and the Bishops of the Ca●holick Ch●r●h .

But what answer now do these men give to these instances ? even such as very easily returns upon ●hemselves , and upon the very same grounds we may ove●throw the Authority of their miracl●s .

1. They say , the testimony of the writers ought to ●e suspected of par●●ality to their own side . So M●laerus answers the Testimony of Mald●r . i● Tho● . 2. 2. q. 1. art. 5. sect. 6. Socrates ; saying that he either f●igned , or related these miracles to the honour of his own party ; but this answer is both false and destr●ctive to t●emselves . It is false , becau●e notwithstanding what B●ronius , Labbè and ot●ers have said , Socrates ●as no Novatian , as Henri Valesius , hath well proved in his preface to his History . But suppose he were , must the Authority of all Persons be taken away that relate things to the honour of their own Church ? what then becomes of all the miracles of the Roman Church ? are they attested by any but such who are well wishers to the truth of them ? and that may go a great way in the belief of them . Were not Gabriel de Aldama the Vicar General and Hieronymus Brizids and the rest of the subscribers as great Friends to the Church of Rome and as much conce●ned for the honour of it , as So●rates could be for the Novatians ? why then should their testimony for the restored Legat Z●ragosa be more creditable than Socrates his , for Paulus the Novatian Bishop ? So that , if interest takes away all authority in these matters , then we cannot safely believe the Testimony of any in the Church of Rome , for the miracles wrought in it ; if notwithstanding that , the Authority of witnesses stands good , then miracles may be wrought in heretical or schismatical Churches ; and consequently can prove nothing as to the truth , or infallibility of the Church . But neither the Novatians , nor Arians , nor Donatists were convicted of so many forgeries in this matter of miracles as those of the Church of Rome have been ; they never tho●ght it lawful , that we can find , to te●l lies for the honour of their Church ; both which we have already proved concerning the reporters of miracles in the Roman Church ; and therefore their Testimony ought more to be suspected in this matter , than that of honest Heathens or Hereticks .

2. They answer , that notwithstanding all the outward appearance of miracles , the things done by them might be no true miracles . So Malderus goes on saying , that the pretended miracle of Paulus the Novatian Bishop , was not such as did exceed the power of the Devil . And Bellarmin grants that there can Bellarm. de no●is Eccl. l. 4. c. 14. be no infallible certainty of the truth of a miracle before the approbation of the Church ; the reason he gives is this , because though the Devil can do no true miracles , yet he can do the greatest to appearance . Now I would sain understand this , how miracles can prove the truth and infallibility of the Church , if the truth of miracles depends upon the Churches approbation ? i. e. whether I must not first believe the Church to be true , before I can possibly be certain whether a miracle be true or not ? I know , Bellarmin saith , that the Church is proved by miracles not as to infallible certainty ; but as to the evidence of credibility . But what evidence of credibility can there be from miracles , where no one can be certain whether they be miracl●s or not ? For the making faith credible by miracles doth suppose those miracles to be first certainly known to be such ; but in this case , if the power of the Devil can extend so far , as that no certain difference can be assigned between true and apparent miracles , but from the Churches approbation , how is it possible the Church should be certainly known by miracles , if the miracles cannot be certainly known but by the Church ? So that for us to distinguish the miracles done by Hereticks and those in the Catholick Church , we must appeal to the judgement of the Catholick Church ; and yet our way to know , which is the Catholick Church saith E. W. and his Brethren must be by miracles ; i. e. we must know a man by such marks which we cannot know to be the marks of such a man till we first know the man . But it may be others speak more consistently and reasonably in this matter : and therefore ,

3. They answer , that although Hereticks may do real miracles yet not for the confirmation of their heresie ; but of some common truth . So the same Malderus saith , that the Novatian miracle being granted to be true , doth not confirm the errour of the Novatians , but the truth of the Sacrament , for the Jew was baptized before by the Arians and Macedonians . So 〈◊〉 Medina salves the miracles wrought among the Pagans , that they did give testimony to

Mich. Medina de rectâ in Det●n fide l. 2. c. 7. p. 53.

