the Lord the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are gods yea 〈◊〉 good or doe euill that we may be dismayed and behold it 〈◊〉 Where wee see that howsoeuer these heathenish gods could not maintaine their owne cause and godhead with God but that they should be conuinced confuted and confounded by their owne weapons 〈◊〉 Gâ—â—â— yet we cannot deny but by these two they bewitched the Heathen and withdrew their seruice faith and deuotions from God to themselues Let vs see the truth hereof in each seuerally and in both ioyntly First for Predictions God for the better accomplishment of his promise made to Adam in Paradise for the instructing of his people and the shewing of his prouidence did reueale many things to come to our forefathers and that by diuers wayes and meanes herein hath Satan imitated God and robbed him of his honour namely by foretelling strange euents by promises and by threatnings wherein besides Gods iust permission he had many helps whereby he is furnished with knowledge sufficient to deâ—â—ide our ignorance and to draw on simple men who naturally are curiously inquisitiue after nouelties and future euents and as credulous to beleeue whatsoeuer shall bee told them CHAP. III. A digression neither vnnecessary nor impertinent concerning the knowledge of Deuils and the meanes thereof whereby they become furnished with matter of prediction SAtan hath euer beene as now he also is the great Witch of the world be the instruments what they will he was the first mouer The parts or kindes of witchcraft are two for it is either Diuining consisting in matter of prediction and coniecture or Working consisting in matter of practise By both these Satan bewitched the heathen and Gods people so farre as they hearkened vnto him In which regard God iealous of his owne honour and zealous of his peoples good challenged the gods of the heathen indeed deuils concerning both these in the place formerly alleadged Isa 41.23 We are to speake of them both but first of Prediction By the warrant of the fore-named place God onely pâ—â—pâ—â—lâ— can 〈◊〉 shew things 〈…〉 wee may set downe this conclusion It is the propertie of God only to shew the things that are to come hereafter that is to foreshew first things in themselues considered without respect to their causes and signes necessarily accompanying them and therefore things considered as to come and not as present in their causes or signes Secondly euents in themselues contingent depending on indeterminate causes and on the libertie of mans will And thirdly to tell afore-hand of these things certainly perspicuously infallibly and also particularly with circumstance of time place manner Thus in effect saith God to the gods of the heathen All this I can doe and haue done by my Prophets doe you the like and I will yeeld I will be no more God but acknowledge your deitie as the blinde heathen and my people whom you haue bewitched haue already done Let vs then consider of Diabolicall Prediction and Diuination what how farre forth and in what manner Satan can foretell any thing And whereas all prediction and fore-shewing of any thing doth necessarily include and presuppose Prescience or fore-knowledge at the least in the first Author of prediction for else wee know that Satans prophets often spoke they knew not what themselues my purpose is to speake somewhat of the knowledge of deuils in this chapter and after of the wayes and meanes whereby they vsed to manifest to men this their knowledge Now for our better conceiuing what knowledge they haue let vs first briefly see what knowledge they had before their fall secondly what after and that either retained and old as I may call it or else new and attained vnto by other meanes 1. What knowledge the Deuill had before his fall For the first The very names giuen vnto them as well by prophane Writers as diuine doth sufficiently euince their great and wonderfull knowledge The heathen though ignorant of the creation and fall of Angels yet seeme to acknowledge very great naturall knowledge to be in them when they call them by the generall name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common as well to good as bad spirits The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies so much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sciens or one endued with knowledge insomuch that Aristotle in regard of his great knowledge is called by some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so is Plato called by Plutarch and Homer of Dionysius is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea Plato calleth God himselfe magnum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard of his omnisciencie Which yet we must take with this difference God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sciens knowes what he knowes ipsâ essentiâ by his essence others in comparison as Angels who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scientes suâ naturâ endued with knowledge naturally and men who are habitu scientes and attaine to the habit of knowledge This name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or daemon is by Christians giuen only to wicked fiends in regard both of their knowledge in which they were created as also of that which in part they still retaine The Scripture cals the Angels indifferently at their creation in regard of their knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 starres of light â—ob 38.7 or morning starres and thus is Satan called Lucifer or morning starre Isa 14.12 where the King of Babylons fall and ruine is resembled by Satans fall from heauen 〈◊〉 10.18 And thus said our Sauiour I saw Satan like lightning fall downe from heauen But in particular The knowledge which was common to all the Angels before their fall was either naturall or supernaturall Naturall which was giuen them of God at their creation whereby as S. Augustine saith they saw and knew God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and also the creatures and that either in the Word or Sonne of God by whom all things were made and in whom are the Ideaes and Images of all things this knowledge of S. Augustine is called scientia matutina diurna morning and day-knowledge Or secondly in the proper natures of the things themselues and this is called vespertina euening-knowledge as being more obscure then the former Or thirdly as Aquinas saith per species in suis mentibus innatas by the images and impressions of things connate inbred and naturally in their mindes Supernaturall knowledge is that whereby they knew diuers supernaturall things only by a supernaturall gift of knowledge which is double The first simply to know any supernaturall thing as that God is iust good of infinite power c. but without all loue or trust in God The second which is ioyned with loue of God with feare and affiance in him which some distinguishing call diuine knowledge and the former only supernaturall This knowledge howsoeuer it was most excellent in them before the fall yet euen then was it
