Meditations upon the marks of the true Church of Christ: or, Motives of credibility in behalf of the true religion: and, the easiest way to finde it out. / By H.W.

The second Point.

Consider now (by induction of ex∣amples) how highly the Roman Church and its members, have been favoured by Almighty God in a mi∣raculous way. Constantine the Empe∣rour (and honour of England , his na∣tive country) was a Roman Catholick well known by his great reverence to the Pope, to the Saints, and their Re∣licks, and to the signe of the Crosse; and his example methinks might move all England to reverence the same: God gave him the Empire after a miracu∣lous manner; for as he were upon his march (going out of England towards Italy) with small forces, against Max∣entius the Tyrant, who had in his Ar∣my

a hundred and seventy foot, with eighteen thousand horse; espyed in the ayre about mid-day a faire Crosse, with this inscription upon it: In hoc vince; overcome by means of this: the next night, our Saviour appeared to him, and shewed him the same Crosse, and gave him order to bear that signe in his Banner, and so he should be vi∣ctorious: He did so, overcame the Tyrant, and then became Christian: After which, he was victorious in all his other Battails also, by means of our Saviours promise made to him, if he carried that figne of the Crosse: which he did alwayes carry in his Standard, (called the Labarum) causing it to be transferred alwayes to that quarter of the Army, which was most weakned by the Enemy; and the fight of it added new courage to the one, by which the other were soon defeated.

Theodosius the elder, a pious and Ca∣tholick Emperour, gave a strange de∣feat to the Tyrant Eugenius , & Potius orando, quam pugnando, saith Saint Austin: for before the battail began, he had im∣plored the Divine assistance by long

prayer; and the effect was, that in the beginning of the conflict, on a sudden comes so prodious a storm of wind, that it drive the enemies Dartsback upon themselves, with the slaughter of many of them, and even forced their weapons out of their hands: Thus writes Saint Austin de civit. l.5. cap. 26. And even Claudian the pagan Poet sings the same in a poem to Honorius: l.5. c. 24. And Theodoret writes that Saint Iohn, and Saint Philip Apostles appear∣ed mounted upon White horses, and fighting for Theodosius in his army a∣gainst his enemies.

An immense army of Sarazens came to force Theodosius the younger, to raise his siege of Nisibis in Asia: but God struct into them so strong an imagination of the Christian Army's setting upon them on all sides; that a hundred thousand of them threw themselves headlong into the great ri∣ver Euphrates, and so were drowned.

Heraclius the Emperour, often wor∣sted by the Persian forces and brought in a manner to despair of ever recrui∣ting; betook himself to implore the

divine aide, by much fasting, prayer, and pennace: at length he was admo∣nished from God to fall upon the Per∣sians with the small forces he had; and with these, he defeated three huge Armies of them, one after ano∣ther, and recovered the holy Crosse of Chirst.

England had no few of such exam∣ples. Venerable Bede recounts a fa∣mous victory, lib. 3. c. 2. which King Oswald got against the Pagan King Cadwallus, in the battell, he had for his Ensigne, the sign of the Crosse; and the victory was so much attributed to a heavenly assistance; as that the place was called Heavens field; now cor∣ruptly Haden field.

Alfred King of the west Saxons, got so miraculous a victory over the Danes, Anno 880. by means of Saint Cuthbert (who bid him encounter with the ene∣my, notwithstanding his forces were small; and told him when, how and in what place he should sight them) that many of the nobler sort of the Danish Army were Biptized and Converted upon it: yea, the same Saint Cuthbert

told Alfred, that his posterity should rule over all England: which in A∣thelstane, and King Edward was fulfil∣led.

When Godfrey of Bullen with the Christian army was besieged in Antioch by a huge Army of Truks, Sarazens and Persians, and brought to extreme fa∣min; S. Andrew appearing to a devout Priest in the army, bid him tell the Captains of the army, that digging in such a place in S. Peters Church, they should finde the Spear which pearced our Saviours side; and that Sallying out with that borne before them, they should get the Victory: All was per∣formed as S. Andrew revealed it; and an absolute Victory was got. And the next year that Christian army besieged Hierusalem: but having for a month together made many assaults, and still repulsed; some Souldiers began to shrink a way, and passing towards mount Olivet, they saw a man in glit∣tering armour on the top of it, who with his hand giving them a signe to goe back; this made them returne, and with the news give so comfortable an

allarum to the army, that presently a new attact was given, and the town taken. Godfry Bullen and Eustathius his brother being the first two that en∣tred the City.