Fevardent . not . in Iren. l. 2. c. 56.

divine providence and not to their particular superstitions . Fevardentius confesses the Church hath never determined that Hereticks cannot work true miracles , and that those who hold the affimative have plain Testimonies of Fathers for them ; which he there mentions . If this be true then miracles now can prove nothing as to the Truth or infallibility of the Church , when the communions of Christians are different from each other ; for the miracles wrought may only be for the attestation of some common truths received among all Christians or to manifest the Providence of God to the world .

Among their late writers none hath considered this difficulty with more care and diligence than Father Lingendes hath done , both with a respect to the miracles of Heathens and Lia●endes ●o●cion in Quadrag . Tom. 2. 〈◊〉 . 2. Hereticks . To which he thus answers . 1. That for the most pa●t , they were false and counterseit , at least they were not true miracles , if the name of miracle be taken strictly and properly : for , saith he , either they were meer illusions of the senses , or they did not exceed any created power , either in the substance or the manner of them , and therefore the Devils might easily eff●ct them . 2. That some circumstances did discover the imposture , when true miracles were wrought in opposition to them , as in Pharaohs Magicians and Simon Magus : otherwise God would not permit evil men to work miracles . 3. That God hath given a most certain rule for the tryal of miracles viz. God is faithful and cannot deny himself : and therefore he cannot be the Author of miracles whereby things contrary to each other are confirmed . Wherefore saith he , if a saith once established by miracles be impugned by other miracles , we are to believe the latter miracles to be meer imposture . For the Apostle tells us , that Jesus Christ is not yea and Cor. 1. 19 , 20. Gal. 1. 8. nay , but a Yea and Amen ; and although we or an Angel from heaven preach another Gospel , let him be Anathema : See the wisdom of the Apostle : He brings us back to the first preaching , which was not lightly established but with innumerable miracles , which were most certain and most manifest : from whence he concludes that all others that are brought to confirm any doctrine contrary to this ought to be rejected . But of what sort ? even though an Angel or an Apostle should preach another doctrine ; for , saith he , among things impossible , that is the most impossible that God should lie : which is far more impossible than that an Angel should ; and consequently what God hath once attested by miracles , can be less salse than when an Angel hath attested ; or the Apostle spake this , that by this means we may discover the Devil , when he transforms himself into an Angel of light . 4. If any true miracles were wrought among Heathens and Infidels , as it may be some were ; yet none were ever wrought to confirm any falshood or error , but for some truth , or some benefit to mankind , among which he reckons the miracles of Claudia the Roman Lady and of the vestal virgin to give testimony to their innocency . After this he descends to a more particular examination of the miracles of Hereticks and false Christians ; and as to these he lays down these propositions . 1. That miracles are of two kinds , some strictly and properly so called , which are effects exceeding all created Powers , either as to the substance or the manner of them ; as the curing a man born blind , the raising the dead , &c. others , are such as exceed the common power of nature , although there may be some secret and hidden causes of them that may lie within the compass of nature . The first sort he saith , are the only undoubted testimonies of truth ; but the other may be wrought by the Devils power , either by local motion , or the application of the power of natural Agents . Of this sort , saith he , are the miracles done by false Christs and false Prophets and by Antichrist ; and among these he reckons all manner of cures , when the diseases are not wholly incurable . 2. He saith that miracles of this later sort are equivocal signs and may be referred to different causes , and therefore nothing can be determined by them considered in themselves ; because they may be done by a different power and for a different end . When they are done for ostentation , or delight , or curiosity , they cannot have God for their Author ; much less when they are wrought to confirm a false doctrine , or for an evil end : therefore when such miracles are wrought for confirmation of an error they have not God but the Devil for their cause . For although they be aequivocal of themselves , yet the determining of them to an evil end such as the confirmation of an error is , takes away all aequivocalness in them . 3. He asserts , that true and proper miracles in the first sense , although most commonly wrought by good men as Gods instruments , yet may sometimes be done , by wicked men , and Hereticks and Infidels . For which he instances in Balaam , and those our Saviour mentions , who should boast of the miracles they had wrought in his name , which Christ doth not deny , but only rejects them for being workers of iniquity ; and in Judas , who wrought miracles with the other Apostles , although we do not read that the Blessed Virgin , or Joseph , or John the Baptist ever wrought any . He observes from St. Austin that God gives this power of miracles to evil men when he denies it to good . 1. Lest the power should be attributed to the instrument : or seem to take its vertue from thence . 2. Because miracles are not wrought for the good of the efficient , but for the good of others . 3. Lest men should set a higher value upon miracles than upon true goodness and vertue . For , Saith he , this is a false consequence , such a man does miracles , therefore he is approved or his doctrine ; such a place miracles are wrought in , therefore such a place is approved ; for by this consequence , wicked men , Hereticks and Infidels would be approved , of whom it is certain that they have wrought miracles . 4. Such kind of miracles though they may be done by Hereticks can never be wrought sor the confirmation of error ; for that were to charge God himself with falshood ; but miracles of the other sort he grants may be wrought for the confirmation os errors , because they are such as do not exceed the Devils power : and in this case to know whether they come from God or the Devil , must be taken from the end for which they are wrought ; as he shews from S. Austin . From which discourse of Lingendes it follows , ●hat since the confirmation of Christian Re●igion by miracles , the only certain way of ●istinguishing true and deceitful miracles is from the end for which they were wrought : For he grants that to all outward appearance , Hereticks and false Christians may do as great ●s any ; nay God himself may use them as his Instruments to confirm Truth by ; but we are sure God cannot imploy his Power to confirm a falshood . Since therefore we are forewarned that men shall appear with such signs and lying wonders , as would if it were possible deceive the very Elect ; since no distinction can be made from the things themselves between the effects of a created invisible power , and of a divine in most things which pass for miracles ; since Hereticks may be Gods instruments in the most divine miracles for a good end , it necessarily follows that the pretence of miracles is far from proving the truth and infallibility of the Church wherein they are wrought , till it be made appear , that they are truly divine miracles , that they are wrought for this end to prove this Churches infallibility , and that the Churches infallibility doth not contradict any part of that doctrine which hath been already confirmed by the miracles of Christ and his Apostles .