added which they cannot hide from the eyes and obseruation of the wise but because this depth of Satan is bottomlesse as reaching to hell it selfe we cease to search further into it as hauing already beene drawne on further then at the first we intended These are the deuillish policies of such as would seduce the soules of men from the truth of God whereby yet as they deceiue so are they deceiued being those very deceiuers which S. Paul so long since hath warned vs of 2 Tim. 2.13 For behold while they are playing their feates you may as it were see Satan looking ouer their shoulders setting them also and heartning them on and by them working his owne purposes hee being the grand-deceiuer deceiues both and laughes to see the deceiuer deceiued by himselfe Yet if you please to looke vp higher you may see God the Great Master of this game and tragicke-comedy who by his infinite wisdome being as it were the Poet contriued purposed the being of each thing and from eternitie disposed of them you may I say see him ruling ouer-ruling and disposing the actions of them all so that while euery one workes for himselfe and for his owne end he makes vse of all for his owne glory either in the iust condemnation of them that perish whether they be deceiuers or deceiued or the saluation of his chosen Ezek. 14.9 10 11 1 Cor 11 19. who thus are proued and approued On him then and on his onely word wee are to depend for direction Yet are wee also wisely to obserue and take notice of the policies of enemies which when we know wee are to take heed of lest Satan should get an aduantage against vs for saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 2.11 wee are not ignorant of his deuices The same Apostle saith of seducers They shall proceed no further 2 Tim. 3.9 for their follie shall be manifest to all men Where we may note the reason why seducers so long and so much preuaile is from mens ignorance of their follie madnesse and plots Wee may iustly then bewaile the estate of the commoner sort of Papists for others they are iustly hardned whose eyes are blinded so that they can neither see the sophismes trickes by which they are deluded nor yet the euidence and onely rule to iudge both of truth and falsehood Gods sacred word in the Scriptures which word tels vs what Pastors and Teachers we are to hearken vnto namely to such as Christ gaue at his ascension and still giues to make vs perfect men in him and that we henceforth should be no more children Ephes 4 1â— tossed to and fro and carried about with euery winde of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceiue The remedie he giues vs is double in the next verse the first is to speake or follow the truth in loue And â—â— otherwise we may feare to be giuen ouer to strong delusion 2 Thess 2.10.11 and to haue our portion with them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued This loue of God and his truth is made a note of a true professor whom God by false prophets doth proue whether he loue the Lord with all his heart or no. The second is Deut. 13.2.3 to grow vp into him in all things which is the head euen Christ For as it is in the same chapter said by him and by his ministerie we may become perfect men Verse 13. and attaine to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ In Christ then there is a fulnesse and from him we haue a fulnesse Therefore I conclude with the Apostle S. Paul Coloss 2.3 4. And verses 8.9.10 that in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge And this I say lest any man should beguile you with entising words CHAP. X. Satans policies in himselfe and by his Instruments the Popish sort for the killing the bodies of the Saints 2. Popish plots and policies for the effecting of their second end Namely For the killing the bodies of the Saints LEt vs now in the next place see if we cannot also finde like deuillish sleights and policies vsed for and in the killing of the bodies of the Saints Satan to animate the Heathen to the voluntary murthering and killing themselues children in sacrifice to him wanted not his tricks of deceit and delusion his religious pretext of most acceptable seruice when our dearest things are not spared for Gods sake his plausible perswasions as of a thing most reasonable viz. that man who sinneth should also by his bloud expiate sinne especially the innocent as are children die for the nocent In the 3. Sect. and the like of which more hereafter In like manner we may now finde him by his instruments plotting and politiquely practising the death of Gods dearest seruants on earth I doe not speake of that Popish bewitching the minds of their owne whereby men are perswaded and made willing to vndergoe an imaginarie and false martyrdome but of those pretences grounds colours and deuices which are vsed by them for the animating of others to attempt and practise the murthering of Christs harmelesse sheepe Our Sauiour hath foretold vs that whosoeuer killeth his seruants Ioh. 16.2 will thinke that he doth God seruice So now the time indeed is come when the doctrine and practise of killing Gods Saints especially of Christian Kings is made passable and approued vnder pretence of pleasing God All now is shrouded vnder the habit of Catholike zeale and the Catholike cause Let vs in particular see vpon what grounds and pretences they goe and by what degrees they proceed First they haue learned one point of policie of old practised by others Pharaoh king of Aegypt who knew not Ioseph nor Gods people and children with him seeing the Children of Israel to increase abundantly and fearing herevpon the weakning of his kingdome called a Conuocation and said to his people Come on Exod. 1.10 1â— 22 let vs deale wisely with them lest they multiply c. Hereupon when hard taskes could not keepe them vnder hee commanded the Hebrew midwiues to kill all the males as soone as they were borne and that not taking effect his owne people to cast them into the riuer and drowne them Now this was a Deuillish Policy and fit for him to practise who is a deuouring Dragon which accordingly he did for fearing what now hee feeles namely the weakning of his kingdome by the birth of Christ Reuel 12.2 He stood before the woman which was ready to be deliuered for to deuoure her childe as soone as it was borne Mat. 2.13.16 Euen so did Herod seeke to destroy and kill our Sauiour so soone as hee was borne whose Kingdome he imagined would be contrary to his and consequently ruinate it The very same the Iewes his owne people to whom he
