Truth will out, or, A discovery of some untruths smoothly, told by Dr. Ieremy Taylor in his Disswasive from popery with an answer to such arguments as deserve answer / by his friendly adversary E. Worsley.

CHAP. XX. (Book 20)

Of recourse had by the Living to the Saints in Heaven for temporal Necessities. S. Austin warrants this Practice. S. Gregory Nissen approves it. Of Miracles done in our age.

MUch patience I confess is necessary to read our Doctor, and more to lose time in weighing his unweighty arguments. Yet go on we must. In his 9^th Section therefore, page chiefly 123. He tyres you with a few old trivial objections against invocation of Saints, made long since by others, &, God knows, answer'd by Bellarmine before the Doctor was born, though he talks, as if they were the new Lights of his own learn∣ing, never thought on by any body else. He argues first, We have no command, no testimony, no promise in Scripture for the invocation of Saints. Bellarmin an∣swers Tom. 2. de Sanctorum Beatit. lib. 1. cap 20. §. argumentum sextum; and saith well, the argument proves too much, viz. That Saints cannot pray in ge∣neral for the good of the Church, which yet Prote∣stants grant. He argues. 2. prayer to Saints lessens our honour to Christ, destroys our confidence in God. Answ. If so, we cannot pray for one another here on earth, without lessening Christs honour, and weak∣ning our confidence towards God. See Bellar. lib. Ci∣tato cap. 20. §. argumentum secundum & cap. 19. §. preterea in utroque testamento. He objects 3. We cannot know how our prayers come to the know∣ledge of Saints in Heaven. Bellarmine answers codem

cap. 20. §. argumentum tertium, and §. de mode aut: Shews you by four opinions of Doctors, how Saints may hear our prayers. I think the Doctor will not deny, that the blessed soul of our Saviour in Hea∣ven hears our prayers (I speak of his sanctified created soul, not of his Divinity every where present,) if this can be explicated, all difficulty ceaseth; well may both Saints & Angels in heaven hear our prayers. He saith 4. We give Saints too high titles. Bellarmine answers lib, Citato cap. 17. § Est tamen Notandum, and saith, we call not on•• them as gods, nor honour any above their merits He argues 4. afterward, Every Nation hath a particular guardian Saint. Answ. And is this such a trespass? I say no more; But S. George for England. Yet see, if you please Bellarmine, cap. 20. Citato. §. argumentum octavum. he lastly argues out of Scripture (in the end of this Section.) Rom. 10. 14. Bellarmine directly answers the place, cap. 22. Citato initio. §. primum argumen∣tum. And is it not pitiful to hear such stale arguments as these, thought doughty enough, by a Doctor, to defeat Popery. God help him. Now to some other Cavils he hath in this 9^th Section.

Page 126 he sl••ights the practice of common peo∣ple, who have recourse to Saints for their temporal goods; make their addresses to them for health, seek their Patronage, &c. Answ. It was doubtless some good congruous thought that withheld our Doctor from sl••ighting also that poor Taylor of Hippo, by name Florentius, who having lost his Cloak, had not wherewithall to buy an other: What did he? Ad vi∣ginti Martyres, &c. he prayed before the twenty Martyrs, and begged with a loud voice that he might

be clothed, some young men heard him, and scorned the good Taylor, (as our Doctor doth here vulgar people) yet his prayer proved successeful, heard he was, and his want miraculously supplied. This you may read in S. Austin lib. 22. de civit. Dei. cap. 8. circa medium.

Whence I argue, if this poor man, by addressing himself to deceased Martyrs for a cloak prayed wel, and laudably, yes, and by such prayers got what he asked; most blameless certainly are the common people, while they petition any Saint in Heaven for their temporal goods, (whether sheep, or oxen it im∣ports not) or, if the Doctor jeer'd at these mens de∣votion, he may, if he like it also play the boy, and laugh at the Taylor, S. Austin did not so. And,