2. They can never prove that the miracles wrought in the Roman Church , were wrought for no other end but to prove the Infallibility of their Church . When Christ and his Apostles wrought miracles to prove their Infallibility , they wrought the miracles themselves , and declared that this was the end for which they were wrought that men might believe that they were Teachers sent from God ; but there is nothing like this in the miracles of the Roman Church : They are generally pretended to be done at some Shrine or Monument , or by a vision of some Saint , and among the most credulous people , but by no means for the satisfaction of Infidels or Hereticks , whose very presence is enough to spoil a well contrived miracle ; but supposing the things true which are reported , what doth a restored Leg to a poor Boy at Zaragosa in Spain signifie to the proof of the Roman Churches Infallibility ? or Father Marcellus his cure at Naples by a vision of Xaverius , to the proof of Pius the fourths Creed ? If they will prove any thing by this way of miracles , let their Missionaries here among us , whom they account Infidels and Hereticks , do the same things that Christ and his Apostles did for the conversion of Jews and Gentiles . Let them heal all manner of diseases as pub●●ckly , as commonly , as perfectly , as sudden●y as they did ; and with no more art or cere●ony ; let us see them raise the dead , and not ●hink we will be put off with painted Straws , 〈◊〉 counterfeit Trances , which we hope they ●re ashamed of themselves ; such things , I as●●ure them , tend not to the credit of their ●ower of miracles among us , and do not much ●elp our faith in the belief of things done at ● great distance and in such places where credulity and superstition reign . If you do miracles in earnest do them before enemies , as Christ and his Apostles did , give us leave to stand by , that we may be satisfied from the circumstances of them that they are true miracles , and wrought to testifie that your Teachers are sent from God . But you do not pretend to work miracles to confirm the Authority of your Teachers , for then of all persons your Popes should work the greatest miracles , and the Bishops who sit in General Councils , among whom this Infallibility is lodged , therefore there is no parallel between the miracles done in the Church of Rome , and those which were wrought by Christ or his Apostles . If all that had been pleaded in the Apostles times for their divine commission had been only that a poor Boy had his Leg cut off and strangely restored , or that some persons were suddenly cured of a dangerous disease by the vision of an Apostle , would this have ever satisfied the world , that the Apostles were Persons sent from God and assisted by an infallible Spirit ? Supposing the matters of Fact were true , it might be reasonably demanded , why God might not do such extraordinary cures in some rare cases , without making that Company of men infallible among whom they are done ? For we see their own Writers acknowledge , that God may do real miracles even among Pagans and Infidels , to give testimony to his universal Providence . And Suarez particularly distinguisheth in this case of miracles , saying that a miracle may be wrought two ways . 1. Without respect to 〈◊〉 d● Fi● 〈◊〉 Sect. 3. ● . 10 any truth at all to be confirmed by it , but only for the benefit of him that receives it , as in case of a miraculous cure or such like . 2. When it is wrought purposely to confirm the truth of a doctrine . Now I say , supposing I should grant all that E. W. contends for , as to the truth of the two miracles he insists so much upon , viz. the cure of F. Marcellus , and the restored Leg at Zaragosa , what can this prove as to their Churches infallibility , if according to Suarez such miracles may be wrought only for the benefit of those who receive them ? Del-Rio saith this is no good consequence , such a one wrought miracles therefore Del. Rol. disquis . Magic . l. 2. c. 7. his faith is true , because God may work miracles by Insidels , but this consequence , he saith , is good , such a one wrought miracles to confirm the faith which he professed , therefore his saith is true , because God cannot work miracles purposely to confirm a falshood . But withall , he saith , elsewhere , that the faith being now established , there is little or no necessity L. 4. c. 4. quaest. 5. sect. 2. of miracles to confirm it . Supposing then some true miracles to be wrought in the Roman Church , what consequence can be thence drawn for that Churches infallibility in doctrine , if those miracles are not wrought for that end ? as E. W. never undertook to prove that they were . And if the consequence will not hold as to a particular person for the truth of his faith , from the bare working of miracles , neither can it for the truth or infallibility of a Church , for the same reason ; for if God may work miracles by Infidels , he may likewise in a false or corrupt Church . Maldonat , another Jesuit confesseth Mal●at . in M● . 16 , 17. that since the Christian Religion hath been confirmed by miracles in the Churches beginning , there is no necessity of miracles for that end , and quotes Gregory and Bede for it ; who compare the power of miracles to the watering of a plant which is only need●ul at first and is given over when it hath taken root . So that whatever miracles they suppose to remain in the Church , they do not look on them as wrought for the confirmation of any necessary part of Christian faith , such as the Churches Infallibility is asserted to be by E. W. Andradius saith that miracles are oftimes Andrad . def●l . fi● . Trid. l. 2. false , but always weak proofs of a true Church . Ferus , that the doctrine of a Church is not to be proved by miracles , but miracles Fer. in Math. 24. v. 23 , 24. by the doctrine , viz. because Christ hath forewarned us of false Prophets doing so many signs and wonders . So that Acosta saith , Acosta de te●p . noviss . l. 2. 