infinitely inferiour to Gods omniscience so that they were ignorant of their owne fall and rebellion of the mysterie of mans saluation of casuall and contingent effects not yet in act of the turnings and windings and secret thoughts of mans heart vnto which their eye-sight could not attaine vnlesse God did open their eyes to see them Now being fallen if the question be 2. What knowledge the Deuill lost by the fall and what knowledge he still retaines what knowledge they haue lost by their fall and what they still retaine I answer that no question but their knowledge is much blemished and darkened so that whereas formerly they were bright morning-starres and lightning in regard of their cleere knowledge now they are said to be in darknesse yea darknesse it selfe cast out headlong from heauen a place of light 2 Pet. 2 4. Iude verse â— to hell a blacke dungeon of darknesse being deliuered into chaines of darknesse to be kept vnto damnation and all because they abode not in the truth which is a good can eat for vs. More particularly I answer first for their naturall knowledge none doubts but that now they know the same things for substance both diuine and angelicall humane and terrestriall which they knew before yet more obscurely then before as man by his fall had his mind much obscured Gods iustice required so much Secondly their supernaturall knowledge is wonderfully obscured for they are ignorant of very many things which if they had not falne they should haue knowne yet is it not quite none seeing we read in Scripture that they knew and confessed Christ to be the Sonne of God and that he was come to dissolue their wicked workes to torment to condemne them that the Apostles were the seruants of the most high God and consequently that Christ was the most high God whose seruants the Apostles were But because such knowledge of Christ and of the Gospell though fruitlesse and dead cannot proceed from flesh and blood but onely from diuine reuelation either by good Angels or by the effects of Gods power and prouidence manifested to them therefore we cease further to speake of it till we come to the third branch of their knowledge which wee obserued and called attained or new knowledge Now lastly for sauing knowledge ioyned with loue and confidence in God they haue no part at all in it though no doubt but the good Angels haue it both much increased and most strongly and immutably confirmed in them And this was the shrewdest and forest blow of all the rest whereby they were depriued of this sauing and true knowledge because they abode not in the truth But yet you may say this lets nor but that their knowledge may be sufficient enough to foresee such things as Oracles haue foretold and which farre surpasse the reach of mans foresight Therefore let vs consider these two points which are very pertinent The first is what things they can certainly know and foretell and what not The second more particular whether and how farre forth they knew the secret thoughts and affections of mans heart For the first 1. Whether Satan can certainly know and foretell future contingents we must briefly know that things to come may be knowne two wayes either in themselues or in their causes and signes In themselues when things not yet existing are as certainely foreseene as if they were present and laid open in our sight which is done either by the proper motion and spirit of the foreseer and this is Gods property alone or by inspiration from God and so Gods Prophets both saw many things in themselues by illumination from God and also told them before they were In their causes are future things foreseene when by the viewing and beholding of their causes we gather that such or such effects will follow Now because effects flow from their causes either necessarily the causes being such as cannot be hindred as is the eclipse of the Sun or Moone or though not of meere necessity nor of meere chance yet for the most part and most commonly they follow their causes which yet may sometimes be hindered in their operations as seed sowne by diuers occasions is hindered that it doth not alwayes sprout out spindle and become corne or lastly wholly casually and contingently their causes being altogether indeterminate and indifferent Hence it is that Satan and his instruments may certainely know the first kind of effects which euen men can certainely see and foretell And for the second kind howsoeuer men cannot certainely but onely coniecturally and probably foresee the euents of things yet Satan may at the least more certainely then men foresee them as more exquisitely knowing the nature of their causes and whether or no there be any impediment which may hinder their actual existence yet because such impediments often are sent from God immediately whose secret will they are ignorant of hence wee also safely conclude that euen such effects cannot infallibly bee knowne by the Deuill before-hand for God hath said Isay 44.25 I destroy the tokens of the Southsayers and make them that coniecture fooles But concerning the third and last kind where the question is whether deuils know things meerely contingent or no without speciall reuelation as that Iudas was to betray Christ and the like I answer that to know such things certainely belongs onely to the true Iehouah and cannot bee knowne precisely either by man or Angell good or bad vnlesse God reueale the same As for example to know before-hand the time and kind of a mans death is contingent of which the good Angell professeth himselfe to be ignorant when he was asked by Esdras concerning that mattter 〈…〉 So likewise many things were to befall the Church after Saint Iohns time which the Angell could not foretell but by reuelation from Christ yea Christ himselfe reuealed such things onely to Iohn which hee as man receiued from his Father and from his owne diuinity Much lesse then can any wicked spirit naturally foreknow any such contingent effect howsoeuer they may coniecture better of these things then we men Therefore seeing we speake not of a coniecturall but of a certaine and infallible knowledge of future contingents wee conclude that no such thing can bee foreknowne or foretold by deuils certainely without reuelation 2. Whether and how taâ—â—â— Satan 〈◊〉 mans 〈◊〉 Now for the second question whether and how farreforth they know the secrets and thoughts of mans heart for if it be granted that they doe know them then doubtlesse they may foreshew many things which they see a plotting and contriuing to diuers who are ignorant of other mens secret plots and practises to this I answer that Deuils cannot know any mans thoughts certainely and of themselues vnlesse they bee made knowne by some outward signe or effect in the body or by diuine reuelation or the like To make this plaine we may consider our thoughts either as yet future and
