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cause_n	effect_n	natural_a	nature_n	4,625	5	5.6875	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11010	Lectures vpon the first and second Epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians: preached by that faithfull seruant of God M. Robert Rollock, some-tyme minister of the Euangell of Iesus Christ, and rector of the Colledge in Edinburgh	Rollock, Robert, 1555?-1599.; Charteris, Henry, 1565-1628.; Arthur, William, fl. 1606-1619.; Rollock, Robert, 1555?-1599. In Epistolam Pauli Apostoli ad Thessalonicenses priorem commentarius. aut	1606 (1606)	STC 21281; ESTC S116171	462,033	538

sufficient probation of this out of the 9. chap. of Iohn 16 verse When Christ had giuen sight to the man that was blinde the Pharisies made inquisition of the man they fell in altercation amongst themselues the one halfe reproaching him the other halfe defending him and they say If he vvere a sinner that is a deceiuer he could not vvorke vvonders but he hes wroght this wonder therefore we conclude he is not a deceiuer And the man himselfe who got sight reasons after this maner verse 33. This man hes wroght a wonde● in me therefore he is no deceiuer Then ye will aske What miracles are these that the Antichrist vvorkes in the vvorld I answere Either they are onely delusions nothing in substance onely juglerie deceiuing of the senses of men or if there be any thing in effect if there be any solide work in them they are done because they are natural they are not done against nature O but they seeme vvonderfull to vs● I ansvvere The olde serpent knovves nature and the force of it better nor vve doe and he knovves the second causes and sundry thing in nature that neuer Physition tooke vp Againe he hes a slight in vvorking which we cannot take vp and therefore knowing the nature of things and hauing slight in vvorking vve thinke the things that are done so to be wonder albeit in effect they be no wonders So in one vvord Satan neuer vvrought one true miracle but either they haue bene delusions or else vvorkes agreeing vvith nature vvhich vve thinke to be vvonders because the causes of them are vnknovvne to vs. Novv Markes of the Antichrist 1. False miracles brethren there is one marke of the Antichrist that Paul foretelles shall be vvhen he is reueiled Men shall knovv him by this marke He shall vvorke false wonders and miracles Now let vs seeke where is this man that glories most in the vvorld in working wonders when al ordinare wonders by God hes ceased Whether is he in the East or West Who is he that sayes miracles and vvonders is a true marke of the true Church so that if vvonders be not vvrought in it it cannot be the true Church Is it the Turke No. Who is he that vvith fiue vvordes Hoc est enim corpus meum vvill make daily such a vvonderfull transsubstantiation of bread in the flesh of Christ and of vvine in the bloud of Christ and sacrifice him ouer againe Who is he that bragges of vvonders vvrought at dead mens graues Who is he that will make you trow that dead and dumble stocks and stones Images set vp in Temples will laugh whiles weep whiles speake to you vvhiles cast a glance to you And last to come to one thing for a thousand thinges in this purpose is nothing alwaies the Lord keep vs from the sight of this Who is he that tels a wonderfull taile of our ladie of Laurete Maria Lauretana so called from the Mount Laurete that her Idoll being in Galilea without the hands of men by the Angels was lifted vp from Galilie and set downe in Italie where she is worshipped with multitude of pilgrimes out of all countries offering to her pretious jewels and she is worshipped this day as the Idols among the Gentiles were worshipped Ye may knowe and if it pleased God to open mens eyes none needed to doubt who it is Is it any other but the Pope of Rome It is he that is the Antichrist and if he be not the Antichrist there neuer was nor shall be an Antichrist in the world Now I goe forward to the next meane whereby he shall be effectuall in them who perishes The next meane is doctrine He calles it the deceiuablenesse of all vnrighteousnesse This vnrighteousnesse is false doctrine 2. false doctrine it is doctrine in substance but false doctrine then in cullour it is fraud and deceiuablenesse a false cullour it hes a cullour of the doctrine of Christ but a cullour onely So the Minister of Christ is powerfull in the elect by doctrine and the word preached So the Antichrist is powerfull by doctrine in these that perishes and are in the Antichristian Church so that he preases to be like Christs true Ministers in this pointe But as in miracles he is false so in teaching doctrine he is false There is another marke whereby we shall knowe him As