all Scripture is given by the Infpiration of God. As to what you fay, that the Apostles were enabled to work many and great Miracles. This, to the best of my Judgment is fome Proof of the Infallibility of their Doctrine. For our Difpute is not concerning their Infallibility in Things, that have no Relation to the Chriftian Doctrine, as Philofophy, Mathematicks, or other humane Sciences. Neither do's the Church pretend to Infallibility but in Defining Articles of Faith, and Chriftian Morality. And she can shew her Credentials for it, viz. the Teftimony of Miracles, as the Apostles did. For Miracles are God's own Seal, by which he makes himself a Witness to the Truth of his Doctrine.

VV

S. 25.

Of Miracles.

Hat! Both true and falfe! Can both be from God? Or can you deny the many falfe Miracles, which have been notoriously deteated in the Church of Rome? pag. 33.

L. I affure you, Sr, that whoever will be fo kind as to detect any falfe Miracle in the Church of Rome, will be heartily thank'd for his Pains; And the Author of the Cheat be punish'd according to his De ferts.

» G. If but one Sham-miracle had been found in » the Apostles, I am afraid it had difcredited all the » others, and call'd their Miffion in Question, whe >ther it was from God, or not. pag. 33.

L. I am of your Mind, Sr: And yet there were Sham-miracles told of the Apostles themselves: but being not countenanced by them, they did not in the leaft difcredit their real Miracles. And if

you can

find one Sham-miracle countenanced by the Autho rity of the Church of Rome, you may discredit her aş much as you please.

G. The Devil has Power (when permitted) to a shew great Signs and Wonders. Math. 24. and 2. « Thes. 2. v. 3. and the Reason is given ✨. 12. viz. as ce a juft Punishment of Unrighteousneß. pag. 33. «

L. But I hope the Devil's Power to shew Signs and Wonders is no Proof, that God has no Power to work Miracles by his Saints. And pray remember who they were that attributed Christ's Miracles to Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils. Which was fo black a Crime, that our Saviour calls it Blafphemy against the Holy Ghost, which would neither be forgiven them in this World, nor in the World to come. Math. 12. V. 32.

your

G. My Lord, one false, or pretended Miracle is ee fufficient to difprove all that come from the same « Hand. Therefore Book of Miracles the Le- ca gends muft either be all believed, or all rejected, « all coming from the fame Authority: And the « greatest Part of them are so very grofs and fimple, « that no Man of Senfe among you will fay, that « he can believe Half of them. And your learned « call them pie fraudes, holy Cheats to ftir up the « Devotion of the Vulgar, who swallow all implicitly. « And your Lordship will have Difficulty enough to believe all the Miracles alledg'd of their Reliques, a And, as I faid, you must take all or none: unless « you think, that God can work true Miracles, and « the Devil falfe ones by the fame Means, and at the « fame Time, pag. 33. 34. ".

L. Before I answer this wretched Stuff Word for Word, I shall lay down fome Principles, whereof you feem to be wholly ignorant. For really, Sr, you oblige me fometimes to deal with you, as if I were inftructing a young Schollar.

First then, the Church of Rome do's not oblige us to believe any Miracles but those, that are related in Scripture. The reft, tho never fo well attefted, may be believed or rejected, and the Belief of them was never made a Condition of Communion. So that, whether many of these be true or not, 'tis but meet Trifling to draw any Confequence from it in a Dif pute about Matters of Faith.

adly, I grant, that a Perfon convicted of a forged Miracle, or one wrought by the Power of Art-magick, can never be reputed a Worker of true Miracles.

3dly. Falfe Miracles may be reported of a Person, that works true ones, as it happen'd to the Apostles themselves. Whence it follows, that as fabulous Retations, or Romances do not take off from the Credit of Authentick Hiftories, fo the Legendary Miracles redated by fome Authors do not fink the Credit of all Ecclefiaftical History.