Sinners not some one or some few but they indefinitly the children of Israel it seemes it was a generall sinne and farre spreading 2 Of the multiplying of Sin Secondly in regard of the multiplication and reâ—terations of their sinnes according to the number of Idols in the Citie and out of it Thus Manasseh shed innocent blood very much till he filled Ierusalem from one end to another 2 Kings 21.16 Thus is Ierusalem said to haue built her an high place in euery street and at euery head of the way to haue multiplied her whoredomes with the Aegyptians Assyrians Canaanites yea saith the Lord thou hast plated the harlot with them and yet couldest not be satisfied 3 Of the faculties of soule and body Ezek. 16.23.24 c. Thirdly in regard of all the faculties of soule and body Ier. 8.2 all which haue beene carried to their imagined gods and hoast of heauen whom they haue loued whom they haue serued after whom they haue walked and whom they haue sought and whom they haue worshipped 4 Of the intention of each faculty Fourthly in regard of the vtmost extent and intention of each faculty Thus was Samaria set on fire with her louers Ezek. 23.5 And the Israelites inflamed or inflaming themselues with Idols slaying the children in the valleyes vnder the clifts of the rocks Esa 57.5 O height of impiety This is it by little and little to fall from God from his onely will and worship and to giue the reynes to little beginnings for thus often God in his lust iudgement giues men ouer to extremities punishing coldnesse in our holy profession by giuing men ouer to a superstitious zeale 2 Thess 2.10.11.12 Sending strong delusion that they should beleeue and loue lyes who beleeue and loue not the truth This is also the nature of sinne vnresisted for so one sin causeth another First as the efficient cause one being a bait to another and a step thereunto euen as the lesser wedge makes way for the greater Secondly as the matter thereof as drunkennes of lust Thirdly as the end thereof as when whoredome is the end of theft increasing of wealth immoderately the end of false dealing Fourthly as the meritorious cause thereof God often as is said punishing one sinne with another Where these causes concurre especially when God leaues men to themselues and to their owne corruption which being capable of all formes may receiue the very stampe print and image of the diuell himselfe what maruell if from little springs there grow a sea of wickednesse We haue seene it in these Iewes and may further see it by this gradation for we may not thinke they became sodainly thus extremely euill but by these degrees Whereas there is a double power to ouercome sinne first the power of Nature or of our owne free will such as was in Adam before his fall and secondly the power of Grace by Iesus Christ These Iewes First euen now since the fall conceiuing the wound of originall sinne to be in part curable by the power of their owne free will Malach. 4.2 they beganne to neglect Christ their promised Messiah and the onely true Physitian And whereas from this power of Nature and of Grace Righteousnesse is double Christs and our owne they Secondly proceeded to a mixture of their owne righteousnesse with his Thirdly from that to their owne righteousnesse onely from Christ to Moses from the Gospel to the Law Now whereas their owne righteousnesse and obedience is eyther inward or outward they Fourthly fell from the inward to the outward onely from inward obedience to outward performances of morall duties that is from the Spirit to the Letter from the heart to the lips and hand witnesse the fift of Matthew Now againe this outward obedience being eyther in regard of Morall duties or of Ceremoniall they Fiftly fell from the Morall to an externall Ceremoniall holinesse and a looking for of righteousnesse from their sacrifices obseruation of dayes and other Ceremonies which they preferred before Mercy Faith Obedience Now Ceremonies are eyther prescribed by God himselfe or they are onely of mens deuising they therefore Sixtly proceeded to seeke righteousnesse from ceremonies of their owne deuising and from will-worship Againe these ceremonies and practises are eyther lesse impious and abhominable as the washing of hands cups chayres or more wicked vnto which they Lastly fell namely to most wicked practises and superstitions of their owne and such as Gods Law most plainly condemnes as the prostitution of their daughters and the sacrificing of their children to deuils for saith my text Yea they sacrificed their sonnes and their daughters vnto deuils CHAP. II. Containing an Application of the former Chapter WAs it thus with the Iewes Gods owne peculiar people Rom. 3.2 and â— 4 to whom were committed the Oracles of God to whom belonged the adoption and the glory and the couenants and the giuing of the Law and the Seruice of God and the Promises and may it not be so with vs Christians What better or greater priuiledges promises or exemptions from possibility of erring haue we then they further forth then we and they hold our selues to the heauenly patterne the onely rule of Gods word Nay is it not so already with vs Christians and hath not the mystery of iniquity and Idolatry growne to its height by like degrees Popery growes on by degrees See it in these particulars not to apply to Papists what was lastly obserued concerning the Iewes which any diligent eie comparing the one with the other 1 Worshipping of Images may easily do First In the worshipping of Images many doubt whence this had its beginning I doubt not to affirme from corrupt nature for we see men naturally delighted with pictures and Images wee see what loue and respect children giue to their puppets how they prefer the resemblance of a Doue or Dog made into a cake before the lumpe or loafe it selfe some picture or puppet made out of siluer before the lumpe or masse of siluer Though with Plutarch Plutarch Sympos 5. qu. â— I easily grant that Art and imitation of nature draw on our affection and liking to them without any other master yet I thinke that is rather in men growne then in children who haue no iudgement of the workes either of nature or Art but men both vpon the former ground and also naturally delight in making and beholding pictures as resemblances of the workes of God and nature which workmanship of his seeing they cannot make they yet imitate and delight in it These then are the degrees grounded partly on Nature partly on Art First Delight Secondly Ornament for so also are they vsed Thirdly they had also an historicall vse But fourthly honour and respect giuen to deceased friends and benefactours haue caused statues to bee made and erected pictures to be hanged vp first onely in the houses and porches of priuate friends but at the length in Churches also and
