St. Gregory Nazianzen. in his Oration upon St. Cyprian: The Duft of Cyprian (fays he) can, with Faith do all things, as they know, who have experienced it, and have tranfmitted the Mira

cle unto us.

St. Chryfoftom Lib. contra Gentil. speaking of the Relicks of St. Babyla: The Miracles which are Daily wrought by the Martyrs, abundantly confirm our Opinion.

86

St. Jerome Lib. adverfus Vigilantium: "Dolet (Jays he) Martyrum Reliquias preciofo operiri Velamine, et non vel Pannis, vel Cili"cijs colligari, vel projici in Sterquilinium "Ut folus Vigilantius ebrius et dormiens "adoretur." Vigilantius is forry the Relicks the Martyrs hou'd be cover'd with a precious Vail, and not rather bundled together in Raggs or Sack-Cloth, or caft on the Dunghil: That Vigilantius alone drunk and a Sleep might be adored.

I fhou'd never end, if I fhou'd relate all the fayings of the Fathers, and Ecclefiaftical Writers upon this Subject. Several National and Pro vincial Councils in the Primitive Church, have decreed that no Altar or Memory of the Martyrs fhou'd be confecrated except Relicks be fet in them. St. Athanafius, St. Cyril of Jerufalem, St. Bafil, St. Epiphanes, St. Paulinus, Eufebius Emiffenus, Theodoretus, Sulpitius Severus, St. Leo, St. Gregory the Great, Venerable Bede, and many more in fundry Places extol the Veneration, which all Antiquity had for the Relicks of Saints and Martyrs. All Ecclefiaftical Hiftorians Eufebius, Socrates, Theodoretus, Zozomenus, Evagrius, Necephorus, Ruffinus, Sulpitius, and many others record innumerable

Miracles

Miracles wrought, at the Shrines and Relicks of the Martyrs and Saints. St. Jerome wrote a Book against Vigilantius, for denying the Invocation of Saints, and the Veneration of Relicks, in which he calls him a New Monster; as one, who merits the Name of Dormitantius, rather than that of Vigilantius. And St. Auguftin. Lib. 22. Cap. 8. De Civit. Dei. enumerates more than twenty Miracles wrought, at the Memory's, or Altars, where the Relicks of St. Stephen were fet. So that to deny this Veneration, or, as your Grace terms it, worship, which is an ambiguous or equivocal Word, and is as often afcribed to Creatures, as to the Creator, but with this Difference, that the Worship we exhibit to the Creator, is called a Worship of true Latria, by which we acknowledge our Dependance upon Him, as upon our Supreme Lord and Maker; whereas the Worship we exhibit to the Creatures; if upon Account of the different Relations we have to them, or the Dignities and Stations they are in, we call a Civil Worship; and if upon Account of the Holiness of their Lives, and visible Power in working Miracles, a Religious Worship or Veneration; To deny, Ifay, this Veneration or Worship to the Relicks of the Martyrs, and Saints is to go Counter to all the Holy Fathers, to all Ecclefiaftical Hiftorians, and to the Practice of the univerfal Church, from the very Time of the Apoftles to this Day.

CHAP.

T

CHA P. XI.

Of the Infallibility of the Church.

Ouching the Second Point in the 30th. Pa ragraph Did not all other Chriftian Churches, and even the Church of Rome it felf, originally Spring from that Mother Church which was first planted in Jerufalem?

As these words lie I beg leave, My Lord, to answer in the Negative, For the very Church of Jerufalem fprung from St. Peter, and the reft of the Apoftles, and Difciples, who made up the Church of Chrift before the particular Church of Jerufalem was founded, and St. James made or appointed it's Paftor; And many other Churches were founded, and planted by them without any Dependance upon the Church of Jerufalem. But for as much as I believe your Grace means only, that the Church of Jerufalem was older than the Church of Rome, that is, that there was a Church planted in Jerufalem, before there was any in Rome I anfwer, and fay, We do not call the Church of Rome the Mother and Miftrefs of all other Churches, upon account of it's being older than that of Ferufalem, but upon account of it's Authority. The King is called Pater Patria, and Queen Anne was called Mater Patria, not upon Account of their Age, but upon account of their Authority and Power to govern, to Rule, and to adminifter Juftice: In like MannertheChurch of Rome is not called the Mother and Mistress of all other Churches upon account of it's being older,

older, or planted, before the particular Church of Jerufalem; but because it was planted by St. Peter, who was an Apoftle before the Church of Jerufalem was founded; and to whom, Chrift committed the Care of feeding, both his Sheep and Lambs; that is both the Paftors and Faithful of the universal Church, as I think I have already fufficiently proved, in my Answer to your Grace's fifth and eighth Paragraphs..

In the 31. Paragraph, your Grace fays you cannot but take Notice of this Particular Addition in Pope Pius his Creed: Ido alfo without any Doubt, receive and profess all other things which have been deliver'd, defined, and declared, by the facred Canons, Oecumenical Councils, and especially by the holy Synod of Trent.

This Doctrine your Grace is pleased to say cou'd not be deliver'd by the Apostles, because thefe Canons and Councils have had no Being, until many Years and Ages after their Death. And having spent fome Time and Labour in endeavouring to fhew, the Roman Catholicks cannot be fure the Doctrines contained in the faid Canons and Councils are neceffarily to be believed in Order to Salvation, except they had been acquainted with them all; Your Grace asks them, whether they had read over all the faid Canons and Councils, or even the Acts of the Synod of Trent? With fome further pathetick Admonition to them not to fwallow down whatever their Church proposes, but first to examin and try it. Left inftead of wholefome and Spiritual Food, they fhou'd take that, which is noxious or poisonous.

In the 32d. Your Grace fays, the Answer which fome of our Perfuafion have made hereunto, is: That all the Doctrines contained in thefe Canons, and in the Acts of thefe Councils, and particularly of the Council of Trent, are either taken out of Holy Scripture, and deliver'd down from the Apoftles by Tradition, that the Church is Infallible in all her Interpretations of Scripture, and alfo in delivering down her Traditions, that is to fay, where Faith is concern'd. That fince all these Doctrines are declared by an Infallible Church, to be of Faith, we think we are bound to receive them without any farther Tryal or Examination. This Infallibility your Grace impugn's in the 33d. Paragraph, which begins thus.

"Whatever Imaginations you may have en"tertained, touching the Infallibility of your "Church; yet it is not fo much as pretended "that each fingle Chriftian is Infallible: There "is no particular Man amongst you, but what "muft own that it is poffible he may be Mif"taken."

This is, My Lord, the main Point, or rather the only which merits our moft ferious Confideration. If the Church of Chrift be Infallible in all her Decifions of Faith, we may fafely rely upon her, and not trouble our felves with any farther fearch into the Credenda, or things to be believed. If we follow an Infallible Guide, He will without all peradventure lead us to our Journey's End. So that this Point once fettled, if Men were difpofed for Peace, and wou'd confult their Reafon, there need be no more Debate about any other of thofe Points, which have occafion'd