Alphonso the first King of Portingall, a∣nimated by our Saviour (who appear∣ing to him crucified, promised him the victory) with 4000.set upon 400000. Sarazens, led by five kings, and totally defeated them: the gratefull king, in memory of the 5 wounds with which our Saviour crucified appeared to him, added to his arms (which were before only a whitefield) five Escuchons in form of a plain crosse Azure.

Alphonsus the 8. King of Castile in Spain, fought a set battell with Meme∣lius King of the Sarazens; and encour∣aged with a Crosse, which appeared in the ayr, and the Sarazents dismayed at the first sight of the picture of the blef∣sed Virgin Mary (patronesse of Toledo) which was painted on the Spanish En∣signe; slew two hundred thousand of the Sarazens, twenty five men on∣ly in the Catholick army being slain.

Thus Writes Rodorick Archbishop of Toledo, an eye witnesse of it, as being then present to animate the Army.

The ever honoured House of Austria, hath been priviledged with many mi∣raculous favours from Almighty God; the first of that House, who was Empe∣rour, was Rodulphus the Duke of Has∣purge: he, seeing a Priest carrying the blessed Sacrament towards a Village, in which a sick person lay, piously im∣portuned the Priest to ride rather up∣on his Horse, than to go in the foul way; then he ran by the Horse side like a foot boy: at their departure the Priest with his benediction gave him a good omen, that God would reward him and his, for that fact: On he goes his intended journey, which was to visit a prophetical woman: She at the first sight of him (having by reve∣lation known what had past) told him, that his humble devotion to the blessed Sacrament, was so pleasing to God, that he and all his posterity should be rewarded for it: She bid him therefore take notice of the number nine, and its being expired: In fine, at

the end of nine years, the princes of Germany met about chosing a new Em∣perour, and all unanimously choosed him: in whose family it still remains.

Of the same family was Charls the fifth, who amongst his many famous victories, got one miraculously with a few men against a great Army of his rebellious Subjects, who by Luthers in∣stigation were gathered together, and had put themselves into a fighting po∣sture against their prince, and in de∣fence of Luthers Reformation.

And his son, John of Austria, was Ge∣neral, Anno 1571. when that miracu∣lous victory against the Turks at Lepan∣to, was got; which was both revealed to Pius Quintus pope, many dayes be∣forehand, and also at the very time of the battel: At the beginning of it, the wind savoured the Turks, but instant∣ly calmed; then suddenly a strong and favourable winde rise, which so pe∣stered the Turks; bringing also all the smoak from the Catholick Guns and Muskets upon them; that by the end of four hours, not full 200 Gal∣lies (against 300 of the Turks) so

fought, that the Turkish Hali Bassa with 3000 were slain, 3000 prisoners, 130. Gallies taken, 15000. Christians (who had been slaves) redeemed, and 80 Gallies sunk; with no losse at all, in a manner of the Catholick side.

To conclude, a strange miracle it was, that preservation of many thou∣sands of the Spanish foot, in the Isle of Bomel, from being starved, drowned, or taken every man; if a prodigious winde had not in a short space frozen the Sea there: so, that the Holland ships could not move, but the Spanyards marched away upon the Ice: the thing made the Holland Generall Ho∣lach, say, that God had been too much that day a Spanyard.

Gather hence, first, that since the forementioned Princes, and their Ar∣mies (on which God bestowed these victories) were Roman Catholicks; as all history evidently shews: and since the victories bestowed on them were above the forces of nature, or hu∣mane endeavours, and pollicy; and none such were ever obtained by any other sect: it evidently follows, that

the religion of these Roman Catholicks is the true religion: 2 that these exam∣ples (related by authors of good cre∣dit, and those many) evidently prove against atheists, and such as in cline that way, that there is a God; and that god by his providence rules the world; and that ther is no such thing in the world as Fortune, or Fate: those things w^ch seem casual, are only so in regard of secondary causes; nothing is casual in respect of the prime cause, God: this mans adverse fortune, and the others successeful endeavors; this mans want; & the others plenty; this mans health, and others infirmities; are all from the hand of God, his gists; and the one as well as the other matter for ver∣tue and means to salvation, if they be used well, & with a rectified intention▪

Notes

• Anno 312. Euschius Metaphor. Baronius.
• Anno 394.
• Anno 420.
• Nicephor. Socrates.
• Rom. brev. Baron.
• Malmesh, Inguls. Polidore
• an. 1098. Paul. Aenil. Guil. Tyr. Baron.
• an. 1099.
• an. 1139.
• Audreas Resendius.
• an. 1212
• An. 1273. aliis. An 1271. Daurolt.
• An. 1547. Bellar.
• Famian Strada.
• Note