false miracles was one marke so false doctrine doctrine of deceite is another marke Who is he that propones such doctrine as this that first is false and next hes a faire cullour that deceiues the world who will speake fairely of Christ his work his nature his substance his incarnation and pretends his glorie in all thinges and yet mingled with falshood and all to decei●e the world Is it the Turke No I tell you what the Turkes is he is a man that oppones himselfe to Iesus Christ and his doctrine directlie not fainedlie but openlie so he is not the Antichrist The Antichrist is fained the Antichrist vnder the pretence of the name of Christ oppones himselfe to Christ Then againe the doctrine of the Turkes is not culloured but is opposite in plaine tearmes to the doctrine of Christ So neither can the Turke ●e the Antichrist nor the doctrine of the Turke ●e such a doctrine he speaks hereof Then who is the Antichrist and who is it that propones this Antichristian doctrine Who is it that takes the name of Christ and calles himselfe Christs friend and showes a cullour of Christs doctrine Alas that men should be so blinded in such a light as it were in malice to put their finger in their owne eyes and when the Lord hes set him vp that all the world may see him rather ere they should see him they would put out their owne eyes But albeit they should close their eyes neuer so fast that they should not see him yet this word of Iesus shall cry it in their eares and conuince their consciences nill they will they that that beast of Rome the Pope is the Antichrist Now to go forward and to come to these in whom the Antichrist shall be effectuall when he shall be reueiled and in whom now he is effectuall by false wonders first and next by doctrine by fraude In these sayes he vvho perishes he shall be powerfull in these who perishes Who are they That long agoe were ordeined to damnation destinate in Gods counsell from all eternitie to damnation Paul 9. Rom. verse 22. calles them vessels of vvrath made and formed as a potter will make a pot to dishonor So are they ordeined to destruction before all eternitie Paul calles them Ephes chap. 2. verse 2. the children of disobedience antichrist effectuall in them vvho are ordeined to perdition This we haue to rejoice in the effectualnesse of the Antichrist is bounded it is not said that he shall be effectuall in all men No God forbid but his power is bounded it shall onely be effectuall to

concerning those vvho are at sleepe That is I vvoulde not haue you ignorant of their estate vvhat is their estate while they lye in graue vvhat their estate shall be thereafter Of these and such things I vvould not haue you ignorant Now the lesson is easie There are none of vs but in some measure vve shoulde knowe what is the estate of them who are dead vvhat is their estate in the graue vvhat shall be their estate after the graue It appertaines to euerie Christian to know the estate of the dead in some measure as well as it pertaines to them to know the estate of the liuing not passing the reuelation that the Lord hes made therin Dreame not anie estate to the dead knovve no more of it nor it pleases God to reueale nor desire to know no more The Papistes passes in curiositie and can not be satisfied with the Lords reuelation but let vs be content with the reuelation of the Lord vntill that great reuelation come Alwaies it pertaines to vs in some measure to knovve the estate of the departed Ignorāce brings sorrovv and knovvledg ioy Ignorance brings a great deale of sorrow vvith it The effects of ignorance in things vve should know are displeasure and sorrow Knowledge of the things vve should know and especially of the estate of those departed this life brings joy consolation Ignorance made Iacob excessiuelie to mourne for his sonne Ioseph without anie cause thinking he was dead when he was aliue Being fred from his ignorance and knowing the estate of his son and that he was aliue he found joy and consolation So light and knowledge brings joy The blinde opinion of this dreame of Purgatorie that the Papists hes inuented hes brought exceeding great displeasure to many To thinke that the soule lovvsed from the bodie should be tormented in Purgatorie ere it enter in glorie But men being fred from this ignorance and knowing assuredly that the soule immediatlie after it seueres from the bodie passes to eternall joy men and vvemen knovving this in the pointe of death no question they are exceeding glad Then brethren to speake it againe Ignorance brings great displeasure knowledge bringes joy when vve knowe the estate of thinges as they are indeed then there is joy Therefore the Apostle sayes That ye 〈◊〉 not as others vvho hes no hope That is as the Gentiles An ignorant