cui placitum est Scal. ut supr what and how much knowledge both for quantity and measure and for quality and nature when and to whom in particular God pleaseth But taking for granted that Deuils behold not at any time Gods essence which is meant by this glasse wee leaue it and come to the second meanes whereby knowledge is had and increased which is Medium per quod or demonstration such as being knowne brings the knowledge of some thing formerly vnknowne The Deuils knowledge receiues increase This for distinctions sake is had either from the effects and particular instances of experience or from the causes of things Now the knowledge of Deuils may receiue increase both these wayes 1 From experience And first from experience which here I take in a large sence as it may agree likewise to deuils Now experience being a particular obseruation of many the like effects or signes no question but deuils by reason of their long continuance being as old as the world and of their excellent naturall vnderstanding and sagacitie may both more cunningly and exquisitely take notice of such signes and effects as also from thence inferre some conclusion and consequent better then wee men who are destitute of these helpes yea better then themselues considered at diuers times and in diuers ages Thus of themselues not knowing our thoughts as is proued yet by some outward action signe motion or gesture they may diuine what a man thinkes and is a plotting because as saith S. Augustine they know by long experience that all men almost August de diuinat daemonum in whom formerly they haue obserued the like signes motions or gestures haue done and practised the same things Thus for things contingent by obseruation they haue found forth and foretold the periods and translations of Empires and Kingdomes the continuance of which is ordinarily determined at 500. Pucerus li. de ditanat generibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yeares or not much vnder or ouer as Pucerus doth instance Thus againe from the present state and carriage of things in the world by obseruing the manners and inclinations of men with what care and industrie or with what slothfulnesse and negligence they goe about their affaires by obseruing mens consultations and practises from these I say they can easily diuine concerning the euent of any businesse in hand and that better then the men themselues that haue the managing of any such affaires For of old they know that such proceedings and such affections in men of pride vaine-glory emulation wrath and head-long impatience will haue answerable and sutable euents and the same ends which formerly and in other men of like affections they haue had Now to make their prediction of any such thing more certaine when God permits they by temptations and continuall perswasions cease not to prouoke men to put in practise and execution some wicked thought or other Thus was he bent and forward enough to stirre vp the Sabaeans and Chaldaeans to spoile Iob of his substance And thus especially he intermeddles with matters of State so that he may presume to foretell such things as himselfe for the greatest part is the author of And yet that agilitie whereby almost in a moment he can be present in most places is a helpe to him herein for thus when he sees things a practising or already effected in one place he can speedily in another shew them to his prophets as things to come And thus he foretold to his prophets in Noua Francia the comming of the French long before they approached Now secondly 2. From the knowledge of the causes of things hauing by experience of effects attained to the knowledge of their causes they can now from this knowledge more certainly then before behold the necessary dependance of effects on their causes Thus they know the natures qualities and proper workes of the Starres euen vpon mans body with what celestiall qualities and vertue the aire which doth inclose vs is affected and possessed at the instant of our birth insomuch that if Astrologers can but ghesse from hence the future state and fate of mens both liues and deaths much more are deuils able to foretell the same And so likewise in other causes But to leaue this point The third and last way to attaine knowledge or the increase thereof is Medium sub quo vt lumen that is Illumination And thus Satans knowledge may be and is augmented This light of knowledge being either naturall or supernaturall we leaue the former and for the latter to wit supernaturall illumination we say That deuils know many new things from diuine reuelation 3. From diuine reuelation and that either more immediate from God or good Angels or else by meanes of the Scriptures the reuealed will and word of God And that Either more immediately by himselfe and good Angels First from God and good Angels which I the rather ioyne because some thinke that no reuelation is made to man or other creature no not to Gods Prophets but by the meanes of good Angels But howsoeuer we may say it is from God and that more immediately then the knowledge which is had from Scripture Therefore when it pleaseth Gods iustice to take vengeance on the wicked or by affliction to exercise his children as he did Iob then often he vseth Satan as his instrument and executioner Thus for diuers ends hee reuealed himselfe to false prophets 1 Sam. 28.17.19 manifesting vnto him what he will haue done where when and how And thus might he foreknow and foretell to Saul the time of his and his sonnes death and the translation of the kingdome to Dauid Now God doth by other wayes and to other ends reueale things to come and sometimes speake by the mouth of Satans instruments sometimes to proue his people and to know whether they loue the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soule as it is Deut. 13.1.2.3 sometimes God will haue Satan strongly to delude wicked men with pretence of truth that they should beleeue lies and be damned which beleeue not the truth of God 2 Thess 2.12 but had rather heare it from the deuill Ezek. 14.9 Thus the Lord put a lying spirit in the mouth of all Ahabs prophets as it is 1 Kings 22.23 Causam praescientiae daemoniâ— alibi quam in eorum natura quaerere conuenit Sic olim Deus fallacij instruens impios doctores seclera populi sui vltus est non quod illi praecellerent dâ—no intelligentiae sed quatenus in hunc vsiâ—n apâ—ati erâ—t grassati sunt permissâ sibi licentiâ Caluin in Isaiam c. 41.23 Of the Sibyls And thus saith reuerend Caluin Wee are to inquire the cause of Satans praescience elsewhere then in their nature So of old God to punish the sinnes of his people furnished them with false teachers c. Sometimes to shew the immutablenesse of his mercies