Here, without much digressing, reflect I beseech you on that witty margent note Mr. Whitby hath in his book against S C. pag. 292. where, to discredit this known miracle, he speaks thus. Further let it be considered that here we have no better president then a Taylor, and he so simple, as to bargain with the Martyrs, how many half-pence he would have to buy his cloak. Subtilely observed, for first there is not a word in S. Austin of the poor mans bargaining with the Martyrs, unless his earnest prayer be called a bargain. Secondly Mr. Whitby saith in his context that the Taylor prayed not to the Martyrs, but to God at the tomb of the Martyrs, if therefore he bargain∣ed with any, it was with God for so many half∣pence. Thirdly he sl••ights this miracle upon the account of the Taylors simplicity, as if, (forsooth) God could do wonders on none but the Learned, or Doctors of Divinity. Fourthly and chiefly, he is pit∣tifully

out every way, for no one takes this miracle upon the Taylors credit, but upon S. Austins, who re∣counts it as a wonder done in behalf of this poor man, and so we credit what he adds of the Cook that opening the fish, found a gold ring in it, and pittying the distressed Suppliant gave it him with, ecce quomo∣do viginti Martyres te vestiverunt: See how the twen∣ty Martyrs have clothed thee. And thus much of good peoples devotion to Saints for temporals. Now if you further inquire, not only after the recourse made by devout Christians to the blessed* 1.1 in Heaven for health, and cure of Infirmi∣ties, but also after the happy success they have had by their prayer, volumes would not suffice to recount particulars. The most I'le do here is to remit any that doubts, (if judicious and pru∣dent) to S. Austin in the place now cited, where he tells us, next after those words ad Aquas Fibilitanas, not of one, but many miraculously cured at the re∣licks of S. Stephen. There a blind woman received her sight. There Eucharius a Priest of Spain tormen∣ted with the stone, we freed of his misery, and the self same man cast do〈…〉〈…〉 by an other infirmity, lay so dead, ut ei jam pollices ligarentur, but was raised up miraculously; and ••his saith S. Austin was done ••pitulatione memorati Martyris by the help and assi∣stance of S. Stephen.

Learn therefore, (and 'tis the main drift of S. Austin,) that Saints hear ou•• prayers, pray for us, yes, and obtain by 〈…〉〈…〉ir in〈…〉〈…〉ssion many a large blessing. So the Sain•• in th•• ••suing ninth Chaprer which relates to the miracles ••entioned in the prece∣dent; pro ista fide mortui sunt qui 〈◊〉〈◊〉 à Demino im∣petrare

possunt, for this Faith the Martyrs dyed, who can get such favours of our Lord. Again, a few lines after, quare Martyres tanta possunt qui pro ea fide, &c. wherefore Martyrs can doe these great matters, who were slain for that Faith which preaches Christs holy resurrection. Finally, he ends thus, siue enim Deus ipse per se ipsum, &c. whether God by himself work after a strange manner, or do these wonders by his Ministers, or some of them by the Spirits of Mar∣tyrs, eis orantibus tantum & impetrantibus, non eti∣am operantibus, they onely praying for us, and impe∣trating, but not effecting, or working these wonders immediatly, cannot be comprehended of mortalls. Thus S. Austin, who undoubtedly here affirms that these blessed Spirits pray, and obtain'd by their pray∣ers, orantibus, & impetrantibus (mark the words) both health of body and greater benefits.

Mr. Whitby page 292. cited above, seems to make little account of S. Austins eighth Chapter now men∣tioned, because of some corruptions (so he speaks) noted by Ludovieus Vives. And what are these? I Answer; two or three differences in words only, va∣riously read in other copies, as for, Episcopo projecto, other copies have, Episcopo afferente projecto, &c. greater exceptions Ludovicus Vives hath not against this eighth Chapter, nor questions at all the substance of one miracle there related by S. Austin. No, these stand as they are told (and so doth the ninth Chapter entirely) unexcepted against by Ludovicus, or any body else & do so powerfully prove, that the Saints in Heaven pray for us, and afford us assistance that none shall e∣ver answer them with probability; It were but lost time (because they are vulgarly known) to add to