and hopelesse bodie who hes no hope of the resurrection who knowes nothing of the resurrection and therefore hopes not for it his mourning and sorrowe will be excessiue This is the meaning of the Apostle Ignorance bringes 〈◊〉 in death it makes a man hopelesse not to hope for a lyfe after this lyfe nor for a resurrection to lyfe and being 〈◊〉 what joy can he haue a bodie dying without hope no 〈◊〉 if thou bee not in hope when thou art dying all the world shall not make thee to rejoyce By the contrair ye heare by the Apostle knowledge bringes hope for hope is the effect of knowledge and hope bringes joy and comfort in the houre of death None euer yet died in the hope of that glorious resurrection but in the houre of death they rejoyced with joy vnspeakable The joy that hope bringes being grounded on knowledge is wonderfull It will not be conteined in the heart but the mouth will open and glory in the joy it apprehendes throgh the hope of the resurrection in Iesus Christ The Apostle Rom. chap. 5. verse 2. saies We rejoyce vnder the hope of the glory of God I meane not brethren that that knowledge that workes hope and that hope that workes joy will take away from a man altogether all displeasure all heauinesse all mourning in the departure of our friendes and them we loue well No it will nor nor should not doe that There is no grace of God in Iesus that puts out any naturall affection none will take away either naturall joy or displeasure no faith and hope will not doe it but it makes that naturall affection sanctified and puts it in order Our dolour which by nature is immoderate it moderates hope will bring with it a measure knoweledge will bring with it a measure and faith which is the fountaine of all graces will bring with it a measure In a word Faith hope and knowledge will temper and mingle the affection of displeasure which is bitter with the affection of joy and make a sweete temperature in that bodie so that the bodie that hes knowledge and hope when it is mourning fastest it will haue greatest joy Beware of your mourning and looke that it be neuer altogether without some joy Sobst thou sighst thou vnspeakablie Looke that thy ●ighs be mingled with joy vnspeakable Will ye haue my counsell Let neuer joy be the alone but let euer joy be tempered with sorrow Haue not srrow the alone but let it 〈◊〉 be mingled with some joy So long as thou liuest thou art naturallie inclined to sinne and sinne procures sorrow And therfore so long as sinne dwelles in thy bodie let euer thy joy be tempered with sorow but let neuer thy sorow for sinne be it alone but tempered with some joy in the mercie of God This shoulde be the estate of a christian in laughing forget not sin but sorow for it be not vvanton vnder the burden of sin Againe in mourning let joy be for the mercie of Christ to vs. The Apostle sayes 1. Thess 5. 16. Reioice euer yea euen when thou art mourning for there is matter of eternall joy offered in Christ and therfore rejoice vvith a sanctified and with an holie joye This is the first lesson Then brethren I gather on the vvords of the Apostle As the Gentiles vvho haue no hope of resurrection where there is no hope there is no comfort vvhere a mans hope is bounded within the compasse of this life and reaches not out beyond the same there is no comfort make him king of all the worlde if his hope be onelie on the kingdomes of this earth if he hope not for that heauenlie kingdome Want of hope doth bring dispaire in death to be an inheritour there he hes no joye nor comfort I meane that solide joye and comfort vvhich the world neuer ministers to men Al the kingdoms in the earth will neuer minister to thee solide joy comfort consolation Novv brethren this is the estate of the Gentiles Paul Ephes 2. 12. speaking of their estate sayes they liued in the world without God aliants from the Common-well of Israell from the Church of God strangers from the couenants of promise without hope without God in the world and so hopelesse cōfortlesse I can not say that euer any Gentile that liued as a Gentile what euer was their ranke on the earth that euer they had any comfort all these Monarches that liued without grace in the world I can not say that in the midst of their triumph greatest glory they had any comfort much lesse