Second aduantage from Gods prouidence 2 Thes 2.9 10 11. Deut. 13.1.2.3 Dan. 11 3â— 1. Cor. 11 1â— Third from their owne suttleties Reuel 7 7.8-10.11 hath not Satan men at great aduantage especially further considering first that God giues him some and liberty and that first to worke with all power and lying wonders with all deceiueablenesse and strong delusion in such as receiue not the loue of the truth secondly thus to proue and so to approue and manifest the loue the faith sincerity and constancy of the faithfull Secondly considering that as Satan in deceiuing Eue had and abused the Serpent as his instrument so hath he now some of Serpentine disposition who yet the more easily to abuse our simplicity haue their faces as ours the faces of men and their haire as the haire of women but yet they are Serpents and their tailes are like vnto Scorpions and these are hereticks and seducers of all times Euseb Eccles hist lib. 4. cap. 1â— ex Jren Whence Policarpe the ancient Martyr called Marcion the heretick Primogenitum diaboli the first borne of the Deuill and yet some were borne a little before him euen in S. Pauls time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 11.13.14 Act. 20 29.30 2. Pet. 2.1.2.3 of whom he saith they are false Apostles and deceitfull workers transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ Such as these he also prophecied of whom he describes by the name of grieuous Wolues who speake peruerse things to draw disciples after them of false teachers who priuily shall bring in damnable heresies speaking euill of the way of truth and through couetousnesse with fained words making marchandize of men And these are they who being deceiued themselues deceiue others also Iude 10. who being corrupt themselues yea corrupting themselues like bruit beasts in what they know naturally corrupt others also as doth their mistresse that whore which did Reuel 19.2 and now doth corrupt the earth with her fornication Now all these sleights this guile and deceitfulnesse to delude and seduce are foretold vs of Antichrist of whom it is said 2. Thess 2.9.10.11 His comming is after the working of Sataen with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse in them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued and for this cause it is added God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeue a lye c. Where wee see that the sonne of perdition must vse all guile and deceitfulnesse to delude and seduce men from the truth of God how needfull then is it for vs to feare what Saint Paul feared on the behalfe of the Corinthians Cor. 11.3 saying But I feare lest by any meanes as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his subtilty so your mindes should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ especially when wee see and feele in our selues both in Court and Country the stinging effects of this serpentine Romish brood who take and make vse of all the forenamed aduantages especially in these our Northren parts where our peoples eyes are put out Reuel 9.2 and our Sunne in great part darkened by the smoake of the bottomlesse pit out of which come these Locusts to vs. Qui cauet ne decipiatur vix cauet cum etiam cauâ—tâ—etiam cum cauisse ratus est saepe is cautor ceptus est Plaut captiu Prouerbs 17. Therefore there is scarce any humane caution sufficient against them who want neither will nor skill to hurt by deceiuing so that the most warie is not so warie but for all his warinesse hee may bee warred and foiled Moderate feare may here be commended vnto vs by that commendation which the wisedome of God giues to the feare of God It is the beginning of wisedome For as also saith euen naturall wisedome in Aristotle Feare causeth consultation Arist in Rhet. and consultation causeth wisedome Who then are easiliest misled and seduced but the simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minime mali and such as are least of all distrustfull The Scripture cals such simple I would they were not also vnwise children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prouerb 1.4 Prouerb 8.5 Matth. 10.10 It is said of seducers causers of sects and offences that by good words and faire speeches they deceiue the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.18 What then ought wisdomes worke to be in vs she tels vs her selfe to giue suttlety to the simple and her counsell is O ye simple vnderstand wisedome There is wisedome then required in the children of light to espie and preuent the wisedome of the children of the world and therefore we are bid be wise as Serpents wise not to doe euill but to preuent euill and this our wisedome consists in cautelousnesse As the Apostle hath foretold vs of grieuous wolues so he bids also haue an eye to Philip. 3.2 and beware of dogs beware of euill workers Now I need not much beware of that dog that giues me warning by his barking but I will haue an eye to the close sullen Cur that will pinch me by the heele ere I be aware If our aduersaries were all of hasty dispositions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and free spirited to expresse themselues boldly then by Aristotles rule I need not much feare them but being still and close fellowes dissemblers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet lib. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deceiuers and as Saint Paul said deceitfull workers there is too iust cause of fearing such These saith Aristotle are to be feared and so are as he cals them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such impostors as can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imponere that is put a tricke vpon a man finely Concerning all which Saint Paul warnes vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thes 2.3 2. Cor. 113. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Popish policies for the corrupting of mens soules beginning his discourse concerning Antichrist with this caueat Let no man deceiue you by any meanes wherefore not doubting but the Pope of Rome and that succession is Antichrist his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and meanes of deceiuing and corrupting mens minds are now to bee considered which being both for the supplanting of truth and planting of errour we may reduce with the Apostle to our minds that is partly to the vnderstanding on which the will much-what dependeth partly to the affections and sences all which these seducers seeke to corrupt 1. For the corrupting the vnderstanding 1. Which they doe 1. By blinding it First for the vnderstanding It they goe about to blind and to delude Their first tricke is to put out the light and with Vlysses to put out Poliphemus his eye while the people are secure so that the hurt is done And that 1. By denying the Scriptures to the people and Vtis No-body hath done it This is done first by wresting the Scriptures out of the