4thly. The very beft Hiftorian may be mistaken in fome Facts. Yet this is no Argument or Proof that he is to be believed in nothing. Sr Richard Ba ker has told many Untruths: yet I should be a Madman to think, he has writ nothing but Fables.

Thefe Principles being fuppofed, I shall answer you Word for Word: Firft you fay, that one false or pretended Miracle is fufficient to disprove all, that come from the fame Hand. This is true in the Senfe of the fecond Principle, I have laid down. viz. that a Perfon convicted of a forged Miracle, or one wrought by the Power of Art-magick, can never be reputed a Worker of true Miracles. But if you mean that an Hiftorian, who by Mistake, or an Over-credulity relates one falfe Miracle, cannot relate any true ones, tis not only falfe, but ridiculous. So is what follows next, viz. Therefore our Books of Miracles the Legends must eithen

V

137 ither be all believed, or all rejected, all coming from the ame Authority. As if it were impoffible, a Man should ever speak Truth, because he is fometimes mistaken.

G. But how then muft we diftinguish true Miracles from falfe or fufpected ones?

L. By the very fame Method as we diftinguish true Facts from Miftakes in other Hiftories.

You go on thus. And the greatest Part of them are fo very Groß and fimple, that no Man of Sense among us will (ay, that that we can believe Half of them. Sr, I have only your Word for it, that the greatest Part of them

if

Groß and fimple, and your Word is no Proof. However I am obliged to you for Allowing, that there are fome Men of Senfe amongst us; And that will pleafe you, I freely own, there are alfo Fools in our Church as well as yours. But, in the Business of Salvation, I would hazard myself on the Fool's Side rather than the Knave's. For to be mistaken in a frivolous Matter is no Sin; But to seduce others by crafty and malicious Infinuations is a very grievous one: and this you are guilty of in the following Words, viz. That our learned Men call falfe Miracles, piæ fraudes, holy Cheats, to stir up the Devotion of the Vulgar, who swallow all implicitly. For this imports no lefs, than that our learned Men wilfully impofe fuch Cheats upon the People: which is both falfe and malicious.

You tell me next, that I shall have Difficulty enough to believe all the Miracles alledg'd of the Reliques of Saints. And I tell you, Sr, that I am neither Fool enough to believe all, nor impudent enough to deny all. And therefore what you add, that I must take all or none, is the fame as to tell me, I muft either be a Fool, or have a Face of Brass. When I read or hear of a Miracle not well attefted, I fufpend my Judgment,

S

5.25 But when St Austin or a Man of his Character tells me, that he saw with his own Eyes Miracles wrought by the Reliques of such or fuch a Saint or relates them from unquestionable Authority, I confefs I want fome Grains of true Proteftant Affurance to give him the Lie.

What you conclude with is to me a perfect Rid dle. viz. That I must take all or none. Unleß I think that God can work true Miracles, and the Devil falfe ones by the fame Means, and at the fame Time. For in the Name of Nonsense cannot I believe fome Miracles, and deny others without Yoaking God and the Devil together to work both true and falfe Miracles by the fame Means, and at the same Time! This is fuch a Piece of undigested Raving, that I really fufpect you are talking in your Sleep. But let us hear out the reft of. your Dream.

» G. Can you believe the Quantities, that have » been shewn of the Virgin's Milk at several Times » and Places? And fo of the Wood of the Croß, that »is shew'd in many Places? pag. 34.

L. Really, Sr, one would be apt to conclude from your Way of Expreffing yourself, that whole Pales of our Lady's Milk, and whole Cart-loads of the Wood of the Crofs are to be seen in our Churches. I confefs, I have feen feveral Particles of the holy Croß well attested. But as to the holy Virgin's Milk, till I find at least fome Drops of it either in Pope Pius's Profeffion of Faith, or in fome of the Creeds, I shall not be much concern'd about the Matter.

"G. Is it the fame Head, or Body of the fame » Saint, that is shewn at different Churches, each of » which contend that they have the true one? And » each have Miracles to vouch the Truth of their Relique. pag. 34.

L. No, Sr, it is not the same Head, nor the Body