speaking of that day of judgement 2. Cor. 5. 11. he vtters the feare he had of it himselfe Knovving saies he the terrors of the Lord vve bring men to the Lord that when he shall come in that terrible judgment we may finde mercy Be not sensles at the threatning of God If men had not bene seusles at the judgemēts of God by famine these yeers bygone this Pest had not comde if theribe not yet a greater fear of God he shal strik on with his judgmēts Next I mark of this place Who is it that is comforted against Gods judgementes Consolations belong only to the godlie To whom belongs consolations promises and speaches of comfort in the Scriptures Speakes the Apostle to the Heathen that ly in ignorance and not conuerted to the faith of Christ They feared not where there is no feare nor down casting it is foolishnesse to comfort Whereto shold I comfort them who are lifted vp in pride wherto shold I prease to lift vp him who is ouer high and conceatie alreadie So consolation raising vp of the heart promises of God that serues to consolation pertaines nothing to the wicked that hes no sense of miserie and lyes in ignorance of God nothing pertaines to them but threatning vpon threatning judgement vpon judgement And when they say Peace and all things sure I may say a sudden destruction shall ouertake them And to the men in this land lying in a dead sleepe of this fleshly securitie and crying Peace when they are in the midst of harlotrie of murther c. I say a sudden destruction and vengence shall fall on them This shall euer be my cry vntill they feare and trimble and haue a sense of their miserie neuer another word to them but judgement out of my mouth Should I say to a man lying in darknesse brother ye are in the light judgement shall not come on you No no But I will say the Lord shall come suddenly on thee with judgement to destroy thee So consolation pertaines to the godly onely and who euer ye be that feares not Gods judgements I bidde you in Gods name take no promise of comfort to you no consolation vntill ye be touched with a sense of miserie and feele your sins Then to whom pertaines all the promises of consolation in the word of God To the godly onely who hes their eyes opened to see God in the face of Christ hes their heart opened to feele the grace of God through Christ to them they appertaine And therefore ye shall finde in all the Prophetes when a judgement is threatned immediately after the threatning they subjoine a sweet consolation to the godly least they should think the judgment to pertaine to them The third thing I note Marke the cause heere wherefore the Thessalonians shall escape that sudden destruction Because ye are not in darknesse Knovveledge of God in Christ the cause of escaping iudgement sayes he therefore that sudden destruction shall not ouertake you Marke this cause The ground of escaping this judgement is to be fred of darknesse to be fred of this grosse ignorance wherein we are inuolued by nature and to be translated to the light of God vvherein we may see the face of Christ and Heauen and the glorie thereof There is the ground Whosoeuer shall be found lying in darknesse at Christes comming albeit they be found lying waking and looking vp with bodilie eyes 〈…〉 yet if they be in blindnesse in the soule so that they can see nothing in Heauen God nor Christ judgement and destruction suddenlie shall ouertake them and all their braines shall be beaten out ere they get leasure to cry God mercie But againe who euer they be that at Christes comming shall be found in the light with the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ with some sight of Heauen they shall escape and shall liue eternally When the thiefe breakes in in an house whom is it that he suddenly oppresses Whom but these whom he findes sleeping with their eyes closed he will cut their throats ere they be wakned But when he breaks in on an house and they who are in the house be waking on their guard and ready for the danger then the thief shal not preuaile They will eschew the danger so shal it be at Christs comming if he find thee sleeping sudden destruction shall ouertake thee if he finde thee waking ready for the danger thou shalt escape and liue So ye see how needfull a thing it is to haue knowledge and light that euery man may be saued O what it is to knovve God to knowe Christ to get a ●ight of Heauen and of the lyfe to come Thy safetie consistes in it Then againe see how dangerous a thing is ignorance and specially the ignorance of God to put off the day and the night in ignorance of God Giue thee goode cheare rest play honour in the world thou wilt put off one day two daies three daies thou wilt say what care I more but woe to thee when Christ commes thou will be sleeping in ●inne sudden destruction shall ouertake thee all this tendes to this end ly not in drunkennesse get knovveldge out of the vvorde knovve God in tyme knovve him in mercie If thou knowe him not in mercy in this lyfe thou shalt feele him in judgement at that great day of Iudgement The Lord giue euerie one of vs grace to know him that hauing the right knowledge of him which leads to saluation we may at his comming be elected of him to raign in his euerlasting glory in the