listen to Saint Gregory his lesson Greg. 〈…〉 which is Iniustum est seruire diabolo qui nullo placatur obsequio We haue no reason to doe the Deuill seruice when nothing we doe can make him propitious He then that thus seekes heauen shall come as short of it as did those Carpocratian heretikes of whom Saint Austen August de haeres cap 7. who professedly taught the practise of all filthinesse that so by pleasing wicked Fiends in whose power they were they might be suffered to passe quietly without disturbance through their aery regions to the celestiall But for the true God God was much displeased therwith Deut. 12.31 Ier. 29.5 this kind of seruice could neither please him nor appease him he condemnes it here and elsewhere and his wrath was kindled against them for it verse 40. Yet might they say they intended nothing but well by it and if they erred it was an error of loue not loue of error seeing for his sake they spared not their dearest children Truth if Intentions without or against Gods word would excuse But wil-worship with disobedience is no plea at Gods bar Abrahams example doth not iustifie it Yet Abrahams zeale was commended true because it was coÌ„manded But Agamemnons was condemned because by the law Thou shalt not kill it was forbidden And was not Abrahams Yet is not the others zeale hereby warranted God who is aboue his Law tried Abraham by a special command dispensing with the general vnto which the other still stood bound as hauing no speciall Abraham obeyed while he disobeied if disobeyed not so the other Abraham was not blamed for his butchery but praised for his pietie A cult de ciuit 〈…〉 2â— saith S. Augustine Quòd voluit filiuÌ„ nequaquà m scelerate sed obedienter occidere Inasmuch as hee was ready to haue slaine his Son not scelerously but in obedience Abrahams readinesse being from diuine instinct is imitable of none who haue not the like Heroici motus non sunt imitandi Diuine and extraordinary motions are not to be imitated Wee are bound to the common rule but these diuine instincts are farre aboue it One particular Heroici motus sunt suprareâ—ulam saith Logicke is inferred proued or warranted by another onely where the cause and reason is alike in both but here the facts were not more like then the causes different But the truth is Abrahams obedience pleased God and not his sacrifice or rather his obedience was his sacrifice God is not delighted simply in our bloud no not of Martyrs but in our obedience whether actiue or passiue In Abraham wee see it Nam Deus qui iusserat vt id fieret Pet. Martyr in locis ne fieret prohibuit God who commanded the act yet forbade the acting of it Euen so though without iniury yea also iustly hee might require our bloud in ordinary sacrifice yet did hee require onely of the Iewes for it the bloud of beasts Thus both shewing them and vs our sinnes and death deserued by them and yet his readinesse to receiue an atonement yea the atonement of another for vs. Yet could not these outward sacrifices simply eyther appease his wrath as holding no proportion with the infinitnesse thereof or of our guilt or yet so much as please him without some better and more pleasing sacrifice August de ciuit Dei lib. 10. ca. Thus euen the Heathen Non boue mactato coelestia numina gaudent Sed quae praestanda est sine teste Fide Ouid. ep 19. Sacrificium enim visibile saith Saint Austen invisibilis sacrificij sacramentum hoc est sacrum signum est For the outward visible sacrifice is a sacrament that is a holy signe of an inuisible sacrifice If God then from thence smelled a * Gen. 8.20 Act. 20.28 Sauor of rest it was from the sacrifice of our Sauiour Christ For as it by the rest was typified so the rest by it were sanctified and accepted This hath so sufficiently alone reconciled God to vs and satisfied his iustice as being the shedding of the bloud of God that to offer any other eyther sacrifice or seruice or yet this againe to that end were as to derogate from the sufficiency thereof so to make God as implacable as we haue shewed the Deuill to be CHAP. III. An application of the former point THus haue wee seene Idolatry zealous though it reape no acceptance nor yet good fruit of its zeale Though it lose yet may wee gaine from it this profitable and vsefull consideration Idolaters more zealous in their kinde then the children of light That the children of this world are not onely more wise but more zealous also in their generation then the children of light Whose zeale therefore if it expell not our coldnesse shall condemne both it and vs. Religion sailes and holds her course betweene two dangerous rockes of Superstition and Impiety On the one side saith Plutarch In Camillo there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Superstitious vanity on the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Negligence and contempt of heauenly things And such saith he is mans infirmity that keeping no bounds it is hurried sometime to the one and sometime to the other Both are euill but yet the second iustifies the first as Ierusalem did Sodome Superstition at the least in shew and pretence bordering nearer to true piety Wee may see and yet shame to see our selues so farre behinde the zealous affections and practises of Heathen Heretikes Idolaters and generally of the wicked Wee may see in Scripture Samaria doting on her louers Ezek. 23.5 Isa 57.5 or set on fire with them and the Iewes inflamed or inflaming themselues with Idols and yet our selues like Moah through our ease and long peace setled on our lees Ier. 48.11 Zeph. 1.12 and like Ierusalem curded and frozen in our dregs In my Text wee haue seene children sacrificed by their Parents to the deuill and yet see professed Christians vnwillingly if at all eyther to chastise their children doing amisse or to consecrate them to the seruice and honour of God or their Country yea impatiently to take their death when God himselfe cals them away Anno 1293. Apud Laps Monit Exe. polit Yet wee reade of one Alphonsus Peresius Gusmanus a Spaniard who holding the Citie Tariffa for the King his Master was threatned by the enemies that vnlesse hee yeelded vp the Towne his onely sonne whom they had taken should be miserably mangled in his sight No said hee betray my trust I will not for an hundred sonnes of mine if you had them and if you will needs doe it loe here is a sword and so casting his owne sword vnto them his sonne therewith was barbarously murthered himselfe nothing appalled thereat Strange also it is Idolaters zeale in not sparing themselues 1 Kings 18.28 what butchery men haue executed on themselues for the pleasing pacifying and honouring of their Idols You shall