6. 9. that in the time of Antichrist it will be a hard matter to discern true and false signs , when these later shall be many and great , and very like the true ; and he quotes it from Hippolytus whom he calls an antient Writer , that Antichrist shall do far greater miracles than the cure of Marcellus , or the restored Leg at Zaragosa , viz. that be shall raise the dead as well as cure the diseased , and have command over C. 18. all the elements . And I would understand from E. W. whether Antichrists Church will not then be proved as insallible in this way as the Church of Rome ? Cajetan determines that Cai●t . de c●pt . virciaus c. 1. the Church hath no ground to determine any matter of doctrine now on the account of miracles ; because the D●vil may do such things which we cannot distinguish from true miracles , as in great cures , &c. and because signs were given for unbelievers , but the Church ●ow hath the Revelation of Prophets and Apostles to proceed by : and because miracles prove only a personal faith , i. e. of one that saith he is sent from God ; and because the doctrine of the Scripture is delivered to us with so much certainty , that if an Angel from Heaven should deliver any thing contrary to it we are not to believe him ; and lastly , because the most authentick testimonies of miracles among them , viz. in the Canonization of Saints , are not altogether certain , because it is written every man is a lyer : and he supposes that faith must stand on a more infallible certainty than that of their miracles . And many of their most learned Writers do assert , that there can be no certainty of the truth of any miracles among them , but from the Churches approbation ; which is in effect to say , they do not believe the Church infallible because of their miracles , but they believe their miracles to be true , because they believe their Church to be infallible . For which Paulus Zacchias gives this reason , because Paul Za●chiae Quaest Medico . Legal●s . l. 4. tit. 1. q. 1. n. 5 , 6 , 10. wicked men and Devils may not only do miracles in appearance , but such as are really so , as the instruments of divine Power ; and because credulous people are very apt to be deceived with false miracles instead of true . And after he hath laid down the conditions of a true miracle he hath a chapter on purpose to enquire , why since miracles very rarely q. 4. n. 3. happen , yet so many are still pretended to in the Roman Church ? One cause he assigns of it is the monstrous credulity of their people in this matter of miracles , who make so many , that he saith , if they were to be believed , miracles would be almost as common as the ordinary effects of nature ; for no odd or unusual accident happens , but among them passes for a miracle ; no man escapes out of a dangerous disease ( especially if by the disturbance of his Fancy , he imagines he had a vision of some Saint as Xaverius or the like ) but he gives out he obtained his recovery by a miracle ; no man avoids any great danger or trouble ( if he chanced to think of the Blessed Virgin in it , or made any addresses to some Saint , for I do not find that praying to God or Christ is so effectual for miracles as praying to the Saints is ) but this is cryed up for a miracle . Riolanus gives the relation of a man Riola . Arth opogra●● l. 1. c. 15. that was hanged and his body delivered to the Physitians to be dissected , who found there was some lise in him , and by letting blood and other means they recovered him , who afterwards returning to his own Country Oetingen , where there was a celebrated image of the Blessed Virgin , this very recovery was there painted for a substantial miracle . But to return to Zacchias : miracles , saith he , are made so common among us , as though God had nothing else to do with his Power but to pervert the course of nature by it at the beck of any idle fellow ; as it God did not manage his power , as he does all things else , with infinite wisdom ; as if God imployed his extraordinary power without great and most urgent causes . For when it was necessary to shew his power for the confirmation of the Christian Religion and the Satisfaction of unbelievers , then all persons might see the wonderful works of God : but now , saith he , when the Truth of Christianity is known it would be to no purpose for God to shew so many miracles . But whence then comes it , that so many miracles are still talked of ? This arises , saith he , from the devotion of some who attribute ordinary effects of nature to a miraculous Power ; and from the Superstitious folly and fraud of others who will not endure any thing cryed up for a miracle should be ever questioned by any ; but say , it is profane , Atheistical , and which is somewhat worse , heretical to do it . Whereas poor wretches , they do not think what injury they do the Catholick cause , while they go about to strengthen it with lies and forgeries ; when the Christian doctrine is already fully confirmed by the most true and undoubted miracles of Christ and his Apostles . What need they then to feign any new miracles ? Doth God need your lies , will ye talk deceitfully N. 7. for him ? as I may justly use the words of Job , saith he , of these men . Another cause of so much talk of miracles in the Roman Church , he saith , is Ignorance ; whereby any extraordinary accident , though such as might happen , where Christianity was never known , is extolled for a miracle .