these ancient miracles, others of undoubted credit, wrought by the intercession of Saints in later ages, and very universally. There is not a Kingdome or Country where Catholick Religion florishes, which will not evidence these wonders. And England also anciently hath had this glory, but now a new Faith hath outed all old miracles. Blessed be Almighty God, not onely our age we live in, is re∣nowned for miraculous cures done upon the infirm and diseased, by earnest prayer made to the ever im∣maculate Virgin, mother of God; but, this very year also (and the last now over) affords us most un∣doubted ones wrought in Antwerp and Mecklin by the intercession of the ever glorious Saint Xaverius a Saint our Doctor pag, 133. would cast out of Hea∣ven. (For the first, see Justus Lipsius (an erudite, and learned writer) in his third Tome towards the end printed at Antwerp anno 1637. page 687. intitu∣led thus, Diva Virgo Hallensis; and page 721. with this title. Diva Sichemiensis, sive Aspricollis.

For the Second, to wit, for strange cures done on the diseased by the great Apostle of the Indies S. Xa••••¦rius, they are here most manifestly laid open to the eyes of all, sick patients own them, sworn witnesses testify them, expert Doctors of Physick, (after long trial to cure them) acknowledge the cures to be mi∣raculous; Bishops after a most ••igid examination, have approved them, none can doubt of them, but such as either incline to a spirit of Atheism, or vainly endeavour to make null the best proof of our Faith, to extinguish the clearest light of Christianity, which Age after Age hath beautified the Church, and gained millions to it, I mean the glory of miracles: And this

is done by a Doctor to maintain his wordy Religion made up of a few abused Scripture phrases and I know not what other canting language without fruits of Re∣ligion, without efficacy of doctrine, without mira∣cles, or finally any one mark of credibility, that may prudently evidence it to be Christian.

Now concerning our Doctors other exception a∣gainst pious good people, who seek the patronage of Saints in time of danger or otherwise, I'le briefly give you one instance taken out of S. Gregory Nyssen a wor∣thy Bishop, who was present at the first Council of Constantinople, and writ the Symbolum Fidei there; read him I beseech you in the Oration he hath de S^t•• Theodoro Martyre, with me, it is in his second Tome Printed at Paris 1615. pag. 1011. and pag. 1017. Be∣cause the impious Scythians threatned a war to the Country, Timemus afflictiones (saith S. Gregory) ex∣pectamus pericula, non longe absunt scelestes Scythae bellū adversus nos parturientes: We fear afflictions, we expect danger; the wicked Scythians, are as it were, in labour for a war against us. What doth the Saint? he be∣takes himself thus by earnest prayer to S. Theodore a Soldier; Intercede, ac deprecare pro patria apud com∣munem Regem, & Dominum: Make intercession, and pray for our country to him who is our common King and Lord. Again; Ʋt miles propugna (pro nobis) ut Martyr pro conservis utere libertate loquendi: As you are a soldier, fight for us and defend us, as a martyr, speak freely for your f••llow servants here. Finally, a few lines after, Quod si majori etiam opus fuerit ad∣vocatione, &c. And if more prayer be needful, assemble together the whole quire of your brethren martyrs and jointly pray for us. Admone Petrum, excita Paulum

Joannem item, &c. Put S. Peter in mind, stir up S. Paul, and that beloved disciple of our Lord, S. John, that these be sollicitous for the Churches; they once wore chains, passed dangers, and finally died. Thus S. Gregory. If therefore this worthy Bishop sought protection and pa∣tronage of a Soldier Martyr, in danger of war, well may a frail woman in danger of sinning become a sup∣pliant to S. Mary Magdalen, which our Doctor likes not of. And for Gods sake tell me, what mischief is it to Christianity, (if Saints hear our prayers,) that a Painter have a special devotion to S. Luke skilful in that Art, though our Doctor (no man knows why) holds it superstition. I say if Saints hear our Prayers, and that they do so, this very Petition made by S. Gregory to S. Theodore is my warrant, neither Do∣ctor Andrews, nor Chamier, nor Whitby, who vainly endeavour to make the Oration spurious, (because they know not what else to say) shall utter so much as a probability against it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See Bellar. cap. 20. Su∣pra. § Argu∣mentum nonū.