apes with God in all things required this seruice also after the example of the old Testament and that with obseruation of many like circumstances which the rather they vsed as to deceiue the Heathen so in likelihood in time to come the more easily to draw on the Iewes to heathenish superstition when they should see the same or like seruices to their owne as indeed the euent proued Now God required the firstlings of their fruits and cattell 1. Of fruits and beasts that they should acknowledge themselues beholding to him for them on the contrary these gods require the acknowledgement of such things to be made to themselues and to their Images And as God so did the auncient heathenish gods inioyne the sacrifice of bruite beasts where wee know that among the Iewes Lambs especially and more ordinarily were vsed in sacrifice as in the daily sacrifice morning and euening and in their most celebrated â—â—â—st and sacrament of the Passeouer Exod. 12.3 c. vsed to signifie and typifie Iesus Christ who is called the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world In which sacrifices then and now in Christ 1. Iohn 2.2 they and we finde reconciliation with God through his blood So did the Gentiles also in case of reconciliation with their gods sacrifice Lambs thence comes the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lambe which is all one in signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consiliare to reconcile and from thence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pugno decerto c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to hate irreconciliably and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Particularly men But God moreouer commanded Abraham to sacrifice his sonne in which as in all others Christ in his humane nature was signified wherein he should be sacrificed and dye for the sinnes of the world Hereupon the Deuill must needs put this also into the heads of the Heathen namely to sacrifice men and so to lay the sinnes of a whole City or Country vpon the backe of some one poore wretch to make an attonement for the rest To giue but one instance The Leucades as Strabo reports yearely made choise of some notorious malefactor and sacrificed him for the whole If we cast our eies on diuers circumstances about the sacrifices of the Iewes we shall finde the like among the Heathen Aâ—â—â—â—â—â—ing First the Priests were commanded to wash themselues with Water before they executed the Priests office in the Temple 〈◊〉 Satur◠〈…〉 So the Heathen being to sacrifice Dijs superis to the higher and superior gods they did corpus abluere aquâ wash their whole body with water but if Dijs inferis 〈◊〉 13. Oâ— Saâ—t â—in lib. 3◠〈◊〉 7 lib. â—1 〈◊〉 18. Nec 〈◊〉 propitâ—â—â—â—am dii mola 〈◊〉 a supplicantiâ—â—â— imo verà pâ—aâ—atioâ—e Lucret. lib. 1 â—â—am fundere Bacchum Coepeâ—â—t obliquoque molas inducere â—â—â—ro 〈◊〉 roâ—â— Eâ—log 8 â—arge molam to the lower gods then did they onely aspergere besprinkle themselues Secondly we know the meat-offerings must be seasoned with Salt and that vpon all oblations salt should bee offered Now that this was an accustomed thing in the sacrifices offered to false gods Pliny witnesseth saying Sacra nulla perficiuntur sine mola salsa that is no offerings nor sacrifices were made without a cake made of meale salt Hence came the Latine word Immolatio which signifieth a sacrificing from the putting or placing of this salt cake vpon the beasts head for the custome of the Romans was that when the beast was brought to the Altar after theâ—r praiers and other ceremonies were finished the priest either laid this cake on the beasts head with frankincense or breaking and crumming it sprinkled it on the offering Thirdly 3. Of Fire againe wee know that God sent Fire from heauen which consumed the sacrifices of Moses Elias and Salomon this though the deuill cannot doe yet would he seeme to doe and therefore to content my selfe with one onely example when Seleucus was sacrificing at Pella the wood on the Altar turned it selfe as it seemed to Iupiters image and so tooke fire And as God commanded that the fire which hee sent downe to consume the first burnt offering that Moses made on the Altar Leuit. 9.24 should burne continually on the Altar and neuer bee put out Leuit. 6.12.13 See Laps de Vestae vestalibuâ— so wee know that both the Romanes had their Temple and vestall virgins for the continuall keeping in of their fire which at the first was and should after if by any occasion it went out be kindled at the Sun-beames onely as also the Persians Medes Chaldaeans Assyrians Graecians had their peculiar Temples for it and indeed made a god of it sacrificed to it kept solemne feasts in honour of it onely because they had such a conceit that the fire from heauen which God sent to consume the sacrifices of the Iewes should be God himselfe appearing in likenesse of fire which their custome no doubt was deriued from the Iewes as appeareth by the Latine and Greeke names of fire Vesta and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in neither tongue signifying any thing but being indeed Hebrew words compounded of Esh and Iah which signifie fire of God So the Persians called their fire Orimasda corruptly from the Iewish language and so the Aegyptians their Seraphim These were the apish toyes of Satan among the Heathen concerning sacrifices not that he was so much delighted with them as with that which he gained by them What was that honour to himselfe hurt to vs. Augâ—â—t Câ—â—â—â— Dei 〈◊〉 cap. 1â— Nec 〈◊〉 aliud â—â—laces 〈…〉 Non enim reuerà saith Saint Augustine cadauerinis nidoribus sed diuinis honoribus gaudent they delight not so much in the sauour of the dead sacrifices as in the fauour and diuine honours giuen them by the sacrificers They require sacrifice because they know it is due to the true God onely and also because it is hurtfull for man to giue it for as saith the same Father Their delight is in hauing the affection of the â—â—â—â—ificers through their deceit subiected to them that so our 〈…〉 bâ— no acceptable sacrifice to God nor ought we can 〈…〉 we 〈◊〉 to any 〈◊〉 to the true God onely Now to proceed we may yeâ— note that in nothing more hath 〈◊〉 Deuill imitated God then in such things as cannot proceed but from infinite Power and Wisedome which are peculiar properties to the onely true God and these are especially the certaine foreshewing of things to come and the working of Miracles or the doing of good and euill by the counterfetting of which two the heathenish gods or deuils so farre preuailed that God is in a manner forced to vindicate his owne honour whereof they robbed him biddâ—ng them produce their cause and bring forth their strong â—eaâ—onâ— what were they Shew saith