Heauens Novv that vvhich he had said before of darknesse in the next verse he makes it more plaine and sayes for ye are the children of light and of the day That is to say the fairest light that can be possible For vvhat in this vvorlde is fairer nor the light of the Sunne and day light As he vvoulde say ye are not in the common light but in the light of the Sunne that shynes most cleare ye are not children of the night but of the day These tvvo vvill neuer stande together to be the chylde of the night and of darknesse and to be the chylde of the light and of the day If thou be the chylde of light and day it is impossible to thee for to be the chylde of the night and darkenesse And if thou be the chylde of the night and darknesse it is impossible thou can bee the chylde of the day and light These tvvo can neuer agree both together Tvvo Kingdomes cannot stand in thee If God raigne not in thee the Deuill must raigne in thee and if God raigne in thee the Deuill cannot raigne in thee Indeed so long as vve are heere light and darknesse may be both in vs for vvee are neuer free of this darkenesse neyther is this light of God persite in vs but both cannot raigne together in vs but hovvbeit darknesse be in thee yet it hes no dominion ouer thee

This is in effect that same which he spok of before euen the glorifying of God for it is one thing the Lord to be glorified and to wonder at him The meaning is shortly When he shall come First he shal make the faithful wonderful in the sight of the world and then in their wonderfulnes all the world shall wonder at him who hes made them wonderfull Now marke The Lord Iesus in Esay 9. chap. 6. vers among all the names he gets there he is called the vvonderfull and the maruellous one Now this name in effect shal show the selfcheefly in that day of judgement for cheefly in that day Christ shall be wonderful and all the world shall wonder at him It is but a litle wondring we haue here Christ at his comming vvōderfull Ye know wondring presuppones nouelties things of exceeding great importance Then it must followe that the Lord Iesus at that day shall be reueiled to the world in such a wonderful glory at neuer man nor Angel saw yet● it shal be such a glory as neuer eye saw ear heard or once entered into the hart of man as the Apostle ●aies 1. Cor. 2. chap. 9. vers They who saw him ●●ani●ed in a vyle habite judged condemned scourged and crucified vnder Pontius Pilat they shall wonder when they shall see that Lord whom they thoght once so vile raised vp and exalted to such a sublimity and hight of glory Pilat then shal wonder the Priests shall wonder they that with their wicked hand● crucified him shall wonder at that day And in one word there shall be nothing in that day in Heauen and earth but a wondering at the Lord Iesus Christ and his Saintes glorified Ye see here next the cheefe mean that shall make the Lord wonderful to be the wonderfulnesse of the glorie of his Saintes and elect whom in that day he shall make wonderfull The world shall looke in and wonder at them and then they shall looke to the Iudge and wonder at him Then in that day they who hes beleued in Iesus in this life looke what faith brings with it shall be blessed and made glorious For first these faithfull shall be made so maruelous in glory that they shall astonish the whole world I tell thee more when thou shalt be so translated when thy vyle bodie shall be so changed thou shalt wonder at thy selfe for the eare hath not heard the eye hath not seene c. that wonderfull glorie which then thou shalt enjoy As for the wicked of the world the troublers and afflicters of the godly when they shall looke to any one of the glorious elect they shall weepe and wonder This is set downe in the 5. chapter of the booke of wisdome albeit Apocrypha First they shall mourne and weepe when they shall see the glorie of the godly and say O we fooles and sensles bodies esteemed we not the life of these godly in the world a miserable lyfe Then they shall come on with wondering How is this that this vyle bodie so shynes and that he is so exalted So they shall both mourne at this sight and wonder and vveeping and vvondering they shall count themselues to haue bene fooles and sensles bodies The Lord giue vs grace to seeke that true wisdome in tyme. For certainly that true wisdome is esteemed foolishnesse in this world and he that would be wise let him be a foole first he shall neuer be counted wise that day except he haue bene a foole first and humbled vnder this foolish preaching of the Gospell It is true the condemnation of the reprobate shall be a meane to make the world wonder and to make the Iudge wonderfull O the paines that shall be inflicted on the reprobate shall be wonderfull and they shall