Quorum operum causas nulla ratione videre Possunt , haec fieri divino numine rentur .

From hence he proceeds to particulars , and shews , that most of those who are accounted N. 9. possessed among them are Melancholy and Hypochondriacal men and Hysterical women : and then examins the pretence to Inspiration Quaest. 5. 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11. and Prophecy , to raptures and extasies , to miraculous cures , to prodigious fastings , to incorruption of bodies , to raising from the dead and shews under every one of these heads , how very often the meer effects of nature pass for miracles in the Roman Church ; to whose learned discourses I refer the Reader : and we may easily understand the meaning of such a person , when he tells us after all this , that the Church will not suffer men to be deceived about miracles , but such as the Church approves are to be approved . Now let any one judge whether such persons who receive no other miracles , but such which the Church commands them to believe , could ever imagine that the Infallibility of their Church was proved by such miracles , which they would not believe to be true , unless they first believed the Church which approved them to be infallible . Fortunatus Fortun. Scacch . de notis & signis sa●ctitatis s●ct . 8. c. 1. Scacchus , a man of great Authority in Rom● , grants that it is a very easie matter to take false miracles for true ; and that no certain argument can be taken from Tables which are hung up at Images or shrines ; that wicked men may do real miracles , which he proves from Scripture and History , and the continued practice in their Church , from whence he concludes , that no argument can be drawn for the sanctity of any Person , but only from such miracles as are approved by the Roman Church . For , saith he , it belongs only to the Authority of the Roman See , and the Bishop of Rome to determine which are true miracles ? because the promise of infallibility is only made to the Roman Church and the Head of it . From whence he concludes , that no other Bishop hath any Power to approve miracles , especially if they be supposed to be wrought by an uncanonized Saint .

For we are to understand , that the great use of miracles in the Roman Church , hath not been pretended to be for proving the faith or Infallibility of the Church , but for an argument of Saintship of those who are to be Beatified or Canonized . So Aquinas determines , that miracles are either wrought to Aq●in 2. 2. quaest. 178. art. 2. confirm the truth of a doctrine preached ; or for the demonstration of the Sanctity of a Person ; and therefore in the Process of Canonization , one main enquiry is , about the miracles wrought by the Person who stands for the preferment of Canonization . In the Process about the Canonization of Andreas Corsinus presented to Paul 5. the Auditours of the Rota , say , that to the Being Canonized , it is concluded by all to be necessary Proc●ssus Cano●iz . B. Andr●ae Co●sini part . 2. sect. 3. that the person have wrought miracles : and there they agree that it is not necessary to a miracle to be wrought for the confirmation of faith , seeing miracles may be done for another end viz. for the proof of the Sanctity of the Person . And such miracles say they , are those which are done among Catholicks , for whose sake miracles would be necessary on no other account : because miracles are a sign not to believers but to unbelievers ; whence , as they well observe from Isidore St. Paul cured the Father of Publius by a miracle , but pres●ribed to Timothy a natural remedy . And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many other processes of Canonization to the same purpose viz. to prove Contelor . de Canoniz . Sanctorum . Cap. 17. n. 7. that it is not necessary to a miracle that it be done for the confirmation of any part of Christian faith . Since therefore the far greatest number of the miracles in the Roman Church , are such as are wrought for another end how can they from them prove the infallibility of their Church ? unless they can make it appear that where ever there are true Saints , the Church is Infallible . From which it appears , that the miracles of the Roman Church ought no more to be compared with those of Christ and his Apostles as to the Testimony by them given to Infallibility , than in point of credibility ; and that in both respects they are , so infinitely short of them , that nothing but the height of impudence could make any man , pretending to be Christian , to assert , that as great ( nay greater ) miracles have been done by the Roman Church , as ever were done by Christ or his Apostles , in which subject I have taken the more pains , not meerly to detect the frauds and impostures of the Roman Church ; but to preserve and vindicate the Honour of Christianity , lest that should suffer by the intolerable rudeness of these comparisons .

The END .
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FINIS .
Notes, typically marginal, from the original text
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