be set vp as spectacles of shame at that day and the godly shall wonder at their shame and confusion O wonderfull shall that weightinesse of judgement be they shall wonder that euer there should be such a wraith in God they shall wonder that euer the arme of God should be so heauy vpon them O Hell is lighted now will they say the wraith of God is lighted now O what a masse and weight of wraith is this that we see now Men will now leape here and there and make litle count of the weightinesse of the Lords hand and securely contemne threatnings and judgement but in that day to their euerlasting woe they shall finde it the heauiest thing that euer was for by the weight of it they shall be so pressed downe that they shall neuer be able to prease vp againe Alas what a dead senslesnesse is this of men in this world that they regarde neither Heauen no● Hell liuing like beastes and not as men Lord waken vs in tyme to acknowledge these thinges Now to goe forward Who are these that shall be made wonderfull that in them the Lord Iesus may be made wonderfull In one word He calles them beleeuers a base and simple style among vs. He called them before Saintes holy ones and now he commes to the ground of their holinesse and calles it faith It will not be a faire honest ciuile dealing with our neighbour that will doe the turne albeit many men thinks so No but faith in Christ must be the ground any man that in any measure hes had a sense and feeling of that lyfe he will finde in his experience he can not haue hope or assurance of lyfe in the fairest outwarde dealing that euer men did except he finde his hart setled on God and his anchor casten on Christ This is the onely cause of thy saluation faith in Christ As for all thy good workes they are onely effects and tokens that thou hast that faith in Christ which will doe the turne and is the onely cause of thy saluation O blessed for euer is that hart that hes faith keeped let neuer thy remembrance be off it What euer thou thinke or speake keepe it hast thou it be assured of thy saluation lackest thou it doe all thou can thou shalt die Seeke euer to haue Christ in thy hart And seeing we who are now liuing may die in one moment Lord if we should not seeke earnestly to haue Christ dwelling in our harts It is onely his merites that saues vs. In the next wordes he defines them that he calles beleeuers and pointing them out he sayes not they that beleeues in Iesus Christ but they vvho in this lyfe hes beleeued my testimony the Gospell teached by me by my fellow●seruants by the rest of the Apostles and Pastors So take vp the nature of this faith and be not ●egyled with it It is not faith in Christ barely but faith in Christ preached By whom by a selie bodie What was Paul a selie bodie So looke neuer for lyfe nor saluation in that great day except thou humble thy selfe vnder the foolishe preaching as men thinkes it and beleeue the foolishe teaching of the Gospell Thou shalt

Cor. chap. 14. verse 25. it is said of the Prophets that God is in them Indeed he prophecyes not onely in the mouth but he enters in the hart and thereby he prophecyes aswell as by the mouth Paul sayes 2. Cor. 4. 13. We beleeue and therefore vve speak If the Prophet speake not with the tongue because he beleeues in the hart all his preaching is deare of a pennie See Coll. 1. 29. So Satan will be like God in this pointe he will enter in his minister namely the great Antichrist he will possesse his hart and all the inwarde affections of his soule and by them he will be powerfull in them that are ordeined for damnation before the world was made Now to goe forward in the text following The Apostle setdowne two meanes by the which the Antichrist when he shall come shall be effectuall in them who perishes Marke the two meanes and experience this day teaches the trueth of them The first meane he calles it all maner of povver then he expones himselfe what he meanes by this power by signes and lying vvonders wonderfull working that commes of a power Another meane in the verse following And in all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse that is doctrine that is first false secondly fraudulent hauing onely a cullour of the trueth So to take it vp shortly The two meanes the Antichrist shall haue is first working wonderfully next speaking vttering false doctrine first worke and wonders and then word Worke and word are the two means whereby the Antichrist deceiues you by his worke he deceiues the world by his word he propo●s false doctrine Now to speak of the first meane His first meane are wonders and miracles The Antichrist shall be effectuall by working wonders in them who are ordeined to perdition when he shall be reueiled in the world Brethren as the minister of Christ is effectuall by working of signes and wonders as the Apostles were and before them the Prophets in their owne tyme So the Antichrist the minister of Satan he will prease to be like them and he will be effectuall ●n these who perishes by working of wonders and miracles But what wonders are these that the Antichrist workes by The Apostle calles them lying signes and wonders lying first in respect of their end wherefore they are wrought to confirme false doctrine and lyes to men to establish falshood and againe lying because the wonders that are wrought are no true things in substance they are but ilusions and meere juglerie to deceiue the people Ye see the deuill would faine be like God and in the meane-tyme he is a plaine counterfairer and to call it so the ape of God counterfaiting God So the minister of Satan the Antichrist a plaine counterfaiter of Christs-Minister an ape set vp as he hes seene the Ministers of Christ worke so he will stand vp and counterfaite all are but apes all their miracles and working but apes playing Now brethren I thinke ye would aske this question whether if Satan and the Antichrist hes power to worke true miracles and wonders or not I answere shortlie In trueth I say Satan is not able to worke one true wonder he hes not power to worke one miracle Definitiō of a true miracle that is true in substance and I prone it both by reasons ●n Scripture but shortlie By reasons a true wonder or miracle is a worke that is wrought aboue nature against nature contrare to the course of nature contrare to all second causes of the which when it is done none in the world is able to giue a natural reason wherfore it is so There is the definition of a true miracle I could let you see out of the Scripture many examples of these the rauishing of Enoch and Elias to the Heauen Who can giue a naturall cause for the lifting vp of two heauy bodies to the Heauen The preseruation of Noe with so many with him in the Arke a worke against nature The confusion of languages at the building of Babell a wonder Saraes conceiuing of a Son when she had past the date of conceiuing and bearing children The passing of Israell safe though the red sea and through the floode of lordane The standing of the Sun in the heauen whe● Ioshua fought The going back of the Son when Ezechias wasick The Eclypse of the Sunne when Christ was crucified The sauing of Daniell in the Lyons den The sauing of the three children in the fire The sauing of Ionas in the Whales belly The burning vp of Elias sacrifices with a fire from Heauen against nature Come to the new Testament the raising vp of so many dead bodies and the greatest wonder of al the incarnation of the Son of God his suffering his resurrection the greatest wonder that euer was wrought Satan cānot vvork true miracles Who can giue a naturall cause of these things Now come to the assumption Satan cannot change nature it passes his power to impeed the course of nature to do any thing against the second causes it must be of as great power to change nature as to create nature the power that alters nature is as great as the power that creats nature Satan by al mens confession hes no● the power to create onely the Lord hes power to create It passes the deuils power to create the smallest creature on the earth and therefore it passes his power to change nature and to do any thing against nature and the second causes And therefore Rom cha 4. vers 17. these two the changing of nature and the creation are only ascryued to God as proper to him To God saies he vvho quickens the dead that is an alteration of nature and calles these thi●gs that are not as if they vvere that is creating by the word of his mouth at the naming of it the thing that was not standes vp and is And so we must conclude Satan hes no power to worke one true miracle This for the reason Come to the Scripture Read ye not 72. Psalme vers 18. Blessed be the Lord God euen the God of Israell vvho does onely vvondrous things And in the 77. Psalme vers 13. 14. Who is so great a God as our God thou are the God that 〈◊〉 vvonders as he would say there is none can worke wonders but God So this question is easily solued But there is another question Will not God vvorke ●vvonders by the ministrie of the Deuill and the Antichrist shovves not God his povver in vvorking vvonders by them as he did by the Prophets and Apostles his ovvne seruants Brethren I shall shovve you my opinion vvithout the prejudice of any mans judgement I thinke not for all the wonders that the deuill will worke are to this end to establishe lyes against God and his glory Novv I say the Lord vvill not lend his povver to Satan to work one true wonder to deface his owne glory and to establish false doctrine and I think I haue a